Friday Memes: Bastion by Mercedes Lackey

Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I decided to end the year (I'm reading late in December but posting later on) by trying to finish up some series books that have been on my TBR mountain for a while. I chose Bastion by Mercedes Lackey which is the fifth book in the Valdemar: Collegium Chronicles. Here is the description of this book that has been on the stack since October 1, 2013:

Mags returns to the Collegium, but there are mixed feelings--his included--about him actually remaining there. No one doubts that he is and should be a Herald, but he is afraid that his mere presence is going to incite more danger right in the heart of Valdemar. The heads of the Collegia are afraid that coming back to his known haunt is going to give him less protection than if he went into hiding. Everyone decides that going elsewhere is the solution for now. So since he is going elsewhere--why not return to the place he was found in the first place and look for clues? And those who are closest to him, and might provide secondary targets, are going along. With Herald Jadrek, Herald Kylan (the Weaponsmaster's chosen successor), and his friends Bear, Lena, and Amily, they head for the Bastion, the hidden spot in the hills that had once been the headquarters of a powerful band of raiders that had held him and his parents prisoner. But what they find is not what anyone expected.

Beginning:

There it was, a city on a low, gentle hill, walls shining in the sunlight, houses clustered up against the outer and inner walls like chicks snuggling up to a gray hen.

Friday 56:

"There ain't a word for that," he said, when Seneson asked him for what seemed extremely odd to him, the word for games.

"Are you saying they don't have a word they use for that concept, or that they doen't have a word in their own language?" Seneson asked, looking up from his notes.

Book Review: Too Hot to Handle by Katie Rose

Too Hot to Handle
Author: Katie Rose
Series: The Boys of Summer (Book 2)
Publication: Loveswept (January 27, 2015)

Description: Katie Rose’s Boys of Summer series returns for a delicious double-header—with the story of total opposites who are drawn to each other like moths to a flame.

Nikki Case is no fan of baseball. Her ex gambled away a fortune on the sport, and now her PR firm has tasked her with cleaning up the league’s most notorious bad boys. The New Jersey Sonics are known for wild womanizing and booze-fueled brawls, so Nikki expects the worst. Her first stop in the battle to win hearts and minds is star hitter Jake Baldwin—a legendary ladies man so smokin’ he threatens to melt her tough-girl armor.

Although his teammates prank her without mercy, Jake admires the way Nikki gives as good as she gets. She may be the queen of frost, but there’s kindling beneath those sultry curves—and he’s just the man to ignite it. But when a PR nightmare lands the Sonics in headlines across the country, Nikki is ready to walk. Only then does Jake realize how important she is to the Sonics’ success—and that winning the love of a good woman is no game.

My Thoughts: The New Jersey Sonics have a bad reputation as a baseball team. They are known as hotheads and brawlers. So management hires a new gun - Nikki Case - to do PR and clean up their image. Nikki is building her career in PR after divorcing her gambling husband and finally cleaning up his debts. She doesn't know or care much about baseball but she likes the challenge.

Jake Baldwin is the team leader and star shortstop on the team. He is also a serial dater and avoids any hint of commitment. After Nikki makes some changes that really irritate the team, they make a bet that Jake can't get Nikki to fall in love with him. The stakes are a jersey number and a bigger locker. Jake lets his ego take over when he takes the bet. He certainly isn't expecting to be the one to fall for Nikki.

But Jake and Nikki are attracted to each other despite knowing that it isn't a good idea. Nikki's sister advises a no-strings affair and cautions Nikki to protect her heart. Nikki has every intention of doing so until she see that real Jake underneath the playboy exterior and can't resist him. Jake, in turn, is fascinated with the smart, funny, competent and confident woman that Nikki is. He finally comes to understand why he has been so reluctant to commit to any woman.

Of course, no romance can run smoothly. Besides the practical jokes the team plays on Nikki, any smart reader will know that the bet is going to sneak up and bite them. The writing was great and both main characters were interesting and well-rounded people. The sex scenes were spicy.

Fans of sports romance won't want to miss the Boys of Summer series.

Favorite Quote:

His eyes searched hers and saw they had softened. "You need to understand something. What happened tonight doesn't mean they don't like you. Men see the world differently than women. to you this was hurtful; to them it was just part of the game. In some ways, it's almost a compliment. They see you as an adversary, but an equal. Little by little you're wearing down their defenses." He helped himself to a bite of the pizza. "This is incredible."

Nikki nodded and for the first time really grinned. "Let's order another one."
I got this eARC from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Teaser Tuesday: Too Hot to Handle by Katie Rose

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 and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

The last thing she needed was a physical attraction to a guy who embodied everything she was determined to avoid.

This week my teaser comes from Too Hot to Handle by Katie Rose. I couldn't pass up a book with that cover. Besides, sports romances are my favorite kind of romances. Here is the description of this January 27 release:

Katie Rose’s Boys of Summer series returns for a delicious double-header—with the story of total opposites who are drawn to each other like moths to a flame.

Nikki Case is no fan of baseball. Her ex gambled away a fortune on the sport, and now her PR firm has tasked her with cleaning up the league’s most notorious bad boys. The New Jersey Sonics are known for wild womanizing and booze-fueled brawls, so Nikki expects the worst. Her first stop in the battle to win hearts and minds is star hitter Jake Baldwin—a legendary ladies man so smokin’ he threatens to melt her tough-girl armor.

Although his teammates prank her without mercy, Jake admires the way Nikki gives as good as she gets. She may be the queen of frost, but there’s kindling beneath those sultry curves—and he’s just the man to ignite it. But when a PR nightmare lands the Sonics in headlines across the country, Nikki is ready to walk. Only then does Jake realize how important she is to the Sonics’ success—and that winning the love of a good woman is no game.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Jan. 12, 2015)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Our first week back after Christmas Break was an interesting one. We had no school on Wednesday because it was too cold. Wind chills were more than 40 degrees below zero for most of the day. On Thursday, school was let out at noon because a blizzard was on the way. It lasted until Friday morning. We began school two hours late on Friday.

I was supposed to have my annual physical on Thursday afternoon but rescheduled. Hopefully, we won't have a blizzard on my new appointment date. 

We just have nine days left in the current semester. I am busy finishing things up with my students and getting ready to do quarter grades. There are lots of projects to finish with my fifth and third grade students.    

The extra time off did allow me to get more reading done than I can do in a normal week. I am working my way through my February review books and have just a few left.

Read Last Week

Bite Me by Shelly Laurenston was a funny paranormal romance with a main character who was a honey badger. My review will be posted on February 12.

Mars Evacuees by Sophia McDougall was a middle grade science fiction story about some kids sent to Mars to get away from the war with aliens happening on Earth. It was action-packed and had great characters. My review will be posted on February 12.

Trust No One by Jayne Ann Krentz was her latest romantic suspense title. She is going back to her vintage books in character and theme. The heroine is an optimistic, positive thinker and the hero is a rich cynic. The heroine is in danger and the hero comes to her rescue. It was entertaining. I liked the vibe between the hero and heroine. My review will be posted on January 22.

Closer to Home by Mercedes Lackey begins a new story arc on Valdemar but still follows the adventures of Mags and Amily. They are back home in Haven hoping for some peace but domestic issues - including a long-standing feud - keep them busy. My review will be posted on February 14.

Better Than Perfect by Melissa Kantor was a book from my review stack. It is a story of a girl who has to adjust when her "perfect" life falls apart. I thought it was engaging and very well written. My review will be posted on February 14.

Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King is the latest in her Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes novels. This mystery took us to Japan and Oxford in 1924 and 1925 as the pair gets involved in a blackmail scheme aimed at Crown Prince Hirohito. My review will be posted on February 19 for this February 24 release.

Currently

Stone in the Sky by Cecil Castellucci is an ARC from Macmillan. This young adult science fiction story is the sequel to Tin Star which I also read in an ARC version.

Next Week

Adult books on my stack to read this week include The Grendel Affair by Lisa Shearin from my TBR mountain and Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder and Vampires Never Cry Wolf by Sara Humphreys from my Review stack.

Both No Parking at the End Times by Bryan Bliss and The Secret Cipher by Whitaker Ringwald are from my YA review stack.

Reviews Posted

• The Hound at the Gate by Darby Karchut
• The Rule of Three: Fight for Power by Eric Walters
• Owl and the Japanese Circus by Kristi Charish
• Polaris by Mindee Arnett
• Night Shift by Nalini Singh et al.

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

• Inside of a Dog
• Ms. Martin Teaches Media No new YA books this week.

What are you planning for this week? Leave me a link and I'll be sure to stop by.

Stacking the Shelves (Jan. 11, 2015)

Tynga of Team Tynga's Reviews has a meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Visit her site to check out the linky and see what everyone gets. I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow. 

This week I added three new books.

I got Trace of Magic by Diana Pharaoh Francis for my Kindle this week. It was a daily deal.

I also got Cursed Moon by Jaye Wells in my actual mailbox. I have been collecting this series since I read another story about Kate Prospero.

Trust No One by Jayne Ann Krentz downloaded to my Kindle on Tuesday. I read it later in the week. I really enjoy all of Krentz's books but her romantic suspense titles are the ones I like the best.

What did you add to your stack?

Book Review: Night Shift by Nalini Singh et al.

Night Shift
Authors: Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Lisa Shearin, Milla Vane
Publication: Berkley (November 25, 2014)

Description: Four masters of urban fantasy and paranormal romance plunge readers into the dangerous, captivating world unearthed beyond the dark...

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh delivers a smoldering story with Secrets at Midnight, as the scent of Bastien Smith’s elusive lover ignites a possessiveness in him that’s as feral as it is ecstatic. And now that he’s found his mate, he’ll do anything to keep her.

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews’ novella, Magic Steals, when people start going missing, shapeshifting tigress Dali Harimau and jaguar shifter Jim Shrapshire must uncover the truth about the mysterious creatures responsible.

From Milla Vane—a warrior princess must tame The Beast of Blackmoor to earn a place among her people. But she quickly discovers that the beast isn't a monster, but a barbarian warrior who intends to do some taming himself.

It’s seer Makenna Frazier's first day on the job at Supernatural Protection and Investigations, and her first assignment is more than she bargained for when bodyguard duty for a leprechaun prince’s bachelor party goes every which way but right in national bestselling author Lisa Shearin’s Lucky Charms.

My Thoughts: I read three of the four stories in this anthology. The first was Secrets at Midnight by Nalini Singh and told the story of Bastien Smith finding his mate in kindergarten teacher Kirby who was raised human and in foster care and doesn't know that she is a shifter. I like Bastien's complete devotion to Kirby and Kirby's courage and determination not to be overrun by Bastien's more dominant personality.

I also liked Magic Steals by Ilona Andrews which was a story about Dali and Jim. It was told from Dali's point of view and gave me an entirely new appreciation for her.

I also read Lucky Charms by Lisa Shearin and liked it so much that I bought the novels in the SPI series. I loved the narrator's quirky viewpoint and her wonderful descriptions. I am also curious about what comes next for the characters.

After reading Lisa Shearin's story I wasn't able to get into The Beast of Blackmoor by Milla Vane. I wasn't ready for a switch to high fantasy after urban fantasy. I'll give this story a try another day.

All in all, this was an entertaining anthology. The high point for me was the introduction to an author I hadn't read who wrote the kind of stories I really like.

Favorite Quote (from Lucky Charms):

I'd seen werewolves before; I'd just never seen one carrying a massive .45 in a shoulder rig, and wearing fatigues and a T-shirt that read: "Don't run, you'll only die tired."

And if that wasn't enough—and it was plenty—he was big, somewhere between six foot seven and Sasquatch.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Night Shift by Nalini Singh et al.

Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

This week I am spotlighting Night Shift, an anthology with stories by Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Lisa Shearin and Milla Vane. I bought this one for my Kindle a while ago and have been waiting for a gap in my review calendar to fit it in. Here is the description from Amazon:

Four masters of urban fantasy and paranormal romance plunge readers into the dangerous, captivating world unearthed beyond the dark...

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh delivers a smoldering story with Secrets at Midnight, as the scent of Bastien Smith’s elusive lover ignites a possessiveness in him that’s as feral as it is ecstatic. And now that he’s found his mate, he’ll do anything to keep her.

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews’ novella, Magic Steals,when people start going missing, shapeshifting tigress Dali Harimau and jaguar shifter Jim Shrapshire must uncover the truth about the mysterious creatures responsible.

From Milla Vane—a warrior princess must tame The Beast of Blackmoor to earn a place among her people. But she quickly discovers that the beast isn't a monster, but a barbarian warrior who intends to do some taming himself.

It’s seer Makenna Frazier's first day on the job at Supernatural Protection and Investigations, and her first assignment is more than she bargained for when bodyguard duty for a leprechaun prince’s bachelor party goes every which way but right in national bestselling author Lisa Shearin’s Lucky Charms.

Beginning:

Bastien Smith knew he'd been suckered.

Friday 56: 

"I really need to strangle him. Surely, my folks wouldn't notice one less son."