Book Review: Eternal Craving by Nina Bangs

Title: Eternal Craving
Author: Nina Bangs
Series:  Gods of Night #2
Edition:  eBook
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publication date: first published in April 2009

Goodreads blurb:

THE ELEVEN—an alliance of ultimate predators. Primal, lethal, irresistible.
THE PROPHECY—an ancient Mayan prediction that the world will end on 12-21-12.
THE PREY—where can you hide from pure evil?

Lies. He’s been promised a new life as the hunter he once was. But Al soon learns that all the rules have changed. Now he must control his most basic urges—the need to kill, to feed, to mate. And the woman he wants looks at him with both heat and fear in her eyes. Jenna Maloy doesn’t buy the story that he’s come to Philadelphia to save souls. She seems to see through the layers of deception to the primitive heart of him. With her beside him, Al stalks the dark forces that crouch in the city’s night shadows. But the real battle rages in his heart. Love is a formidable opponent. How can he ask her to stay with him after she’s seen the savagery of his beast? He only knows that if she turns from him he’ll be cursed with an Eternal Craving.

Eleven Gods of the Night…
The only creatures more deadly are the ones they’ve been summoned to destroy. 
  
My thoughts:
This is the second book in the Gods of Night series and the story of the Mayan legend carries on.
Jenna has come to Philadelphia to bring her sister, Kelly back home.  She doesn't trust Kelly's new husband Ty or his claim to be a "missionary". Her reporter nose is twitching.  

Fin and the Eleven are in Philadelphia on the trail of EIGHT.  When we meet Jenna, I didn't immediately like her. She has many hang-ups and her internal dialogue got to me in the beginning.  She feels inferior to her sister and therefor tries to act like she does not care.  She grows through the book and by the end, I really enjoyed her character. I have to admit that if I was thrown in a world with dinosaurs and demons, I would probably also not be at my best emotionally.


On the other hand, I loved  Al - I have such a soft spot for a tortured hero.  He had a hard time coming to terms with his human side and longs for a earlier, pre-historic time where all problems could be solved by violence.  And when he finally puts two and two together and discovers he loves Jenna . . . poor guy :)

For lovers of paranormal romance, this is a must read series.  Nina Bangs writes with humor and sensitivity - you will not be disappointed.  Can't wait for the third book that comes out in 2011. 

 

Puppy love

I have been talking about getting a little playmate for SPUD for some time now (and hubby just needed to listen - the decision was already made). But we had trouble finding the breeder we used previously, I just can't find the number! So weeks have turned into months and eventually years. Then out of the blue a co-worker told me that her daughter knew of a breeder with 14 Jack Russell puppies. An hour later, she emailed me the photos and an hour after that, little Roxy was taking the 200km drive to come and live with us :)  That was two days ago and I haven't slept since.  But she is a little bundle of joy - even Spud thinks so .

Book Blogger Hop

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING.

This week's question:
Do you use a rating system for your reviews and if so, what is it and why?  I don't use a rating system (yet).  I am still new to reviewing and trying to find my feet and am not ready for the added pressure.

You are at the right place

Don't feel confused - you are at the right place!  I am playing around with blog designs and headers and my blog might look a little different each time you visit until everything is sorted out.

I am sure I will find something I like . . . some day . . . 

Do you own a Kindle?

If you own a Kindle, you will love this forum site - Kindle Boards.   For those of you lucky enough to be living in America, they list lots of the free offers (sometimes only available for a day or two - check out the BOOK BAZAAR).  Those of us that live outside of the US, have to pay a whispernet fee that is totally rubbing me the wrong way!  They even charge this $2.00 when we want to download via our USB cable.  So the "free offers" are never FREE for us :(  Anyway, getting a little off-topic.

Kindle Boards are also full of "new" authors and have lots of really interesting discussions, all about books.  And let's not forget all the screen savers and "must-have" accessories.

EDIT:  The charge is $2.00 added to all orders.

Book Review: The Happy Baker by Erin Bolger

Title: The Happy Baker
Author: Erin Bolger
Edition: Paperback (my version was an eBook)
Genre: Cookbook
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication date: 01 October 2010

Blurb:

30+ years of dating fiascos
60+ down-home, comforting recipes
1 pink baking hammer, with apron & lip gloss to match
Many (many) bottles ...more 30+ years of dating fiascos
60+ down-home, comforting recipes
1 pink baking hammer, with apron & lip gloss to match
Many (many) bottles of wine
Too many tears
A whole lotta laughter

Yields: 1 Very Happy Baker

We’ve all been there. The blind date from hell. The Big Hurt. The guy who details his various surgeries over Caesar salad on the first date. Who needs a pint of rocky road when you can head to the kitchen and work out your heartache with a whisk and a bottle of wine? Erin Bolger has been there, dated that and baked through it all. Turns out the more bitter the heartbreak, the sweeter the batter. So don’t cry over bad dates, bad boyfriends or bad breakups—whip up a batch of My-Mom-Didn’t-Like-You-Anyway Cupcakes and bake yourself happy.

“This is the best book I’ve ever read.” —Erin’s Mom, an avid book reader

“I would not recommend this book to anybody.” —Erin’s Ex, not an avid book reader 

My thoughts: 
I LOVE recipes and when I can read the recipe book like a story (like I did in one sitting today), I am in heaven.  I was laughing at the funny (terrible) dating experiences and licking my lips over the beautiful photos.  The recipes are easy to follow and both a newbie and the experienced cook will find fun in the pages.  I can see that a few of these recipes will become favourites.

You can visit Erin at thehappybakerchick.com 

I received this book for review from the publisher.  The opinions expressed are my own and I wasn't influenced in any way.

This review was also added to GOODREADS and BOOK BLOGS.

Book review: The Sword by Jean Johnson

Title: The Sword

Author: Jean Johnson

Series: Sons of Destiny#1

Edition: eBook

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: first published in 2007

Goodreads blurb:

Eight brothers, born in four sets of twins, two years apart to the day-they fulfill the Curse of Eight Prophecy. To avoid tempting their destiny, the brothers are exiled to Nightfall Island, a land where women are strictly forbidden. But, when the youngest of the mage-brothers rescues a woman from another universe, their world is altered forever.

Kelly Doyle had wanted to get away from the world. Threatened, attacked, and accused of witchcraft, Kelly had enough of her narrow-minded small town. And now she has somehow landed in another, magical dimension - the only woman in a realm inhabited by eight men who are desperately in need of a woman's touch.

My thoughts:
The first part of this book had me confused . . .could not quite get my head around the different brothers' names and descriptions (there's eight, you know!)  But soon the "human" sides of the brothers emerged and I got my footing.  It is a necessary part when you start a new series, so keep reading.  When Kelly was biting our hero in the first few pages, trying to save herself from some kind of terrible attach she thought he had planned, it just made me want to read more.  And when the romantic tension started, I started grinning.  We got our HEA (happily ever after) off course but the book also ended with the beginning of the book for the second brother, WOLF.  It is already ready to be loaded on my kindle - can't wait.


The Sword was a fun and easy to read romance set in a alternative universe and combines magic, time travel and lots of humor. I am sure this is going to be one of my favorite series'.