Listening to the Maestro’s Butterfly is an experience that will leave you flushed and begging for more. You’re in luck too because there are two more books after this! Rebecca Rogers is a truly phenomenal narrator. Her character voices are a treat and she’s a real actress. Quivering sighs, harsh words, moans, groans, she does them all without ever breaking form. Rogers draws you into Jones’ secret world of vampires and you can not escape… just like Miranda you are trapped, captivated and set a fire.
Jones' mythology is unique. Her vampires have heartbeats, never get sick, can't reproduce, and fangs that extend. The feeders once bitten become the perfect meals, producing more blood, become slightly stronger, and live longer younger. Holding one's breath even ruins the flavor of blood. To be taken by a vampire is to know the true meaning of sex as they love to combine feeding with intercourse.
In the Maestro’s Butterfly, Rhonda Leigh Jones sets a sexy stage and does not fail to deliver. If you’re into dominant/submissive power plays, vampires, and kinky sex you will love this story. There are elements of S&M, including whipping, public/stage sex, voyeurism, sex with multiple partners (not at the same time unless you count in sync with watching others), and anal sex. Very hot!
Miranda wants to be dominated. She wants to include fear, surrender, and the unknown in the bedroom. She longs for it and is afraid of her desires. Her dreams involve running down darkened streets and being caught and forced upon by the mysterious hunter. In her day life she’s a musician and with a lucky break gets Claudio du Fresne to tutor her for half price. One night after a performance of his, he invites her back to his place and along the way they strike a bet. He will be the partner she has always dreamed of and if at the end of 30 days he will make her his forever… if not she will allowed to leave and he will continued to tutor her at the prearranged deal.
But there is a darker side to this story. Miranda is unaware of Claudio being a vampire. That’s not all… in addition Claudio has struck another bet, this time with his brother, Victoire "Jack" du Fresne. If at the end of 30 days Miranda stays with Claudio, Jack will pay for Claudio quarter of a million dollar performance piece. If however, she bolts like Jack suspects, Miranda will belong to Jack… whether she wants to be or not.
Book three in the Twilight saga is by far my favorite of those books published. (Breaking Dawn, book 4, is coming out in August) Eclipse is simply beautiful. It’s longer than the other two books but does not contain chapter one of the next book (darnit!). In Twilight, true love was found. In New Moon, true love was lost. In Eclipse true love is a choice.
Eclipse is all about Jacob and Edward and their love for Bella. Edward hates Bella’s attachment to Jacob, but he feels he should not get between. Why? Simply put, because Edward feels he should suffer the consequences of his actions last year. That having to deal with Jacob is part of the price he has to pay for his foolish decision to leave Bella.
Victoria, the vampire out to get Bella from the last book is still at large. It is Bella who puts all the clues together and comes up with the answer. Edward and Jacob and the rest of the Cullens and Werewolves have to work together to protect her. Are the dogs and bloodsuckers really going to work together? Hmm… you could say trouble is in the air.
I have three favorite scenes in this book. The first is the night Bella goes over to the Cullens for her weekend abduction (this is part of the plan with the werewolves and the vampires) and stays with Edward alone. I won’t say exactly why I like this scene, but if you could probably guess if you have read the other books by this point. I loved it. It is hands down the best scene out of all three books. I laughed out loud quite a few times because of Bella's remarks.
The second is Bella’s quasi dream where she overhears Edward and Jacob talking in the tent. Jacob asks that Edward speak plainly since he can’t hear his thoughts like Edward can hear Jacob. They talk about Bella and Edward is so noble in this scene you just want to find him and cuddle him to death. Pun intended. Their truce ends at daylight.
And lastly I loved the ending scenes from the time Bella stops crying to the very end. They feel like one big scene, culminating once again in Edward and Bella’s meadow. It is here he’s determined to be the selfless he’s ever been. He’s been watching her and it seems she’s doing everything everybody else wants, making them happy at her own expense. So he puts his wants aside and lets Bella choose how to best make herself happy. She’s happy right where she is and the other pain will fade in time… she hopes.
The point of view changes from there to Jacob’s and as I read it I was feeling vindictive. Not a very nice thing to begrudge a fictional character, but I was glad for his pain. I still am. It’s just another sign in my opinion at Stephenie Meyer’s skill at writing her own characters. We don’t get that wrapped up in the story too often. It is very rare, last seen in Harry Potter, the story of the boy wizard. I hope you will pick up this saga and find yourself as riveted by this compelling love story as I was.
Rating: 5 Stars
Happy Readings!
P.S. What book four will be about I can not begin to guess. True love is able to heal all wounds? What do you think? Leave a comment and tell me!
Originally posted 2008-11-27 10:05:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Dark Highland Fire is about two distinctly polar opposites getting together and overcoming obstacles that should under normal circumstances lay them low. Rowan is a fiery demi-goddess akin to the vampire as she needs blood to survive. However her blood-taking is about life not death so at most she is a cousin of the vampire. Her actual species is called Dyaad and they are descendants of the Goddess Morgaine.
Rowan is full of sass, sharp tongued, and has a streak of violence in her. Her version of her tribe’s magic is geared toward destruction. This is important to remember as for why this is the case is revealed at the end of the novel. There’s one thing that irritated me about Rowan, the heroine of Dark Highland Fire. She claims to not need anyone but the novel starts out with her brother, Bastian, saving her by transporting them to Earth’s dimension and then again, same method, to the Scottish Highlands.
Bastian is a perfect character that at the author’s will be applied like deus ex machina to any situation to get other characters to safety. He’s used this way more than the two times mentioned so far. Overall he’s a good brother to his sisters and I hope will be the focus of another book in this set of Highland novels even though he's not a MacInnes Werewolf. (Speaking of the MacInnes werewolves cameo appearances of Carly and Gideon abound in this book!)
Gabriel is a lackadaisical werewolf. He’s third in line and happy to stay there – no plots to overthrow his brother or father. When Bastian spies him, the cool Dyaad Drakkyn decides to leave his injured sister in Gabriel’s hands. Gabriel questions this decision and is said to have a streak of stubbornness inside him to rival Rowan – which he was going to need. Successfully he manages to get Rowan to do the things he wishes for instance drink his blood to heal, stay put in his apartment for safety purposes. He hasn’t quite figured out that as the next Dyana of her people, Rowan is more than capable of holding her own (at least when she doesn’t let fear paralyze her and smother out her flame.)
Lucien is a Dragon, heir to the throne and has fallen in lust at first sight with Rowan. His father backs his decision to go after the little fire princess and claim her as his own. Dragons apparently don’t understand the words no and not interested. He’s the reason Rowan is on the run and afraid. Though honestly from the daemon creatures mentioned throughout the novel with powerful magic sound more scary. I guess their weak and overly ripe bodies are the reason they inspire more disgust than fear though that’s there too in most cases.
If you’re familiar with the first novel in the series then you know that werewolves mate for life and this ritualistic act is like a marriage. Rowan and Gabriel initiate and finalize this unwittingly during some steamy sex scenes. Once created it is impossible to break though Lucien is going to try his best to do so – Rowan is his and the wolf will pay. Find out if Rowan and Gabriel make it in this fast paced multidimensional novel!
Rating: 3 Stars.
Originally posted 2008-11-10 14:09:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Or more accurately an interview with her ragtag group of characters from the Jazz Tremaine novels, 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover and Hex Appeal.
LRP: We'll start by asking Croc and Delilah, Jazz' slutty but funny crocodile stilettos a few questions. Who’s the hunkiest character in Jazz’s world?
C&D -- Oooh, that’s easy! Jonathon, although Jazz calls him Krebs. There’s a sexy boyish quality about him that makes us quiver and swoon. Yum!
LRP: I know you can match every outfit Jazz wheres but what’s your favorite color to turn into?
C&D -- We love to turn into red because the color is so sexy. We know many think black is sexy, but red stands out more. When we turn into red we love to be the sexiest stilettos in the universe.
LRP: I know there's some animosity between you and Jazz' other set of talking shoes so here's my last question. If you could get away with it, what would you do to Fluff and Puff?
C&D -- They are so mean to us! Nasty things! We’d like to turn them pink. They hate the color and they’d hate being pink.
LRP: Oo! Pink! I shudder to think how they would react. Now Nick, I have a few questions for you if you have a minute. Why is witches’ blood poisonous?
Nick – It’s a protection for them against our kind since the witches and vampires had been at war. We vamps were never told how it worked, only that the spell cast centuries ago would also protect future witches. So there’s no nibbling where Jazz is concerned.
LRP: Do vampires have a soul? More importantly, do you have one?
Nick – Our souls aren’t like a traditional soul, more the knowledge of right and wrong. Over the years we’ve had to remain in the dark, so to speak, and many of my kind used that to their advantage by preying on the weak. That’s why the Protectorate is in force, making sure rogue vampires aren’t on the loose and keeping order within our community.
LRP: When did you first know you loved Jazz?
Nick (laughing) – Don’t tell her this, but probably from the very beginning. Even during a time when women were supposed to be seen and not heard, she still made sure that she was heard … big time. She has an aura of energy that you wouldn’t believe. I knew I was a goner and I still am.
LRP: How romantic! Now let's talk to the witch behind all the magic. So why ‘because I say so, damn it?’
Jazz -- So mote it be is so old century and when I cast a spell I like it to stick. This way no one can undo it.
LRP: I'd hate to be cursed. Now Nick, tell us about him. When did you first know you loved him?
Jazz – Have you seen him? The man is seriously hot, so for a second it was lust when I looked at him, and once he spoke I knew it was much more. I wouldn’t have believed in the term soul mates if it wasn’t for him. Nick is the other part of me.
LRP: My final question for you is about a different kind of magic. What is your favorite spell?
Jazz – Truthfully? Glamours when I wake up in the morning looking like a hag. And I mean a literal hag! There’s no way I can leave the house looking like that, so a little of this and a pinch of that and I look gorgeous. Who wouldn’t want that spell in her arsenal?
LRP: Krebs, what’s it like having a witch for a roommate?
Krebs -- Very different, but she’s turned into my best friend. Magick flies all around and she eats all my pudding cups in my fridge in my work area, but Jazz makes life interesting, so it’s worth it.
LRP: What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you since Jazz swept into your life?
Krebs – Just one? I’ve had Christmas trees destroyed courtesy of Fluff and Puff, my house has been turned into a toxic dump, Fluff and Puff ate my Grateful Dead T-shirt, which I still haven’t forgiven them for, I’ve met my share of vampires. So life definitely isn’t boring.
LRP: Haha, poor Krebs. So my final questions are going to the mischievous bunny duo, Fluff and Puff. Who was the last person you ate?
F&P – Contrary to popular belief we don’t eat people. Way too nasty. Sure, there’s been an occasional squirrel, but we’d rather have good stuff like carrot cake, licorice root and chocolate.
LRP: Are you going to punish Jazz for locking you up?
F&P – We were mad at her at first, but we knew she had to do it even if it wasn’t any fun for us. Of course, that doesn’t mean we won’t have our ways of making her miserable now and then.
LRP: If you could get away with it, what would you do to Delilah and Croc?
F&P -- Heh heh heh! We’d make sure they could NEVER use any make up or perfume. They’re really HATE that!
LRP: That would be tragic! Thanks for taking the time to chat with Love Romance Passion readers Jazz and gang.
If you have questions you would like to ask Linda Wisdom about her kooky and wild characters or about her novels submit a comment and I'll be sure to forward them to her!
Be sure to check out the Casablanca Authors Blog, where Linda is a regular contributor for more information on other going-ons in her world. This blog is a group blog for Sourcebooks Casablanca authors so you can learn more about your favorites.
Originally posted 2008-10-28 05:59:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Likes:
Jasper - hot. Great clips from the birthday sequence.
Jacob transforming into a werewolf - nothing like the creepy wolf/man thing of Harry Potter. It's well executed, which makes me extremely hopeful for the rest of the special effects.
The 3 words being included that Hardwicke didn't provide in Twilight.
Laurent with his creepy red eyes and his dialogue. Nice.
Edward's kiss on Bella's forehead.
Costumes. Yum.
Dislikes:
Bella's new look makes her look like the actress and not like the character. Sorry, it's true. Definitely a big irk as I just loved the long curly hair from before and the pale practically makeup-less look. Would have been happier to see a difference between the birthday scene and the scene with Laurent as it would have perhaps just shown Alice's influence, alas that does not seem to be the case.
Didn't like how rushed the 3 words were. It's too hastily cut or spoken... one or the other. Makes it all very awkward.
Toss-up:
I can't decide if I like or dislike the awkward delivery of a majority of the lines. I'm sure they sound better in the movie and the awkwardness would still fit with the characters as they grow throughout New Moon, but at the same time I'm wondering why some of the lines are delivered in such a jerky/jilted manner.
I just got off the phone with Jeremy Rivenburg, one of the gorgeous models going for Mr. Romance on Saturday. He sounds as wonderful on the phone as he looks; soft-spoken, polite. His voice is sinful and I got to talk to him for just over thirty minutes. On top of that he's a genuinely nice guy who's a little bashful and very modest. Below is the transcript of the interview:
1. Why do you think you're the best candidate for Mr. Romance?
Jeremy: You know I don't know if I'm the best. The reason why I am here is because someone chose me. I didn't sign up for this on my own. I was asked to do this. I was sponsored [Between Your Sheets]. Annette Batista, who I shot a romance novel trailer with said that I would be good as a cover model and that I would do well at it. I would give it my best.
2. What type of romance cover do you see yourself doing?
Jeremy: I can pull off different looks. As I said before I did a book trailer. My character was named Sam; I was a vampire in the process of turning. Supernatural stuff, which is interesting. Several of my model shots, I've been told, would be great on a book cover. I hear I could pull off really well being as a vampire.
(I can see him as one of those devilishly handsome but withdrawn and brooding heroes, not necessarily a vampire, but one of those scarred and wounded heroes from historicals.)
3. One thing you think the ladies should know about you:
Jeremy: Hmm.... I guess that I'm shy. I'm a pretty shy guy. I'm not the kind of guy who... I guess that's not good here [Romantic Times Convention]. I'm forcing myself to be confident, more outgoing, and talkative. Some of the ladies here know that and they come over and say hi to me, ask me how things are going. It's helped to open me up a little bit... One lady last night told me that that's what she liked about me.
4. In 3-5 adjectives, how would you describe yourself?
Jeremy: Shy, sarcastic-I joke around a lot or whatever you want to call that, hmm... this is more difficult than I would have thought. Nice guy, I'm not a bad boy.
He is certainly nice and down to earth! It was such a pleasure to chat with him.
Not too long ago, Dakota Fanning talked about the possibility of signing on as Jane of the Volturi. The Volturi as readers will know are the evil group of vampires that live in Italy. They are the police force of vampires if you will, similar to the Council found in Anita Blake novels. Jane was a young girl when she was turned into a vampire and her innate power is the ability to induce in others unbelievable mental anguish. Her ire could incapacitate you in a nanosecond. Learn more below or here:
Vanessa Hudgens for Leah Clearwater?
Vanessa Hudgens is the star from High School Musical and she has auditioned for the part of the bitter shewolf. Leah Clearwater used to be Sam's girlfriend until he imprinted on Emily, his new fiance. Sam is the alpha male of the Quileute pack. She has not been hired for the part yet, but rumors are flying that she may especially with the endorsements from the cast such as:
“I think she’d be great,” Ashley Greene, who plays Alice Cullen in the film series, told MTV.com.
Lautner has bulked up 20 pounds! He's got biceps, abs, and is planning to gain more weight and more muscle for the part. The widget isn't working but here is the link to the video to see him.
"Every age embraces the vampire it needs," said Mike Deloney. Read on here.
The Top 3 Young Adult Books From 2008:
in no particular order...
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (vamps),
Brisingr by Christopher Paolini (dragons),
Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling (wizards).
What this means:
While it's nearly impossible to be more formulaic than Paolini's Inheritance Series, the key to big time success is to appeal to the group that rarely picks up a book unless forced... teens. If teens love your book, word of mouth will spread like wildfire.
How do you appeal to teens?
By combining a quest with finding true love. Don't believe me? Look at the trend, it is obviously fantasy with a dash of romance. The element of fantasy is most needed, something to draw people out of the normal everyday world and into a new world. This is done literally in Paolini's case and figuratively in Meyer and Rowling's case because fantasy exists beside the normal world to the ignorance of the masses.
What romance?
Harry/Ginny (very little, confined to mostly book six)
Bella/Edward (the whole series is about them as a couple)
Eragon/Ayra (don't shoot me I haven't read the third one but this is where it looked like it was headed)
Now you've appealed to teens, but you can't stop there...
It's not enough to appeal only to teens. In order to achieve the kind of fame these three authors have had an aspiring author is going to have to appeal to both young and old, male and female. You do this through great inspiring writing by creating characters and a plot to grab our attention. In the end you must give us a lead to get behind, a purpose to support, and someone to fall in love with.
Eclipse is simply beautiful. It’s longer than the other two books but does not contain chapter one of the next book (darnit!). In Twilight, true love was found. In New Moon, true love was lost. In Eclipse true love is a choice. 
I just got off the phone with Jeremy Rivenburg, one of the gorgeous models going for Mr. Romance on Saturday. He sounds as wonderful on the phone as he looks; soft-spoken, polite. His voice is sinful and I got to talk to him for just over thirty minutes. On top of that he's a genuinely nice guy who's a little bashful and very modest. Below is the transcript of the interview:
4. In 3-5 adjectives, how would you describe yourself?
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and she has auditioned for the part of the bitter shewolf. Leah Clearwater used to be Sam's girlfriend until he imprinted on Emily, his new fiance. Sam is the alpha male of the Quileute pack. She has not been hired for the part yet, but rumors are flying that she may especially with the endorsements from the cast such as:
