Review: One Taste

One Taste by Allison Hobbs

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
The blurb on the front says "A Fast-Paced Sex Thriller with a lot of Eroticism" but the book did not deliver. It delivered fast pace and sex. There was nothing "thrilling" or "erotic" about it. You can't create eroticism just by using naughty words. That isn't enough anymore and there wasn't enough here to get me engaged.



I didn't like the characters and I don't think I was supposed to. The first thing we see is materialistic Regina and it all goes downhill from there. She isn't sympathetic at all, even though Hobbs tries to build in a backstory of heartbreak around a son who died in an accident. Maybe if we would have gotten the full story about the son up front it might have helped create more of a connection with Regina. Instead, we get the barest hint of her pain, but it seemed contrived without the full story. Her husband is another completely unsympathetic character. Did this man have ANY redeeming qualities? Any at all? He was a cardboard cutout character, there only to give Regina an excuse to do everything she did. Not only does that not work for him, it doesn't work for her either. Why do I feel badly for her when she stayed with someone like that? I don't believe that she did it for love. Why? Because there wasn't anything lovable about him, that's why. There wasn't anything lovable about either of them.



The rest of the characters were equally two dimensional and un-interesting. They showed no depth, no growth, no individualism. So if you have characters like that guess what suffers? That's right, the sex.



To put it bluntly, there was nothing sexy about the sex in this book. It wasn't hot. It wasn't "freaky" (despite the blurb from Zane on the back of the book). It was plain, like checking off the list of words: Pussy? Yep. Dick? Uh huh. Clit? Gotcha. Cum....yep. Great! We hit our quota. If it wasn't plain, it was ridiculous. I mean, did you really say:

"Yeah, his dick was husky like a mufucka"

Seriously? And I'm supposed to be aroused by that or laughing my ass off? Because I'm still laughing. Which is too bad because the one redeeming quality of this book was Cochise (aside from his nickname.) He was the only character that straddled the line between two dimensional and fully developed character. He wasn't all the way there, but he came closer than any of the others. He had his own voice and hinted that Hobbs might be a better writer than this book suggests.



But I knew I was in trouble on the first page with

"She could eye spy a knockoff with just a glance"

She could "eye spy"? Really? That's something a person might say, that doesn't belong in the narration. There is an old adage for writing called "show, don't tell." There is a lot of tell in this book, and not nearly enough show. Would I try another book by her? Probably. There were glimmers of things in this one that gave me hope. But, I'll definitely be checking out from the library instead of forking over my own recession dollars.


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It could just be me

But I think it kind of dulls the danger to be advertised as having a special (read cheaper) price.

Maybe you could be Cheap as Sin? Somewhat Dangerous? Maybe they could put the frickin' sticker somewhere else?

Review: Talk Me Down

Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Do you know what is harder than writing a review of a book you really didn't like? Writing a review for a book you LOVED. You don't know where to start. You don't know when you're crossing the line from intelligent review to giggly fangirl. You don't know how you can do the book justice. The truth is, you can't do it justice because you have to READ THE BOOK to understand why it is so good. You can't capture that in a review. The best you can do is a "Why I liked this book" summary:



First and foremost, I loved the heroine in this book. If any of you read my reviews (and really, why would you?) you know that I have a longstanding problem with heroines. Either they are whiny, or stupid, or have GHH (glittery hoo haa) or everyone wants to sleep with them, be them, worship them, and have done nothing to earn that devotion. They often are mean with no repercussions treat their best friends (and everyone else) more like sidekicks than friends and make me wonder why anyone would want to be around them at all. Molly Jennings wasn't like that at all. Instead, she was warm and funny. She was kind, vulnerable and, most importantly, she was hilarious. Seriously hilarious. Yes, there were times when I wanted to hit her over the head with my book (just TELL HIM ALREADY, MOLLY!) but that happens all too often in real life as well.



Ben was equally awesome and didn't leave me wondering "What the hell would he want her for?" He wasn't hunky yet brainless. He wasn't, in my opinion, easily cateogized in the alpha or beta boxes many people like to shut heroes in. He was well rounded. He wasn't perfect, wasn't superhuman, wasn't anything other than himself. The fun part of the book was finding out exactly what that was. You found out right along with Molly and Ben as they found out about each other.



The plot was perfect. It kept you guessing, it threw you off track, it moved at the same pace as the book. A lot of books really want to focus on the "romance" part of the book and let the rest of the plot drop until it is needed to advance the book. This one kept all parts integrated so you never really forgot the overall story.



The best part of this book, though, was the voice. All the characters, including the narrative voice, were distinct. No one sounded alike and, better yet, no one sounded stilted. Conversations flowed, and sounded like people talking not characters talking. It makes me wonder if Dahl read this out loud as she was writing, because there weren't any awkward phrases or pieces when any of the characters talked to each other. It didn't matter if they were main characters, or secondary, they all sounded realistic. And hilarious. I can't tell you how many times I laughed out loud while reading this book. The circumstances Molly got herself in to, many times unapologetically, were great. Lori, Helen, Juan, Quinn, even icky Cameron and Molly's parents were all people you could picture in your head as you read the words. You really can't appreciate how special that is unless you've read books that never come close to that level of writing. It isn't something everyone can accomplish.



And the sex? Hot. Fun. Hot. I don't know what else to say about that.



Overall, I can't say enough good things about this book. It'll be like catching up on the exploits of a friend you lost touch with. And I think, at the end, you'll be happy to see whatever happened to that Molly girl you used to know.....


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Review: 3

Three by Julie Hilden

My review

rating: 1 of 5 stars
It wasn't so much dislike that made me give this only one star. It was more disinterest. There was an interesting hook to start the book: a woman catching her husband with another woman. Okay, I'm intrigued. And back cover copy told me that said wife would agree to an "open" marriage of sorts. That's why I picked it up! The author has already won me halfway over because I picked up the book. But, it takes more than that to keep me interested.



The prose was written well. The book had a literary look and feel to it. And, even though it may seem like I have a bias against modern literary fiction, I really don't. Some of it is interesting, and some of it isn't. This one wasn't. The characters were bland. They weren't sympathetic at all. I didn't like any of them, and I didn't dislike them either. I just turned pages. Pretty soon, I didn't care enough to continue to do that. I didn't care about their motivations. The sex was boring, even though it was supposed to be illicit and exciting. It wasn't the words that made the sex boring, it was the lack of interest in the characters.



A lot of people enjoyed this book, and that's great. Anything that is positive feedback for an author is a good thing. For me, though, this was a disappointment. I probably won't be trying any of her other fiction.


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Review: I'm Down

I'm Down: a memoir by Mishna Wolff

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm skeptical about memoirs now. It wasn't just James Frey that made me skeptical. Since then, there have been many memoirs, both published and unpublished, that have proven to be false. So, while I very much liked this book, I'm not at all convinced that it was true. The beautiful thing is that it doesn't matter. If it is true, great. I can't wait to read the rest of the story. If it isn't true, great. I can't wait to read the rest of the story.



The writing was engaging and it read like fiction. It moved along fast and there weren't really any lulls to skim through. I almost wish this book was fiction, because that would make the narrator a lot more reliable. When I was reading this, I kept thinking "This is how YOU saw it. But I wonder how it really was." Which isn't to say, of course, that she deliberately lied. But, if these things are happening to you, then of course you're going to spin them with your own interpretation. That, and you're only privvy to the conversations you had access to.



The other thing was that the book ended too soon. Unless she's planning to do another one, and maybe she is, I thought it ended way too early. What happened in high school? What happened with her parents? What happened post high school? I know it was supposed to be about her "growing up" but it just seemed to end in an awkward place. I wanted to know more. I suppose wanting to know more is the best compliment you can give a memoir.



If you're planning to read this book (and from the cover how could you NOT want to read it) don't expect any deep philosophical answers about race relations (or anything else) from it. Expect to be entertained, and you won't be disappointed.


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Bad Cover

Seriously. If you can look at this and NOT make Hulk sex jokes, you are a better woman than I. Love her. HATE the cover.

Dumb is.....

Not including a link to your own blog on your own blog! Check out Obiter Dictum, which will turn 5 (!!!) this year.

I started Unpaged so I wouldn't clog the other one up with stuff about books. Then, I promptly abandoned it. But, maybe now I'll be more diligent about updating my life over there.

Love is in the air!

Everywhere you look around! Big news in romance publishing, and really all genre publishing. Sales are up up up!

A brief cameo by me towards the end of the article. Come one, come all. Pick up a book!

Review: Be With Me

Be With Me by Maya Banks

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I guess this would be more of a 3.5. (Hey GoodReads, why can't I give half stars?!)



Basically, my problem with this book all stems from the fact that I don't believe the underlying premise that there can be HEA with three men and one woman. I'm sure it's me, but I don't think I'd like to share. I have a problem suspending my disbelief long enough to think that the three guys would all be happy sharing one lady they all loved.



So, if you don't buy in to the book on the most fundamental level, how can it get three stars? Well, because I loved all the characters. Towards the middle, Reggie started to get on my nerves, but I have a notorious problem with heroine(s). I either love them or hate them. Overall, she was a win for me. I liked her attitude and her determination. I like how she had to give in and became part of a group instead of just an individual. I loved how she stood up to her parents. I liked her relationship with her partner and her boss. She was great. The boys were equally fantastic. I thought Banks did a really good job giving each one their own space for development. And that is partly why the rest of the book didn't work for me. It felt like they were all cheated out of the HEA that each deserved. I preferred her with Hutch, and I thought Cam and Sawyer (God, I loved Sawyer) deserved their own books. Even though they were all three dimensionally developed, I wanted to know MORE about them. I don't know, I just didn't feel like they were done. Did I mention how much I loved Sawyer?



The creepy stalker plot was enough to move the story along, but I could have used more there as well. I never really felt like it was an imminent threat. It was, of course, but I was too busy trying to figure out how the relationships were going to work to care about anything else. I think if it would have been just a story about her and Hutch, then it would have fallen into place easier for me. I did like the revelation of the stalker, and I wanted to feel badly for that person (and I think I was supposed to) but by that time, I didn't care about any of that anymore. I was invested somewhere else, and just wanted it to be over so we could get back home to see THAT resolution.



So, I liked the book. I did. I'm looking forward to reading more books by Maya Banks, but I wish two of the guys would have gotten more love.


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Review: Long Lost

Long Lost by Harlan Coben

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Right before I started this book (on audio) I read a less than stellar review from a newspaper critic. I'm a big fan of Coben and of Myron Bolitan (well, of Win mostly, but you know...) and I was sure that I would love the book regardless of whatever problems it might have. When I finished, though, I thought the critic had been a little bit harsh in her assessment.



First of all, I thought the story was good. The ending was a little bit creeptastic, but I'm sure that was entirely on purpose. If I had to criticize the plot at all, it would be that it is so easy to design a plot around muslim extremists now that it doesn't even register with me anymore. It's like making walls cream or eggshell in a room. You don't even notice them. There are just some things that don't leave an impression anymore because they are so overdone both in real life and in entertainment. You want to be impressive or memorable, make Danish extremists. Finnish extremists. Wow, that is something new. Buddist extremists and I may never forget it. Muslim extremists? I've seen that season of 24 at least 2 years in a row. The story was good, there was a twist that I'm still thinking about, but until that happened, it was mostly a forgettable plot line.



But the characters were spot on. Everyone you expect to see in a Bolitar novel was present and accounted for. The one thing about a longstanding series is that there are some things you see over and over again. Almost all the usual jokes were there (MB Sportsreps, etc.) And because they were almost all there, I could tell which one was missing (El-Al....like the airline.) I understand that not everyone has read all the books in the series (and why not?) and that you have make them accessible to newcomers to the series. I'm just saying, when you've read them all it can be a little.....repetitive.



But even after all of that, this book delivers everything I expected and even some creeptastic chills that I didn't expect. I could read about Win all day and this one will definitely get a re-read.



A word about the audio: Every character seemed to be right on the money except Esperanza. It just wasn't right. Everything else was perfect, and she wasn't there enough to put you off the audio if you are inclined in that direction. But, it did bother me enough that I had to mention it.


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Review: JLA: Exterminators

Justice League of America - JLA: Exterminators by Christopher Golden

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I wasn't sure how this would translate to audio format but I shouldn't have been worried. It was absolutely amazing. The voices were right on and some, like whoever did Batman, were flawless. GA's tagline is "like a movie in your mind" and this really did flow more like a movie than a dramatization of a story, even though there was narration and not all dialogue.



The story was good, although you really have to pay attention in the beginning to understand what is going on. With an ensemble cast of characters, someone is bound to get shorted in the development area. If there was anyone here who got shorted, it might have been Wonder Woman. There was a little bit of characterization there, but certainly not as much as the boys. I enjoyed her parts, though. Aquaman came off as kind of a jerk. Batman too, although my love affair with him goes way back. I was always more Marvel than DC, so I'm less familiar with characters that didn't make their way past the pages of comics into other media. Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Steel, etc. I liked getting to know more about them but I couldn't tell you if they were done well or not because my experience with them is so limited to begin with.



Sometimes, as much as I have come to like audiobooks, listening to one person read to me is just not that interesting. This is a nice change of pace, and I really didn't see a downside to it at all. If you like action, this is probably something you're going to enjoy.


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What a difference a year makes!

This is what I wrote in my June monthly report last year:

Disturbing discovery

The Romance Writers of America hands out the RITA awards every year at their convention. This is the “official” award of the romance industry, although there are several others given by different groups. While I was searching Horizon to see if we had all the nominees, I found that there were a few categories we had few, sometimes none, of the books that were nominated. The titles were from 2007, and they were all “category” romances. Category romances are defined as the ones that come out monthly in a category (like Harlequin Blaze for instance). I didn’t start buying those until mid year 2007 because it had always been that we didn’t buy those. Now that I think about it, I find it kind of appalling that we would single out a category of book we didn’t buy just because we didn’t think it had any merit. We’re a library for crying out loud. I think we’re the absolute last people who should be judging what books have merit and which do not. I understand that we can’t, and don’t, buy everything but we really shouldn’t be making the decision on what to buy based on something as general as “it’s a category romance.” And I really hope that we don’t ever go back to that way of thinking. It is embarrassing, as an institution, to be so closed minded about a collection that aims to serve the WHOLE city, not just the ones with high literary taste.

So, today the RITA nominations were announced and I can report SIGNIFICANT improvement in what is in our collection. I wish I could say that it was 100% but, I can't. Sadly. BUT, there were only 3 categories where we didn't have them all: Best First Book, Contemporary Series Romance and Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure. Out of all the books nominated, there were six we didn't have. I'm encouraged by that, although I'm also curious as to WHY we didn't have those six. How did I miss them? Why didn't I pick them? Was it bad reviews or what? I'll have to check into that.

In the meantime, here is the list

Review: Kill Zone

Kill Zone: A Sniper Novel by Jack Coughlin

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This gets four stars because even though I thought there were problems with it, I couldn't stop reading it. And, by the end, I realized I'd liked it a lot.



Part of the problem, I think, was reader interference. Whenever you have a book that deals with politics, even tangentially like this one does, I can't help but try and decipher the unwritten (and probably unintentioned) messages. Does this author have a political bias? Do they lean in one direction or the other? What does it mean if they DO have a bias? The fact that I had to ask meant that it was pretty well hidden.



The other criticism I have is that there were some missing descriptions in the book. What did these people look like? Some of them were described pretty well. Others, I'm still not sure. I actually went back to where one character was first introduced because I thought I had missed the description. Turns out, it wasn't there (other than he was bald.) WTF does he look like, though? Maybe the authors don't feel it is important, but, trust me, it is.



Some of the conversation seemed stilted in a few places, but that can happen to even the best writers. It certainly wasn't an issue throughout the book. It just seemed like the authors weren't together and the gap showed in the conversation between two characters at that point. It always got back on track.



The action sequences were EXTREMELY good in this book. If I were writing a book and I needed to know how to handle things of an action nature (using contemporary weapons and techniques) I would use this book as a reference. Not a call to plagiarize, of course, but to see how things are done. Obviously, authors involved know what they're talking about and it shows. But, it is done in a way that is less "education" and more entertainment. Main characters are likeable, secondary characters are decent. Villains are.....villainous? And there are even some characters that are in between. It almost reads like an action movie, which can be good or bad. Your choice.


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Review: Dominic

Dominic by Elizabeth Amber

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
I wasn't crazy about it. Amber started off strong in this series with oldest brother, Nicholas. I thought the books went downhill after that, but I was hoping she would go in a different direction after she'd written about the three brothers. She didn't. Part of the problem with this book, for me, is that it is much the same as the other books in the series. She adds a little bit of difference with the going between the two worlds, but that isn't enough. The plot reads the same as the others. If I wouldn't have liked Nicholas so much, maybe I wouldn't be expecting more from the rest of her books. But I did, and now I do. This one left me disappointed, but not quite enough for me to give up on her.


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Review: Plum Spooky

Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich

My review

rating: 1 of 5 stars
Wow. I don't know that I've ever given a one star review. Maybe I have and I just blocked it from my mind.



I attempted to read this last night. Now, in all fairness, I should have known better. I broke up with Evanovich after Lean Mean Thirteen. The books started to read the same and I no longer cared about the characters....even the ones I have previously liked very, VERY much. So, why, then, would I try and read this "Between the Numbers" novel? Because I'm an optimist, that's why. MAYBE, I thought, there would something good in here. After all, she's still hella popular. Well, I was right and wrong at the same time. I was right to have broken up to her, and wrong to be such an optimist. I read the first chapter and decided to skim the rest of the book. I skimmed the next three chapters, flipped to the somewhere in the back and read, and then I was done. Never did I get the hook that made me want to go back and see what I'd missed. Never did I get the hook that made me want to read the last page to see how it ended. I put it down and picked up something interesting.



I'm glad she still has a huge following and that those peeps are still getting something out of her novels. Finger Lickin' Fifteen already has 200+ holds 3 months before pub. I won't be one of them. We are truly broken up for good.


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Review: Just Like Candy

Just Like Candy by Kimberly Kaye Terry

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
After the first disappointing KKT book, I was hesitant to try this one. But, it was leaps and bounds better than the other one. The sex wasn't as prevelant, but it was written a heck of a lot better. The story line was clear, made sense, was interesting, had a beginning middle and end.....all the things I expect when I pick up a book that advertises a story line. To be clear, some books tell you up front that you're just going to get 210 pages of hot sex, and that's great! You know what you're getting into (hee!) when you open the cover. But, if you SAY there is going to be a story, there had damn well better be one. There is here.



Hero and Heroine are developed fairly well. The daughter was glossed over a bit, but the Hero's relationship with her, from his point of view, was pretty defined. I think there was a little beating over the head as far as Heroine being "different" and "exotic" or "doing her own thang" so on, so forth, this that and the other. Yes, we get it. She's a "free spirit". Ugh. If you have to tell me that all the time, maybe she isn't a free spirit. Just a thought.



There was the beginning of a subplot romance going on with the sister and the best friend, but that never went anywhere which is too bad. I was getting curious about them. Maybe that is planned for a future book. All in all, it was a good read.


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Review: Keeping the Night Watch

Keeping the Night Watch by Hope Anita Smith

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow. I hesitate to even try and describe this book because it will result in epic fail. But, here goes: a juvenile book, told in a series of short free verses, about a 13 year old whose father has returned after an "absence". See? You don't care, right?



Someone left this book on my desk to peruse before it was sent out to our branches. It was FANTASTIC. That's really all I can say about it. If I could give it 8 stars, I certainly would. You'll be thinking about it long after the story is done.


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Review: Get Your Sexy On (and they did. They really did!)

Get Your Sexy On by Kimberly Kaye Terry

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
There isn't always a correlation between how hot the sex scenes are and how good the book is. In this case, however, there definitely is a connection. The sex in this book is supa hot! The story..... not so much. I found myself skimming through the book because the storyline was just boring. There were huge leaps in logic that didn't make sense. She's so concerned about her brother, for instance, that she's just going to go away with someone for the weekend? Or, he's going to TAKE her away for the weekend, but she can still go in to work as a stripper? Please, take me away but make me go to work! Uh....no. If I had to guess, I would say these were two characters who wanted to do nothing but get it on, and Terry was forced to construct a story to weave around that. There was chemistry there, but there didn't appear to be any real feelings. Normally that would be fine, it doesn't HAVE to be a romance book after all. But, that's what it was supposed to be and, in that, it failed.



Flip through this one at the bookstore, read the good parts, and then buy one of her other books (I'm reading one right now that I actually like.) This one isn't worth your recession dollars.


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Review: Men of the Otherworld

Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Most of this book has been published on Armstrong's webpage, so it isn't new to a lot of people. It was mostly new to me, though. While I consider myself a HUGE fan, I hadn't spent a lot of time on her webpage so I missed most of this the first time around.



The background info on characters is always interesting to me. You seem them progress from a certain point forward, but, if you're really into the world the author has created, you're curious about everything that happened before. I went into this book anxious to learn more about Clay. I came away from this book absolutely FASCINATED with Jeremy. That is the wonderful thing about Kelley Armstrong.



If you haven't read any of her Otherworld books, I'm not sure this is the best place to start. Yes, chronologically, it is the "beginning" per se. But, a lot of what is there doesn't mean as much if you aren't already familiar with the characters. Of course, that is my perspective since that is how I'm coming at it. It may work perfectly fine the other way.


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Review: Act like a lady, think like a man

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment by Steve Harvey

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
The best thing about this book was that when men saw me reading it, they would get ALL KINDS of bent outta shape. Seriously. I mean, they took it personally. That only made me want to get through it faster to see what the hell Steve was telling because men were nervous.



The first part of this book reads like a relationship manual from 1950. I understand where he's coming from, but I couldn't relate. My mind doesn't work that way. A friend of mine agreed that it did sound a little bit dateed, but she also said "it gets better."



It did. I love the part encouraging women to "get some standards." It's sad that people need to be told that but, obviously, they do. I'm glad to hear a man say it. But, it is also kind of sad that Harvey sets up men as these brainless little creatures who will only act right if you make them. I just can't believe that is true. Sure, there are people who will try to get away with whatever you're willing to let them get away with. I get that. But surely, SURELY, there are some men out there who don't need to be put in check from the starting line. Surely there are some men out there who have standards of their own and don't need you to dictate yours in order to act accordingly.



All of that said, it was an entertaining book and a quick read. I would recommend it to people who are interested, but take it, like any other "self help" book, with a salt shaker.


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Sigh

I "officially" gave up on Laurel K. Hamilton a loooong time ago. Obsidian Butterfly was the last book I liked. I read one or two after that but......well, the last one I tried on audio (thinking it would be better) and it wasn't. I don't think I got 100 pages in. And that's the series I actually liked. Forget the Merry Gentry series, I was done with that after two.

I understand that lots of people like her, and I'm glad for her continued success. I just got bored and couldn't get back on track.

Yet......when I read the blurb for Skin Trade I was still tempted. I know it isn't going to go the way I want it to, and disappointment is inevitable. Yet......

November can't get here soon enough!

Review: Dark of Night

Dark of Night by Suzanne Brockmann

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Game on! This is the book I wished "Into the Fire" had been. There were some spots of ITF that were brilliant, but it was very inconsistent. Dark of Night, on the other hand, is spectacular. I'm not going to write too much here, because almost anything I write would be a spoiler at this point. But, I will say that I had guessed about Decker, and I was so glad I was right. I couldn't be more pleased at that storyline. I had originally wanted the "her" part of that couple to end up with someone else, but Brockmann made the case very well. Completely believeable.



More importantly, the Jimmy Nash storyline is tied up. I don't think I've been shy about saying that Nash is one of my favorite characters in all of pop lit, so any book with him is a win.



Sophia. I began to like her a little more in this book. I won't say she won me over completely, because she didn't. But, I'm glad all of that is over.



I could read this book again right now. Yes, it is that entertaining. If you're not reading Brockmann's Troubleshooters series I really need to know why.


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Review: Betrayed

Betrayed by P.C. Cast

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
The good news is that I'm still interested. I like the characters. I'm curious about what is going to happen in the next installment and I find the storylines interesting. The bad news is I feel like there is very little structure to this book. There are some kids, plopped down into a school in Oklahoma, and off we go! At the same time, I understand that you don't want to slow a story down by explaining a backlog of stuff to readers. World building is tedious, I get that. But, sometimes, you just gotta. World building sometimes takes away the mystery. But, sometimes, you just gotta. I need to know WHY there is this entire underground world of people who are dead, but not. I need to know HOW this entire society exists apart from regular society. I need to know the rules of the vamp game in this particular book because, as you know, it seems to change from author to author.



The other thing that began to get a little tiresome in this book was the style. There isn't anything wrong with it, per se, but there was a bit too much repetition. We get that Damian is gay and still very cool. We get that Eric and Shaunee and like twins, but different colors. We get that Aphrodite is a bitch, but is also more than we anticipated. And we get it over and over again. It's a personal style choice, so it may not bother you at all. And, even though it bothers me, it doesn't bother me enough to stop reading the books. A solid entry. I would have given it 3.5 stars if I could, but I rounded up.


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Royalties for Public Lending

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (or IFLA) has a very interesting and informative stance on the idea of Public Lending Rights that are all the rage in more and more countries. While I love authors (and make no mistake, I do love authors) I'm skeptical about the idea of authors being paid EVERY TIME a book is lent from the library. There has to be some kind of co-existence between the rights of the user who has bought the book: the library, and the author. Libraries have taken five steps forward in terms of serving the public through lending items that OF COURSE authors (and other creative artists) would rather individuals bought instead of borrowed. But there has to be balance.

IFLA says it much better than I ever could here.

One more site for college profs to check!

There is an interesting discussion going on over at the Smart Bitches blog about plagiarism. So, when I flipped to GalleyCat and saw this my first thought was: college students. They get a bad rap, generally, for the whole plagiarism thing. But, you just KNOW some idiot is going to be trying to write their paper the hour before class and being too liberal with the copy and paste.

My second thought was: how the hell do I know the person who wrote the book has even read it? Now, I suppose there will be enough people monitoring the thing to call bullshit when someone says King Lear was a black king with a white wife who killed herself with an asp. BUT, there could be other, more subtle, things that are inaccurate.

I don't know. But, it's kinda fun. And reading the summary of The Outsiders made me wanna see the movie again.

Review: Wishful Drinking

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
You know, this wasn't a bad book. Parts of it were hilarious, in fact. Fisher has a warped sense of humor, and if the book catches you in the right mood, you will find yourself laughing out loud. And, she certainly knows how to laugh at herself, and her situation, and everyone around her. What you won't find in this book is a lot of the things you want to know, especially if you're picking up the book anxious to hear every detail about the filming of a certain SF trilogy. Granted, that was but a few moments out of Fisher's 50+ years, but still.



The beginning of this book is nearly incoherent. It could be that I was tired, but I found myself reading the first ten to fifteen pages over and over and OVER again. WTF did she say? The sentences don't seem to work together. The pages don't seem to work together. The thoughts don't seem to work together..... Things straighten up soon after that, the ship rights itself, and the rest of the book is a quick page turner.



And when I say "quick" I mean just that. Clocking in at under 200 pages, you might be able to read this one during commercial breaks while you watch tv, surf the net and talk on the phone at the same time!



Bottom line: Give it a read if you're interested. If you like it, great. If you don't, at least you haven't wasted that much time out of your life.


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Review: Page

Page by Tamora Pierce

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
The only problem I had with this book is a problem I have with many juvenile books: the characters don't act their age.



The main character in this book is supposed to be 11. Really? She's already done things that people twice her age have done. Come on. What the author seems to want to do is write a great story (which she did) that has older characters. BUT, for some reason, she feels compelled to make the characters younger. The problem is that you're going along with the great story and then, when age is mentioned, you're pulled right out by a cold blast of reality. And you think, no way could an 11 year old do these things! It completely ruins the magic of the book.



If you forget that minor detail, the book rocks.






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Review: Marked

Marked by P.C. Cast

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a book that had been sitting on my shelf since April. Once I read it, though, I was pretty impressed. The book seemed seamless in that I didn't notice a change in tone between the two authors. I don't know if they each wrote different characters, or how they divided up the work. But, whatever they did, it worked.



I've been reading a lot of YA books lately after reading virtually none in the past, and I may be reaching my limit. There is just something inherently whiny about YA books that I can only stomach for so long. While this one is pretty good, there were still moments when I alternated between rolling my eyes at something a character said, and wanting to strangle them.



If you're looking for something fun, I recommend giving this one a try. I liked it enough to keep reading the series.


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Great (?) News

There is always a little bit of apprehension when I hear that a book I love is going to be "adapted" for the big or small screen. But, I'm more hopeful than not about this project. HBO usually does good things, Martin says the script is on point, and they're looking at a "season" = 1 book. So, not too much would be cut out. I'm not even worried so much about the casting, as long as they can act. Cross your fingers, people.

Not a surprise

Galleycat has an interesting blurb about a team of econ profs who analyzed the effect of the "bestseller". That term aside, they mention anecdotally that The Kite Runner "has arguably done more to educate Western readers about the realities of daily life in Afghanistan under the Taliban and thereafter than any government media campaign, advocacy organization report, or social science research."

This is something that people who have been paying attention to books and/or movies, music, tv, media have known for years.

Review: Inkheart

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was recommended to me and I've very happy for it. I listened to this book, read by Lynn Redgrave, and there were times when I wanted her to HURRY UP so I could see what would happen next. It is billed as a juvenile book, but it is juvenile in the way that Harry Potter was juvenile. The language is sophisticated, more sophisticated than your typical juvenile book.



It makes you wonder about what happens between the pages of the book when you're not reading it. Or when the book is over? Or before the book begins. The characters Funke creates are vibrant and three dimensional. There are many twists and turns as well, so you can never be sure what lurks behind the next page.



The only thing that diminished the book for me was that Funke telegraphs her punches many times in the book. By that I mean she'll often use the phrase "Later, when they thought of this..." or "Later, they would recall..." which all but tells you that said character survives whatever nasty surprise yet to befall them. You know certain characters aren't going to die because.....well, they recall things later! It does a lot to dampen the suspense of the book. Maybe that is by design, because it IS a children's book, but it wasn't necessarily what was best for me. Other than that, though, I have no complaints.



Let's hope the movie (set to release in early 2009) is as good as the book!


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Review: Living with the Dead

Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I listened to this one on audio. It was so good that I listened at work AND at home. I couldn't stop. I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book because it didn't appear to focus on any of my favorites. But, I needn't have worried.



The main storyline was intriguing. The main character had the perfect combination of grit and stupidity that made you cheer for her, and want to strangle her at the same time. The main villain was completely bat shit crazy, even though Armstrong makes her seem somewhat logical as she writes from her point of view. Armstrong strikes a great balance between stalker-chic and sanity, making it so you don't know quite which way to turn.



It was nice to get a continuation of Karl and Hope's story. I'm a fan of Karl and Hope, but I was only partially invested in their couple-hood. I feel better about it now. He is delicious, by the way. No two ways about that!



LOVED Fin and Damon.....and Robyn. Eve cameo was nice, but I did miss Kristof. All in all, a good entry in the series. If people haven't picked up one of these books before, I don't think they'd be left behind. Or, I should say, they won't feel like they have been left behind. They won't have the backstory to fill in the details, but the story told in Living with the Dead is self containing. Hopefully, though, a first time reader would want to find out what they have been missing.


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Review: One False Move

One False Move by Harlan Coben

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is probably my favorite of the Myron Bolitar mysteries by Coben. I listened to it this time, and I'm not crazy about the reader. It didn't seem like he had the same intensity throughout the entire book.



There were things in the story that I had glossed over the other times I had read it. There was an obscure Joe Biden reference that seemed to pop out at me given our current political situation. And, there was a reference to the Billy Jack series of movies that I immediately had to wiki. Listening to it may have made my mind focus on other things. The basic story, though, was still as incredible as the first time I'd read it. Yes, I know the ending. But, the ending wasn't really why I was listening to it. All of the action leading up to the ending wasn't as intense as the first time I'd read it, of course, but it was damn close.



If you're looking for a good mystery, this is a great choice. If you're looking for a book with spectacular characters and will make you laugh out loud while you're reading, check this out. No one I have recommended this book to has been disappointed.


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The Sound of a Giant falling

Tony Hillerman died over the weekend. I'm sure there will be a multitude of obits over the next few days, weeks.....months. I never got around to reading one of his books, and thankfully I still have the chance. But, you can't really be a fan of literature, fiction, or popular culture, without knowing what a large figure he was. I know he'll be greatly missed.

The Brass Verdict: A Novel by Michael Connelly

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I said back in August, that I had a soft spot for Mickey Haller, I really did mean it. I loved Connelly's The Lincoln Lawyer and I was glad to see him doing a new book with that character. I expected to like it.



Part of what I loved so much about it, though, was the audio reader who brought the character to life. When I saw that there was going to be a different reader, it made me wonder if I would feel the same way with a different reader.



Yeah, I needn't have worried. Both the reader, and the author, come across in The Brass Verdict. The characer of Mickey Haller is as complex and conflicted as he was in Lincoln Lawyer and he's got a few new scars and ghosts to carry. For those hardcore Connelly fans who are expecting lots of Bosch, you're going to probably be disappointed. All the advertising plays up the fact that the two of them are together, but there isn't as much togetherness as Bosch fans might want. This is definitely a Mickey Haller book, and Bosch is a supporting actor.



I highly recommend this book, and I recommend it even more on audio. But be warned: you probably won't get anything else done until you finish it.


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Very astute observation

I haven't read Kathy Reichs' books. Things in books always seem a bit more real than on TV, and I'm not sure I would like to read about the grisly details of forensic science. It's already bad enough that I can't eat and watch CSI at the same time.

That said, Reichs, herself, sounds like an interesting person. Here is an article about her from Scotland's Daily Record.

This, for me, was the money quote:

"Not everybody is suited to dealing with maggots or decomposing bodies."

Damn skippy!

News you won't use

Why is it that Starbucks isn't happy just selling coffee? I mean, seriously, that seems like a pretty good business to me! Just the fact that there is such a thing as a "Starbucks Entertainment Division" is crackhead crazy.


Book Reviews? Do you really care what someone, who you don't even know, says about a book? I've always been curious about that. I love reading book reviews, but it doesn't impact whether or not I'll read the book for myself. I take that back.....I may decide to read a book based on a book review because, after reading the review, the subject matter sounds interesting. But, I've never decided NOT to read a book based on a review.

Review: Family Tree

Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a book that had been on my shelves for almost a year before I finally got around to it. The premise is a lot like the Kate Chopin short story Desiree's Baby So, I won't rehash the plot.



There were moments in this book where I wanted to shake every character in this book (except the baby) within an inch of their lives. But, reality says that people sometimes do very stupid things, even if they know better. So, in that way, I suppose the characters were very realistic.



I think Delinsky goes wrong here by trying to do too much. The plot with the baby and the plot with the main character's long lost father is enough. Delinsky adds in other sub-plots and it just becomes a muddled mess of secrets that really detract from the story. I think the book worked, it told a good story, but it could have been so much better. I would recommend it to people, but I wouldn't be surprised if they came back with complaints.


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Review: Sex and the Single Braddock

Sex And The Single Braddock by Robyn Amos

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a quick read. A very quick read. But, it was entertaining. Kind of like cotton candy, which I love. But, I couldn't eat it everyday.



What did I like about this book? I liked the characters. I thought they were believeable and interesting. I thought they were three dimensional, even given how short the book was, and how much plot she had to work in. Secondary characters in this book were cardboard cutouts, even the main secondaries like the ex girlfriend, the roommate, and the overbearing father. They had a bit more heft to them, but no real depth.



I also liked how it seemed very authentic. When the ex girlfriend pulls her stunt, and all is revealed at the end, there is no instantaneous "all is forgiven" moment. Hell no, all ain't forgiven. I started to roll my eyes a bit at the white guy likes hip hop, black chick likes country element thrown in, but Amos makes it make sense. Why wouldn't she like country music, born and raised a Texan? And white guys liking hip hop isn't even unusual enough to mention, so it worked. I like how she called him out on the hip hop only to have him not even understand why she'd think it was unusual. It all seemed very realistic to me.



I liked the fact that the race issue got a passing mention and that was it. If this is a trend in interracial romance books, I like it! It got a mention because it isn't completely a non-issue in Texas oil baron social society and/or political circles. But, it was hardly the focus of the story. I don't even think it was the focus of the paragraph where it got a mention. Perfect. It was almost a throwaway line, and that's exactly where it should be.



The ending was good. Almost tips the scale of believability, but then it all falls into place. The only thing I wish was that this book was longer and Amos had more time to develop these characters properly. And, when you want more of the book, that is always a good thing!



P.S. Oh yeah, and the sex was HAWT!


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Review: The Black Dagger Brotherhood

The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide by J.R. Ward

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Here's the thing: there are people who read books, and there are people who are "readers." People who read enjoy books. Readers take that to an almost insane degree. They don't just read books, they immerse themselves in them. And, to the extent that they have a "favorite" book or author, they can get lost for days....or longer. Readers read favorites over and over (and over) again. It isn't so much about the words that are put on the page, although those can be very good. It is more about how you feel when you read that book or that author. People who read roll their eyes when I mention this. Readers understand completely.



To that end, this is a book for readers. If you're a casual fan of J.R. Ward, this probably isn't the book for you. Yes, there is new material in it, but you're not going to buy this book just for the original short at the beginning. The majority of this book consists of a lot of insider baseball, which is great if you're a major league fan. I started in the middle, skipped around things I'd already seen on the website, and then went back and read Father Mine the original short story. Finally, I read the preview of the upcoming book about Rehvenge. May can't get here fast enough!



I recommend the short story to everyone who is even remotely interested in the Brotherhood and JR Ward. It is really very good. If you only have a passing curiosity about the rest, check this out from the library. But, if you're a big fan, you won't need me to tell you to buy this book. In fact, you probably already have it!


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Good Cover!

Did anyone watch the show Vega$ back in the late 70s and early 80s? This cover is kind of a throwback to that. At least, that is what it looks like to me. And how about that? E. Duke Vincent worked on that show.

Good Cover!

I love this cover. The drawing is fantastic, the colors are wonderful, and it looks like fun!

Review: Guardians of the West

Guardians of the West by David Eddings

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really loved this series when it first appeared almost 21(!!!) years ago. Damn, I'm old.



ANYWAY, listening to it is a completely different experience. I haven't revistied this series as often as I have re-read The Belgariad, so a lot of this book has been forgotten over time. As I listen to it, however, I struggle with the urge to skip around. If I had the book in front of me, I definitely would be doing that. As I'm listening, I'm forced to hear every word of the book. This isn't, necessarily, a good thing.



Cameron Beirle is a good reader. He keeps the voices the same from book to book and from Belgariad to Mallorean. He's consistent. The writing is a bit.....I won't say pedestrian, but it is a bit simple. It isn't a bad thing exactly, but hearing it makes it seem a lot less complex. When you're reading this series, it is deftly plotted, and the characters are sharply drawn. Your imagination supplies the rest, which makes reading these books almost as magical as the contents. Listening, however, lays bare all of the faults of the books. There are great passages of.....description. Maybe it is because I'm reading these again, but I don't really need to hear all of that. I'm not sure this series holds up as well as the original Belgariad did. Although, here I am, listening to it 21 years later.


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Review: Out of Control

Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reading this book, out of order, may have saved my life! I'm not sure I would have survived it otherwise. If you're a Sam/Alyssa fan, and you read this book in real time, you have my utmost admiration. You're a tougher person than I am.



The Savannah/Karmody storyline was awesome and I'm glad I went back and read this entry in the series. It explains a lot, and you can see Brockmann's progression as an author. Not only are her storylines layered, but her characters are really, REALLY outstanding. Authors in any genre, who are interested in making characters that are multi-layered and memorable, would really learn a thing or two from her books. She doesn't have shallow characters. Even the characters that are SUPPOSED to be shallow have an underlying depths.



Anyway, this book really had three *main* storylines, two of which come back in later books. In addition to that, it has one or two *sub* stories that also find their way into other books. If you think Brockmann is simply a romance author without real writing chops, or if you think romance is a genre that can't sustain detailed, nuanced stories and/or depth, you are seriously mistaken.



And this wasn't even her BEST of the series.


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Review: Guns will keep us together

Guns Will Keep Us Together by Leslie Langtry

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
This writer lives in the Quad Cities. That is my old neighborhood and I'm glad I didn't know that until after I finished this book!



Okay, the GOOD thing about this book is that the premise of it is wonderful. Really, it is. A family of assassins, from a tradition that is some 2000+ years old, is a great idea. In the hands of a good writer, this could have been fantastic. It could have been rich and layered and....good. Instead, it is campy, and silly and ridiculous. The names of everyone is the family is a place name, to the extreme that you have characters named Delaware and whatever else? Come on. The jokes aren't funny. The dialogue is clumsy and heavy handed. The relationship between the characters doesn't exist. They talk at each other, like cardboard, instead of to each other, like people. Langtry has good ideas. The plot of this book, a family enterprise that needs to spice up its marketing, is a great jumping off point. The problem is that Langtry needs more practice taking her good ideas and turning them into good books. She has the first part down: she has good ideas for plots and for characters. She just has to turn them from silly caricatures into people. If she does that, she'll be much, MUCH, better.


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Review: One Bullet Away

One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer by Nathaniel C. Fick

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
"Memoirs" have taken a bad rap in the world of publishing lately. So much so that you have to wonder if you can believe anything that anyone says is a "true story." This is why I was heartened to see the semi disclaimer in Fick's book that he tried his best to make it as accurate as possible, but if something is wrong, it wasn't intentional truthiness to blame.



The book itself is wonderful. The topic isn't wonderful, of course, but the descriptions and the narrative is very good. He doesn't go easy on himself either, which is refreshing. There is great detail on the things people most want to know. And, though you know, of course, that Filk holds some things back, you get a very full picture of what life was like for him, and his Marines, going through all the phases of this story.



If you're interested in military memoirs, I recommend it. If you're looking for a print version of Full Metal Jacket, you might want to take a pass.


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Review: Mr. Fix-It

Mr. Fix-It by Crystal Hubbard

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'm sorry to give this book three stars. I really liked the characters in it. I LOVED both of the main characters and I thought Hubbard did a good job of making them more than just 2 dimensional cardboard cutouts. I liked the best friend of each, as well, but they were far from fully developed. It was the plot that was lacking. And, by lacking, I mean it was seriously underdeveloped. It took too many leaps. There is no way that I believe the ending from everything we've read in the beginning. And, even though you (the audience) knew that Carter was more than "just the fix it guy", I still didn't buy it. I will give Hubbard credit for making him unconventionally rich instead of old money. That was a new spin on and old idea. Good for her. Other than that, though, there wasn't much to the plot.


But, even with all of those holes, the characters almost make up for it. If she would have tweaked just one or two things (shoring up the secondary characters, making a more plausible ending, showing a little more background, maybe through flashbacks or what have you) then this would have been a 4 star review. The characters were that good. And Hubbard's use of humor in places were pretty good too.


Lastly, I have to say that it was nice to have a book about an interracial romance that wasn't all "I'm black, you're not black, it'll never work. What about the children. Blah blah blah." It never went down that road, and for that I'm more grateful than you know. Hubbard has the makings of a good author.


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Bad Cover

WTF?

Bad Cover

Although bad may not be a strong enough term!





The roses and the violin couldn't be any more tragically ordinary. The mix of fonts on the cover couldn't be any more tragically schizophrenic.



But the worst part of this cover? Those. Ears.



WHAT?! Besides the fact that the face looks to be completely drugged out, those ears are ridiculous.



I would say that you could do better, Cerridwen, but I'm not sure it's the truth. Bad. Touch.

Bad Cover

Wow. If this book isn't about a ghost in your wallpaper, or your sidewalk, I can't see how this book cover is even close.


There is nothing, nothing, here that makes me want to pick this up.

And OF COURSE we judge books by their covers. Don't be ridic.

Review: Into the Fire

Into the Fire by Suzanne Brockmann

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Everything was fantastic about this book......except the main storyline. Maybe I didn't get enough Murphy when I was into the old books, but I just didn't care about these two. No, I take that back. It wasn't Murph I didn't care about, it was Hannah. I didn't buy her story. I love the diversity that is included in these books, and I love how it makes it seem like the real world, and not some fantasy world where everyone is the same. But, I just didn't buy that whole deaf storyline. It didn't ring (pardon the pun) true for me. And, because I didn't believe that, I didn't believe in her. I wish I could have, but I just didn't.



There were a couple times where I severely cursed Brockmann while I read this book, and that means I totally bought everything else she was peddling. I may never forgive her for the turn the Izzy storyline has taken and I can only imagine the anguish the Alyssa/Sam fans must have felt when they had to wait for the next book to see what would happen. The biggest problem is that I like the third party, but I definitely wanted an Izzy/Tracy happy happy, and that just didn't happen.



There were also times when I thought I was going to choke to death (Nash.....Decker.....) and there were even times I cheered. (Dave). And Lopez? Definitely time for the peacemaker to get a piece.



A person who jumps in at this point in the series might be a little bit confused, but I think this is a book where a person could start. It would definitely make you want to go back and read other books in the series. I would highly rec this to people who hadn't read Brockmann before.


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Review: All Through the Night

All Through the Night: A Troubleshooter Christmas by Suzanne Brockmann

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was a love letter from Brockmann to her fans. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, if you're one of the fans, it was absolutely great. The story was good, longtime followers of the series enjoyed the Jules/Robin wedding, there were appearances by lots of old friends. It was that part that I actually disliked the most.



I'm all for catching up with people, but it seemed like she threw some of them in just so they could have a mention. There was no place for them and the connections were shaky at best. The "suspense" part of this romantic suspense book was pretty good. I liked the Dolphina/Will storyline and almost wish it would have been given its own book instead of lumped in with this one.



It certainly didn't compare to some of her other books, but it was nice for what it was. For a "Christmas" story, though, there was precious little Christmas in it.


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Review: Force of Nature

Force of Nature by Suzanne Brockmann

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
There were parts of this book that I really liked. There were parts of this book that I wish I could have fast forwarded through, except I was afraid I'd miss something. So, I read them. And, guess what? I wouldn't have missed anything.



I liked Ric from his early appearances, but I'm not sure he was enough to sustain his own book. That's just my opinion. Brockmann obviously thought otherwise. I just wasn't impressed with him. I found his story a little bit boring, and this book was saved, for me, by Jules and Robin. And, of course, a little Cosmo thrown in for good measure. And Max. I wouldn't rec this book to anyone who wasn't already a devout follower of the series.


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Review: Into the Storm

Into the Storm by Suzanne Brockmann

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I read the blurb on the inside flap of this one, I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I wasn't enthused, like I was for so many of Brockmann's other books in the series. Turns out, though, that you can't judge a book by its cover OR its blurb. Not only did I like this one, I LOVED it.



The characters were fantastic, and it reminded me of an earlier Brockmann where she sows the seeds for others all the while carrying a suspense plot and a romance between the main characters.



How DOES she do it? I have no clue. In a series this long, there are bound to be some hits and misses. This one is definitely a hit. From the top of the character food chain, to the secretary that everyone hates to love, every character is spot on and makes you crave to learn more about them. You can't go wrong with this entry in the Troubleshooters series.


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When Hannah Lapp reluctantly returns to the Old Order Amish community that she grew up in in order to help her sister, she is torn between her new life and love in the outside world and life in the community with her first love.





I LOVED this movie with Harrison Ford!

oh wait.........

Good Cover!

For any number of reasons!

Review: Master of Surrender

Master of Surrender by Karin Tabke

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
You know, the whole time I was reading this, it seemed like I had read this book before. Everything seemed exactly as I remembered from some other book: invaders come, the leader wants the scared yet brash and sassy mistress of the keep (or castle, or manor, etc.) She swears her husband/brother/father/uncle will return and rescue them even though the hero tells her (repeatedly) that said male relative is dead. I mean, the entire premise isn't anything new.



There were a few twists in the book, well, maybe twist is the wrong word. There were characters that may not have been in other novels that follow the same plot. Honestly, I found the whole thing very much deja vu all over again. There was nothing here that made the book stand out, yet it wasn't horrible. It's like eating at a favorite restaurant: you love it so you still eat there, but it becomes boring after awhile. That's what this book was. If you're a fan of this sort of plot, you probably won't be disappointed.



If you're not, there isn't anything here to make you a fan.






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