You Don't Know Jack

Title:You Don't Know Jack
Author:Erin McCarthy
Genre:Contemporary Romance
Pages:272
Copyright:2006
Main Characters:Jamie Peters; Jonathan "Jack" Davidson
Supporting Characters: Jamie's Friends, Caroline, Mandy, Allison; Jack's Grandfather, 'Pops'


I bought this book from, what I consider the best store in the history of stores, Half-Price books quite a while ago. I've always enjoyed Ms. McCarthy's books and was excited to read "You Don't Know Jack", especially since I had previously read "The Pregnancy Test" which introduced us to Jamie and her group of friends/roomies.  When I finally pulled it off my bookshelf to read I couldn't help but love what the previous owner had written on the first page...thankfully in pencil. She wrote, and I quote "Well written story all though I could have done with a much shorter sex scene!! It was 36 pages long!!! A good story though, I liked the cute twist at the end." I laughed then dove right in.

Jamie Peters loves a good psychic and the story starts several months before when her cross dressing, ex drug addict friend tells her how she'll meet the man who touches her soul. The first several chapters revolve around meeting that guy. Jack is a retired millionaire just barely over 30 (can we say, I wish!!), but when he meets Jamie he pretends otherwise. Knowing she's not a born New Yorker but a Kentucky girl living her dream in the city, Jack decides she doesn't need to know quite yet. When new age hippie Jamie, finds out Jack's a big fat lying scumbag (not really!! You just can't seem to be mad at this guy) she decides they're better off just friends. Too bad Jack won't let that happen, and while Jamie is off trying to save the world...one ex-criminal at a time...Jack is trying to prove to Jamie that maybe she's the one who needs saving.

My book fairy was right. It is a super cute story, and while the numerous..*cough*..you know..scenes are super steamy, I didn't find them over bearing. The different players we meet throughout made me smile and wish Ms. McCarthy would decide to write a story for Allison and maybe a followup for Caroline as well. It's just about the right length for a quick read and although it doesn't have too much depth, I think it had just enough. Enjoy!

Dark Flame

Title:Dark Flame (The Immortals Series)

Author:Alyson Noel

Genre:Young Adult (Paranormal/Sci-Fi)

Pages:336

Copyright:2010

Main Characters:Ever; Damen;Jude

Supporting Characters: Roman; Haven; Myles; Ava

"Dark Flame" is the 4th book in Noel's Immortal series. Picking up where "Shadowland" left off, with Ever being a stupid, STUPID girl. As a recap, at the end of book 3 we know Ever is now an Immortal, thanks to Damen, her soul mate for the last 400 years. She has been reincarnated many times over, but just as Damen finds her again she's killed. So now Damen has shared his special 'Immortal juice' with her so he wont lose her again. Unfortunately the elixir hasn't made her smarter. I will give her the fact that she's still a teenager and has to learn, but come on girl!! In book 2 ,"Blue Moon", Ever has Damen drink something that makes it so the two of them can't touch...whooops! Then in book 3 she goes against the so called love of her life and turns her moody bff into an immortal after sneaky sleazy Roman threatens to kill Haven. Aaaaand that's where "Dark Flame" starts.

Ever, the braniac that she is, has tied herself to Roman. Well not literally, but close enough. A magick spell she used to tie him to her backfires and she's now drooling over him. Her (ominous tones here) dark side is all about it, but her heart and soul know Damen is what she truly wants. Now the kicker is, that's pretty much the entire book in a nutshell. The whole time you just want to yell at her to ask for help!! Instead she tries to fix her mistakes then just digs her hole deeper. She finally, FINALLY, requests a little help from Jude, mind you this if after she sends him to the Hospital! Again! And of course he offers to assist in what ever way he can. OK let me just mention that Jude has been in all her 'lives' as well, he's the...well I guess you could say other man. Now how do you think that makes Damen feel! Actually how does that make the reader feel! Here's this 16 going on 17 year old girl with dreamy Damen, adorable Jude, and sexy Roman all chasing her! Lucky brat! Anyways...this is not one of those all's well that ends well kinda books. Ms. Noel leaves us pretty much hanging again. And after Jude kills Roman (uh oh) Ever loses the only antidote to the little problem her and Damen have...you remember the whole no touching thing, right? Well in the end I'm depressed, still mad at Ever, still rooting for Damen and still wanting to run my fingers through Jude's dreadlocks. All in all it's a good read, no real loose ends are tied up but we do get to delve a little deeper into the world of immortals. I'm looking forward to the 5th installment which is scheduled to be released in winter of this year but until then, I'm just waiting.