The King's Favorite by Susan Holloway Scott

SYNOPSIS
The acclaimed author of Duchess and Royal Harlot returns with the unforgettable story of a king’s last love and London’s darling…
BR>Nell Gwyn has never been a lady, nor does she pretend to be. Blessed with impudent wit and saucy beauty, she swiftly rises from the poverty of Covent Garden to become a sensation in the theater. Still in her teens, she catches the eye of King Charles II, and trades the stage for Whitehall Palace—and the role of royal mistress.

Even though she delights the king, she must learn to negotiate the cutthroat royal court, where ambition and lust for power rule the hearts of all around her. For beneath her charm and light-heartedness, Nell has her own ambition—to become no less than the king’s favorite.

MY VIEW
First of all I have to thank Marg from http://readingadventures.blogspot.com/ who told me about this book on Facebook. Nell Gwyn is one of my favourite historical women and the restoration period is one of my favourite along with the Tudor era, there aren't enough fiction books of the Restoration period IMO!

Anyway, this book was fantastic. I have only ome across one other fiction book on Nell by Diane Haeger and whilst I loved that this was miles better. This is written in the first person from Nell's POV, I loved how the author wrote all the sayings it gave me a real feel for Restoration London and reminded me much of Anna Neagles film portrayal of Nell.

This is the first book of Susan's I have read and I have bought another 2 of hers since finishing this.

Black Hills by Nora Roberts

SYNOPSIS
Lil Chance fell in love with Cooper Sullivan pretty much the first time she saw him, an awkward teenager staying with his grandparents on their cattle ranch in South Dakota while his parents went through a messy divorce. Each year, with Coop’s annual summer visit, their friendship deepens - but then abruptly ends.

MY VIEW
Anyone who reads my blog reguarly will know I am a massive fan of Nora Roberts but, her last 2 one off releases have not been so great and have left me a little disappointed.

I'm happy to say this is a huge improvement ,anyway ...

Based in the infamous Black Hills of South Dakota Lillan Chance and Cooper Sullivan have a lifelong friendship - Lillian has a deep fascination with big cats and is a biologist and is the founder of the Chance Wildlife Reserve, Cooper is a cop having worked in NYC he returns to South Dakota years later after having broken Lillian's heart .... he returns after a colleague of his was murdered.

But, when Coop returns home he finds out there is a murderer about and the murderer keeps getting closer to Lillian so Coopp just has to protect her. But, Lillian still feels hurt after how Coop left her, so will she let him protect her?

A brilliant romance Nora style with lots of suspense that just leaves you wondering whats going to happen next.

Kitty & The Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn

SYNOPSIS
Kitty Norville, the country's only celebrity werewolf, thinks she's finally got her life sorted. Her radio show is as popular as ever, and she and her cute lawyer boyfriend are the alpha pair of Denver's werewolf pack. Now she and Ben plan to tie the knot human-style - by eloping to Vegas. And just to make things more fun, she's going to do her midnight radio show live and on television from Vegas.

In between getting wed and going live on TV, she's also planning on sipping fru-fru drinks by the pool while she works on her tan. So what can possibly go wrong? Well, their hotel is the venue for a werewolf-hating bounty hunter convention. Elsewhere on the Strip, an old-school magician might just be wielding the real thing. The vampire community is harbouring a dark secret . . . and the irresistibly sexy star of a deeply suspicious animal act is determined to seduce Kitty. Sin City has never been so wild, and Kitty has never had to fight harder - to save not only her wedding, but her very life.

MY VIEW
This series is one of my fave Supernatural/Paranormal series - Kitty is just fab! Anyhow ....

This follows almost straight from KITTY AND THE SILVER BULLET, Ben has asked Kitty to marry him and though at first her mum wants a lavish affair Kitty & Ben decide to do the deed in Las vegas nice and easy? Not in Kittys world, its all action not only does she go to Las Vegas but, shje also also performing her famous 'Midnight Hour' show live, Ben has a new talent at Poker which ends with almost disastrous consequences.

If you haven't read any of the previous books I don't think this is one you can just dive into as you would need to know a bit of background otherwise you might not understand some of the story but, really thats no big deal as all the previous books are brilliant and highly recommended.

The Calling & Changeling by Cate Tiernan

SYNOPSIS
Morgan has discovered much about her powers. But who are her friends and who are her enemies? And who really is she? Morgan is now seventeen years old and her powers have grown with her. But as she struggles to discover who she really is, terrible dreams of someone else, someone in trouble, haunt her. Are they the person Morgan needs to find to truly find herself?

MY VIEW
The Calling is the 7th book in this great series and Morgan is getting strange dreams and has to go to New York but, not alone along with her goes Hunter, Bree, Robbie, Sky and Raven. Morgans aim is to find out about her real parents but, of course things aren't so straightforward and she finds things out that will change her life even more than events before have! This instalment was brilliant and even better than the last.

Changeling is quite sad as Morgan and Hunter have split up and not only that Morgan has to contend with the fact that the man she thought was her real father isn't. Eoifa, A witch from the council of witches turns up for a mission from Morgan which she hopes she agrees to.

I didn't find Changeling as engrossing as the others for some reason not sure why as its not as if there wasn't much going, overkill maybe so I will be leaving this series for a little while but, shall return ...

Awakening & Spellbound by Cate Tiernan

More spoilers!

SYNOPSIS FOR AWAKENING
Morgan begins to understand something of her power and to move on with her life after the terrible betrayal of Cal, her first love. She realizes that Wicca can work for good or for evil as she fights the dark magick of Seline and Cal - and later David, who runs the store "Practical Magick".

MY VIEW
Morgan was rescued from nearly being burned alive and emerges not knowing who she can trust. She found out Cal & Selene (Cal's mother) were practising dark magick and were only using her for her blood witch powers. To make matters worse the one place Morgan feels she can go the magickal store Practical Magick is in danger of closing as if tyhat wasn't enough of course after the ending of the last book Cal is no longer Coven leader life is pretty traumatic!

Not only that Hunter suspects David from the Practical Magick store is practising dark magick to help him keep the store Morgan doesn't believe him, he gained a injury on his hand but, Morgan thought it was doing something for the store - this was my fave in the series so far!

SYNOPSIS FOR SPELLBOUND
Morgan continues to discover her powers as a blood witch of the Woodbane clan. She can't forget Cal, her first love, who tried to kill her, but is surprised to feel a growing attraction for Hunter. Her powers are now so strong that she is in danger from others in her clan and it is important for her to learn to use her witchcraft responsibly. When Selene and Cal use her sister Mary K. to get to her, Morgan realises that she and her family are in real danger.

MY VIEW
As if this series couldn't get any better this book was amazing!

This book has snippets at the beginning of each chapter by Selene, Morgan is getting closer to Hunter in fact most of the members of the coven are becoming romantically attached. Selene & Cal are gone yet when Morgan goes past Cal & Selene's former home she swearts she sees a lit candle at one of the windows, and later Cal calls Morgan by witch message.

After the exit of Selene & Cal there are a number of 'accidents' or are they dark magick worked by Cal and his mother. Morgan becomes on talking terms with Bree again but, things are never what they were before.

Oh so many things happen this book was even better than the last.And with the huge cliffhanger at the end I just can't step away from this series just yet.

There are some things in here that are a little unrealistic and things that wouldn't happen in real life but, this is great entertainment!

Blood Witch & Dark Magick by Cate Tiernan

SYNOPSIS FOR BLOOD WITCH
Contains spoilers

Morgan continues to unravel her past and the story of her birth mother as her relationship with Cal develops. She begins to understand more about her power as a blood witch when she finds her mother's tools of magic. Morgan can't quite relax into her relationship with Cal and the rather mysterious Hunter begins to feature more in her life. Cal and Hunter fight and, when Morgan intervenes, Hunter falls over the edge of the cliff into the rocks and water below. The book ends as Morgan begins herseventeenth birthday convinced that she is responsible for Hunter's death.

MY VIEW
Morgan has so much to deal with! After getting her hands on her mothers book of shadows she finds out her birth parents are Woodbane, which is an evil clan. And then we meet 2 new characters - 2 witches Hunter & Sky. Hunter claims to be Cal's half brother Hunter tells her Cal is dabbling in dark magick and Hunter believes Cal is just using Morgan.

SYNOPSIS FOR DARK MAGICK
Evil forces are after Morgan, forces connected with a dark wave of magick. And she knows something is wrong with the way Cal is acting, although she can't put her finger on it. Cal is definitely hiding something, but is he out to hurt her, as Hunter says?

MY VIEW
Morgan thinks that she killed Hunter and is finding that so hard to deal with then Hunter comes back and she is ecstatic, Cal doesn't seem so pleased!

Hunter is still telling Morgan that Cal is no good she doesn't know who to believe or what to think. Cal and Hunter do a tath meanma on each other (read each others minds) and find out neither one of them is evil.

The book ending is quite traumatic for Morgan after the tath meanma she starts to doubt Cal and the ending has such a twist I was going to read something else but, just had to read on ...

Book of Shadows & The Coven by Cate Tiernan

This post CONTAINS SPOILERS!

SYNOPSIS FOR BOOK OF SHADOWS
Fifteen-year-old Morgan thinks witchcraft is laughable when her best friend, Bree, drags her to a meeting of the Cirrus Coven. But during a ceremony led by Cal, a new and very attractive boy who's just arrived in the area, Morgan starts to feel strange. Does she have special power? She doesn't want to get involved in witchcraft but it seems as though she doesn't have a choice. Gradually she discovers things about herself and her family that throw her whole life into question.

MY VIEW
At the time of writing this review I am up to book 5 in the Wicca series and I have to say its brilliant, this series is aimed at teens/YA readers thats not to say us older folk can't enjoy it!

This was quite sympathetic to the Wiccan way of life if Cate Tiernan isn't Wiccan she sure knows a lot about it!

The main characters and the case are brilliant very well developed and not immature like some characters in YA books can be in my experience. Morgan is so drawn to witchcraft and you will find out in book 2 why or if you read my next review!

This first instalment basically bases itself on Morgan and Bree's friendship and Cal who is the holder of a party that Bree takes Morgan along to, Cal effectively though not knowingly (as I thought at first) destroys their friendship, this series is highly addictive!

SYNOPSIS FOR THE COVENMorgan has discovered she is a blood witch - that means the people she thought were her parents and her sister are not related to her, that she was adopted. She confronts her parents who reluctantly admit the adoption. Morgan is determined to find out more about her birth parents but her family try to stop her - why don't they want her to know the truth? Morgan's story is intersperced with extracts from her blood mother's Book of Shadows (a witch's book of personal spells, etc.). At the end Morgan finds her mother's Book of Shadows in her boyfriend's mother's private library.

MY VIEW
As the synopsis says Morgan finds out her parents aren't her natural parents and this causes a lot of emotions for her (as it would anyone) so Morgan goes to find out more about her natural birth mother.

I loved the little snippets at the beginning of each chapter from Morgans mothers Book of Shadows.

Not only does Morgan have to deal with knowing her parents are not her real parents but, also they don't want her having anything to do with Witchcraft which is nigh on impossible for Morgan as a Blood Witch.

Read this if you love anything Supernatural.