THE WOLF NEXT DOOR by Lydia Dare

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THE WOLF NEXT DOOR
Author: Lydia Dare
Source: Sourcebooks
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (June 1, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1402236964
  • ISBN-13: 978-1402236969
SYNOPSIS:

They can’t even be in the same room together…
Ever since their failed elopement years ago, Prisca Hawthorne has taunted, insulted, and in every way tried to push him away. If only her heart didn’t break every time Lord William Westfield left her…
But staying apart is even worse…
Lord William throws himself into drinking, gambling, and debauchery and pretends not to care about Prisca at all. But when he returns to find a rival werewolf vying for her hand, he’ll stop at nothing to claim the woman who should have been his all along.
Can Prisca forgive the unforgivable, or are the moon-crossed lovers going to be forced into a battle of wills that could be fatal?
MY THOUGHTS:
If you have not read this series yet, all I can say is why not?  This is one of the best series I have read in awhile. This is the third book in the series and the author did another amazing job of blending historical romance with the paranormal mixed in.  This book could be read as a stand alone, but to get the true feel of all the characters involved in the story, you should really read the first two.  Prisca is stubborn and strong willed since she has grown up with little female influence. Will was a great character in the fact that he is not what he seems at first.  What more can I say about this book besides go out and get the whole series!  You will enjoy the witty writing, the complicated romance and the characters that will grow on you quickly, and still be craving more from this author. 

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading!

(ARC Review) STRANGE NEIGHBORS by Ashlyn Chase

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STRANGE NEIGHBORS
Author: Ashlyn Chase
Source: Sourcebooks
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (June 1, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1402236611
  • ISBN-13: 978-1402236617
SYNOPSIS:

He’s looking for peace, quiet, and a little romance…

There’s never a dull moment when hunky all-star pitcher and shapeshifter Jason Falco invests in an old Boston brownstone apartment building full of supernatural creatures. But when Merry MacKenzie moves into the ground floor apartment, the playboy pitcher decides he might just be done playing the field…
A girl just wants to have fun…

Sexy Jason seems like the perfect fling, but newly independent nurse Merry’s not sure she’s ready to trust him with her heart…especially when the tabloids start trumpeting his playboy lifestyle.
Then pandemonium breaks loose and Merry and Jason will never get it together without a little help from the vampire who lives in the basement and the werewolf from upstairs…
MY THOUGHTS:
Strange Neighbors was a such a delight to read!  I was laughing throughout the book and loved each of the characters.  The writing was great and flowed nicely.  I almost hated to have to stop mid story to deal with real life because I was so engrossed in this fictional world of magic and fun. 
Merry decides to stand on her own feet and get a place of her own where she meets sexy owner Jason.  The chemistry between the two is obvious and you quickly find yourself falling in love with them.  You will also find quirky neighbors as well in the story.  We have ghosts, vampires, phone sex operators and more that help round out the story and give it even more to enjoy.
The author did a wonderful job of creating plenty of characters balanced with the right amount of suspense and humor. A job well done and I can’t wait to read more from this author. 
MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

TEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU by Julia Quinn

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TEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Avon (May 25, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0061491896
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061491894
SYNOPSIS:

Ten Things You Should Know About This Book 
1. Sebastian Grey is a devilishly handsome rogue with a secret.
2. Annabel Winslow’s family voted her The Winslow Most Likely to Speak Her Mind and The Winslow Most Likely to Fall Asleep in Church.
3. Sebastian’s uncle is the Earl of Newbury, and if he dies without siring an heir, Sebastian inherits everything.
4. Lord Newbury detests Sebastian and will stop at nothing to prevent this from happening.
5. Lord Newbury has decided that Annabel is the answer to all of his problems.
6. Annabel does not want to marry Lord Newbury, especially when she finds out he once romanced her grandmother.
7 is shocking, 8 is delicious, and 9 is downright wicked, all of which lead the way to
10. Happily. Ever. After. 
MY THOUGHTS:
I remember seeing some of this author’s work at the book stores, but to be honest, I never usually buy historical romance.  This is a genre I need to really start looking at differently.  When I see books in this genre, I think of weird accents, dialogue that will not make sense, fancy gowns and arranged marriages. Now that I have read a few, this genre is really starting to grow on me. 
In this book I loved everything.  The romance was heart fluttering and well written.  Each of the characters had their own personality that leaped off of the pages. I loved how the author knew when to use witty dialogue and when to back off.  Everything about this story flowed perfectly from page one up until the last page.  
Julia Quinn has made me a believer in Historical Romance with her exceptional writing and effortless story telling.  This is one author that I will try out again with no worry of disappointment out of this genre. 
MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading!

(ARC Review) LINGER by Maggie Stiefvater

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LINGER
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Source: Donated to blog
  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Scholastic Press (July 20, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0545123283
  • ISBN-13: 978-0545123280
SYNOPSIS:
In Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other.  Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack.  And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love — the light and the dark, the warm and the cold — in a way you will never forget.

MY THOUGHTS:
It has been so long since Shiver came out, I almost forgot who the characters were!  With that being said,  as soon as I opened the book to the first page, I was instantly transported back to Mercy Falls.  I still get the warm and fuzzy feeling with the romance between Sam and Grace.  The author did a wonderful job with these two characters.  She included romance, drama and aching suspense that had me pulling at my hair.  The book flowed nicely and everything about it kept me consumed with finishing it in one sitting. 
The characters have grown, the author introduces old and new characters to the story, and she kept the goosebumps on me like I was in the snow with Sam and Grace. The ending about did me in though. Amazing is the only word I can think of at the moment to describe it. Amazing AND Breathtaking!
MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes

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Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes 
Author: Phyllis Pellman Good
Source: FSB Media
* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Paperback: 283 pages
  • Publisher: Good Books; Rev Upd edition (May 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 156148685X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1561486854
SYNOPSIS:
A cookbook featuring over 700 great slow cooker recipes by author Phyllis Pellman Good.
MY THOUGHTS:
I am not a chef. I admit it. If it is a recipe that calls for tons of fancy ingredients and tons of time, then I forget it. I would rather it be a recipe that I can throw together quickly and with little effort. We live where it is hot as well, so I don’t like staying in a hot kitchen for hours to cook one meal.  When I received this book, I was curious to know if it was going to be a cookbook that would help me with my dilemma.  
Surprisingly, it did help!  There are tons of recipes in this book that even a beginner on a low budget can do with little effort.  Now granted, it does require you to have a slow cooker, and it does ask for certain things such as certain kinds of soups, yet you could always substitute the ingredients to your own liking.  There were a few that I have already made with my slow cooker in the past, so I know these recipes are reliable and great!
Here is just a sample of the recipes you will find in the book:
Pizza Fondue, BBQ Beef Sandwiches, Chili, Chicken Soup, Spiced Coffee, Hot Fruit Punch, Gingerbread, Lemon Bread and Pot Roasts!
I was amazed at some of the things you can actually cook in a slow cooker.  For instance, I didn’t even know you could cook bread in a slow cooker!  It also gives a list of substitutions, conversions, and hints on how to use your slow cooker better. I loved this cookbook and it makes it easy to just fix it and forget it!
MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS