Her Dear and Loving Husband by Meredith Allard

Her Dear & Loving Husband by Meredith Allard.

Salem, Massachusetts. Nothing is as it seems. Hauntings, witches, ghosts, werewolves, vampires...nothing is seen as odd in Witch City!
In this paranormal romance, you follow the lives of Sarah and James. Sarah moves to Salem after a horrible 10 year marriage ends, and she leaves LA moving to Salem, though she's unsure why. She gets a job working as a librarian for the college there. Sarah is plagued with nightmares that make no sense, hallucinations about things she's never seen or experienced.

James Wentworth is a professor at the college, teaching in English Literature. Dr. Wentworth is brooding, keeps to himself. He never goes out to socialize with the town, and whats more, no one ever sees him in the day - only seeing him when he teaches his classes, which always take place at night.

In this gripping story, you get a good dose of Salem history, as well as everything paranormal!
Can Sarah figure out who she is, and accept it? Can James get over his past, to live his future?
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I got this kindle book on Amazon, because it was free! YES FREE! After having read it, it is definately one that i would willingly pay for!
Twilight fans will be delighted!

This book is written in the 2-perspective -- both through Sarah's eyes, as well as James's eyes.

Sarah would best be described as 'burned'. Her marriage was a disaster, and she even admits throughout the book that it was loveless. He was a jerk, and made her confidence in herself drop.
As the librarian at the state college, she is much happier with books for company - submersing herself in the words of Jane Austen.  Sarah moved to Salem to try to trace her family tree - she was told that she had a relative die in the Salem Witch Trials in the late 1600s. Though she has no name to go off of, she is desperate to know more. Unfortunately, her nightmares get worse and worse - she starts wondering if moving there was a mistake. Until she starts spending more time with James...

Tall, lean, blond James. Though a doctor at the college you get the innate sense that he's gorgeous. He's brooding, and quiet. Keeps to himself. He seems to have a bit of a split personality - one minute dark and odd, the next polite and kind and great. You can't help but to enjoy his old fashioned ways. A smart professor with his Doctorate in English Literature, he teaches at night - free choice reading classes, packed with discussions - until they start talking immortality, when he freezes and barely joins in. He seems taken with Sarah...but for all the wrong reasons. Having lost his wife during the Witch Trials over 300 years before, he can't believe his eyes when he sees her! She's back! ... But how.




Seriously, Twifans! You're going to love this one. The history of Salem, with the paranormal, plus the romance...i was riveted. I read the whole thing in 4 hours! I couldn't put it down! I give it 4 out of 5 stars!

Now go buy it! It's free right now on Amazon.com!!! (so is book 2!!!!)

Audio books vs. Reading books

I have always been a very large advocate of reading books, rather than listening to them. In fact, i've almost always been discriminatory regarding audio books. I think...i may owe audio books an apology.

Don't get me wrong...i still adore reading books ... reading is definitely my favorite pasttime. I would rather read than do much of anything else. Seriously. I can't count how many days (well...nights rather) that i've stayed up way past my "bedtime" to "finish this chapter" only to read another...and another...and another.

But.....

I've discovered there are quite a few perks to audio books. Hearing is different than Seeing. Seeing while reading, the words and books are very linear to the reader. If you take the same book, and give it to 10 different people, all 10 are going to read it differently than the others. They will give you a different synopses of the book - different cliff notes, if you will. When you listen to a book in audio format, you hear it through someone else's perspective. It's interesting, and enlightening.

I was hesistant to enter the aduio book world. It felt like it was some sort of bridge, and i was scared of what may be on the other side. Odd, and completely unexplainable on my part, i suppose...yet that's how it felt.
I got my first audio book, because i fell in love with a book, and desperately wanted to keep reading, when i had to go to work -- as talented as i may or may not be, there was no way in hell i could concentrate at my job, while actually reading. My multi-tasking abilities are just not that great. It was ...weird in the beginning. It felt like i was sitting in my chair, listening to a movie, but being unable to find the picture screen. I think it took about 2 chapters for me to change my mind.

Since that first toe in the audio book pool...i have absolutely fallen in love! Not only can i multi-task while i'm listening/reading, but i truly enjoy the differences of the experience!

There's something about hearing the "voices" that you read...with inflections, and accents that makes the story come to life.

While i enjoy the experience...i've learned there is also a very big downside.
1.) when the reader of the book is terrible, it irks my patience.
2.) when halfway through a series, the reader changes. It's just WRONG. It's a sin! it's ... against the law!!!! i mean, come on! ....
3.) when the reader changes halfway through the series, and the new reader is TERRIBLE (Cough, Cynthia Holloway, Cough... GIVE ME KIMBERLY ALEXIS BACK....NOAW!!!!)
4.) Abridged. Who would do such a dastardly thing?! please, please, please. NO NO NO.

Hmm...now that i read it...it doesn't seem to have THAT big of a down side...BUT... its there nonetheless!

I now wish i was an audio book narrator :D ... except i'm pretty sure i could never imitate Jean-Claude's accent...(and then i would suck too...), sadly.

What do you think? Convert? or no?

Deviant?

My husband has decided to point out, after my obsessive 4th read of the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, that he perceives me as a 'deviant'.

My first thought was to laugh at him, and shrug him off. But after the last few days of chewing on these words...I have to ask...deviant?

I got curious and decided to look it up. This is thanks to www.dictionary.com:

de·vi·ant

   /ˈdiviənt/ Show Spelled[dee-vee-uhnt] Show IPA

adjective

1.

deviating or departing from the norm; characterized by deviation: deviant social behavior.

noun

2.

a person or thing that deviates or departs markedly from the accepted norm.

 

Hmm. I guess after reading the definition, i guess i really can't disagree with that...can i?

More importantly, what is wrong with "departing from the norm"...because if i am truly OUT of the norm, than my world of normal is way more interesting, fun, and enlightening than the normal. I'm not sure i want to be part of a normal that is so unlike my normal.

 

What makes me a deviant? Is it that i relish in the paranormal world, and wish that were real, and i could be a part of it? Is it that i dream in 50 shades of grey?

Or is it the fact, that despire how much i love my life, ... i'm bored. Why else do we all read what we do? Whether you read the paranormal romance genre that i love so much, or you read murder mysteries, or horror novels...everyone reads for the same reasons -- to escape for awhile... to immerse yourself in a world that is so unlike your own -- one that is exciting and despite our wishes otherwise, is unrealistic. Lives in novels revolve around interesting things - the sky is the limit of the author.

 

So. I am a self-proclaimed, husband-pointed-out, deviant.

Are you?

Larissa Ione - Pleasure Unbound

It has been kindly pointed out to me that I have been slacking on my book reviewing -- good thing for all you fans out there (my ...what... 5 readers?) that though I haven't been posting, I've been reading!!!

So. I stumbled upon Larissa Ione by mistake. You see, I have the bad habit of choosing books via their cover (I know, I know...insert the "don't judge a book by it's cover" quoting...) but seriously. I can generally tell by the cover of a book whether or not I will like it. With Pleasure Unbound, I was not disappointed.

Entering into a new realm, one of demons and the like, I found this book, and this author, to be a breath of fresh air! So refreshing to explore different aspects of the paranormal! I'd say a good... 4.5 stars for this on the paranormal romance scale.

Upon entering Underworld General Hospital, we are introduced to Eidolon the demon doctor, chief of staff. When the doors burst open, bringing in the newest patient, he gets the surprise of his life when discovering that she is a member of the Aegis -- the demon world's boogeyman. With the Aegis sticking with a kill first-ask no questions, theory, the members of the hospital urge Eidolon to 'dispose' of this injured waif, and carry on their lives, knowing one more enemy is off the street.

Tayla awakes, after a long night of hunting, to find herself in the freaking twilight zone. The hottest doctor she has ever seen is hovering over her, and all logic and reality goes out the window for her. Throwing herself on this doctor, she believes she is merely dreaming...little does she know she's about to wake in the midst of a nightmare. Due to a tramatic childhood, and the Aegis, Tayla knows the only good demon is a dead demon...

A demon doctor, composed, despite his big 100 year change which will turn him into a mindless, raping...well, demon, is unexpectedly drawn to this female. After some tests, Eidolon learns a very large secret about Tayla, that she herself was unaware of. Can he dislodge Tayla's long-lived hatred of his kind?...Can Tayla accept her horrific fate?

You will fall in love with this book...if you can get past the "demonica" drop-line on this cover!!!

Until next time.

-J

Featured New Release!!!

FINALLLLLLLYYYYYYYY!!

The story we're finally waiting for! Our beloved Tohrment!!! yay!!

Guess who has two thumbs and already has it?! THIS GIRL!
Super happy dance.

Will review once i read...it's in the wings for the moment -- i'm still reading the Pepper Martin series, but i'm uber excited it's out!

Don of the Dead (Pepper Martin Series #1) by Casey Daniels

I spent yesterday and today reading book 1 of the Pepper Martin series, Don of the Dead by Casey Daniels.

I'll be honest. I was originally a little hesitant as this is out of my usual realm of vampires, wearwolves, and angels (oh my!). To be honest, it's probably not even in the realm of "paranormal romance" and more along the lines of "paranormal mystery" but hey, i'm an equal opportunity reader!

So, you learn that Pepper works at the local cemetery in Cleveland, giving various tours and lectures about the tennants there. Ok, i'm just going to come out and say it, that is seriously unique and cool! The history and the neat stuff you must learn...super awesome! After hitting her head, she finds out she can see ghosts...well, one ghost in particular. A mob boss who has been dead for 30 years. The infamous Gus Scarpetti, who was murdered outside his usual haunt (no pun intended) and has been unable to rest since that fateful day. So, seeing as Pepper is the only who can see him, who do you think he turns to for help to solve his murder? You guessed it. I'm sure you can also see what kind of terrible predicament that puts Pepper in...it's the MOB for cripes sake!

Murder, death, intrigue..twisted plots and of course, the occasional hot guy (PR fans, beware, there's no 'romance' as we've come to appreciate), this is the ultimate in paranormal mysteries.

Don of the Dead was definitely a breath of fresh air, and I grew to love Pepper.

Definitely 5 thumbs up for this one, can't wait to read the next in the series!

--J

Fallen by Lauren Kate

I just finished reading the young adult novel, Fallen, by Lauren Kate. I never really pay attention to the "young adult"/"adult" categories. I probably should have with this one.

Firstly, I was captivated by the book's cover. I give mad props for the artist as well as the publishers for choosing such an enticing cover.

This is a story about Luce (short for Lucinda), a 'troubled' 17 year old girl who gets pulled from a posh prep-school after an unfortunate incident took the life of a boy she liked while at a cabin party. Though Luce doesn't remember anything about what happened, she is questioned by the police and eventually gets placed at the Sword and Cross re-form school by her parents as a last ditch effort to keep her from being medicated, or worse, arrested.

Upon her arrival, Luce learns that this school leans more towards a maximum security prison, rather than a school. Among being forced to surrender her cell phone, she also learns that only one phone call is allowed a week (for fifteen minutes only), the dress code is all dismal black, and there are 'Reds', motion cameras, throughout the entire school, constantly watching the entire school to be sure no kids break the rules.

Luce meets Arianne who quickly takes Luce under her wing, teaching her the ins and outs of the school, and which "crazies" to avoid. While doing so, she sees Daniel from across the way. Luce is immediately drawn to him, for reasons she can't even fathom, even though he makes obscenely rude gestures to her from day one. Cam also catches her eye, a cute 'new' boy who is returning to Swords and Cross after having left.

This story quickly turns into a teenage 'love' triangle, where Cam wants Luce, and Luce wants Daniel, and Daniel avoids her.

In addition to strange dreams and constant deja vu starring Daniel, Luce has begun to see the black shadows more frequently, and notices they are starting to be more bold, openly touching her. After discovering a four year old photo of Daniel, looking exactly the same, Luce and her new friend Pennyweather (Penn for short) start to dig into Daniel's family history, searching for answers. But will they be able to save themselves from the answers they find?

Unfortunately, though the plot and story lines have a lot of potential, I was drowning a bit in the long winded and erroneous story developing. How many times does an author need to tell me that Luce saw Daniel, and swooned. Then again, I try to remember that this is meant for teenage readers; however, I feel like even as a teenager, I would have been disappointed with this one

I give this book a 2/5 stars on the teenage paranormal realm scale.