Monday, February 16, 2009

Sunday Book Blog

Here we go...


When good girl accountant Katie Kramer found herself the only survivor of a horrific crash, she decided that life was too short and that she wanted to leave her old, staid, and quiet life behind and go off in search of adventure.  Which was how she ended high in the Sierra Nevadas working as an office manager for Wilder Explorations.  It did not, however, explain how she ended up in the bed of Cameron Wilder.  But maybe it explains why she wants to stay there.

After a knee injury ended his career as a professional snowboarder, Cameron Wilder decides to run away.  A year later, he is surprised to come home to find a sleepy, sexy Katie curled up in his bed.  And that he doesn't want to throw her out.  Instead, he finds himself admiring her.  They both have been through trauma, only unlike Cameron, Katie is embracing life.  But can a man who's spent his life hiding really stop long enough to allow himself to be found?

I really enjoyed this book.  Katie is perky without being annoying.  Cameron is wounded without being too 'Mr. Rochester-ish.'  (Which as you know, I don't mind but he would have been too dark and brooding for little Katie.)  This is a great example of a straight up contemporary novel in all of its glory.  Boy meet Girl.  Boys has issues.  Girl has issues.  They fall in love but the issues raise their ugly heads and must be resolved before the Happily Ever After.  

I've said this before but it bears repeating.  Jill Shalvis is one of my literary heroes.  I love her books.  They're fun and sassy and I love her voice.  If I could be a cross between her and Lora Leigh, I would be in heaven.

RATING: JOG


A war is brewing between humanity and gods who want to bring it to its knees.  Only one man can stop them and it's Delphine's, an Oneroi, a Dream-Hunter and protector of the human race, mission to find him.  It's just too bad that the baddies got to Jericho, aka Cratus, before she could.  

Jericho has wanted revenge against Zeus and his pantheon since he was banished and cursed from Olympus for saving the life a child.  No one, not even a naked Delphine served up on a silver platter, is going to stop that.  But when the gods, Noir and Azura, betray him, he has no choice but to join forces with Delphine and, by extension, Zeus, to stop them.  With Delphine by his side.

I will tell you all this.  This is not a book to start your Sherilynn Kenyon experience with.  This book is so full of subtext and backstory that even I had a hard time following because there were two novellas that I missed.

Even so, I enjoyed this book as I have enjoyed all of her books.  Delphine and Jericho sizzle off the page.  I enjoy a brooding hero and Sherrilyn Kenyon gives you that in Spades.  (Although, if you want tortured heroes, read Zarek, Valerius, or Acheron's stories.)  Delphine is a good balance to him.  My only issue is that there was so much backstory that I wish there could have been more time to develop the relationship.  It seemed somewhat rushed. 

Again, there was A LOT going on.

RATING: RUN

Until next week...


4 comments:

Tricia Leigh Wood said...

Hi Monica,

I must have missed it in an earlier post, but can you explain your ratings to me.

By the way, I read Kenyon as well. I think I am only on the 4th or 5th book in her series. I have a long way to go until I get I can read Acheron.

Helen Hardt said...

What book to you recommend to start the Sherrilyn experience with?

Monica Kaye said...

I would start with Fantasy Lover. It was technically the first and gives you a sample of her writing style. But with the Dark-Hunters you really have to start from the beginning because they all build on each other. Although, Acheron could be a stand alone but it takes away his mystique in the earlier books.

As for my rating system, I do 'Walk" "Speed Walk" "Jog" "Run" and "Usain Bolt." Pretty easy. I thought it was more inventive than the some other ratings.

Monica Kaye said...
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