Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin - The Taker and the Keeper

17. The Taker and the Keeper by Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin (2009)
The Red Monocle Series Book 1
Length: 176 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Started: 11 November 2009
Finished: 21 November 2009
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Monserrat at Chiron Books for sending me a copy of this book to read
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 October 2009
Why do I have it? I like fantasy and Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin are new authors for me.


I just finished reading The Taker and the Keeper by Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin, It is the first book in the Red Monocle Series.

Middle-schoolers Gregory Guest and Yolanda Torres find that they are the only two people in their tiny town of Bainesboro who can sense something wrong with the world - the sky is duller and parents and teachers are nastier somehow. Together with their eccentric science teacher and Gregory's trusty magical red monocle, the children go into the legend of King Arthur to help the wizard Merlin and his apprentice to find Excalibur and defeat the sorceress Morgan le Fay. Only then can Gregory and Yolanda set the "real" world to rights and save the legends of Camelot. I really enjoyed this story and give it an A! I look forward to the next book in the series.

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often

Kathryn Meyer Griffith - Witches

16. Witches by Kathryn Meyer Griffith (1993)
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 4 November 2009
Finished: 14 November 2009
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 24 March 2009
Why do I have it? I like horror and Kathryn Meyer Griffith is a new author for me.

For my #10 challenge (Reader's Choice), I read Witches by Kathryn Meyer Griffith. Amanda Givens is a white witch - a witch who uses her powers for good. She lives alone in a cabin in the woods of Canaan, Connecticut with her feline familiar, Amadeus. When Amanda is wrongly blamed for a rash of ritualistic murders committed by a Satanic cult, she is inevitably drawn back in time by the ghost of Rachel Coxe, a dark witch who was drowned for practicing black magic in the 17th century.

Now, as Amanda tries to rehabilitate Rachel's reputation in an effort to save her own life, she has to rely on a sister's love and magical knowledge, and a powerful sect of witches named the Guardians to help Amanda get home safely. I give this romantic horror story an A+! I thought it was great.

A+! - (96-100%)

May you read well and often

Christine Feehan - Dark Gold

15. Dark Gold by Christine Feehan (2000)
The Carpathians Series Book 3
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Started: 4 October 2009
Finished: 14 October 2009
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 24 March 2009
Why do I have it? I like Christine Feehan as an author

For my #15 challenge (backlist from a favorite author), I read Dark Gold by Christine Feehan. Alexandria Huton is near death when she, and her little brother, Joshua, are found by vampire hunter Aidan Savage. He saves them from a terrible fate, but in the process Alex is changed forever.

Now, she is swept into the dark world of the Carpathians - struggling with near vampiric urges and a lethargy that strikes during the day. Only Aidan, as her lifemate, can help. But can she trust him when her brother is kidnapped by a vampire bent on Aidan's destruction.

I really liked this story. Alexandria was a strong, capable woman and Aidan was extremely likable (in a 'medieval' way :)). I give this story a B+! I would definitely recommend it to others.



B+! - (89-94%)


May you read well and often

Amanda Quick - Desire

14. Desire by Amanda Quick (1993)
Length: 373 pages
Genre: Historical Romance
Started: 3 October 2009
Finished: 8 October 2009
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 April 2009
Why do I have it? I like historical romance and Amanda Quick as an author

For my #8 Challenge (author with a pseudonym), I read Desire by Amanda Quick (aka Jayne Ann Krentz). Upon her father's death while he was traveling in Spain, Lady Clare of Desire reluctantly writes to her guardian, Lord Thurston of Landry, to find her a husband. Enclosed in her missive is a "husband recipe" with four qualities which she requires her future husband to have.

Thurston sends only two candidates for Lady Clare's hand, one man who kidnapped her for four days and the other - Sir Gareth of Wyckmere - who is his 'natural son' and known as the Hellhound. Clare is astounded to learn that her wish has been granted in such a way but is determined that if she is to marry, it will be on her own terms.

I loved this story and its honest treatment of the issue of virginity and people's reaction to it. Lady Clare manages her isle and her perfume business with great skill and has earned people's respect because of it, but she has yet to give respect to her husband until she receives it herself. I give this story a B+!

B+! - (89-94%)

May you read well and often

Sherrilyn Kenyon - Fantasy Lover

13. Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon (2002)
The Dark Hunters Series Book 1
Length: 368 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Started: 30 September 2009
Finished: 2 October 2009
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Cherry D for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 August 2009
Why do I have it? I won a giveaway at Cherry's site for the best books ever.

For my #4 Challenge ('F' Word For Fall), I read Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Julian of Macedon was every woman's fantasy: tall, broad-shouldered and sexy as anything. It seemed that he would have any man's fantasy: any woman he wanted. However, for thousands of years he had been cursed to live inside a Greek spell book and fulfill every woman's deepest fantasies at the cost of his own - a woman and a family to love him.

Grace Alexander is a sex therapist whose friend believes needs a seriously sexy birthday present - a Greek love-slave to fulfill her every need for a month. On Grace's birthday, Selena conjures up Julian and blissfully gives Grace her "present". Grace is shocked when the naked Julian appears in her living room and begins to tend to her. She does the one thing Julian never expects any woman to do, she refuses to have sex with him.

As the month goes by, Grace and Julian grow closer and Julian begins to hope that he can break the curse and go home. However, the more he gets to know Grace, the more he begins to believe home is where his heart lies - with Grace. I loved this story and give it an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

May you read well and often

Maura Seger - Sea Gate

12. Sea Gate by Maura Seger (1987)
Length: 304 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Started: 20 September 2009
Finished: 30 September 2009
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 April 2009
Why do I have it? I like contemporary romance and Maura Seger is a new author for me

For my #7 Challenge (book less than 300 pages), I read Sea Gate by Maura Seger. A dark-haired beauty washes up on Andrew Paxton's beach in the Caribbean, to be found by Andrew's three-year-old son, Billy. While recovering at Andrew's house, the young lady, who says her name is Marina, is very reticent to talk about where she comes from.

Assuring Andrew - a scientist who works with classified material - that she means him and Billy no harm, doesn't come easy for Marina as she harbors a secret which could cause them serious harm. She has escaped from her people and come to Andrew's world in order to gather evidence to prove to them that they can live with 'Outworlders' safely. Marina's secret mission is jeopardized when a strange sea craft is spotted along the beach and an expedition to find the lost continent of Atlantis finds more than is expected. I give this story an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

May you read well and often

Preetham Grandhi - A Circle of Souls

11. A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi (2009)
Length: 339 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 26 July 2009
Finished: 4 August 2009
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Preetham for sending me a copy of this book to read
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 4 July 2009
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Preetham Grandhi is a new author for me

When the quiet town of Newbury, Connecticut, is rocked by the brutal murder of ten-year-old Janet Troy, the FBI send in their best agent, Leia Bines - an expert in cases involving children - to solve the case. Already reeling from the result of her previous case, Leia reluctantly agrees to take the case.

Meanwhile, child psychiatrist Dr. Peter Gram, is dealing with a new patient. Seven-year-old Naya Hastings has been brought to him suffering from horrific nightmares. The only clues to her nightly terrors are the drawings that she does in the morning. As Naya's drawings become more violent, Peter becomes increasingly more worried for Naya.

As the townspeople struggle to come to terms with Janet's murder and Agent Bines struggles to find a killer, Naya's drawings hold all the clues in a tangled case of lies, deceit and serial murder. It falls to Leia and Peter to uncover these clues before time runs out.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a touch of the supernatural about their mysteries. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

May you read well and often