Tatooine Ghost by Troy Denning Review

Star Wars: Tatooine Ghost by Troy Denning
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had heard about this book back in 2005 when I was in the first throes of my Star Wars obsession. After I tried and failed to read Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, I stayed away from the EU and other science fiction books.

Fast forward five years or so, I realized that the books that I just couldn't deal with at the tender age of fifteen now make more sense to me. So I figured why not try the EU again? The first book I read was Star Wars: The Courtship of Princess Leia and while I enjoyed it. I felt that the portrayal of Leia was somewhat...off. She didn't seem to be the same woman from the movie series. I know that with different authors writing the EU, it's a possibility that the characters make act OOC.

But with Tatooine Ghost I felt that Denning had a better grip on Leia and not just Leia but her relationship with Han. The two of them really matched their movie versions. Their banter felt familiar.

I have to admit I was more interested in Leia's feeling about her father more than I was about the recovering the painting. It was very interesting to see Leia contemplate her father's turn to the darkside and all the atrocious things he did. It felt realistic.

I thought the story was wrapped up perfectly with the ending.

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The Housemaid's Scandalous Secret by Helen Dickson Review

Castonbury Park: Scandalous Whispers: The Wicked Lord Montague\The Housemaid's Scandalous Secret by Carole Mortimer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After I saw the ad of this series come up on my feed on Facebook, I knew it had to read them. Even though I've only watched a bit of the first series of Downton Abbey and I haven't seen the original Upstairs/Downstairs TV series, I was enthralled about reading about the lives of both the gentry and the servants.

All through this book, the author kept my attentions with Ross and Lisette's love story. I liked that even though Lisette was his servant, she spoke her mind even when he was being kind of an arse.

I thought the end was perfect.

Review for The Wicked Lord Montague can be found here

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The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt Review

The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Is it possible to love a series as much do this one? I think this was a perfect end to the trilogy. Simon was the perfect hero for me. He was handsome and passionate, but he had a funny bone. I mean the letter to Lucy at the end of the book was so romantic, but then he added the little post script and I howled out loud. I think The Serpent Prince might overcome my love of the Raven Prince. I just found out that there is a novella to this series, so isn't completely over. Thank goodness for that.

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The Wicked Lord Montague by Carole Mortimer Review

The Wicked Lord Montague by Carole Mortimer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have been looking forward to reading this series ever since I saw it show up on my Facebook feed. I've never watched the Upstairs Downstairs drama that popularized this type of books, but I've started Downton Abbey and after reading this book, I certainly want to watch both dramas.

Giles throughout the book seemed was pompous and arrogant and he eventually showed his softer side. I thought he seemed to embody what a man of his class would be like in that situation. I thought that added more realism to the story. I don't think I would have bought it if he weren't.

Lily was a great heroine, she stood up for herself, but she could always recognize her feelings for Giles, even though she didn't want them.

The only squabble I had with the book was even though there were good Romani, I thought the reveal with Mrs. Lovell's nephew was a bit...idk I thought it fell to a stereotype. Now I don't know much about the Romani people, but I didn't think it was needed.

I have the second book of the series and I am looking forward to reading it!

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Seduction & Scandal by Charlotte Featherstone Review

Seduction & Scandal by Charlotte Featherstone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I bought this book awhile ago. It wasn't until I went in search of a book on my crowded bookshelves and discovered this one hiding that I picked it up.

The main story is about Isabella and Black. I liked that Black could admit that he loved Isabella, since so many romance heroes seem to be love-phobes. Isabella was actually the more reluctant one in the relationship. She was afraid of going down her mother's path, which is understandable.

There was two other subplots. One was about the objects of the Templars which Black and his associates of the Brotherhood had been tasked to protect. I'm a sucker for stuff that has to do with religion (Which is strange since I'm kind of eh about religion in my personal life).

The other subplot was with Lucy, Isabella's cousin, dealing with the supernatural and trying (view spoiler)[ to reach her dead lover or so I think he's dead, but the end of this book left off with Sussex giving her some lace which she had gave her lover. It was kind of confusing to me, but it sets up the next book. I might have to go back and read that. (hide spoiler)]

I only give the book four stars because while interesting, I didn't really like the story within a story. Isabella was writing a novel. I was okay with it at first, but after awhile it got tedious, but that's how I feel personally. I did think it was fun to read though.

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The Handmaiden's Necklace by Kat Martin Review

The Handmaiden's Necklace by Kat Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I greatly enjoyed this book. I had been wanting to read it for awhile, so I bought it one day on the Harlequin site along with a slew of other ebooks. It was few months before I actually read it though.

The premise is an interesting one. Rafe believes that his betrothed betrayed and he leaves her for five long years. When they meet again it's a function and they still have that undeniable attraction between them.

Unfortunately Dani has become engaged to an American business and she travels with her lady maid and her aunt to the country to marry him and of course Rafe follows her.

What I liked the most about this book was how realistic the characters seemed. Rafe and Dani shared a passion, but both were hesitant to fall in love with each other.

There were a few mysteries going on the book, if you can call them that. Maybe the correct word would be intrigues? There's a subplot with Dani's maid, Caro Loon and a man she originally meet in the Americas. I thought it was well done as well.

I wasn't aware that there were two previous books to this series. I usually try to start with the first book. I thoroughly enjoyed and I will be buying the other two books in the series. Look out for review of those.

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French Kiss by Dee Dawning Review

French Kiss by Dee Dawning
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was officially my first erotica. I didn't want it to be Fifty Shades of Grey, even though everyone and their mother is reading that book.

I liked it, but I felt the story was rushed. I didn't know when I bought it, that the book had only 93 pages.

I didn't really connect to the characters and they seemed more stereotypical than I would have liked.

The change in POV from Rene and Cher was jarring. It wouldn't have been so bad if the author hadn't have done in it the same chapter. In a few instances, the POV changed from first to the third, so yeah.

Still I enjoyed the book and I might have a look at the rest of Ms. Dawning's works.

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