Very tired today. So, no manga review. But I will try out Goodreads HTML for a review I posted there over the weekend.
As for how things are going with my writing, I’m working on the character sheets for the sequel to my novel. In other news, I hope to have an excerpt of the first novel in this two-part series available here on my blog within the month. Hopefully.
Darkness & Light by J.A. Belfield
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is one of the better romance novels I’ve read. Overall, it’s a great read for those who enjoy a good plot and sex scenes that aren’t so graphic you feel like you’ve accidentally stumbled into an erotic romance by mistake. The hero, a werewolf named Sean, is well-developed. He’s got a good heart and a couple of weaknesses to keep him from being absolutely perfect and unbelievable.
In fact, all the guys in this are a joy to read, from Sean’s dad Nathan, the Alpha of the pack, to the young Josh. Each of them are distinct and real. The family dynamic in the pack was so good, I’ll take a look at the next book for that alone.
The heroine, Jem, was alright through the first half, but after that she started to really annoy me. Her actions seemed to fit the plot a little too neatly instead of it being the other way around and she had a little too much stupidity for my tastes. However, she does fit well with the hero and their romance is believable. Not only that, you want them to stay together all the way through the story to the end.
There is some violence in this book, though nothing graphic. Since most of the characters are wolves, there are some scenes with hunting that I didn’t care for but accepted because it’s part of nature. Also, although Jem is married, the situation is handled in a way that make her actions with Sean understandable, though I wish Peter’s descent had been foreshadowed better and I still wish she had gotten the divorce first before hooking up with Sean (this, btw, ties into the aforementioned stupidity). I just don’t like adultery in romance novels, even if it’s between soulmates. I think it says something about the story that I was able to enjoy the plot in spite of that.
This is a fast read and perfect for when you want to snuggle into a romance with strong, protective shapeshifters.
Amy Keeley 