The Christmas Phoenix - Patricia Kiyono

Title - The Christmas Phoenix

Author - Patricia Kiyono

Genre - Contemporary Romance

Date published - November 24th 2011

Publisher - Astraea Press

Format - Kinde Edition

Pages - 

Author's website - http://www.patriciakiyono.com/

Rating - 3 out of 5

Christmas is all about giving, about family and spending quality time together..and about new beginnings.

Jess' life is not easy. Being a single parent to her 14 year old son,after losing her husband means she is in charge about everything. This means working a lot just to put some food on the table. No wonder she feels exhausted, having two jobs, a teenage son and no partner to help her out.
Jake Thompson has just moved into the neighborhood, coming to this town so he would "heal" his wounds and recover from a disastrous relationship.
One can say, both Jess and Jake have been hurt enough in life. But Christmas is a time for miracles to happen. They both have been mourning and suffering for far too long.
Will they rise from ashes just like a phoenix?

This short and sweet story is not only about love, but about family as well. I really felt sorry for Jess and everything she's been through. She is a lovely mother, warm and caring. My heart was really breaking when I was reading certain parts of the book.
My only complaint would be that the story was too slow paced for my taste in the beginning. However, I enjoyed it! It really made me think of life, priorities, second chances, forgetting and forgiving.
Definitely would love to read more by Mrs Kiyono. 

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The Key - Felicia Rogers

Title - The Key

Author - Felicia Rogers

Genre - Paranormal, Young Adult

Date published  -    December 16th 2010

Publisher -  Solstice Publishing

Format - Kinde edition

Pages - 

Author's website - http://www.feliciarogersauthor.webs.com/

Rating - 3 out of 5

I want to thank the author and the R2R program for giving me a copy of this book.

Reviewing this book is really going to be hard for me. WHY?
If you check this book on Goodreads you will see it as part of a List BOOKS THAT GET YOU HOOKED. Well, I agree, this book got me hooked from the very first page, though I am not really sure why. Now don't go judging me, but I personally don't think the story is original, it did remind me a lot of TWILIGHT, and I did have some issues that bothered me a lot. But before explaining the WHY's for not thoroughly enjoying this book, let me say few words regarding the plot.

Maddie just moved to a new town to live with her grand-mother. She is a senior attending the local High School, and of course, she feels like an outcast. Everyone out there seems to belong to a group, or already has a lot of friends. Two months after her arrival, Chase Donovan, also a senior starts attending the same school. He seems to like her from the very first day, though he is not quite sure why. Dougal Lachlan is the weirdo, the creep that is constantly stalking Maddie, staring at her for hours and making her feel very uncomfortable. From the very first day he arrives at the school, Chase becomes Maddie's protector, getting even into a fight with the weird Dougal guy.
Why does he feel so over protective over a girl he'd just met?
Well sure, it could be love..but it could also be the fact that Maddie is THE KEY.
Gryphons, mythological creatures, nightmares, shifters and of course, romance..this book has it all.

And now I come to the part "why I rated this book 3/5?"
First thing that bothered me was the plot resemblance with some other paranormal books. I don't know, it just didn't feel the story was original (though there were Gryphons involved).
But what bothered me the most were the dialogues between Chase and Maddie, and some of the other reviewers seem to "see" this as a problem as well. Well, Chase and Maddie are supposed to be 18, but somehow I felt them as they were grown ups. What I love the most in YA books is the teenage spirit, behavior, problems, way they act when in love..well, in this book it seems like the characters were not developed in the right direction. They surely don't seem like teenagers to me (or am I just old fashioned? Hmmm) .
Despite the flows I think the book has, I did enjoy it, especially the first half of the book. The second part I found a bit slow paced.
So, do I recommend this book? Well...YES.
Would I read the sequel 'Mara's Secret'? Oh absolutely! 

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A Cornish Christmas - Nell Dixon

 Title - A Cornish Christmas

Author - Nell Dixon

Genre - Contemporary Romance

Date published  -   November 25th 2011

Publisher -  Astraea Press

Format - Kinde edition

Pages - 

Author's website - http://www.nelldixon.com/home.aspx

Rating - 3 out of 5

This is a short, yet sweet romance story about Meg and Adam. Meg is managing a clothingstore, while Adam is a part of a lifeboat crew and specializing to become a doctor. There are sparkles between them, yet Meg just doesn't allow Adam too near. Her father, a fisherman, drowned when she was a teenager, and she would really be crushed if she sees another man close to her heart lose the battle with the waves.

But Adam doesn't give up. His affection is just too pure and sincere to back up. Will he manage to win Meg's heart?

This is indeed a sweet Christmas story. I've been wanting to read something from Nell Dixon for quite some time now, and I am really grateful to the author for sending me a review copy of this sweet read. 

I could understand Meg and her fear to get into a relationship with Adam. And Adam..Oh he is really adorable, protective and warm person.

I really enjoyed this book. I am a big sucker for romance stories, especially Christmassy reads. Oh well, I am already feeling the Christmas Fever:)

It is a short and enjoyable read, the only problem I had with it was at times it appeared slow paced. However, I am really looking forward to reading another book from Nell, especially Renovation, Renovation, Renovation. Heard great comments about it.

So, my dear blog readers, if you are looking for a short yet sweet romance story, check it out. Get all cozy in your chair (or wherever it is you prefer to read), grab a blanket and a cup of hot choc and enjoy the Christmas magic.

Oh, and since today is the official release day, Congrats Nell! For all you romance lovers, grab your copy HERE

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Visions - Anna James

Title - Visions

Author - Anna James

Genre - Paranormal

Date published  -  June 11th 2011

Publisher -  Sugar and Spice Press

Format - e-book

Pages - 57

Author's website - http://annajames1.wordpress.com/

Rating - 3 out of 5

Pru Bailey has just found out that Laura Bailey isn't her birth mother, but her mother's relative that adopted her when she was 5 years old. She inherits a house by her real parents and is on her way from California to New England to see the house. But the house is haunted by the ghost of Jane Adams, her birth mother that was stabbed to death by her father. At least, that's what the rumors say and the police who didn't really have much evidence, except the fact that Mr Adams committed a suicide after. The logical explanation was that it was a crime of passion and the reason for it were their marriage problems.

However, Pru is suddenly having visions that will revel the mystery of her parents death.

I did enjoy this read, though it's a novella, and I rarely read novella's because I know I will have some issues mostly because they are too short and the author doesn't have the "space" to express him/herself. Yes, I had the same feeling with this novella too. It felt like the story would have been more interesting if there were more pages to it.
What bothered me the most is the romance element in this book. It just felt like it was added during editing..Let me explain, I didn't mind the romance scenes and I am not saying they are not well written, but somehow felt they were introduced too early. What I loved was the mystery and action element in the story, that's what made this novella interesting to me. It felt like watching and episode from "Ghost whisperer" and I love that series.
It is an easy and enjoyable read, and I would like to thank the author and the R2R program for giving me a copy.

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The Bringer - Samantha Towle

Title - The Bringer

Author - Samantha Towle

Genre - Paranormal, Paranormal Romance

Date published -   May 4th 2011

Publisher -  CreateSpace

Format - Paperback

Pages -236

Author's website - http://samanthatowle.blogspot.com/

Rating - 3 out of 5

"Are you an angel?"
"If I had a penny for every time I've been asked that, well not that pennies are of any use to me, but still. No. I'm not an angel. But I am the one who's here to take you to the angels."

Lucyna is a Bringer, someone who's job is to deliver humans to the door of Heaven. She can't feel..I mean, she is not entitled to feel sorrow, grief, pain. She does understand humans and their feelings, but actually can't sympathize with them and what they are going through while finding out they're dead and about to leave their loved ones. Yes, it's a difficult job, but that's the only thing Lucyna does.

But everything changes for her one day when she "meets" James. She is changed irreversibly!

Could it be she is actually starting to feel? Could it be she is starting to have emotions? Why does she feel she can't bear to be without James?

I did like this book, speaking generally, but since I am giving it 3/5 there must have been few things I didn't like.

Well for start, I really think the story was interesting, but I had difficulties in getting into it completely. Lucyna is confused, that I understand. And I perfectly understand what she is going through, and though I liked the descriptions of her inner turmoil, I think the author over emphasized it.

Another thing which I think this read is missing, though this is totally subjective, is more dialogue. It seemed to me that the author manipulates well the description and the psychology of her characters, but still I felt certain lack of dialogues, which could've made me enjoy this book more.

However it was an interesting book, and I am thankful for the opportunity I have been given to read it. Thank you PNR&UFF group on Goodreads and thank you Samantha for generously giving me a copy of this book.

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