Allison Leigh: A WEAVER WEDDING

Allison Leigh
A WEAVER WEDDING
213 pages
Silhouette
ISBN: 978-0-373-65447-5

Tara Browning sure didn't expect to get pregnant when she came back to Weaver, her hometown. But she spent a night with the town's hunk, Axel Clay, and indeed, a baby is the result - but Alex is nowhere in sight. When he comes back a few months later, though, he tells her he's her bodyguard for the time being as her brother is testifying in a high-profile criminal trial and is afraid for her safety. Now how can Tara keep her baby a secret when they're both in such close quarters?

Leigh created a sweet story that - while not surprising me much - had me hooked from the start and I still remember enjoying the story a lot. The characters, especially Tara, were likeable and while I'm not particularly fond of female characters that try to hide a pregnancy from the father, I could understand her reasons to a degree.

Rating: 4/5

Mayu Shinjo: KAIKAN PHRASE Vol. 5

Mayu Shinjo
KAIKAN PHRASE Vol. 5
192 pages
VIZ Media
ISBN: 978-1-591-16560-6

I'm still trying to figure out what I think about this manga series. After five (!!!) volumes I still don't know whether I like the story and the characters enough to read the entire series, but I also don't want to stop reading this series.

Aine is a high school student, but also the song writer for the popular band Lucifer. Aine and Lucifer lead singer Sakuya are a couple when Tomoyuki, the lead singer of another band sees her. He is stunned by how much Aine looks like his dead sister Yumi, for whom he had more feelings than a brother should have for a sister.

It is a weird series, the characters are always in very crazy situations, situations far from reality. But I guess that's why it is a manga series?

Rating: 3/5

Jacqueline Baird: MARRIAGE AT HIS CONVENIENCE

Jacqueline Baird
MARRIAGE AT HIS CONVENIENCE
186 pages
Harlequin
ISBN: 0-373-12196-2

Another book I don't remember too well. I remember bits and pieces of the story, but I don't have the whole picture in mind *sigh*

Five years ago Lucas Karadines told Amber that he was getting married to someone else, but now he's back. Amber just inherited half his company and Lucas sees only one way to keep the control - by marrying Amber. But how could she possibly consider marrying him, when five years ago she was worthy only of being his mistress?

Rating: 3.5/5

Jong Eun Lee: SHI HWA MONG Vol. 1

Jong Eun Lee
SHI HWA MONG Vol. 1
166 pages
Panini Comics
ISBN: 978-3899219364

When the mother of triplets Shi, Hwa and Mong dies, their father separates them and sends two of his daughters off to the USA and Japan respectively. For their sixteenth birthday, he sends them plane tickets to South Korea, but the meeting is not what the girls expected.

It is definitely a cute start for a new series, but I'm not yet sure whatkind of a story the mangaka is trying to tell. I'll be watching out for the second volume.

Rating: 3.5/5

Mayu Sakai: ROCKIN HEAVEN Vol. 2

Mayu Sakai
ROCKIN HEAVEN Vol. 2
Tokyopop
176 pages

Sawa picked her school based on their pretty school uniform and completely missed that this school was a boys school until recently. Besides her, there is only one other girl in her new class and the boys are fairly lazy when it comes to school work. Sawa initiates a study group for the entire class, which brings her closer to her class mates. When Ran has to stay home with a severe cold, Sawa even visits him to help him with the homework...

This is a cute high school manga series, but I still have no clue where Mayu Sakai is taking this. Tokyopop categorizes it as a romance, so I'm curious about the next one.

Rating: 3.5/5

Susan Crosby: THE RANCHER'S SURPRISE MARRIAGE

Susan Crosby
THE RANCHER'S SURPRISE MARRIAGE
211 pages
Mills & Boon
ISBN: 978- 0-263-87051-0

I have to admit I don't remember much of the book anymore. It has been months since I read The Rancher's Surprise Marriage.

When movie star Maggie McShane, America's sweetheart, urgently needs a husband, she is willing to accept a temporary business arrangement. Only Tony Young, her husband, wants a somewhat more ... permanent ... relationship. Especially after some dancing and a night spent together.

Rating: 3.5/5

Countdown 2010 Challenge

Unfortunately, I didn't finish the Countdown 2009 Challenge. I was 7 books short *sigh* But nevertheless, I'm going to try to complete the Countdown 2010 Challenge 3m is hosting again this time around.



The challenge started September 9, 2009 and will end October 10, 2010. The goal is to read:
1 book from 2001
2 books from 2002
3 books from 2003
4 books from 2004
5 books from 2005
6 books from 2006
7 books from 2007
8 books from 2008
9 books from 2009
10 books from 2010

I already set aside a pretty big bunch of books for this challenge. I think I have maybe 15 slots open ;-)

I will update this post with the books I read:

2009
Jill Shalvis - Storm Front

she who hasn't been around much...

This is just a short note to let you know my presence here might be hit and miss during the next few days. I just ordered a new laptop and until it arrives I will have to gather all the important stuff on my old one for a smooth transfer. Once that has happened I'll be back for good, though.

And I can tell you one thing: No more "computer outages" after lousy 2 (!!!) hours of working. Yay!

Lisa Jackson Reading Challenge 2009/2010

Since I didn't do well with the Lisa Jackson Read-A-Fest J. Kaye hosted earlier this year, I will try to read the books I had set aside for this challenge.

I will definitely read Twice Kissed and Fatal Burn. Everything else depends on what I can find in my favorite independent book shop.

Fall Into Reading 2009

It's that time of the year again...
Katrina from Callapidder Days is hosting the Fall Into Reading Challenge again - and of course I'm in!

The challenge will start September 22, 2009 and end December 20, 2009.

I have not yet made up my mind about a list of books, but I'll try to read 20 books during that time.

MaryJanice Davidson: UNDEAD AND UNAPPRECIATED

The link on the pic leads you to Amazon.com!

MaryJanice Davidson
UNDEAD AND UNAPPRECIATED
271 pages
Berkley
ISBN: 0-425-20722-6

Betsy is back! The vampire queen is in at least as much trouble as usually. The employees of her nightclub Scratch have been giving her grief ever since she killed their former boss and on top of that her wicked stepmother drops a bomb big enough to change the entire world. Betsy has a half sister. This sister is now 20 years old, and she's the devil's daughter!

Rating: 4/5

Nalini Singh: SLAVE TO SENSATION

You might know it by now, of course, but just in case: The link on the pic leads you right to Amazon.com!

Nalini Singh
SLAVE TO SENSATION
378 pages
CT

WIith this first volume of the pys-changeling series, Nalini Singh swoops us off into a different world. Sasha Duncan is a psy who leads a double life. She mimes the cool business woman, but on the inside, passion and feelings confuse her. When she meets shapeshifter Lucas Hunter, she gets in serious trouble as she can barely uphold the mask she has created for her psy world. When one of the women from Lucas' pack is murdered and Lucas wants revenge, Sasha decides to help him.

Rating: 4.5/5

Cara Summers: COME TOY WITH ME

As usually, the link leads you to Amazon.com!

Cara Summers
COME TOY WITH ME
Harlequin
214 pages
ISBN: 978-0-373-79441-6

When Cat's father makes her agree to a fake engagement, Cat's Christmas becomes even more hectic than usually, but she knows it's the only way to keeo the family peace. For Dino Angelis, navy captain and special ops agent, on the other hand, this is an unusual assignment. But he was asked to keep an eye on Cat and find out whether she knows about the smuggling ring that seems to use Cat's toy shop.

Rating: 4/5

Jennifer LaBrecque: YULE BE MINE

This link leads you right to Amazon.com - as usually!

Jennifer LaBrecque
YULE BE MINE
Harlequin
212 pages
ISBN: 978-0-373-79440-9

When Giselle heads out on Christmas for a research trip for an article, little does she know this will be an unusual trip. Her photographer for the article turns out to be her former brother-in-law, Sam - the man she was interested in for years! And Sam has felt the same for Giselle from the first moment he met her. But does Giselle's sister still stand between the two of them?

Rating: 4/5

Jill Shalvis: FLASHPOINT

The link for this picture leads you right to Amazon.com!

Jill Shalvis
FLASHPOINT
Harlequin
216 pages
ISBN: 978-0-373-79414-0

After having met Christina and Dustin in the anthology Heating Up The Holidays, Jill Shalvis brings us back to the brave men and women of the fire department of Santa Rey. This time, Zack Thomas and Brooke O'Brien are dealing with arson *and* the fire that is burning between the two of them, to say it in a rather cheesy way.

Once again Shalvis managed to work her magic with a cast of awesome characters that made me laugh, shake my head and want to pound it on the nearest table at the same time. I don't know how she does it, but I always have fun reading her romance novels!

Rating: 4.5/5