Voyager

Title: Voyager
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander (Book 3)
Genre: Historical Romance/Time Travel



Claire has returned to Scottland (present day) after the death of Frank with Brianna. Claire wants to finally share with Brianna who her real father is. Before she does so, Claire seeks out Roger and asks him to find some information on the men of Lollybroch.

Roger looks into it and notices that every man that Claire has given him the name of was on the under the command of the same man. Thinking it odd that Claire didn't ask about him, Roger asks her if she wants to know about Jamie. Claire, assuming Jamie is dead (well, I guess he really is in her time) didn't want to know, but Roger tells her he didn't die at Colloden as she assumed.

Claire finally spills the beans to Brianna, who is upset and thinks her mother a little nuts. Little by little Brianna seems to start to accept it and the final straw is when they watch Gillian/Geillis Duncan go through the stones.

The three start a hunt to find out where Jamie ended up. Eventually Claire decides that she is going to go back through the stones. She finds a more acceptable dress then the "shift" that she wore last time, and finds some old coins so she has money from the time.

Claire and Jamie reunite. It was beautiful. But their lives are never easy. They are again on the run from just about everyone. Their nephew Ian is kidnapped by pirates and the couple takes to the high seas to find him in the Caribbean.

Another wonderful story full of adventure and love. I laughed out loud and cried numerous times. The "suffering" I did to get through Dragonfly in Amber was well worth it. I think that Voyager tops Outlander. It was simply amazing.

Waiting (again) for the person who is reading the books ahead of me to finish it so I can get my book off of hold at the library.

The Amazon's Curse

Title: The Amazon's Curse
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Atlantis Series (Book 4)
Genre: Paranormal Romance



Zane, a vampire and Nola, an Amazon, met while they were thrown together in The Vampire's Bride. The two seemed drawn to each other and we saw a little of their story.

This book takes place months after The Vampire's Bride. Delilah is pregnant and living happily with Layel. Nola is living out her curse from the Gods. She cannot be seen, heard or felt and is attached to the Amazon camp. Zane is also living out his curse as a slave to the Amazons.

Nola confesses to Zane things about how she feels about him (even though initially he cannot hear it). Every times he confesses something she gets something back. He is able to see her, hear her, eventually touch her and the final piece is when she is able to leave the Amazon camp.

The two have a whirlwind romance. Seem to fall in love too quickly and everything is tied up too fast.

This book is only available in digital format. I have come across that in the past but have never had a digital reader before. Now that I do - this was the first time I was able to read it and I was excited. The excitement didn't last - the story wasn't long enough and you never get to really know and feel for the characters. It was merely lukewarm.

The Vampire's Bride

Title: The Vampire's Bride
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Atlantis Series (Book 3)
Genre: Paranormal Romance



Layel is the king of the vampires. He has already found his mate - but she was brutally raped and murdered, as well as their unborn child, by the Dragons. Needless to say Layel is set on revenge. For the past 200 years he has been trying to wipe out the entire Dragon race.

Delilah is an Amazon - a woman warrior who only takes a man during mating season and then casts him out never to see him again. Unfortunately for Delilah, this is not the type of person who wants this. She is contemplating breaking all of the rules set for her and her sisters of race to find true love.

The two are thrown together with a large cast of characters for the amusement of the gods. Ever since Poseidon meddled in Atlantis's business in book 3, the rest of the Gods are realizing that Atlantis could be interesting and want to have some fun with it too. The Gods decide that they should hold a competition - each God choosing a race and then setting them to compete against each other. The God who chose the winning race gets Atlantis.

2 from each race: Amazons, Demons, Dragons, Vampires, and some lesser races. There are 2 teams, each made up of 1 from each race. They then compete. The loosing team has to vote someone off and that someone gets beheaded. The winning team is given something positive - usually food.

Layel and Delilah are on separate teams and it is interesting to watch the two try and help each other while still helping their teams. There is a lot of jealousy between this couple.

Another interesting romp through a world full of supernaturals. It kind of reminded me of all the reality TV that we have. A paranormal Survivor of some sort. After each of the battles that the Gods have been throwing at the teams, I felt that the final battle was a little anti-climatic. I felt that the ending happened too fast and then BAM! the book was over. All of a sudden the Gods show up and start teleporting this person here and that person there. I felt that there also was little in the way of conflict. Sure Layel felt like he was betraying his previous mate - but we know they're going to end up together in the end.

Perhaps this is contradictory because in The Nymph King I mentioned how the book doesn't always need an elaborate plot. Maybe I just can't read two of those in a row.

Gena Showalter remains one of my favorite paranormal authors, but I did think this was one of her weaker series. Didn't mean that I enjoyed it any less though.

The Nymph King

Title: The Nymph King
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Atlantis Series (Book 3)
Genre: Paranormal Romance



The Nymph King, Valerian, has noticed that his men are running low on energy. The only way to bring it back up is through sex. They are awaiting a invasion by the Dragons and there are no women around. Valerian gives some of his men the okay to go to the surface through the portal and bring some of the women back to Atlantis.

All but 2 are willing. Shaye and Brenna. Neither of them fall so easily under the Nymphs' spell as the rest of the women. But both are to be mated to different Nymphs - not that they can stop that from happening.

Shaye is afraid of love. She hasn't had the best family relationship and is afraid to let Valerian in. Brenna has been physically hurt by another man is afraid of letting another in.

I felt like this book was full of sex. If not being had, then definitely being talked about or lust after. The plot...was a little lacking, but in my opinion watching the Valerian and Shaye fight it out made up for that. I don't always feel like I need a extremely intricate plot.

Deceived

Title: Deceived
Author: Nicola Cornick
Series: None
Genre: Historical Romance


Princess Isabella Di Cassilis is in dire straights. Her husband has died (not that she cared for him anyway) and left her with lots of debt. She is going to be thrown into prison unless she can do something about her debt. Isabella decides that she is going to go to prison and find herself a husband. Get married and he can live in prison for her because he will take her debt. Because the man she is going to choose is already in prison for life - and she's going to give him what money she has left it seems like win win.

Imagine Isabella's surprise when the man she finds in Prison is her first love. The one she jilted at the alter for the Prince. He agrees to take on her debt and they get married. Isabella does all that she can to make sure it is a completely legal wedding/union.

Little does she know, but Marcus was in prison by his own choosing in hopes of finding information on a mastermind criminal. Marcus is now quite rich and easily pays off Isabella's debts.

She sure is surprised when she discovers that Marcus is no longer in prison and plans to make this marriage a very real one, if for no other reason then revenge.

Similar to the last novel I read by this author - I enjoyed the games that were played between the two main characters. Their story was slightly twisted yet slightly sweet. It did seem to have a shocking abrupt turn around.

The Confessions of a Duchess

Title: Confessions of a Duchess
Author: Nicola Cornick
Series: Brides of Fortune (Book 1)
Genre: Historical Romance


Sir Montague Fortune, the Fortune Folly village squire has determined to reinstate the Dames Tax. This tax says that he gets half of the "fortune" of every unmarried woman in the area, including widows. Of course the women of Fortune Folly are not agreeable to this and start to bring up their own laws from the past that make Sir Montague's life a little more bumpy.

In the midst of all this is Laura - a dowager duchess. Her late husband has left her and her daughter little to live on. The thought of Sir Montague taking half of her wealth is crazy - she needs what little she has. So she is spearheading much of the craziness on the women's part.

Dexter, a Guardian, is sent to Fortune Folly in hopes of finding a murder as well as catching himself a rich bride. Unfortunately he is drawn to Laura, a love from his past, and she's definitely not a heiress.

I enjoyed the battle between the men and woman and liked seeing what they would come up with next. Dexter and Laura's story was overall a decent one, but there was a few too many self imposed obstacles in their way for my liking.

Dragonfly In Amber

Title: Dragonfly In Amber
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander (Book 2)
Genre: Historical Romance/Time Travel



Claire has made it back to her present day. We don't know why, we don't know when - that is what we learn throughout the book. She lived her life with Frank, now deceased, and her daughter Brianna. Brianna seems to be a dead ringer for Jamie, with many of the same habits and looks.

Claire has brought Brianna to Scotland to show her where she came from and to tell her the truth. We read the story as Claire tells it to Brianna.

Claire knew that there was going to be a bloodshed in a battle of the Highlanders vs. the English. She and Jamie have decided to do all that they can to stop the battle from ever occurring. Of course they can't change fate - and Jamie leads her to the stones to go home so that he may meet his fate alone and Claire can live with their unborn child.

Brianna is angry and doesn't believe Claire. Fortunately, Gilly (from Outlander) hasn't yet left for the past and Brianna, Claire and Roger (who Claire also decides to tell) managed to get there just in time to see her pass through.

I tried to read this book after the first time that I read Outlander. I couldn't get through the beginning of it. This time the beginning didn't give me much trouble, but I did have an issue with some of the middle and end. There was a lot of political and war talk. These people joining and fighting, many different royals. To me it was too confusing and I had a hard time muddling through it. The rest of the story I loved - the interaction between the characters I already knew, and seeing them live their lives.

The last 60 pages or so of the book had to have been my favorite. I cried and just had to stay up that extra time to finish the story.

Now that the war has happened - I hope that Voyager will be a little less war centered.