I need to start working through Sharon Shinn's backlist. I can't recall any of her books that I didn't like and many are some of my favorites. This bo...moreI need to start working through Sharon Shinn's backlist. I can't recall any of her books that I didn't like and many are some of my favorites. This book is a strong contender for future favorite (I have to wait a bit for the afterglow to die down before I can declare a true favorite).
Mystic and Rider features a party of magical mystics and King's Riders working together on a mission of discovery, tasked by the king to find out how the southern parts of the kingdom are doing. The answer they find is that fanatical anti-mystic sentiment is growing under the promotion of the local lords there and that preparations for a civil war are already under way. And no, none of this is enough of a spoiler for me to feel I need to flag it as such.
While everyone in the party of investigators is interesting, Senneth and Tayse, as the leaders of the different factions within the group (mystics and riders, duh), definitely held my attention as the main protagonists. As they learn to work together, and eventually respect one another, I couldn't help but become emotionally invested in their mission as well as in their growing friendship. And I still can't decide if this leads to one of the greatest rescue scenes in fantasy literature or one of the best plot devices ever setup and exploited for emotional payoff. Maybe it's both?
Anyway, if you enjoy solid fantasy with great characters and an interesting social milieu, you'll do well to look no further.(less)
If you haven’t read the first in this series, you definitely should before reading this one—and not just so that this review is easier to write becaus...moreIf you haven’t read the first in this series, you definitely should before reading this one—and not just so that this review is easier to write because I can say “if you read the first in this series, then you know what you’re getting with this one.”
Not that it was formulaic or stereotypical, really. I liked Dana from the first book, and we get to see the events that were hinted at in the prior book regarding her relationship with Jordan. I really liked her as the librarian type and could sympathize with her attitude towards, and treatment of, her books. She has the biggest entrepreneurial journey to make of the three girls, so it was good to see her struggle through what it means to be a book lover trying to sell books (as opposed to working in a library where she need merely recommend or assist).
As much as I liked Dana, however, I never really warmed much to Jordan. While I can understand people letting grief lead to isolation on an intellectual level, it just doesn’t work for me emotionally. Letting your pain lead you to inflict pain on others you care about, while natural enough, is kind of a jerk move. And Jordan took that jerk move to something of an extreme when his mother died. While Nora Roberts lets us see the depth of his regret (and reformation), she’s also writer enough for us to see that the underlying flaw isn’t entirely overcome, yet, either. That made me reluctant to entirely throw in with him renewing his relationship with Dana.
That said, in the course of solving the mystery and finding Dana’s key, we do get to see Jordan’s devotion to her and what could turn out to be a solid-enough foundation for their future relationship. I’m not entirely sanguine about it, but enough so that I don’t resent their ending up together.
A note about Steamy: There was more steam in this novel than the Roberts standard—at least three explicit scenes and some of them more literally steamy than normal. Not that I’m griping about it, however, because it all worked for the story.(less)
This was a fun, though light, read. I happened to be in the exact right mood for this book, so I'm afraid I devoured faster than usual.
It doesn't hurt...moreThis was a fun, though light, read. I happened to be in the exact right mood for this book, so I'm afraid I devoured faster than usual.
It doesn't hurt the book that the main character's name is Malory and one of my first crushes was Mallory Keaton (yes, thatMallory Keaton). I know, I'm a dork. Still, Malory Price is an extremely likeable character even if some of her best lines are too stereotypical to take seriously. I particularly like that she is brave enough to confess her feelings before she is sure that they are (or will be) reciprocated. There are enough unique traits to keep her from being just a stereotype of the girly-girl thrust into an action/detective role.
Flynn is even more of a stereotype than Malory. He's kind of a self-conscious cross between George Bailey (from It's a Wonderful Life) and Clark Kent in his mild-mannered reporter guise (from... do you really have to be told this one?). It helps that he compares himself to George Bailey, so at least it functions more of an homage than amalgamated rip-off.
Even if there's a lot of formula in the characters, the frame story is an interesting one. I don't know if Roberts found and borrowed an actual obscure Welsh myth, but it doesn't really matter if she did or not. The frame story is compelling and the identification between the figures of the myth and the girls of the story is an interesting one. In the end, the combination of frame story and seeing how it relates to the modern setting and characters held my interest and attention to deliver an enjoyable read.
A note about Steamy: This book had a standard couple of explicit scenes. Nothing terribly remarkable about the frequency or content of them, though don't take that to mean that there's anything "blah" about it...(less)
If this keeps up, I'm going to have to revise my opinion of Nora Roberts books released in the 80s. I liked this book more than my rating is going to...moreIf this keeps up, I'm going to have to revise my opinion of Nora Roberts books released in the 80s. I liked this book more than my rating is going to show—mainly because I half fell in love with Shane, myself. She's quirky and determined, but mostly I like her self-trust and ability to accept people and events as they are. Vance is kind of a turd, but he does grow on you so I'm not disgusted that Shane was attracted to him. Plus, I like that he's running (more or less) from an unusual past that both explains his gruffness and why Shane is just the woman for him.
So why the downgrade? Shane goes all stupid at the end of the novel, more or less contradicting all that we know about her to that point. It was frustrating and completely unnecessary that she forgot herself so much that she could let it affect the love she knows she has. Frustrating beyond belief and it doesn't help that her crisis is propelled by the very least appealing character of the book (and possibly of all Roberts' 80s novels). The book might have been shorter if Roberts had simply cut out the next-to-last chapter or three, but it would have been vastly improved as well. If it weren't an audiobook, I'd be tempted to perform the edit myself...
A note about Steamy: A couple of truly excellent sex scenes and not just because I find Shane so very appealing, viscerally.(less)
This was a typical Roberts romance… until we meet Ford Sawyer. Now, I admit that this is a personal reaction, but I simply fell in love with him at fi...moreThis was a typical Roberts romance… until we meet Ford Sawyer. Now, I admit that this is a personal reaction, but I simply fell in love with him at first appearance and that never abated. I mean how can you resist the combination of a really cool job (graphic novel author and artist), southern equanimity and persistence, and basic, masculine competence?
Cilla was interesting enough on her own, too—a former child actor with enough residual resources to build a new career in a new place and have the time to prove herself in that career as an independent contractor. It's a big break from her former life and that's by design. Indeed, she has to actively repulse those who want to pull her back into show biz (including the occasional flare of unwanted press attention).
The framing mystery was a little weak, but that didn't really matter to me because that wasn't what I cared about at all. Since it gave Ford opportunity for his quiet strength (and clever competence) to shine I was happy to go along for the ride. Indeed, I suspect the book only really rates three stars, but I'm bumping it one for Ford…
A note about Steamy: Standard Roberts level of steam in this one—a few explicit scenes of average length.(less)
This second installment of the Chronicles of Nick wasn't as strong as the first and seemed less… full… somehow. I think it may be a matter of unreason...moreThis second installment of the Chronicles of Nick wasn't as strong as the first and seemed less… full… somehow. I think it may be a matter of unreasonable escalation that the series is building as it goes along. We already know that Nick is destined to be the destroyer of the universe (only maybe not) from the first book. And we already know that diverse powers and influences are gathering to force him to endorse their various agendas. The problem I had was feeling like those forces were building and none were balanced enough to give Nick the space he needs to grow into someone who can make the informed moral choices that will determine his eventual role as savior or destroyer.
In other words, in this novel it becomes increasingly clear that all the powerful folks, whether individuals or in groups, are morally bankrupt at least on some level. They have opposing goals, and all, so there’s no evil empire to fight, but there’s really nobody who can provide Nick a barometer or example of someone who has power and uses it wisely and well. We’re told repeatedly that if he makes the wrong choices, he’ll be corrupted and end up destroying the world, but we’re never really told what that means.
Moral philosophy is a complex and contentious realm, so I can see why Sherrilyn Kenyon might want to avoid delving too deeply into those waters by picking sides and/or choosing one moral perspective as her “absolute”. That said, by making the series on some level about Nick’s moral choices, she isn’t really doing herself any favors by skirting so completely around the problem by giving us no indication what it means for Nick to remain “good”. What ended up happening for me is that this book, and the series as a whole, ended up feeling way too steeped in evil with every choice being a bad one and every ally a potential traitor. I really disliked that feeling and doubt I’ll be picking up the next book as a result. (less)
Yes, I did, in fact, have something of a Malcolm Gladwell splurge, this month. Blink is another fascinating look at how and why people do things. This...moreYes, I did, in fact, have something of a Malcolm Gladwell splurge, this month. Blink is another fascinating look at how and why people do things. This time, Gladwell explores the power of first impressions and how those immediate impulses are formed and informed by culture and experience. Interestingly, Gladwell doesn't see us as slave to these impulses, but rather describes how they are informed with an eye to allowing us to better control their impact on our actions. As before, he illustrates his points with provocative stories that serve to give you an easy way to grasp his topic.(less)
The Tipping Point is an incredible read and holds up well even 12 years after its initial release. Gladwell does an excellent job explaining what he m...moreThe Tipping Point is an incredible read and holds up well even 12 years after its initial release. Gladwell does an excellent job explaining what he means by Tipping Points, why they're important, and how to use that understanding in practical ways. The biggest surprise to me, however, is that he is amazingly even handed when tackling tricky events that have political under-pinnings.(less)
This review has been hard for me to write because the author, Jessica Day George, is a friend—and not in some squishy, internet way, either, but in a...moreThis review has been hard for me to write because the author, Jessica Day George, is a friend—and not in some squishy, internet way, either, but in a book group, get-together-every-month kind of way. You wouldn't think that'd make this hard considering that I enjoyed the book immensely—and despite several strikes against it from a personal taste perspective, too!
The novel has a fairy-tale feel, though in a solidly Norsk setting (I don't know how better to name it—it's northern with all the ice and cold and Viking-like details, but not actually Viking or from an identifiable, known (to me) country). As such, it has many unexplained fantastical elements and pacing designed to invite exploration and reader self-insertion. That kind of thing normally drops me out of a story.
But it didn't drag and my interest was fully engaged throughout. I liked “Lass” (she has no given name because her mother couldn't be bothered) a great deal. She was kind and care-full and not in any cloying way, either. She did her best with what she was given and didn't go in for a lot of “poor me” or moping. It didn't hurt that her primary motivation throughout was love for her brother and a desire to ease the soul-pain she could see was plaguing him so desperately.
And I looked forward to how she would solve the puzzles she ran into, as well. The story maintained its fairy-tale logic throughout so you knew more or less why things worked (or didn't) and I never felt that the story cheated to be clever or sly or manipulative—this even as Lass finds help from three kindly (to her, anyway) crones or manages to dragoon the four winds into doing her favors.
The one thing that fell flat for me, in the end, was the love story. Lass builds close emotional ties to a number of creatures in the castle she visits. One of those is closer than the others and you can kind of tell that her relationship with “him” is deeper and has more meaning for her. Unfortunately, most of the interactions where their bond is solidified are summarized or lumped together as a group in retrospect. I didn't get the feeling that I knew enough of their relationship to participate in the romance of it. So the payoff in the end, where Lass gets to leave her dreadful mother and live her happy-ever-after, was robbed somewhat of its impact. Since I am an incurable romantic, I regret that missing dynamic.
Anyway, the book is a solid four personal stars and would easily merit five for someone more in its target audience—which is probably why this review was so hard for me to write for a friend. I want to give it the five stars its target demographic would, but I can’t really justify changing my rating policy just to benefit a friend…(less)
I liked this book well-enough, though a lot of its elements aren’t really that interesting to me. As is common for Roberts’ books, the details of thos...moreI liked this book well-enough, though a lot of its elements aren’t really that interesting to me. As is common for Roberts’ books, the details of those things outside of common experience are researched well enough that they feel real in the lives of her characters. I’m not a fire jumper and I don’t know anybody who is, so I can’t speak to how accurate they may be by themselves. But as part of the story they feel integral and important in ways that would be hard to pull off without a great deal of effort. And Roberts weaves those things in so seamlessly that most readers probably don’t even notice how hard that really is.
Anyway, I have little interest in fire jumpers and people who live that lifestyle are pretty far outside of my actual (i.e. non-cinematic) experience. So I didn’t connect especially well to Rowan or Gulliver. And for all the murder and sabotage (and, ugh, stupid episodes from an evil sicko’s perspective), it doesn’t pull the mystery strings, either (it was kind of easy to figure out who was behind it all and what red herrings were thrown in were weak-sauce enough that you’d only really give them credence if this were an actual mystery and the author was playing with you). So while I liked the story and kept it queued up on my audiobook delivery device, it wasn’t terribly compelling to me personally. If you like any of these actiony elements, or suspect that you may, your enjoyment will likely be greater than my own.
A note about Steamy: This was a middle of the road steamy level—a couple of explicit scenes and not too long or detailed at that. You get some risqué talk in the macho atmosphere of the fire jumpers, but that feels more authentic than it does gratuitous, and it was probably milder than strictly realistic if I think about it. (less)
I did not love this book. Indeed, I barely made it through the last half. If it hadn't been for falling in love with Murphy, there's no way I'd have m...moreI did not love this book. Indeed, I barely made it through the last half. If it hadn't been for falling in love with Murphy, there's no way I'd have made it through.
Here's the thing: Shannon spends the entire freaking book being a complete and utter idiot—which would have been fine if I hadn't felt the whole time that she was only being a complete and utter idiot because Nora Roberts needed her to be in order for the book to last longer than a short story. This stuff isn't really spoilers as all of this is clear from the very beginning, but skip to the next paragraph if you don't want even small hints of what hits you over the head for the entire novel. Here's the thing: it's pretty clear, from the beginning, how very empty Shannon's life in New York is. She has zero pride in her work and doesn't find it satisfying. She spends weeks and then months in Ireland and nobody from home bothers checking in even just to see how she's doing. And she even says, multiple times, how she hasn’t been one to put down roots, particularly due to moving so much as a kid. And yet, she can't give it up for everything on offer in County Clare and simply refuses to say why for half the freaking novel? Seriously? I'm sorry, but she comes across as completely clueless. (view spoiler)[Which is made even worse when she gives her big speech at the end, telling Murphy exactly these points. Someone get the clue-bat, we have a patient in need of therapy... (hide spoiler)]
That said, Murphy. Man he's a sweetheart. It was worth wading through Shannon's idiocy just to spend some time getting to know the man who has been on the fringe of the other two novels. I mean, you know what a great guy he is—how caring and kind—because of how he has supported Maggie and Brie. So it was fantastic to see how those traits penetrate down to the bone. And while I didn't care for the spot of mysticism behind his attachment to Shannon, it fit well enough and didn't compromise all those things that made him so very endearing. By the end, I wanted to push Shannon off the cliff, encourage her to swim for New York, and run off with Murphy myself...
A note about Steamy: This one was on the high end of the Nora Roberts steamy scale, as well. Nothing too outré, or anything, but it was on the high-side of typical.(less)
Brianna Concannon is one of nature's true homemakers—someone who finds joy and comfort in seeing to the needs of those under her care. While this leav...moreBrianna Concannon is one of nature's true homemakers—someone who finds joy and comfort in seeing to the needs of those under her care. While this leaves her open to mischief-makers like her mother, it also draws her into the hearts of those who care for her.
I was prepared to like Brianna going into this book, and that didn't disappoint. I wish I could have liked Grayson Thane, more, though. He has depth as a character and you can understand his odd mixture of open-handed kindness and gruff, isolating, independence. That doesn't mean I have to like it, though. And I particularly didn't like him as a romantic interest for Brie. Yes, he's great for her once he gets over himself. But then, you could say that of anybody who finally loved Brie and would support her.
I also wasn't a fan of some of the trappings of this story. There were a few too many plot threads that hared off on weird tangents, too many random events at just the right moment, and too many situations where Gray just happened to have a skill or knowledge for the situation. It felt cobbled-together and a little strained.
In the end, there was enough humor and good story-telling that I'll bump it to three stars rather than the mere two I was headed for. I laughed out loud a time or two and that's valuable entertainment, right there. Still, I thought this was Roberts batting below her average.
A note about the narrator: Grayson is an American in Ireland. As such, his dialogue really should have stood out from the surrounding characters. Fiacre Douglas started off really rocky with the American accent, doing that thing some across the pond do where they fake the American twang by talking out of their nose. I think that this evened out as the book progressed, and I don't think it was just me getting used to it. Still, with Gray taking up so much of the novel, it was sad that a stronger talent with accents didn't have the reading of it.
A note about steamy: This book is a touch steamier than Roberts' standard. There are at least three explicit sex scenes and they aren't short. Also, I strongly dislike when virgins don't have even a twinge of pain because their lovers are just so expert, the moment is exactly right, and/or they are so very ready. Yeah, the sex scenes are supposed to be idealized in these books, but that seems like stretching things a bit too far...(less)
Written in the mid-90s, this book is a big step up from Roberts' O'Hurley novels, despite nominal similarities (mainly in the pseudo-shiftless, Irish...moreWritten in the mid-90s, this book is a big step up from Roberts' O'Hurley novels, despite nominal similarities (mainly in the pseudo-shiftless, Irish father).
Maggie Concannon isn't the kind of heroine that normally appeals to me. She's tempestuous and impulsive and argumentative and way too willing to inflict emotional pain on those nearest to her. Fortunately, she has a softer, humbler, more caring side to her that comes out when it matters most. This let me care enough to want to see her be happy.
Rogan Sweeney isn't the kind of hero that normally appeals to me, either. He's bossy and commanding and way too willing to manipulate others into doing what he thinks is best for them. Fortunately, he has a humbler, softer, more caring side to him that comes out when he can see that his more forthright methods would endanger the very things he wants to accomplish.
So I hadn't thought I'd end up caring much about this novel, even if I was never truly tempted to simply stop reading. By midway through, though, I'd seen enough of the complexity of the characters to be fully invested in wanting them to succeed and cheering for them as they overcame the adversity of Maggie's circumstances (and what a chilling portrayal of a mother gone completely off the rails in her duty to nurture and protect her children!).
A note about the narrator: It took me a while to get used to the narrator of this Brilliance Audio production. Fiacre Douglas' sentences tend to be delivered quickly and with a faint pause at the end of each. This makes it sound, at first, like he's running sprints and timing himself to see how fast he can get to the end. It doesn't help that much of the book is read in an Irish accent and, while I love the sound and flow of the words, I'm not very good at decoding even this mild accent at speed. After a bit, though, I caught the rhythm of his reading and it stopped bothering me.
A note about Steamy: While there's only a couple of explicit scenes, one of them was markedly hot. Not that it was that much longer than normal, or more explicit, or anything, but Maggie is an unashamedly passionate woman and that came out in spades.(less)
This was just the break I needed. No surprises if you've read the first story (and you really should). Owen is more or less what you kind of suspected...moreThis was just the break I needed. No surprises if you've read the first story (and you really should). Owen is more or less what you kind of suspected he'd be and seeing him bend for Avery was touching and revealing. I liked Avery's character development, too, and how she turns out to be more than a simple free-spirited woman who happens to own a restaurant. Indeed, seeing her dedication to hard work and making her own dreams come true was what made her romance with the carefully-planned-out Owen make the kind of deep sense that you need to believe that their relationship will work beyond the attraction of the moment.
A note on Steamy: Again, this is a typical Roberts novel, with the couple of explicit scenes. Actually, the steamy seemed kind of light with this one. I'm not sure if I just got distracted during those scenes (yeah, right), if they were just less important to the overall story, of if they actually were shorter than normal. In any case, there's a bit of sexuality, a bit of sensuality, and a whole lot of what feels like real love.(less)
I found myself annoyed in the first quarter of this book, though I'm not sure exactly why. I think it's because I dislike the premise behind controlli...moreI found myself annoyed in the first quarter of this book, though I'm not sure exactly why. I think it's because I dislike the premise behind controlling someone (even to the point of self-destruction) by some kind of brain manipulation. Towards the middle, I found myself annoyed because everybody seemed to be stuck on despair as the sole motivator for suicide—even in the face of direct evidence to the contrary. By the mid-point (or shortly thereafter), my annoyances faded and I finished on a relative up-beat.
Peabody continues to be a favorite character. Her quick thinking action is reliably fun and her calm wit in odd moments sparks true, out-loud laughter. She's particularly fun in her fangirl moments with either pop-culture or simple fannish appreciation of every-day things Eve takes for granted (like Roarke…).
This book also has a really odd interlude with a page or so perspective shift to a sociopath. (view spoiler)[I suspected this was a deliberate red herring at the time, and was kind of annoyed to find that I was right. Really awkward, almost amateur, move by Robb. (hide spoiler)]. Robb has done similar in other books but it felt awkward in this one. For one, the perspective was an actual sociopath rather than that of someone observing him. I hate this device as it feels so... contrived. I don't like being in the head of a sociopath and would really rather authors refrain from this particular indulgence. For another, the scene was kind of sloppy in that the character's thoughts were too obviously for the benefit of the reader's information—i.e. including information people don't actually think about because people already know the context of their own thoughts.
That said, this was a small part of the larger book and only a contributing factor in my annoyance at that stage of the story. In all, it was a decent mystery. If the ultimate bad guy was pretty easy to figure out, that's mostly due to familiarity with the conventions of the genre.
A note about Steamy: Part of the sociopathic brain manipulation in this story includes manipulating Eve and Roarke sexually. This dangerously skirts the edge of rape and is part of my discontent with the story. While it didn't get to the point of permanently damaging their relationship or forcing sex outside their marriage, it was still rather intense.(less)
This book is no surprise if you've read the rest of the series. The mystery of this one was stronger with good development and the occasional twist. E...moreThis book is no surprise if you've read the rest of the series. The mystery of this one was stronger with good development and the occasional twist. Eve planning for a wedding made for mild amusement.
The best part of the book is the development of Peabody. She showed up in the previous book, but in a really small part. In this book, Eve takes Peabody on, requesting her as an assistant in her investigations. Peabody is a hoot; a mixture of naiveté, fangirl, hardnose cop and occasional sly wit. She fits well into Eve's style, complimenting her investigations and acting as sounding board and accomplice. More importantly, she's a great source of leavening humor.
I've never been a fan of Mavis. She's kind of an annoying pet that Eve takes care of occasionally. Even so, it was heartbreaking to see her fall under suspicion and have to deal with Eve's world more directly. I still don't like her, but I appreciated her contribution to the story, nonetheless.
A note on Steamy: Typical Robb complement of explicit sex. Again, if you've read the previous books, you know what to expect.(less)
**spoiler alert** This book started out well-enough as a semi-atypical teen coming of age story—semi-atypical because the beginning events (Q and Marg...more**spoiler alert** This book started out well-enough as a semi-atypical teen coming of age story—semi-atypical because the beginning events (Q and Margo on a night about town) are atypical of teens in general but only semi because it's not really unexpected in books about teens. At any rate, getting to know Quentin is fun. He's a fairly standard kid with good grades and a middle-rank social standing. His night with Margo, the high-flying center of gossip, is moderately transformative if only because he has had a chance to cut loose with the girl he has had a crush on since forever.
After their big night, Margo disappears and the rest of the book is Quentin, with occasional help from his friends, trying to piece together why she would do that and where she might be. There is, of course, deep thought and silliness along the way. John Green has a real talent in making his teen characters seem alive. Even the side characters have a strong sense of reality with conflicting motivations and actions that hint of the fundamental insecurity of that transition into adult responsibilities.
That said, I began to be a bit jittery when so much focus was placed on an introspective journey guided by Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. Quentin begins to spend a lot of time worrying about seeing people for who they are and the impossibility of knowing what is truly happening in the inner world of those around us. And it turns out that I was right to worry.
As Quentin and friends begin to home in on Margo, it became kind of obvious that there was one of two possibilities in play. Either Margo was a kind of emotional thrill seeker manipulating people for her own satisfaction—essentially a bitch willing to hurt others out of her own emotional pain. Or she is running from a deeper emotional attachment out of fear of the potential pain it may bring, but hoping for a pre-commitment that will allow her to connect with her followers should they find her. Frankly, either option would have worked, though as a romantic I kind of hoped that it was the latter and that the specific emotional fear was a crush/longing/love for Quentin.
I was, therefore, deeply disappointed by the ending when it became clear that Green had split the difference in a confusing mish-mash of pseudo-philosophical meanderings. On the one hand, it is revealed that Margo is, indeed, an unsympathetic bitch. She really had meant to leave everyone and had no intention of them finding her in time to catch up with her. She meant to have the last word, burn all her bridges, and leave people with no way to respond or retaliate (for better or worse).
If Green had left it there I'd have been satisfied. Unhappy, because I like Quentin and don't want him hurt, but life lessons aren't always kind and he's strong enough that he'd recover and be better off in the end. Instead, we are treated to a lot of literary hand-waving, invoking Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar explicitly, and only barely stopping short of full-on Derrida-inspired alienation and the impossibility of understanding or connecting with others. This transition is supposed to soften our perception of Margo by illustrating a deep connection that she shares with Quentin. We're supposed to believe that she really does care for Quentin—maybe even love him.
Unfortunately, I couldn't buy the excuses. If she truly cares, there's no way she wouldn't have at least hoped to be found before she moved on and had a contingency plan for it. Indeed, leaving a hard date (and time!) for leaving her refuge reinforces the impression that she had such a hope. If she didn't, there was no reason to be so explicit, let alone making her deadline public (if obscure). It isn't like she's got a time-dependent place to be, after all.
It feels like John Green wanted a deeper ending than Q and Margo working out some compromise that allows their relationship to grow—like that'd be too simple or something. So instead, we get her acting like she cares but, when found, it becomes clear she never really did. Only then, we have her and Q making a connection as if she actually does care, after all, so, you know, happy ending. Only John Green doesn't want that so they talk-talk about how impossible it is to connect to people, really (and hey, high-sounding literary references, so we're covered), and then they part ways forever. Because, you know, that's better. Deeper, you know.
The second in the series, this book is a good continuation from the first and smooths out some of the rocky bits.
Eve is busy working on having an actu...moreThe second in the series, this book is a good continuation from the first and smooths out some of the rocky bits.
Eve is busy working on having an actual relationship with Roarke. She's not very good at it and is figuring things out on the fly, so things are rocky. Again, I felt for Roarke dealing with her dysfunction, but again, it’s not like Eve is being unjustifiably obtuse, either. And, oh yeah, there's murders and stuff. The mystery in this book is a lot shallower than the first and I thought the solution was projected more than these things normally are—i.e. it was easy to figure out. Fortunately, Eve isn't that far behind the curve and her reason for being a bit obtuse is justified without making her stupid or undermining her standing as a great police detective.
If the plot itself is a bit weaker, at least the polemics are toned down considerably. As I suspected, once the antagonists are no longer political straw-men, the bias fades comfortably into the background. Less preachy, but weaker story evens this back to the three star rating I gave the first book.
A note on Steamy: Sex wasn't tied up in the mystery this time, so the steamy drifted back into my normal zone—a couple of steamy scenes that don't stick around beyond their welcome. (less)
Another disappointment, though not as bad as Dance to the Piper. I at least liked Quinn and could see that he cared for Chantel. And deeply.
Unfortunat...moreAnother disappointment, though not as bad as Dance to the Piper. I at least liked Quinn and could see that he cared for Chantel. And deeply.
Unfortunately, it's the plot that bites in this one. Details would be spoiler-rich, so I'll sum up by saying that plot holes in a mystery are bad, bad, bad. Details: (view spoiler)[If Quinn is such a great investigator, don't you think that he'd have uncovered that writer-guy was seeing a shrink? And that he was unstable? He ran extensive background checks on everybody, we're told. Seeing a shrink isn't that secret. And if that shrink wants to institutionalize him, even more so. And that he's having marital problems, as well?!? Come on... And the red herring simply failed, as well. There was too much interaction with the agent, both by Chantel and Quinn, such that they've have known if the stalker's style was anything like his. Bad, bad, bad... (hide spoiler)]
I'm pretty sure this is it for the series for me. I started Without A Trace and I'm just not interested, right now. Maybe later.(less)
This is the second of the O'Hurley series and first published over 20 years ago. And again, it serves to highlight Roberts' growth since that time. Un...moreThis is the second of the O'Hurley series and first published over 20 years ago. And again, it serves to highlight Roberts' growth since that time. Unfortunately, it's also worse than its predecessor.
Maddy O'Hurley is the dancer of the family. Dance permeates her life, as does an innate optimism and willingness to see the best in people. And it's a good thing she does because Reed is a first-class jerk. The book tries to justify his jerkness by ascribing it to the “betrayal” of his mother when he was little. And yes, it was a pretty strong betrayal. Still, I just didn't buy it. The man was not just a cynic, he was unconscionably callus about his own pain, and, more importantly, to the pain he caused Maddy.
Maddy decides, early on, that she loves Reed. Unfortunately, there isn't much there in the way of justification for her devotion. It's just love-magic, I guess, and the reader is expected to just go along with that. It's unfortunate, because I really liked Maddy. Unfortunately, liking her made me dislike Reed all the more. Dissatisfying.
The one strength of the novel is, unfortunately, a huge spoiler. (view spoiler)[I did like that Maddy and Reed didn’t make up before opening night. Maddy’s performance kicked butt even while she was in such intense emotional distress. This spoke to her inner strength and prevented us from suspecting that she’d be at the mercy of Reed in the future because her performance depended on relationship stability with him. It also proved to him, conclusively, that she was independent and would be able to move on if he failed, in the future, to live up to his promises. Good choice and I’m glad Roberts didn’t take the easy emotional high of a good performance being a reward for the hero pulling his head from his nethers. (hide spoiler)]
A note about audio: This is an early-ish audible work that seems like it was simply ripped from something earlier, still. Included with this is a theme that plays at every chapter break. That theme not only got old, fast, but it was, at times, ludicrously at odds with the drama of the moment. Bad, bad, bad.
A note about steamy: Typical Nora Roberts—a scene or two of explicit sex and occasional sexy dialogue.(less)
A friend recommended that I try Nora Roberts' pseudonym, J.D. Robb, and her “In Death” series. It's set in the far-ish future (late 21st century) and...moreA friend recommended that I try Nora Roberts' pseudonym, J.D. Robb, and her “In Death” series. It's set in the far-ish future (late 21st century) and is mainly oriented towards mystery. It still has romance, but that isn't the focus.
And I liked the book, so I'm glad she did. Eve Dallas is prickly, self-contained, and confident but with a brittle inner core. She's a top detective in the New York PD so it isn't too surprising when a high-profile case ends up in her lap. Pursuing the case puts her on the track of Roarke, a self-made billionaire who, of course, finds her fascinating.
The mystery never takes back-seat during the story and it holds your interest just fine on its own. The romance flows, as well, though Eve has enough hang-ups for a coat hanger factory. There's a lot of back-story there and Robb does well keeping it relevant without neutering the present-day. I ended up liking Roarke quite a lot. Indeed, he had all my sympathy as he tries to deal with a woman who is prickly on her good days. Eve might have become tedious, but she never quite steps into the realm of the irrational or over-emotional.
I was surprised with how well the novel holds up as futuristic some 17 years after it was initially published. The technology is mostly a straightforward extension of contemporary trends, so there's nothing jarringly out of place (though heaven help her if computers ever stop using “disks” to store data). The book isn't gadget-centered, so whether or not Robb prognosticated successfully doesn't really matter.
What doesn't hold up as well is her social history and politics. Robb's world of the future functions as something of a liberal showcase where various liberal policies have finally triumphed and they enjoy the (now time-tested) benefits of people finally seeing reason. Prostitution is legal, as are most drugs, and guns have been effectively banned for decades. And, as a result, there are far fewer rapes, domestic violence is way down, drug addicts only hurt themselves because there is no black market, and while people may still murder each other, at least gun violence is practically non-existent. Since most people on the opposite end of the political spectrum are used to this bias in popular entertainment, this is probably a safe bet as long as the story is good. It ends up feeling like deliberate polemics, however, when a large part of the plot involves people labeled “conservatives” trying to repeal those policies—with the added bonus that they are shown to be as corrupt as they are delusional through the course of the story.
So the politics feel like a cheap-shot if you aren't as politically-liberal as it feels like this novel is. The story is good, though, so if you just let it slide, it's not completely off-putting. Since I'm at least partially Libertarian, I did okay. Still, it dropped my enjoyment a star, if only because I kept wanting to show the author the last 17 years of gun restriction and liberalization and how the actual results are at odds with her “history”.
A note about Steamy: This book ends up on the far side of my acceptable steamy range. There are three or four explicit scenes of moderate length (I don't actually keep count, so I can't be more specific). One of those scenes involves sex play as prelude to murder and includes minor pedophilia-fantasy byplay (though not reality) as well, so it's deeply disturbing. This is in service to the story and appropriate to it, but if that's going to be a problem, it's best you know going in.(less)
This book was pure awesome. That should be the end of my review, but since I'm an unashamed blowhard, I'll probably go on a bit more.
Elizabeth Fitch/A...moreThis book was pure awesome. That should be the end of my review, but since I'm an unashamed blowhard, I'll probably go on a bit more.
Elizabeth Fitch/Abigail Lowery is a unique heroine. Planned and scripted from birth, right down to the selection of donor father, Elizabeth has had zero input in her activities, friends, or scholarship. She put up with that for 16 years but when her mother cancelled vacation when Elizabeth returned from her first year at Harvard (some of the planning panned out and Elizabeth is incredibly smart), she had had enough. Making an instant friend at the mall, and a couple of bang-up fake IDs, Liz and Julie go to an infamous club and are picked up by really, really bad men.
Most of the above is in the cover copy, so I was a little surprised that it took as long as it did to relate the events in the book. I expected it to be quick because the real story takes place twelve years later when she shows up as Abigail Lowery in Brickford. The reason it took so long turns out to be that this book borrows elements of the thriller genre in its story and that includes action, suspense, death, and blood. This is a good thing, I think, and ended up working very well. In short, the book kind of rips your heart out and that becomes essential in understanding Abigail, her capabilities and her insecurities.
Which is why I started off with a mild hate for Brooks when we first meet him. His casual abuse of position in thrusting himself into Abby's sphere pissed me off, not least because it could end up putting her life in danger. It didn't help that there's a kind of unthinking anti-gun bias at some of the root of his ruminations, even while the story itself makes it abundantly clear exactly why liberal gun laws are so very important in a free society. Fortunately, he backs off once he assures himself she isn't dangerous and the rest of their relationship flows naturally from his gregarious good nature and her innate curiosity and courage.
I ended up liking Brooks quite a lot, actually. He was exactly the guy Abby needed, both in her legal troubles and in her personal growth. His unconditional acceptance of her was exactly what she needed to set down roots and learn what it means to be family. Roberts' deft touch with personal/familial relationships made this a stand-out sub-theme of the book.
Part of my great amusement with the book is that Abby is a fantastic mixture of smart and naïve. Her incredible intelligence has brought her this far, but her situation is so precarious that real social contact with others has been very limited (after being artificially constrained by her domineering mother). This makes her a lot like Anya from the Buffy series, only with even more charm (no knock on Emma Caulfield. I thought her Anya incredibly charming. I'm just saying that Abby met and exceeded the high benchmark she set). Recalling specific scenes or lines is still bringing me a chuckle. It wasn’t really played for laughs (it permeates the character in a realistic way), but humor was definitely an entertaining element of the story.
As important to the story, Nora Roberts writes Abby's intelligence and capabilities exactly right for the Romance reader. As a huge computer nerd, myself, I may quibble about some of the throw-away details (okay, I do quibble with two of them), but Roberts created an excellent balance between specificity/believability, and boring detail. Roberts did enough research to get the approach and theory right without bogging down with irrelevancies.
In the end, this turned out to be my favorite Nora Roberts book so far. I don't know if it'll keep that title, but it's in a strong position and will be hard to beat.
A note about narration: The narrator for this book on Audible, Julia Whelan, was exactly right for Abby's character. Abby would have been easy to either under- or over-play and Julia did neither. Fantastic job, and one easily overlooked. The other characters were equally well-played, so I'm not trying to imply weaknesses elsewhere. Getting Abby right was key, however, so it was good to see her get the voice actress she needed.
A note about Steamy: This is a Nora Roberts standard—a few explicit scenes and various romantic allusions. Since this book is so much longer than most of hers I've been reading lately (16 hours 18 minutes), that actually averages out much lower than normal. This is neither a good nor bad thing. Indeed, it fit the story very well, I thought.(less)
I was in something of a funk last night, and this book kept me company. And good company it was. Originally written in the 80s, it's the earliest Nora...moreI was in something of a funk last night, and this book kept me company. And good company it was. Originally written in the 80s, it's the earliest Nora Roberts book I've read so far. While the book is only mildly dated, really, it is less... I dunno... engaging? than her more recent work.
The biggest weakness is, unfortunately, the core of the four-book series: the O'Hurley family. Raised by a die-hard entertainer, the triplet girls and older brother grew up on the road. They have understandably strong ties to each other. My problem is that those relationships are very idealized. We see the good side of the father's need to perform and his love for them seems real, but the book glossed over any aspects of living an essentially itinerant life that were more negative. Maybe the dad just irritated me and I didn't like how big a pass he gets for those things that annoyed me.
The romance with Abigail worked okay. Just. The situation was overtly confrontational and Dylan was kind of a jerkface and only barely redeemed later on. And Abby frustrated me, sometimes, as well. She's supposedly smart. She can't have thought her plan would really work with someone of Dylan's reputation, could she? It was weak of her to even try.
The pure relationship side of the romance is what made it work, in the end, for me. It was here, when Dylan allowed himself to be softer, more caring, that I started to be more invested in their story. For all my discontent with elements of the book, I ended up liking it well-enough, if only for the central relationship working itself out.
A note on Steamy: Only one real sex scene (though several lead-ins) with occasional frank talk about sex made this way mild on the steamy scale. There are deeper issues involved, however, so this book is more mature than its pure explicitness indicates.(less)
I've decided I'm just not interested in finishing, at this point. Too predictable and without anybody I care about. I'm not going to down-rate the boo...moreI've decided I'm just not interested in finishing, at this point. Too predictable and without anybody I care about. I'm not going to down-rate the book, though, but only because it's too much work to figure out what would be "fair"...(less)
I thought I'd like this one more than I did. Indeed, for the first half, I liked it as much or more than the others in the series.
Parker and Malcolm h...moreI thought I'd like this one more than I did. Indeed, for the first half, I liked it as much or more than the others in the series.
Parker and Malcolm had all the sparks you'd have thought they would. I was strongly reminded of Lauren Bacall in How to Marry a Millionaire—only Malcolm is actually working-class (though an intelligent and self-taught dabbler in esoteric topics). It was fun to see Parker learn to enjoy Malcolm's company and interests and to see Malcolm struggle in the very girly world of Vows.
Around the halfway point, though, things turn emotionally inward. Romance, for me, is largely about how two people meet needs in each other that they cannot find any other way. Roberts usually does very well in this, but I had a much harder time with this story than her others in this respect.
First, it wasn't clear to me quite what Parker is getting out of the relationship. Malcolm breaks her out of some of her routines, true, but she could have gotten that from practically any boyfriend. The best you can say is that Malcolm can stand up to her when she's got the bit between her teeth. That's no small thing, but I can't think it's completely unique, either.
A bigger wet-blanket on my enjoyment was the development of Mal's character, though. This is mild spoiler territory, so I'm going to tag it. If you don't mind a little give-away, give it a peek. (view spoiler)[Mal turns out to be a little too emotionally weak and a little too oblivious to his own internal state for me to keep liking him for Parker. It doesn't help that this is shades of Jack and that this feels somewhat like already-explored territory. More importantly, if he's going to be that emotionally oblivious, it would have been about fifty times more effective story-wise if what Parker could provide for him were a kind of external prompt for introspection. Coming to trust her as a sounding board would have been so much stronger and given me a much better entre into their relationship than what we got. (hide spoiler)]
I don't think that I'm pulling a “I could have written this so much better” tantrum, here. That's certainly possible, though. The book is still good and I still liked it. I just thought this last book in the quartet would have been my favorite and it really wasn't.
A note about Steamy: This book is both stronger and lighter on the steamy scale than the others. There’s less emphasis on sex in the story. However, the sex that is there is mildly, uh, domination-based. Nothing gross or likely to cross into ick territory for even the most vanilla connoisseurs, mind. But if that’s a thing for you (plus or minus), you’ll want to bear that in mind.(less)
Laurel is the baker of cakes and fine pastries for Vows and the mean one of the group of friends. Fierce about her friends, she doesn't hesitate to ri...moreLaurel is the baker of cakes and fine pastries for Vows and the mean one of the group of friends. Fierce about her friends, she doesn't hesitate to rip up at anybody who threatens those she loves. She has been a source of constant pressure on Mac and Emma's suitors in the first two books of this series, so I was interested what would happen when it was time for her to fall herself. Short answer: fun ride, though about as tense as you might expect.
Since she has been secretly in love with Parker's brother Del since, well, practically forever, you just know that things are going to be awkward. Del has taken a big-brother role with all of the girls and protected them when he could and helped them as often as they'd let him since they were kids. Independent since the death of his parents years ago, he has become a successful lawyer, acknowledged business leader, and is a silent partner in Vows. So when Laurel is provoked by his brotherly protectiveness into laying a steamy kiss on him, things get very interesting, fast.
I was really glad that this book didn't go with a Taming of the Shrew farce motif. It could easily have done so. Instead, we get to see the vulnerability at Laurel's core and Del's need to be with someone who will challenge him as deeply as she loves him. And I particularly liked that Del got to show his own devious streak while he was at it.
This book was a bit more scattered than the previous two with storyline deviations and longer alternate viewpoints. Most of this is obvious setup for Parkers coming turn in the hot-seat, but some was simply character establishment for Del. He's been at the fringes of the other books enough that I thought those deviations unnecessary, though not intrusively so. While a weaker story than the others, I still found it emotionally satisfying and loved the eventual resolution.
A note on Steamy: This book is solidly mid-level steamy. It had what I'm coming to consider the Roberts Standard—two explicit sex scenes that go generic before becoming uncomfortably graphic.(less)
This book does, indeed, feature another partner in the Vows partnership. Emma does flowers. She loves them even when they don't love her back and she...moreThis book does, indeed, feature another partner in the Vows partnership. Emma does flowers. She loves them even when they don't love her back and she ends up using Neosporin like hand cream. I really wasn't expecting the emotional payoff at the end of this book and found myself crying in the middle of the night as I finished it. The good kind of crying...
Besides flowers, Emma is also the heart of Vows. She truly cares about everybody and often plays the role of peacemaker among her friends. It would be really easy for Roberts to write Emma as emotionally weak as an aspect of this trait, but she takes the harder route, here. Emma is strong and perceptive and uses that inner strength in the kindest ways she can devise. It is characteristic of her that she doesn't so much “dump” boyfriends as she introduces them to their next romantic possibility.
Emma is also smart enough to know before they even begin that a relationship with Del's friend Jack could spell lots and lots of pain for them and all their friends. Jack has been friends with Del forever and all four of the ladies at Vows know him pretty well. And one thing they know is that he doesn't take relationships with women very seriously. Emma is up front about both her attraction and trepidation before, with some misgiving, they start dating.
The talent of Nora Roberts is, again, manifest with this story. Jack and Emma are great compliments to each other—well-matched in their strengths and shoring up each other’s’ weaknesses. Jack can join in Emma's sense of adventure and fun without becoming lost in the wildness and she steadies his fundamental distrust of emotional commitment. Naturally, all is not smooth along the way.
My favorite aspect of the novel, though, is how much of it revolves around friendship. Not just the partners at Vows, though that's surely center-stage, but Del and Jack's friendship is beautifully depicted and faithfully explored by Roberts. These are friendships that are at the core of who they are (“they” being the characters involved) and when romance and sex enter those circles, it can be, and is, incredibly disruptive.
I couldn't help but love Emma and accompanying her and Jack on their emotional ride was enthralling. It's a bumpy ride, but one well-worth the price of admission.
A note on Steamy: While there's the standard two (were there three? I knew I should have written this review days ago) and they're relatively short ones at that, this novel is actually a good bit steamier than the other Nora Roberts books I've read so far. That's mostly because about a quarter of the book is Jack and Emma flirting and, boy-howdy, can those two flirt. If flirting were an Olympic event, they'd both be gold medal contenders. There was one scene where I nearly pulled the car over for a cool-down (I listened to this one) as it was getting dangerous to continue driving...(less)
This book is pretty much what I expected it to be. And that's a good thing. Ruby continues to grow into the person she wants to be, but with bumps alo...moreThis book is pretty much what I expected it to be. And that's a good thing. Ruby continues to grow into the person she wants to be, but with bumps along the way. Most of the rest of my comments would be spoilerific, so I'll stop there about plot things.
The parents were mellower in this book than they have been in previous installments. And that's a good thing as well. It may be that they just seem to have less screen-time than in previous books, though. I've developed a strong dislike of her parents. They're mostly self-involved jerks and they actively undermine Ruby every time they're on stage. My biggest problem is that I can't tell if I'm supposed to find them funny or endearing or as the abusive jerks they actually are. Nobody else seems to notice their truly awful behavior, let alone call them on it. I kind of want to reach into the novel to smack them around and that's always a frustrating impulse. It'd help if I got the feeling that the author, at least, condemned their actions (like some of the parents in Diana Wynne Jones novels), but I really don't.(less)
Whoa, nerd chic! I'm coming to like Nora Roberts' romances. They're quick, engaging, and so far I've really liked the romantic leads even if they aren...moreWhoa, nerd chic! I'm coming to like Nora Roberts' romances. They're quick, engaging, and so far I've really liked the romantic leads even if they aren't always my “type”. I can't really generalize from the whole two books of hers I've read so far, but her steam-level seems to be in the middle of my range, as well.
Mackensie Elliot is a likeable heroine, though I cringe at some of her weaker moments. I really don't get her interactions with her mother and they irritated me no-end. I'm not saying that they are unrealistic or that I can't imagine people caving in to emotional blackmail so readily. Indeed, they're all too realistic and are at the core of who Mackensie is. Her growth during the novel involves both her appreciation of Carter and her learning to overcome the impulse to give in to her mother, so it's an important aspect of the both the internal and external action. I just don't normally like people who are susceptible to that kind of emotional appeal. I have to give it to Roberts for being able to stay true to the character without putting me off in an area of such strong personal preference.
Part of what kept me engaged was the very adorable Carter Maguire. He's a big ole nerd of the academic/literary variety but with a calm emotional core. His fumbling conversational gambits with Mackensie were endearing and revelatory and unguarded in a way that put him right into my heart from the first time we meet him. And when he gracefully navigates a tense encounter with a drunk jerk set on disrupting a reception Mackensie wants so badly to go well? That's a clincher, right there, that is. His determination and inner calm help him maintain the goal of a smooth event just because he knew it meant a lot to Mackensie that all goes well. Gorgeous.
Since this is the first of a quartet, I'm guessing the next novels will pick up with the other partners at Vows. I'm excited to read them.
A note on Steamy: This one was the middle of my steam-range—two sex scenes, graphic and of middling duration. Another scene and/or lengthening the two would have been near the far side of my range. Also, it looks like I'll be doing steam notes on the ends of all my steamy-flagged books. I just can't help myself...(less)
Loading...
