Author Archives: karenjvjohnson

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Silver Bells

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Silver Bells

This was a sweet story with an interesting take on Santa and who and what his reindeer are. It was hard for me to get into the story which was not very short. The character were just dropped in without any real introduction as to who they were. It was hard to have any feeling for either of the characters even though you knew you should because this was going to be a sentimental tale. Once you get past the rather lackluster beginning the story moves a lot more quickly.

Dash Bartholomew lives and works on the south side of Howle, a less than desirable area. He keeps the carousel animals looking good for the summer season through the winter. He has a harness with silver bells attached that he can no longer hear. Merry is a homeless woman who ducks into the barn he works in to get out of the cold and wind. She is a proud woman who will not accept charity but is willing to work and help Dash with the animals. She can hear the bells and finds the sound sweet and comforting because she heard similar ones when she was a child. These two people have more in common than they know.

There were a lot of short cuts taken, I have no idea when they were supposed to have fallen in love because there was nothing to indicate it had happened. Like I said, a sweet story but not very filling.

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
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A White Cougar Christmas

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18593279

A White Cougar Christmas (Southern Shifters #3.5)

I am giving this 3.5 stars because though I liked it there still seemed to be something missing from the story. This is a short story of 19 pages but I think it could have been fleshed out more with some depth to the characters and plot line. This was a Christmas story and I really did not get the holiday vibe from it I would have liked to. The narrative is fine and flows very well. There needed to be more information on the characters so you could get to know something about who they are.

Niki Harris is a shifter, a cougar shifter and she does not want to be alone for Christmas this year. Dean is also a shifter and the owner of the bar Niki has gone in order to find someone to help her through the holiday. They come together when Niki is about to make a mistake and attack a human man who will not stop bothering her. They have an instant attraction and maybe she will have someone for more than just this year.

The sex is rather quick but expected since it is said in the beginning that it is what Niki is looking for. I would have liked to have gotten some more information on the type of cougar Niki is since it was mentioned and then quickly passed over. Hoping for more about this couple in the series. Worth a read.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. We don’t need that kind of trouble,” the stranger warned. Her snarl of frustration cut through the din of conversation in the bar, garnering the attention of more than a few patrons. But the warmth of the hand encircling her wrist distracted her, reminding her why she’d come this far from home in the first place. She didn’t want to spend Christmas alone this year. She raised her eyes to the newcomer to discover sex on legs standing next to her. At least six feet of broad, muscular male stood less than a foot away from her and just ripe for the picking.” Eliza Gayle  ― Eliza Gayle, A White Cougar Christmas
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2016 Scarves for Troops Program

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Our Scarves for Troops Program is more popular than ever thanks to the dedicated and generous support from talented people like YOU all across the country! These made-with-love gifts are treasured …

Source: 2016 Scarves for Troops Program

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2016 Scarves for Troops Program

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I will definitely be participating this year.

Operation Gratitude's avatarOperation Gratitude Blog

Our Scarves for Troops Program is more popular than ever thanks to the dedicated and generous support from talented people like YOU all across the country! These made-with-love gifts are treasured by all who receive them!ScarvesforTroopsCollageIf you have knitting or crocheting skills, we invite you to join us — starting now — so we can include one of these precious gifts in each of the winter-time care packages we send!Want to get started? Here are a few Frequently Asked Questions…and Answers!

  • Is there a pattern for the scarves and hats? There is no specific pattern to follow so feel free to use your own — or you can find some here: PATTERNS. We do recommend that you keep them simple and perhaps use slightly larger needles so more can be made! Please keep your scarves within our size restrictions (no larger than 4″ wide, 36″…

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The Wolf Who Stole Christmas

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18858777

The Wolf Who Stole Christmas (Xmas Tales – Legendary Lovers)

This is a short and sweet novella with just a hint of the erotic. The story progresses swiftly but does not lack a plot that involves and pulls you in. The characters are actually very well realized in a short period of time and make you feel what they are feeling. The dialogue is good and keeps the story moving forward. There are a few problems with words being wrong or grammar, but it is minor and does not take anything away from the story.

Holly is the only daughter of Santa and Mrs Claus. She has eyes only for their engineer, a wolf shifter named Furio, who is very tightly wound and does not seem to be interested in her. Then there is Jack Frost who has made no bones about his interest in Holly and with the blessing of her family who think he would be a great catch. Furio has a troubled past and does not think he is good enough for Holly, but he does want her, even if she cannot see it.

This is a very nice addition to a holiday reading list.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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Storm Front

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13543646

Storm Front (The Dresden Files #1)

by Jim Butcher , James Marsters (Narrator)
I remember the first time I read this book and it sucked me in pretty quickly because it was different from anything else I ever read before. This time was the same even though I knew what to expect this time around. The idea of a real life wizard living and working as a private eye is very cool. The way he is introduced is good because it is not a far fetched story but something that is more or less plausible. The language is perfect and conveys the the feelings, thoughts, and lives of the characters perfectly. The characters take on a life even in this first book where you can see who they are and what they will be later as they evolve.

Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is a wizard, but not an old hermit type, but a wizard who lives in the world and has to survive there. He has a P.I. license and also consults for the police department on cases that do not have an obvious cause and seems to have a supernatural component. When he is called in on a case that involves a man and woman having their hearts explode in their chests by means that are not apparent he steps into something that is more than it seems on the surface. As the only known practicing wizard in Chicago Harry falls under suspicion not only with the White Council but by his friend Karrin Murphy who does not understand why he is holding back information from her.

Harry has only two days to find the real killer and stop him from taking even more lives. But when he is targeted can he find the killer before his own time is up. And can he possibly have a life outside of magic and death.

I love Harry now and forever because he is a wizard with a heart and sense of fair play like no other. This introduces you to his world and the people and places that he interacts with the most. This series can be fun but it will always have a dark edge because true magic and magical beings have a tendency to do what they want and it will not always be nice. Go for it!

“I’d made the vampire cry. Great. I felt like a real superhero. Harry Dresden, breaker of monsters’ hearts.”
― Jim Butcher, Storm Front                Jim Butcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
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Petty Pewter Gods

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Petty Pewter Gods: A Garrett (Garrett Files #8)

I have liked Garrett from the first adventure I took with him but this one did not seem very exciting or interesting. The story was alright I guess since it did at least have an awake Dead Man for once, he has been asleep for awhile. The new characters introduced did not seem very lively or appealing but kind of dull and lackluster. This was one that I had a hard time getting into and even when I did I just kept going because I like Garrett and his bits of sarcasm enough to overlook a weak plot line.

Garrett finds himself in the middle of a contest between two groups of gods in Tunefaire. The refugees from the Cantard have brought their own pantheon of gods to the Street of Dreams and now one of the existing pantheons is going to have to move out. Lucky Garrett, he gets to figure who is going to get the last location at the bottom of the street. He gets snatched by the Godoroth first and even though he does not commit he gets waylaid by the Shayir, the other pantheon and told he cannot leave until he helps them. What can he do but escape and go into hiding. He has never been very big on gods in the past and now he can see that they are not anything more than a bunch of thugs who just want to be worshiped.

This was not the best so far and I have a ways to go but if you want the continuity you have to read it. Just know that there are some truly slow spots. But it is still Garrett even if he is not handling a good mystery this time.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
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The Andromeda Strain

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27426010

The Andromeda Strain

I have found a book I liked less than the movie adaptation. The book was good but I found it to be bogged down with things that did not seem important to the story really, though the added detail was good. This was a purely male story with women present in support roles like nurse or secretary. It was definitely written during a time when women and people of color would not have been represented as being intelligent and able to contribute. The characters were well defined for the most part, though they could have been fleshed out a bit more. I saw both movie versions, but I preferred the 70’s version better without all the fancy special effects. The fact that they made one of the scientist a woman and the nurse was a black woman, it made it more in keeping with the times really. This book worked better visually than it does on the page for me.

A space probe falls back to earth and lands near a small town. The inhabitants find it and instead of calling the government decide it is a good idea to open it up. What they get for their lack of intelligence is death for them all, all except two souls who are far apart in age and lifestyle survive. Four scientist have been assigned to Wildfire to track and find a cure for something that has never been seen on this planet. It kills fast and silently in most cases not giving them time to even say goodbye.

I did like the book and think that it should be read because it does give you some more background if you have seen the movies.  

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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A Nomadic Witch

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A Nomadic Witch (A Modern Witch #4)

These are quirky stories about a group of witches who keep expanding because of the internet and I really love it. The characters are all strange in one way or another or they have some type quirk you can identify with. The characters are all down to earth types who just happen to have the ability to manipulate the elements.

Marcus lost his brother to the mists over 40 years ago, he was a traveler and never returned to his body, he got lost. Marcus has never forgiven himself for not being able to save him and has become a bitter old man who pushes everyone away. In recent months, since the birth of new babies, and pushing by Moira, he has started to interact with others more. But something happens that could push him back into his shell.

A baby is left on Marcus’s porch and he is not sure why. When he finds out that it was sent to him by his brother, and that the baby is also a traveler, he is ready to give it up. But how can he turn his back on a baby who needs him when she was sent by the brother he still misses and loves?

This is fun, light, and total escapism. I can listen or read this and enjoy myself because I really care about these characters and what is going on in their lives. They always put a smile on my face even as I cry for the sad things that befall them. You cannot help but be charmed by these witches and the love that surrounds them. Give this series a try!

 

My rating: 5 of 5 magical stars

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Tempted

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Tempted (Eternal Guardians #3)

This was another great book in this series. I always like the guardians and the fact that you get a look into the mythology that it is based on. The characters are all very tortured in one way or another whether they deserve to be or not, this just makes them seem more human. The story moves along at the perfect pace allowing for changes in venue and character as they fill us in on what is happening. The language never fails to entertain with words that seem to be pulled out of the past. I was pulled in and not allowed to stop except for those emotional moments I could not help it.

Isadora is a princess who always finds herself in trouble. She has been kidnapped and is about to be sent to the enemy, Atalanta, for what she is not sure. The witches, one of whom is her handmaiden, have given her a potion so she can be taken a man she does not want. Their plans are thwarted when the guardians, including Demetrius, arrive to rescue her and are met with serious resistance. When Demetrius takes her and Gryphon through a portal they end up in the last place they should and find themselves taken captive by Atalanta.

Demetrius has been hateful to Isadora all of her life but the person he truly hates is himself. Demetrius has been hard on himself for something that he could not change anymore than anyone could their origin.

I am so into these stories because I feel so deeply about the characters. These stories have intrigue, romance, hatred, myth, warriors, damsels in distress, and heroes galore. Definitely give it a try.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“Maybe,” she said softly, hoping to bridge it herself, just a touch, “maybe one day I can return the favor.” “You can’t save me,” he whispered. “Why not?” “Because some things aren’t worth the effort.” Her heart went out to him right then and there. As firelight flickered over his chiseled features, she saw secrets brewing in his eyes. Secrets that fed something dark in his past that kept him closed off from the world. For years she’d thought he didn’t have a soul, but as she stared into his eyes now, she knew she’d been wrong. He hurt, just as she did. And he longed, the same as she. While she’d curled into herself over the years, letting her father and everyone else make her decisions for her, he’d gone the other way, pushing every single person away until they all thought he was nothing but a cold, evil shell. How wrong she’d been. How utterly hateful and horrid she’d been to him. As they stared at each other, she didn’t see him as an Argonaut. Didn’t see him as a fighter or even a hero, really. She saw him as a man. With the same humanity the gods both hated and envied. With the same frailties and faults she possessed. She moved into him fast, burying her cheek against his chest and wrapping one arm around his waist while the other held the blanket closed at her front. He sucked in a surprised breath, but she didn’t let go. Against her skin he was alive and warm, and her body jumped to life everywhere they touched.”
― Elisabeth Naughton, Tempted   Elisabeth Naughton