Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness

I finally finished Time's Convert yesterday afternoon, after two weeks of reading a little bit, setting it down, then coming back to it. I wanted to take my time, and enjoy it, since I've been waiting some time to get back to the world of Diana and Matthew de Clermont.  

So I'll just blurt it all out: I enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away by it. 

There. I said it. 

Settling into this novel felt a bit like revisiting old friends, and I was pretty happy to be back with Diana and Matthew, and Ysabeau, and the whole world of the de Clermont vampire family. It was pretty great to see how Diana and Matthew are fairing as parents to Becca and Philip, their adorable twins--who are a mix of witch and vampire. Where their talents will lie, no one knows. And the rarity of these two little people (witches and vampires have never been able to have offspring, and normally avoid each other) means that there will come a day of reckoning for their parents and for both of them. That is an underlying tension in the novel, but I kept saying to myself "They're just babies, so there's plenty of time."  I suspect, and I hope, Deborah Harkness crafts a compelling tale of adult Becca and Philip.  

But, the big part of this story concerns Phoebe Taylor, a warmblood, and Marcus MacNeil, a vampire. They're in love, and were featured in the first three novels that make up the All Souls Trilogy. Now Phoebe has decided to become a vampire, so she can wed Marcus and live with him for, well, a very long time. It's not just a matter of biting someone, draining their blood, and bingo! vampire presto. There's a protocol to follow, and Phoebe and Marcus aren't allowed to see each other for 90 days after Phoebe has turned. After the 90 days, they reunite, and she officially claims Marcus as her mate. But within those 90 days, she has to learn how to move through the world as a vampire. There's a lot to learn, and it's not easy. 

Marcus stays with Diana and Matthew, who is his maker, and in vampire families, that makes Matthew Marcus' father, and Diana his step-mother. Another big chunk of the novel is about Marcus; who he was as a human, how he was turned by Matthew, and what he's done until present day. It's an interesting tale that centers on the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the horrible childhood Marcus had at the hands of an abusive and alcoholic father. You get to know Marcus very well, and follow him on his journey as a young vampire. He makes plenty of mistakes, and gets in trouble with his family over and over again. Much of what he does haunts him, and he is concerned when Phoebe does drink from him, she will be disgusted at his deep secrets. Cause when you're a vampire, when you drink blood, you see everything about that person--no secret is hidden. 

There really wasn't much tension in this novel, and that was good and bad. The trilogy was so damn good, in part because Diana and Matthew as a couple were so forbidden, and Diana was struggling to accept her family history as witches, and come into her own immense power. There was none of that in this story, which I kind of missed. But seeing Diana and Matthew as parents, and happily living their lives (as well as they can as de Clermont) was sweet. It was all enough to keep me turning pages, and enjoying what I read. But it wasn't OMG THIS IS SO GOOD I CAN'T STAND IT!

Thank you, Deborah Harkness for another peek into the wonderful world you created. I am ready for more!

Rating:  4/6 for the continuing tale of the de Clermont family, and their fascinating experiences living through some of history's most dramatic and legendary moments. 

Available in hardcover, audio, and ebook. 

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Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness

Yes, I Read a Romance: Between a Vamp and a Hard Place by Jessica Sims

When I was much younger, I read a lot of romances.  This was before vampires, combat warriors, and every paranormal creature around filled the shelves of romance sections in stores and libraries.  My romance reads consisted of cowboys, corporate millionaires, titled gentlemen, and Scottish hotties.  

I received a request to read and review this novel from Simon and Schuster and I thought, why not?  I could do with a fun, otherworldly romance.  I finished it in a few days (a nap and housework kept me from finishing it in one day), and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.  

I don't read many romances nowadays, and I don't have an answer as to why. There are romances for every taste, and I certainly could hand-sell them to customers without much effort.  Ask a few questions, know a few authors, and you can match people with the right romance.  Between a Vamp and a Hard Place is definitely for those who like contemporary, funny, hot romances with a vampire tossed in to make it that much better.  I've talked about my pet peeve of a bad cover, and I have to say this one shows Rand with a clean cut look.  Rand is a 600 year old vampire, and his hair is repeatedly described in the novel as "shaggy".  Let it be shaggy on the cover!!

Anyway.  To the story.  Lindsey and her friend Gemma live in Nebraska and are struggling to build an antique business.  They are super close friends who grew up together in a foster home and only have each other.  Gemma takes a chance and spends all their savings on an opportunity to clear out an old apartment in Venice.  They get first dibs on all the potential antiques.  It could be a disaster, or a money-maker.  They travel to Venice, and begin working through the apartment.  It's a mess.  Filled with boxes and boxes of stuff.  Lindsey spots a picture above a piece of furniture, tries to grab it, and ends up losing it behind the furniture.  Her fumbling around leads to the discovery of a hidden passage behind the wall.  Lindsey and Gemma follow the stairs down a damp passageway, and into a room that is filled with a whole lot of antiques that could potentially save their business.  

And guess what else?  Yep.  A coffin.  Lindsey creeps down at night to see the coffin, and bravely pries open the lid, thinking for sure it's either empty or full of more antiques.  What she finds is Sir Rand FitzWulf.  And of course he's a hottie.  Rand has no idea he's been sleeping for hundreds of years, and has no idea why anyone would stake him. Yes, he was staked.  It doesn't kill a vampire, but puts them into a sleep from which they can't awaken.  Lop off their head, and they're dust.  Remove the stake, and they wake up.  

Lindsey is pretty calm about all of this.  Gemma thinks it's pretty cool.  Rand only knows that he's got the hots for Lindsey, and he must find whomever tried to end his life centuries before.  The Dragon is Rand's mysterious leader, and one evil dude.  Can Rand find him and end it all before The Dragon ends Rand?  

This was a fun, fun, book.  Gemma swears like a sailor, and Lindsey alternates between tough girl and a woman with a serious case of lust.  I've read a few reviews that say Rand is so controlling and manipulative.  Seriously people.  He's a 600 year old vampire, with vampiric powers, and was a warlord living during the crusades. Heck yes he is controlling.  You can't make a 600 year old man act like a modern man.  I found him charming, myself.  There are quite a few sex scenes that use pretty specific language, so you are warned.  If you like your romances with lots of fade-outs, be forewarned this one has none of that.  I had to laugh out loud at the line uttered by Lindsey: "He's a shower, not a grower."  First time I've ever read that in a romance. 

So yes, sometime this year, grab a romance and read it.  Pure utter fun.  I liked the story line, the characters, and the conclusion.  The cover, however, could use a bit of tweaking.  

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the ARC.  

Rating:  7/10 for a romance full of hotness, a tough yet vulnerable hero, and a feisty heroine.  The cover art, however, doesn't fit the characters.  But don't let that stop you from enjoying the story.

Available in paperback and e-book.

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Yes, I Read a Romance: Between a Vamp and a Hard Place by Jessica Sims

Midnight Crossing by Charlaine Harris

I've been a fan of Charlaine Harris since reading her first Sookie Stackhouse book so long ago!  I am happy to see a new series from Charlaine.  I must confess I have a love/hate relationship with series.  I'll usually read the first 4-5 books, then I lose interest and stop reading them.  Gee, this has happened with Jim Butcher, Laurel K. Hamilton, Patricia Cornwell, and yes, even Charlaine Harris.  I got tired of Sookie.  I didn't read the last three books in that series.  

Here's my internal dialogue while reading Midnight Crossing:  "Can't wait!  This is interesting…..wait, this is slow….okay, getting better….now I'm halfway finished and I should just stop….no,  I'm liking it again….it's getting interesting again….holy crap!  What?!  Alright, that was a pretty good ending."

I've read a lot of books where I make myself finish it because there's just something about the novel that doesn't allow me to put it down and walk away; but at the same time, it's not one I breathlessly devour. This was one of those novels.  The cast of characters in Midnight, Texas are quirky, secretive people who have settled in Midnight for one reason or another.  We don't know.  That's what a series is for--slowly evolving story lines that arc over a number of books.  Charlaine leaves enough mystery to keep you reading, and more than enough at the end to leave you ready to read book number two.  

So who are the people of Midnight?  There's Bobo, who runs the pawnshop.  Fiji, the local witch who runs  a  new age store out of her living room; Chuy and  Joe run an antique store/nail salon, and Manfred, the latest edition to Midnight. He's settled in to run his psychic hotline.  There are more characters, and you'll come to know them as they all try to protect Bobo from his grandfather's legendary "treasure" and the militants who are out to find it--and willing to hurt anyone who stands in their way.  

If you've read Charlaine Harris before--either her Sookie books, or her two mystery series, you'll soon slip into a familiar rhythm and happily settle down to discovering Midnight.  I read a review that said Bobo is part of her Shakespeare mystery series, and Manfred also features in her mysteries.  I haven't read her mysteries, so I'll take their word for it.  *Sigh*  Yet another addition to my UTBR list.  Yes, I call it my "Unending To Be Read" list.  It is currently long enough to circle the earth at least twice.  

Should you read Charlaine's newest novel?  I say yes!  I love her characters.  It's quirky enough that you just don't know what to expect, and anything could happen.  It's not bloody, it's not over the top supernatural; it's just an entertaining read.  There were a few dips in action, and I got through them.  It is slow paced, but in a good way.  Enjoy your trip to Midnight.

Rating:  7/10 for a brand new series from Charlaine Harris.  Her characters will soon wiggle their way into your imagination.  And a bang up surprise ending. 

Available in hardcover, e-book, and audio.

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Midnight Crossing by Charlaine Harris

This Vampire Doesn't Look Like Alexander Skarsgard!

Eternity as a chunky 15 year old? That really sucks!

Fat Vampire by Adam Rex is a teen book about Doug, a fifteen year old high school student nicknamed "meatball" (because he used to smell like garlic as a child) who's been turned into a vampire in the Poconos.

Doug isn't very happy as a vampire--even on a diet of cow blood, he still can't lose any weight, and he doesn't feel very vampiric.  He has to wear a poncho out to school so he doesn't get burned, and he still has to wear glasses.  Sometimes he turns into a bat, but has no idea how and can't do it on command.  What a rough after life!

This book starts out very funny--some of the lines require reading out loud.  Doug and his best friend Jay are just trying to figure out how to get through each day.  A lousy sensational vampire hunter show has seen  security  camera footage of Doug trying to suck blood out of a panda (you must read this part!) and is convinced they've finally found a bona fide vampire--they are on the chase to find Doug.  They're both a couple of door knobs.

The first part of the book is very enjoyable, and Doug soon falls for an Indian exchange student with a mysterious internet past.  She's a bit reserved, and you just don't know if they will hit it off.  The second part of the book takes a more serious tone; I wasn't very happy with the rest of the novel.  Doug is likable in the beginning, but I found myself annoyed with him and his changing attitude.  He became unlikable and distant from Jay.

So read it and see what you think of the end.  I wasn't too thrilled with the end and a bit confused, too.  What I did like about this teen novel is that it's about a teen boy vampire, and not one that's a gorgeous perfect football player vampire.  It will appeal to boys and girls.  There are some absolutely hysterical scenes and lines, and that's what I missed in the last half of the book.  But, there's enough to keep you reading, and certainly will get you talking to your friends about it.

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This Vampire Doesn't Look Like Alexander Skarsgard!