Review: The Darkest Lie (Lords of the Underwold #6) by Gena Showalter

In this riveting new installment of New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series, Gideon, keeper of the Demon of Lies, fights to uncover the truth….

Forced to his knees in agony whenever he speaks the truth, Gideon can recognize any lie—until he captures Scarlet, a demon-possessed immortal who claims to be his long-lost wife. He doesn’t remember the beautiful female, much less wedding — or bedding — her. But he wants to ... almost as much as he wants her.

But Scarlet is keeper of Nightmares, too dangerous to roam free, and a future with her could mean ultimate ruin. Especially as Gideon’s enemies draw closer . . . and the truth threatens to destroy all he’s come to love ...

From Goodreads

In case you were wondering what one of my "guilty pleasures" in reading is, this would be it. Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series is campy and fun with some serious sexiness mixed in. Even so, there is so much going on, and so many characters, that I sometimes have to really focus to keep up with the plotline. Although this is definitely one of those books where the plot is not the main point of reading the story.

Despite that, I enjoyed catching up with Gideon in this installment. Cursed with the demon of Lies, trying to keep up with what he really means is always a challenge. And the woman most likely to drive him batty with her staunch refusal to play by his rules is his supposed wife Scarlet. They aren't necessarily on the same side, but at least they aren't outright trying to kill one another...right now. What doesn't add up though is their backstory. There are so many holes & missed steps that something just smells wrong.

With all these red flags going off, it's amazing that they still find time to be attracted to one another. Even though it's been hundreds, if not thousands, of years since they've been in each other's presence, they are drawn together in a battle they won't soon forget.

Gena makes you want her characters as badly as they desire each other. From their behavior to their structuring, down to their vocabulary, if you enjoy macho, virile men for entertaining purposes, then these books are just for you. If you still like a bit of substance to accompany your bawdy tales, then this is even more perfect for you. The background that she uses, from settings to characters, is unique unto this series. While lots of other books use gods & goddesses, I don't think anyone has done it as singularly as Gena.

For fun, romance, and even so acceptable war-based violence, The Darkest Lie is a great addition to the Lords of the Underworld series. Enjoy!

Truth (XVI #2) by Julia Karr review

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR XVI!

An exciting dystopian thriller, and sequel to XVI

Nina Oberon's life has changed enormously in the last few months. When her mother was killed, Nina discovered the truth about her father, the leader of the Resistance. And now she sports the same Governing Council ordered tattoo of XVI on her wrist that all sixteen-year-old girls have. The one that announces to the world that she is easy prey to predators. But Nina won't be anyone's stereotype. And when she joins an organization of girls working within the Resistance, she knows that they can put an end to one of the most terrifying secret programs the GC has ever conceived. Because the truth always comes out . . . and the consequences can be deadly.

From Goodreads

Nina is all too familiar with how dangerous the truth can be to anyone & everyone. She has lost almost everyone she holds dear to the truth. After her mother's "accident" left her and her little sister "orphaned" in the eyes of the government, the girls are living with their grandparents; but their worries are far from over. Because of her strong convictions & absolute refusal to bow to how others think she should behave, Nina is her own person and is determined to prove it.

When tragedy strikes her family again, Nina vows to do whatever is in her power to make things right. She wants to expose the all important truth so that everyone is free to do as they please and make up their own minds. Unfortunately that's where even she has trouble. With her family life in taters, naturally her love life will follow suit. Torn between what she thinks she wants & what she's struggling to deny she wants, Nina must make some difficult choices that could have serious ramifications for them all.

This was such a great follow up to XVI. Julia Karr has done a phenomenal job continuing right where she left us. Nina is as determined & strong-willed as ever to ensure that her little sister is protected while trying to find a way to make adequate use of her skills in the Resistance. Unfortunately women are shunned from actual "dangerous" work in order to keep them safe. What I love about Nina is that she is not overly concerned with her safety. She is self-sacrificing in a non-pathetic way. She has no intention of being overlooked simply because of her gender. 

Her friends are also wonderful because they vary so greatly, allowing the reader a wide vantage point of the society at large. There are so many facets to be considered that one could easily get lost among the details, but Julia gives many of those facets names and attitudes that permit us to recognize just who & what they embody.

The writing is top notch. The details are spread out enough that you don't find yourself overwhelmed, but still targeted enough to get the message across. There wasn't an overabundance of fluff. Everything had a purpose that either tied together well or laid out a path that I believe will serve a future purpose.

In short, if you haven't already. you should read this series. If for no other reason than the amusing references to today's pop culture, you really should read & enjoy this series. In theory the final installment is due for release sometime this year.

January Genreflecting: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky review

Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix-tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

From Goodreads

First off, we'll start with my review of the book. Having grown up when YA was just starting to blossom, it's not surprising that I missed this book the first time around. It also wasn't my kind of reading at the time. Well, it's apparently not really my style today. Told in the form of letters to an unknown recipient, we meet the brilliant, if awkward Charlie. The kid brother of the star football player & a boy-obsessed sister, Charlie has never really fit in socially.

While I can relate in a way to this, the book spiraled into something weirder and more dark than I imagined. There is pervasive drug & alcohol abuse, as well and sexual & emotional assault on many characters. I think the core message of the book could have been brought to fruition without all this, but in a way these things are so ingrained in the personalities & lifestyles of the older teens that Charlie hangs out with that I think the book would have been missing something without it.

For such a short book, told in four parts over about 200 pages, it packs a wallop of a punch. The world as we see it is through the distorted perception of Charlie, but the message that he seems to latch onto throughout the book is one of individuality & trusting oneself. The narrative & word choice give a clear picture of just how removed Charlie is from the social interactions he is supposedly taking part in. His incomprehension of other people's actions coupled with his cognitive abilities reminds me of someone with Asperger Syndrome. All of this combined to make a powerful, if sometimes overstated, storyline.

With respect to the genre analysis, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is indeed a prime example of a contemporary life book. While we listen to Charlie describe his emotions & events of his life, what we're really focusing on is how he interacts with his own world. We don't focus in on the fact that he smoked pot & took LSD, we focus in on the fact that in his desperation for acceptance, Charlie was willing to experiment with things outside of his comfort zone. We get to live alongside Charlie as he travels the confusing path that is adolescence. It is especially difficult for him for reasons that he himself is unaware of, so it makes the overarching story (and not the minutia) the most important.

I think this book has successfully explored the teenage experience at a very pivotal time in our nation's collective history. Being published in 1999, but set in 1991-1992, would normally make this book seem "dated" to the majority of the population. While there are definitely some obvious "signs of the times" in the book, it is a timeless novel. I could see it being set anywhere from the 1960's to in the near future. A good contemporary novel has the ability to transcend time in order to be approachable by the audience, present & future. This is evidenced by the fact that this book is just now being made into a major motion picture starring Emma Watson (of Harry Potter fame), Ezra Miller, and Logan Lerman.

What do you think about The Perks of Being a Wallflower? Have you seen the movie? Do you intend to?

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler review

"Don’t worry, Anna. I’ll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won’t say anything?"
"Don’t worry.” I laughed. “It’s our secret, right?"

According to Anna’s best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there’s a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie–she’s already had her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every beautiful moment life has to offer.

From Goodreads

How do you know when it's okay to say your final goodbye? Anna, Frankie, and Matt were the best of friends. While Matt was technically Frankie's older brother, that just made him all the more cool in their eyes. For years everything was shared equally among them. One kiss later and it was all different. Sworn to secrecy until Matt can explain it to Frankie on their annual Zanzibar Bay vacation, Anna keeps her word. Too bad Matt never made it on that trip and now Anna is left behind with Frankie and a burning secret.

While a year may have passed, Anna still can't let go of him and what they almost were together. Frankie is volatile and beyond Anna's help. With a hole in their trip card, Frankie's family decides to take Anna along with them on their first trip to Zanzibar Bay sans Matt. With a plan of attack on the local boys, 20 to be precise, Anna and Frankie embark on a trip that will give them the truth they so desperately need to hear.

This was such an incredibly moving book. Next to a lost child, which this book also kind of deals with, a tragically lost love is one of the hardest things I can imagine having to face day in and day out. Anna and Matt were just beginning to grow their relationship in a way that would forever change the dynamic of their trio, so it makes sense that they moved forward with trepidation. I must admit that I was truly surprised at how deeply these characters internalized their feelings. They each had their own manifestations that were outward representations of their inner turmoil, but this was on a whole new level because of the intricate relationships.

Sarah Ockler really wanted the reader to understand where the main gals were coming from in how they dealt with their grief. The flashbacks we have via Anna really give us a lot of insight into just how important Matt was to their group and just how very special he was to her. Frankie is harder to pin down, but if you look carefully at the wording and gestures used to describe her actions, you can find the truth behind her bravado.

Deep down this was an undeniably powerful book about love, both platonic and romantic, and  also about truth. People believe and see what they want to believe and see. Sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes it can cause a chain reaction of events that lead somewhere unwanted. There is some alluded to sexual action, but it is such an important/integral part of such a pivotal scene that I found it a non-issue.

It you like you love a little tragic, but with some hope at the end, then this one is just right for you.

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins review

Love—good and bad—forces three teens’ worlds to tilt in a riveting novel from New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins.

Three teens, three stories—all interconnected through their parents’ family relationships. As the adults pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the lives of the teens begin to tilt….

Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back jealously. But what happens to that love when Mikayla gets pregnant the summer before their senior year—and decides to keep the baby?

Shane turns sixteen that same summer and falls hard in love with his first boyfriend, Alex, who happens to be HIV positive. Shane has lived for four years with his little sister’s impending death. Can he accept Alex’s love, knowing that his life, too, will be shortened?

Harley is fourteen—a good girl searching for new experiences, especially love from an older boy. She never expects to hurdle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be.

Love, in all its forms, has crucial consequences in this standalone novel.

From Goodreads

Tilt follows the teenagers introduced in her adult novel Triangles. Each of the three teens are facing their own struggles with demons. None of them ever expected to end up in the situations in which they find themselves, but who does? 

Mikayla can't imagine a world without Dylan, so why would he expect her to hurt their baby? Shane has used "light recreational drugs" to help him cope with a dying little sister & the fact that his homosexuality has caused him to be a blight on the family. But how far will he falls when he falls for a doomed lover? Harley is a newly minted high schooler trying to find her own path in a sea of confusion. With no real guiding reference as to what a relationship or proper personal responsibility should look like, she risks losing everything she never knew she'd miss.

As far as the story is concerned, this is a very traditional Ellen Hopkins novel. Told in verse, you're pulled into very hectic situations and tossed in all sorts of directions. Each character has some serious demons to face that they couldn't have really planned for no matter how hard they may have tried. While none of them have perfect parents, I really think their parents' issues cause more damage than the teens are able to cope with at such a fragile time in their lives. 

I'm sure every reader will be able to identify with at least one of the main characters, but I really enjoyed the vignettes from other characters. Between each section of a main character's story is one page from a minor character's point of view. I think this gives the book a different feel than we usually get when reading from just the main characters' views. In a way it breaks down the barrier between how the main characters' perceive events & the reality of the situation.

Unfortunately, this book does not provide the type of closure that I have come to expect from Ellen's books. While her previous books may not have answered every question, I think they still left the reader with some sort of closure or satisfactory ending. The final sections of each character felt very abrupt to me. It's almost as if I was missing a few pages. When I checked, my book was in fact complete. So just a heads up, this one ends messily and in no real way gives the reader or the characters any sort of completion. While that may have been her intention, it didn't really sit that well with me.

Overall though I enjoyed the book, as much as one can say they "enjoyed" such a book. What were your thoughts?

Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1) by J.R. Ward review

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

From Goodreads

Wrath really doesn't like to mingle...among anyone. If he had his way he would withdraw from society, vampire & human alike. Unfortunately for him, as the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood (and reluctant king of vampires) he doesn't have much of a choice. What he does have a choice over are his actions. So when one of his brothers is killed, after asking Wrath to care for his soon-to-become-a-vampire daughter, he feels compelled to complete this final task as an homage to a brave warrior.

Beth has no idea why she is feeling so off lately, but chalks it up to the stress of a near-fatal assault & her gore-filled news reporting job. That is until he shows up & changes her world. He's larger than life, and with a name like Wrath, he's obviously got a violent streak. Yet something in her is drawn to him unlike anyone else in the world. He becomes her guide to the deadly new world she can't help but enter.

I had seen this book all over the place. Lots of people have it as a recommendation for a Gena Showalter read alike. While I get the comparison (believe me there is a lot of crossover) I just wasn't as big a fan of this one as I was hoping to be. That doesn't mean I loathed the book, but there was just something too off about it for me. Don't ask me to explain how Gena Showalter's mythology makes more sense to me than J.R. Ward's mythology, but Showalter's just flowed better for me.


Dark Lover introduces a wide cast of characters that revolve all the time. If I remember correctly the majority of the story is told from 5 points of view with a few glimpses into other character's heads along the way. I can handle up to 3 narrators quite well. Anything beyond that (when they are all trying to tell the same story) & my head starts to get a bit jumbled. The writing was quite well done, with adequate transitions between narrators & scenes.


I went into this book with my eyes wide open. I knew there would be sex scenes (a bit gratuitous & over the top for my tastes) & violence, but I was surprised to see so many elements of the story (like deep-seated plot) built in to these usually superfluous scenes. I must hand it to the woman, she knows how to keep you reading.


On the whole, this was worth the read, but for my personal tastes, I could take or leave the series. I think I'll give the next one a shot in a few weeks to see how the story progresses. Who knows, it may draw me in. :)

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols review

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.    

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business — until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers — and the consequences could be deadly.

From Goodreads

I can't do any better a job of summarizing the book than the blurb itself. Usually I like to throw my own view in because I don't think the blurb does the storyline much justice, but this one pretty much takes the cake.

Jennifer Echols has managed to capture my heart the same way these banner-flying crazies catch their banners. This woman has an amazing ability to take a basic plot (girl from wrong side of tracks stuck between 2 brothers) and make it into some extraordinary! The background that she set this book in is what really gives the story its extra oomph. How many girls are engrossed in airplane knowledge? Not many, but Echols makes this semi-closed off world accessible with just the right amount of detail that the reader is comfortable without being overwhelmed. 


I adore Leah in this book. She's the best Cinderella story I've read in a long time. Despite all the shortcomings of her upbringing & how hard life has been made for her, she has persevered & found something special. That is a rare quality of character that this world is lacking & I am beyond thrilled that Echols has made her so accessible as a role model. Leah is far from perfect, but she's still struggling & doing her best to do what's right for her.


The Hall brothers make quite an impression as well. Neither of them really fit a stereotypical "bad boy" or "sensitive boy" role, but you can see qualities from several types in each of them.It was also a lot of fun getting to know them via other people. You don't necessary learn much about them from the boys themselves, more from their actions & the thoughts of others. Personally I find Grayson more attractive, but that's because I need someone who can deal with my acerbic wit.


In short, this is a great read that takes no time at all to get lost in. A wonderful story about perseverance, dreams & the ability to trust, Such a Rush is the perfect summer read!

ARC graciously provided by Around the World Tours.

Fair Game (Alpha & Omega #3) by Patricia Briggs review

SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST TWO BOOKS IN THE SERIES!

Anna has felt Charles drifting away from her recently. She knows what's causing it, but even confronting the wolf responsible, her own father-in-law & leader of the North American werewolves, hasn't eased his burden. Since revealing their existence to the human population, the werewolves have been extra diligent in their justice system. Charles, as his father's enforcer, is the one doling out the punishments. He has taken on an extra large burden & it is wearing on him.


As a kind of relief from the strain, Charles & Anna are sent to Boston to help the FBI in a local serial killer case. Since Anna's Omega tendencies are to calm & protect those of her kind, this seems like a perfect opportunity to work on Charles. Little did they expect that they would be of irreplaceable value to the FBI because the killer is methodical & exacting. Soon enough Anna & Charles start to piece things together, all the while fighting his personal demons. Too bad they didn't see the real demon aiming right for them.


Fair Game picks up not long after Hunting Ground leaves off. We come back to a world where werewolves are now known to exist by the general population and as a result, Bran (the Marrok) has had to be less lenient in the enforcement of their laws. In doing so, he has put undue strain on his son Charles. As his father's enforcer, Charles has had to be the one to dole out his father's punishments. These sentencings are wearing him down & eating away at him. He's starting to lose himself to his wolf because it's the only way they will survive. Not even his lovely Omega wife Anna can really bring him around. He's distanced himself from her as much as possible so that he does not burden her with his pain.

Briggs has continued her amazing storytelling with the third installment in this series. Every book has allowed us to get to know the werewolf couple better & better while they are still discovering themselves and this one is no different. A lot of times characters will grow & develop in books, but to continue to allow your characters to change throughout a series is what makes it worth reading. Anna & Charles has a complicated, multiple layer situation that requires a delicate but deft hand at crafting.


On top of having to make the characters believable, the author also makes sure you feel the places you are in her books. I sometimes swear I can smell the forests or water where they go & there is not better feeling than to be so totally engrossed in a book. While I did find the book to rehash things a bit frequently (as if the reader might have forgotten something) you still weren't beaten over the head with it.


The best part of the whole book was the ending. I absolutely cannot tell you anything about it, but suffice it to say that I did not see that coming at all. You'll just have to read it to find out what will forever change the Mercy Thompson world as we know it. :)





 

Purity by Jackson Pearce review

A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order.

Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.

Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity.

From Goodreads

Let me just say, that the blurb above does not even begin to do justice to this book. While it covers the basics, this book presented Shelby's dilemma in a funny, approachable way. This was not a "don't have sex until you get married because you're not supposed to" book, it was really about a young woman struggling to figure out what exactly she promised to her dying mother & how she can move forward with her life.

I really enjoyed Shelby's misadventures trying to live up to her mother's three promises. My favorite one was living without restraint. Our heroine chose to interpret that as "do crazy stuff that you otherwise wouldn't do." She even made a "life list" with her two best friends in order to ensure that she lived up to that promise. The hardest promise to deal with was listening to her father. I think Shelby took this one way too seriously because she treated her father's word like law to the point that she would find loopholes in order not to have actually disobeyed his word. Nifty trick, but I think it did more damage to her relationship that she saw at the beginning.


Jackson Pearce's writing is spot on. I was worried that I only liked her fairy tale retellings because of the subject matter, so I was a little hesitant to pick up this book. I assure you that she handles the subject with appropriate amounts of maturity & goofiness. She acknowledges that there are some tough & very personal decisions to be made during the turbulent adolescent years. In order to really grow & find not only your place in the world, but yourself as well, you have to overcome the obstacles that come up on the course.


In short, Purity is a wonderful book. Yes the main character does a few reckless things & some more conservative readers may be a bit offended at the portrayal of sex (getting laid vs. making love), but I still think this book is open to interpretation & a great stepping stone to some important conversations. 


The big question though (for those who have read it): do you agree with Shelby's actions in regards to the loophole for the vow?

Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer review

As this is the 3rd & final installment in the Nightshade trilogy, there are spoilers for the first two books in this summary & review

Calla has always welcomed war.

But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnameable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

From Goodreads


We find Calla in what would have been her marital bedroom with Ren, who was supposed to be her mate/husband. After convincing him to join the resistance against the Keepers (by working with their longtime "enemies" the Searchers) the two former love-birds much face the fallout from his treachery. Naturally the person who has the hardest time dealing with Ren's involvement is Calla's other lover Shay. The Scion (as Shay is known) is the only one who can stop the Keepers & destroy their ability to control the Earth.

You would think with these two guys working on the same side they'd be able to put away their differences & back-burner their fight for Calla's heart. Not so much. The two alphas square off more than once & continue their altercations while they (and the rest of the pack) traipse all over the world collecting the pieces of the Elemental Cross.

Torn between her two lovers & her loyalty to defend her own alpha role, Calla must win this war at any cost. Unfortunately no one told her just how steep a price she was paying.

Well then. That was an interesting way to end the series. I had really high hopes for this book. With Nightshade and Wolfsbane having been such incredible books with a lush plot & heart-wrenching romance, I have to admit that I expected more from Bloodrose. Basically this book can be boiled down into a few sentences. Girl chases boy(s). Boy(s) chase girl. Appropriate humor inserted. Major conflict with no clear climax. Easy decision made for main characters.


Seriously. That's how it felt. We follow the pack all over the world collecting the pieces to the Elemental Cross so that Shay can defeat the Keepers. During their downtime Calla is sneaking around watching love bloom in several couples around her (all of them seem to be the same type of "I kind of always knew he was right for me & just didn't want to admit it" love) & getting her own nookie in. The cast of characters doesn't disappoint though. You still have the plethora of personalities that have to intermingle & manage to draw you in even when you feel like you're falling out of love. What was more surprising though was the depth that some of these characters contained. I was pleasantly surprised to see several drastic changes in certain characters' persona. I think I might have preferred just to read about them to avoid the triangle of annoyance that became Shay, Ren & Calla.


Instead of forcing these characters to work together & come to a painful, but ultimately necessary epiphany, the author decides to kill any chance of that happening. She lets her main trio take the easy way out of a very emotionally turbulent choice. Even worse though was the timing & manner of that choice. I just didn't see the flow. It was so jarring & discombobulated that I was thrown for several minutes expecting some magic to make things better again.


While I devoured the book hoping that the final battle would make up for a rather predictable build-up, I was ultimately disappointed. I still enjoyed the world the author built & the supporting characters she created, but the main love triangle & what should have been the climax of the story just fell flat for me. I'm still very glad I read it & still enjoy the first two books, this is not even remotely how I felt it should have ended.

The Darkest Passion (Lords of the Underworld #5) by Gena Showalter review

 May contain spoilerish information for previous books!

For weeks, the immortal warrior Aeron has sensed an invisible female presence. An angel-demon-assassin has been sent to kill him. Or has she? Olivia claims she fell from the heavens, giving up immortality because she couldn't bear to harm him. But trusting - and falling for - Olivia will endanger them all. So how has this mortal with the huge blue eyes already unleashed Aeron's darkest passion?

With an enemy hot on his trail and his faithful demon companion determined to remove Olivia from his life, Aeron is trapped between duty and consuming desire. Worse still, a new executioner has been sent to do the job Olivia wouldn't...

From Goodreads

  Seriously, there has been someone's eyes glued to Aeron for a good majority of the time for several weeks. It's something so scary that it frightens his daughter-like demon Legion back into hell. She can't be around this invisible presence so naturally Aeron can't stand it. When his invisible stalker finally appears he's unprepared for what he sees.


Olivia is broken, bleeding, & crying out Aeron's name at the top of her lungs. Determined not to be enticed by her & truly believing her to be some sort of Bait (from the Hunters or from the gods) Aeron just wants her patched up & moved on. Unfortunately he doesn't take her seriously when she tries to explain that she is a fallen angel. Eventually the truth comes to light that she has chosen him & his company over her immortally blissful life as an angel. 


This doesn't mean that his assassination has been cancelled, the gods still want him dead for bringing Legion into a realm in which she did not belong. As the days pass many immortal beings interfere with Olivia's speedy exit from Aeron's life, providing them all the time they need to become rather desperate for one another. But who will pay the ultimate price? The piper must be paid & he's coming to collect sooner than they'd like.


This was one of the best Lords of the Underworld book I've read since the first one. Aeron has long since been one of the more intriguing Lords because of just how much he cares. All the Lords, being the Immortal warrior brothers they are, care deeply for their friends, but Aeron takes it much more personally. Possessed by the demon of Wrath, he feels compelled to punish others for their sins & crimes. With Olivia being an angel, she is free from any tainting that might have occurred in a mortal existence. 


The over-arching war storyline continues with some very distinct twists & turns. While we don't learn nearly as much about the warriors' female companions, we spend a lot more time in the field learning about the enemy. Even better, Gena brings some older characters back to the surface & allows their continued growth.


All in all, I'd have to give this one a big thumbs up! A reminder though, this is an adult series. There is cursing, questionable moral decisions (involving torture & murder) & quite a bit of sex. This is a romance book, so it's to be expected & honestly this is at least more tame than many other romance books I've perused. So if you're a fan of the paranormal romance genre, or even just looking for something steamer than your current reads, give this a shot!

The Darkest Whisper (Lords of the Underworld #4) by Gena Showalter review

 May contain spoilerish information for previous books!

 
He is the keeper of Doubt and his entire world’s about to be rocked.

Bound by the demon of doubt, Sabin unintentionally destroys even the most confident of lovers. So the immortal warrior spends his time on the battlefield instead of the bedroom, victory his only concern…until he meets Gwendolyn the Timid. One taste of the beautiful redhead, and he craves more.

Gwen, an immortal herself, always thought she’d fall for a kind human who wouldn’t rouse her darker side. But when Sabin frees her from prison, battling their enemies for the claim to Pandora’s box turns out to be nothing compared to the battle Sabin and Gwen will wage against love…

From Goodreads

Sabin hasn't had a woman in years. The last woman he destroyed because his demon couldn't be kept in check has ruined him for all other women. Completely distraught over that incident, Sabin has kept to himself & thrown himself into his work looking for the gods' artifacts. On one such quest he & his fellow Lords stumble upon a nest of nasty Hunters. What's worse is what the Hunters are protecting.

Immortal women, many of them pregnant, are caged like animals inside the temple the Lords raid. They subdue the Hunters intent on torturing them for information. While freeing the women, Sabin's eyes land on one in particular & he is mesmerized. 

Gwen helps Sabin to release the others & finally herself. What he couldn't have known & most certainly didn't expect was that Gwen is a harpy. As soon as her prison is lifted she vanishes, only to reappear covered in a Hunter's blood. Soon enough Sabin realizes what he's found & decides to help her. She refuses to return home like the other immortals so Sabin charges himself with her care & training. 

Despite knowing they should leave one another alone, their animal instincts are drawn to one another. He is the only one able to calm her down & she is the only one who can stroke his fury in a productive manner. With the two combined, there's only one thing left standing in their way... her 3 harpy sisters.

A fabulous continuation of the Lords of the Underworld series, The Darkest Whisper is a very quick read. Sabin is a very quiet character for the most part. His demon does enough for the both of them. Surprisingly he is a caring man with intense emotions that he struggles to control. Granted a lot of that is from pent up frustration & guilt. 


I was most fascinated by his relationship with Gwen. Since we're in a mythological/paranormal world I knew we'd meet other types of immortals, but I never expected to see a harpy! Her alter-ego is just as demanding & deadly as Sabin's demon, so watching these two interact was certainly entertaining. Personally, I was extremely surprised to see how volatile their ... exchanges... were. There was no real tenderness or romance to their tristes, just pure, raw need. Definitely a different take from what we've seen with some of the other Lords & their ladies.


Even better though was when her sisters came to reclaim her. Having not one, but four harpies really allows us to comprehend the severity of Gwen's situation. They also give us a fuller picture of just what we can expect from Gwen & her powers.


Again, this is an adult book, so there is cursing, questionable moral behavior (torture, murder, etc) & definitely some rather explicit sex scenes, but nothing we haven't seen before in Gena Showalter's stuff. A nice continuation of a very long story, The Darkest Whisper was a delectable treat.

Saving Maddie by Varian Johnson review

Joshua Wynn is a preacher’s son and a “good boy” who always does the right thing. Until Maddie comes back to town. Maddie is the daughter of the former associate pastor of Joshua’s church, and his childhood crush. Now Maddie is all grown up, gorgeous—and troubled. She wears provocative clothes to church, cusses, drinks, and fools around with older men. Joshua’s ears burn just listening to the things she did to get kicked out of boarding school, and her own home.

As time goes on, Josh goes against his parents and his own better instincts to keep Maddie from completely capsizing. Along the way, he begins to question his own rigid understanding of God and whether, as his mother says, a girl like Maddie is beyond redemption. Maddie leads Josh further astray than any girl ever has . . . but is there a way to reconcile his love for her and his love for his life in the church?


From Goodreads

Joshua & Maddie are not star-crossed lovers. Rather, these two are the best & truest of friends. They share a different kind of love that goes beyond what anyone thinks about them. As children they spent all their time together in and out of church while their fathers were the ministers preaching the gospel. But when Maddie's father is transferred to another parish, Maddie & Joshua vow to write each other every day to keep in touch. For a while that works until Maddie stops writing back.


Eventually Joshua gives up writing her & begins to move on with his faith by being the pinnacle preacher's son. He leads the youth group, he volunteers at the nursing home & he even abstains from all morally compromising situations. While it makes him an outcast at parties (who really wants to drink alcohol & get frisky with their date with the preacher's kid?) Joshua has settled into a comfortable existence. And just like that Maddie shows up all dark & jaded.


Now Joshua has to decide who he's living his life for & why. There are so many questions & so little time. Events are escalating all over town with pressure from every imaginable direction baring down on Joshua. The only thing he can do is choose, but who & what?


I really enjoyed this book. It was exactly what I was expecting it to be in all the right ways. As a teen I spent a week each summer at a church camp in the mountains of North Carolina. While we were all feeling our way around our faith, there were several campers who were preacher's kids (pk's) that we all looked to for example & spiritual guidance. The second day of my sophomore year one of them said it wasn't easy to be a pk & that they were just as lost as we were. While they had a duty to uphold & represent their parent's ministry, they were really just putting on a brave face because it's what was expected of them.


Joshua is in the exact same predicament. He's been following the predetermined path thinking he had free will all along until free will actually showed up & said 'hi.' Now he's kind of floating along trying to wrestle not only with his faith, but his family, his friends, his emotions & definitely his hormones. Maddie is the typical rebel, except she's deeply spiritual leading the reader to become endeared to her. Able to quote chapter & verse on command, Maddie is also lost. Unlike Joshua though, she claims she doesn't want to find the right path.


There is so much going on in this book that I felt consumed by it. Again, in a good way. It has been a long time since I have really been able to soak up the feeling of a book & completely relate to all characters involved. No one in this book is anywhere near perfect, but they all blend together to make you understand that that's okay.


Truly, I don't have enough words to adequately explain my love for this book. While there are many "controversial" topics (sex, alcohol, promiscuity, etc) they are needed in the context of the book & the main characters' struggles. I think I'd feel comfortable with a 7th or 8th grader reading this, as long as they could question anything & everything they read. :)

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins review

Everyone has something, someone, somewhere else that they’d rather be. For four high-school seniors, their goals of perfection are just as different as the paths they take to get there. Cara’s parents’ unrealistic expectations have already sent her twin brother Conner spiraling toward suicide. For her, perfect means rejecting their ideals to take a chance on a new kind of love. Kendra covets the perfect face and body—no matter what surgeries and drugs she needs to get there. To score his perfect home run—on the field and off—Sean will sacrifice more than he can ever win back. And Andre realizes that to follow his heart and achieve his perfect performance, he’ll be living a life his ancestors would never have understood. Everyone wants to be perfect, but when perfection loses its meaning, how far will you go? What would you give up to be perfect? A riveting and startling companion to the bestselling Impulse, Ellen Hopkins's Perfect exposes the harsh truths about what it takes to grow up and grow into our own skins, our own selves.

From Goodreads

This is a companion novel to Impulse & while not necessary to read that one first, it might help some of the relationships presented here make more sense. Just food for thought. :)

These characters overlap all over the place. Cara is the twin sister of Conner (the gunshot suicide attemptee in Impulse) who has her own issues with her perfection-demanding parents & a desperately needy boyfriend. None of that matters to her though when she realizes that what she really needs is to accept herself & forget everyone else who has tried to mold her into their ideal.

Kendra is the girlfriend that Conner dumped & made look like a fool because he was getting it from every woman he could find. She's got it stuck in her head that had she been a perfect enough model that he wouldn't have strayed, so she's taking serious risks in multiple ways to ensure her "future happiness".

Sean is the desperately needy boyfriend of Cara who has their whole future planned out together. He's even basing his college plans on hers & trying to ensure their success by juicing himself into oblivion. Too bad it costs him way more than he bargained for.

Finally we come to Andre who is the son of Kendra's plastic surgeon & the on-again, off-again boyfriend of Kendra's substance-abusing younger sister. He's hiding what he truly desires to do because of what his parents expect of him.

All of this leads to a lot of confusion on the reader's part. As a companion novel I was hoping to see more of the original cast members than in just the final few "chapters" of the book. Worse though was the fact that I felt like I needed a graph to keep up with who was with whom & which person was related to someone else. Needless to say for as little action as seemed to take place, this book had a lot going on.

Enough of the negative though. Ellen Hopkins' poetry has yet to cease amazing me. Her word choice & placement allows the reader to really empathize with the characters in a whole new way. While there was less of an official "poetry fell" to the work this time, the essence was still there. My favorite part of her writing definitely has to be the "hidden" messages in her chapter introductory poems. I always wanted to read those first to see what the character was really trying to say.

The story could be hard to follow at times, but the ending made it worth it. Nothing was tied up in a pretty bow and I think that was the point. None of the issues presented in this book are easily solved & she doesn't sugar-coat that fact. Her books are always a nice dose of reality. There are hard things in this world that everyone is struggling with & teenagers are no exception. If you're a fan, read on. If you haven't enjoyed her work before I strongly suggest starting with Burned or Identical first. I think those are my favorite books so far of those she has written.

Waiting on Wednesday: Purity by Jackson Pearce

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

So, I've been waiting quite a while to pick up something else by Jackson Pearce. I've tried her non-Fairytale Retelling books before and just never seemed to be able to get into them. This book is sure to remedy that issue. Purity, set for an April 24th release, is going to rock my work... I seriously hope.

A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order.

Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.

Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity.

From Goodreads

Given her ability to spin a tale so imaginative it blows my mind, I'm curious to see if she can pull the same feat in the mundane world. Don't get me wrong, her other books were well done, they just weren't my cup of tea. This though seems to rank right up there with Pure by Terra Elan McVoy, the ever lovely author who inspired me to start this blog. I'm sure you'll be hearing all about my findings once I get my hands on the book.

What are you waiting on this week?

Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher review

With her mother ill, it’s up to fifteen-year-old Ruby Jacinski to support her family. But in the 1940s, the only opportunities open to a Polish-American girl from Chicago’s poor Yards is a job in one of the meat packing plants. Through a chance meeting with a local tough, Ruby lands a job as a taxi dancer and soon becomes an expert in the art of “fishing”: working her patrons for meals, cash, clothes, even jewelry. Drawn ever deeper into the world of dance halls, jazz, and the mob, Ruby gradually realizes that the only one who can save her is herself. A mesmerizing look into a little known world and era.

From Goodreads

Ruby Jacinski is a good daughter. She has always done whatever was necessary to take care of her family. With a deceased father & a mother riddled with rheumatoid arthritis, Ruby drops out of school & goes to work in the meat packing plant. Even with all her hard work, it's just not enough. The basic ends aren't really being met & Ruby is at a loss as to what to do.

Enter Paulie, a rather smarmy young gent, who introduces Ruby to the idea of teaching the latest dances to willing-and-able-to-pay men. While she's a bit stricken by the idea of dancing with strange men for money, she does love a good beat & soon enough she's working at a taxi-dance hall. Earning it's name because the men are renting girls a dance at a time, Ruby soon finds herself out of her league in regards to customers' expectations & some stiff competition. Never one to give up, especially with everything at stake, Ruby begins to navigate the tricky waters of hiding her profession from her family & still being flashy enough to catch the big paying customers. Her balancing act is precarious at best & sooner or later, something's got to give.

Such a fascinating time period! This book instantly caught my eye because it's an era that not many people write about. Prohibition is big for the 20's & the hippies are good for the 60's, but the 40's seem to get lost in teen literature unless it's about the war. Well this book turns that notion on it's head by setting us up in the hip & swinging Chicago night life. We learn about all sorts of historical settings like the boom of jazz music, the struggle of the lower-class immigrant families & the illicit scenes that pervade the seedier parts of major cities.

Ruby moves through all these worlds with the biggest of eyes allowing the reader to really gain a sense of what it was like to live it. Such a passionately vibrant character in such muddled times helps the reader understand the reality of day to day struggles for a young woman. Even more characteristic of the time period is the trusting nature & gender roles that everyone subscribes to throughout all the sub-societies.

The story-telling is masterful with rich details that I can only presume come from either extensive research or first-hand tellings. This radically different world, in much simpler times, is a nice reprieve from the hustle & bustle that is our day to day existence. There really wasn't anything about this book that turned me off. The characters were unique & the story was one that I will never forget. A fast read, with deeper sentiments, it's no wonder that Ten Cents a Dance made ALA's Top Ten Teen Reads in 2009. I will worn those who might forget (or even be unaware) but as this is set in the 1940's, segregation is still a big thing & mixing races (for any purpose) is taboo, so there are some sensitive word choices (obviously made for authenticity). Nothing that you wouldn't read in Mark Twain, but enough to get the point across.

Fans of this might want to also try these historical fictions: The Luxe, Bright Young Things, Flygirl or The Vespertine. (All links go to my reviews). Anyone else read this one? What else would you suggest?

Waiting on Wednesday: Truth (XVI 2) by Julia Karr

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I am totally pumped for the January 19th release of Truth, the sequel to Julia Karr's smash hit XVI. Nina is such a mesmerizing character that I couldn't help but get carried away in her story. Now we get to find out what happens next.

An exciting dystopian thriller, and sequel to XVI

Nina Oberon's life has changed enormously in the last few months. When her mother was killed, Nina discovered the truth about her father, the leader of the Resistance. And now she sports the same Governing Council–ordered tattoo of XVI on her wrist that all sixteen-year-old girls have. The one that announces to the world that she is easy prey to predators. But Nina won't be anyone's stereotype. And when she joins an organization of girls working within the Resistance, she knows that they can put an end to one of the most terrifying secret programs the GC has ever conceived. Because the truth always comes out . . . and the consequences can be deadly.

From Goodreads

How awesome does that sound? I mean getting your life turned on it's head is one thing, but this is a whole new level of intense. With compelling writing, memorable characters, & seat-clenching action in the first book I have no doubt that Truth will succeed at its task of being awesome.

The Darkest Pleasure (Lords of the Underworld #3) by Gena Showalter review

This is the 3rd book in the Lords of the Underworld series. Fair warning, SPOILERS may follow.

Now that we've met Violence & Death, how about Pain? Reyes has been feeding Pain steadily over the years. He was fortunate enough to find a way to sate his demon without hurting others, but not fortunate enough to refrain from hurting himself. The easiest way to manage Pain is to give it exactly what it wants; whether that's jumping from the top of a building while his body slowly repairs itself or simply slicing away at the flesh is all dependent about the amount of stress.

Reyes has been at his threshold of tolerance ever since Danika came into his life. A torturous temptation that he could never taste without ruining, she was condemned to die by the hand of Reyes's fellow Lord Aeron. Despite this edict, handed down from the gods, Reyes chose to pursue & protect her. The best way to do that though is to keep her close by his side. But Danika's not as weak as Reyes feared & she's putting up one hell of fight, especially since only she knows who she's really working for.

This series just keeps getting more involved & more exciting with each book I read! Each time I read a book I think, "I'm not sure I really like this guy" & by the time I'm half way through the book I'm as madly in love with his as the other women. Gena Showalter does a phenomenal job of character portrayal & story building. You think you know a character based on how he or she is seen by others (and occasionally by him/herself) but then you read a chapter or book dedicated solely to them & you find that there are facets you haven't seen before.

The characters continue to play off each other very well, bantering like friends & foes. The best part of building this series is watching the new relationships form when new characters are introduced. There is a history between all the gods, titans, Lords & Hunters whether we know it or not. I find that the women are the pivotal characters because they move the story along without tying it up. They are the catalyst for change in an otherwise static world. I'm not saying without the ladies there would be no interactions or exchanges, I just think they would be flat.

A fun, steamy romance with enough sexual tension to take you right to the edge & drop you, The Darkest Pleasure continues the feast that is the Lords of the Underworld. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the books!

The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld #2) by Gena Showalter review

This is the 2nd book in the Lords of the Underworld series. Fair warning, SPOILERS may follow.

Lucien houses the demon of Death. He is like Charon is that Lucien is the ferryman for the newly dead into their afterlife. He differs from Charon in that Lucien gets to go to heaven & hell. After centuries of ferrying souls to their final resting places, he was content to be alone so that he would never have to ferry another lover to either location. To prevent women from ever desiring him, Lucien intentionally marred his face so that no one would ever want to get close again. Unfortunately Anya isn't just anyone.

Anya, the goddess of Anarchy, is on the run. Since the Titans took over the Mount (and imprisoned the gods & goddesses) she is avoiding drawing too much attention to herself. With Lucien though, she's doing just the opposite. She's doing everything in her power to attract him & despite his constant cold shoulder routine, she is relentless in her pursuit. She's aware of his curse & doesn't mind at all, considering she has a pretty big curse of her own that she's not willing to share.

All of their bantering back and forth may be all for naught if they can't work together against the Hunters that are constantly plaguing the Lords. With little regard for themselves, these two are destined to find some measure of happiness. In this life or the next.

Gena Showalter continues the non-stop action that I'm enjoying so much. We pick up where we left off after The Darkest Night and start to move deeper into the plot of the story. I don't really mention what Lucien & Anya are working on together because there is just way too much detail to go into in order for you to understand. It would be way easier to read the books. Seriously. Basically the Hunters are the "bad guys" that want to exterminate the Lords by returning their demons to the box they came from. Unfortunately that has the nasty side effect of killing the Lords. Therefore, the Lords (and those feisty women helping them) are trying to stop the Hunters from gaining the upper hand.

These main characters were a little more extreme than the last ones. While Anarchy can sometimes facilitate the necessity for Death, the two are not mutually exclusive. Lucien is a brooding, dark, pensive kind of personality while Anya is bubbly, conniving, & jovial. She does have her Debbie-downer moments, but she tends to bounce right back from them. They are both highly developed characters that never cease to intrigue & bewitch me.

The writing continues to be strong. Again, there are sexual situations, but not as much (or as graphic) as in the first book. I find myself being more & more drawn into the story & the Lords' lives. I'll be very happy to see what's up next in their battle for survival!

The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter review

Maddox is a god among mortals. More precisely, he is an immortal warrior created by the gods. As one of the most elite & powerful warriors to ever grace the mount, Maddox was a relatively content man. He & his comrades shed blood when needed & enjoyed female companionship when it suited them. All that changed when Maddox & his friends were scorned by the gods' preference for Pandora (another immortal warrior) to transport the box of oppression carrying the most atrocious demons that not even hell could contain. Their vanity cost them everything.

When they opened the box containing the demons, all hell broke loose. The demons were crazed from their captivity & entered into each of the warriors. Now each one must bear the eternal burden of carrying such demons as Promiscuity, Pain & Violence. Maddox was settled with Violence. In his thousands of years with his brotherhood of damned warriors, known as the Lords of the Underworld, Maddox has learned to contain & tame the demon as much as possible. There are definite signs of Violence in their remote fortress in Budapest, but no more than to be expected of warriors. What he doesn't expect, especially after all these years, is to find someone the demon doesn't want to kill, maim or even hurt.

That person turns out to be Ashlyn Darrow. A woman with an extra-sharp sense of hearing, so sharp she can hear any & every conversation that has ever occurred where she is currently located no matter the time, date or year, who is in Buda doing some research for a corporation she believes to be helping those with "special" abilities. Despite her boss's warning, Ashlyn treks toward the fortress hoping that the mysterious Lords can help her tame & control her hearing.

When the two meet on the snow-covered embankment there is an intense silence that neither can deny. The voices are silent for Ashlyn & the demon is silent for Maddox. What that means for them is unclear, but Ashlyn's boss is none too pleased at her disobedience & intends to prove his point against the Lords.

This was a doozy of a read! I devoured this book in less than 24 hours because I just couldn't get enough of these characters! The Lords are unlike any other possessed character I have ever read. Now it's possible that I just haven't read enough, but we can't be sure. :)

The torturous relationship of Lord & demon is so raw & incisive that I was completely drawn in to their world. Of course, since this is a romance novel, all the Lords are especially hunky in their own ways. Most of them are ridiculously muscular with a striking visage. The main female in the role is a trim, but toned woman that most men would faun over. While I can get tired of these stereotypical roles, the writing, characterization & plot development overrode any annoyances I might have perceived. Again, this is a romance novel so there are some sex scenes that vary from taught & tame to wild & a bit raunchy. If you're in the mood for that, read on; if not, feel free to skim/skip ahead as I do. ;)

The Lords of the Underworld presents a unique history & presentation of the gods. There is A LOT of back story, that is surprisingly well-handled. I didn't feel bogged down in history so much that I couldn't enjoy the action! A fabulously fun read, The Darkest Night is the first in a continuing series by Gena Showalter that I fully intend to see to the end.

Have any of you read these books? How did I miss them?! What do you think about the romance? Is it on par with the genre or a little more/less than is typical?