Opening Line:“Before she became the Girl From Nowhere --the One Who Walked in, the First and Last and Only, who lived a thousand years—she was just a Opening Line:“Before she became the Girl From Nowhere --the One Who Walked in, the First and Last and Only, who lived a thousand years—she was just a little girl in Iowa, named Amy."
I wanted to give this 5 stars because it is pretty damn fantastic; the complex story, the imaginative and often beautiful writing, the suspense, the hopelessness but oh my god it’s long. At around 900 pages it took me over a month to read and towards the end became more of a goal to finish than anything else. I was so ready to move onto something else but didn’t want to miss a thing either.
The Passage also reads like two totally different books with the first part taking place pre-apocalypse, as the virus/cure is discovered, developed, tested on several subjects and followed through it’s epidemic. It then jumps several hundred years into the future and several generations of survivors later as we follow them in their new scary world.
There is a huge cast of characters to follow in both ‘parts’ (very Stephen Kingish that way) and I enjoyed them equally. Along those lines I would categorize this as an apocalyptic masterpiece reminiscent of Stephen Kings The Stand, or Robert McCammon's Swan Song including suggestions from 'Salem's Lot, Cormac McCarthy's The Road and a bit of The Walking Dead thrown in for good measure.
It’s definitely worth reading but you’re going to have to make a commitment.
Opening Line: “I sometimes think to myself that I’m the last of my kind.”
Well I’ve gotta give this 5 stars because Nicholas Sparks did it to me again Opening Line: “I sometimes think to myself that I’m the last of my kind.”
Well I’ve gotta give this 5 stars because Nicholas Sparks did it to me again with another unforgettable romance. I just can’t help myself when it comes to his stuff. By now I’ve also come to terms with the fact that I’m not going to be guaranteed a HEA, which may actually be part of the attraction, it sure adds to the suspense factor as I never know who he’s going to kill off and I’ve thrown more than one of his books across the room in disgust but, yeah I keep coming back for more.
The Longest Ride was different than the last couple in that there’s no mystery or unscrupulous bad guys here. No big suspense factor or real tragedy. It is still a fantastic story though, the romance is just beautiful –soft and slow burning between our modern couple and sweet and sad via the Notebook-esque flashbacks from our older couple, who manage to give us a complete picture of their long life together –I just loved them. I also enjoyed the bull riding aspect, with its descriptions of the PBR and Luke’s battle with his nemesis “Big Ugly Critter”. The accounts of a hard working ranch life are also well done. Sophia was a little harder for me to relate to; a New Jersey college girl and her sorority sister issues. A great pairing of opposites.
Despite the lack of an antagonist the ending still managed to be pretty exciting, keeping me up late to see the outcome and wondering once again if Sparks was going to kill off another hero. I will say that this one is a little twisty, a little sneaky and (view spoiler)[ we do very much get our HEA so I didn’t have to throw anything or cry. (hide spoiler)]
Alternating with 3 different POV’s we begin with 91 year old Ira Levinson crashing his car over an embankment during a snow storm. Ira is alone in the world and no one is going to be looking for him for a very long time. In poor health to begin with he is now suffering from multiple injuries, unable to move and barely conscious, somehow his beloved wife Ruth appears in the passenger seat beside him. She’s been gone for 9 years now so couldn’t possibly be here yet she forces him to hang on, her clothes and appearance changing with the times as she urges him to recount the stories of their life together. Their early courtship, the dark days of WWll when he served as a pilot, their eventual marriage and their discovery of art which begins a lifelong hobby of collecting paintings from as then unknown artists. It is a life well lived.
We also meet Sophia Danko, a college senior in the midst of being pressured to join her roommate for a weekend at the local rodeo. Sophia is recovering from a recent breakup after her boyfriend of 2 years cheated on her and realizes her friend might be right, she needs a night out. She meets former PBR champion Luke Collins at the bull riding event, when he comes to her rescue in all his yummy cowboy goodness. Luke bears no resemblance to the silly college boys she’s used to and despite their differences the two start dating and fall in love. We follow them through the early stages of their budding relationship as they try not to think too hard about what the future holds as their worlds are so far removed. Luke is trying to keep the bank from taking his flailing ranch all while attempting a comeback after a horrific bullriding injury sidelined his dreams. His days are long and filled with guilt and fear.
Alternating characters throughout we see Ira and Ruth’s life lived while waiting and hoping for Ira to be rescued, growing weaker as the days pass. We witness young love and difficult decisions as Luke keeps a weighty secret and pushes himself to the limits. In the end Sophia and Luke’s lives are changed forever by an old man and the last letter he wrote to his wife on their anniversary. Cheers. Sigh.
Took me over a month to read this and was honestly a bit of a slog to get through. Disappointing romance between Cait and Duke/G.B and what the hell wTook me over a month to read this and was honestly a bit of a slog to get through. Disappointing romance between Cait and Duke/G.B and what the hell was Jim doing here? Not much. I didn't feel that this advanced the series at all. The whole 500 + pages could have been accomplished in about a chapter. Sorry Ward. I used to love you....more
Opening Line: “The rangy she-wolf, still thin from the passing winter, paused at the edge of the tree line above the valley.”
Oh I liked this one. It wOpening Line: “The rangy she-wolf, still thin from the passing winter, paused at the edge of the tree line above the valley.”
Oh I liked this one. It was just such an all-round great read. With an original and captivating storyline and hero unlike anyone I’ve read before, I can see now why Sharon Sala is so popular. The writing is top notch, the romance wonderfully done (sweet with an undercurrent of sexual tension yet without any annoying melodrama) and the story filled with unique and well-drawn out secondary characters -you’ll feel like you know the residents of the small mountain town. We get two bad guys here, one of which you spend the entire book trying to figure out the identity of. THE HEALER is also especially great if you’re an animal lover because our hero talks to them in a very Doolittley way except sexier.
That’s right, Jonah Grey Wolf, what a fantastic selfless character. Not only can he talk to animals but he has the ability to heal with his touch. He also has great hair, can give our heroine an orgasm just by looking at her and is just an all-round nice guy. I don’t usually go for the beta heroes but I couldn’t help myself here.
Now while this story is filled with the supernatural it manages to stay out of the paranormal romance territory and remains strictly a contemporary. Actually one of the things I appreciated most about Jonah Grey Wolf’s character is that his abilities and formative years are never explained, he’s just able to do what he does, he’s just a healer.
At the age of two a female wolf carries Jonah Grey Wolf into a remote Alaskan village and leaves him there. It is all that is known about the mysterious boy who is quickly adopted by the town doctor. As the years go by it becomes obvious that Jonah is different; with a mystical connection to animals and the power to heal the sick and wounded.
When a visiting hunter gets attacked by a grizzly Jonah of course heals the tourist but he may have shown his secret to the wrong man because now Jonah has tuned into the hunted. Bad guy #1 (Major Bourdain) wants to harness Jonah’s talents in a quest for immortality and will stop at nothing to claim his prize. With his village in danger and a million dollar bounty on his head Jonah leaves Alaska and becomes a drifter, roaming town to town, never staying long or getting too close to anyone.
His travels eventually take him to West Virginia where he comes to the aid of a Lucia Maria Andahar and her giant dog Hobo who is caught in a trap. Jonah heals the dog and accepts Luce’s hospitality of a meal and roof for the night. The pair strikes an immediate connection and despite himself Jonah stays.
Luce has ulterior motives for inviting the stranger to her secluded cabin; ever since she began receiving threatening notes she hasn’t felt safe there. But Jonah can’t stay and he definitely can’t fall in love that would only make Lucia a target for his enemies. Wolves mate for life however and maybe it’s time Jonah started fighting back. 369jb5...more
Much like Christmas the BDB only comes around once a year and it's still my favorite book release of the year, even if I am starting to feel a little Much like Christmas the BDB only comes around once a year and it's still my favorite book release of the year, even if I am starting to feel a little too old to believe in "Santa" F-bombing it out in his leather pants.
Opening Line: Grave. And not as in serious. As in headstone and freshly disturbed earth, as in body down under, as in ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”
I’Opening Line: Grave. And not as in serious. As in headstone and freshly disturbed earth, as in body down under, as in ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”
I’m one of those obsessive JR Ward fans that knows the release date of her latest book about a year in advance and plans accordingly, rearranging my work schedule and blocking off several uninterrupted days to read it. If I’m honest though her Fallen Angels have never quite made it to the same level as her BDB boys however I did feel (at least with the last book (Envy) Ward had turned a corner with the series, as it was a fantastic read and really got me excited about what was to come. Unfortunately with this installment it just feels like we`ve gone back to square one because in the end I came away feeling underwhelmed and disappointed.
Don't get me wrong, it’s still ‘new’ Ward so it’s still all kinds of awesome but Rapture took me over a week to finish with sections where my mind wandered or I just felt like I’d read it all before. There wasn’t really anything new here with characters, traits and events that felt rehashed and a little too familiar along with a slow moving storyline and not a whole lot going on in the romance department. I also don`t feel like this book moved things forward; in fact I would go as far as to say that Rapture stalled, essentially taking the series nowhere.
Okay now that that’s out of the way. Rapture is book 4 in the Fallen Angels series following our angel Jim Heron as he battles the devil in the ultimate endgame of good vs evil. Jim has been chosen (by like GOD himself) to rescue the souls of seven people from one of seven deadly sins. If he fails so does all of humanity, so the stakes are pretty high. Currently he stands at a win of 2 to 1 with events in the last book hitting him hard as Devina (the devil) took out one of his team *sigh* Well and then there`s that little issue of him having sex with her, and oh that whole Sissy trapped in hell situation. Anyways.
As usual going in Jim (and the reader) don’t know whose soul is going to need saving. I have to say I was a little surprised to learn that previous bad boy Matthias was being resurrected here as the latest hero. Can’t say I liked him much before, but I wasn`t supposed to. Of course through clever writing Ward manages to transform him into, if not swoon-worthy at least redeemable enough that I felt for his plight.
We join Matthias as he wakes up naked on top of a grave (Jim’s) He has no memories of how he got there, in fact he has no memories at all which might actually be a good thing considering the type of life he lead before his little trip to hell. As the leader of XOps (a covert group of assassins) he was a bit of a monster and his body still has the scars to prove it.
So Matthias stumbles around the graveyard, getting used to his dysfunctional legs before wandering onto the road and getting hit by a car. Say hello to Mels Carmichael; reporter for the Caldwell Courier Journal, user of Beth’s coffee mug and romantic lead. Mels is your standard Ward heroine; little bit Jane, a dash of Griers, entirely forgettable but perfect for Matthias. And while their romance was fine it was nothing special, they did however seem to spend an exorbitant amount of time in hotels and restaurants or eating in general.
All the Wardisms are here, yup Ward's unique brand of slang and riddelesque product placement is in full bloom, which sometimes makes me laugh but also gets to be a bit much particularly in this series. “He’d come to the land of Lysol, piss-green tiles, and scales that were used to weigh brains and livers” -Um, couldn`t you just say morgue?
I’m surprisingly becoming a big fan of Devina, what with her ongoing therapy sessions, OCD, hoarding issues and school girl crush on Jim her POV`s are always a blast to read.
I also just have to mention Adrian; the sacrifice he makes here is so well... moving, it had me way more invested then the whole crossroads climax that we had supposedly been waiting all book for. That was kind of meh, what did he do that for? Whereas Adrian, he broke me. Cheers peeps. ~3.5~ 329jb35...more
Just noticed that this series is switching to a hardcover release!
Which pisses me off. I'm not sure I'm invested enough in Ward's angels to shell outJust noticed that this series is switching to a hardcover release!
Which pisses me off. I'm not sure I'm invested enough in Ward's angels to shell out the $$ for hardcover especially when I'll just end up replacing it in PB so my series is all matchy, matchy. (Yeah I know) Damn I hate when publishers do this.
So far this series isn't up to BDB standards, and what I mean by that is that I've yet to reread any of the books whereas my BDB's are trashed, I've reread them several, several times so it doesn't hurt so much having 2 copies.
*SPOILER FREE* Opening Line "The bastard's taking the bridge! He's mine!"
Wow, I honestly don’t know where to begin with this review. To say that this w*SPOILER FREE* Opening Line "The bastard's taking the bridge! He's mine!"
Wow, I honestly don’t know where to begin with this review. To say that this was good is an understatement. To say that it knocked me on my ass and left me a drained, emotional wreck, is far closer to the truth. Yup, LOVER REBORN did me in, talk about your gauntlet of emotions, I mean I expected some angst but jeez! I cried (I mean really cried) I laughed, I sighed, I swore, I groaned and I gasped but in the end I also smiled.
As much as I was anticipating this book it was also with a heavy dose of apprehension; was I ready to see Tohrment find love again? Was he ready? Were any of us really ready to let Wellsie go? And most importantly could Ward make me believe in this new love? The answer is a resounding yes, I think in part because it doesn’t happen quickly (or easily) Reborn has been broken into 4 sections (1 per season) so that this book takes place over the period of a year. And it was over that year and all the shit that goes down (and oh does the shit ever go down) that Ward made me believe.
Starting where Lover Unleashed left off and with her usual flair Ward throws us into “Spring” and right into the action and pain that is Tohr. Chasing down a group of Lessers, Tohr is now relentless in his pursuit of the enemy, basically only drawing breathe to “ahvenge” his murdered wife and son. Tonight’s hunt sees Tohr launching himself off a bridge as John and Qhuinn watch helplessly from below, John issuing a silent scream as Tohr falls. And so it begins. Through 572 pages Ward proceeds to give us everything we want and then some…
Without going into spoiler territory (which is going to be hard) I can tell you of course that this is Tohr and No’one’s story. These two have a long history together and are both equally broken so it makes sense for them to get together. Lassiter is helping to move them along on the love train (in his own way) and as it turns out with a sense of urgency. John and Xhex also play key roles in their story, giving us some absolutely filthy-hot love scenes as well as showing us a marriage in transition.
Xcor and his Band Of Bastards are back and gaining strength in Caldwell. They do things here that… can never be forgiven. Sending one Brother on a mission under a decree of death. New and mysterious characters are introduced (Assail) while others are fleshed out (Throe and Zyphor.) We’re still all mixed up in the whole hot-mess that is Layla/Qhinn/Blay/Saxton; however that’s all about to change:) The Blind King still kicks ass, Ward throws a “needing” (or two) our way and gives us details of a ceremony that absolutely broke my heart. We also bare witness to a battle that gave me heart palpitations for all of its 60 pages and left some Brothers with life threatening injuries.
Somehow through all this Ward also manages to give us time with each and every member of the Brotherhood mansion. We get to see everyone doing their thing, giving us some special moment with each of them and that in itself says something because there are so many characters now. There also aren’t any “lesser” POV’s to suffer through; we don’t travel back to the old country or to the other side to hang with the chosen (verily.) And I have to compliment Ward on toning down the product placement and Wardisms. This book just flowed beautifully.
In fact I would have to say that Ward has hit her pinnacle with Lover Reborn. The balance here is just right; the romance, the action, the surprises and the healing. I honestly never knew where this was going to go and when that happens you’re guaranteed a great ride.
And now for the good news Blay and Qhuinn have been officially announced as book #11! That’s right the wait is over. It looks like Ward has worked a miracle with her publisher because their story was originally to be a novella and now they’re getting their very own Hardcover instalment. Way to go boys. See you Spring 2013
Really!? How did I not know earlier that the hero of this book was going to be Thomas “Veck” DelVecchio, Jr from Lover Unleashed
Gah, how awesome is thReally!? How did I not know earlier that the hero of this book was going to be Thomas “Veck” DelVecchio, Jr from Lover Unleashed
Gah, how awesome is this? I love the crossover.
This must mean we'll also get to see his partner...Jose del la Cruz, yippee. Endless possibilities here; Butch sightings, Lessers, The Band of Bastards (Throe) and the subsequent headaches leftover from his scrubbing.
The year long wait for Tohr's book just got a little easier! You rock warden.
*Confirmation given at Ward's latest signing (thanks Mahlet) that Throe from the Band Of Bastards will indeed play a role -"has a meaningful moment in it" and that we will see more crossover between the two series in general.
~So here's my Spoiler Free review~
As others have mentioned this is the best yet from Ward’s Fallen Angels series. She seems to have gotten the mix just right here and I found myself completely caught up in the story, it’s romance and all the many sub characters and their ongoing battles. I suppose introducing the hero in the last BDB book didn’t hurt matters, as from the get-go I was wondering how a Vampire attack and Veck’s subsequent “memory loss” was going to be explained. However the two series feel very different to me now, and even though I can still sense the BDB world in the background, its no longer a distraction.(I do become a squealing fan girl when I find those cameos though) Speeding black Escalade in the rain or old landlord in a butlers uniform anyone.
I would describe this as a romance wrapped in urban fantasy. The mix works though, along with Ward’s usual hilarious male banter, excessive product placement, seriously hot love scenes and a few major surprises -which we should see the trickle down effect from for several books to come. I also feel that she finally got the romance right here; I enjoyed Veck and Reilly and found myself rooting for their HEA.
Through some unique world building we also get a much closer look at arch angels Nigel and Colin(who are growing on me) and of course our sexy saviour Jim and his badass fallen angel sidekicks Adrian and Eddie… (Sigh)
Lastly I have to mention Devina. She is just awesome, probably Ward’s best female character to date and a superb villain. Yes she is evil but she is also so much more, what with her therapy sessions, hoarding issues, insecurities and school girl crush on Jim -which let me tell you he uses to his full advantage. Alls fair in love and war bitch.
As with all of Ward’s books there are many characters fighting for POV time; popping us back and forth between hero and heroine, into heaven and hell and the minds of angels, demons and anyone else caught in the crossfire of battle #3. I can honestly say though that I didn’t ever want to skip any of their sections (Lessers) as each POV was an integral part of the story and more than held my interest.
Yes, the WARDen got it right with ENVY and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
Homicide detective Thomas “Veck” Delvecchio is convinced he’s just killed a man. Haunted by the legacy of his serial killer father and followed by a dark shadow, it was really only a matter of time until he gave in to the dark side. The problem is he doesn’t remember the attack and the evidence says he’s innocent. Sent to monitor Veck is internal affairs officer Sophia Reilly whose interest in Veck grows increasingly personal as they share pizza and a mutual admiration for Victoria’s Secret.
Entwined in their budding romance is Jim Heron, now facing the 3rd round in the ultimate end game of good VS evil. He and his two back up angels have been given the task of battling against the devil for Veck’s very soul.
Bringing our group together is Reilly and Veck’s investigation of missing person Sissy Barton. She is of course being held by Devina (Crave) Jim is determined to find her body and retrieve her soul from hell whatever the consequences which gives him more reason then ever to shadow Veck, who’s own internal struggle is just beginning. Honestly I could go on and on about the plot. So much happens and I‘m not doing it justice here so I will stop. It is intricate, shocking, suspenseful, exciting, sexy and just well played. Cheers ...more
Opening Line:"They Don't seem to care that they're dying."
THE DARKEST PASSION is book #5 in the fantastic and addictive Lords Of The Underworld seriesOpening Line:"They Don't seem to care that they're dying."
THE DARKEST PASSION is book #5 in the fantastic and addictive Lords Of The Underworld series and this time its all about the winged and tattooed immortal Aeron. A warrior cursed (along with several others) after opening Pandora’s box and bound ever since to a demon, his being Wrath (sort of like a devilish alter ego you can’t ignore)
Recently Aeron has sensed an invisible female presence around him and here we learn that she is in fact an angel-demon assassin sent to kill him. Of course nothing is as it seems with this series and when Aeron confronts this angel, Olivia claims that she means him no harm, that she couldn’t kill him and has in fact fallen. Giving up immortality and her life in the clouds to experience her now earthly life with him. It’s a match made in Heaven/Hell right? What could be easier then a demon lord and a fallen angel hooking up? Throw in Lucifer, Shadow girl and Aeron’s altered little venom spitting girlfriend Legion, more deals and bargains with Greek gods then I could keep track of, a continuing war with the ‘hunters’ and you’ve got yourself the makings of a perfect romance.
This was a great read and an excellent addition to the series as a whole and really is worthy of 5 stars however because I didn’t read Heart of Darkness first which (who knew) contained Lords Of The Underworld 4.5 there were major plot holes and a whole lot of confusion in the beginning chapters along with certain details that were never filled in. For example how and when did one of the immortals get both of his hands cut off?
I just hate it when authors put semi-important details or move along an ongoing series within an anthology. I’ve been burned too many times with them, spending the money to read 75 pages and usually only enjoying or bothering with the one story by the one author. I won‘t be reading HOD on principle alone now. Anyways enough with my rant. Did I mention how frickin sexy this book is?
Yeah sexy and erotic too, that Showalter can sure write a love scene. Aeron as our hero is awesome he's also the one most in harmony with his demon (now) and as the protector, the one that keeps the others safe. Covered in gruesome tattoos from top to bottom he also sports a pair of wings, flying around during battles and in one instance during love making (that was a new one for me, sex while in flight!) And as improbable as it seems his and Olivia’s romance is a perfect match, once the pair get out of the bedroom that is (I just have to say why does Showalter deem it necessary to lock every one of her heroines in a warriors bedroom for a period of time while one or the other recovers and until the warrior and demon both declare “mine” Its done in almost every book and frankly its getting boring.)
Our couple face insurmountable odds with exciting twists, kidnappings, double crossings and in the end the ultimate sacrifice in the name of love. The ending is …well you’ll get your HEA but at what cost?
The Darkest Lie is up next and it has been set up perfectly for Gideon and his long lost----- also because of events in the last couple of chapters many new and exciting doors have been opened up for this series as a whole. Cheers. ...more
Opening Line:"Hey! Wait a -- Save that shit for the ring!"
CRAVE is book #2 in the anticipated Fallen Angels series and while this still aint no Black Opening Line:"Hey! Wait a -- Save that shit for the ring!"
CRAVE is book #2 in the anticipated Fallen Angels series and while this still aint no Black Dagger Brotherhood with this instalment the WARDen seems to have at least found her groove, and I feel way more invested in the series as a whole now then I did after reading Covet, although I’m still not in love with it (does that make sense?)
Continuing 4 days after the end of COVET, Fallen Angel Jim Heron finds himself in familiar territory as the soul he has to save this time around is that of AWOL Black Ops soldier Isaac Roth. The back story here is extensive as Jim and Isaac share a history together, both having served under the treacherous leadership of Matthias. When we begin Isaac is making some quick cash as an underground cage fighter. After the ring gets busted Isaac lands in jail where we meet his beautiful, court appointed defence attorney Grier Childe.
Despite their differences (or maybe because of) the sparks fly with Grier going so far as to post his bail using her own money. With Isaac now free he plans on disappearing and fast the only problem is he owes Grier and can’t seem to get her out of his head even though he knows all he could possibly bring her is trouble. When Jim and his fallen sidekicks make contact Jim realizes that its not just Devina stealing his soul that puts Isaac in danger but their former commander Matthias has put a death sentence on his head, because the only way you can leave their covert little organization is in a body bag.
The story moves along fast but smoothly and with a whole lot happening in the mere three day span of the book. So even though our romantic couple isn’t given a whole lot of time to fall in love (or enough romance period) they still managed to capture my attention and even gave me a couple of *sigh* moments. I really enjoyed Isaac and Grier, who (despite the amount of omelettes getting eaten) have great chemistry together and the love scenes are erotic and heart wrenching, which lets be honest is a Ward standard.
Also as per usual with Ward there are numerous characters vying for POV time and as always she handles this seamlessly. Popping us back and forth between the hero and heroine and into heaven and hell in the minds of angels, demons and anyone else caught in the crossfire of battle #2 this time around. All the returning characters get fleshed out (some even get wings) so you learn more about Jim Heron as well as his intriguing but still somewhat vague angel sidekicks Adrian and Eddie. Even dog makes an appearance. We also get into Devina’s warped and evil head and she’s proved to be surprisingly interesting.
Of course this book is full of F-bombs and Wards own unique brand of slang which I usually enjoy. However this time there are just so many “Wardisms” that I found myself getting side tracked trying to figure out exactly what she was trying to say in her riddlesque product placement kind of way.
"A gust of wind went Nike across the landscape" This is fun a few times then it just gets dhistracting.
Crave is definitely darker then Covet with some scenes that are downright disturbing and I will tell you (because I drove myself crazy looking) that there aren’t any Brother sightings this time around except for the mention of 'sKillerz' but I’ll let you figure that one out on your own.
For me Crave effectively advances the series as a whole, tying everything together so that I could see the big picture. So that even though each book will deal with a different battle of good and evil it’s really the end game that counts and the ending this time around is …surprising...more
Opening Line: "She wants you." Jim Heron lifted his eyes from his Budweiser."
A PROMISING START ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CALDWELL N.Y
I'm sure most people pOpening Line: "She wants you." Jim Heron lifted his eyes from his Budweiser."
A PROMISING START ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CALDWELL N.Y
I'm sure most people picking up Covet are fans of JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood and my advice to you would be (as hard as it is) to forget about the Brothers (just for a moment) and enjoy this story for what it is. Ward has created a whole new mythology here, that of Angels, Demons and the occult and given us some fantastic new characters to play in it. Her unique writing style makes this story feel familiar from the get go and I loved revisiting the places I've come to know in Caldwell N.Y. through the Brotherhood. Seeing the city in the daylight was especially fun and I revelled in the familiarity of these new yummy characters with their loud music, unique slang and multiple f-bombed banter. Yes, it's good to be back with the WARDen again.
I found writing a synopsis really difficult here without giving too much away so I'll just set the story in motion. Jim Heron, as one of the main characters is no Angel *wink, wink* He's lived his life on both sides of the law and that's what makes him the perfect impartial choice for the angels and demons ultimate end game. Jim has been chosen as the deal breaker in a game of good vs. evil and given the task of saving the souls of seven people from one of seven deadly sins, If he fails so does all of humanity, so it isn't really an option.
The first soul Jim is sent to redeem is that of Vin diPietro, a wealthy and powerful yet dissatisfied business man. He's also Jim's boss. Through circumstances Jim finds himself at the nightclub The Iron Mask (previously ZeroSum) with Vin and his beautiful but mysterious fiancé. This situation is awkward in a host of different ways (no spoilers here) but it allows us to see Trez again and for Vin to see Marie-Therese across a crowded dance floor and not be able to look away. We of course get into Marie-Therese's head and learn the whys and how's of her life as a prostitute (this is not a spoiler, she was in Lover Avenged) And her story is very interesting. We then enter a love triangle of sorts and a serial killer sets his sights on Marie-Therese. Meanwhile Jim adopts a dog and tries to save the world while Vin faces a horrifying ancient evil.
So, these are the four main characters involved in Covet and they all go through some major personality changes during the course of this story. There are also several secondary characters, some of which have been well fleshed out but others like Jim's two Fallen Angel mentors have unfortunately been left a little vague.
This gets 4.5 stars from me and I would recommend it. I become invested in the characters and couldn't put it down, I laughed, I shook my head, shrieked and sighed. The love scenes are amazing and I liked Jim as the hero and his little dog too. Vin and Marie-Therese's evolving romance is captivating and sexy, although those of you looking for a typical romance novel may be somewhat disappointed. I didn't feel as though I'd learned enough (or gotten enough) of the Fallen Angels but the antagonists were well done and even a little scary (albeit they didn't smell like baby powder.) The last 100 pages of Covet are heart pounding and in the end Ward left me wanting more. Do yourself a favour though and don't search for the cameo appearances from the Brothers while you read this, just enjoy the story. They are there but be warned they're very brief. (I will however admit to screaming like a little girl when I found them.) ...more
~8 years ago today we lost Steve Irwin so I'm rebooting my review~
Opening Line:"The name of the zoo was the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park."
You wi~8 years ago today we lost Steve Irwin so I'm rebooting my review~
Opening Line:"The name of the zoo was the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park."
You will really get a feel for the Crocodile Hunter's spirit and zest for life with this memoir but also a continuing feeling of urgency on his part to experience everything and get things done as quickly as possible. Its as if he knew that he wasn't long for this earth. Steve also had a strong sense of family and longed for children to carry on his work after he was gone.
Terri Irwin has written a wonderful love story with this tribute to her late husband. Encompassing her life in Oregon before she met Steve on that fateful day in Australia and their many adventures together afterwards. She has managed to capture the spirit of this Wildlife Warrior perfectly and although not full of personal revelations this is still a well written memoir that I couldn't put down. Including 12 pages of photographs and a glossary of Australian terms, fans of the Crocodile Hunter and Steve in general will be swept away in the adventure and enthusiasm that was his life.
When Terri was 27 years old she took a vacation to Australia. While there she visited a small wildlife park and in a chance of fate met the tall blonde force of nature named Steve Irwin. The two maintained a long distance relationship over the following year but were soon married. In fact their honeymoon escapade became the very first episode of the Crocodile Hunter.
At first Terri had a tough time adjusting to life in Australia, it was quite different from what she was used to back in Portland Oregon. The snakes and spiders, the language barrier and the heat. She gives us many great stories of her newlywed years; working at Australia Zoo and their adventures in the bush where Steve was happiest. There's also some background about Terri's life before she met Steve and I was interested to learn that she'd also worked with animals back in the States, in particular a cougar rescue facility. She even had a pet cougar named Malina who she tried for years (unsuccessfully) to get into Australia. There are a few stories of Steve's childhood, working alongside his father as they perfected the art of capturing and relocating crocodiles. Steve often spent months alone in the bush and his capture of "the black ghost" helped shape him into the man he became.
Even though we all know what happened the ending of this book is still absolutely heartbreaking. I would suggest that you have some tissues handy as Terri unknowingly describes in detail the last time she and the children saw Steve and the last words she said to him.
Steve Irwin always felt a need to hurry yet he lived his life full of joy and enthusiasm. We miss you mate but our world is a better place because of your work. I now catch myself rescuing spiders from the bathtub and think of you, thanks. ...more
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