I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Hope you are all able to spend the holidays with your family and friends and that Santa brings you lots of books, e-readers, and more to help you ring in the New Year.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I’m going to take a break from blogging during the holidays. I know I have a lot going on (including some book deadlines) and so does everyone else.

I may do a few quick posts or some book reviews, but I’ll mostly be on hiatus from now until the end of the year. I’ll be back blogging on my regular Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule starting the first Monday in the New Year, Jan. 2.

Until then, hope everyone has a great holiday season. Stay safe and warm!

Finished Killing Rites by M.L.N. Hanover. This is the fourth book in The Black Sun’s Daughter urban fantasy series.

Jayné Heller has realized that her body is not her own and that there is a rider, or demon, living inside her. Despite the powers that the rider gives her, Jayné wants it out of her body. With her friend Ex, who is a former priest, Jayné goes to New Mexico in hopes that an exorcism will help her. But during the exorcism, Jayné discovers that there is something worse than her rider, something that is preying on others, something she will need her rider’s help to defeat …

I normally don’t like reading a series out of order, but I didn’t have any trouble following the plot or the backstory in this book. It was easy to figure out what was going on, and the information Hanover gave made me want to go back and check out the rest of the series.

Jayné is a likable character who’s done the best she can in some bad situations. I enjoyed her voice. Plus, the secondary characters were interesting as well.

One of the things I liked most about the book was the New Mexico setting. Hanover’s writing really brings the landscape to life and gives it a beautiful and almost sinister air that matches what’s going on in Jayné’s life. I thought that was really well done.

My only quibble would be that not much happens during the first half of the book. There’s a lot of talking between Jayné and the priests who are going to perform the exorcism on her, as well as some conversations between Jayné and her friends, but that’s about it. The action doesn’t really kick into gear until about halfway through the story. Also, there’s a prologue that doesn’t mesh all that well with the rest of the story.

Overall, this is an entertaining urban fantasy. If you’re looking for more urban fantasy to read, consider checking out this series.

My grade: C+

Would I read this author again: Yes. I liked the voice and characters, and I thought the world building was interesting.

Memorable quote: “So, Miss Jayné,” Father Chapin said, pronouncing my name correctly: zha-nay. Either he knew a little French or he’d been coached. “You believe you are … possessed?”

Finished Dreaming of the Wolf by Terry Spear. This paranormal romance is one of the books in her Werewolf series.

Alicia Greiston has become a bounty hunter to try and get justice for her mother, who was murdered by a mobster. She’s tracking the mobster when she meets Jake Silver. Jake is a photographer, but he’s also a werewolf who finds himself strangely attracted to Alicia. Soon, Jake becomes determined to help Alicia in her battle against the people who murdered her mother. But the mobsters have secrets of their own, and they are determined to make sure Alicia stays out of their way no matter what …

I thought this sounded like an interesting read, but the various elements didn’t quite gel for me. Alicia and Jake are both likable characters, and there’s a lot of action that drives the story forward at a fast pace.

However, the attraction between Alicia and Jake is pretty much instantaneous. She meets him, and she trusts him very quickly. This isn’t my favorite storyline, and I just didn’t find it to be all that believable, given what a dangerous mission Alicia is on. Also, it seems like Alicia goes from one bad situation to the next, and it’s only luck that gets her through them.

Also, there’s a lot going on in this book, from Alicia and Jake’s romance to the mobster element to Jake’s family and what’s going on in their and the pack’s lives.

Overall, this one didn’t work for me, but if you like books about werewolves, you might want to check it out.

My grade: F

Would I read this author again: Maybe. I enjoyed the action and fast pace of the book.

Memorable quote: “He wondered what the color of her eyes would be: smoky gray, chocolate brown to match her rich thick hair, misty green, oceanic blue — or something in between.”

Finished Carrie Goes Off the Map by Phillipa Ashley. This is a contemporary romance.

Carrie Brownhill is hurt and angry when her fiance abruptly ends their relationship. Even worse is when she finds out that he’s marrying another woman just a few months later. Carrie decides to go on a trip through the English countryside to clear her head and finds herself traveling with Matt Landor, a doctor who’s trying to come to terms with an accident that he was involved in. Carrie and Matt don’t exactly get along at first, but they eventually find themselves admiring and getting close to one another. But their trip has to come to an end sometime, and neither one knows what to do about their future …

I thought this sounded like an interesting read, and there were some things I enjoyed about it, including the characters and the overall voice. Plus, it’s set in England, and I always think it’s interesting to see the differences in the language and more between various countries.

However, the book, the characters, and the situations are pretty run of the mill. You know as soon as Carrie gets dumped that her ex is seeing someone else and that Carrie will find out about it in the worst way possible, which she does. Also, you know that she and Matt will fall for each other as the road trip goes along. Plus, the ending felt a bit hurried to me. I would have liked to have seen more of Carrie and Matt working out their problems together.

Overall, this one didn’t quite work for me, but if you enjoy books set in England, you might want to check it out.

My grade: D

Would I read this author again: Yes. I liked Ashley’s voice.

Memorable quote: “The edge of sarcasm in his voice made her hackles rise. This wasn’t the man she’d known for the past ten years, and it definitely wasn’t the one she was looking forward to marrying in two weeks’ time. This wasn’t her Huw. She tried to stay calm, hoping he’d cool down and sober up.”