Books Read in November
Nov. 30th, 2006 08:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
arenee1999Another month and more books.....a synopsis and my rating of each book
Shadow Game---Christine Feehan (A)
Dr. Peter Whitney is the driving force behind a new government experiment aimed at enhancing the psychic abilities of a select group of volunteers in order to turn them into secret and lethal military weapons. But the experiment goes wrong, and some of the GhostWalkers, the men in the experiment, are dying. Dr. Whitney brings his telepathic genius daughter, Lily, to the lab so that she can help assess the situation. However, before they can exchange notes, Dr. Whitney is killed, and as Lily links minds with him for one last time, he tells her to free the prisoners, find his secret lab, and destroy his work. Working to right her father's wrongs, Lily joins forces and minds with the highly telepathic Capt. Ryland Miller, one of the GhostWalkers, and finds a passion neither can deny.
Dr. Peter Whitney is the driving force behind a new government experiment aimed at enhancing the psychic abilities of a select group of volunteers in order to turn them into secret and lethal military weapons. But the experiment goes wrong, and some of the GhostWalkers, the men in the experiment, are dying. Dr. Whitney brings his telepathic genius daughter, Lily, to the lab so that she can help assess the situation. However, before they can exchange notes, Dr. Whitney is killed, and as Lily links minds with him for one last time, he tells her to free the prisoners, find his secret lab, and destroy his work. Working to right her father's wrongs, Lily joins forces and minds with the highly telepathic Capt. Ryland Miller, one of the GhostWalkers, and finds a passion neither can deny.
Night Smoke---Nora Roberts (A-)
Ryan Piasecki: A man's man. A woman's fantasy. The kind of guy who got the job done, no matter what the obstacles...or how beautiful they were.
Ryan Piasecki: A man's man. A woman's fantasy. The kind of guy who got the job done, no matter what the obstacles...or how beautiful they were.
Natalie Fletcher: Cool, calm, collected. Until someone started making trouble for her business...and he showed up.
Arson investigator Ryan Piasecki came from the street, and he wasn't exactly the type to make nice with an upper-crust business executive like Natalie Fletcher. His business was fires - and his instincts told him the one at Fletcher Industries was no accident. They told him something else, too - that the sparks flying between him and this very classy lady had all the makings of a five-alarm blaze...
Seduced by Magic---Cheyenne McCray (A)
Copper Ashcroft is an accomplished D'Anu witch, but the magic she wields is a potent force--strong enough to hurl her into a mysterious Otherworld when a spell backfires. Before Copper can escape, another being is pulled into her realm--Tiernan, a powerfully virile Tuatha D'Danann warrior. Blond, blue-eyed, and shamelessly seductive, Tiernan could be Copper's savior…and his touch sets her body on fire.
Like others of his kind, Tiernan stands alongside the D'Anu witches to battle the demons of the Underworld. Obligation to his cause and his people cautions against any entanglement with Copper, yet each second spent with this beautiful, uninhibited woman stirs an insatiable hunger. Desire explodes into carnal bliss, but the visions that haunt Copper's dreams are growing stronger, and they foretell a terrifying evil waiting to be unleashed…
Saving the city will take more than brute strength…more than witchcraft. Only together can Copper and Tiernan find a way to overcome the dark forces--and seize a passion that has bewitched them both.
Copper Ashcroft is an accomplished D'Anu witch, but the magic she wields is a potent force--strong enough to hurl her into a mysterious Otherworld when a spell backfires. Before Copper can escape, another being is pulled into her realm--Tiernan, a powerfully virile Tuatha D'Danann warrior. Blond, blue-eyed, and shamelessly seductive, Tiernan could be Copper's savior…and his touch sets her body on fire.
Like others of his kind, Tiernan stands alongside the D'Anu witches to battle the demons of the Underworld. Obligation to his cause and his people cautions against any entanglement with Copper, yet each second spent with this beautiful, uninhibited woman stirs an insatiable hunger. Desire explodes into carnal bliss, but the visions that haunt Copper's dreams are growing stronger, and they foretell a terrifying evil waiting to be unleashed…
Saving the city will take more than brute strength…more than witchcraft. Only together can Copper and Tiernan find a way to overcome the dark forces--and seize a passion that has bewitched them both.
Night Shield---Nora Roberts (A-)
Even though he agreed to protect her cover—even though her own dad vouched for him—Allison Fletcher refuses to be seduced by Jonah Blackhawk's smooth charm and good looks. She is too much of a cop to fall for a shady character like Jonah...even if her pulse does race at his touch!
Even though he agreed to protect her cover—even though her own dad vouched for him—Allison Fletcher refuses to be seduced by Jonah Blackhawk's smooth charm and good looks. She is too much of a cop to fall for a shady character like Jonah...even if her pulse does race at his touch!
If only she didn't have eyes like prime whiskey and a smile that melted his insides. If only she weren't Boyd Fletcher's daughter. Jonah had never cared much for cops—until now. But Ally was definitely off-limits to a guy like him. If only he could stop wanting her...
The Vampire Armand---Anne Rice (A)
In the latest installment of The Vampire Chronicles, Anne Rice summons up dazzling worlds to bring us the story of Armand - eternally young, with the face of a Botticelli angel. Armand, who first appeared in all his dark glory more than twenty years ago in the now-classic Interview with the Vampire, the first of The Vampire Chronicles, the novel that established its author worldwide as a magnificent storyteller and creator of magical realms.
Now, we go with Armand across the centuries to the Kiev Rus of his boyhood - a ruined city under Mongol dominion - and to ancient Constantinople, where Tartar raiders sell him into slavery. And in a magnificent palazzo in the Venice of the Renaissance we see him emotionally and intellectually in thrall to the great vampire Marius, who masquerades among humankind as a mysterious, reclusive painter and who will bestow upon Armand the gift of vampiric blood.
As the novel races to its climax, moving through scenes of luxury and elegance, of ambush, fire, and devil worship to nineteenth-century Paris and today's New Orleans, we see its eternally vulnerable and romantic hero forced to choose between his twilight immortality and the salvation of his immortal soul.
In the latest installment of The Vampire Chronicles, Anne Rice summons up dazzling worlds to bring us the story of Armand - eternally young, with the face of a Botticelli angel. Armand, who first appeared in all his dark glory more than twenty years ago in the now-classic Interview with the Vampire, the first of The Vampire Chronicles, the novel that established its author worldwide as a magnificent storyteller and creator of magical realms.
Now, we go with Armand across the centuries to the Kiev Rus of his boyhood - a ruined city under Mongol dominion - and to ancient Constantinople, where Tartar raiders sell him into slavery. And in a magnificent palazzo in the Venice of the Renaissance we see him emotionally and intellectually in thrall to the great vampire Marius, who masquerades among humankind as a mysterious, reclusive painter and who will bestow upon Armand the gift of vampiric blood.
As the novel races to its climax, moving through scenes of luxury and elegance, of ambush, fire, and devil worship to nineteenth-century Paris and today's New Orleans, we see its eternally vulnerable and romantic hero forced to choose between his twilight immortality and the salvation of his immortal soul.
Darkfever---Karen Marie Moning (A)
With her New York Times bestseller Spell of the Highlander, Karen Marie Moning brought a world of ancient magic and timeless love to life. Now, Moning embarks on a fantastic new series about a woman drawn into a seductive other-worldly realm-only to be caught up in a universe-altering battle. A sizzling spin-off from the popular "Highlander" series, Darkfever is filled with captivating characters, paranormal elements, and unparalleled sensuality and heat.
Darkfever opens approximately three and a half years after Spell of the Highlander ends. MacKayla O'Connor's life is good. Or so she thinks until something extraordinary happens... When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death - a cryptic message on Mac's cell phone - Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister's killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She soon is faced with an even greater challenge - staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed - a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae. As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, the ruthless Vlane - an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women - closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book... because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands
With her New York Times bestseller Spell of the Highlander, Karen Marie Moning brought a world of ancient magic and timeless love to life. Now, Moning embarks on a fantastic new series about a woman drawn into a seductive other-worldly realm-only to be caught up in a universe-altering battle. A sizzling spin-off from the popular "Highlander" series, Darkfever is filled with captivating characters, paranormal elements, and unparalleled sensuality and heat.
Darkfever opens approximately three and a half years after Spell of the Highlander ends. MacKayla O'Connor's life is good. Or so she thinks until something extraordinary happens... When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death - a cryptic message on Mac's cell phone - Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister's killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She soon is faced with an even greater challenge - staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed - a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae. As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, the ruthless Vlane - an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women - closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book... because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands
Morningquest---Joan Aiken (A-)
The story begins when young Pandora Crumbe's mother dies suddenly at the luncheon table, and Pandora falls into the care of Lady Mariana Morningquest and her husband, whose celebrated musical talents have infused all of Boxhall Hill manse with an air of enchantment. The once lonely Pandora soon finds herself building "tree-palaces," chatting about Stravinsky over tea, and gradually, startlingly, taking on an essential role in her new family--a family she loves deeply, and that loves her in return. Pandora flourishes. Her insight, grace, and imagination lift her to success at college, where she studies art. But the other Morningquest children seem to fade under the harsh lights of adult reality.
The story begins when young Pandora Crumbe's mother dies suddenly at the luncheon table, and Pandora falls into the care of Lady Mariana Morningquest and her husband, whose celebrated musical talents have infused all of Boxhall Hill manse with an air of enchantment. The once lonely Pandora soon finds herself building "tree-palaces," chatting about Stravinsky over tea, and gradually, startlingly, taking on an essential role in her new family--a family she loves deeply, and that loves her in return. Pandora flourishes. Her insight, grace, and imagination lift her to success at college, where she studies art. But the other Morningquest children seem to fade under the harsh lights of adult reality.
Northanger Abbey---Jane Austen (B+)
A wonderfully entertaining coming-of-age story, Northanger Abbey is often referred to as Jane Austen’s “Gothic parody.” Decrepit castles, locked rooms, mysterious chests, cryptic notes, and tyrannical fathers give the story an uncanny air, but one with a decidedly satirical twist.
The story’s unlikely heroine is Catherine Morland, a remarkably innocent seventeen-year-old woman from a country parsonage. While spending a few weeks in Bath with a family friend, Catherine meets and falls in love with Henry Tilney, who invites her to visit his family estate, Northanger Abbey. Once there, Catherine, a great reader of Gothic thrillers, lets the shadowy atmosphere of the old mansion fill her mind with terrible suspicions. What is the mystery surrounding the death of Henry’s mother? Is the family concealing a terrible secret within the elegant rooms of the Abbey? Can she trust Henry, or is he part of an evil conspiracy? Catherine finds dreadful portents in the most prosaic events, until Henry persuades her to see the peril in confusing life with art.
Executed with high-spirited gusto, Northanger Abbey is the most lighthearted of Jane Austen’s novels, yet at its core this delightful novel is a serious, unsentimental commentary on love and marriage.
A wonderfully entertaining coming-of-age story, Northanger Abbey is often referred to as Jane Austen’s “Gothic parody.” Decrepit castles, locked rooms, mysterious chests, cryptic notes, and tyrannical fathers give the story an uncanny air, but one with a decidedly satirical twist.
The story’s unlikely heroine is Catherine Morland, a remarkably innocent seventeen-year-old woman from a country parsonage. While spending a few weeks in Bath with a family friend, Catherine meets and falls in love with Henry Tilney, who invites her to visit his family estate, Northanger Abbey. Once there, Catherine, a great reader of Gothic thrillers, lets the shadowy atmosphere of the old mansion fill her mind with terrible suspicions. What is the mystery surrounding the death of Henry’s mother? Is the family concealing a terrible secret within the elegant rooms of the Abbey? Can she trust Henry, or is he part of an evil conspiracy? Catherine finds dreadful portents in the most prosaic events, until Henry persuades her to see the peril in confusing life with art.
Executed with high-spirited gusto, Northanger Abbey is the most lighthearted of Jane Austen’s novels, yet at its core this delightful novel is a serious, unsentimental commentary on love and marriage.
Forbidden Magic---Cheyenne McCray (A)
D'Anu witch Silver Ashcroft knows she walks a perilous line by practicing gray magic. But it's the only way to protect herself from the evil that surrounds her. After the horrors she has witnessed, Silver thinks she is ready for anything...until the most intensely arousing being she has ever encountered swiftly—and sensuously—proves her wrong...
Hawk is a Tuatha D'Danann warrior—powerful beings descended from the Fae. And for him duty has always come before pleasure. Then, clad only in moonlight, Silver Ashcroft welcomes him to her city of San Francisco and makes his blood sing with a passion beyond compare. She is the embodiment of fantasies he never knew he had, but the terrifying reality of his mission lurks in every shadow...
Only the strongest will survive the upcoming battle, and the forces of darkness are more powerful than ever. Now, warrior and witch must trust in their hearts above all else—for to claim victory, they first must claim each other...
D'Anu witch Silver Ashcroft knows she walks a perilous line by practicing gray magic. But it's the only way to protect herself from the evil that surrounds her. After the horrors she has witnessed, Silver thinks she is ready for anything...until the most intensely arousing being she has ever encountered swiftly—and sensuously—proves her wrong...
Hawk is a Tuatha D'Danann warrior—powerful beings descended from the Fae. And for him duty has always come before pleasure. Then, clad only in moonlight, Silver Ashcroft welcomes him to her city of San Francisco and makes his blood sing with a passion beyond compare. She is the embodiment of fantasies he never knew he had, but the terrifying reality of his mission lurks in every shadow...
Only the strongest will survive the upcoming battle, and the forces of darkness are more powerful than ever. Now, warrior and witch must trust in their hearts above all else—for to claim victory, they first must claim each other...
Mistletoe & Magic---Lynsay Sands, Lisa Cach, Amy Elizabeth Saunders, Stobie Piel (A-)
A recipe for an unforgettable Christmas of love and laughter.
Serves: Everyone
Holly berries
1 pair enchanted spectacles
4 couples
8 lonely hearts
1 fairy godmother
1 miracle
Elves
Take four heroines, created by some of Romance's hottest authors. Mix them up with an equal number of heroes until warm and sweet. Press together and add laughter. Set in delicious historical settings, seal with a kiss, and leave overnight. By morning, couples will have formed into four delightful stories. Sprinkle liberally with...Mistletoe & Magic.
Valley of Silence---Nora Roberts (A+)
The battleground has been chosen for the final showdown between those selected by the gods and the minions of the vampire Lilith. But there is one vampire who dares stand against her. And his love for the scholarly queen of Geall will complete the circle of six-and change the face of eternity.
A recipe for an unforgettable Christmas of love and laughter.
Serves: Everyone
Holly berries
1 pair enchanted spectacles
4 couples
8 lonely hearts
1 fairy godmother
1 miracle
Elves
Take four heroines, created by some of Romance's hottest authors. Mix them up with an equal number of heroes until warm and sweet. Press together and add laughter. Set in delicious historical settings, seal with a kiss, and leave overnight. By morning, couples will have formed into four delightful stories. Sprinkle liberally with...Mistletoe & Magic.
Valley of Silence---Nora Roberts (A+)
The battleground has been chosen for the final showdown between those selected by the gods and the minions of the vampire Lilith. But there is one vampire who dares stand against her. And his love for the scholarly queen of Geall will complete the circle of six-and change the face of eternity.
Thanksgiving---Janet Evanovich (B+)
When Megan Murphy discovered a floppy-eared rabbit gnawing on the hem of her skirt, she meant to give its careless owner a piece of her mind, but Dr. Patrick Hunter was too attractive to stay mad at for long. Soon the two are making Thanksgiving dinner for their families.
When Megan Murphy discovered a floppy-eared rabbit gnawing on the hem of her skirt, she meant to give its careless owner a piece of her mind, but Dr. Patrick Hunter was too attractive to stay mad at for long. Soon the two are making Thanksgiving dinner for their families.
