Since I’m a convert to the Dresden Files, I thought I would post reviews of the books. Watch for me to post one every couple of weeks or so. First up, the first book in the series: Storm Front.

Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things—and most of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a—well, whatever.

There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get . . . interesting.

Magic. It can get a guy killed.

Storm Front is the first book in the series, but it’s actually the second one I read. Why? Because the bookstore didn’t have any copies, so I picked up book two. Once I read that, I went to the library to check out Storm Front.

This book introduces the world of Harry Dresden, a place where wizards mess up electronics and consult with talking skulls. Actually, Bob isn’t a skull, he’s a spirit of air who resides in a skull. And he’s hilarious: “Harry, what you know about women, I could juggle.”

Which reminds me. One thing that makes these books stand out for me is the humor. Storm Front includes gems like:

I liked my odds on the stairwell a lot better than I did in the cramped confines of the elevator.

Paranoid? Probably. But just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that there isn’t an invisible demon about to eat your face.

and

I blew it [the door] out, rather than in. Pieces blew toward me and bounced off the shield of air I held in front of me, while others rained back behind me, into the parking lot. It wouldn’t do to injure a bunch of innocent diners on the other side. You only get one chance to make a first impression.

Storm Front introduces some key secondary characters—Murphy and Marcone—tells an engaging story, and includes a solid mystery: 4 out of 5.

Last weekend I read Gena Showalter’s Savor Me Slowly, and realized this installment of the Alien Huntress series is in mass market while I have copies of the two previous ones in trade size.

Publishers, take note: I want matched sets.

I know it’s asking for a lot. And I know my plea will go unheard. Money rules everything, after all. And I’m sure publishers don’t care that I put mass-market books on one bookshelf and hardcovers/trade paperbacks on another. And that I like to put books in a series together.

But someone out there sympathizes with me, right?

I’ve got a serious jones for contemporary romance, and it’s led me to read several romantic suspense novels. Hey, I’ll take what I can get. I was intrigued by the cover and blurb for Laura Griffin’s One Wrong Step.

She never planned to get involved with her ex again, especially not in his murder. . . .

But that’s just what happens when Celie Wells has an encounter with her former husband, and he turns up dead an hour later. Now, after working hard to distance herself from his crooked ways and shady connections, she finds she’s smack dab in the middle of his murder investigation. And it isn’t just the police who have their eye on her, but an enraged drug lord who is seeking payback.

The only person who seems to be on her side is old acquaintance John McAllister. But the sexy reporter has a nose for news, as well as a reputation as a playboy. Is he helping Celie out because he wants a story . . . or a one-night stand? She knows John’s interest is potentially hazardous to her heart. But not accepting his help could put her life at even greater risk—and she can’t afford one wrong step.

One Wrong Step is a quick read, one that kept me turning pages. John and Celie are fully realized characters, and I like the way Celie’s history is revealed slowly. John is a good match for her; I admired his stubbornness and his resolve to help Celie. It’s easy to see why she finds him so attractive.

One stylistic choice kept me from enjoying the book more. A scene would build to a certain point, then the action would shift to another scene. Then, the conclusion of the first scene would be revealed in hindsight. An example: Celie’s ex-husband shows up at her house and he asks for money. Cut to a new scene. Later, we find out how the first scene played out. Here’s another example: John is at Celie’s house, and he opens the medicine cabinet. Cut. The reader doesn’t know what he saw there until a later scene.

This technique kept me interested in the story—I wanted to know what happened next—but it also created an emotional distance. I didn’t get to see how a character reacts in the moment it happens. Instead, it’s discussed or thought about later. This works fine for some scenes, but with others it left me wanting more. I’m curious about whether this is Griffin’s usual style or if it’s one she only used for this novel.

One Wrong Step: 3 out of 5.

When I read books, I either like them or dislike them. Sometimes, I’ll have a “meh” reaction, but the books that linger in my memory do so because I feel strongly about them one way or another. Shana Galen’s No Man’s Bride was a unique reading experience: I had strong feelings of both like and dislike.

Catherine Fullbright has vowed never to marry. Growing up with a disreputable father, she witnessed male behavior at its very worst. Unfortunately her ambitious parent refuses to marry off Catie’s pretty, pliable younger sister until the elder is wed—and his underhanded scheming comes to a head when Catie finds herself standing at the altar with her sister’s fiancé.

To achieve his ambitions, Quint Childers, Lord Valentine, needs a wife—some charming, gracious lovely to play the perfect hostess . . . certainly not a brash, stubborn hellion like Catherine Fullbright. Why, then, is he mesmerized by the fiery chit? And when an old man’s deception puts Catie in Quint’s bed, why does the prospect of their union excite the handsome lord so? Winning the remarkable lady’s love will be a trial—she doesn’t even like him! Still, is that a glint of desire he sees flashing in those exquisite hazel eyes?

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a sucker for a plot about someone who falls for a sibling’s fiancé. I don’t know why I find it so appealing, but it’s one of those plots I enjoy. So when I was rearranging my TBR books after my RWA haul, I set this book aside to read instead of shelving it.

A hundred or so pages into No Man’s Bride, and I wasn’t sure I would finish. In the space of those pages, the heroine had tied up her (admittedly bratty) sister in the garden at a ball, married the hero in a drugged stupor, and stormed out of the house the day after her wedding wearing only a sheet. I wasn’t sure the story would or could improve, but I kept reading, as if the story was a calamity I couldn’t look away from.

Then the story took a surprising turn. Once the hero and heroine retire to the country, a charming romance blossoms between them. It was sweet to see Catie’s opinion shift from skepticism to trust. I truly enjoyed watching this transformation.

Then they return to town, and the drama continues . . .

So while I didn’t exactly enjoy the first part of the story, I did keep reading, and that counts for something. Plus it’s got a great middle section. No Man’s Bride: 2.5 out of 5.

For this month’s TBR Day, I chose Christine Warren’s Wolf at the Door, a 2006 release I’ve had since then. I’ve been trying to read it for the past two months, and I recently finished it.

Sullivan Quinn didn’t travel 3,000 miles from his native Ireland and his wolf pack just to chase rabidly after the most delectable quarry he’s ever seen. Quinn is in America on a mission—to warn his Other brethren of a shadowy group willing to use murder and mayhem to bring them down. But one whiff of this Foxwoman’s delicious honeysuckle fragrance and he knows that she is more than a colleague or a conquest . . . she is his mate.

Anthropologist Cassidy Poe is a world-renowned authority on social interaction, but the overpowering desire she feels around Quinn defies every ounce of her expertise. Working by his side to uncover The Others’ enemies poses risks she never expected—to her own safety, to those she loves, and to her heart, as every encounter with Quinn proves more blissfully erotic than the last . . .

Now, with no one to trust but each other, Quinn and Cassidy face a foe that’s edging closer every day, threatening to destroy the life they’ve always known, and the passion they’ve just discovered . . .

Wolf at the Door is one of those books where I read a chapter and put it down. Read another chapter, put it down. Repeat. I made a bit more headway once I got a third of the way through the story, but I still found it a little too easy to set aside for something else.

I liked Cassidy quite a bit, and their first night (and day) together is quite passionately described. Warren knows her way around a love scene, that’s for sure. And I enjoyed the fact that Cassidy isn’t the disconnected heroine often seen in romances. She is close to family members and friends.

Though I liked Sullivan, I wasn’t as fond of the soulmate theme. One smell and he’s hooked. By the end of the book, I believed there was a real connection between them, but the familiar plot element isn’t one of my favorites.

Overall, this was a good book. Not especially memorable for me, but still nice: 3 out of 5.

The next book in the series is She’s No Faerie Princess. I’m going to read it; with a title like that, how can I resist?

No Control is Shannon K. Butcher’s second book. It’s even better than the first.

Lana Hancock knows all about danger—and betrayal. Eighteen months ago, she was captured by a terrorist group known as the Swarm while one of its members, a rugged man with sinfully dark eyes, dd nothing to help her. Now, when she’s freed and desperate to put it all behind her, the unthinkable happens. The Swarm is targeting Lana once again and the man who stood silently by has become her protector. But can she trust him?

Delta Force operative Caleb Stone will never forget the hatred shining in Lana’s eyes. Ordered to take down the Swarm by infiltrating its ranks, Caleb couldn’t blow his cover to save her—no matter how much it haunted him. Now, gifted with a second chance, he vows to move heaven and earth to protect her . . . and fulfill her every desire. But the Swarm has reorganized. It’s more powerful than ever and hell-bent on revenge . . .

No Control reminds me of the TV series La Femme Nikita. In a good way. It’s edgy, and the conflict between Lana and Caleb is no simple one. I appreciate the way this is presented. If Caleb had helped Lana, he would not have been able to shut down the Swarm as much as he did. But the choice wasn’t easy, and it weighs on Caleb throughout the story.

It’s to Butcher’s credit that she starts with this seemingly impossible obstacle to a relationship between Caleb and Lana and somehow makes it work. I liked both characters very much, and the story gripped me from the first paragraph:

Lana Hancock prayed for a swift death. The hood over her head made it hard to breathe, as did the smell of her friends’ bodies. Through a tiny slit in her hood that her captors didn’t know was there, she could see Bethany’s lifeless eyes staring at her.

The prologue is extremely effective and makes Lana immediately sympathetic. She reacts as you might expect when Caleb returns to her life but gradually comes to trust him. The process is slow and realistic.

Caleb is fantastic, definitely a man who wants to do the right thing. He’s made tough choices and lived with the consequences, but not without regrets. He’s a compelling, charismatic hero.

One thing did frustrate me. Lana doesn’t reveal what she knows to Caleb until well after the situation reaches a crisis point. Her lack of trust is somewhat understandable, but her hope that keeping silent will protect her and her loved ones stretches credulity. Despite this irritation, the story and the characters kept me engaged.

No Control: 4.5 out of 5.

Larissa Ione’s Pleasure Unbound is another one of the books I read while in San Francisco. While I liked Riding the Storm, which she wrote as part of the Sydney Croft team, I loved everything about Pleasure Unbound. To put it simply: paranormal romance doesn’t get much better than this: 5 out of 5.

She’s a demon-slayer who hungers for sensual pleasure—but fears it will always be denied her. Until Tayla Mancuso lands in a hospital run by demons in disguise, and the head doctor, Eidolon, makes her body burn with unslakable desire. But to prove her ultimate loyalty to her peers, she must betray the surgeon who saved her life.

Eidolon cannot resist this fiery, dangerous woman who fills him with both rage and passion. Not only is she his avowed enemy, but she could very well be the hunter who has been preying upon his people. Torn between his need for the truth and his desire to find his perfect mate before a horrific transformation claims him forever, Eidolon will dare the unthinkable—and let Tayla possess him, body and soul . . .

Pleasure Unbound has it all: awesome characters, energetic sex, a very real conflict, explosive sex, pacing that kept me turning the pages, and did I mention the sex? Though the story is definitely steamy, the sex never overwhelms the story.

Speaking of the story, I loved it. The premise is original, the world-building fantastic. I dragged this book with me everywhere I went for the few days it took me to read it. Lunch, dinner, my San Francisco movie tour, you name it.

Regular visitors of my blog know that I don’t always enjoy secondary plotlines. With this book, I enjoyed the secondary characters and became invested in their lives. Ione sets up several characters I not only liked reading about, but can’t wait to read more about.

The Demonica series is one I’m sure to follow. The next one is scheduled for March 2009. (Is it March yet? Damn it. The wait may kill me.)

I’m a longtime reader of Vicki Lewis Thompson. She’s written many of my favorite series romances: After Hours, Old Enough to Know Better, The Nights Before Christmas, and more. I keep trying her single titles hoping to feel the same magic (pun intended), and such was the case with Overhexed. Though it’s a quick read, Overhexed lacks the snappiness (is that a word?) and emotion of my favorite series books: 3 out of 5.

Banished. Until their unconventional techniques landed them in hot water, Dorcas and Ambrose were the matchmaking sex therapists for lovelorn witches and wizards. The Grand High Wizard has exiled them to the very conventional and unmagical town of Big Knob, Indiana, Pop. 947. But that doesn’t mean they’ve given up matchmaking . . .

Now they’re doing it for mere mortals—although all agree: Sean Madigan is something of a god. Because he’s tired of being the town sex object, Dorcas and Ambrose strip him of his appeal and then introduce him to his destiny, Maggie Grady. This time winning a girl’s heart won’t be so easy for Sean. It means rediscovering the charms buried beneath a gorgeous surface.

Thompson starts with a unique idea: a reverse makeover. Unlike most makeovers, this time the hero is the one on the receiving end. And I loved the way Sean falls almost instantly for Maggie, who is not conventionally beautiful.

However, the makeover goes a bit too far for my tastes; even Sean’s package is affected, which put me off just a tad. Humor is subjective, I know, but this didn’t quite work for me. Maybe because I cringed to think how this would work if a woman had received this “makeover.”

I did enjoy some of the dialogue, such as when Sean tries to impress Maggie by telling her about a sex bench he’s building.

Ambrose and Dorcas play a significant role in the story. This is OK, but I always found myself wanting to get back to the main romance.

I’ll keep trying with Thompson’s single titles, but I hope she’ll write more books for Harlequin. Pretty please, another Blaze or ten?

When I saw Michelle Rowen at the RWA Grand Central publisher signing, the conversation went something like this.

Me: Hey, I finished Countdown. I just loved it!
Michelle: Didn’t you just buy it? Yesterday?
Me: Yes.
Michelle: And you finished it already?
Me: Yep. Couldn’t put it down.

And that basically summarizes my experience reading Michelle Maddox’s (AKA Michelle Rowen) Countdown: 4.5 out of 5.

Three
Kira Jordan wakes up in a pitch-black room handcuffed to a metal wall. She has 60 seconds to escape. Thus begins a vicious game where to lose is to die.

Two
The man she’s been partnered with—her only ally in this nightmare—is a convicted mass murderer. But if he’s so violent, why does he protect her? And stranger still, what is it behind those sea-green eyes that makes her want to protect him?

One
No one to trust. Nowhere to run. And the only hope of survival is working together to beat the Countdown.

The back cover blurb offers a good glimpse into the book, but it’s just that: a glimpse. It doesn’t fully convey how fast-paced the story is, how well developed the characters are and how much you come to care about them. It doesn’t encapsulate how unique the story is.

I couldn’t put it down. Really, what else do I need to say?

If there’s a misstep, it’s that one thing is especially coincidental. To avoid spoilers, I won’t say what, but it seemed unlikely at first. Then I accepted it and continued with the story.

If you like a little unique with your paranormal, you’ll like Countdown.

The literacy signing is definitely one of the highlights of the RWA conference for me. I love the chance to see authors and readers I only see once a year. It’s always fun! The signing started at 5:30, and I made my way to the conference hotel around 4:45. There was already quite a line of people waiting to get in.

At 5:30, the doors opened, and we were off. I made my way inside and started down the aisles. My first stop was Julia Quinn’s table. I picked up a book there and tried to get a picture taken. It didn’t work out; the woman who took it didn’t actually take it. LOL! Anyway, I mentioned that I would be at an upcoming signing in October, so we’ll get a picture there.

My next stop was HelenKay Dimon’s table. I bought her latest book, and her husband took a picture which you can see here. I love that he attends signings with her. We got him to take a picture with my camera as well.

I continued down the row to Sylvia Day, where I bought Don’t Tempt Me. She advised me to attend the TOR signing to pick up a copy of her upcoming book, and I made a note to do so.

Then I went to see Larissa Ione and snagged a book from her. Didn’t take a picture, though. Not sure why, since this was a camera-happy trip. Next time.

Marjorie Liu was my next stop, where I bought The Wild Road (gorgeous cover!) and got a picture.

Next I stopped at Michelle Maddox’s (AKA Michelle Rowen) table, where I bought Countdown. I’ve heard terrific things about it, and I started reading it that night. (Watch for a review soon.)

Then I made my traditional stops in the “S” section to see Gena Showalter, Nalini Singh, and Linnea Sinclair. It was nice to chat with each of them for a minute.

After wandering down all of the aisles, I decided to wait in line for Suzanne Brockmann and Nora Roberts. I have to get my annual pic with Nora, after all. Brockmann signed a copy of her latest booklet, and Nora signed my copy of the Midnight Bayou audiobook.

I bumped into many familiar faces—Angela James, KristieJ, Megan Frampton, and Wendy. (My apologies to anyone I left out; it was a hectic day.) It was great to see everyone.

Here’s my haul:

Jenna Black: Hungers of the Heart
Sylvia Day: Don’t Tempt Me
HelenKay Dimon: Hard As Nails
Larissa Ione: Secrets Volume 21
Marjorie M. Liu: The Wild Road
Michelle Maddox: Countdown
Julia Quinn: The Lost Duke of Wyndham
Gena Showalter: Savor Me Slowly
Linnea Sinclair: Games of Command
Nalini Singh: Mine to Possess

After rounding up for charity, I spent $100 at this signing. Yes, I could have spent more, but I knew the free publisher signings were ahead. Plus, I have hundreds of books at home waiting to be read.

And remember how RWA did not want people to bring books from home? What that really meant was don’t bring them, but if you do, we’ll put a sticker on them as usual. Grr. Next time I’ll know better.

Another year, another great signing!