Creative Deeds Reads

I think my only real problem with this one was it was short. I know, you've heard that from me before and you're probably wondering why I read novellas if I so often complain about them being short. Well, that's simple. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. For me it doesn't work as well when I really want to know more. There was so much more that i wanted to know about both characters. I love paranormal aspects in books and to me, there was a definite tilt to this one that could have been delved into more. Other than that, I really liked it. I liked the characters, the supporting characters and the romance. Blaine D. Arden will definitely be an author that I check out again. I received Color Me as a free download from All Romance Ebooks on August 2. 2013.

This was my first Eve Langlais read, but given the fact that a lot of bloggers that share my reading taste liked it, I wasn’t surprised that I did too.Evangeline was a fun character. She was definitely wicked, but not in an evil way. I know, that sentence makes little or no sense out of context, but once you read this book you will totally understand, honest.Ryker was fun too. Evangeline brought feelings and emotions out in him that he didn’t know he was even capable of. Thrown together, these two characters were extremely entertaining. The supporting cast of characters was a lot of fun too. The interactions that Evangeline and Ryker had with them made this book even more fun. Do you sense a theme here?Yep, Wickedest Witch was a cute, funny – not to mention hot and steamy, read. There was plenty of action and a little bit of mystery thrown into the mix. I can’t wait to pick up my next Eve Langlais book.

Cute story.This one was short and beyond sweet with a couple of misunderstandings that turned out OK in the end. This is one of those novellas that is perfect for a late night or in between read. I picked up Candy Store as a free download from Amazon on March 26, 2013.

My actual rating for this one was 3 1/2 Stars I’ve been on a Freebie kick lately. I’ve picked up a bunch and now I need to start reading some of the ones that I’ve had on my Kindle forever. Well, I guess 5 months isn’t exactly forever considering I have quite a few that have been around a lot longer than that, but I still feel like I’m making progress. Anyway, I’m glad that I picked this one up. It was a little bit different than some of the books that I’ve been reading and different is actually good.Brynn and Adam were an interesting couple. Brynn left the town that she grew up in for a lot of reasons. Adam thought that he knew what they were, but he really didn’t have a clue. Brynn was a young kid when she left and thought she was doing the right thing. By the time she realized that she might have made a mistake, it was too late.Adam was a good guy. He hated Brynn for what he thought she had done. Once they faced each other again though it was obvious that they still had feelings for each other. Halfway through this story I couldn’t put it down. My feelings kept going back and forth between the two characters. Sometimes I sympathized with Adam and got frustrated with Brynn, but it went both ways. They were both basically torturing each other and themselves and I really wanted to step in and tell them that they really needed to talk because they both had it wrong. *sigh*There were a few rough spots. I guess the biggest one for me was that I couldn’t figure out how people didn’t know what was going on right under their noses. It was a small, tight community and being from a small, tight community I know for a fact that not much happens that everyone doesn’t know about. Other than that aspect, I really liked the twists, turns, deceit and revelations that took place. I liked most of the characters and the bad guys were really, really easy to hate. I also like the way that not everything was revealed right away. Readers were caught as off guard (at least this one was) about some of the revelations that the characters were. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t. In The Fires Still Burns it worked for me. I’ll definitely be checking out more books by Crystal-Rain Love.

I’m not sure exactly what it is about these BDB boys, but they totally get under my skin. It’s not just the heat (not that the ‘heat’ isn’t worth reading) it’s the intense emotions that these tortured souls evoke. Wrath’s book gave us just a glimpse into his mysterious brothers. Even though Dark Lover may be one of my favorites, Lover Eternal was the first book that came close to breaking my heart. Yep, the emotion is that intense. At least it was for me.We were introduced to Rhage’s beast in Dark Lover. We saw the torment, pain and fear he experienced each time the beast took over. In Lover Eternal we saw even more of the pain Rhage lived with, more than he even let the brothers see. Rhage put up quite a front and hid behind his reputation. On the surface he was a playboy, but underneath that mask he was broken. Then Mary came into his life. They weren’t looking for each other, but fate brought them together. Their story is amazingly beautiful and heartbreaking. They need each other desperately but there is so much going against them that the odds are insurmountable. Yes there were tears. More than once there were tears.I love the way these books are written, mainly because Ward gives each of her key characters a voice. It gives the story so much more depth. You get inside not only Rhage and Mary’s head, but you also get a feel for everyone else, including the bad guys. Several new characters were also introduced in Lover Eternal, which keeps things interesting.One of the best things about these books is the cast of characters and they are always changing. Ward keeps throwing new players into the mix. That’s a good thing, because as long as there are new characters, there will be new books. As long as there are new BDB books, I will keep reading them. It’s a vicious cycle I know, but one I’m fully prepared to continue. ;) On a side note, I think this marks my 3rd time reading Lover Eternal. Yeah, it's kind of corny at times and yeah there were some moments that weren't exactly perfect, but my initial feeling about this one still hasn't changed. When I read a book this many times and there are moments that still hit me hard enough to make me even a little teary, I can't deny it. I'm just one of those readers that is still and always will be a lover of the BDB. ;)

I have to be in the right mood to enjoy Historical Romance. Sometimes I just get bogged down in all the formality and language. However, if you throw in a sexy and tortured Aristocratic vampire and pair him with an orphaned, desperate, yet spunky and witty young lady I’m easily drawn into the story. That was exactly the case with Caressed by Moonlight.It wasn’t hard to sympathize with Victoria. She was totally devoted to her little sister and her aunt would put even the worst evil step-mother to shame. There were bright spots though. Victoria was free to leave and spend time with her friend Lana (who I loved) even if it was only so she could find a suitable husband. She was strong, proud and devoted to those she loved. Once she realized her feelings for Dorian were more than she expected she was determined to protect him as well.Then there was Dorian. His purpose in being in London was to pull his enemies away from his people. He went to the dinner parties, balls and other functions that he was invited simply to make an appearance. Until he met Victoria, then his purpose took a totally different direction. Readers knew where the attraction to Victoria was going before he did, which was interesting. There was a lot to love about Dorian, especially his love, respect and devotion to his friends. It was even hard to be mad at him when he tried to brush off his feelings toward Victoria. Watching him try was heart breaking. Yeah, I kinda loved this couple.A lot happened in Caressed by Moonlight. There was action, drama, humor, plenty of smexiness and more than a few moments of heart break. Add to that the amazing cast of supporting characters and I have a feeling that this is going to be a series that it won’t take me long to devour. The epilogue sets up Caressed by Night, the next book in the Rulers of Darkness series quite nicely. Not only has Amanda J. Greene gained herself a new fan, Rulers of Darkness has also made its way to my Seriously Series list for 2013.

I received Grime and Punishment in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is one of those books that I wasn’t sure about. I know I’ve said before that I don’t judge a book by its cover, but when you see a ‘Caution Biohazard’ banner draped across the front cover you kind of have to sit up and take notice. I actually passed this one by several times before I requested it for review. I’m so glad I got past my initial reaction to the cover. Grime and Punishment was so much more than the title or the cover suggested. The funny thing is, they both fit the book exceedingly well. Who knew?Jack was the first character that readers were introduced to and I liked him right away. I’m not sure what exactly drew me to him, but there was just something about him. He wasn’t a weak person, but he was guarded and more than slightly damaged. He was the kind of character that I automatically wanted to protect and I wasn’t even sure why. As the story progressed that sense of wanting to protect him got even stronger.Ryan took me a little while longer to relate to, but I think that was because of the way that I felt about Jack from the beginning. He grew on me though and I ended up really liking the affect he had on Jack. He was fun and he brought out a side of Jack that was good for him in a lot of ways. They were good for each other actually.What really made me enjoy this book were the supporting cast of characters. There were a lot of strong personalities in this book. The characters played off of each other well and the sense of family was strong. Protectiveness, love, loss, grief and deceit (more like well-kept and deeply buried secrets) all came into play. Through it all, the characters drove the story. Even the cat played a more important role than expected. I’m not a cat person, but I loved that cat. *sigh* I can see this turning into a series that I’m going to enjoy following.

I’m a sucker for Mythology. I may have mentioned that once or twice That being said, I really hope that this novella is a taste of things to come in the Pool of Souls series because I really enjoyed it and I’m already looking forward to more.With Aphrodite guiding them and Ares seeming to have a counter move for every one that Aphrodite makes, there’s more than enough going on to keep the pages turning. When you add a daemon, a couple of trouble making ‘godlings’ and a jealous ex-boyfriend, what’s not to love? Krystal Shannan also adds a healthy dose of humor, a steamy romance between Robert and Rebecca, a little bit of danger and more than a little bit of angst (along with some heat of their own) between the God and Goddess. All in all, this was one short, sweet read packed full of surprises.Finding Hope is the next installment and it’s just over 200 pages, compared to Open House‘s 60, so readers should be in store for a lot more from the Olympians. I’m sure I’ll be checking it out soon.

The description of this one is off just a little. It may have been just my take on it after I read the book though. Basically, it was family drama. That’s pretty much all you need to know.Boone came back to his family ranch after his father died. To say that they had a strained relationship would be putting it mildly. He (Boone’ dad) basically shut himself down when his wife died and drove his sons away from him physically and emotionally. His final act was to try to make things right. Not necessarily for his sons, but for the daughter of his best friend who he felt like he had treated unfairly as well. Maddie came to the ranch to stay the 30 days that Boone’s dad (Sam) had requested. At the end of the allotted time she could decide to either keep the house and some acreage or sell it to Boone. If she didn’t stay the allotted time then the property would be forfeited to a neighboring family with a not so nice reputation. See, just a little different, but I think you get the gist of it now.As far as contemporary cowboy romances, I think Texas Secrets: The Gallaghers of Morning Star is one of the better ones I’ve read lately. Sometimes the romances like these tend to get a little corny. That’s probably not fair, but I’m not really sure of any other way to put it. I didn’t get that from Texas Secrets. The premise was unique and the flow of the story was believable. There was a strong connection with the characters but it wasn’t forced.I really liked these characters. Maddie was a free spirit. She was strong and determined and felt like she belonged at Morning Star from the moment she saw it. Part of that was because she had spent her life on the run with her mother and father. She had never settled in one place for very long and the fact that she had roots at Morning Star made the draw and appeal even stronger.For Boone, Morning Star was the only home he had ever known and he wasn’t about to give it up without a fight. He was also broken and Maddie was the perfect person to make him feel again. He was committed and determined as well, but he also had a soft side that I loved watching Maddie uncover.The supporting characters were great and were more than just filler. They were witty and the friendship and sense of family between them all was strong. I loved all of them. There were even a couple of twists and turns and more than a few surprises. Although Maddie and Boone’s story came to a satisfying end, it’s evident in the set up for the next books that they will play a role in them. At least I hope so.The next two books in the Texas Secrets: The Gallaghers of Morning Star series are Texas Lonely and Texas Bad Boy. Telling you now who they feature would throw out some pretty huge spoilers, and you know how I feel about them.

I received Sweet Young Thang in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’m not sure what I like most about the books in the Theta Alpha Gamma series (or honestly, Anne Tenino’s books in general.) The smart, witty characters. The relationships between the characters, the way that they make me feel in general or just the simple fact that I know when I pick up one of these books I am guaranteed at least one, if not several ‘laugh out loud’ moments. Sweet Young Thang managed to deliver all those things and more.I’ve said more than once that I love it when an author can make a character that wasn’t exactly liked in previous books and turn them into a character that you end up rooting for. I never exactly disliked Collin. He wasn’t a bad guy, but he was a character that was ‘in the way’ of the relationship between Brad and Sebastian in Frat Boy and Toppy. I can honestly say that Collin is now one of my favorites. Getting to know him better in Sweet Young Thang was fun.Eric was a great character too. The biggest obstacle with their relationship was the age difference, and honestly, after the initial uneasiness of it passed, it wasn’t an issue at all. Eric seemed to have more of problem with it than anyone. He was also a character that I respected. The opening scene in Sweet Young Thang was a hard one, but it gave readers a perfect glimpse into Eric’s personality and character. He also had an artistic side and his passion about his photography was another thing that really gave him an added dimension.Collin and Eric as a couple just made sense. Collin needed someone older and more emotionally stable than his frat brothers. It was great that he found in Eric something that he didn’t even know he was looking for. It scared the crap out of him, but it was good for him too.The frat brothers have come a long way since Frat Boy and Toppy and Brad’s revelation. I don’t think I’ve laughed as much while reading a book in a long time. These boys mean well, honestly and they spend so much time trying to be sensitive that they stumble all over themselves in the process. It’s sweet in a crazy sort of way and for these books it works so well. The tough issues are handled with finesse and laced with humor at no one’s expense (at least not on purpose within the frat) but the reactions are priceless.Sweet Young Thang was a little different from the other books so far because the relationship between the main couple wasn’t the only source of conflict. Not that there weren’t some tense moments and a few hurdles to overcome, but the main conflict through most of the book was trying to figure out who was trying to destroy the frat house. It wasn’t hard to figure out who was behind it, but the ‘why’ was really surprising and there was more than one person in this one to really despise.The supporting characters were strong. A few new characters were introduced and some previous characters shared the spotlight with Collin and Eric. Halfway through Sweet Young Thang I realized that this series has almost reached its end and that kind of makes me sad. I’m going to miss the Theta Alpha Gamma crew when the next two books close the series. I have no doubt that Anne Tenino has more in store for her eager readers though, and I can hardly wait to see what comes next.

I received Keep Me Ghosted in exchange for a fair and honest review. Well, this one was just plain cute. There’s just no other way to describe it.Sophie was funny, witty, smart and kind of quirky. That fit very well with her situation. Her best friend was a ghost and Marmaduke was just as much fun as Sophie was.Dr. Callahan was charming, a little geeky and just as witty and smart as Sophie. I loved this couple. The romance was light, but that was part of this book’s charm.I also loved the premise of this book. Yeah, it’s fiction, but I liked the authors take on ghosts. There was also just enough mystery to keep things interesting. Just a hint of danger and then, when you thought it was time for the HEA – another mystery unfolds.Basically, Keep Me Ghosted was a fun read. I like that in a book sometimes. It’s fun to just be entertained and walk away from a book with a satisfied, quirky smile on your face… just because

Dark Lover is the first book in J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. What better brother to start with than Wrath, the brotherhood’s reluctant king? I watched this series for a long time before I broke down and bought Dark Lover. I even had it saved amongst my Amazon orders and moved it out several times. What changed my mind and convinced me to finally read it? Why Kelly at Reading the Paranormal of course. She not only started my obsession, she has successfully fueled it. Now, it has taken on a life of its own. I love it when that happens! Now, on to the review….Dark Lover begins with one of the brothers (Darius) trying to convince his king, brother and friend (Wrath) to help his daughter (Beth). There are a few problems though. First, Beth has no idea that Darius even exists (not to mention that vampires even exist); second, though Wrath is a great warrior he keeps himself totally unapproachable; third, Wrath hates humans and Beth is half human. From there the list actually goes on and on. That doesn’t stop Darius from asking, or practically begging Wrath for his help. It also isn’t surprising that Wrath refuses. Fate has other plans though and a tragedy forces Wrath to help Beth out of loyalty to his friend. What he didn’t count on was the effect that Beth would ultimately have on him.This book is not only the story of Wrath and Beth, it is the beginning and a wonderful introduction to the key players in the brotherhood. Ward gives you a small glimpse into each of the brothers and shows you just enough of their personality and weakness to get you interested. Rhage, Phury, Vishous, Zsadist and Tohr are the warriors that make up the Black Dagger Brotherhood. They each have their own back story and ‘crosses’ to bear and as you read Dark Lover you can’t help but be drawn to the mystery of each one of them.I fell in love with the vampires and mythology behind them that Ward created in this series. Here vampires are unique in their make up and it works well in the story. Good versus evil is given a whole new meaning in these books. Evil incarnate is presented in the form of a soulless society made up of Lessers. They are truly a group that it is really easy to hate.Ward breaks up the point of view in Dark Lover to give you a glimpse into the minds of several different characters, including the Lessers. It works really well and breaks the chapters up nicely. Because you don’t just get inside Beth and Wrath’s head but several characters are given a voice it keeps things interesting.I guess now would be a good time to mention that I am reviewing this book after reading it for the 4th time. No, I’m not obsessed. There are just some books that I like to revisit. Sometimes that includes an entire series. Obviously the Black Dagger Brotherhood is included in that list. I’m not really sure why I didn’t review this book when I read it the first time, but I’m trying to make up for that oversight now. If you want to get wrapped up in a great series that features a whole crew of cursed, fiercely loyal and lovable warriors – J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood is the perfect diversion for you.

This one has been sitting on my Kindle for a while. Granted, not as long as some, but enough that I finally decided to pick it up. It was not exactly what I expected it to be, but sometimes the unexpected is just what you need. Dead Again is a first and foremost a mystery. The romance is in the background, but it is a force to be reckoned with. The 5 days that Jack and Sophie spend together shaped them in a way that neither one of them realized until it was over. Even then it took a while.After reading Dead Again I realized that I was in a reading rut. As eclectic as my reading taste is I haven’t been branching out much and this book helped me to do that. There was not even a trace of anything paranormal about it, yet it wasn’t just another contemporary romance. The characters were smart and funny. They were characters that were easy to relate to and, like I said before, the romance didn’t drive the story but it was always there.I loved the mystery, the unseen force that brought Sophie and Martin together and the twists and turns that almost tore them apart – more than once. There were some rough spots and things got tied up kind of neatly at the end but all in all Dead Again was a great diversion from what has inadvertently become my normal reading pattern and I really enjoyed it.

I received Waiting for Ty in exchange for a fair and honest review. I really loved these guys. They had known each other forever. They fantasized about each other and they both had the same reluctance to take the next step. That first step was a doozy though. Wow!I loved Landon’s patience and understanding where Ty was concerned. I also loved his honesty and his willingness to let Ty find his way even though it broke his heart.Usually when a character in a couple steps back and walks away, regardless of their reasoning I get upset. Not that I didn’t with Ty. When he walked out on Landon it just about tore me apart, but I totally understood his reasoning. If the author hadn’t given readers both Ty and Landon’s POV I may have had a different opinion, but getting inside both of their heads was really helpful in this case.Supporting characters played an important part in Waiting for Ty. The first one introduced I loved from the start. Yvonne was great. She was Landon’s neighbor and she basically put Ty in his place from the start without him even knowing why. Once you found out a little bit more about her it made sense. Her concern was obvious, but the ‘why’ behind it was heart breaking. Then there was Landon’s family. I loved his sisters. Actually his whole family was great. They were the picture of what ‘family’ should be. Ty’s family was the polar opposite. Their reaction to everything made me cringe. I not only sympathized but respected Ty so much more after his interactions with them. Yes, the mom in me came out in spades with Ty.I think that what I loved about Waiting for Ty the most was that their relationship really defined love. Neither one of them considered themselves gay, they were most definitely bi. Their attraction to each other was just that – uninhibited attraction. You can’t, or shouldn’t put a label on that. Love is what it is and what Ty and Landon had was love – pure and simple.This is the second book in Samantha Ann King’s Lovers and Friends series. I didn’t read book 1, Sharing Hailey, but I don’t think I missed anything by skipping it. That doesn’t mean that I won’t go back and check it out sometime though.

I liked this one. It was short, the characters were likable and the scenario was believable. All in all it was a perfect late night read. What every hot little novella should be ;) I picked up Through the Wall as a free download from Amazon and read it as part of my 'Why Buy the Cow' Reading Challenge.

I received The Lost Wolf's Destiny in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’m still not sure exactly how I feel about this one. It’s another one of those books that just didn’t grab me. I loved the premise, the characters were likable and it was definitely action packed, yet some of the scenarios were just not believable.The attraction between Lucas and Blythe was normal from a werewolf standpoint. That kind of pull just can’t be fought. The relationship itself isn’t what threw me in The Lost Wolf’s Destiny. I think what threw me in this one was Blythe’s daughter. I understand that there were greater powers at play and not all the decisions that Blythe made were under her control but when a child is involved I sit up and pay attention. There were just too many times, for me anyway, that Blythe’s daughter was left in unnecessary danger. That’s just my opinion though.There also seemed to be a fine line between the good and the bad in The Lost Wolf’s Destiny. Even the good guys were doing things that were underhanded. I’m all for twists and turns, but when you really can’t trust anyone it gets a little frustrating.I haven’t given up on the Nocturne books or Karen Widdon though. There have been a few hits and misses and there were things about this book that I did like. I just had a hard time relating to the characters, which happens sometimes. I really, really hate it when it does though. *sigh*