Short and Sweet Book Reviews #61 - The Reluctant Cowboy by Kate Pearce, Unquiet Land by Sharon Shinn, Quantum by Jess Anastasi

The Reluctant Cowboy by Kate Pearce
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Pearce used some familiar themes in The Reluctant Cowboy. There are four brothers who are estranged. A father who took off after his wife and young daughter disappeared and are presumed dead. A Grandmother who is holding the ranch together and naturally a young woman who is helping around the ranch as she writes about the history of the Morgan Ranch. While the first part of the book seemed like the same old, same old it quickly got more interesting as the characters reacted to events in new ways. I loved all of the main characters. Grandma Ruth is strong and determined to keep the ranch in the family. Chase Morgan is the oldest brother and just wants to forget everything that happened with his father and the ranch. January (yes that is her name) had a very different upbringing and has worked very hard to become strong and independent. The three are a wonderful and fun mix. Throw in Blue, another Morgan brother, and the mix gets even better. I loved the book and have the next book, Blue's story, on my wish. list.


Unquiet Land by Sharon Shinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In book four of the Elemental Blessing series the focus is on Leah Frothen who was a side character in book three. Leah has returned home after being gone for five years. During that time she has grown and matured and wants nothing more than to reconnect with the daughter who was a new born when she left. That adds to the story but this is more about the events that are happening when Leah becomes involved with the delegation from a land that has very different values. The danger comes from there. There is romance that comes with a big problem. There is danger that arrives just as Leah thinks everything with her daughter and the man she loves will work smoothly. Like other stories by Shinn this is a gently story that moves at a slow and orderly pace giving time for both back story, world building and character development. I did notice a small change from previous books by Shinn. The demand for more graphic sex has caught up with the author and there is one scene with explicit sex where in previous book the character would have gone in the room, closed the door and left the everything to our imagination. This can stand-alone but is better if you have read the previous books. I received an ARC of Unquiet Land in return for an honest review.


Quantum by Jess Anastasi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There are still shape shifters around and the big question in Quantum revolves around is he or is he not a shape shifter. Lieutenant Marshal Mae Petros has been sent to find out if Captain Admiral Zander Graydon is a shape shifter or if he is still human. It seems someone is trying to kill Zander and Mae is spending all of her time protecting him while trying to survive. Mae and Zander have a difficult time getting to safety with Rian Sherron and the crew of the Imojenna. When they do arrive the danger is not over; it just keeps getting worse. Another fun space opera with great characters and an interesting world. Jess Anastasia teases us with hints who will have their own story. I love who she decided to feature next. Like Quantum it should be a very fun story to read.

View all my reviews

Jeweled Fire by Sharon Shinn

Fantasy

From Goodreads:

The national bestselling author of Troubled Waters and Royal Airs returns to her Elemental Blessings series with the story of a young princess who will need more than blessings to survive in a kingdom where everyone will do whatever it takes to claim the throne…

As one of the four princesses of Welce, Corene always thought she might one day become queen. Only circumstances changed, leaving fiery Corene with nothing to show for a life spent playing the game of court intrigue—until a chance arises to become the ruler of a nearby country.

After stowing away on a ship bound for Malinqua with her loyal bodyguard, Foley, Corene must try to win the throne by making a play to marry one of the empress’s three nephews. But Corene is not the only foreign princess in search of a crown.

Unaccustomed to being anyone’s friend, Corene is surprised to find companionship among her fellow competitors. But behind Malinqua’s beautiful facade lie many secrets.

The visiting princesses are more hostages than guests. And as the deadly nature of the court is revealed, Corene must rely on both her new allies and Foley’s unwavering protection—for the game she has entered is far more perilous than she ever imagined.

Once again Shinn has written a love story that simmers in the backgound.  Corene and Foley are a great pair who have to respond to multiple threats.  Nothing is as it seems.  Does the empress really want to marry off her nephews?  With three old choices and one new choice who will actually be the heir.  Who is pulling strings in the background to see that their candidate wins.  Why is one of the princesses in more danger than the other two.

All of this is happening in a book that is full of tension even as the prose flows in a very smooth way.  Shinn had a way with the gentle romance.  You know that the two are attracted but it is never shoved in your face.  Instead there are hints in the action required by the two main characters.

Jeweled Fire is character driven.  Corene, the main character, starts out not knowing what she wants from her life and ends up realizing that running way leads her to being able to run to a new and interesting life.  Best of all Foley will be sharing that life with her.

Jeweled Fire is book three in the Elemental Blessing series but works well as a stand alone.

Ace published Jeweled Fire by Sharon Shinn in 2015.

I received an ARC of Jeweled Fire from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Teaser Tuesday - October 19, 2015

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Teaser:

"So it had been an indelicate question, though now she wished she's asked a different one:  Are you afraid every time you climb back in the saddle?"  58% on my Kindle

From Jeweled Fire by Sharon Shinn.  She writes what I call gentle romance and adventure books.  This is the next one in her Elementary Blessings series.

Book Beginnings, January 10, 2014

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Gilion at Rose City Reader. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.

I love Sharon Shinn's books.  They are what I call gentle reads.  She takes the time to build the world, the characters and the plot.  They are romances but unlike so many today when the time comes for sex the character go into the room and close the door.  What goes on behind that door is just hinted at later dialog.  My book beginning today is from Royal Airs (An Elemental Blessings Novel).  This is book two in the series so I recommend you read Troubled Waters, book one, first.

"Rafe shuffled the deck for the third time, and handed it to the woman on his right so she could cut the cards.  It was clear the other three player distrusted him, and even the card cutting didn't reassure them he wasn't cheating."

Teaser Tuesday December 3, 2013

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:"
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

"Ah,", Rafe said, resetting himself more comfortably.  "She's safe.  She's sleeping. I imagine it might be a couple of hours before she wakes up, so you could-"

"You will take me to her right now,"  the man said sharply."
(page 37)

Royal Airs (An Elemental Blessing Novel)    by Sharon Shinn
 

Still Life with Shape-Shifter (A Shifting Circle Novel) by Sharon Shinn

Paranormal

Goodreads Summary:

For her entire life, Melanie Landon has hidden the fact that her halfsister Ann is a shapeshifter—determined to protect Ann from a world that simply wouldn’t understand.

After months of no contact, Melanie fears the worst when a man shows up on her doorstep saying he’s there about her sister. A freelance writer, Brody Westerbrook intends to include Ann in a book about the existence of shapeshifters. While Melanie is immediately drawn to the stranger, she knows revealing Ann’s secret isn’t an option.

Protecting her sister has always been such an enormous part of Melanie’s life, but when Ann finally appears looking frail and sick, Melanie must come to grips with the fact that saving her may mean letting go.

Still Life with Shape Shifter is the second book in the Shifting Circle Series.  Even though it features shape-sifters it is really a story about love, love in all of its forms.  I always call Sharon Shinn’s stories gently stories.  Don’t look for non-stop action, a lot of sex, or over the top stories.  She writes in a very down to earth style with a lot of character development that builds the story.

Several of the characters for A Shape of Desire are in Still Life.  Dante and Maria are side characters here but William is one of the main characters.  Still Life follows two women,, Janet and Melanie.  Both love a shape-shifter but in very different ways.  For the most part their lives are separate but both face loving and losing the person they love.  This is the story of how they face that impending loss.

There are other characters that play a major part in the novel.  Brody is almost too good to be true.  He meets Melanie and has to work hard to win her trust.  Melanie’s best friend, Debbie is just the kind of best friend everyone wants to have.  Janet also has friends that supply a support for her.

Each woman’s story is separate and unique but in the end they meet in a sad but true way.  There is room for future stories in this universe and I hope more are written.

ACE published Still Life with Shape-Shifter by Sharon Shinn in 2012.

Stacking The Shelves November 10, 2012

Welcome to my Stacking The Shelves post!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews so follow the link and check out what other stacked on their shelves this week.  

Stacking The Shelves is all about the books I am adding to my shelves each week letting me share with you my excitement for my newest books.

From Amazon:  I got a large order this week.

Lord's Fall by Thea Harrison

Unclaimed Bride by Lauri Robinson

Polterheist by Laura Resnick
Kris Longknife:  Furious by Mike Shepherd
The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
Still Life with Shape-Shifter by Sharon Shinn

From Barnes and Noble:

Clean by Alex Hughes
Dead Iron by Devon Monk

From Netgalley:

Wildcat by Cheryl Brooks

Won:

Wild Encounter by Nikki Logan (From contest at Reading Reality)
Murmur of the Lonely Brook by Debashis Dey (From contest at The Readdicts) 

The Shape of Desire (Shifting Circle #1) by Sharon Shinn

Paranormal

From Goodreads: 

 "For fifteen years Maria Devane has been desperately, passionately in love with Dante Romano. But despite loving him with all of her heart and soul, Maria knows that Dante can never give all of himself back-at least not all the time.
Every month, Dante shifts shape, becoming a wild animal. During those times, he wanders far and wide, leaving Maria alone. He can't choose when he shifts, the transition is often abrupt and, as he gets older, the time he spends in human form is gradually decreasing. But Maria, who loves him without hesitation, wouldn't trade their unusual relationship for anything.
Since the beginning, she has kept his secret, knowing that their love is worth the danger. But when a string of brutal attacks occur in local parks during the times when Dante is in animal form, Maria is forced to consider whether the lies she's been telling about her life have turned into lies she's telling herself”“

I want to start by saying that I liked The Shape of Desire better after I finished reading it than I did while I was reading.  There are several reasons so I will get started.

Worldbuilding:  This is often a big problem with a new series.  There is so much that has to be mentioned and explained that it slows the story down.  It has to be done or the story would not make much sense.  The Shape of Desire requires a lot of world building.  Sharon Shinn does a good job weaving it into the story but sometimes it slows down the action.

Backstory:  This is a biggie in a new series.  Sometimes you just need a little and it can be dropped in conversation small hints.  That was not the case in The Shape of Desire.  In order to understand the characters and their relationships you needed to know their past history. The best way to do that was to include scenes from the two main characters past.  The use of flash backs did the job but was another thing that slowed the main story line down.

Characters:  This is another new take on shifters.  Dante is very different from shifter characters in other books.  Maria Devane and Dante are the two main characters.  We see much more of Maria and as a result she is much better drawn than Dante.  Maria is very good at hiding her relationship with Dante.  In some ways she was just to good to be true. Dante remained a bit of a mystery to me.  His character kept me guessing right until the end.  There were several very well drawn side characters that were essential to the story.  I am looking forward to how they will be featured in future books.

Plot:  The main plot is the number of deaths by wild animal attack.  That plot brings on the sub-plots that hinge on relationships in the book.  Not all of those sub-plots are about Maria and Dante.  I think some of them are setups for future books.  I really liked the fact that at the end there was a resolution to Maria and Dante’s relationship.  They had as much of a HEA as was possible at the time.

Sex:  I had to include this one.  In most of Sharon Shinn’s previous books the couple went into the bedroom and shut the door.  You knew what was going on but used your imagination about how it was going on.  Not in this book.  While it is not as graphic as many books today it was very graphic compared to other Sharon Shinn books.  I suspect that this was a requirement by the publisher.  I like the other way best, and if you have read any of my previous post you know I just skim those parts of the book.  I will say that the sex in The Shape of Desire adds to the story.  It is not just put for no reason.

All of that said, when I got through reading everything fell in place and I really liked the book.  The Shape of Desire set the stage for future books and I am looking forward to next book in the Shifting Circle series.

Ace published The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinn in 2012.

Book Beginnings on Friday June 29, 2012

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Gilion at Rose City Reader. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include  include the title and author so others know what you're reading.


My book beginning this week is from The Shape of Desire (Shifting Circle #1) by Sharon Shinn.  I love her books and when I was at the library yesterday I checked it out.  I haven't started it yet but it is next on my reading list.

Here is what Goodreads says about the book:  

For fifteen years Maria Devane has been desperately, passionately in love with Dante Romano. But despite loving him with all of her heart and soul, Maria knows that Dante can never give all of himself back-at least not all the time.
Every month, Dante shifts shape, becoming a wild animal. During those times, he wanders far and wide, leaving Maria alone. He can't choose when he shifts, the transition is often abrupt and, as he gets older, the time he spends in human form is gradually decreasing. But Maria, who loves him without hesitation, wouldn't trade their unusual relationship for anything.
Since the beginning, she has kept his secret, knowing that their love is worth the danger. But when a string of brutal attacks occur in local parks during the times when Dante is in animal form, Maria is forced to consider whether the lies she's been telling about her life have turned into lies she's telling herself.




And here is the first line:  "It's around two in the morning when I hear a rustle and bump in the kitchen, and I sit up in bed."

Teaser Tuesday December 6, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: 

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

I am reading Angels of Darkness by Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook and Sharon Shinn.  My teaser is from Sharon Shinn's story Nocturne (page 245).

"Like Alma, the angel was waiting for me, or so it seemed:  He had turned his chair so it faced the door, and his whole posture was alert.  Even his wings were less dispirited, arching behind his back as if they had been plumped and groomed."

Teaser Tuesday October 25, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: 

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.
• 
  
• Here is this weeks teaser:

"It was familiar now, the way his skin went tense in a waiting kind of expectation at the touch of her gaze.  They hadn't made physical contact again since that walk in the garden, but Noel was discovering that doubts about her true nature or not, his body was no longer averse to the idea of intimacy."

Page 41; Nalini Singh'a Angel's Wolf novella in Angels of Darkness by Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook and Sharon Shinn.

This contains stories by some of my favorite authors.

Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn

Paranormal Romance

In writing Troubled Waters Sharon Shinn has again created a unique and fascinating world, the world of Welce.   In this world five elements rule all thing and each element has a prime, a person who can control and use that element in ways others cannot.  Each element contains blessings and at birth each child is given three blessing.  A different stranger chooses each blessing.  Using the combination of blessing and elements Sharon has woven a complex story of love and power. 

 Zoe Ardeley’s father was a royal advisor who fell out of favor and was forced into exile ten years ago.  When he left he took his daughter Zoe with him.  As the story opens he has just died.   A few days after his death Darien Serlast comes to the small village where Zoe lives and informs her she has been chosen to be the King’s fifth wife.  Zoe’s element is Coru, water and blood and unknown to Zoe she is the prime for Coru.  The three blessing chosen for Zoe Ardelay on the day of her birth are beauty, love and power.  When Zoe is drawn into the politics of the palace she must use her element and her blessings to help steer her course.

Troubled Waters is a complex story filled with great characters in a wonderful setting.  Troubled Waters may be a stand-alone novel but I hope not.  The world of Welce is filled with many great possibilities for future stories and would be a great setting for a new series.

ACE Books published Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn in 2010.

I checked out Troubled Waters from the Rogers, AR Public Library.

Archangel and Quatrain by Sharon Shinn

Fantasy/Science Fiction Romance

I picked up both Archangel and Quatrain by Sharon Shinn on a recent trip to the library. I previously read one book in the Samaria series and all of the books in the Twelve Houses series.

Archangel is the first book in the Samaria series and Sharon Shinn has created an unusual world. When this world was settled the starship Jehovah stayed above the world. The world was populated with angels and ordinary mortal people. The world was to stay at peace and harmony. The angels with their wonderful singing voices were to guard the mortals, oracles were to guard the forbidden knowledge and Jehovah was to watch over all.

Hundreds of years have passed and all of that harmony is in danger. Jehovah has chosen Gabriel as the next archangel. The archangel’s mate or angelica must be a mortal and Jehovah has chosen Rachel. Rachel does not want the job, Raphael, the current archangel, does not want to step down, and many no longer believe in the power of Jehovah. Disaster and chaos are treating to destroy the world.

There is a wonderful flow to Archangel. Sharon Shinn takes the time to develop the characters, and build the world while keeping the story moving. Once I started reading I had trouble putting Archangel down.

Quatrain contains 4 four side stories from Sharon’s series. Flight was a wonderful side story set in the same time as Archangel. Flame is set in the world of the Twelve Houses. The other two are from series I have not read. This would be a good introduction to Sharon Shinn’s books and an interesting addition to existing novels.

ACE published Archangel in 1996 and Quatrain in 2009.

Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn

Romantic Fantasy

Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn is the fifth book in the Twelve Houses series and is my favorite. Sharon Shinn writes in a way that makes the reader care about her characters. It is like meeting old friends when characters reappear in each book. Fortune and Fate is about Wen a side character from the first four books. The main characters for pervious books re-appear and play a significant part in the story. Like the other books this is a love story. I love the series and hope that there will be additional books about the Twelve Houses. Reading this series is like a taking a long leisurely stroll with good friends while you catch up with what they have been doing for the last year or so. I am surprised it took me so long to discover books by Sharon Shinn.

Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn (www.sharonshinn.net/) was published by ACE (http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780441013036,00.html?Mystic_and_Rider_Sharon_Shinn) in 2008.

The books in the Twelve Houses series are:

Mystic and Rider – see my recommendation on March 23, 2009 (http://mixedbookbag.blogspot.com/2009/03/mystic-and-rider-by-sharon-shinn.html)
The Thirteenth House
Dark Moon Defender
Reader and Raelynx
Fortune and Fate

Mystic and Rider by Sharon Shinn

Fantasy

I talked in an earlier post about how much I had enjoyed hearing Sharon Shinn at two Science Fiction Conventions. At that time I had never read any of her books. I started with one of the books in her Archangels series and I just read Mystic and Rider the first book in her Twelve Houses series.

This promises to be a delightful series. Mystic and Rider sets the stage for additional books. The king has sent Senneth one of his mystics on a journey to find out what is causing the unrest in the Southern region of the kingdom of Gillengaria. Five others join Senneth on the journey. Justin and Tayse are King’s Riders, highborn Kirrea is a healer and shape shifter, lowborn Donnal is another shape shifter and Cammon is a young mystic they rescue at the beginning of the story. As they start on the journey there is a tension between the members of the group. Each new situation highlights their individual strengths and they start to operate as a strong team. They find new unrest and meet old enemies. I loved the characters and hope to meet them again in future volumes. The journey has adventure and suspense and builds a vivid picture of the kingdom of Gillengaria. The characters are well developed and their interaction lends texture and diversity to the story. The book can stand-alone but there are many unanswered question that leave room for future volumes.

Mystic and Rider was published by Ace in 2005. If you had not tried any of Sharon Shinn’s books Mystic and Rider is a good place to start.

Angel-Seeker by Sharon Shinn

Science Fiction/Fantasy Romance is in my Mixed Book Bag today.

I added Sharon Shinn to my list of authors to read after hearing her on panels at ARCON in 2007 and WORLDCON in 2008. If I had to use one word to convey my impression of Sharon it would be delightful. I hoped her books would match my impression of her personality.

I picked up Angel-Seeker on a recent trip to the library. It is the second novel in the Samaria series and the first Sharon Shinn book I have read. I was not disappointed. There is romance and adventure, well-developed characters, good world-building, and an engaging plot. There is a strong fantasy element with just the hint of Science Fiction. The people of Samaria know they arrived from somewhere else 500 years ago. There are humans, angels and Jovah. The angels are humans with wings who can sing to Jovah (fantasy) and bring down the things from the sky that humans and angels need (science fiction).

Angel-Seeker tells the story of two different women Elizabeth and Rebekah and the men they find to love. Their journeys are separate and difficult but in the end their paths intertwine.

While this is part of a series it reads well as a standalone. If you are looking for a new author pick up a Sharon Shinn book. I wasn’t disappointed and I don’t think you will be either. Angel-Seeker was published by ACE in 2004.