Review: Balancing Act by Patricia Davids

5 STARS
Its a family romance on a ranch. With twin little girls, bulls wearing nail polish and throw in cattle rustlers. Makes for a fun enjoyable story.
Cheryl Steele goes to her sister wedding and has to drive aways to get to her ballet performance. She has a starring role in the traveling ballet.  Angie tries to make her sister promise to go out to the ranch where they used to live.  Cheryl keeps telling her no but finds her almost to the ranch and she turns the car around in the snow and hurry down the road so she won't be late and she almost runs a cowboy on his horse down. Cheryl is able to advoid him but wrecks the car and traps her foot.  Sam Hardin is finally able to free her foot and they ride his horse to the ranch.
Cheryl is stuck their till the roads opens in a few days and finally gets to hospital and her foot has two broken bones.  Cheryl is fired from the ballet, she's leased her apartment out for the 6 months she was on tour and her wallet is missing.  Cheryl does not want to tell her past and that she used to live here in this area years ago.
Sam is cattle rancher and architect raising his twin girls.  His mother baby sits for him when he has to go away to work. But she has to go help her daughter who has three children and just got put on bed rest for the rest of her pregnacy.  Cheryl agrees to stay and help take care of the girls while he works for a while.
The twins are adoreable and get into lots of things they shouldn't and want her to stay longer. Cheryl falls for them quickly but does not want her past mistakes and family history of trouble to be found out.  She is afraid someone will reconsise her.
I had a great time seeing what happens next in the story. Its clean feal good story. I want to read more from Patricia Davids. I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
09/20/2011 PUB Harlequin  Harlequin Heartwarming

Review: SEAL of My Dreams by Stephanie Bond

5 STARS
Seal of My Dreams is an Anthologies with contributers : Jami Alden, Stephanie Bond,Kylie Brant, Helen Brenna, HelenKay Dimon, Cindy Gerard, Tara Janzen,Leslie Kelly, Elle Kennedy, Alison Kent, Jo Leigh,Gennita Low, Marliss Melton ,Christie Ridgway, Barbara Samuel, Roxanne St. Claire, Stephanie Tyler and Loreth Anne White.
All the procedes go to Veterans Research Corporation.
The stories are all different with Seals as the main character some are still in the service and others are dealing with injuries and horror of war.  Some made me laugh,concerned and even cried in some of stories.  I would read a few before bed. This collection of shorts stories about Navy Seals is well worth the time to read them and help at the same time.
One of the ones I cried at a Navy Seal had lost part of his leg and returned to Sweetness, Georgia. His home town was wiped out by a tornado when he was 15. (I remembered reading this book) Barry was at the store when the siren rang and he was one of the few trapped in store basement in the dark.  Two soldiers rescued them. Now people are comming back and rebuilding the town.  Barry is welcomed back and cared and supported by the town.
It just really hit me emotionaly Barry's story.
These 18 stories all have romance in them are about heroes who have paid a price for freedom and wanted to make a difference. I enjoyed reading them.
11/11/2011  PUB Bell Bridge Books  396 pages

Review: Brotherband Chronicles bok 1 Outcasts by John Flanagan

5 STARS
As far as I am concerned John Flanagan has another hit series going. It was exciting and drew you in from the first. Did not want to put it down. The only bad thing is wait till the next book comes out.
It starts out 12 years in the past when Erak is still raiding and two warriors are holding off some fighters whill the rest are taking the treasure to the ship. One is killed and he asks his friend to watch over his wife and boy.
Than it tells a little about Hal his mom Karina and Thorn lives. How Hal became good friends with Stig and how he builds his boat .
Then most of the story is about the Brotherband training camp. How their is 3 teams competting to be the best. Wolves led by Rollond, Sharks let by Tursgud and the Herons by Hal. The first two co-captains were picked but no one second the third so the first two teams picked 10 and the ones no one wanted became the Herons named after Hal boat that 5 of them had worked on and sailed with him. They only had 8 to their team.
Right away you want to root for the Herons the underdogs. Tursgud is spoilled and does not fight fair. It build the story very well and you want to see what happens next. See how they come together and become a team.

Review: Alias Dragonfly by Jane Singer

5 STARS
I love how brave Maddie and everyone who was risking their lives for their beliefs no matter what side of the war they were on. Maddie story kept me riveted did not put the book down till it was through.
At the ending are a bunch of study guide questions that help you to think more deeply.  After that is a list of which characters are based on real people. Plus their is a list of books about different subjects of the civil war era.
Maddie was 15 at start of the war. Her mother had died just months before that and her father inlisted in the second New Hampshire Infantry Regiment as a private. Maddie was taken to Washington D.C. to stay with her Aunt at her boarding house.
Maddie could remember everything she saw she wanted to join and fight with her father but no one would let her. While she was out in the city she noticed one of her Aunt's boarders from the south was dressed as a preacher in disguise outside of a famous Rebel's house of Rose Greenhow.
Because she impressed Mr. Webster of her observations she recalled he introduced her to Mr. Pinkerton where she was tested and than trained as a spy.
I hope their are more adventures of Maddie to come in the future. I will gladly read them. It gives you glimpses of what life might be like at that time. Different family members choosing different sides of war to support. Slaves trying to get to freedom and slave traders willing to kill them. Even different cemetaries for black and white. How quilts hanging could tell a message or doll wearing different colors in a window.
11/01/2011 PUB Bell Bridge Books

Reveiw: Crave by Melissa Darnell

4 STARS
I had to wait to read this book for awhile till I was in the mood for it. Then I did not put it down till I finshed reading it. Still want more of the story so I think their will be another story or at least hope so.
Savannah and Tristan got married in 4th grade recess and her best friend where twins.  The next day no one could associate with Savannah and they could not tell her why.
The Clan founding members settled this part of Texas and their were a lot of rumors about them. The Clan families where in leadership everywhere. The Clan adults told their children to stay away from Savannah.  Some of them took instead to teasing her, insulting and pushing her around.
Savannah always knew when Tristan was nearby she would get sick to her stomache.  Tristan could always pick her laugh out of all the noise in school.
They had math together every other day and had to sit next to each other.  Than one day Savannah got really sick and stayed out of school for a week. Tristan tried to find out she was but no one would tell him.
After a few days Savannah woke up and her dad,mom and grandmother were around her bed.  They had to tell Savannah the truth about herself and her dad. Her dad was a vampire and mom a witch. A member of the clan till they were kicked out. The vampire and witches have had many wars and their was a peace treaty but no one wanted the two to get together.  Everyone thought vampires could not have children but Savannah was born.  They had to promise she would never learn magic and had to stay away from the clans.
Each side was afraid she would be a weapon against other side.  So her parents tried to keep Savannah from puberty but now she had to have spells taken off her.  When she went back to school she had changed.  Had to wear new bras and shirts to fit her new body.  Hair color got more healthy, Boys were flirting with her.  She could read emotions.
It was harder to stay away from Tristian. Tristian could not keep attention from Savannah and when boys would become stalking her Tristian learned to make charms for her and  sneak them in her backpack. Everyone was watching Tristian and Savannah making sure they kept apart.
Its a little like Romeo and Juliet but more dangerous all around. I hope to read more books by Melissa. I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.
10/25/2011 PUB Harlequin  Harlequin Teen

Review:Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr

4 STARS
Well this book kept me up to really early AM. I really like the town of Virgin River and how they take care of everyone.  Bring Me Home for Christmas leaves you feeling good and wanting to do more for others in their community. Plus your routing for Becca and Denny to get back together.
Becca showed up at her twin's early in the morning with luggage and gun and told him she was going on his hunting and fishing vacation. Rich Timm told her no its was a guys trip and Denny her ex-boyfriend would be their. Becca told him her Thanksgiving plans cancelled and her parents would not go on their vacation if Becca was staying by herself.  Rich gave into Becca but told her not to ruin his trip.
Becca boyfriend Doug was making lots of plans about them for when he got finshed with law school in Spring. Becca was thinking too much about her breakup with Denny and about him so she needed closure before getting Married.
Denny has found a new home 10 hours away from San Diego in Virgina River a small town in the mountains. He found a family in the community after comming home from war. Six years ago when he was stationed in San Diego Rich brought him home one weekend and for three years Becca and Denny were a couple. Even when he was Irac with Rich. When he got out his mom was facing cancer after she died Denny reinlisted without telling Becca and broke up with her. She did not hear from him while he was in Afghanistan even though she wrote and sent emails. After being home for awhile Denny showed back up and wanted to try again but Becca was still hurt and angry sent him away.
Denny planned a hunting and fishing vacation with three good friends he made in Irac.  He wanted to catch up and have a good time with his buddies even with Rich. He would think of Becca too much with her twin right their.
When Rich and Becca showed up at the bar they were to meet at Denny lost it, Denny got angry when Becca introduced herself to Dirk and Troy and told them she blindsided her brother and would they mind her being their.  Becca was beautful and Dick and Troy flirted with her and told her she was welcomed. Denny lost his temper and was really rude to Becca and was jealous.
First day of hunting ducks she quit early and Denny had to go back to town so took her with him . On the way back they fought and she had Denny pull over. Becca jumped out of the truck planning to walk back to others but she ended up falling down off the side of the road and ended up with a broken ankle and had to be operated on and told she could not travel home for at least 10 to 12 days.
I  liked how Becca found ways to help while she was stuck on crutches and tried to make the best of it.  While she was stuck with Denny they talked about what happened in the past. Becca also got involved with the town of Virgin River and all their service projects doing what she could do.
You cared about the characters and wanted to read more about them, and their town. I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
09/27/2011 PUB Harlequin MiraBooks

Review: A Touch of Crimson by Sylvia Day

4 STARS
I liked the story line.  But it had too much swearing and sex scenes for me.  The idea of head Angel swearing for me was bad.
Adrian was the head of Sentinels. They were too enforce the punishment of the Watchers or Fallen the Vampires.  They had strict rules when they could kill the fallen and when not. Adrian had fallen in love with the lead Fallen's daughter Shadoe. Her father was in the process of bringing her over to be a vampire but Adrian killed her rather than see her become vampire. Because she was half human and have angel why her body died her sole lives and comes back every so often. Her father still wants to bring her over to vampire. Adrian is still in love for with her. Shadoe never remembers her past and she always looks different. This time she has been gone 200 years.
Lindsay is now the host of Shadoe soul.  Her mother was killed in front of her at age 5 and she can tell when someone is not human and kills them.  Lindsey is drawn to Adrian and goes with him. Lindsey killed a demon in front of him so Adrian told her he was a Angel.
The watchers became the fallen because they fell in love and had human families. They became Vampire and lost their wings.
Some of them became shifters who were bound to serve and protect the Angels but they lived and had children and died. They want their freedom some of them. Elijah is an alpha and their are many trying to get him to rebel and lead them.
Elijah is also Lindsey's bodyguard and friend.  Lindsey saved his life. I really like Elijah.
Their are a lot of story lines that kept getting me messed up. I really want to know what happens next because their are so many lines that continue. But the F word too many times and confusing different lines not sure if I really want to invest in this series. Did enjoy most of it and I probably will read at least one more.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review.
10/04/2011  PUB Penquin Group USA  Signet