Glitter Baby - Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Glitter Baby by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Genre: Adult Romance
Form: Audio Book
Narrator: Julia Gibson

Welcome to the world of the Glitter Baby

Fleur Savagar is the most beautiful woman in the world . . . to everyone but herself. With her oversized hands and paddle-boat feet, her streaky blond hair and funny green eyes, she lives a life filled with secrets that began before she was born. That was when her bewitching mother left home to find James Dean and met Errol Flynn instead. Now Fleur has to grow up quickly, and life won't make that easy.

Jake Koranda is both New York's most brilliant playwright and Hollywood's hottest actor. Difficult, talented, and tormented, he has no patience for international glamour girls, not even ones with beautiful bodies and smart-aleck mouths. But there's more to the Glitter Baby than shine, and Fleur's tougher than Jake expects. Even with the odds stacked against her, she's fiercely determined to discover the woman she's destined to be.

An ugly duckling who can't believe she's turned into a swan . . . A tough-guy movie star with a haunted past . . . In a land of broken dreams, can two unlikely lovers trust their hearts?

Source: booksamillion.com

One word summary: Sweet

This book was impressively good. I enjoyed the growth in Fleur and Jake throughout the story. Susan Elizabeth Phillips has made you feel every bit of pain and passion that Fleur endures on her roller coaster life. The book has everything; betrayal, seduction, love, mercy, forgiveness, hatred. I had a hard time putting it down.

I’m finding it very hard to put into words how I really felt. It was such an elaborate story, there is no simple splurge to put down on screen. I found it interesting how while Fleur has learned from her mistakes and had gotten through her past, and how Jake – with Fleur’s help, does the same, neither Belinda nor Alexis, Fleur’s parents, change. They never see the way that they are destroying their own life. I also like how, even through the rocky storm of her father’s tracking and attempted destruction of her life, Fleur is able to conquer all and pave out her own life. Most of the time I wanted to slap Belinda. She was petty and saucy and crazy for all intents and purposes, putting the rich and the famous up on a pedistool that reached far beyond the heavens. But her last “gift” to her husband, Alix, was priceless and in it’s own way almost merciful – as Alix could not accept anything less than perfect, and he would most certainly would have been less than perfect without the gift.

Vampireville - Ellen Schreiber

Vampireville by Ellen Schreiber
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Form: Paperback Book
Series: Vampire Kisses

For goth-girl Raven, dating her dream boyfriend is complicated, especially because Alexander's secret means that they can see each other only at night.
And now the pair must be extra wary in the dark with Alexander's archrival, Jagger, appearing around town. As if Jagger isn't enough cause for worry, Luna, his strikingly pale sister, has also surfaced and seems to have her sights set on Raven's longtime nemesis, Trevor. Together, Raven and Alexander must begin a terrifying search for Jagger and Luna's hideout to drive them away -- that is, if it's not already too late to save Dullsville from becoming Vampireville.
In the latest installment of her popular Vampire Kisses books, Ellen Schreiber continues the startling story of two teen outsiders -- she from the mortal world and he from the Underworld -- who share a thrilling, extraordinary romance.

Source: Harper Collins Children Website

One Word Summary: Improvement

Vampireville was quite a bit better than the previous book of this series, Coffin Club. I also need to be careful, while I’m used to reading young adult books geared towards the 16-18 range, I’m pretty sure this series is more for the 12-14 year old crowd, which has probably been my problem all along.

I felt the story line was less jagged in this book, although Raven never did learn her lesson about listening, and got herself into trouble on more than one occasion, she did seem a little bit more mature this time around. I did like that she and Luna struck up a bit of a friendship, and would have liked to see that progress into something more – sort of like turn your enemies good and show them the light instead of driving them out of town.

Catch a Mate - Gena Showalter

Catch a Mate by Gena Showalter
Genre: Adult Romance
Form: Mass Paperback Book

How to catch the love of your life...with his pants down

Jillian Greene is always getting caught in the act - it's her job! Working at Catch a Mate, Jillian gets paid by suspicious wives to smile, flirt, and prove that no man can be trusted around the opposite sex. But she never gets physical - until a heart-stoppingly gorgeous male walks in... Marcus Brody has just been hired to test female fidelity. But the last thing Jillian needs is a partner...especially an infuriating, irresistible man who's got her fantasizing about tearing off his clothes!

Source: back of book

I was actually a little surprised at the vulgarity of this book. I don’t mean that it was gross, but it was very blunt and to the point on the sexuality. I knew, by the description, that it wasn’t all innocent, but the vivid and wild thoughts of the characters, and the loose thinking of sexual behavior was bit much for me at times. Although, once again, given the topic matter was more my fault than anyone.

On the other hand, the thoughts of the characters, I felt, was also one of the best qualities of this book. It was funny to watch both Jillian and Marcus chastise themselves was humorous. The story line was fun and light, but also touched on some serious self confidence issues that men and women pass on to one another by their behavior. Jillian learned to live and love again through forgiveness – and that is probably the best happily ever after there is.

Immortal in Death - J.D. Robb

Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb
Genre: Mystery & Detective
Form: Audio Book
Series: In Death
Narrator: Susan Ericksen

When a top model is murdered, police lieutenant Eve Dallas discovers that the world of high fashion thrives on an all-consuming obsession for youth and fame. One that leads from the runway to the dark underworld of New York City, where drugs can be found to fulfill any desire--for any price. J.D. Robb is the pseudonym of New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts.

Source: booksamillion.com

One word summary: Riveting

I felt like Immortal in Death ended a few concerns in my mind about Eve and her relationship to Roarke. I just cannot imagine what J. D. Robb continues to write about for another 20 or so books, but I felt like this was a break through for Eve in many ways. Not only does she clear up some questions about the past as her flashbacks all join together into clear memory of what took place when she was a child, but she also comes to some realizations about Roarke and her love and marriage to him. When she explained to Roarke that marriage was not a tradition or a contract, but that it was a promise, and she always kept her promises, I felt the finality of the situation in that statement. I hope I’m not disappointed in the future.

The mystery in this book also took me by surprise. I’m always trying to guess who did it as the investigation proceeds. This is another aspect of these books I love, you get the investigation in detail and it’s wonderful! The description, the thought process, it’s just another mark of what a great writer J. D. Robb (Nora Roberts) really is.

Vision in White - Nora Roberts

Vision in White by Nora Roberts
Genre: Adult Romance
Form: Paperback Book
Series: The Bride Quartet

After years of throwing make-believe weddings in the backyard, flowers, photography, desserts, and details are what these women do best: a guaranteed perfect, beautiful day full of memories to last the rest of your life.

With bridal magazine covers to her credit, Mackensie "Mac" Elliot is most at home behind the camera - ready to capture the happy moments she never experienced while growing up. Her father replaced his first family with a second, and now her mother, moving on to yet another man, begs Mac for attention and money. Mac's foundation is jostled again moments before an important wedding planning meeting when she bumps into the bride-to-be's brother...an encounter that has them both seeing stars.

Carter Maguire is definitely not her type: he's stable, and he's safe. He's even an English teacher at their high school alma mater. There's something about him that makes Mac think a casual fling is just what she needs to take her mind of dealing with bridezillas and screening her mother's phone calls. But a casual fling can turn into something more when you least expect it. And with the help of her three best friends - and business partners - Mac must learn how to make her own happy memories.

Source: flap of book

One word summary: beautiful

For once I can’t claim that the characters were the best part of a book that I liked. Not to indicate that the characters weren’t good, because that is very far from the truth, but I actually fell in love with the descriptions in this book. Nora Roberts made you feel like you were Mac, behind the lens of a camera. She made you want to pick up your camera and try it yourself. I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the “Vows” business run by four best friends. No matter who was narrating, you felt as if you were walking in their shoes.

I loved Carter as well, but who wouldn’t love the homebody, bookish, tweed-wearing teacher who has a passion that is a little bit out of his control. I never would have thought “nerd” could be sexy, but on Carter, it definitely is. Mac’s mother, Linda, is incorrigible, and you root for Mac to plan her feet and tell her what’s coming to her. I wanted to scoff and shout at her too, whenever Linda just couldn’t open her eyes enough to see beyond her own nose. Even better than Carter though, were Mac’s best friends and business partners; Parker, Emma, and Laurel. To have such a strong and long lasting relationship, and a built in support group, a bond that any other woman would be jealous of. I know I was.

Most of all, I wanted more. I wanted to see Mac and Carter’s wedding. I wanted to see her become just one of the family at Carter’s parent’s house. I wanted to see the growth and love there. The thing is, it’s okay that it wasn’t there too, because you can see how it’s going to happen. You know Mac is getting the HEA she never thought was possible.

I am looking forward to Bed of Roses, which is coming in October, and I will say…I’m most excited about Parker’s book. For some reason I just think her HEA is going to be especially good.