To Become a Sorcerer by Darrell Schweitzer
There are four acts to this story. Or chapters. But, to me, they kind of read like the more traditional acts used in the telling of a story.
My Thief by MaryJanice Davidson
Every MaryJanice Davidson story I’ve read is completely off-kilter different from what I’d expected and just downright funny. This novella was no different. My Thief had me out and out laughing, smiling and just grinning as the heroine, who is so different to what you’d expect, hooked up with a hunky accountant. Talk about turning stereotypes on their head.
Hot for the Holidays by Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, Anya Bast and Allyson James
This is a fantastic novella collection. Especially since it’s got a Christmas theme, but really wasn’t Christmassy at all. Actually, other than the fact that each of these novellas was set around the festive season, there was nothing truly Christmassy about any of these. Which made me much, much happier. I’m just not that into the festive season this year…
Read more Hot for the Holidays by Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, Anya Bast and Allyson James
Seven Drops of Blood by Robert Weinberg
This short story had a very noir detective feel to it. And, since it’s in a collection of Dark Magic short stories, I spent a very high proportion of it wondering where the dark magic actually was. That was kind of frustrating. Even once I found the “magical” aspect, it wasn’t anywhere near as intense as I was expecting and I kind of felt a little perplexed at its place in this anthology. But, it was still a thoroughly enjoyable story.
Blue Crush by Erin McCarthy
One of the hardest things about being a driven, independent and intelligent woman is that it’s something which doesn’t always go over too well with the people you’re surrounded with. The fact that this novella features a woman whose main hang-up is exactly that was seriously enjoyable. And way, way, way too relatable.
Winter Born by Sherrilyn Kenyon
I still haven’t cracked the spine of a full-length Sherrilyn Kenyon novel. But, every time that I read one of her novellas, I am absolutely swept away by the world building. This novella did that even more so for my happy little brain. There is something amazing about the amount of information that can be crammed into a novella. The ways in which this story filled an entirely new world (one I’m hoping is part of a series) in just a few short pages. It was intense, engaging and impossible to put down or forget.
A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh
Every time I feel like I might have kind of kicked the whole Breeds infatuation… I find myself a novella or short story that I can obsess over yet again. Now I need to pick up the next novel and get a full fix of this series. There are enough hints of the overarching series storyline in each tale. But it’s the romance and the way that people are willing to give up their crap to find a happily-ever-after.
The Man Within by Lora Leigh
I most definitely love the Breeds series, but it is quite a bit more graphic about sex and sexuality than most of the romances that I read. Which is why I tend to read this series just a little bit slower… it can get pretty intense. Which is probably why I shouldn’t have actually read this at the pub when waiting for people… it was a little awkward reading about the many joys of sex when there was a really, really old guy staring at me…
Blue Moon by Lori Handeland
Yeah. This book was brilliant. And fun. I could put it down though, which made me happy, because I have a number of other things that I needed to do. Unlike other books which seem to absorb my whole consciousness (they’re sometimes good), this one was always in my mind. But never all consuming. It let me take my time over the book which I normally wouldn’t be able to do. And, taking that extra time made me feel somehow more connected to Jess and Will.
Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast
I kind of found Ronan annoying at the beginning of this story. There was just something about him that was a bit too pushy and immature. He refuses the woman he loves, so he can escape and win back the woman he loves. Rather than just marrying her and working on their relationship in a way that would have been much simpler for both. Don’t get me wrong, it made an incredibly fun and impossible to put down novella. But he’s kind of stupid. He did grow on me though, so that was alright.
