What We Are Reading

Today we have DarkSiders Fiona Gregory, Paula Roe, Emmeline Lock, and Jess Anastasi (who is turning out to be our resident reviewer J )


Fiona Gregory

Starlight by Astrid Cooper - I fell in love with the cover when I first saw this book and bought it as a result. Am loving it and especially loving the well thought out chapter titles like Starlight Rapture. So much cooler than Chapter one, chapter two.

Body for Life by Bill Phillips and Michael D'Orso. I'm not really into serious weight training, just trying to rehab a badly injured knee and get back to running again. Although there are some pretty great abs, butts and chests in the photos as the back. J

RSPCA Qld Animal Training and Behaviour Centre Intermediate Program Manual. The knee injury was a result of the new puppy - a great dane cross labrador. When I say I'm reading this, I've nearly memorised it I've spent so much time with it. Unfortunately, the dog hasn't read it, so we're going to fail again this time around.

Patiently waiting on my TBR pile: Crimson City, Crimson Rogue and Seduced by Crimson from the Crimson City series. I will get to you, I will.

Paula Roe



To Wish or Not To Wish by Mindy Klasky

I looooved Mindy’s Jane Madison witch series and even though this book is the third in her As You Wish series, you can read it as a stand alone. It’s about an every-girl heroine, a genie and her four wishes, and has the wonderful humor I’m come to associate with Klasky’s stories, combined with likeable characters. Great fun!

Undead and Unworthy by Mary Janice Davidson


A blonde material girl with an obsession for designer shoes who suddenly becomes Queen of the Vampires... talk about clash of cultures! I love Queen Betsy and I also love the way MJ has grown this irreverent, quirky series. This book is a lot darker than the prior six, and even the author admits she’s taken a different tone for this and the next two. I’ve heard some rumblings about terrible things happening to our plucky heroine in the latest Undead and I’m crossing my fingers I haven’t invested my time poorly!




Driven by Megan Hart

This is the first book of hers I’ve read with a sci-fi/futuristic setting, and like all her other erotic contemporary romances, her awesome writing skills shine. Our heroine is a mech pleasure bot, our hero an exiled royal alpha male and the author takes you from a post-apocalyptic earth, into space and onto other planets with ease. I was hooked the entire time. My *only* complaint is the ending felt a little rushed – I would’ve liked to see more of the hero/heroine interacting to get to the HEA.





Emmeline Lock

MOON CALLED, by Patricia Briggs 

I’ve been inhaling a new-to-me author – Patricia Briggs. Briggs comes from a high fantasy background, but I’ve jumped in at her urban fantasy/thriller Mercy Thompson series, beginning with MOON CALLED. The series is available on Kindle/Kindle apps for Aussie readers.

From Goodreads, about MOON CALLED:

‘Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too.

Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf. 

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire. 

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself ... and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.’ 

This series has been my first “sorry kids, you know where the cereal is, Mummy’s reading” effort for the year. Mercy Thompson is a great kick-ass heroine without coming off as invincible. She’s a self-contained, likeable, intelligent character. Mercy is able to save the day/someone’s life/her own skin in various ways that you just don’t see coming. I did a lot of, “Well, how’s she going to get out of this one?", which is, to me, a hallmark of a good read.

The story blends the current day with vampires, werewolves, the fae (including brownies, selkies and gremlins), and of course, Mercy herself. I enjoyed Briggs’ take on the various beings’ magical abilities. The world Briggs has constructed is believable and consistent.

Now, to the men. *Happy sigh*. If something niggles me about the two books that I’ve read, it’s that Mercy seems to keep her men (she has two love interests and a third warming up at the beginning of book three, lucky girl) coolly dangling for eons. Does it make them lesser men because they’re not pushing her to choose? It could, but in the case of this series, I really don’t think it does (they’re good characters). It probably says more about me. Being a disciple of the school of instant gratification, I would like -- if not a whole lotta steam -- at least a bit more effort on Mercy’s part to nail herself a man (ahem). But of course, if she made a decision now, what would the remaining books in the series be about? Come to think of it, for me the lack of sensual scenes is a key difference between this series and what would be a similar series -- Laurell K Hamilton’s very-busy-in-the-bedroom Anita Blake. I do think I prefer Mercy, on the whole. Really, in her defense, Mercy does have a high body count to deal with, so I shall forgive her.

For me, this book puts me in mind of Gena Showalter’s Alien Huntress, Kresley Cole’s Amazons and Mercy even smacks of JD Robb’s Eve Dallas. It’s a great UF/thriller/romantic elements read.

Kindle version

The books in the Mercy Thompson series are:

1. Moon Called (2006)

2. Blood Bound (2007)

3. Iron Kissed (2008)

4. Bone Crossed (2009)

5. Silver Borne (2010)

6. River Marked (2011)

Preying for Mercy (omnibus) (2008)






Jess Anastasi

I planned on reading JR Ward's Crave, but picking up a historical romance from my TBR pile, Sins of a Wicked Duke by Sophie Jordan. It had a simple plot, but was actually hard to put down. It was one of those 'woman dresses up as man and becomes a servant in the hero's house' type stories. I was skeptical, I've read a few along these lines and was never quite convinced how dumb the hero had to be not to see that the woman he'd been lusting after was right under his nose. Anyway, Ms Jordan actually did quite a believable job of it. I was impressed. I bought this book becuase it was half price at Rendezvous, so wasn't expecting much. But I really enjoyed it and and next time I'm feel like a histoical, I'll be looking to see what else Ms. Jordan has on offer.

Maybe next month I'll get to Crave...




Thanks ladies!