Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris

When she was 15, Harper Connelly was struck by lightning. She's left with headaches and episodes of muscle weakness. Sometimes her right hand shakes.

And she can find dead people.

It's taken a few years, but Harper's made a success of her life. She's making a living, using her talent to help people, and she's got a boyfriend - her stepbrother Tolliver. Then Tolliver's father arrives, seeking forgiveness, and the police get information that Harper's sister Cameron, missing for so many years, has been spotted. So Harper's life is becoming a little complicated, but she doesn't expect these complications to include Tolliver getting shot, or seeing a policeman die taking a bullet for her.

Harper can find dead people - but now it's clear someone wants her dead ...

The fourth Harper Connelly book sees Harper and Tolliver deal with the fallout of An Ice Cold Grave's events and also coming out officially as a couple to friends and family. They're still trying to see more of their sisters and are still hoping to set up a home nearby so they can be more involved in their lives.

Charlaine Harris has a real nice writing style, not all her chapters end on cliff hangers but I can't seem to help myself from page turning (even if I've told myself I'm going to bed after this chapter!). Her characters are normal and relatable which helps to like them and follow their lives.

With Harper and Tolliver being back in Dallas, old friends and family emerge and, of course, thoughts about Cameron. Harper has always been convinced that Cameron is dead and she'd one day find her but an anonymous tip about a sighting in Texarkana still gets her hopes up about the possibility of her being alive.

We get a bit more insight into what happened before, during and after Cameron's disappearance and see some more of what Harper and Tolliver's childhood years were like.

The major letdown with this book, for me, was the ending. It seemed rushed and kind of thrown together. Also it felt very much like the whole story is being wrapped up and I'm wondering if this is, in fact, the last in the series.

Rating
4/5


Book Depository: Grave Secret
Amazon UK: Grave Secret

Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler

Jane True has almost come to terms with her supernatural heritage ... almost.

Valentine's day is fast approaching, however, and Ryu - Jane's bloodsucker boyfriend - can't let the day go by without getting all gratuitous. This time his shenanigans involve a last-minute ticket to Boston and a hefty dose of interference in her life.

And when Ryu's best laid plans inevitably go awry, Jane winds up embroiled in an investigation involving a spree of gruesome killings. All evidence points towards a being of tremendous power ... who, much to Jane's surprise, may just turn out to be another halfling.

I can't think of a word that would accurately describe how much I love Jane True and the world and characters that Nicole Peeler has created.

Jane is just beginning her training since learning of her Selkie heritage, and her relationship with Ryu is still in the beginning stage. This book sees her struggling to keep her new life and her old life seperate and also puts her relationship with Ryu to the test.

I'm glad we get to see more of Anyan in this book, I really like the Barghest and hope he continues to pop up in future books. And Jane and Ryu's relationship? *fans self* HAWT!! I want me one of those, for xmas maybe? Please?

Seriously, I can't give this series enough praise. The characters, the world, the pacing and the story are all fantastic.

Rating
5/5


Book Depository: Tracking The Tempest
Amazon UK: Tracking the Tempest

Ghost Town by Rachel Caine

When Claire is ordered to repair the systems that protect Morganville, it's not just cutting into her study time, it's a life-threatening problem. If there's one thing this vampire-infested town is serious about, it's security.

But achieving the impossible only brings a whole new set of problems, and the upgrades have unexpected consequences: people inside the town are slowly beginning to forget who they are, even the vampires. Soon, the town's little memory problem has turned into a full-on epidemic. Now Claire needs to figure out a way to pull the plug on her experiment - before she forgets how to save Morganville...

This is the latest installment in the Morganville series and Rachel Caine still manages to keep the reader gripped. Even after 9 books, the story keeps flowing and keeps you hooked until the very last page where, upon finishing it, you cannot wait for the next book.

Claire has more responsibility in this book, she must fix the computer that controls a lot of Morganville after Ada was destroyed. But, in typical Morganville fashion, nothing goes according to plan. Myrnin is his usual (slightly schizophrenic) self and this does nothing to help the cause. Claire has grown a lot since Glass Houses and she's now in a serious relationship with Shane. She's matured quickly and I really like her and the group dynamics of the Glass house members.

As usual with the Morganville books, I didn't want to put it down and I'm eagerly awaiting the next book.



Rating
5/5


Book Depository: Ghost Town
Amazon UK: Ghost Town

Must Be Love by Cathy Woodman

It must be love. What other reason could there be for city vet Maz's contentment with her new country life? The vet's practice where she's partner with her best friend Emma is thriving, and so is her relationship with the gorgeous Alex Fox-Gifford.

But then circumstances force Emma to take a break from the practice, and Maz's life suddenly spirals out of control. What with working all hours trying to keep things going, fending off insults from Alex's parents, keeping one eye on the lusty locum - who's causing havoc amongst the village girls - and dealing with Emma's precarious mental state, it won't take much to upset the apple cart. So when she gets some unwelcome news, only time will tell whether Maz and Alex's love can withstand the fallout.

I picked this up since I enjoyed the first book, Trust me, I'm a Vet, which surprised me 'cos (as I said in the review) it's not the type of book I normally enjoy. I like strong heroines which you don't normally find in chick lit books. I think my main reason for enjoying these books is the setting, it reminds me of my time at work.

Maz's relationship with Alex is continuing and, much to his parents annoyance, seems to be getting stronger. Maz is fully immersed in her partnership with Emma until Emma seems to lose interest. Then the faecal matter really hit the fan!

I really didn't like Emma in this book, she comes across as a bit of a bitch. I know she has bad news in this book but she's still bitchy. I like how Alex and Emma's relationship is coming on and, since the author used to be a vet, the hassles of being a vet on call and trying to be keep a relationship going are a big story point.

A very light hearted, quick read with some ups and downs and the normal sads and happies. Worth a quick perusal, especially if (like me) you can appreciate the setting of it.

Rating
3.5/5


Book Depository: Must Be Love
Amazon UK: Must Be Love

Trust me, I'm a Vet by Cathy Woodman

City vet Maz Harwood has learned the hard way that love and work don't mix. So when an old friend asks her to look after her Devonshire practice for six months, Maz decided running away is her only option.

But country life is tricker than she feared. It's bad enough she has to deal with comatose hamsters, bowel-troubled dogs and precious prize-winning cats, without having to contend with disgruntled competition and a stubborn neighbour who's threatening to sue over an overzealous fur cut!

Worse still, she discovers Otter House Veterinary Clinic needs mending as much as her broken heart. Thank goodness there's an unsuitable distraction, even if he is the competition's deliciously dashing son ...

Not normally the type of books I would read but the word vet made me pick it up. As a qualified Veterinary Nurse, I'm normally a bit wary of books featuring animals but I discovered that the author is a fully qualified small animals Vet so it eased me.

Maz is a likeable character and you feel for her and understand her need to move. I like the sound of Talyton, the town the book is set in. It's quiet and small but has the typical small town feel that books and films like to give them. Everyone knows everyone and what's going on everywhere.

A nice change of pace for me and nice little return to the world of Vet practice, even if it's fake! Typical little chick lit book with romance and such, an easy read.

Rating
3/5


Book depository: Trust Me, I'm A Vet
Amazon UK: Trust Me, I'm a Vet

The Bad Dog's Diary by Martin Howard

This extraordinary diary lifts the dustbin lid on a year in the life of Blake - a very bad boy indeed - and spreads its contents all over the kitchen floor. A maverick hound with an eye for the bitches and a flair for strategy, Blake is on a mission to become the Top Dog of his neighbourhood while avoiding any hint of obedience to the owner. Day by day he gives us insight into the canine world from a self-professed "dog's dog", including what it means to be pack leader, living with the threat of castration, what dogs really think about tinned food, the joys of leg humping, and, of course, the political and social injustices of the traditional human-dog relationship. Backed up by a host of friends, including Scottie, a geriatric, sex-mad Westie and Constable, a dim-witted, best-of-breed TV personality, Blake's plans take unexpected turns as the year progresses.

A dog who will be instantly familiar to anyone who has ever found a favourite shoe in slobbery tatters or fended off complaints from their neighbours, Blake is hilarious, wise and often touching. He delves deeply into questions of loyalty, love, war and scooting and along the way shows us exactly why there will always be a place in the human world for dogs.

This is a hilarious outlook on the world from a dog's point of view. The author has done a great job at getting into a dog's mind and there's some hilarious insights into what dogs must think of our everyday activites.

Blake makes some interesting observations about his owner, like "he started some playful wrestling with Samantha, during which their clothes fell off. Me, Ella and Coleridge joined in the fight, but they seemed to lose all their enthusiasm when we did." which had me giggling for quite some time.

I read this book in public which could have given me a name for being insane, since it constantly had me smiling and laughing out loud. A nice quick read that was a great pick me up and a nice filler while waiting for my wishlist books to arrive. And it has a sequel which I'm looking forward to reading.

Rating
3.5/5


Book Depository: The Bad Dog's Diary
Amazon UK: The Bad Dog's Diary

Can happiness cure migraines?

I don't mean tra-la-la happiness but that feeling of sheer contentment.

I used to get a lot of migraines, not as many as to say it was a major problem in my life but I probably got about 2-3 a week. I used to refill my prescription fairly regularly and I recently realised I've probably only filled it a couple of times in as many years. The only thing that's changed in that 2 year period is; I met Gary.

This is not meant to sound like a "my life is excellent and I'm so happy" piece of crap because my life is far from it. I don't enjoy my job, constantly wish I hadn't made the decision that screwed up my life a few years back and, like everyone else in the world, am constantly struggling with money. But I am lucky enough to have met a man that I have loads in common with and instantly clicked with.

The best decision of my life so far was joining the website that I met Gary through and then following through from that and meeting in real life.



So yeah, does happiness cure migraines?

I think it does. Even if it's just all in my head!

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

Twenty-seven-year-old Josey is sure of three things:
winter in her North Carolina hometown is her favoutire season;
she's a sorry excuse for a Southern Belle;
and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her hidden closet.

For a while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mother's house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night . . .

Until she finds her closet harbouring none other than local waitress Della Lee Baker, a tough-talking, tender-hearted woman who is one part nemesis - and two parts fairy godmother . . .

This book has been on my shelf for ages. I originally picked it up because of the cover, it's sparkly and I'm a bit like a magpie that way. An author I follow on Twitter mentioned it last week and I remembered it was there so decided to read it.

I couldn't get into it at the beginning and by the time I realised I was getting really into it, I noticed it was nearly finished.

Josey still lives with her mother and feels guilty about her childhood so feels she must stay with her mother to make up for it. She takes her mother out and about and runs all her errands for her. Then Della Lee Baker shows up in her closet and things begin to change. She makes new friends and slowly begins to enjoy her life.

I loved Josey from the beginning. In fact, I loved all the characters I was meant to. Sarah Addison Allen does a very good job at writing people and the storyline was fun too. It's written from different character's POV, not just Josey's, which gives it a nice change of pace.

Well worth a read and I'm keeping an eye out for her other book.

Rating
4/5


Book Depository: The Sugar Queen
Amazon UK: The Sugar Queen

Whip It by Shauna Cross

Meet Bliss Cavendar, an indie-rock-loving misfit stuck in the tiny town of Bodeen, Texas. Her pageant-addicted mother expects her to compete for the coveted Miss Bluebonnet crown, but Bliss would rather feast on roaches than be subjected to such rhinestone tyranny.
Bliss's escape? Roller Derby.
When she discovers a league in nearby Austin, Bliss embarks on an epic journey full of hilarious tattooed girls, delicious boys in bands, and a few not-so-awesome realities even the most hard-core derby chick has to learn.

My friend recommended this book because she knows I loved the movie. I normally like to hold off on watching a book-to-film adaptation until after I've read the book but, in this case, I didn't know there was a book until my friend told me about it.

What's not to love about this book? Roller derby. Cool chicks in funky outfits. And awesome writing.

Bliss finds out about Roller Derby by chance and drags her friend, Pash, along. She instantly falls in love with the sport and decides to try out. What follows is a coming of age story about first loves, first kisses and contact sport.

I love Bliss. She's spunky and smart. Pash is a great friend but can be a tad annoying at times. The reader instantly has the same feelings as Bliss towards her mother, she's annoying and trying to relive her youth through her kids.

The movie is actually fairly true to the book. Any changes are small and kind of inconsequential. My main problem was how short this book was, it took me no time at all to finish it. I'd actually love to read more about Bliss and the Roller Derby league.

Rating
5/5


Book Depository: Whip It
Amazon UK: Whip It

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

At the age of four, Bryn watched a rabid werewolf brutally murder her parents. She was rescued and taken in by the mysterious Callum, the alpha of his pack. Now fifteen, Bryn's been a human among werewolves, adhering to pack rule.

But the pack's been keeping a secret, and when Bryn goes exploring against Callum's orders, she finds Chase, a newly turned teen Were locked in a cage. Bryn needs answers, and she needs Chase to get them. Suddenly, it's Bryn and Chase against the werewolf world, whatever the consequences.

This is the first book I've read by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and the first I've actually heard of her. I picked it up on a whim because it was on a deal with another book I wanted to read, and I wasn't disappointed.

This was a different take on werewolf packs and with the added difference of a human in the mix. I instantly liked Bryn 'cos she can kick ass and stands up for herself against the pack alpha, who I also liked straight away.

The attraction between Chase and Bryn is instantaneous and inexplicable. Bryn's friendships are believable as are her relationships with her 'family'. The pacing is very good and keeps you in the story.

A must read and the sequel is on my wishlist already.

Rating
5/5


Book Depository: Raised By Wolves
Amazon UK: Raised by Wolves