Weekly Reading(#1)

I don't always have the patience or the time to write reviews for all the books I read in a week, that's why I had this idea :)

This week I've read:

Styxx (Dark-Hunter #23)
by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Just when you thought doomsday was over…

Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge.

As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron’s.

The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished.

Until now.

She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her.

But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer.

Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it’s your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul?

Rating: 

My thoughts:

Oh... I can't explain about this book. It is one of the best I've read this year and made me hate people a little(to understand why, you have to read it), but, at the same time, made me believe in happy endings, forgiveness and redemption.

In this installment Ms. Kenyon shows us Ash's brother hell of a life and drops some more tidbits about some beloved characters(unfortunately I still don't know who his dad is, damn it!). The book takes place at the same time with Acheron, but it has only a few scenes in common with it. We see more of Savitar, Apollymi(both of them can be such A-holes), Apollo(he FINALLY gets what he deserves), Tory and Urian(you won't see that one coming!).

To enjoy this book you need a strong stomach since Sherri doesn't gloss over the torture parts...

PS: The blurb doesn't reflect the book.... at all.

Faking It by Diane Alberts
Blurb: Derek Rory never meant to propose to his best friend's little sister. But when her boss tells a family-oriented investor he's Stephanie's fiancé, Derek can either play along or let her get fired. He's hardly one to turn away from a damsel in distress. If only that damsel wasn't adorable and sexy with a laugh that could melt any cold business mogul’s heart.

When a business proposal becomes a marriage proposal, Stephanie Miller tries to keep it strictly boardroom. But when things get hot under the table, it's all they can do to stay apart. As the tangle of lies drags them deeper into the underhanded world of business politics, Stephanie finds herself in over her head—not just with her job, but with her "fiancé." His eyes are cold, but his kisses light her on fire. If she's not careful, she'll end up faking her way into a real romance.

I read this book with my friend Maru

Rating: 

My thoughts: 

I had some problems with the editing(I hate the "..." before starting a sentence, drove me crazy), some of the idioms the author used(it felt like English wasn't Ms Alberts' first language) and the whole premise of the book(how can you let your boss blackmail you to have a fake fiancé? And then blackmailing the said fiancé to write her business proposal?!). In spite all of that I still had fun reading it.

The Hunter (Highland Guard #7)
by Monica McCarty

The war for Scotland’s freedom continues as King Robert the Bruce battles on. At his command is an elite army of trained warriors, soldiers dedicated to their king, their country—and to the remarkable women they love.

Prized for his unbeatable tracking skills, Ewen “Hunter” Lamont accepts a dangerous assignment: locate a missing undercover courier. But this is no ordinary target. Ewen has met his prey before as “Sister Genna,” a fiery, forbidden woman forever etched in his memory after one stolen, sinful kiss. Now that he knows her real identity, he’s more determined than ever to keep her safe. But without the protection of the veil between them, fighting the allure of the beautiful lass may be the toughest battle this extraordinary warrior has ever faced.

After her ill-fated attempt three years ago to rescue her twin sister, Janet of Mar has found salvation acting as a royal messenger—until she surrenders to a darkly handsome warrior whose rough, sensual kisses stir feelings the woman in her can’t deny. But when betrayal leads to danger, and a crucial communiqué is put in jeopardy, Janet has no choice but to put her faith in the hunter who can find anything—perhaps even her heart.

Rating: 

My thoughts:

Ms. McCarty writes some of the best historical romances I have ever read! She mixes history with amazing characters and great prose. Thanks to her I have learned about one of the best wars for independence in human history and, most importantly, LIKED it! She creates larger then life characters that battle insurmountable odds.

What a Wicked Earl Wants
by Vicky Dreiling
WILL A RAKE'S WICKED WAYS

Andrew Carrington, Earl of Bellingham, believes in being a gentleman, whether it's fishing a soggy stranger out of the Thames or assisting a fetching lady into his bed. If the stranger becomes a friend and the lady a mistress, all the better. He certainly welcomes the opportunity to help Laura Davenport, a dazzling young widow with a rebellious stepson. Her gratitude, he hopes, will take an amorous form. But from the moment he sets foot in her drawing room, he gets far more than he bargained for ...

LEAD THE LADY ASTRAY?

It was a moment of desperation. On the brink of losing her stepson, Laura turned to the notorious Lord Bellingham for help. Suddenly she, a vicar's daughter, is in the precarious position of resisting his tantalizing advances. How Bell earned his wicked reputation is clear; the surprise is how much more there is to him than the gossip sheets could possibly reveal. Now every moment with this dangerously desirable man puts Laura's good name at risk-and promises pleasure unlike any she has ever known ...

Rating: 

My thoughts:

Hate it's a too strong word. I didn't like the characters or the story so I DNFd it. The writing was very dramatic and at every moment I was expecting some actors or opera singers to jump out and start reading/singing it.

Creation in Death (In Death #25)
by J.D. Robb

Eve has seen this crime scene before: the artfully arranged body of a young brunette, arms spread, palms up, body marked by the signs of prolonged and painful torture. Carved into her torso is the time it took her to die—in hours, minutes, and seconds. And on the third finger of her left hand has been placed a silver ring. Eve is catapulted back to a case nine years earlier, when a man whom the media tagged —The Groom— put the city on edge with a killing spree that took the lives of four women in fifteen days. Eve and her partner Feeney, her friend and mentor, couldn't stop him before he disappeared, only to resurface in other parts of the world to kill and kill again. But now The Groom seems to have come back to where he started.

When it turns out that The Groom's most recent victim was employed by Eve's billionaire husband, Roarke, she brings him into the case. A move that proves fitting when it becomes chillingly clear that the killer has made it personal. The corpse was washed in products from a store Roarke owns and laid out on a sheet his company manufactures. With the Groom's monstrous return, Eve is determined to finish him once and for all. Familiar with his methods, she knows that he has already grabbed his next victim. But his sights are set on the biggest challenge of his illustrious career—an abduction that will test his skills and that promises to give him satisfaction as he's never known. Time is running out on another woman's life—and for Eve.

Rating: 

My Thoughts:

Ms. Robb writes the best mysteries I have ever read. If anyone were to ask me to recommend  one, it would be the 1st book in this series! In this novel Eve and her too-good-for-words husband Roarke have to find a crazy serial killer(he really is crazy, certified I mean) that targets brunette women and tortures them to death. They work closely together, Roarke actually comes to the precinct and hates almost every minute of it :)). It was great to see them in that environment together...

I listened to the audio-book and the narrator is amazing! She's my standard regarding all audio-book narrators. I recognize all the characters without having to wait for the author to tell me, she does amazing accents and... I don't know, she's just perfect! I haven't come across another narrator like her.