Midnight by Ellen Conner (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Three years of wandering the postapocalyptic wasteland has stripped Dr. Chris Welsh of hope. A harrowing loss drove him from his home, and he hasn't stopped moving-until he encounters Valle de Bravo, a haven of civilization amid the chaos of the Change. Soldiers take their orders from Rosa Cortez-the iron hand within a velvet glove. The last thing Rosa needs is a feral loner upsetting the town's tentative balance. However, for the good of her people, she lets Chris stay, and as bloodthirsty raiders strike again and again, Chris and Rosa battle hellhounds and dust pirates while also fighting desperate attraction. To save them, love must overcome the pain of the past-and build a future in this brutal Dark Age..."

My Thoughts:

Last year the first book in this apocalyptic trilogy was on my top ten reads for the year (or was that two years ago? I can't remember...).  Anyways, the point I was trying to make is that I went into reading this book with high hopes because I loved Nightfall so much!  This book turned out to be just as fast-paced and intense as I had hoped even if it didn't quite match the love that I felt for Nightfall!

From the very beginning I found that I had a hard time putting this book down.  I was just that hooked into the storyline almost instantaneously!  This book focuses on Chris, a secondary character from the previous book, who is trying to deal with everything that he has been through since the world changed.  I really liked that this second book was focused on his character as things hadn't ended the best for him in the previous story.  I was looking forward to him getting a chance at finding happiness while also learning more about his character.  The authors of this book did a great job of allowing for me to connect not only with Chris but also with Rosa even though they were both closed off individuals who didn't like to share their feelings.  It made it that much better in my opinion when they came together at certain points in the book.  I loved it!  This book focused less on how the world had changed and more on how people were coping with these changes.  I found this worked really well for me as I liked seeing how people were dealing with the aftermath of everything that had happened in book one.  This book highlighted the struggles that the town and people faced on a daily basis just trying to survive.  It made the book that much more intense!  But really, the romance that develops between Rosa and Chris is what really made this book such an enjoyable read.  I loved watching them try to figure out whether they could trust one another.  Overall, I just really liked their characters which meant that I spent the majority of the book hoping they would find their happy ending.

Because I have enjoyed both books in this trilogy, I now have really high expectations for the final book.  I'm also sad because I don't want to see this trilogy end as I love how intense these books are!  Combine that with romance and you have a winning combination in my opinion!  This book was a really great follow-up to Nightfall, and also helped to cement my need for more books just like this.  Well, maybe not exactly like this, but I am definitely going to be on the lookout for similar sounding reads!  I would recommend these books easily but start with the first book as it is a must in my opinion.  A reader could start here with this second book but they would definitely be missing out when it comes to details on the world that the authors have created.  Recommended, recommended, recommended!!

Bottom Line:  A trilogy that I just can't seem to get enough of!  I need more books like this in my life!

Disclosure:  Checked out from my local library.  Thoughts are my own :)

Has anyone read these books yet?  Can you recommend to me other romantic suspense books that might be similar?  I'm open to any and all suggestions!!

And if you are interested my thoughts on Nightfall are here.

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts (thoughts)

Iona Sheehan comes to Ireland looking for both family and something more.  She has lived her life up until now feeling vaguely dissatisfied as if she was missing out on something important.  It isn't until she meets her cousins Branna and Connor O' Dwyer that she realizes the missing piece might by her heritage and recently discovered powers.  It will be up to Iona though to really find herself and let her powers as a witch awaken before she comes to battle a centuries old evil named Cabhan.  Because if she isn't able to do this, it may destroy her new found love and family.

As soon as I heard that Nora Roberts was coming out with a new paranormal trilogy, I wanted to read it.  Simple as that to be honest.  I loved her Key trilogy and Three Sisters trilogy enough that I have read them multiple times each.  And although I hate to make comparisons, this first book was very reminiscent at times of some of those books.  For me, I went into this book expecting something similar because what she writes works.  I literally gobbled up all of those other books in a matter of days.  Couldn't get enough.  This one was good but not as good as those other two trilogies and I'm not honestly sure what the difference was.  I think for me it was a slight lack of connection to both of the characters.  I am huge on connecting with a book and for me this is why I liked but didn't love this one. 

Iona comes into the book looking for family as her own family never really cared for her the way that she needed them to.  She doesn't realize it but she is looking for love.  Enter Boyle, her new gruff boss that doesn't really share his feelings with anyone.  From those descriptions, you would think that their chemistry would really click but for me it just didn't quite do it.  I wanted to see them get over all of their emotional obstacles to find a happy ever after, but I wasn't connected enough to the story to really want it.  It is hard to explain other than that.  This book sets everything up perfectly for what is to come in the next two books but it didn't do it in a way that left me emotionally invested.  I just needed a little bit more to make this book a great read.  All of that being said, I did find this one to be a page turner.  The storyline may be a bit similar to others that she has written but it was different enough that I was intrigued.  I really liked both of her cousin's characters.  I'm eager to see if I click with their stories more than I did with this one.  And I have to reiterate that I liked this book.  I just feel like I expected a bit more and was  harder on it since I have loved some of her other books so much.

Overall, this was a good beginning to a new trilogy even if I had a few issues connecting to the characters.  I have high hopes that I will enjoy the next two books even more as they will be focusing on her cousins Branna and Connor.  It was an easy book to sink into and I found myself flying through the pages.  I just wanted a bit more so maybe I will get that with the next book.  Recommended but with a few hesitations as there are other of her books that are better and I enjoyed more (if interested definitely try the Three Sisters and Key trilogies). 

Bottom Line:  A good read but one that just left me on the edge of finding it to be a great read.

Disclosure:  I checked this one out from my local library.  Thoughts are my own.

Excuse Me...

as this has been ALL that I have been doing.  Reading, reading, and more reading means I have been immersed in Mira Grant's Newsflesh trilogy yet once again.  I'll be back next week when I can think about things other than government conspiracies and zombies...

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!

Blue Dahlia by Nora Roberts (thoughts)

Blue Dahlia is the story of Stella Rothchild, a recently widowed mother of two, as she begins her new life at Harper House.  The newly hired manager at In the Garden Nursery, Stella is ready to start over and begin anew.  Roz, her new boss, asks Stella and her boys to move into Harper house with her as she adjust to her new job and new life. But rumor has it that Harper house is haunted and Stella is about to find out how true that rumor may be. 

I should start off by saying that I went into reading this book with moderately high expectations.  I've read plenty of books by Nora Roberts and never have been disappointed.  I especially enjoy her trilogies which is why I decided to give this one a shot.  Whatever my expectations on this book, I just never connected with the characters in this story which led to a mediocre reading experience for me.  I went into this book thinking that I was going to love it but instead found myself detached from it.  Everything about the storyline kept my interest but only to a certain extent.  I don't know how to explain it any other way other than to say I found myself disinterested at times.  I found the history and mystery of Harper house interesting but I wanted more.  I'm hoping that the next two books have more details in regards to this but I'm not sure if I'll end up taking the time to read them or not.  I did also enjoy the romance that developed between Logan and Stella.  It came across in a way that was not only realistic but hopeful.  I really liked that aspect of the book especially as there was an instant attraction between the two of them.  While I didn't love everything about the book, I ended up finding it to be an overall okay read.  Everything except the ending which felt too rushed for me.  I'm guessing that this is because it is a trilogy and the beginning of one at that.

Overall, an okay read but one that didn't live up to my expectations at all.  Does that even make sense?  I didn't hate it and felt mainly "meh" about it although it had some good parts.  Not really sure if I'll pick up the second book or not.  Part of me wants to just to see what happens next and because I want more history in regards to Harper house.  And part of me thinks that there are just too many other books out there that I really want to read.  So I'm undecided.  I'm only going to recommend this book if you are a HUGE Nora Roberts fan or fan of contemporary romance with slight paranormal aspects.  I'm sure that there are a lot of other readers that will enjoy this book way more than I did.  But there you have it...to each their own :)

Bottom Line:  An okay read that left me with mixed feelings.

Disclosure:  Checked out from my local library!

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???

A Double Review Post

As you all have heard (and maybe quite frequently) I am completely behind in book reviews. It doesn't bother me too much but I do want to attempt to catch up at some point before the year is over. It probably won't happen but at least I can try which is why you are getting two for one today :)
The first book that I am going to review is Deadly Night by Heather Graham and is the 1st book in her Flynn brothers trilogy. Graham was a new to me author that I found scanning the web and I picked this book out of the many she has written using Fantastic Fiction (I love that website!). Deadly Night introduces us to the three Flynn brothers with Aiden being the main focus of the story. Basically, the brothers learn that they have inherited a plantation in New Orleans from an unknown family member. While trying to figure out what to do with the historical house, Aiden finds out that there are mysterious things going on with the house and meets Kendall who is a fortune-teller. The two get involved in the mystery surrounding the house and the story goes from there. My thoughts on this one are going to be short and sweet as it has been awhile since I read it. I liked it (but didn't love it) and was interested enough to want to continue on with the trilogy and read more of this author's books. I liked the supernatural aspects that were included throughout the story and felt that it made it less like a typical romantic suspense novel. It didn't always flow well for me but it was a suspenseful page turner and I ended up enjoying it.

The 2nd book that I am reviewing is Deadly Harvest by Heather Graham and is the second book in the Flynn brothers trilogy. In Deadly Harvest, Jeremy (another Flynn brother) is trying to help his good friend find his missing wife with the help of a possible pyschic named Rowenna. This was the perfect read for me right now as it was set in the fall and talked about the cooler weather and the leaves changing. Plus, it had the scary legend of the Harvest Man who was thought to be a killer coming back to life again and again. I also liked that it was set in Salem so there were references to the witch trials and other historical aspects of that area. The story for me had a really great set-up and an interesting mystery to go along with it. Unfortunately at times it seemed like it needed a good editor and didn't always flow as well as I would have liked. That isn't to say that I didn't enjoy because I really did. Once again though, I just didn't love it although I wanted to :)

All in all, these were both good reads that were page turners for me. I'm looking forward to picking up the 3rd book, Deadly Gift, from the library at some point. And I will be reading more of this author's books in the future.