Still Life by Louise Penny (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. Jane Neal, a local fixture in the tiny hamlet of Three Pines, just north of the U.S. border, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache smells something foul in these remote woods, and is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter. 

Still Life introduces not only an engaging series hero in Inspector Gamache, who commands his forces--and this series--with integrity and quiet courage, but also a winning and talented new writer of traditional mysteries in the person of Louise Penny."
My Thoughts:

"Choice?'

'We choose our thoughts. We choose our perceptions. We choose our attitudes. We may not think so. We may not believe it, but we do. I absolutely know we do. I've seen enough evidence, time after time, tragedy after tragedy. Triumph after triumph. It's about choice." 
from Still Life by Louise Penny

I first read this book back in 2012 according to my Goodreads account (I never actually shared my thoughts on it though it looks like).  I never continued on with the series though afterwards.  Fast forward seven years and I decided that it was time to reread this one thanks to all of the love this series gets from bookstagram.  I enjoyed my time rereading this book immensely.  I immersed myself within the pages of this book and almost didn't want to come up for air.  This book isn't one to rush through but instead is one to just savor.  With such gorgeous writing I don't know how you would want to do anything else if I'm being honest.  I'm not one that marks passages that speak to me but I did while rereading this book.  Maybe it was the perfect timing of reading this book again at just the right point in my life.  I can't say for sure but there were various points where this book just spoke to me.  It made me sit and think with it for awhile which I certainly don't do often enough.  I saw somewhere that Inspector Gamache had been compared to Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot.  I can definitely see what they mean and feel like it explains all the more my enjoyment of Gamache as I'm a huge fan of Christie's Poirot books.  Reading this book again after seven years was an interesting reading experience also because my memory of the storyline was basically forgotten.  I could remember who I thought was behind everything but the why's, what led there, and everything else all still felt knew to me.  It honestly felt like I was almost experiencing this book again for the first time.  I'm so glad that I went back and reread this book so that I can now continue on with reading more of this series.  It's a reading experience that I'm not likely to forget any time soon as this book just struck a cord with me!

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book so much and am grateful that I've found this series (again?) thanks to bookstagram!  I can tell you that I certainly won't be waiting seven years before finally moving on to the second book in this series.  I actually think that this is a series that I'm going to want to own and have on my own shelves so I'm going to start picking up copies as I can.  I've always been a huge fan of mysteries but a book like this really stands out from the rest.  I loved my time with this book and almost wasn't ready to see it end.  I'll leave you with another quote that I couldn't help but savor.  Highly, highly recommended!

"Life is change. If you aren't growing and evolving you're standing still, and the rest of the world is surging ahead. Most of these people are very immature. They lead "still" lives, waiting.'

'Waiting for what?'

'Waiting for someone to save them. Expecting someone to save them or at least protect them from the big, bad world. The thing is no one else can save them because the problem is theirs and so is the solution. Only they can get out of it." from Still Life by Louise Penny

Bottom Line:  An outstandingly good read!  I cannot highly recommend enough!

Disclosure:  I checked this book out from my local library - it is my mission to now have this one on my own shelves in the near future.

The Darkest Night and The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member -- a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments... and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction -- and a soul-shattering test of love...
Though they carry an eternal curse, the Lords of the Underworld are irresistibly seductive -- and unimaginably powerful..."

My Thoughts:

Be still my paranormal loving heart!  A few years back (six to be exact) I read this book and I remember enjoying it.  Sadly this is about all I remembered when I tried to think back on it.  I do know that I also meant to continue on with this series but that never happened (along with writing up my thoughts on this one. Go figure!).  When I was given the chance to read a book in this series I was eager to reread this one because I remembered so little of it.  Now I am wondering how in the heck I ever forgot this one because this book was HOT!  Don't mind me over here just fanning myself.  LOL!  Seriously though, this is such a great and unique beginning to this paranormal romance series!  Fallen warriors with actual demons living inside them?  Gods and curses along with other hints of the supernatural?  I found myself instantly sucked into this complex and dark world where falling in love is the last thing that any of the warriors thought could ever happen to them.  Sigh!

I learned very early on that I remembered next to nothing about this book.  This worked out really well for me as I was sucked into this book and the world that the author had created once again.  I loved every minute of it!  It is one of those books that you just cannot set down and read as fast as you possibly can.  The chemistry between Maddox and Ashlyn is so scorchingly hot that it also made me want to read even faster.  Basically I devoured this book and that is all you really need to know.  It is funny considering that this was a reread so you would think that it would have been less suspenseful for me.  That wasn't the case in the slightest, and I had forgotten how this author isn't afraid of putting her characters through the wringer which just adds to the tension more.  The world that Showalter has created  is both dark and intense which is such a great combination.  Add to it these fallen warriors trying to keep the demons living inside them under control and you have a winning read in my opinion.  I couldn't help but want to see Maddox find his happy ever after with Ashlyn.  I loved them together almost instantly because she brought out a different side to him that I just adored.  Plus the chemistry between them was both electrifying and such fun to read about!  The ending of this book was even more intense than I remembered which left me frantically reading when I got to the last fifty pages or so.  It was worth it and I finished this one totally satisfied!  Overall, this was a really great reread and left me really pumped to continue on with this series!

Bottom Line:  I adored this book and know that I will end up rereading it again at some point.  So good!

Summary from Goodreads:

"Though she has lived for centuries, Anya, goddess of Anarchy, has never known pleasure. Until Lucien, the incarnation of death--a warrior eternally doomed to take souls to the hereafter. He draws her like no other. And Anya will risk anything to have him.

But when the merciless Lord of the Underworld is ordered by the gods to claim Anya herself, their uncontrollable attraction becomes an anguished pursuit. Now they must defeat the unconquerable forces that control them, before their thirst for one another demands a sacrifice of love beyond imagining..."

My Thoughts:

These books!  I just can't seem to get enough of these books and these fallen warriors!  After finishing The Darkest Night I was super pumped to read this one and I wasn't disappointed.  Basically when I go to read book three I need to make sure that I have nothing planned because I am completely useless while reading these.  I spent an entire Saturday afternoon curled up in a chair finishing this book- it was completely worth it!  This book was just as readable as the first book and just as hard to put down.  I find myself so completely sucked into these books from the very beginning page.  The author is just that good!  

What I loved about this second book is that we are learning more about the world that these warriors used to be a part of.  A world filled with gods and goddesses and artifacts with magical properties.  It is all so unique and interesting and fun to read about.  Plus, it is all very dark and intriguing as well which is something that I am just a sucker for in world building.  Anya and Lucien's relationship was just as hot as I had hoped that it would be which makes it all the more fun to read about.  With this book, Anya has a curse that really affected her ability to have a relationship with a man (I don't want to say more and spoil it so I will leave it at that).  This curse was something that Lucien and Anya were forced to deal with but I really loved the way that it was handled.  I also enjoyed that we learned more about some of the other warriors and the demons that they are dealing with.  The bonus scenes in this book were when we got to see Ashlyn and Maddox a bit more although the focus wasn't on them at all.  I just loved their happy ever after so it was great to see it continue on in this book.  My only complaint with this book was the ending.  After all that build up for the first 3/4ths of the book I felt like the ending didn't quite live up to my expectations.  It just wasn't as intense as I expected it to be.  It was good and I wasn't upset with it by any means but it just felt a bit flat in comparison to the rest of the book.  If that is my only complaint though....well, I can live with that!

Overall, I have become a huge fan of this series thanks to these two books.  I am so eager to continue on with this series and get my hands on book three.  I'm thinking though that I will need books three and four nearby though so I can continue on this paranormal romance binge.  These books are so steamy and such page turners.  I can't emphasize that enough!  I am loving my time in this world and am so very excited to continue on.  Highly recommended to romance and paranormal romance fans!

Bottom Line:  Another great read that left me pining for more!  I love this series!

Disclosure:  I received both of these books thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC Book Tour. 

Magic Bites and Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles."

Likes?

This part is easy: I liked absolutely everything about this book.  I first read this book a few years back and for whatever reason never continued on with the series.  But of course I kept hearing such great things about these books so I decided to reread this one, and then make it a personal goal to catch up with the rest of the series.  I'm so glad that I did because I had forgotten how good this book really was!  Kate is such an awesome main character and I love reading about her adventures.  I also find it very interesting that there is obviously more to her than what meets the eye.  I think that it will be intriguing to see how this all plays out in future books especially the things that she keeps secret like her words of power.  I'm glad that I took the time to reread this one before moving on in the series because there was definitely a lot that I had forgotten about!

Dislikes?

None.  I seriously can't think of a single thing that I didn't like about this book and especially reading it the second time around.  For the life of me I cannot figure out how I didn't continue on with this series before now.  Just goes to show you how true the phrase "So many books, too little time" is!

Final Thoughts:

An awesome beginning to this urban fantasy series!  Andrews has created a fantasy world that is like no other series out there, and I couldn't get enough of it.  I'm super excited to see what other kinds of trouble that Kate will find herself in.  And I also want to know more about her so hopefully some of her secrets will start to come to light.  I would highly, highly recommend this book!

Summary from Goodreads:

"As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.

When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest – and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug-of-war between two gods hoping for rebirth. And if Kate can’t stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive…"

Likes?

Curran and Kate.  Curran and Kate.  Oh my goodness, how I love the almost reluctant friendship that is developing between these two!  I'm hoping that future books in this series give us more of them working together because it is such fun to see them butt heads with one another.  And there is definitely some good chemistry there!  This book was just as intense as the first book and just as strong of a read!  I couldn't put it down!  I'm definitely hooked on this series now and cannot wait to get my hands on the third book.  I also really liked that we got to see so many of the characters from the first book again.  Andrews does an amazing job of writing these books in a way that makes you not want to stop reading.  I just had to know what was going to happen next!  I ended up flying through this book and wanted more when it ended.  Andrews is definitely going on my authors that I will read anything by list.

Dislikes? 

That the book wasn't longer?  Seriously, I wanted more!  I could read about Kate's adventures any day, and I am just so excited now about this series!  Other than that, I had absolutely no complaints.  This book was everything that I hoped it would be and more!

Final Thoughts:

This is a must read urban fantasy series for me!  I'm kicking myself for taking so long to really get to it because I'm just loving it!  I could keep on gushing, but really you should try reading these books for yourself and see if you aren't as hooked as I am.  I am certainly pleased that I have decided to focus on this series because I have some good reading ahead of me!  Highly, highly recommended!

Bottom Line for both of these books:  READ THEM!  Urban fantasy at its' best!

Disclosure:  I checked out both of these books from my local library.  I will definitely be buying my own copies for my keeper shelf at some point.

The Sunday Salon: A Reading Round-Up

Happy days!  This Saturday was the end of both football and soccer for my oldest two kiddos which means I get my evenings AND Saturdays back as of today.  Woohoo!  This was a really fun season for both of them for me to watch but I'm ready for life to slow down just a little bit.  Plus, this should mean a little more reading time for me....right??  I sure hope so!  Last week was quite busy with the end of all of these practices, my daughter turned six, and all the rest of the craziness that goes along with life.  We managed to fit in a family/friend birthday dinner and took the younger two to a Disney show for a birthday surprise.  It was lots of fun but I'm glad that we are laying low and relaxing today while watching football!

Between all the chaos I have been reading which always helps to keep me relaxed.  I actually read three books this week which is just amazing for me!  First of all I finished Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson which I read on my ipad.  This book was such a good start to this urban fantasy series but oh my goodness that ending.  I was left saying, "What??  That can't possibly be it....and then NOOOOOOO!!"  I hate when I don't see a cliff hanger ending coming but at least I already have book two loaded on my ipad ready to read.  I will definitely write up my thoughts on this one sooner rather than later!

I also finished listening to two books this week which were both rereads but my first time listening to them.  I first finished Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb and I'm so enjoying listening to this series.  It is a great way to re-experience these books from the very beginning.  I'm having fun with seeing how Robb introduces us to the main characters that become so important to these books later on.  Plus, it has been so long that I've basically forgotten most of the storylines to these books.  I also finished listening to One For the Money by Janet Evanovich.  This book was just as funny on audio as it was when I read it which meant that I was laughing at my desk while listening.  I can only imagine what my coworkers were thinking.  Ha! 

I'm currently reading the following two books:

The House Next Door is my print book and creepier than I expected it to be so naturally I'm loving it!  It is perfect reading for the gloomy, cold weather that we have been having as of late.  It is also a nice change of pace to actually be reading a book off of my own shelves.  I'm hoping to finish this one up soon though because I want to give it to my sister to read next weekend when I see her!

A Study in Silks is my current e-book and I'm already hooked which is saying something since I'm not that far into it yet!  I'm loving the references to Sherlock Holmes and I can't wait to really dig into this one!  Plus, there are steampunk elements AND magic so what more could a girl really ask for??  This is definitely my type of book!

I'm not sure exactly what I will read when I finish these two up but my plans definitely include this one:

I've heard really good things about this one so I'm super excited to read it for myself.  In audio, I need to figure out what I want to listen to next but I'm leaning towards Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.  If you haven't listened to the Harry Potter books on audio, you simply must!  I adored listening to the first one and can't wait to listen to book two.  Such fun!

That's enough out of me for today.  Look for a library loot post this week since I FINALLY found the time to go (and of course then grabbed as many books as I could) and a review for a TLC book tour.  I'm off to fit a run in, bake some cookies, and of course finish up a few loads of laundry. 

Happy Sunday and Happy Reading!

Three Sister's Island Trilogy (Thoughts on a Reread)

Pre-blogging days I used to read many, many books by Nora Roberts.  Now that blogging has expanded my reading horizons a bit (and led me to a truckload of new authors) I find that I don't read as many of her books any more.  Besides her In Death series under the pseudonym of J.D. Robb there are no books that I enjoy more by her than these three books.  It has been years since I indulged in a reread so I decided that now was a great time to dive back into some of my old favorites and revisit this amazing trilogy.  I can easily say that these books are just as amazing as I remembered them but obviously I'm a bit impartial.  Because of this I thought I would share my thoughts on these with some mini reviews. 

Dance Upon the Air is the first book in this trilogy and by far my favorite.  Nell has done the impossible by faking her own death and leaving her abusive husband.  She comes to Three Sister's Island on an impulse and finds so much more than she could have ever expected.  The problem is that her past is getting ready to come back to haunt her.

Just thinking about this book makes me want to read it again!  I love Nell's character and how we get to see her blossom as a person throughout the book.  Robert's does an amazing job of creating this bond between the three women that are the focus of this trilogy from the very beginning.  The romance that Nell and Zach find is both sweet and believable.  Basically, the book just pulls you in and doesn't let you go until you are wishing that you had the chance to experience life on Three Sister's Island.  I love the fact that there is a paranormal bent to these books without it being the focus.  Instead, the focus of this book is on Nell's growth and finding the courage to stand up for herself.  I love it and loved rereading it!

Heaven and Earth is the second book in this trilogy but it definitely doesn't disappoint!  In this one, Ripley has seen everything that Nell went through to save herself and is forced to come to terms with the fact that she is a witch.  After years of forcing herself to be normal, she struggles with the idea that she might have to use those powers in order to save the island that she loves so much.  Can she overcome her fears and do her part to help save the island??

What I love about this book is the chemistry between Ripley and Mac!  They are by far my favorite couple because they are so mismatched that they just work.  I love seeing their relationship develop as they get to know one another.  For just this fact alone I would reread this book again right now!  But it is also enjoyable to see Ripley begin to reconnect with Mia and begin to use her powers once again.  Ripley is a prickly character whom I just can't help but like especially because she is so stubborn headed.  It is fun to see her and Mia clash with each other but it is even better to see her and Mac clash.  HOT!  Once again Roberts does an amazing job of setting up the ending for this trilogy without making it seem like there wasn't closure with this book.  The ending of this book wasn't as heart pounding as the first book but it still pretty damn good!  Another enjoyable reread!

Last but certainly not least is Face the Fire by Nora Roberts.  By the time I get to this book I am so head over heels hooked on this series that I NEVER want it to end!  Of course it must but usually by this time I'm in denial. 

In Face the Fire, Mia Devlin faces her past when the boy she loved with all of her heart comes back into town.  She may have gotten over her broken heart from years ago but she knows that her destiny may still be tied up in her feelings towards the man that he has become.  But she has an even bigger worry to deal with as the evil that has been haunting the island is ready to make its' final stand against the three sisters.  It is going to take everything that she has to beat the legend and save the island.

I love this book for so many reasons but honestly it is because by now I have become attached to all of the characters.  I usually read these books back to back and all I want is to see how it all ends and make sure that they all get their happily ever after.  I love Mia's character because she is so strong and independent.  And the relationship between her and Sam is both enchanting and dreamy.  I love the way that they have to learn who the other one is now as a person instead of the younger teenage version that they remember.  It makes the ending so much more powerful as the reader is allowed to see everything from each book tie together into an epic finale!

Gosh I love these books!  They are the ultimate comfort reads and reading them again was such a delight.  I could read them over and over again (and I'm actually sure that I will).  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them at all and in fact usually recommend them over and over to fellow readers. 

Bottom Line:  These books are books that I plan to read again and again.  They are some of my favorites!

Disclosure:  All three of these were checked out from my local library which is a shame because I need to own these...looks like I will be getting my own copies the next time I am ready for a reread!

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (thoughts) (reread)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Mercy Thompson's life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn't exactly normal herself."

My Thoughts:

I read this book for the first time a few years back and really enjoyed it.  I think I managed to read three books into the series before I ended up drifting away and reading other books.  I have a tendency to do that...other series that I'm currently rereading and have done the same thing include Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series and Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series.  It's mainly because I love the series so much that I don't want to see them end so I stay continuously behind.  I'm not sure if that makes any kind of sense but it seems to be the way I operate.  Anyways.  Moon Called was just as good as I remembered even if I remembered surprisingly little.  This book is one of those books that just sucks you in and before you know it you've stayed up until two in the morning to finish.  

This book was such a pleasant reminder of why I love urban fantasy.  Filled with action from almost the very first page, I could hardly set this book down.  It is one of those reads where you just "have" to read one more page which leads to another and another.  I loved the instant chemistry between Mercy and Adam...it was fun re-experiencing the beginnings of their relationship all over again.  I'm not a huge fan of Samuel (I wasn't before either) but it was also interesting to see the history that he has with Mercy.  Mercy is as fearless and kick ass as ever!  I really think that she is one of my favorite urban fantasy heroines!  Reading this book again was like reading it for the first time.  I was genuinely surprised by the ending and was ready to read the second book as soon as I finished.  The only negative I have is how did I ever get away from this series????  I CANNOT keep saving my favorite series' books for a rainy day!  Instead I think I will just reread them on those rainy days when I need a comfort read :)

Overall,  an amazingly good beginning to one of my favorite urban fantasy series!  It was great to read about all of the characters and revisit them as they were first introduced to us.  I'm definitely going to be grabbing Blood Bound from the library the next time that I'm there and in need of a Mercy fix.  I've waited too long with this series and it is beyond time to catch up!  But first I'll continue to enjoy my rereads of these early books!  Highly, highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  One of my favorite urban fantasy series of all time!  A must read!

Disclosure:  Checked out from my local library!  I'm sharing my thoughts on this book as part of  Book Review Wednesdays.

What I've Been Doing....Besides Blogging!

Trying to keep up with these three crazy kiddos.  Working.  Cleaning and other fun Mom stuff.  And reading.  Lots of reading!  I'm currently rereading and completely absorbed in these:

I'm about halfway through Heaven and Earth but already have the final book in the trilogy ready and waiting for me.  I promise that maybe I'll actually get back to blogging (because I have lots of ideas and plans for posts) after I finish these.  But I'm so glad that I decided to reread these...it was just what I needed :)  What have I missed with my impromptu blogging break????

Rereads and Mini Reviews

Before book blogging came into my life I was a HUGE re-reader (if that is really a term).  I still reread some of my favorite books but not to the same extent like I used to which I'm sure could be a discussion/post all by itself.  That's not my intent for today though.  Instead I thought I would share some mini thoughts on two rereads that I finished in 2012.  Because if I don't do it soon I probably never will.  And once again since it is STILL January I'm adding a new goal to my never-ending and always expanding list of goals for 2013:  that goal is to reread more.  I always enjoy revisiting books that I have loved from years back.  Plus, it is one of those things that I'm always saying that I'm going to do but never end up really doing.  So new goal set.  And here are some mini reviews on two rereads:

I've decided to reread the first couple of books in Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series before continuing on.  I wasn't quite sure where I had left off with the series and wanted to just go back and start at the beginning.  I remember reading this one a few years back but I didn't remember the plot at all.  And once again I found myself immersed back in Harry's world.  In this book Harry is up against his most difficult foe yet.  Harry has to figure out who is behind the most brutal and horrifying murders that he has ever come across.  And he has to do it before it hurts the people that he cares about the most.

I absolutely, hands down love this series.  Even just rereading this book sucked me down so deep in the world that Butcher creates and I didn't want the reading experience to end.  I love it!  Harry is such an awesome main character with a huge heart that gets him into trouble more often than not.  And he always seems to find himself caught up in big messes.  I'll admit that I couldn't figure out how he was going to get himself out of the mess that he was in this time because he was in deep.  What else to say?  I didn't want to put it down, I was sad when it ended because I wanted more, and I'm eager to read the next book.  In fact, just sharing my thoughts on this one has me thinking that I should grab the next book from the library.  Because I NEED more Harry Dresden in my life!  I highly recommend this series and enjoyed this reread enough that I would rate it a rare 5 out of 5 stars if I did ratings.  Just be warned that you really should read Storm Front first and that this one was quite gory at times.  Other than that I've got nothing bad to say!

Bottom Line:  A kick-ass read that left me wanting more!

Ill Wind is the first book in Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series which is ANOTHER series that I'm rereading before continuing on with.  Except with this series I know that I only read the first two books so I'm rereading these and then I'll keep going with the rest of the series.  Ill Wind was even better than I remembered it and I can't wait to grab the second book from the library.  Joanne is running for her life and there is only one person that she can go to for help.  The only problem is that he is also a wanted man in hiding.  But Joanne is desperate and determined to save herself.  As long as she can outrun the weather that is following her every step.

This book was intense from the beginning to the end.  I always find myself completely surprised and pleased when I'm sucked back into a book that I've already read.  And while I remembered some of the plot line, there were enough holes in my memory that I was still turning pages as fast as I could.  This book was one big whirlwind and I loved every second of it.  And that ending....wow!  It still packed quite the punch even the second time around.  I'm super excited now that I'm diving back in this series which means that of course I'll be picking up book 2 sooner rather than later.  This is another book that I would highly recommend especially if you are looking for a read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  A must read for fans of urban fantasy and a 4 1/2 star read for sure!

Bottom Line:  A fast paced, intense read that I couldn't get enough of!

Looking back it seems that rereading both of these books was a VERY good idea.  They both left me wanting to read more in the series.  And they were both fresh and different from a lot of what is out there in the urban fantasy genre.  I'm hooked on both of these series and more than ready to continue on.  And writing up my thoughts on these two books has solidified my need to reread!  Now I just need to figure out what I want to reread next....Harry Potter anyone????

The Key Trilogy by Nora Roberts (thoughts on a reread)

Way, way back in my college days I discovered Nora Roberts. I'm about 80% certain that was about the time that I also discovered and fell in love with her J.D. Robb series. Anyways, I can remember gobbling this trilogy down...impatiently waiting for each book to be released. Homework got shoved to the side on those days especially when I was deep into a book. Rereading this trilogy was a fun way to spend the week as I had a foggy memory in regards to the overall plot and once again found myself sucked into these books. These books were exactly what I needed when I was going through a slump in my reading and I'm now eager to go back and pick up some of her standalone novels.

Key of Light begins the trilogy and tells the story of Mallory and Flynn. This book sets everything up for the rest of the trilogy without giving too much away. I've always enjoyed the romance that develops between Mallory and Flynn even though Mallory can be a bit much at times. Overall, I found that it was just as good of a read as I remembered and I couldn't wait to pick up the 2nd book!

After finishing Key of Light, I couldn't resist making a trip to the used bookstore to grab the final two books in the trilogy. I was already good and hooked; ready to revisit the characters once again. Key of Knowledge is all about Dana and Jordan's relationship as they work together to find the second key. What I really like about this book is both the history and the tension between the two of them. It added to the story for me and really made me root for them to work everything out! That being said, this is my least favorite of the three books, but I'm hard pressed to tell you why. I still really enjoyed it and as soon as I set it down, I knew that I was going to be cracking the 3rd book open!

Key of Valor is the last book in the trilogy and ties the overall storyline up nicely in my opinion. The first time that I read these books I loved the final ending, and rereading it all made me feel the same way. Brad and Zoe's relationship is fun to read about especially as they are so prickly with each other from the very beginning. In the end, I was a bit sad to put these books down....I just wanted to keep reading. They went straight to my keeper shelf so I can reread them again at some point maybe a few years down the road.

Reading these books showed me once again how much I love taking the time to reread a favorite series. I'm definitely going to be revisiting Nora Robert's backlist in the future. It has been such a long time since I read any of her actual novels that I could probably reread them and not tell the difference. I'm thinking that my next rereads should be the Harry Potter series. I'm WAY overdue for some Harry Potter love! What's the last book you reread and why???