Keri Arthur: Moon Sworn

I feel a bit bad that all I do lately is talk about books when I started my blog because of perfumes but I need to get these books off my chest and in the mean time, I am smelling many different things and will talk about them soon, I promise.

I was a fan of Keri Arthur even before her Riley series kicked off. This is the last book in the series (for a change, it seems most series these days go on indefinitely).

At the beginning of the book, I got a bit scared that this might veer in the wrong direction than what I anticipated from Riley books. The last one ended when Riley had to kill her soul mate (which is really bad for a werewolf since you only get one per life). Even though she is half vampire, half werewolf, it almost killed her and we get into Moon Sworn reading a lot about how she is questioning everything about her life and should be grateful for Quinn but her soul is shattered and so on and on. You see why I got a bit scared?

Anyway, the plot suddenly gets transported into action and that's when things start to get interesting.
Even though the book kept my interest, I got the feeling it lacked more meat concerning the story itself. It was kind of flat. It feels like previous Riley books weren't so easily predicted as this one.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, it just didn't live up to my expectations which Keri Arthur raised herself. I saw a lot of reviews saying how great this book was and if you enjoyed the rest of the series, this one will fit nicely. I just wonder is it me or did anyone else feel like this?


Pic by: www.keriarthur.com

Wow: Keri Arthur, Riley Jenson series

Whew! I'm reallyy glad the latest book from the series Bound to Shadows is behind me. I made a mistake of reading Keri Arthur's site where she said that some people are not happy with the way things turned out. Since I already had some questions regarding ends of Riley's novels when the series started, I though, Oh shit, what happens now?! I mean I kept thinking (and reading) in the novels that Fate has it in for Riley. And she really does. I do hope Keri Arthur plans to make it up to her (Riley) at some point.

Btw, I wonder how come Riley has two different surnames? Up to now I wasn't sure I remembered it correctly each time as Jenson or Jensen (and now, every book listed by Amazon has it as Jensen even though the book cover they have is the same as mine ) but on my copy of the book it's Riley Jenson and on Arthur's site it is Jenson everywhere. Strange...

Anyway, on to the book. Riley is a Guardian which means she works for an organization that keeps order among non-human populations (she herself is a dhampire - half werewolf half vampire). And she is one hot dhampire. :) She's been having problems of different kind all through the novels, one of which is her love life which seemed relatively fine (finally) until this book came along. I don't want to give any spoilers to people who haven't read and might give it a try, but the love of Riley's life is a vampire (he has her heart), but as she is half werewolf as well, it means she is bound to have a soulmate as well. Which is a problem if your heart wants one guy and your soul yearns for someone else. While chasing bad guys around. :)

After reading the book, I can say I'm not one of those who is unhappy with the way things turned out. I was totally scared it might end differently in a way that I wouldn't like. For me, it's exactly as it should be, I for one can't imagine it ending differently. I'm not sure how many books are there going to be in the series but I for one am voting to give Riley some slack. :) Please?

Picture by: www.keriarthur.com

Books and the sun

After spending Labour day not working, it's back to the work routine this week. Which I don't find so bad because I managed to truly rest body and soul, body by laying in the sun and mind by reading. Last week I was starting to get worried because I no longer felt the need to read anything (that is a terribly worrisome state for me because it signifies sth is very wrong since I read to relax and I do it all the time). And from all the things I can choose from (having quite a lot of books in my room) nothing seemed interesting. So, I was saved when I got a call from Algoritam last week that some of my ordered books have arrived and having a long weekend to read them. :)

I finally got my hands on Deadly desire by Keri Arthur (Riley Jensen series, book 7) and I liked the fact that Riley's love life got complicated (again) but in this book she managed to keep the one relationship (I'm keeping my fingers crossed to survive the next books), living. We'll see what happens in the next Riley installment that should be out sometime in October I believe.

I also got my hands on another of Mary Balogh's historical romance, Simply perfect. The moral of the story is you're not too old to find love when you're 35 and a spinster school teacher. lol :) And good clothes and hats, a positive outlook on life, some strength of character and a good hair-dressing maid are what is needed to transform a non-descript woman into someone of beauty. Sounds familiar?

The third book I'm only halfway through is First king of Shannara by Terry Brooks. Usually I'm scared of starting to read fantasy series because when they are good I can't stop and I do have everyday obligations that cannot be put aside just because I can't stop reading. :) You wouldn't believe how often I am faced with that problem... I first came into contact with TB when reading his Genesis of Shannara trilogy and I loved it. He writes somewhat differently from most of other fantasy writers I read (similar to Raymond Feist) in the manner that the story proceeds fast and you do not follow every day occurences through the book (that sometimes makes me lose interest which almost happened with Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series). Anyway, this is just a prequel, so what follows is another good trilogy for which I will somehow have to pace myself and read it as I usually read.

Regarding sniffing during the weekend, I didn't do much of that - sun cream being the reason (smells too strong to get a good feeling what something else might smell like). I did try Cococabana by PdN after reading Abigail's post on it. I thought I'd get more coconut from it but I don't think that detracts anything from the loveliness of this. I was trying to figure out which note is the one that smells similar to sth in Eau Turquoise which displays it more prominently and which is why I cannot bear to wear it, but I was unsuccessful. Smells aquatically-sweet and it's an understatement when I say aquatic is not my thing. :)

I did finally get my hands on some of Andy Tauer samples and I look forward to smelling them more conscientiously. I kept smelling Reverie en jardin and thinking something here smells so familiar but unfortunately, couldn't figure it out. Like I said, they deserve more of my time. :)

Image: www.fantasticfiction.co.uk

Weekend reading

Yesterday I was celebrating the start of spring with some perfumes. Today I'll talk about the books I've read over the weekend. I finished the White witch, Black curse by Kim Harrison and read also the Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward.
The way Kim's White witch ended, I'd say we are going to be seeing more of Rachel in the future. :) Good to know. It was good as usual, but it got me thinking. I cannot get into characters' heads and I can't predict what they are going to say or how they are going to act or why they do what they do. By that I don't mean to imply that Harrison is doing it badly, but quite contrary. Those are witches, vampires and pixies and the bottom line is that they are different from humans. So, I actually think she did a good job making it hard for me as a human to get their motivations completely. Well, that is my explanation anyway. :)
REgarding, JR Ward, her Black Dagger brotherhood has already reached its 7. installment (to come out later this month) and it is in my opinion in the same category as Keri Arthur, L. Hamilton and Kresley Cole but in a way darker. More violence, more deaths and more tragedy. Although I read only to relax (that is my anti-stress therapy) I like her books because they feel more real in a way (OK, I know we're talking about vampires, but still). The thing is, real life is unfortunately full of tragedy and she somehow makes it more real than the rest. For her books, I have to be in a right state of mind while for the others, I simply take them and read them. Both scenarios are fine with me. :)
And to end this with a sketch from my morning life which proves I do not function in the morning. One of my favorite shops Martimex, has a special Easter promotion, you buy 2 perfumes and you get them 50% off (of course, this is only valid for a part of their offer, but that didn't stop me from finding something). :) anyway, they gave me samples, and instead of using one of those I bought, I decided to spritz on the sample of Guerlain Insolence, thinking I might not have been right when I remembered it as definitely not for me amd reading the notes on the card. Which just proves that I cannot think early in the morning. I was right that first time and I'm never repeating this experience with any new sample I get even if it seems fine after reading thenotes. One good thing though, I was instantly awake. :) Beats me, but I have no idea where those read berries are in this because all I get is some powdery awful thing that I detest (guess it could be iris)...

Photo: spring across the street (mine)