Pleasures of the Night (Dream Guardians #1)

It's always fun when you find clearance books at Barnes & Noble. This was one of my more recent finds, totally buried underneath lame yoga books. So it pays to dig, folks.

Pleasures of the Night (Dream Guardians #1), Sylvia Day

There are sensuous pleasures that can only be tasted in the night . . . 

He comes to her in the twilight between sleep and consciousness to fulfill her secret desires. Lyssa Bates has never experienced such ecstasy, brought to her by a man whose deep, soul-penetrating blue eyes hold the promise of tempting intimacies and decadent pleasures. But this stranger, this lover, this immortal seducer is only a dream—a phantom of her nocturnal fantasies—until he appears, inexplicably, at her door in the flesh!

Lyssa aches for the reality of him, but there is grave danger in surrender. Because Captain Aidan Cross is on a mission, and the passion that consumes them both, body and soul, could have dire consequences in a world of dreams . . . and in the waking one as well.

I didn't even realize this was going to be a series until I was maybe 50 pages from the end and I realized there wasn't a chance in hell the author was going to finish this story up in those few pages. Which, can I just say? I'm getting tired of. Does EVERY book need to be a series? What ever happened to crafting a story to fit into one volume? I keep complaining of this and nobody listens. Jerks. 

Basically, this is about Aiden, who is a Dream Guardian. He comes to people in their dreams, usually engages in a sexual fantasy, in pursuit of keeping the Nightmares away. And the Nightmares, for me, are basically like demons from other paranormal novels. At least that's how I pictured them as being. But Aiden meets his match when he is sent to Lyssa, who has built a formidable door that most Guardians can't get to. Something about Aiden's voice convinces Lyssa to reluctantly open the door, and in walks in a hunk. He's walking sex and she doesn't give a second thought to the fact that she's going to indulge in a sexual fantasy with a stranger. But Aiden soon realizes something about Lyssa is different, and that's alarming. 

Once back "home", Aiden is starting to think Lyssa might be The Key, someone the Elite (a team kind of like Special Op's in modern  military terms) was created to kill. They believe whoever The Key is, they would be the ones to unlock the door that lets in the Nightmares and it would end the world as they know it. So though Aiden is trained to locate and kill The Key, he's skeptical of the entire premise, even more so when his gut tells him Lyssa is The Key. So he basically risks his life keeping her alive when it becomes apparent that everything is not as it seems and there's an ulterior motive going on. I can't even give you any hints on the ending because there really wasn't one. We have no real conclusion in this book, we just know that both Aiden and Lyssa are willing to risk their lives for the other in the name of love. 

But let's talk about two things that I took away from this book, in comparison to other Sylvia Day books. First, she writes a damn good sex scene. She just does. I liked Aiden and Lyssa as characters and I liked how she doesn't paint Lyssa as a totally helpless heroine with no personality. She's funny, she's sarcastic, she's mindful, and she seems like a totally normal person. And Aiden is walking sex, which I believe I've covered. Secondly, this is the first book outside of Sylvia Day's Crossfire Series that I've read and I have to be honest, I see why she is riding the coat tails of Fifty Shades of Grey  there. Nobody can say that Fifty Shades and Crossfire share no similarities when the stories are nearly identical, which is a huge issue I have with the Crossfire series, though I love Gideon. But this book is a paranormal romance, no getting around that, and maybe she's gotten better since (this was published in 2007), but you can tell this is out of her comfort zone and she really struggled. I think she tried to get on the paranormal romance bandwagon as it became hugely popular. I honestly don't know how interested I am in reading the others in this series, but I suppose if I found them in the discount bin at Barnes & Noble, I'm not going to skip it completely. I just don't know that I'll go out of my way to find book two. 

Overall? It was a good book. It's a fast read, and it's pretty solid if you are looking for a paranormal romance with solid sex scenes in it, along with a budding relationship. So don't dismiss it entirely. 

Running Fire

Guess who all of a sudden is on a hunt for Lindsay McKenna books because I was a Lindsay McKenna virgin, and now I'm not, and I am probably going to end up a super fan?

This chick.

Running Fire - Lindsay McKenna

He was a haven in the midst of Hell…

Temporarily assigned to the Shadow Squadron in a troubled region of Afghanistan, Chief Warrant Officer and pilot Leah Mackenzie is no stranger to conflict—even if most of her physical and emotional scars are courtesy of her vicious ex. Still, she's got a bad feeling about picking up a team of stranded SEALs. A feeling that's all too justified once enemy fire hits their helicopter and all hell breaks loose…

SEAL Kell Ballard's goal was to get the injured pilot out of harm's way and find shelter deep in the labyrinth of caves. It's a place of dark intimacy, where Leah finds unexpected safety in a man's arms. Where prohibited attraction burns brightly. And where they'll hide until the time comes to face the enemy outside…and the enemy within their ranks. 

If you know nothing else about me, you need to know that I am a romantic suspense JUNKIE. When I say junkie, I really mean it. If the book also has a super hot military guy as a lead? All in. The plot could be 100% ridiculous and so far fetched and it doesn't matter because I am all the way in. (I could make a super inappropriate sexual pun here but I won't because I'm trying to keep it classy.)

The only thing that could be construed as negative in this review is that Leah is super annoying. I mean, I appreciate that when things basically go tits up, she can do what needs to be done. She's not falling apart during a crisis. But when it comes to her personal life? Oy vey. Kind of a hot mess. And yes, she has legitimate reasons considering her ex-husband was a total abuse douchebag. Understandable. But I think even if she hadn't been married, she'd still be kind of a needy mess when it came to Kell. 

And Kell. *swoon* Kell sounds delicious. I'm just putting that out there. I like how despite his own divorce, he's not this hardened nobody-can-love-me guy. He thinks there is someone out there for him he just doesn't know how to reconcile that with his career as a SEAL. Which is understandable. 

The story overall was good. It was everything I wanted out of a military romantic suspense novel. Sure, the story seems a little not plausible with a romance going from zero to sixty in a matter of days given the stressful situation, but who cares. That's part of what I love so much about books like this. I also love the side drama with Leah's ex-husband. Yes, we have them weaving their way through Taliban infested territory, dealing with Leah's intimacy issues, but then we have Leah's ex-husband basically trying to ruin her life for his own benefit and that has it's own super great ending. I also love that we have some follow up/ending with Leah and Kell. It feels like their story is squarely finished and you're left wanting to pick up another book by Lindsay McKenna, which is what any author can hope for. 

Running Fire can be purchased on Amazon, and I highly suggest you pick it up. It's pretty yummy. But you can also connect with Lindsay McKenna through her website, Facebook page or Twitter!

38, 1.5 and come ON already.

Well, this is week 38 folks. I had my 37 week check last Friday and at that time, I was dilated to 1.5 cm. My cervix is still posterior, but it typically always is right until I give birth. One thing I've learned is that my cervix is shy and my ovaries like to hide during every exam I've ever had for anything, ever.

So the fact that's still hanging out where it hangs out wasn't a surprise. The doctor could very much feel Penelope's head so she's down where she needs to be, which is good. Today my visit didn't bring much change. I'm still only 1.5 cm and to be honest? That's disappointing.

38 weeks

Mostly because I've been feeling like absolute crap as of late. I feel like I'm constantly on the verge of getting the flu, though I'm not. Generally it hurts to move around at all from all of the pelvic pressure. I've been walking the dog after lunch trying to get my pelvis to just open up a little more or do something to relieve the pressure but so far no luck. But hey- I'm down a pound! I have started to lose my mucus plug and I have to think almost all of it has come out, I've had quite a bit come but so far it's all clear and not blood tinged or anything to get me excited about things maybe starting up soon. 

Sleeping is basically not happening anymore again. It's now painful to walk to the bathroom in the middle of the night and considering I have to do that several times, it's safe to say I don't look forward to bed time. I'm at the point where I am strongly considering sleeping on the couch, though I'm sure my back would then hurt like a mother fucker so who knows. It's basically a no-win situation up in here. 

The other thing? I go from being super excited, can hardly wait for labor to start so I can meet baby Penelope to being scared shitless and not wanting any of it to happen. And this isn't a daily thing, this could change by the hour so Matt's had a ton of fun trying to keep up with it. Poor guy. I do know physically I feel drained already and that's a little alarming considering I haven't even done anything so it makes me worried about actually being in labor let alone delivering. 

So cross your fingers something happens soon because my poor pelvic bone feels as if it's on the brink of falling apart. YAY. 

Prophecy's Language

I only have two book reviews for you this week, the rest of my posts will be other stuff. Including... baby things. Yes, shocker, I know. But I think things are moving along, so I have some posts I want to get done should I go into labor. It's only 15 days until my due date, I believe.

Prophecy's Language - Brenda Dyer

She’ll need persistence to break through to his heart 

Author Eleanor Donavon’s life is finally going her way. She kicked her mentally abusive ex-husband to the curb, and her writing career is taking off. But her contented world changes when a stranger, who’s the spitting image of one of her fictional vampire warriors, appears in her home on the pretense of whisking her away on a vacation. Believing him to be a cover model sent by her agent, Eleanor takes him up on his offer in hopes of getting to know him better. When she learns the truth about who he is, and the reason behind her imprisonment, her existence is rocked to the core. Now caught in the brutal politics surrounding the vampires, her only hope of surviving is to trust Sin. To complicate matters, she’s spellbound by the fierce warrior and falling for him hard. With her heart at stake, she must somehow break through his icy defenses to the man inside or forever lose him to his haunted past.

Her love gives him the faith to live again

Sin lives by his own code: don’t care for anyone and you won’t let them down. His past actions taught him that valuable lesson. When he receives the mission to abduct Eleanor, a beautiful author writing about the Vampire Prophecy, his heart jolts awake. For the first time in years he yearns to go against his principles and make her his forever, but fear won’t allow it. When she becomes a target of the Sacred Order, Sin risks his career to save her, but the real danger lurks when he realizes he can’t stop his head-on collision with love.

I am an absolute JUNKIE for Brenda Dyer's books, specifically this series. If you remember my review from book three, you'll remember I was pretty sure Sin was the next vampire to be romanced and I was TOTALLY RIGHT. I am putting my prediction that Black is next. Ace will be last because I think he has a few screws loose and he's going to be a very tough character to win readers, let alone a heroine over. But we'll see. I'm just putting that out there. 

Here's what I loved about this book: we didn't focus a whole lot on the prophecy. Which, I know, you're thinking it's book four and we should be getting to the nitty gritty, but surprisingly, we aren't and I'm absolutely OK with that. We're getting bits and pieces with each book and we learn what Eleanor's role in the prophecy is and why she was chosen. We also don't have as much interaction with the other characters like we have in the previous books, but that actually works out for this story because a lot happens in this book as far as the Sacred Order (they are total douchebags and I see them making an appearance again), Eleanor's ex-husband being mixed up with a demon, and the visit from Vampier. So though we don't learn a lot more about the prophecy, it's totally OK because there is enough other stuff happening that keeps you entertained and busy. Not to mention the budding relationship between Sin and Eleanor. 

I wanted to not like Sin, I was so worried I was going to really hate him as I followed Brenda's post on her Facebook page as she wrote, but surprisingly, I kind of loved him. He's so damn clueless about women and he's kind of an asshole, but he's very much that guy a girl wants to fix. Eleanor is a fixer (welcome to club, girl, we have cupcakes in the corner) so of course she sees Sin not so much as a project, but THE project. The one that will matter the most and who needs it the most. I also loved how while he is an alcoholic and uses it to cope with stressful things, she doesn't nag him. It's like her silence is enough to help convince him he can, and should, do better. Which I love. 

I even loved Eleanor. Maybe because she seems a lot like me and that makes her more interesting? I didn't like the heroin from book three, but I totally got why she was developed the way she was. But Eleanor... Eleanor is kind of a moron in her own right and she basically lets people walk over her until she grows a pair of balls and takes charge of a situation. She's a bit of a diffuser, she's the calm in the storm that can take everyone down a notch and help them see the larger picture. 

I flew through this book and I'm so glad there is more. I'm going to have a dark void in my life once this series is done, I assure you. This book is available on Amazon and it's super inexpensive. You don't have to read the previous ones to get into this story, it's not like you won't have a clue what's going on, but the books are so good and you'll fly through them so just get them at the same time and read away. And to keep up with Brenda and what she is working on next, go to her website. I'm there kind of a lot. Don't judge, it's better than being in her bushes. 

37 Weeks. Sweet Jesus, let the end be near.

I can't even believe I'm already 37 weeks pregnant, yet I feel like I've actually closer to 57 weeks pregnant. My pelvic bone and vagina agree with me. As does my belly button, who feels like it's ready to wave the flag and give up any minute now.

This is the look of 37 weeks pregnant. 

Last week at my OB appointment nothing super exciting  had happened. Penelope has dropped, and I could have told anyone that from the amount of pain I'm in down there. It really does feel like a bowling ball is sitting precariously on my pelvic bone to see how long it can stay before the bone breaks into a million pieces. A few weeks ago it would hurt, feel fine, hurt, and then feel fine again. Now it's hurting all of the time. I really thought that meant that I'd be effacing and dilating but no. 

No, because Penelope will not come quietly into the night. I've already mentally prepared myself for that. 

I go for my check again this Friday so here's hoping for something. 

I've been walking every day after lunch, not just because I want action to start, but because it's really super nice out. I really need to get fresh air and sunshine, so Twinky and I go on walks around the 'hood, armed with my cell phone in case my water were to break in a random stranger's yard. I don't really have a plan if that were to happen because god knows Matt never hears his damn phone anyways, but having the phone makes me feel less crazy. 

Let's see... what else? 

• Belly Button or Bust: Oh yes, the belly button pain. To be honest, I've never been an outie, I'm strictly an innie. I was never an outie with the other two so when Matt pointed it out a few days ago I rightfully called him a liar. Then promptly went to the bathroom to investigate and woah- he's right. That sucker is sticking out and it hurts. Like it hurts to touch the damn thing, let alone put lotion on it. 
• It's like I botoxed my belly: The skin is as tight as Nicole Kidman's forehead. It really cannot get any more stretched out, I refuse to believe it. The fact that people pay a lot of money for this kind of thing but on their face blows my mind. This is horribly uncomfortable. Sometimes when I roll over in bed at night, I have a real fear it's going to just split open. 
• Let us pray she's a good sleeper: I really hope the fact she doesn't move much at all anymore is a sign she enjoys long hours of sleep like her brother. Jackson got super lazy towards the end and didn't move much and he sleeps a lot. Olivia never stopped moving and consequently, she hardly sleeps at all. So if there is any kind of justice in this world, Penelope was a bear in utero early on and will be the best sleeping baby EVER. 
• I don't feel super crazy and anxious: Unlike the last few weeks, mentally I feel far more prepared. I don't know if it's because I'm in the home stretch or what, but I feel very calm about labor and delivery. I've decided I'm just going to wing it and see what happens. I'm going to go with the flow and I really don't give a damn how it turns out, so long as she comes out and all is well. Selfishly, I'd like to not tear super badly, but I'm realistic enough to know I probably will. I'm already going in preparing to not be able to sit for 6 weeks minimum again. I figure the whole "plan for the worst, hope for the best" method is the best at this point. That way I can't really be disappointed, can I? 

So that's where we are. Penelope is just chilling, apparently the size of a winter melon though I don't know what the hell that is. Even the picture on my pregnancy app doesn't look like anything I've seen so who knows. 

I've got my hospital bag pretty well packed, hers is set to go. Someone said they wanted to see what I packed and maybe I'll do that post tomorrow. I've got all of this time now during the day to do photos and stuff. So stay tuned. 

The Bookseller

I promise you, later tonight I will have a pregnancy update/non-book review post for you. Swearsies. But for now, book review!

The Bookseller - Cynthia Swanson

A provocative and hauntingly powerful debut novel reminiscent of Sliding Doors, The Bookseller follows a woman in the 1960s who must reconcile her reality with the tantalizing alternate world of her dreams

Nothing is as permanent as it appears . . . 

Denver, 1962: Kitty Miller has come to terms with her unconventional single life. She loves the bookshop she runs with her best friend, Frieda, and enjoys complete control over her day-to-day existence. She can come and go as she pleases, answering to no one. There was a man once, a doctor named Kevin, but it didn’t quite work out the way Kitty had hoped.

Then the dreams begin.

Denver, 1963: Katharyn Andersson is married to Lars, the love of her life. They have beautiful children, an elegant home, and good friends. It's everything Kitty Miller once believed she wanted—but it only exists when she sleeps.

Convinced that these dreams are simply due to her overactive imagination, Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this alternate world. But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn’s life becomes. Can she choose which life she wants? If so, what is the cost of staying Kitty, or becoming Katharyn?

As the lines between her worlds begin to blur, Kitty must figure out what is real and what is imagined. And how do we know where that boundary lies in our own lives?

Yes, it's reminiscent of Sliding Doors, but it also reminded me of The Other Life by Ellen Meister. I will say that I am so split on this book. I've had a hard time figuring out what I'm going to write as far as a review because there are aspects I absolutely love and others where I'm just left feeling like... it's been done. I have a hard time enjoying something that's been done. Yes, there are elements that are different than things it can be compared to, but there weren't enough for me to feel like it's a fresh idea. Of course, if you haven't read anything else like this, then this entire paragraph is meaningless to you and you'll find the book absolutely fascinating. The premise of being able to live two lives, simultaneously, is interesting. It's like seeing what your life could have been. Though it then begs, would you love your "normal" life less because you know what you could have had? 

Also I had to keep reminding myself that this is set in the 1960's, so there is some language that was a little alarming in regards to a child with autism who was aggressive. Now, back then I get autism wasn't totally a well known thing but man, it made me pause while reading it for sure. For me, that was the most exciting thing in the entire book. The other thing with it being set in this particular time period is that you also are thinking about a woman's role in society. Back then, it was kind of unheard of to not actively look for marriage and start a family. Instead, Kitty and her best friend open a book store to be their own bosses and both kind of let dating go to the wayside for various reasons, and it leads them to look like spinsters, basically. And maybe it's that perception that leads Kitty into fantasy land and explore what her life would have been like if she had continued on with Lars? I'm not sure, to be honest.  Overall, it was a bit boring compared to other books in my reading list as of late. I think between that and me comparing it to The Other Life, and being reminded on how frustrated I was with the main character of that book, I really struggled to love this book. 

But I absolutely cannot stress enough- if you have not read a book with a similar premise, give this one a shot. I wished I had read this years ago before I read anything else like it because I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more. 

The Bookseller is available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You can also learn more about the author, Cynthia Swanson, on her website as well as her Facebook page. 

Demon's Vengeance: The Complete Final Asylum Tales

I really love it when I can read a chunk of books together and put it all in one review. Such is the case here.

DEMON'S VENGEANCE: THE COMPLETE FINAL ASYLUM TALES - Jocelynn Drake

The complete novel that comprises Demon’s Fury, Demon’s Vow and Inner Demon.

Powerful warlock and tattoo artist Gage has managed to escape the magical Ivory Towers who terrorize the rest of humans and monsters—but at a price. Now he must join forces with his nemesis, Gideon, to stop an entity that is using forbidden Death Magic to commit gruesome murders across the nation. And if that’s not keeping him busy enough, an investigator recruits Gage to help her track a killer … who might be targeting tattoo artists.

When Gage discovers a demon locked away, it offers him access to dark magic in exchange for its freedom—a dangerous opportunity, but one that could save his loved ones. Gage must choose between what is right and what is easy.

I'm going to be honest, I wanted to review this solely based on the cover. But here's a pro-tip, make sure you've read the first three books. I had assumed this was books 1-3 so I figured I'd be fine. I was not fine because this starts with book 3.1 and I had zero idea what was going on for the first half of the book. Yes, the author does an amazing job of weaving in a quick synopsis in case you're an idiot who doesn't know what she's doing and starting in the middle of a series, but until you get all of the details straight, the story doesn't make sense. So admittedly, this is completely my own fault.

But with that- I kind of loved it anyways. I love that Gage does tattoos and totally plays into the bad boy image. I love that Gideon is a hard ass who has a sensitive side with his wife and daughter, but can totally turn around and kill someone within a second because he's very alpha male. I love all of the paranormal elements in this book (seriously, I may have snickered at unicorns being more bad ass than dragons? WHAT?), and I liked the romance elements throughout all three stories. Here's what I hated: the ending. I know, it's terrible when you hate the ending to a series. But seriously- if ever there was a time to give a final resolution for a series, and more specifically a character, it's now. We're left hanging in the worst possible way. To say I finished this feeling frustrated and a bit annoyed is a complete understatement. The only reasoning I can think is that maybe the author will revisit Gage in maybe a novella or something later on? Or maybe he comes back as himself in a totally different series and maybe he isn't the main character but he's in the book enough where we find out what happens with his story line more? I don't know, but that's enough of a boo boo to not let me give this 4 stars. Which is a shame because there were so many good things in these books to warrant a 4 star review, despite not having read book one and two to see how far these characters had come, but that ending. Terrible. Totally terrible. It almost feels like she just gave up, ran out of ideas, was sick of writing about these people, something.

BUT.

If you are a fan of paranormal romance, if you like the bad boy trying to be a good boy but being tempted to make terrible decisions which would make him end up looking like martyr, this is for you. Easily. You'll love it. I did enjoy Jocelynn's story telling and her writing, so I would absolutely check out other books by her simply because the story line and how she was able to weave so many different types of creatures into it with ease was pretty damn impressive.

Jocelynn is everywhere, you can find her on Facebook, Twitter, her blog, and her website. And finally- you can purchase this book on Amazon at a really great price!