Julie (Mom2lnb) has
780 books
—
compare books
|
stats
controls:
shelf settings: main
views:
covers
table
print
| # | cover | title | author | isbn | isbn13 | asin | num pages | avg rating | num ratings | date pub | date pub (ed.) | rating | my rating | review | notes | recommender | comments | votes | read count | date started | date read | date added | date purchased | owned | purchase location |
|
format | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0880381736
| 9780880381734
| 4.03
| 32,806
| 1984
| Nov 12, 1984
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" Over the years, I've read some fantasy romance, but I can't say that I've read much in the way of straight epic fa...more Reviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" Over the years, I've read some fantasy romance, but I can't say that I've read much in the way of straight epic fantasy. This happens to be one of my husband's favorite genres, and Dragonlance, one of his favorite series. He has been trying to talk me into reading them for years, and I finally acquiesced to his prodding when I needed a dragon-themed book for two reading challenges in which I was participating. I had previously tried one of Weis & Hickman's other books which I had a hard time getting into and never finished. I'm happy to say that Dragons of Autumn Twilight was a very enjoyable read for me with a cast of likable characters that were easy to root for. I found quite a number of parallels between this book and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, although my husband tells me that's pretty much par for the course in this type of fantasy since LOTR was the main inspiration for all the books that have followed in this genre. I think the book may have been suffering a wee bit from the first in a series syndrome, where it takes a little while for the world-building to get up to speed. It started off at a pretty fast pace with six long-time friends reuniting after five years apart, only to become almost immediately embroiled in trouble and running for their lives after helping two strangers escape from those who would do them harm. Then, I thought the next 100+ pages were a little slow with the characters traveling from place to place and meeting lots of other characters, but not a lot happening plot-wise. Things really took off when the group began traveling to Xak Tsaroth. From there, it was pretty exciting, almost non-stop adventure that got more and more interesting with each page I turned. Dragons of Autumn Twilight has an ensemble cast of eight main characters, all of whom have their own distinct personalities. Tanis is the leader of the group. He is a skilled warrior but abhors killing. He constantly struggles between his elf and human sides, and his heart is equally torn between a human woman and an elf maid. Flint the dwarf has been friends with Tanis for many, many years (they're both around 150). He can be gruff and grouchy at times, but he can also be incredibly funny, especially when paired with Tas. Tasslehoff was an absolutely hilarious character, a mischievous little creature known as a kender, he was always getting into some kind of trouble. He has no fear and is always the most cheerful member of the group. He's great at finding things, picking locks, and the like. Sturm is a knight who grew up in exile when the knights of his father's order fell into disrespect. He is pretty dark and moody, but very loyal to his friends and perhaps even more so to his knighthood. His chivalry toward the ladies and his extremely strong sense of honor were wonderful qualities. Sturm's childhood friend, Caramon, is a big, hulking guy who's not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, but his loyalty to his twin brother, Raistlin, was quite endearing. Raistlin is an enigma wrapped in a mystery. He isn't the most likable character in the story, but he definitely is one of the most interesting. He was apparently power-hungry enough to sacrifice his health in exchange for his mage's powers. Often he was not particularly sympathetic, as he sometimes treated the others in the group, including his brother, with a condescending attitude, but then the next minute he surprised me by actually seeming to care about the gully dwarves. He claimed not to know the future, yet his advice always seemed to be spot on. Raistlin was a very mysterious character indeed. Goldmoon aka Chieftan's Daughter is the leader of her people and the bearer of the mystical blue crystal staff. She fell in love with Riverwind even though he was considered far beneath her in station. She was a brave and compassionate woman whose faith in the ancient gods was strong and who found her true calling in life during their search for the truth. Riverwind was gifted with the staff during an impossible quest to prove himself worthy of Goldmoon. He nearly died more than once and obviously loved her very much, not only to have gone through all that, but to have waited to marry her for so long. I was beginning to wonder if there were going to be any other strong female characters besides Goldmoon, but later in the quest, the group was joined by several new characters two of whom were women. Tika is a sweet, innocent barmaid who actually appeared in the opening chapters too. She has a huge crush on Caramon, and wants to be a warrior woman like his sister. Laurana is the beautiful elf-maiden who is one of the two women that Tanis loves. She only has eyes for him and wants nothing more than to win his heart all for herself. Then there is Fizban, a doddering old mage who is quite possibly even more hilarious than Tas. He had me laughing and smiling through nearly every scene he was in. I loved the banter between Flint and Tas that never failed to have me in stitches, but nearly all the characters seemed very capable of pulling off one-liners every so often. There are plenty of serious things that happen too. The action scenes, especially those involving the dragons, were quite suspenseful. There is a fair bit of violence, including a few somewhat gory scenes, but other than that, I didn't find anything particularly objectionable which in my opinion, makes the book appropriate for teens and up. In spite of the more intense moments, the overall tone of the book was lighter then I was expecting, making it a fairly easy read, and yet at the same time, rather complex. I was left with many questions, mainly about the character histories, which I hope to find the answers to in future books of the series. I'm so glad I finally picked up Dragons of Autumn Twilight. It may have ended with a resolution to the immediate conflict, but it's obvious there is much more story to tell for these companions which makes me eager to continue the Dragonlance Chronicles series soon.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Jan 19, 2011
| Jan 27, 2011
|
Aug 24, 2008
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0060773758
| 9780060773755
| 3.92
| 16,094
| Oct 25, 2005
| Oct 25, 2005
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Based on all glowing reviews and recommendations I've see for Lynsay Sands' books, I'd really been looking forward to trying o...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Based on all glowing reviews and recommendations I've see for Lynsay Sands' books, I'd really been looking forward to trying one for quite some time. I picked up A Quick Bite, the first in her Argeneau Vampires series, thinking it was going to be a great read, but in the end, it was lackluster and just OK for me. The story premise showed a great deal of promise, but ultimately proved to not be very compelling. The characters were likable enough, but rather flat and one-dimensional. They just didn't stand out to me in any way. This is a romance novel, and yet, in my opinion, there was precious little romance to speak of. For the first 2/3 of the book, I simply didn't feel any emotional connection at all between the hero and heroine. There were a few kisses, a couple of which were meant to be sensual, but that still wasn't enough to ignite that spark of passion for me. It just felt like mere lust or worse yet, kisses without any emotion or intensity behind them. Up to this point, there was an appalling lack of feeling words and body language. It seemed like any feelings these two might be experiencing for one another were being told to me rather than shown. The three love scenes during the final 1/3 of the book were a significant improvement over the rest of the story up to that point. There was definitely more feeling in those which is probably why I didn't end up giving the book a lower rating. I just wish the author would have brought that out sooner, so I could have sensed it building more slowly over time, instead of happening all at once. As is, it was still very difficult to buy into this couple being meant for each other and making the kinds of life-altering commitments they did in such a short amount of time. I believe the entire story played out within a mere week's time, and within that short span they were essentially ready to spend eternity with one another which was a bit much to swallow. As I said before, Greg and Lissianna were likable enough, but in my opinion, their characterizations were seriously lacking depth. Most of what I learned about them barely scratched the surface, and didn't really give me many clues as to what made them tick. Greg is a psychologist specializing in phobias. He's something of a workaholic, whose family is always trying to set him up with women. Greg talks briefly about having broken up with his ex-fiancée (while they were in the midst of planning their wedding, no less), because he thought she was too needy. He also mentions that his dad was a womanizing jerk. I thought both of these things could have been explored more fully to make his character more interesting. I also thought he was far too easily accepting of first, being kidnapped, and then finding out his kidnappers are vampires. He just kind of takes it all in stride with little or no fear of the situation which simply didn't ring true to me. One thing I did like about Greg though, is that he's pretty humble about his looks. He doesn't consider himself to be a gorgeous stud, but more on the average side. Lissianna could have been an extremely intriguing character. She's a vampire with hemophobia (fear of blood) who faints at the mere sight of it. Lissi's mother brought Greg in to treat her for this condition, but then he didn't end up doing anything for her before the story ended, which was disappointing to say the least. The author makes it very clear that Lissi has led a pretty sheltered life for all of her 200 years, and only recently moved out on her own. I thought she was hinting at the possibility that Lissi was still a virgin, but if that was the case, she certainly never said it in so many words even though she also never mentioned Lissi having any other relationships in her lifetime. I initially thought that having Lissi working in a homeless shelter was a new and interesting occupation for a vampire heroine, but then I came to realize her reasons weren't entirely altruistic. She did say that she thought she could help the homeless people while they helped her by giving her easy access to donors to feed from, but this seemed ethically questionable to me. On top of that, I never really did understand exactly what kind of work Lissi did at the shelter. Much like Greg, she has some serious daddy issues too. It was something her father did when she was young that started her phobia, but this was nothing more than a mere admission that it happened. Last but not least, Lissi took her good sweet time accepting Greg as her life mate, ostensibly because she was afraid of love and commitment, but no good reason ever surfaced to explain this fear. There were so many good ingredients here that could have made Lissi a wonderful heroine, but I felt the author dropped the ball on each and every one of them. If she'd taken the time and care to explore and develop a few of them more fully, Lissi would have been a much richer character. There are a number of secondary characters in the story, some of whom get their own books later in the series. Normally, I wouldn't mind a large cast, but in this case, I felt like I was being inundated with them all at once. They all have very strong, almost overwhelming, personalities as well, which when put together was a bit too much. In one fell swoop, we're introduced to Lissi's mother, Marguerite (Vampire, Interrupted), her aunt, Martine, her friend, Mirabeau (“Vampire Valentine” from Bitten by Cupid), and her five cousins: Thomas (Vampires Are Forever), Jeanne Louise (The Lady is a Vamp), Elspeth, Juli, and Vicki. Out of these, the only ones who stood out to me in any way were Thomas and Mirabeau. Thomas seemed like a pretty nice guy who was really fun and laid back, and for some reason, Mirabeau reminded a bit of Alice from the Twilight series. Later on, Lissi's uncle, Lucian (Bite Me if You Can) shows up, and all three of her brothers, Bastian (Tall, Dark, and Hungry), Etienne (Love Bites), and Lucerne (Single White Vampire) are mentioned, although they're essentially in the background. It's clear that Lissi's family love her very much, and usually, I'm all for a big, loving family, but most of these people hover like nobody's business. The cousins and friend (yes, all six of them) have an annoying habit of spying on and/or interrupting Lissi and Greg when they're kissing. They constantly walk into Greg and Lissi's bedrooms without knocking too, even when they're in bed naked, and Thomas even walked in on them once as they'd just finished having sex and didn't even have the decency to look away. Instead he just started chatting with them like it was perfectly normal. It made me keep wondering: Do these people have serious privacy issues or are they closet voyeurs? The last but probably most important thing that bugged me about this book was the author's writing style. Typically, I love the introspective passages of a novel, because they give me a chance to get to know the characters better. Here though, the characters (and I suspect the author herself) have a tendency to way over-think things. The introspective narration was generally little more than a stream of consciousness analysis of nearly every little thing that was happening, rather than giving any true insights into the characters' feelings and motivations. When it comes to scene-setting, the author overdoes it with the explanations too. These things make the narrative too wordy and repetitious, which bogs things down while sometimes being confusing as well. I can't begin to count the number of times I felt like getting out my red editor's pen to cross out phrases, sentences or even entire paragraphs that were simply unnecessary, which is never a good sign. During these times, I was often saying in my head, “Yes, we already know this” or “Do we really need to know this?” All this explaining of every little detail doesn't leave any room for subtly either. I think Ms. Sands needs to dispense with the hand-holding and trust her readers to read between the lines, which would make for a much more concise and interesting book. As is, it made me feel like the story was being spoon-fed to me which was pretty frustrating. One of the few positive things I can say about A Quick Bite was that the world-building was rather interesting. As with most authors in the paranormal genre, Ms. Sands has her own take on the vampire mythology. The only thing that gave me pause was having the vampires originate in Atlantis. Being a long-time reader of the Dark-Hunter series, I couldn't help thinking, “Been there, done that,” but otherwise, most of it was fairly unique, as was the Canadian setting. As I mentioned before, the premise was also unusual and could have been so much more if it was only developed a bit better. Overall, I'd say that A Quick Bite was somewhat of a let-down for me, but it did have a few good points. Since so many people do seem to love Ms. Sands' books and since it is my understanding that the next three books in the series were put out by a different publisher, I'll probably give her another try at some point. Hopefully, some of her other works are better written and more importantly, better edited.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Mar 07, 2013
| Mar 12, 2013
|
Oct 10, 2010
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0671701436
| 9780671701437
| 4.03
| 6,690
| 1985
| Nov 01, 1989
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Gentle Warrior was Julie Garwood's first published romance from way back in 1985, and although I mostly enjoyed it, I would ha...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Gentle Warrior was Julie Garwood's first published romance from way back in 1985, and although I mostly enjoyed it, I would have to say that it showed some of her greenness as a writer. There are many of the trademark Garwood elements here such as a temperamental alpha hero who has a gentler side; a feisty, independent heroine; lots of spirited, humorous banter between the pair; and love scenes that were pretty steamy for the time period in which they were penned. However, the book is written in a style in which the points-of-view (POV) sometimes slip back and forth between various characters every few paragraphs within the same scene rather than there being longer passages in one person's POV and then having a scene break before switching to another character. I'm not sure if this is just an older style of writing that was more common in the 1980's or one of the signs of the author's inexperience, but for me, it was a little confusing and made it more difficult to get inside each character's head. In my opinion, it also gave the narrative a more passive tone that had a telling rather than showing feel to it. Additionally, there wasn't quite enough details in any area of the book to fully satisfy me. As I mentioned, Geoffrey and Elizabeth are the typical Julie Garwood character stereotypes. Geoffrey is an intense, stubborn alpha warrior with a hot temper, but in the bedroom is usually quite gentle. Elizabeth is a brave and fiercely independent young woman who was taught more masculine pursuits such as hunting and riding by a father who longed for a son and didn't get one until later in life. Even though she isn't very good at more feminine things such as sewing and household maintenance, Elizabeth still had a tender side which made her more relatable to me. She witnessed her entire family, with the exception of her little brother, be massacred by greedy men who wanted her father's land, and is now hell-bent on seeking vengeance against them. Needless to say, Geoffrey and Elizabeth have a clash of both personalities and wills as they try to create a lasting, affectionate marriage. The moments where they are butting heads while trying to “teach” each other how to be a proper spouse, when each of them has a completely different idea of what that means, were quite funny. In fact, I would have to say that the largest part of this book was about them learning to compromise and come to terms with the other's inherent personality traits. Geoffrey could be rather arrogant at times which occasionally grated, but sometimes could lead to something endearing. I loved the scene in which he tells Elizabeth, “You are mine,” and she says it right back to him. I didn't feel that the hero and heroine had as much depth as they could have, but overall, they were both pretty likable. The one thing about the book that wasn't quite my cup of tea is that it is written more in the bodice-ripper style of the 1970's and 80's. While Geoffrey isn't exactly abusive like some heroes of that era in romance, he can get very intense and a couple of times he shook Elizabeth or pulled her hair in a way that was more than just a playful tug when he was angry. I'll allow though that on one of those occasions she had just confessed to doing something disobedient (although she had thought better of the idea and didn't fully go through with it), and then had followed that up with an act that scared the living daylights out of him even though it had a good outcome. The story simply had a healthy dose of a woman's subservient position to her husband which would seriously raise feminist hackles, but at the same time, it wasn't nearly as bad as some other bodice-ripper romances or the reality for women in the Middle Ages. So, overall, I guess I would say that it had a pretty good balance even if that part bugged me just a little bit. Gentle Warrior had a few significant secondary characters that helped liven things up, mainly Geoffrey's gruff vassal and second in command, Roger, and Elizabeth's precocious little brother, Thomas, and grandfather, Elslow. I really enjoyed the easy relationship that Elizabeth had with Elslow and how he is the voice of reason for both her and her husband when they are being too stubborn. The romance in the book was good, but not quite as strong as I've read in other novels. I think I simply have a preference for the relationship to solidify between the hero and heroine before they marry, or if for some reason a quick marriage is necessary, that they perhaps wait to consummate it. This way there is a slower build of sexual tension. In this story, everything happens right up front, leaving only their journey to figuring out that they have fallen in love somewhere along the way. All in all, Gentle Warrior was a pretty simple, uncomplicated romance (even the bad guys were dispatched with little fanfare which was somewhat disappointing), but in spite of its weaknesses managed to elicit enjoyment from me. I think it just simply falls into the category of a sweet, feel-good story that makes a nice comfort read.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
2
| Aug 2010
| Aug 05, 2010
|
Feb 22, 2008
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0743445813
| 9780743445818
| 3.65
| 110
| Apr 30, 2002
| Apr 30, 2002
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews In a Moonlit Garden by Cathy Maxwell – In a Moonlit Garden is a whimsical tale that can be very enjoyable as long as the read...more Reviewed for THC Reviews In a Moonlit Garden by Cathy Maxwell – In a Moonlit Garden is a whimsical tale that can be very enjoyable as long as the reader doesn't take it too seriously. It has a lighthearted, fairy tale quality where things just fall into place with a minimum of fuss, and HEAs all around. I settled into this novella with my usual earnestness, feeling very uncertain about the author's ability to make me believe in a love connection when both the hero and heroine begin the story pining after other loves and had a very short space in which to reconcile those feelings. I quickly realized that I just needed to lighten up and go with the flow, after which I very much enjoyed it even if everything did happen a little too easily. Normally, this would not work well for me, but Cathy Maxwell managed to infuse the romance with a tender, emotional quality that really pulled me in and had me believing in the impossible. In a Moonlit Garden has a sweet, funny cast of characters that I couldn't help but like in spite of their flaws. As I already mentioned, I had my doubts about Michael and Jocelyn, the hero and heroine, still frequently declaring their love for others, but it was pretty obvious to me from the outset that they were well-suited for one another. The entire tale is something of a comedy of errors with nearly everyone thinking they love someone else, but finally realizing that the person they thought they loved was merely a comfortable crush, while the person right in front of them is the one who's best for them. Michael may have started out with an agenda, but he was smart enough to figure out that his “benefactor” may have had ulterior motives in asking for his help and that Jocelyn's uncle might be innocent. Jocelyn was a sweet young lady, an orphan who had trouble trusting because of her loss and being jilted by her longtime friend who she always thought she'd marry. She was very forgiving to overlook Michael's initial duplicity and also intelligent enough to understand that his feelings for her had never been a lie. The secondary characters were fun too. Jocelyn's Uncle Geoff is an eccentric scientist with a tendency to be forgetful and occasionally blow things up, but also wise in the ways of love. Jocelyn's ex, Thomas, was a bit spoiled, but not a bad guy, and his soon-to-be fiancée, Elfreda, thought the sun rose and shone with him. There were several other minor characters too, and all of them came together to create a charming little village in the English countryside. Overall, In a Moonlit Garden was a playful, energetic, and delightfully amusing read for me. It may not have reached the heights of perfection, but I certainly found it to be entertaining in a way that many lighter stories aren't. It was my first read by Cathy Maxwell, and has definitely left me open to trying her other works when I'm in the mood for a gentle read to lift my spirits. Star Rating: **** Hunting Season by Liz Carlyle - Hunting Season is another good story from Liz Carlyle. It starts off with a mild love/hate relationship as the heroine alternates between melting into the hero's arms and rebuffing him due to his forwardness and bad reputation. The early parts of the novella could sometimes be a little slow, because not much was happening aside from the back-and-forth dance of whether the heroine will or won't give in to her attraction to the hero. Once she does and his true purpose for being at the house party is revealed, things got much more interesting. Christian is another of Liz Carlyle's tortured heroes. He has spent the last decade deliberately being the hellion his father seemed to believe he was and earning a scandalous reputation for it. After being away on the Continent for most of that time, he is now back in England to avenge the suicide of his beloved younger sister who was compromised and then abandoned by the man she loved. Christian feels very guilty over not being there for her and thinks he can make it right by provoking the man who put her in that position into a duel, and what better way to do that than seducing the man's intended wife. Christian was quite the charming seducer right from the opening chapters, but I wasn't quite sure what to make of a man who was offering to sleep with a woman he believed might be married. He was definitely a silver-tongued devil, but a little too arrogant and forward for my taste at first. Once his conscience caught up with him, he began to show some much-needed vulnerability, and after that I was a goner for him as much as Elise was. I also loved how sweet and fatherly he was with Elise's daughter, Henriette, right from the start, even though he had no real experience with kids, as well as how discretely he handled Robert Rowland's compromising situation. In these and other ways, Christian showed just how honorable he could be in spite of feeling like he was anything but. Elise is rather an ordinary young woman, a vicar's daughter, a former governess, and fairly innocent for a widow. That said, I think she handled herself pretty well with Christian. Even though she was sorely tempted by his repeated seductive advances, she generally stood her ground until he started behaving in a more gentlemanly fashion. Once she fell for him, she was very accepting of Christian, flaws and all. I also admired her for being a loving mother to Henriette and treating her like her own daughter even though she wasn't her biological child. Until now, I hadn't read a Liz Carlyle story in a very long time, so it was wonderful to have the opportunity to revisit some of her characters that I'd met in earlier books. Attending the house party was one of my favorite Liz Carlyle couples, Cam, Helene, and their daughter, Arianne (Beauty Like the Night). Cole Amherst (A Woman Scorned) turned out to be a cousin of the party's hostess who was also Elise's sister-in-law. He was there with his wife, Jonet, their four new daughters, and his two now-grown stepsons, Robert and Stuart (who becomes the hero of Wicked All Day). Robert is a very naughty boy who manages to get himself into a heap of mischief which may foreshadow what I perceive to be his upcoming role in Wicked All Day. Overall, Hunting Season was another enjoyable read from Liz Carlyle and, I greatly look forward to getting back into more of her books. Star Rating: **** Note: While Ms. Carlyle seems to consider her books to be more of a community of characters than an official series and each seems to stand well on it's own story-wise, I would caution that reading later books first may give away spoilers to earlier books. Such was the case when I skipped one book and was left wishing that I had read it first. Even though it is a bit daunting, my suggestion for readers like myself who don't like any spoilers would be to begin with Ms. Carlyle's first book, My False Heart, and continue reading them in the chronological order in which they were published. It is also my opinion that the reading experience would be greatly enhanced by doing this, because Ms. Carlyle's character web is so complex. The entire backlist, in order, can be found on her website.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Mar 28, 2011
| May 19, 2011
|
Mar 14, 2008
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0804119880
| 9780804119887
| 3.75
| 631
| Jul 2002
| Jul 30, 2002
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Leaping Hearts is the first book written by Jessica Bird aka the fabulous J. R. Ward of Black Dagger Brotherhood fame. Sadly,...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Leaping Hearts is the first book written by Jessica Bird aka the fabulous J. R. Ward of Black Dagger Brotherhood fame. Sadly, it seems to have rather low ratings on some of the major book sites that I frequent, but I think this may be due to fans of her later work deciding to try her backlist titles only to be disappointed. Like many, I came to be a fan through the BDB, but was still able to view Leaping Hearts as a completely different entity. I also found it to be a fascinating study in how an author's writing can grow to a fuller and richer state over time, and therefore, may have been able to appreciate in a way that other readers didn't. Unlike the BDB, Leaping Hearts and all the books J. R. Ward wrote as Jessica Bird are contemporary romances. The focus of this book is squarely on the desire of a young woman to prove herself by earning a spot on the Olympic equestrian team, but the beautiful stallion she impulsively purchases at the beginning of the story and wishes to ride has an unruly temperament. The pair find a friend in a former rider who was severely injured just the year before and has shut himself away from the world, but finds new purpose in life through training them. The book takes a very detailed look at the world of equestrian show jumping, and I thought that Jessica Bird really brought that aspect of the story to life. She either has personal experience with horses or did her homework extremely well. I also found it to be a rather unusual setting for a romance. However if this subject isn't of interest to the reader, I suppose it could become somewhat dull. I personally had a rather obsessive interest in horses, as well as equestrian show jumping, when I was a teenager, and although the extremes of my fascination have waned over the years, I can still appreciate the beauty of both the beast and the sport. Devlin and A. J., the hero and heroine of the book were both likable characters, but I thought that perhaps their individual personalities and relationship could have used a little more depth. As I mentioned earlier, Devlin was a champion show jumper who could no longer ride due to a serious injury he had sustained the year before. He had also lost his beloved horse in the same accident and the grief had caused him to shut himself away. Devlin finds himself quite drawn to A. J. and her horse, Sabbath, and can't quite resist the pull to get back in the ring even if it's just coaching another rider from the sidelines. With his limp and slightly tortured nature, I could see shades of a much tamer version of one of the Brothers lurking within Devlin. A. J. was a woman with rather complex family ties. She was also a little impulsive, buying Sabbath, who had a terrible reputation, mostly on a whim, but she was very determined to turn him, and thereby herself, into a champion in hopes of proving herself to her family once and for all. For someone who was so certain she could win with Sabbath, A. J. did get a little discouraged rather quickly in the training process, but as small progresses were made, she started coming back around to her more positive way of thinking. In the end, she became so intent on winning the qualifier as to risk her own health. This caused Devlin and A. J. to argue and separate a couple of times which seemed a little extreme for the circumstances. As is, it didn't seem like such an insurmountable obstacle as to cause a break-up, so this is one area in which I thought the author delving a bit more deeply into the dynamics of their relationship would have been helpful. There weren't a lot of secondary characters, but those present were pretty well-drawn. Sabbath is probably the main one, and I have to say that Jessica Bird did an amazing job with bringing his personality to life, which can be rather hard to do with an animal character. He certainly lived up to his wild reputation, but at the same time, I could really sense both his joy at being in the ring and his fear of water. Devlin's friend and father-figure, Chester, was a hoot. He too could liven things up with his zany personality, and he even got to have a little romance of his own. The only other stand-out supporting players were A. J.'s family with whom she had a pretty strained relationship, especially her stepbrother, Peter, who ran the family stables. At first he seemed like a real piece of work, a man with a head for business, but who seemed to want to control everything, including A. J. As the story progressed though, we discover that his actions were born of jealousy, and he and A. J. come to an agreement of sorts by the end. Leaping Hearts didn't have the action, angst or edginess of Jessica Bird's later works, but it was still a good book in a different sort of way. I actually liked the more low-key nature of the story and how Devlin and A. J. have a very comfortable relationship together, both personally and professionally. It's almost like they've known each other forever right from the start. Fans of the BDB, which can sometimes border on the erotic, may not care for the lack of steam. In all honesty, even I wouldn't have minded having a little more in that department, as some of the love scenes were barely there, and even the ones that were a little more detailed were still fairly short. The author does tend to alternate the characters' viewpoints quite a bit within the same scene which usually is rather jarring to me, but in this case, it flowed well enough to not be too much of a distraction which just goes to show what a good author can accomplish. Every author has to start somewhere, and even though Leaping Hearts was Jessica Bird's beginning, some of the trademarks of her current writing style were already in evidence at this early stage of her career. The colorful analogies and sarcastic humor that I enjoy so much in the BDB can definitely be found here, and although it may not be a good habit, she also does a bit of brand-name dropping. Overall, the narrative was strong and very well-written. It just needed that little extra bit of zing to get to the level at which she writes now. Ms. Bird is definitely an author who showed promise as a natural writer from the start. She then learned and built on that talent over time to hone her craft well, but perhaps even more importantly has learned to take more risks in her storytelling which has paid off in spades. Note: Although Leaping Hearts is not officially considered to be part of a series, all of Jessica Bird's contemporaries have connections, therefore, I consider them to be a collective series of sorts and have chosen to read them in the order in which they were published which may enhance the reading experience. I did discover, however, that Leaping Hearts at least, could easily be read as a stand-alone, as the only commonality was a couple of almost negligible mentions of A. J.'s cousin, Carter Wessex, who becomes the heroine of the next book, Heart of Gold.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Jul 25, 2011
| Jul 31, 2011
|
Mar 29, 2008
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 067173783X
| 9780671737832
| 4.08
| 7,247
| 1988
| Mar 01, 1991
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews "3.5 stars" I've considered myself to be a fan of Julie Garwood for close to twenty years now, but in spite of my loyalty to h...more Reviewed for THC Reviews "3.5 stars" I've considered myself to be a fan of Julie Garwood for close to twenty years now, but in spite of my loyalty to her writing and my usual ability to cut her some slack even when the story isn't quite perfect for me, I couldn't help coming away from reading The Lion's Lady with very mixed feelings. The more of Ms. Garwood's books I read/re-read, the more I've come to realize that there is a certain sameness in her characters and the development of their relationship. The hero and heroine of The Lion's Lady followed her usual stereotypes, but they seemed a bit more extreme to me in certain aspects of their personalities than some of Ms. Garwood's other characters I've read. This often made it difficult to connect with them. Sometimes it felt like there were small holes in the plot too, just some nagging, little thing that I was missing, and couldn't quite put my finger on it. I was also surprised to see some passivity in her narration. I'm not sure if this is a trait that has been there all along, and I simply didn't notice, or an anomaly in this book, but passive story-telling never works for me. I am willing to admit though that I might have been more forgiving of this flaw if I hadn't just read three books in a row with some degree of the dreaded “telling not showing” in them. At the beginning of the story, Lyon was a very intriguing hero. I thought he was going to be a really tortured man with his scars, both inside and out, and his cynical attitude about marriage and life in general. Unfortunately, that part of his character just hovered in the background and was never really given the weight I thought it deserved. Instead, he became more of the typical alpha hero who at times was just a little too arrogant for my taste and who also on occasion behaved more like a caveman than a Regency gentleman. There were things that he did which just didn't seem to fit the social mores of the era, and several times when his actions probably would have compromised Christina, but of course, the actual compromising happened in a more extreme way too. Lyon did have moments where he could be gentler, and it was in those moments that I did like him. Some instances of his possessiveness and protectiveness were actually romantic and endearing. I thought it was sweet that Lyon was the first one to say, “I love you,” and then patiently prodded Christina to do the same. However, in my opinion, he fell in love with her, and more importantly, trusted her far too easily. Considering that his first wife's betrayal had left him so completely soured on the idea of marriage that he was prepared to never wed again even to sire an heir, his quick turnaround and complete faith in Christina even though he knew she was lying to him didn't really make sense to me. Overall, Lyon was a good man, and one who certainly exhibited the patience of Job in handling a high-spirited young lady like Christina, but not a true stand-out hero like some others I've read. Christina was so mysterious and confusing throughout most of the story that I had a very hard time relating to her. Julie Garwood has a tendency to write heroines who are strong-willed but also pretty scatterbrained which can be rather amusing, but with Christina this dichotomy just didn't work for me. One minute, she was a “warrior woman” who could most certainly take care of herself, and the next, she could be pretty ditsy which I had a hard time wrapping my head around. She could also be incredibly stubborn especially when it came to telling Lyon the truth about her past. I tried very hard to look at it from Christina's perspective and take into account her feelings about various things, but I think I would have needed more insights into her psyche to fully understand her reasoning. As written she just seemed contradictory and obstinate (though thankfully not at bad as some heroines I've read), and I thought that her lack of trust in Lyon for most of the story diminished their intimacy as a couple. Christina's best quality, in my opinion, and the one that made me like her in spite of everything, was her compassion for others. The way she pushed Lyon's mother out of her deep grief, how she cared for the servants, and how she even wanted to provide for her aunt who'd caused nothing but trouble for her were all very admirable actions. There were two other big things that had to do with Lyon and Christina as a couple that didn't entirely work for me either. The first is the love-at-first-sight scenario which anyone who reads my reviews with any degree of regularity knows is far from being one of my favorite romance tropes. I could kind of understand it to some extent on Christina's part, because of her upbringing in a mystical culture which caused her to place instant significance on Lyon's name as well as his resemblance in demeanor to the man who raised her. When it came to Lyon, it didn't make much sense at all (see my earlier comments about his views on marriage), and in fact, his instant and intense attraction to Christina was a even little unsettling to me at first. I understand that the necessity of Christina marrying quickly called for the relationship to move fast, but it just wasn't quite my cup of tea. The other thing is that Lyon and Christina's conversations were almost always muddled and confusing to me. There's a part of me that wants to say this was ingenious of the author, because Lyon always feels confused when talking with Christina too. Julie Garwood is known for her witty dialog, so I also think it was meant to be funny. However, my initial amusement over their “Mars/Venus” interactions and cultural missteps wore thin rather quickly when it kept happening almost every single time they conversed even right up until near the end. It kind of gave me the same feeling that the “big misunderstanding” in a romance novel does, because it seemed like they just weren't taking the time to truly communicate or even attempt to understand one another which frustrated me. I'm sure by now it may sound like I thoroughly disliked The Lion's Lady, but in all honesty, that's really not the case. I simply had a roller-coaster relationship with the book. It certainly had some memorable moments not the least of which was the prologue. That part totally sucked me in and intrigued me, because I never would have expected a Regency romance to begin in a Native American village, which added a certain uniqueness to the story. A few of the other stand-out moments included Christina's marriage proposal to Lyon, Lyon finding Christina in the tavern playing cards, and Christina “divorcing” Lyon. Even though we don't get to see nearly enough of their relationship development, I also enjoyed the side romance between Lyon's best friend, Rhone, and his sister, Diana. The Lion's Lady is the first book in the Crown's Spies series, and although I could be wrong, it doesn't appear to have any carry-over characters to the second book in the series except for one supporting player, Sir Richards, who runs the spy agency that Lyon used to work for. All in all, The Lion's Lady had it's good points and bad points. I'm glad that I read it and intend to continue the series, but it won't go down as one of my Julie Garwood favorites.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Feb 17, 2011
| Feb 23, 2011
|
Sep 06, 2008
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0439139600
| 9780439139601
| 4.44
| 932,429
| 2000
| Sep 01, 2002
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is yet another fabulous installment in J. K. Rowling's blockbuster fantasy saga. As with t...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is yet another fabulous installment in J. K. Rowling's blockbuster fantasy saga. As with the other books in the series it starts out a little slow and gradually builds to a nail-biting conclusion. The first half of the book has lots of humorous moments. I love how Harry conveniently forgot to tell the Dursleys that Sirius was innocent, and it was hilarious how they were also terrified of the Weasleys who are about the nicest family ever. Readers finally get to meet the much-talked-about Bill and Charlie Weasley, and now that I have, I think I have a crush on Bill because of his rebel personality complete with long hair and earring.;-) Harry, Ron and Hermione get to experience all the excitement of the Quidditch World Cup game. I thought the scenes with the witches and wizards who attended the game trying to dress like Muggles in an attempt to go undetected was LOL funny too. Once back at Hogwarts, the students receive the surprise of a lifetime when it is announced that the Tri-Wizard Tournament is being reinstated and will be held there for the first time in a century. There is a lot of excitement surrounding the three events that the champions must face, but certain events leading up to them, bring out some uncharacteristic tension between Harry and Ron. The antagonism between Malfoy and Ron seemed to grow a bit in this one too. Readers also get to meet the newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, who I actually liked which made certain things that happened surrounding him all the more shocking. I still find myself pondering why there is a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher every year, and I think I might be starting to make some headway on that puzzle. It seems that Harry gets to meet new magical creatures every year too, and I have a strong feeling that they will become important allies in the books to come. In fact, there were lots of mysteries to mull over as this book progressed, and there were many twists and turns that I didn't see coming. To entertain the more mature readers like myself there was some fascinating social commentary on several fronts. One was witch reporter, Rita Skeeter, and her distasteful brand of tabloid journalism. Another was Hermione's campaign to free house elves from perceived enslavement, although it seems that the house elves see things quite differently. This was the only sub-plot I can think of that didn't have a clear conclusion, so I have a feeling the debate may continue into future books. Last but not least there was the reaction of certain individuals to the climactic events at the end of the book which in my mind just went to show that some people simply won't be persuaded even if the evidence is right in front of their faces. All of these events really helped to engage my adult mind in pondering deeper things. There is an abundance of new characters introduced and old ones who return, including some surprises. Readers are introduced to two new wizarding schools, their headmaster/mistress, and students as they come to take part in the tournament. Cedric Diggory who was first seen in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban returns to show what a good sport, perfect gentleman, and all-around great guy he is, and Harry's crush Cho Chang gets her first lines too. The other two Tri-Wizard champions were interesting characters as well. Harry, Ron and Hermione get their first dates in this book which was a lot of fun. Watching Harry and Ron trying to build up the nerve to ask a girl out and then the end results were absolutely hilarious, but led to lots of jealousies all the way around. I couldn't help but laugh at Ron and Hermione arguing like an old married couple. Overall, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire really advanced the fantasy story arc to the next level in a big way. There were lots of shocking revelations, some mysteries solved and others just begun, new allies formed and enemies revealed, along with plenty of action, adventure, danger, intrigue, and of course, magic. This book does move into darker territory than what was covered in the earlier books with the unexpected death of one character as well as some torture and a few other scenes which might be frightening to younger or more sensitive readers, but my eleven-year-old loved it and was fine with reading it both alone and aloud with me. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was definitely a keeper for me just like all the others so far in the series. It ended with a huge bang, and I absolutely cannot wait to see where things go from here.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Jun 2010
| Jul 30, 2010
|
Sep 07, 2009
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 037351137X
| 9780373511372
| 3.84
| 306
| Apr 01, 2000
| Mar 03, 2001
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Tallie's Knight kicked off my 2013 romance reading with a bang. I read a lot of great books last year, but it's been a while s...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Tallie's Knight kicked off my 2013 romance reading with a bang. I read a lot of great books last year, but it's been a while since I've read one as deeply romantic and utterly perfect at this one. It is a sweet Cinderella story that had a little bit of everything. Magnus and Tallie begin with a marriage of convenience which quickly develops into a loving relationship. Once married, they embark on what becomes an adventurous bridal trip, first to Paris, and then on through the treacherous mountains into Italy. They encounter a number of missteps and misunderstandings along the way, a trope which can often become annoying and tiresome, but here, I felt like I always understood their motivations. Some even led to hilarious moments that left me chuckling and grinning from ear to ear. There were many touching moments, particularly as we learn more about both character's backgrounds. And last, but certainly not least, there were many heart-stopping and swoon-worthy romantic moments that left me finishing the book with a sigh of pure contentment. This may be a Cinderella story, but Magnus is not the perfect Prince Charming, at least not at first. He had definitely earned his nickname of "The Icicle." He behaves in a rather cold and aloof manner toward practically everyone, but then a tiny tot, and a girl at that (his best friend's daughter), unwittingly finds the chink in his armor and begins the process of melting his cold, cold heart. I thought this scene was utterly charming, and a very appropriate way to begin the book. It was quite interesting that his first “human” connection was with a child, when his own childhood had been such an unhappy one. Perhaps it had something to do with subconsciously wanting to right the wrongs of the past with a family of his own. In any case, once he decides he wants children, he knows he needs a wife too, but the way he goes about trying to choose one is so ridiculously logical, it had me in stitches. Romance heroes like Magnus almost always hide a deeply passionate heart underneath the icy facade, and watching Tallie unleash it was so much fun. There are some very good reasons for Magnus's moodiness though, which made me want to wrap him up in my arms and give him lots of love just like Tallie did. He grew up with no real love or affection from his parents, which led to him believing himself to be an unlovable child, and therefore, an unlovable man as well. Unfortunately, due to his cousin, Laetitia's interference and some misunderstandings, this belief is only exacerbated when Tallie finally does accept his offer of marriage. It doesn't take long though for Magnus to develop all the earmarks of a man who protests too much. It becomes quite obvious that he's falling head-over-heels for Tallie, but he's just too logical and obstinate to realize it for a while. Magnus's jealously coupled with a stubborn refusal to acknowledge his feelings for Tallie leads to some pretty funny moments, while his reasons for it are very touching and understandable. Magnus may not be able to bring himself to say the words until the end, but he shows his love for Tallie through his every action. Tallie is a very sweet heroine and a hopeless romantic. I loved all her little daydreams and fantasies of a handsome "prince" or “pirate” or “gentleman” carrying her off into the sunset to live happily ever after. She has quite an imagination, and it doesn't take long before the handsome prince of her dreams begins to morph into Magnus. She starts the story showing how amazing she is with kids and what a great mother she'll make, which is the main reason Magnus chose her in the first place. Tallie is definitely a woman who likes to be wooed, so she was understandably upset about the manner in which Magnus offered marriage. Although she initially has misgivings about marrying “The Icicle,” she comes around pretty quickly as she begins to see Magnus for the man he is inside. Tallie is an innocent in the extreme, which may bother some readers, but I found it utterly endearing. Not only does she have no idea what happens in the marriage bed, she has no idea how pregnancy occurs either. Some of the ideas she came up with due to lack of information or misinformation and the way she behaved the first few times Magnus made love to her had me cracking up. Once he finally sets her straight on some things, she turns into a very receptive lover who deeply desires her husband's attentions. What I loved most about Tallie is how patient she is with Magnus. If she does take something the wrong way, it doesn't last for long, before she finally realizes the truth. Tallie is just an extremely open-minded, giving and loving person, and even when Magnus missteps, she's very quick to forgive too. I went into reading Tallie's Knight with the impression that it was written in the Traditional Regency style, and therefore, probably had little in the way of sensuality, but in some ways, I couldn't have been more mistaken. The very first love scene is the only one that had any details, and even it was relatively mild. All the rest ended in cut scenes. I was just a tad disappointed that the author didn't offer another slightly more detailed love scene after Tallie figured out that it was OK to enjoy it, but it wasn't a huge deal. Ms. Gracie more than made up for it by maintaining a high level of sexual tension and a beautiful air of romance throughout, both of which lent themselves perfectly to creating what I would call the most exquisitely sensual, “mostly clean” romance novel I've ever read. Tallie's Knight was one of those hidden gems of romance that I don't often hear much about, but which was so flawless, I wouldn't change a thing about it. I loved the hero, I loved the heroine, and I loved everything about the story. It's exactly the kind of book I would have written myself if I'd thought of it first.:-)(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Jan 17, 2013
| Jan 21, 2013
|
Nov 15, 2009
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0061120081
| 9780061120084
| 4.22
| 1,439,462
| 1960
| May 23, 2006
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews I usually prefer to enjoy my reading material rather than having to parse it's deeper meaning, so I can sometimes be rather re...more Reviewed for THC Reviews I usually prefer to enjoy my reading material rather than having to parse it's deeper meaning, so I can sometimes be rather reluctant to read books that are critically acclaimed and/or considered classics, since they are often difficult to understand. I'd heard so many wonderful things about To Kill a Mockingbird that I finally decided to take a chance on it when it was chosen as a book club read for the GoodReads Readers Against Prejudice and Racism group of which I am a part. I was very pleasantly surprised at what an easy read it was, while at the same time conveying a deep and layered message, not only about prejudice but also about standing up for what's right, that I know will stay with me, probably for the rest of my life. Another astonishing thing about the book to me was the number of lighthearted if not downright funny moments it contained. This is something I never would have expected from a book that tackled such a serious and controversial issue for its time. In my opinion, Harper Lee is an amazing writer, and I was absolutely stunned to discover that To Kill a Mockingbird was the only novel she ever wrote. However, I suppose there's nowhere else to go once you've won the highest honor in the writing world, a Pulitzer Prize, and she certainly made her one shot count in a huge way. Young Scout Finch is the first-person narrator of the story. She is only about six or seven when it opens, but more than two years pass by as Ms. Lee builds up to the penultimate events of the book, by which time Scout is nine years old. She is a tomboy who's as smart as a whip and a precocious reader. When her first grade teacher told her she had to stop reading because her daddy was teaching her all wrong and first-graders weren't supposed to read, I had to laugh. It was ludicrously funny but also a sad commentary on our educational system. I just loved Scout's enthusiasm for reading. She joked that her brother, Jem, said she was born reading and she couldn't remember a time when she couldn't read. In this way, Scout very much reminded me of myself. I thought it was fascinating how Scout, in her child's mind, thinks of her father as old, decrepit, and thoroughly boring. She doesn't think he has any real skills or has accomplished anything. It was an absolute joy to watch Scout's opinion of Atticus gradually grow and change as she matures and begins to see him in an entirely new light through, not only the big trial, but all the little things he does. I loved Scout's relationship with her brother. She and Jem fight like siblings often do, but at the same time they were very close. I like how Jem is a little gentleman, always looking out for Scout. It was wonderful how closely he actually watches their father, and subtly emulates him. When their summertime friend and neighbor, Dill, gets in on the action, these three can get into lots of amusing mischief. Seeing the world through these kids eyes was a positively delightful experience. Dill is quite good at creating wild yarns. I just knew he was destined to be a writer someday;-) (for anyone who doesn't know Dill is patterned on Harper Lee's childhood friend and neighbor, Truman Capote). The lessons that the kids learn are deeply touching. Whether it's how they go from being scared of their reclusive neighbor Boo Radley to beginning to understand why he stays away from people; or learning from Mrs. Dubose, the cranky old lady who likes to hurl insults at them, that things aren't always as they seem; or the tough lessons they learned about injustice through Tom Robinson's trial, they are on a constant journey of discovery, both of the world around them and themselves that often brought tears to my eyes. If I were Scout, I'd think that I had the best dad in the world, but since I'm much, much closer to Atticus's age than Scout's, I'd have to say that he has become my latest literary crush. He is just quite simply an amazing man. Some people think that he's a questionable father who lets his kids run wild, because he doesn't spank them and they have a tendency to speak their mind. To the contrary, I believe he was a man who led by quiet example, and showed his kids how to be good citizens by teaching them to think critically for themselves. I love how Atticus just naturally speaks with “bigger” words and doesn't dumb it down for his children, but instead allows them to ask for clarification if they don't understand something, always answering their questions with complete honesty. That's how I tend to be, and I think kids can learn more that way. Atticus is a very wise man who sees many facets to the world around him. He is a kind, loving, gentle soul who always seems to see the good in people. He's a true gentleman, a brilliant attorney, an honorable and humble man who fights for what's right no matter what. If more men were like Atticus Finch, the world, without a doubt, would be a much better place. To Kill a Mockingbird is another of those books which sadly, over fifty years after its release, is still found at the top of the ALA's most banned/challenged books list. It does contain some profanities, mostly mild, but a couple of more moderate ones including taking the Lord's name in vain twice. There is also a number of instances where the derogatory “n” word is used for African Americans, but given the time and setting of the book, it never seemed overdone or out of place to me. There is also the mature subject matter of a black man being wrongly accused of raping a white girl, but since it is all told through the eyes of a nine year-old child, everything has a certain air of innocence to it, with nothing ever really being spelled out explicitly. In spite of this potentially objectionable content, I still feel that the book is fully appropriate for high school level students. In my opinion, the positive role model that Atticus presents and the positive messages contained within the book's pages, far outweigh any possible detractors. I personally think it would be an absolute travesty to ban a book as thought-provoking as this one, and in fact, would encourage everyone, teens and up, to read it at least once. I'm so glad I finally picked up To Kill a Mockingbird. The courtroom scenes were extremely well-written and appear to reflect Ms. Lee's personal experience with the law. Some parts of the story were a little slow at times, but never boring and always worth the wait for something more exciting to happen. Every character and every little side story added flavor, color and depth to this wonderful tale. The message it conveys is a timeless one. It is one of the most, if not the most, affecting book I've ever read centering around the themes of prejudice and racism. To Kill a Mockingbird has without a doubt earned a spot on my keeper shelf and has become a new all-time favorite book for me.(less) | Notes are private!
| Readers
|
1
| Jun 09, 2011
| Jun 14, 2011
|
Jan 09, 2010
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 3.33
| 3
| 1967
| 1967
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews *=Newest review posted for this anthology. The Princess by Gunnar Mattsson – I found the Reader's Digest anthology which cont...more Reviewed for THC Reviews *=Newest review posted for this anthology. The Princess by Gunnar Mattsson – I found the Reader's Digest anthology which contains this story in a box of old books, and decided to read The Princess partly because it fit a reading challenge I was working on and partly because it sounded interesting. I usually like true stories about individuals who overcome challenges in their lives and being a romance novel addict, I'm particularly fond of true love stories too. This condensed version of The Princess partially fit the bill on both counts. It is a memoir of the author's relationship with his wife who he refers to as “The Princess” and her battle with and miraculous recovery from Hodgkin's disease. It is indeed a story about the indomitability of the human spirit and how love really can overcome all. It appears that the author credits their love for one another and his wife's adoration of the child she gave birth to in the midst of her health crisis as the driving factors in her recovery. I really liked the story, but my main problem with this shortened version is that the editors seemed to pare it down to bare-bones facts. I just couldn't seem to help wanting to know more, most importantly, what would compel a man to propose marriage to a woman who had been told she was going to die in a matter of a few short months and also what would make her accept and then be eager to have a child. It seemed from the cover blurb that this would be a fascinating love story, but I suspect it may have lost some of it's poignancy in the editing process. I guess this isn't too surprising considering that this story is only ¼ the size of the original book. I'd never read a Reader's Digest condensed version before, but this one left me with several unanswered questions and simply wanting a bit more. I can say that it at least peaked my interest in trying to find the original version of The Princess, and I will certainly complete the remaining stories in the anthology just to see if they all feel like something is missing. I also discovered that a movie was made based on the book, which might be interesting to search out as well. Star Rating: ***1/2 At Ease: Stories I Tell to Friends by Dwight D. Eisenhower – I believe I read a short biography of Dwight Eisenhower when I was a kid, but my memories of it are pretty fuzzy, and beyond that, I can't say that I knew a great deal about our 34th president. Reading this book certainly helped add to my knowledge, and I really liked getting a first-hand account. To my recollection, the most famous Eisenhower campaign slogan was, “I like Ike,” and after reading At Ease: Stories I Tell to Friends, I am prepared to echo that sentiment. Mr. Eisenhower came across as a very down-to-earth, congenial and genuinely likable guy. As the title might suggest, the book is written in a very conversational style which felt like sitting down with an old friend who was relating various stories from his life. I most enjoyed the tales about his childhood, family history, and time at West Point, as well as some of the things he did after World War II. Not surprisingly, the largest part of the narrative was about Mr. Eisenhower's military service, which was still interesting, but in general, military stuff isn't my favorite thing to read about, not to mention, a big swath of his time in the Army was spent in administration and overseeing of training exercises which isn't terribly exciting. It seemed like every time he requested a more interesting position, the powers-that-be turned him down, until he finally received command of the American forces in Europe during World War II. These parts were still as well written as the rest of the book, and would probably be of great interest to those who like military history. There were some intriguing tidbits about the famous American Generals MacArthur, Pershing, Marshall, Patton, and Bradley, but overall, my main interests simply lie elsewhere. The one thing about these parts though that really struck me was the harsh reality of long separations for couples/families who are in the armed forces. I really admire Mamie (and all military wives) for her patience in being apart from her husband for such lengthy periods of time and the frequent moves. It took well over 35 years of marriage before she even had a house she could truly call her own (now that's patient ;-)). There were some laugh-out-loud funny anecdotes about a couple of incidents of mischievous behavior at West Point which earned Mr. Eisenhower disciplinary action. In fact, he seemed to be pretty contrary overall, ending up with lots of demerits. I enjoyed the fun tales of his boyhood, and was interested to discover that he was a lover of history from an early age just like myself. His romance with Mamie and the relating of how his family shaped his life were touching. I was also amused to find out that Mr. Eisenhower was a consummate gambler who would bet on just about anything and rarely lost. I liked that he didn't push his son to follow his footsteps into the military, but instead talked to him about the advantages of both military and civilian careers and then let him make his own decision. I was most impressed though that Mr. Eisenhower didn't seem to be influenced by money or promotions. He simply tried to enjoy life as it was handed to him and do the right thing. He didn't even really seem to want to run for President, but after several years, was persuaded into it by persistent friends. I was also interested to learn that Mr. Eisenhower was the president of Columbia University, and played a major role in the formation of NATO. The book stops right before his presidency though, so there isn't really any details of his time in the White House. This condensed version appears to be less than half the size of the original tome, but in my opinion, the editing wasn't as glaring as it was in the first story of this anthology. I'm not sure if I would seek out the full-length version of At Ease because of the large amount of narrative on military life, but overall, this abridged version was enjoyable and has definitely stirred my interest in finding out more about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Star Rating: **** The Least One by Borden Deal – The Least One is a heartwarming family drama and coming of age story that takes place in a tiny farming community with the inauspicious name of Bugscuffle Bottoms in the post-Depression era American South. It paints a vivid portrait of the hardscrabble life of sharecroppers during that time, and is told from the first-person perspective of a twelve-year-old boy who doesn't have a name other than Boy. I don't know that I've ever read a historical story that takes place in the 1930's, so that alone was pretty interesting. As I read the book, I was struck by how realistic everything seemed, almost as though it was a memoir instead of fiction. I was quite surprised to discover in the author's bio at the end that, while he categorized the story as fictional, it was based in part on real events in his life. I really liked all the Swords. They were a loving family who looked out for each other with the parents being stern but knowing how to teach difficult life lessons in a gentler way. They were also hard-working with each member of the family pulling their own weight and doing what needed to be done in order to survive. Boy's father, Lee, was a good man who had fallen on hard times, but was determined to pull himself up by his bootstraps and provide for his family. Boy's mother, Jimmie, could be rather difficult and never truly liked Bugscuffle Bottoms, but it was obvious that she cared deeply for her family and would do whatever it took to ensure their wellbeing. I also admired her pluckiness especially when she went to their landlord with a business proposition, when that was normally a man's place, and was determined not to leave without cutting a deal. Boy's older brother, John, was a taciturn young man with an underlying warmth about him. He really stepped up to the plate to be the man of the house when their father was injured and unable to work. Boy is pretty much like most twelve-year-old boys. He's very curious, intelligent, playful and talkative. He also has a deep love of books and a tendency to be a bit of dreamer. Sometimes, he makes careless decisions without thinking, which lead to disastrous consequences, but I found it easy to forgive him because he always seemed to glean some very important lessons from his actions. He also learns many things from simply living life. I enjoyed following along on his journey to finding a name for himself. His father had refused to name his sons when they were born, because he himself had been saddled with a name he hated and went by his middle name. Instead he was waiting for his sons to pick their own names. A stubborn battle of wills ensues between Boy and his father over the naming issue. I could definitely relate to Boy's frustration over his father not giving him a name like other kids, and although I haven't run across anyone in real-life who has refused to name their kids, at least Lee's reasons made some sense to me. The whole wanting of a name is the running theme throughout the book, so I was a little disappointed by how that wrapped up. Still, once I read the author's note at the end, I understood why he wrote it the way he did even if I might have wished for it to end otherwise. Overall, The Least One was a surprisingly enjoyable read that embodied the warmth of a family unit and the wry humor that sometimes ensues from that closeness. In addition to giving the impression of a memoir it also had the feel of a young adult novel, because of being told by a boy. It would definitely be appropriate for teens as there is little objectionable material in it other than a few mild profanities and a couple of minor, veiled sexual references. It might appeal to fans of books such as Tom Sawyer, the Little House on the Prairie series, or Bridge to Terabithia. I could see some similarities between these stories and The Least One, but at its heart this novel is just a nice, feel-good, coming-of-age story that was a very pleasant read. I have to say that the editors did a good job with this abridged version, as it flowed quite well and I never really felt like anything was missing. Star Rating: **** Currahee! by Donald R. Burgett - Not being a huge fan of wartime and military history, I don't know if I would have picked up a book like Currahee! independently, but with this abridged version being found in this anthology, I couldn't resist reading it for the sake of completing the book. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how engaging it was. Donald R. Burgett definitely seems to have a talent for story-telling, as many times, I felt like I was right there with him in the heat of battle. Although the wartime events certainly weren't easy to read about, they were still very interesting, and I feel like I learned some things not only about WWII paratroopers, but also about the Battle of Normandy. It seems that paratrooper training was pretty brutal and the job itself was incredibly dangerous, so much so that that one of the author's training officers told all the recruits that they probably wouldn't live through the war. As it turns out several never even made it into combat, but were killed during training. The war itself was a horrific thing, and even though the narrative doesn't go into great detail, there were times that my stomach was churning at the mere thought of human beings inflicting that sort of violence and pain on one another. It almost seems that the author and his comrades had to virtually dehumanize the enemy in order to fight them, and cut off their emotions in order to leave their fallen brothers behind. I can't imagine having to do that, so I greatly respect the men and women who have fought for our freedom down through the ages. When Civil War General William T. Sherman said, “War is hell.” he certainly had the right of it. After reading this account, I have to say that Mr. Burgett was certainly an incredibly lucky man. So many times he was nearly killed, not the least of which was when a grenade exploded right next to him, yet somehow he managed to live to tell his amazing tales. I found it extremely ironic that he and all the men from his small barracks room #13 in England actually survived Normandy. Currahee! is a story that I would definitely recommend to anyone who is interested in military history, particularly involving WWII and paratroopers. I generally enjoyed it in spite of this not being a favorite topic. This abridged version appears to be a little less than half the length of the original book, but it was edited fairly well, as there were only a few times that I felt like the narrative jumped forward a bit too quickly. Star Rating: **** *The Walking Stick by Winston Graham - The Walking Stick was a distinctly different story than any I've read before. It has elements of romance and suspense, both of which can be palpably felt, but I would definitely not categorize it as genre fiction. Instead, it seemed to have a more literary leaning both in its plot and writing style. The book started out a little slow for me with it having a rather passive, impersonal feel in spite of its first-person narration. The author seemed to have a “just the facts” approach with a rather clipped writing style, but what I initially saw as a weakness eventually grew on me. His abbreviated sentences which weren't really even sentences at all, but merely words and phrases, soon flowed into an odd sort of haiku which ended up having a very poetic feel. I also couldn't help but sense that the walking stick itself was a metaphor for something bigger that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Overall, The Walking Stick was an unusual and interesting story. I thought it rather uncommon to have a male author writing in the first-person female perspective, but having everything coming from Deborah's point of view was a pretty ingenious way to write this novel. The main protagonist, Deborah Dainton is a unique character as well. She is a young woman who is fair of face, but as a polio survivor she is lame in one leg. Her looks can raise the interest of young men, but when they see her limping along, leaning on her walking stick, they usually end up turning away. At twenty-six, she is quite innocent and has never been in a real relationship. She was also raised in a comfortable, and one could possibly even say privileged, environment. All of this plays into her fascination with lowly artist, Leigh Hartley, when she meets him at a party thrown by her sister. At first, Deborah keeps herself at a distance from Leigh which I think was a sub-conscious way of protecting herself, as she's very self-conscious about her disability. Initially, it is so pronounced that she doesn't even seem to like Leigh which made me wonder why she was even going out with him. She does slowly warm up to him though, and eventually, I was able to sense that she had truly fallen in love with this man. I believe it was her love and perhaps gratitude for Leigh helping her to feel alive again which fueled her being willing to do things she otherwise might not have. However, there were still times when I wasn't 100% certain of how an upstanding young woman like Deborah could allow herself to become involved in such questionable dealings. Her willingly living with a married man was eyebrow raising enough for the time in which it was written (1960s), but then she agreed to an illegal venture which started out as something simple (or so she thought) and ended with her being fully involved in the scheme. Still, it was a fascinating character study which did, on some level, draw me in. I think perhaps some of the weaknesses in the character development might have been a result of the editing for this abridged edition. Deborah's love interest, Leigh Hartley, is a very earthy and direct kind of guy. He definitely doesn't mince words and is quite persistent and charming in his attempts to get Deborah to go out with him and eventually become his lover. On the surface, he certainly seems to care about Deborah and pushes her to expand her boundaries and not allow her disability to define her capabilities. I could relate to Leigh's sense of inadequacy over having the ability to paint, but apparently not having a true talent for expressing himself through his art. At first glance, he appears to be the perfect boyfriend for Deborah, but it quickly come to light that he hasn't been entirely straightforward about his marital status which almost immediately puts into question what other things he might not have been honest about. In spite of me questioning his veracity early on, I still didn't anticipate just how dishonest he'd been which led to some plot surprises for me. There were a few other places in the narrative besides Deborah's character development where I had the distinct feeling that something was missing, which again, I think was a result of the editing. Overall though, The Walking Stick was an interesting departure from my usual reading tastes while still embodying some of the elements that I enjoy in genre fiction. I enjoyed a lot of the little details about safe-cracking and the clever bypassing of the security system during the jewelry heist. All in all, once the pace picked up, it was a fun little read that I probably wouldn't have picked up without it being part of this anthology. Interestingly enough, The Walking Stick was made into a movie way back in 1970, but sadly, it doesn't appear to be available for home viewing which is too bad. I think it might be enjoyable to watch this story brought to life on the screen. Star Rating: ****(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| Nov 18, 2011
|
Feb 01, 2010
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||||
| 0373241941
| 9780373241941
| 3.52
| 67
| 1998
| Jul 01, 1998
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Meant to Be Married is a Romeo & Juliet style story of forbidden love. Instead of the Montagues and the Capulets, we have...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Meant to Be Married is a Romeo & Juliet style story of forbidden love. Instead of the Montagues and the Capulets, we have the Santiagos and the Greenwoods who have been embroiled in a bitter, blood feud for 150 years which has led to death and shattered lives on both sides for many generations. Teenage lovers Elias Santiago and Sarah Greenwood were caught in the middle over a decade ago, when her father cruelly betrayed them both, causing even more hatred directed at the Greenwoods from Elias' family. Sadly, the whole feud was steeped in racism and lies. It really distresses me to think about how some parents can pass down hatred from one generation to the next until it becomes second nature and no one even considers why they are still hating, they just do. In some ways it was difficult to read about, because it's simply so heartbreaking. At the same time though, it is also part of what made the book so wonderful and gave it such depth. In the end, it took Sarah's courage and determination to expose the truth of the past in hopes of affecting change for everyone's future. It was also a story of compromise, both sides meeting halfway and admitting wrongs done. The ending was a decidedly happy one, but I liked that there were no magical transformations or pat answers. Both Sarah and Elias had to admit that it would be a long and difficult road ahead to a full reconciliation between the families, if that ever happened, but they were able to make enough inroads to live peacefully for the rest of their lives. It was all a beautiful story of the power of love and forgiveness winning out over hatred and vengeance. Elias and Sarah were two amazing characters who had lost so much in their lives, but had also gained things that they might not have if things had gone the way they had planned twelve years earlier. I like that when they were teenagers, they tried to do the mature and right thing even though they weren't rewarded for it. In many ways, they behaved far better and in a more grown up way than the adults in their lives. Eli grew into a resolute young entrepreneur who made a name and a fortune for his family through a tea business that he had envisioned as a teenager. However, when he lost Sarah, he became an embittered shell of his former self, living to seek revenge against Sarah and her family. When Sarah came back to town, he could think of nothing else, but when he was in her presence, he found, to his dismay, that his emotions went much deeper. Each time he was with her, a little of his anger began to fade until he started to understand how badly she had suffered too. Sarah also enjoyed success as a famous fashion photographer who had traveled around the world, but never found anyplace that felt like home. Feeling drained and empty, she returns to Taos, New Mexico to help her mother care for her ailing father and hopefully find restoration. She has learned how to shut away the past and keep her emotions bottled up, and is terribly frightened to discover that in order to be whole again, she must face the very things that scare her the most, one of which is her feelings for Elias. Sarah and Elias were a fabulous hero and heroine whose love had never died and who were completely realistic and genuine. Meant to Be Married is a short novel of less than 250 pages, but it packs a huge emotional punch. It is loaded with themes that many romance readers, including myself, love: a controversial inter-racial relationship, a tempestuous but tender reunion romance, forbidden love which Ruth Wind (aka Barbara Samuel/O'Neal) always writes so very well, a thirst for revenge, and all this while exhibiting a thoughtful complexity that left me in awe and pondering it all very deeply. The story grabbed me right from the prologue and never let go, leaving me with tears welling in my eyes on more than one occasion. The emotional tension between Eli and Sarah as they try to work through their anger and figure out what they still mean to each other is stunning, sometimes so thick it could be cut with a knife. The sexual tension is absolutely exquisite with the author creating an electrifying connection with the simplest of things such as a smoldering look or the barest of touches. The love scenes themselves were not particularly detailed, but they certainly didn't lack for fiery passion while also being sweet and loving. Ruth Wind is extremely talented at painting vivid, beautiful word pictures to describe her settings and her character's emotions, making it very easy to tell that she is an artist herself. She just makes me want to immerse myself in her richly sumptuous prose. Meant to Be Married won a Rita award in 1999, and it's very easy to see why. This little hidden gem is long out of print, but in my opinion, is without a doubt, worth the search for a used copy. Meant to Be Married is the first and from what I can tell, the only other book in Ruth Wind's Men of the Land multi-line series. The second was a Silhouette Intimate Moments titled, Rio Grande Wedding. There are no character or plot connections between the two books, but they both feature rugged Hispanic heroes who love the land and a forbidden inter-racial romance.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Apr 26, 2010
| Apr 28, 2010
|
Mar 04, 2010
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 1577234316
| 3.90
| 21
| 1982
| 1999
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews I've always been a sucker for fairy tale re-tellings, and Light of the Gods mixes two popular tales, The Prince and the Pauper...more Reviewed for THC Reviews I've always been a sucker for fairy tale re-tellings, and Light of the Gods mixes two popular tales, The Prince and the Pauper and Cinderella. It begins with a poor young woman who trades places with her rich look-a-like cousin, and then falls in love with her cousin's fiance, a wealthy handsome duke. The narrative is entirely from the heroine's perspective and relies heavily on dialog and introspection to tell the story. There aren't many environmental details and no real action to speak of since the hero is confined to bed recovering from wounds received in a accidental explosion. The reader has to infer quite a bit from the interactions between Talbot and Sacha to understand that they are falling love, because nothing particularly overt occurs until their first kiss. Once they get to that point though, Barbara Cartland has a very poetic way of metaphorically relating love feelings and the act of making love which I find to be very emotionally engaging and sensual, while still being quite innocent. It's part of why I've generally liked her writing for over twenty years, even though her stories lack the depth of character and plot development that most of today's romances have. Sacha, the heroine, is the penniless daughter of a vicar and a gentle, long-suffering young woman. She feels she doesn't have much choice when her rich cousin, Deirdre, asks Sacha to take her place at the sickbed of her fiancée so that she can go party with another man. Deirdre was a selfish, petulant girl who thought of no one but herself and didn't deserve the Duke. Of course, Sacha not only nurses the Duke's body, but more importantly she ministers to his mind and spirit as well. She accomplishes that by simply spending time with Talbot, encouraging him, and letting him know that she believes wholeheartedly he will regain his sight, but that if he does not, he is still a wonderful man. She was also able to see the potential in him that he had been neglecting. I had mixed feelings about Sacha's willingness to deceive Talbot by pretending to be her cousin, but it was made more palatable in a couple of different ways. I liked that Sacha kept forgetting that she was supposed to be Deirdre and instead was just being herself. Also, Talbot was an intelligent man who in spite of being temporarily blinded, could see quite clearly, and I believe he sensed that the sweet woman at his side could not be the same vain creature he was engaged to. It would have been difficult not to like the Duke, as he was the proverbial knight in shining armor. I did wonder a lot about him and wished that there had been more input from his perspective besides his conversations with Sacha. The only thing about him that could potentially be considered a flaw was his original choice for a wife. I honestly don't know what he saw in Deirdre other than her outward beauty, although it seemed that he was being pressured into marrying soon for the sake of begetting an heir to his title. Perhaps he merely had a moment of insanity and then saw what he was truly missing when Sacha came to his side. Otherwise, Talbot was as nice as could be and so was his grandmother, the Dowager Duchess, who could be credited for bringing Talbot and Sacha together in the first place. There were a few things in the book that were a little eyebrow raising. I know that Barbara Cartland was very much into health and nutrition, but I couldn't help wondering at the historical authenticity of the belief that nutrition and positive thinking play a role in healing. Maybe there were people back then who were into those things, but it seemed a little more like modern New Age thinking. I also questioned the propriety of an unmarried young woman visiting a man's bedchamber (even one who is injured and to whom she is engaged) alone, but I guess at least the grandmother admitted that she was being a poor chaperone. I freely acknowledge that Barbara Cartland's stories usually would not stand up to a great deal of critical scrutiny, which is typically something that would bother me. It might have been the sweet fairy tale quality that I love so much, the fact that I have a soft spot for Ms. Cartland as my first mainstream romance author, or some other reason entirely, but I seem to be a bit more forgiving of the holes in her plots. I think I just go into reading her books with the bar set a bit lower than most. Her stories may be simple and predictable, but generally pretty enjoyable, and Light of the Gods definitely fell into that category for me.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
2
| Aug 26, 2010
| Aug 29, 2010
|
May 01, 2010
| Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 0439217873
| 9780439217873
| 3.90
| 12,369
| Jan 01, 1969
| 1993
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Sounder isn't so much a story about a dog as it is the coming of age story of an African American boy in the depression era So...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Sounder isn't so much a story about a dog as it is the coming of age story of an African American boy in the depression era South. There is a beauty in the simplicity of the author's writing which imparts a great deal of meaning in a minimum of words. William H. Armstrong was definitely an author who understood the meaning of the saying, “Less is more” and put it to good use. I never thought a book in which the characters have no names could be so powerful, yet even though I didn't know what they were called and very little of what they looked like, the author made me really care about them. Though spare and unembellished, his narrative managed to convey the hardships of life for a sharecropping family during that time. Loneliness seems to be a running theme throughout a large part of the book, and I could sense the boy's feelings of isolation very deeply. It is also a story about searching for meaning in life. As the boy travels around the countryside looking for his father, he discovers his heart's desire. It is also about the unbreakable bond between a man and his dog that often transcends our mortal understanding. The way this connection was depicted near the end of the book was both joyful and heartbreaking at the same time, bringing tears to my eyes. From a parental standpoint, I think this book has some wonderful messages to convey to kids. All of the main characters, the boy, his mother, his father, and Sounder, all showed a great deal of determination in the face of adversity. The family exhibits a strong religious faith that was rendered in a very gentle way that I enjoyed. There is also the idea that if we search long enough and work hard enough, we can accomplish what we set out to do. Although I didn't feel that there was anything particularly unsuitable for kids in the book, sensitive readers, especially animal lovers, should be aware that there are a couple of descriptive scenes involving cruelty to animals and details of injuries received by both a human character and an animal. The boy also thought about what it might be like to watch two men die, one in the way that he'd seen a bull strangled and the other in the way that he'd seen a scarecrow torn apart by the wind. It was only his thoughts though, and he never outwardly exhibited any violent tendencies. Not to mention, both men had treated him very poorly, so it was rather understandable. Lastly, there is one use of the “n” word as a racial slur, and two characters die, but of course, dying is simply a part of life. Sounder, like many other children's classics, may be more easily appreciated by adults, but in my opinion, there is much for children to glean from it's pages, lessons that kids in our modern world need to learn but often don't. Sounder is a beautiful story that has earned a spot on my keeper shelf. I can understand why it won the Newberry Medal. It is a wonderful tale that is truly powerful in its simplicity. Although it isn't really marketed a such, Sounder is the first in a trilogy of books followed by Sour Land and The MacLeod Place. It was also made into a motion picture that received several Academy Award nominations. I'm really looking forward to reading the other books in the series and seeing the movie as well.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Feb 22, 2011
| Feb 24, 2011
|
May 17, 2010
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0310500028
| 9780310500025
| 4.00
| 3
| 1970
| Dec 28, 1983
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Love's Late Spring is a sweet hearth and home type of inspirational romance. Believe it or not, this little 150-page book cove...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Love's Late Spring is a sweet hearth and home type of inspirational romance. Believe it or not, this little 150-page book covers a full two years in the lives of the protagonists, so it moves along at a pretty brisk clip. I really liked the way that the author used the changing seasons to indicate the passage of time. There definitely isn't much in the way of extraneous details, but on the occasions when the author indulges in a paragraph or two of descriptions, her prose has a very lyrical quality. The dialog is quite a bit more formal than I'm used to, but this may be a product of the book's age. It was originally published in 1970 under the title At Your Age, Miss Russell?. There were a few other things besides the dialog which tended to date the story, such as records being played on the stereo and no cell phones to keep in touch, as well as some mild social attitudes toward minorities and a woman's place, but overall, it wasn't too bad for being a forty year old book. I'll admit though that I'm old enough to still remember the 70's, so for someone younger than me, the datedness might be more noticeable and jarring. The religious content of the book was surprisingly low-key and limited to gentle expressions of the character's faith in simple ways such as regular church attendance, prayer and the celebration of Christmas and Easter as the birth and resurrection of Christ. I found it very refreshing to read an inspirational romance that wasn't preachy or trying to push any sort of agenda. Much like the lack of descriptive details, there isn't a great deal of character introspection, but I still liked Paula and John quite well. Being a big fan of the friends to lovers theme, I enjoyed that the couple had been inseparable childhood friends. It was rather sad though that Paula had fallen in love with John by the time they were in high school, but he was oblivious and instead fell for and married another woman. Paula had carried a torch for him for sixteen years and although she had dated occasionally, had never really been in a serious relationship. The one element I didn't care for was the love triangle at the beginning of the story. Paula had been dating a guy she worked with for a few months, and he was starting to get serious. As he put it though, she always seemed to be waiting for something, and in the end, a nice guy was left out in the cold. Unfortunately, this is one of my least favorite themes in romance, but for some reason, it seems to be a staple conflict trope in inspirational romances. Once Paula broke up with him, I was able to more fully invest myself in her newly discovered relationship with John, although nothing about the past and her unrequited feelings all those years was ever explored between them. The secondary characters added a homey family feel to the story, and I liked almost all of them. John has two daughters. The younger one, Denise, is very welcoming of Paula in John's life, but the older teenager, Connie, adds to the conflict by resenting having a new stepmother. She acted pretty bratty and immature about John remarrying and having a baby with Paula for almost the entire book. I understood Connie missing her mother, but her childish behavior made it pretty difficult to sympathize. I liked Paula and John's mothers who were neighbors and long-term friends themselves. They were very supportive of John and Paula's marriage, and it was cute that they both thought it was about time that their son and daughter got together. Susie, the cat, helped to give even more hominess to the story and added a bit of depth to the characters. There was also a whole host of other supporting players who bring cohesiveness to the tale. Love's Late Spring was one of those fairly predictable stories that can be nice to delve into once in a while when you're looking for something light to read. In fact, I think there was only one sad event that I didn't really see coming, and although I was rather disappointed in the author's choice to write it that way, the fast pace made it over and done with and virtually forgotten in a matter of a couple pages. The book probably could have used a dash of something more to season it and give a bit more depth to the plot and characters, but considering it's age and brief length, I thought it was a pretty enjoyable read. I haven't been able to find any good information on Lydia Heermann, but from what I can tell Love's Late Spring (aka At Your Age, Miss Russell?) seems to be her only published work of fiction which is a pity as I would have been interested in reading more from her.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| May 27, 2010
| May 30, 2010
|
May 28, 2010
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0020442602
| 9780020442608
| 4.06
| 175,496
| 1952
| Jan 01, 1970
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews I've been a fan of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe since I was a child, but for whatever reason, I never got around to r...more Reviewed for THC Reviews I've been a fan of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe since I was a child, but for whatever reason, I never got around to reading the rest of The Chronicles of Narnia. With the books now being made into major motion pictures, I've been taking the opportunity to rectify that situation, and I'm so glad to be discovering them. Each “new” book I read in the series takes me on another adventure of both mind and spirit. C. S. Lewis constantly amazes me with his ability to make me feel like I'm there in Narnia with the characters. His descriptions of the Dawn Treader, the sometimes perilous sea voyage, the places they see, and all the people they meet along the way are so well drawn that they kept me engrossed and anxious to continue reading. Somehow in a mere 216 pages, Mr. Lewis took me on a grand escapade that made me feel as though I'd sailed to the ends of the Earth myself, while also imparting some important spiritual truths that spoke to the depths of my soul. Aside from Aslan's sacrifice and his forgiveness of Edmund in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, I haven't always been able to clearly identify the allegorical parallels to Christian beliefs that I know are found in The Chronicles of Narnia. The Voyage of the “Dawn Treader” was a whole different story for me. I could see so many things in it that nurtured my spirit with its gentle, easy to understand message. It was a feel-good book which also left me pondering the deeper meaning in life. The characters are such a joy to visit with. Edmund and Lucy are back, and make their travels to Narnia with a new player, their cousin, Eustace. Edmund has grown a great deal since his close call with the White Witch. I've always loved Lucy. She is brave, while also being a kind, caring and sweet girl to everyone, but as this book proved, even she can be tempted by power. Eustace begins the story as quite the spoiled brat, making me hope for a quick comeuppance. Some amazing things do happen to Eustace which lead to a loving transformation courtesy of Aslan, after which he's not perfect, but much nicer. On the Narnian side of things, Caspian and Reepicheep also return. Caspian is now King and going in search of the seven lost lords of Narnia who were friends and supporters of his father. The brave little mouse, Reepicheep, his loyal and fearless companion is very wise and ready to conquer any challenge that crosses his path. All of these combine with lots of new characters who are met along the way to create a thoroughly entertaining cast. The Voyage of the “Dawn Treader” is a book that presents something new and exciting in nearly every chapter. There is a little something here for everyone: adventure, mystery, magic, and discoveries galore to be made. I'm a “purist” who has been reading the books in their original order, which makes The Voyage of the “Dawn Treader” the third book of the series, and I'm a little sad that it seems many of my favorite characters may not be back for the remaining stories. However, that doesn't deter me from greatly looking forward to continuing The Chronicles of Narnia soon.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Apr 15, 2011
| Apr 18, 2011
|
Apr 15, 2011
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0440457556
| 9780440457558
| 3.61
| 820
| 1974
| Sep 15, 1975
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Even though Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. was a Newbery Honor Book back in 1975 (when I was a kid), for some reason, I...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Even though Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. was a Newbery Honor Book back in 1975 (when I was a kid), for some reason, I had never heard of it until recently. I probably never would have found it on my own if I hadn't been introduced to Bette Greene through her wonderful young adult novel, Summer of My German Soldier. After reading that and its sequel I decided to check out Ms. Greene's other works. I'm so glad I did, because my exploration led me to this wonderful little gem of a children's book. It is a very light-hearted story that is quite different in tone from Ms. Green's young adult books, and in my opinion, showcases her versatility as an author. Beth Lambert, the main protagonist and first-person narrator of the story, is cute as a button, smart as a whip with lots of imagination, spunky, determined, and oh, so funny. She had me almost constantly chuckling, if not laughing out loud through the entire book. I just loved reading about all of her adventures, or misadventures, as the case may be. The main focus of Beth's narration is her relationship with her best friend, Philip Hall, “the cutest boy in school.” I was positively tickled by how Philip goes from being “the sweetest boy ever,” to doing or saying something dumb which turns him into, “a dirty, rotten polecat.” Then does or says something nice that gets him back in Beth's good graces. These two also have a friendly rivalry going, each trying to one up the other to be the best or smartest at everything, as well as a bit of a battle of the sexes. It was like reading a love/hate romance between two twelve-year-olds, and it was absolutely adorable and hilarious. However, interspersed between their intellectual and verbal duels are some very sweet, tender moments that are full of heart. There are lots of other characters too, including Beth's family who are very loving and supportive, her girl's club, The Pretty Pennies, and Philip's boy's club, The Tiger Hunters. Whether she was trying to catch turkey thieves, getting a new puppy only to find out she's allergic to it, standing up for what's right, rescuing Philip from the mountain, or raising a calf for 4-H, Beth was always in fine form. Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. was a fast-paced and throughly fun read. It had just one mild profanity and other than that was a completely “clean” book that I would highly recommend to kids, parents, teachers or anyone who likes to read a good children's story. Although there doesn't appear to be an official series designation, Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. is the first of three books about Beth and Philip. The other two are Get on out of Here, Philip Hall and I've Already Forgotten Your Name, Philip Hall!. With yet another winner, Bette Greene is solidifying her place on my favorite authors list, and I can't wait to read the other two books in the series.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Apr 19, 2011
| Apr 20, 2011
|
Apr 19, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 044655894X
| 9780446558945
| 3.87
| 4,169
| Aug 01, 2010
| Aug 01, 2010
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Although I didn't like it quite as well as Elizabeth Hoyt's incomparable Princes Trilogy, Wicked Intentions was a good start t...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Although I didn't like it quite as well as Elizabeth Hoyt's incomparable Princes Trilogy, Wicked Intentions was a good start to her latest series, Maiden Lane. With all the action and mysteries (the serial murders, the stolen cargo and the ghost of St. Giles), and a large part of the focus being on Lazarus and Temperance's investigation of gory Jack the Ripper style murders, this book was actually a historical romantic suspense. Even though I thought the romance and suspense were fairly well balanced, I can see where there might have been more opportunities for relationship building without all the investigating, which could explain why some readers seemed to be less than enamored with the story. Ms. Hoyt also chose to leave readers in the dark about a couple of things, most likely intending to resolve those mysteries later in the series, and I'll certainly be waiting anxiously to find out the answers. In addition to the suspense angle, Wicked Intentions also has some other elements that make it quite unique to the historical romance genre. Other than the hero and heroine's attendance at a couple of society parties in search of a new patron for the foundling home, the narrative is completely set in the London slums, far away from all the glitz and glitter of the ton. Maybe it was the setting being so different or perhaps the author didn't quite describe it thoroughly enough, but I did have a hard time picturing it at first. The heroine herself is a poor commoner who spends her days caring for a large group of orphans, while the hero is a wealthy nobleman, making this something of a Cinderella story. I did like the orphanage and all the children even though they didn't play a huge role. Everything just came together to give the book a very distinctive feel unlike any other historical romance I've read. Lazarus was an intriguing hero. He has earned a scandalous reputation for his “unnatural” sexual proclivities. Although the reader is teased with exactly what it is he prefers in the bedroom, I had my suspicions early on and ended up being correct. Lazarus is also very unusual in that he seems to have an inability to feel emotions, and he is repulsed and feels pain when touched. I could tell that there were things in his past that had likely contributed to his condition, and as some of those things were revealed, I sympathized with him. However, there were a couple of times when I wanted to smack him for being a bit of a jerk. Not only was he overtly sexual with Temperance right from the start which wasn't entirely my cup of tea, he also said some things to her that seemed to be deliberately calculated to cause her emotional pain, and I never quite figured out why he did that. I'll allow that perhaps I misunderstood or misinterpreted his words and intentions, because otherwise, he was rather charming in a dark, sensual sort of way. The other thing I couldn't quite get a handle on was why Lazarus chose Temperance as his guide in the first place. It just seemed a little odd to me that a “gentleman” would pull a respectable lady into what he must have known could be a potentially dangerous, and at the very least, sordid, investigation. After being widowed nine years earlier, Temperance has devoted her life to serving the orphans alongside her brother at the foundling home started by their father. She struggles constantly against her passionate nature, feeling that there is something wrong with her for having such strong desires. At first, she is almost as emotionally closed-off as Lazarus, but with him, she finally finds the freedom to be the person she truly is inside. Temperance harbors a dark secret that has controlled her actions since her husband's death, and while I don't feel that she should have punished herself indefinitely, I did have mixed feelings about what she had done when it was finally revealed. In some ways it made me loose a little respect for her, not only because of the nature of the secret, but also because it made her seem less charitable to me, like she didn't truly enjoy working with the children and only did it because she felt she had to. However, the risks she took to protect a couple of the children I think proved that she did have a good heart and cared for them very much. I also like that she was able to intuitively sense Lazarus' inner pain the first time she touched him, even though he put on a brave face, and that she was completely accepting and even understanding of his “kinks” and why he needed those things. As a couple, Lazarus and Temperance were good for each other, but they didn't quite spark off the pages for me like Elizabeth Hoyt's other heroes and heroines I've read to date. I think part of the reason for this lay in them both being so emotionally aloof for a large part of the story. I know that Lazarus couldn't exactly help being the way he was, and Temperance had her own demons to battle, but it often seemed like they were two separate entities rather than a couple in the making. I initially had a hard time making a connection with either one of them, but it did get better as the story progressed. My favorite parts were when Temperance was caring for Lazarus after he'd been wounded, and then toward the end when they both, in turn, gently pushed each other to face their pasts. As always, Elizabeth Hoyt knows how to write some incredibly steamy love scenes, and I will forewarn sensitive readers that the ones in this book are barely this side of erotic. I certainly didn't mind though, as I happen to think that Ms. Hoyt writes some of the best sex in romance today.;-) In Wicked Intentions, Elizabeth Hoyt has also created a wonderful palette of supporting players, giving herself an enticing array of characters to work with as potential heroes and heroines of future books. Lady Hero Batten is a very nice young woman who treats Temperance with kindness and respect. I found it interesting that she's the sister of a duke, but seems to long for a more “normal” life, and I'm excited to see she is the heroine of book #2, Notorious Pleasures. Temperance's sister, Silence, is sweet and lovable with her ineptness with household tasks. What she lacks in basic skills, she more than makes up for in love and loyalty for her husband. What she does for him in going to the notorious pirate, Charming Mickey, was very brave, but no one believes the bargain she struck with him. Charming Mickey is well...charming, in a devilish sort of way. I wasn't too certain about him initially, but was left wondering if he wasn't quite the villain he seemed. I must admit I'm incredibly curious about exactly what transpired between these too, but alas it is one of those things that Ms. Hoyt left to the imagination but will hopefully be revealed in their book, Scandalous Desires, due to hit bookshelves in November (2011). I was very intrigued by Lazarus's one and only friend, Godric St. John. He seems to be a very kind, intellectual man who loves his wife dearly, but she appears to be not long for this world, which could free him in the future to be a great hero. Temperance's brother, Winter, is such a good man. He is completely committed to the foundling home, working himself almost to exhaustion, and is always gentle and caring with all the children. He's protective of Temperance, but never unreasonable with her like their other brothers can be. I just read breaking news on Ms. Hoyt's website indicating that he will become the hero of Book #4, tentatively titled, Thief of Shadows due for release in the summer of 2012. (Hooray!:-)) Last but not least is another of Temperance's brothers, Asa, who is quite mysterious. We see very little of him in this book, but there is just enough to make me think he might have a fascinating story to tell. Other than the few small issues I've already outlined and the author's overuse of the question, “What?” which seemed both repetitive and anachronistic, I thought Wicked Intentions was very well-written overall. I enjoyed following along as Lazarus and Temperance solved the murder mystery, and I'm still eagerly anticipating finding out more about the questions that were left unanswered. Perhaps I didn't always relate to the hero and heroine as well as I would have liked, but they were still good characters, and if my speculation is correct, the supporting cast has left me with a tantalizing taste of what's in store for the rest of the Maiden Lane series. I'm really looking forward to the release of book three. In the meantime, I still have one more volume to keep me busy, and I can't wait to find out if Hero makes as great a heroine as I think she will.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| May 11, 2011
| May 16, 2011
|
May 11, 2011
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0505524899
| 9780505524898
| 3.52
| 126
| Jun 2002
| Jun 28, 2002
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews George & the Virgin is a book that rather deftly crosses many of the sub-genres of romance. I suppose it is primarily a hi...more Reviewed for THC Reviews George & the Virgin is a book that rather deftly crosses many of the sub-genres of romance. I suppose it is primarily a historical time travel with the hero going back in time to a medieval castle, but having a dragon terrorizing the nearby villagers also places the story squarely in the fantasy realm. The humor had me grinning like an idiot until my husband asked what was so funny, and that alone gives it a firm standing as a romantic comedy too. Additionally, it had a light paranormal element in the way in which the time travel took place, and tons of action and adventure as our intrepid hero sets out to slay the dragon. All of this made for a pretty fun read, but I still couldn't help feeling like there was something missing. Since I was enjoying most of the story, it took me a while to figure it out, but when I did, I sadly realized it was the romance itself that was rather lacking. Alizon was a complicated young woman who was somewhat difficult for me to relate to. She begins the story as a fourteen year-old orphan girl who is trying to loose her virginity so she won't have to go to the annual virgin lottery and possibly be sent as a sacrifice to the dragon. She has reluctantly chosen an unkempt, callow youth who had been pursuing her, but he has no idea what he's doing. It was a pretty funny scene, but at the same time kind of sad because of her reasons for doing it. In the end she bravely goes to the lottery and eventually the dragon. Once we find out how she avoided falling prey to the dragon and had saved many other virgins lives over the years, she seemed even more courageous, but at the same time, she had been pretty selfish. Alizon is also way too stubborn and independent for her own good. In her mind, she laments her lot in life, how she is stuck in the castle with no conceivable means of escape, and seems to want someone to free her, but when George comes along to save her, she allows her fear to take over to the point that she literally tries to sabotage her own potential HEA. It was amusing that during Alizon's twelve years as the dragon's keeper she had become a pretty horny virgin, fantasizing about finally being deflowered the right way, but again, when George begins to show sexual interest in her, she wants to be in control of everything which only leads to further disappointment for her. I also felt that her lack of trust in George suppressed any intimacy between them. I really wanted to like Alizon and can't necessarily say that I disliked her. I did feel bad for all she had been through in her life and understood her actions on some level, but wish she would have lightened up a little sooner. Unfortunately, her quick turn around at the end wasn't entirely believable to me. George ended up being a pleasant surprise for me. Not being a fan of professional wrestling, I wasn't sure if I would like him and thought he might end up being a cheesy character. I couldn't have been more wrong about him though. In spite of his profession, George was a real softie, much more of a beta hero than the chest-beating alpha I was expecting. He truly cares about people and has used the wealth he has earned to take care of his family. His opening scene where he is playing with his little niece was positively adorable. I liked how after traveling to the past George was able to manage cooking, cleaning, laundry and basically shocked Alizon with his ability and willingness to do “women's work.” George was also a very intelligent man whose hobby was studying medieval history. He had a love of all things from that era, so much so that he had built his own castle in the present day. I thought it very clever of him that he was able to decipher middle English to communicate with the people when he went back in time, and it was refreshing that he wasn't fooled by Alizon's crone disguise and recognized it for what it was right away. I did start to wonder when he was going to figure out that he had really time traveled and was no longer just in a guided vision, but I have to admit that his use of Jungian psychology to self-analyze this crazy “dream” he was having could be pretty hilarious. George was an extremely patient and forgiving man when it came to Alizon's shortcomings, more so than I could have been, brave to go up against the dragon, especially once he realized it was real, and just a fun, all-around great guy. For a large part of the book, I felt like there was something missing. As I mentioned earlier, I came to realize it was the actual romance, but more so than that it was a lack of sexual tension, relationship development, and emotion in general. I understood on an intellectual level why Alizon was so stubbornly independent and even a little prickly. I do think that her situation warranted sympathy, but in spite of that, I never really felt much for her even when she was telling George the whole sad story of how she came to be mistress of Devil's Mount. What passed for sexual tension felt more like mere lust. Alizon had been feeling the stirring of desire for quite a while, so it wasn't too surprising that she was very attracted to George's masculinity. However, at first she only wanted to use him to finally rid herself of her virginity. George for his part, knew that Alizon was much younger than she pretended to be, but he doesn't even get to see her face until over a third of the way into the book and even then he still thinks she's just part of his dream world. Granted he did several kind and thoughtful things for her and was brave enough to attempt to slay a dragon for her with few weapons to hand, but I just didn't feel a deep emotional connection between them like I would have preferred. Even when they finally consummated their relationship, I was disappointed, as the setting just wasn't very romantic to me. In fact, it seemed downright uncomfortable. Not to mention, there had been so much teasing and build-up to it that I was expecting something explosive, but it was all over in a matter of a couple of pages with minimal details. I may have been dissatisfied with the romance element, but I do have to give Lisa Cach a few extra points for basing her story on the actual legends surrounding a real place, St. Michael's Mount, a tiny island off the southern coast of England which really is connected to the mainland by a causeway at low tide. The village to which it leads is also the village in the book. Additionally, Ms. Cach took the time to thrown in a bit of Middle English, much like an author would do if they were showing that a character speaks another language. In essence they did speak another language in the middle ages, so I thought that little touch added a bit of authenticity to the novel as well. Overall, George & the Virgin was a cute, playful, lighthearted concoction that was a fairly enjoyable read in spite of its weaknesses. The action, adventure and humor helped to make up for some of the other deficiencies. After reading two books by Lisa Cach, I'm starting to see that she is a little better at creating swashbuckling daring-do than tender romantic relationships, so she'll probably be an author to look to whenever I'm in the mood for a breezy escapade rather than my usual more serious-minded fare. (less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Jun 16, 2011
| Jun 20, 2011
|
Jun 16, 2011
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0778325733
| 9780778325734
| 4.10
| 4,232
| Feb 01, 2008
| Nov 01, 2008
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews It's so nice to be back in Virgin River. This is such a great little town to be in at any time of the year, but especially as...more Reviewed for THC Reviews It's so nice to be back in Virgin River. This is such a great little town to be in at any time of the year, but especially as Christmastime. Seeing how the townspeople come together, and the beautiful Christmas tree that they decorated to honor those who've served in the military really put me in the Christmas spirit. That wonderful tree topper that was a beacon to light the way home made my heart clench. As always, the door of Jack's bar is perpetually open, offering hospitality to the newcomers. While some things remain the same, the one thing that was different about A Virgin River Christmas compared to the other Virgin River books is that the focus stays squarely on the hero and heroine without all the side plots we normally have. There are some great moments with Jack and Mel (Virgin River), Preacher and Paige (Shelter Mountain), and Mike and Brie (Whispering Rock). Even Paul and Vanessa (Second Chance Pass) put in a quick appearance, but in every one of these scenes, Ian and/or Marcie somehow play a part too, and the focus never strayed away from their point of view which was a nice change of pace. Marcie is a stubborn, vivacious woman who weathered her husband's prolonged invalid status and subsequent death with a great deal of grace and dignity. She was very lucky to have her family and friends to support and love both her and Bobby through that difficult time, and she never wavered in her appreciation for Ian saving Bobby's life. After Bobby finally passed, Marcie felt indebted to Ian, wanting to give him some things to say “thank you,” but also needing to know why he had left the Marines and then disappeared, not answering any of her letters. I really admired Marcie's tenacity in hunting Ian down, even though it took her last dime and her sister thought she was crazy for doing it. On the surface it seemed that Ian had checked out on life and abandoned everyone, but Marcie was steadfast in her belief that Ian was a good man who must have some pretty big demons to drive him into hiding like that. Marcie was obviously a woman who cared very much about people in general and Ian in particular, and it was that devotion which helped Ian take a few steps back into the land of the living. With Marcie being such a strong woman, I was a little disappointed that she allowed her big sister to boss her into leaving Ian when there was still unfinished business between them, but at least she came to her senses quickly. I also felt somewhat let down that she was prepared to leave town when everything was settled between them, and yet had no solid plan to see Ian again even though she had fallen in love with him. Marcie is the kind of woman I would have expected to fight for that love even though there were still things to work out, but in the end, it was more circumstances that brought them back together than any active role on her part. Ian is a man who went away to find some peace after a difficult time in his life. He had certainly found that and more in his secluded but primitive mountain-top cabin. It was really more of a case of everyone else failing him rather than him checking out on life. Ian has actually been rather content with his minimalistic lifestyle and surviving quite nicely, but not truly living. He doesn't even realize it until a little red-headed spitfire comes to his door. In spite of all the growling animal noises he's fond of producing to scare people away, Ian is definitely a man whose bark is worse than his bite. Underneath it all he's really quite sweet and kindhearted, a man who's full of surprises that I won't mention here, because it's so much more fun to find out for oneself. I loved how Ian saved Marcie from nearly freezing to death and then tenderly cared for her when she got sick with the flu as a result. The way he offered to wash her hair was really romantic. Marcie slowly wiggles her way into Ian's heart by simply making him feel loved and cared about, something he hadn't experienced in a long time. It was really nice to see how Ian grows throughout the story and come to the realization that, on some level, he misses having relationships in his life. The comradeship Ian feels with Jack and the gang when he finally comes out of hiding was very heartfelt. I really enjoyed the interactions between Ian and Marcie, but was rather disappointed that the actual romance wasn't stronger. Living together for several days in a tiny one-room cabin, they glimpsed each other in various states of undress, and yet, in all honesty, I thought the sexual tension was pretty minimal. I really liked the way that Ian took such good care of Marcie, but ultimately, they were only acting like really good friends for over half of the book. There wasn't truly even a hint of them wanting to hug or kiss or them feeling anything for each other beyond friendship, so when things finally did heat up it seemed rather abrupt to me. Even then, they were still treating what was happening between them as a casual fling with no commitments, which to my way of thinking, created a certain distance in their relationship. In the end, Ian and Marcie finally came together on the same page and got their “I love yous” out, but ultimately, it was more of an HFN than an HEA, which didn't fully satisfy me. I do hope that we might see more of them in future books of the series, so that I can be more certain how things turn out for them. Other than the romance being on the weak side, the only other thing that bugs me a little about the Virgin River series in general is that Robyn Carr isn't quite as good at writing introverted characters as some other authors I've read. Being an introvert myself, I think I can say with some degree of authority that the way these characters behave doesn't always quite ring true. It's more a case of her simply saying that they're shy rather than actually showing it through their actions and behavior. Even if a character is described as being more reticent in earlier books of the series, once they gets to their own book and beyond, they suddenly become very talkative which just doesn't work well for me. Otherwise, I really enjoyed A Virgin River Christmas, and thought that it was a very heartwarming holiday story. When Ian finally allowed Marcie to tell him about Bobby it was a very touching scene, and when Marcie had her flashback to Bobby's death, it brought tears to my eyes. There were some lighthearted moments to balance out the sadness too. Not to mention, the closeness and warmth of the Virgin River community is enough to melt the heart of Scrooge himself. Each time I read one of these books, I marvel at how real this little town seems. These characters have really gotten to me in a way that makes me feel like they actually exist out there somewhere, and I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for them next.(less) | Notes are private!
| Auntee,
|
1
| Dec 19, 2011
| Dec 22, 2011
|
Dec 19, 2011
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0374500010
| 9780374500016
| 4.25
| 332,499
| 1955
| Jan 16, 2006
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Night is a gripping first-person narrative of the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel chronicles his life from the time the German soldiers...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Night is a gripping first-person narrative of the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel chronicles his life from the time the German soldiers invaded his hometown and started gathering the Jews together in ghettos through his experiences in several different concentration camps, including the notorious Auschwitz and Buchenwald, until he and his fellow prisoners were liberated. This relatively short volume packs a powerful emotional wallop that goes straight into the reader's soul. I didn't even realize how deeply it was affecting me until I spent a restless night, having bad dreams after finishing it, and yet, I think every person should pick this up at least once in their lifetime. I didn't feel that most of the story was rendered in a particularly graphic way. It's more the edge-of-your-seat tension and the fact that I have a pretty well-developed imagination that made this book so intense for me. My teenage son, however, seemed to have no trouble reading it for his literature class. Each reader's reaction will vary depending on their ability to distance themselves from the subject matter. When the story opens, I was struck by how the Jews in Mr Wiesel's hometown didn't believe the reports of a man who had escaped from the Nazis. They either dismissed him as a madman or refused to believe that the Nazis would make it to their town. I guess perhaps it's human nature to not be able to fathom acts of such barbarism. I found it ironic that when the German soldiers did finally come to town, they temporarily lodged in the homes of some Jews and even treated them nicely, just before carting them off to the concentration camps. Once in the camps, it was strange how some of their fellow prisoners in supervisory positions could sometimes be nearly as cruel as the SS officers themselves. It was also very sad how family members could sometimes turn on one another. Even Mr. Wiesel confessed to occasionally having thoughts of survival possibly being easier for him if he didn't have the responsibility of his father to care for. Existence in the camps became nothing more than a desperate fight for individual survival in which family ties often were rendered meaningless. Through Mr. Wiesel's simple, yet powerful words, I was able to gain a small sense of the sheer terror that he and the other thousands of prisoners in the concentration camps must have experienced. Stark fear emanates off the pages every time there was a selection or some other threat to their lives, as does the anger, especially at God for not putting a stop to such evil. Mr. Wiesel speaks very poignantly about loosing his faith in God after the atrocities he witnessed. He writes of how one of his first experiences in the camps was seeing babies and children burned alive and that it still haunts him, and I can certainly understand why. The mere image his words evoked in my mind deeply affected me as well and is something I would never want to witness first hand. It's no wonder he tried to trick himself into believing they were already dead, because the mind simply cannot cope with things like this that are too horrific to logically understand. The last days in the camps before liberation finally arrived and the death of Elie's father are very vividly rendered. I could feel the sense of hopelessness permeating the air, and how many simply gave up on life and couldn't go on, even though they could hear the sounds of the Russian army advancing on the German front. Night is written essentially as a series of short vignettes of the author's experiences, which is more consistent with how one would expect a person's memory to be. There are some details he deliberately chose to leave out, such as his state of mind after his father died, which I can fully respect, but there were a couple of other omissions that were mildly disappointing, eg. it's clear that his father, mother, and little sister died, but he doesn't overtly tell what became of his other two sisters (I found out via the Internet that they also survived). However, this was a minor thing in another otherwise incredibly stirring and eloquent story of survival against all odds. I would characterize this book as a must read for everyone from mature teens on up. It is my fervent belief that in order to not repeat the horrific events of the past, we must never forget them, and one way to keep these memories alive is to explore the stories of those who prevailed against this oppressive evil.(less) | Notes are private!
| Readers
|
1
| Nov 29, 2012
| Nov 30, 2012
|
Nov 29, 2012
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0778327493
| 9780778327493
| 4.19
| 3,605
| Dec 15, 2009
| Dec 29, 2009
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" As always, it was a pleasure to be back in Virgin River, visiting with all my favorite characters in my favorite l...more Reviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" As always, it was a pleasure to be back in Virgin River, visiting with all my favorite characters in my favorite little town. Since Robyn Carr wrapped up most of the loose ends in the last book, Forbidden Falls was almost like starting over. All the main characters from past books were here in the background, but she brought some new characters to town and beefed up the roles of a couple of existing characters, while leaving more focus on the main hero and heroine than she usually does. The story was a tad less compelling than some of the previous books of the series, but no less enjoyable. Noah is a Presbyterian minister who decided to buy the old Virgin River church when Hope McCrea put it up for sale on eBay. He definitely has his work cut out for him and immediately gets busy refurbishing it. Noah is the first main hero of this series who hasn't been a current or former member of the military, but he's still a lot like the other guys in Virgin River and fits right in. In my opinion, he leans toward being a beta hero, sweet, kind-hearted and gentle with just a dash of alpha protectiveness when it comes to Ellie and her kids. He totally had me the instant he picked up Lucy, an injured, half-dead dog from the side of the road and paid the outrageous vet bills to help her recover. Noah is a man who truly knows what it means to be a minister and not just a preacher. He may carry his Bible around, but he never beats anyone over the head with it. He's not afraid to go into the trenches and get dirty, so to speak. I love the way he truly wants to help people and show them God's love through his actions, not just giving them a sermon and saying good luck. The work he did with the transients in the area, visiting a lonely man in the nursing home and other people in the hospital, and generally helping out all around was wonderful, just the kind of guy I'd love to have as a minister. Noah is a really laid back kind of guy who isn't prone to being judgmental. He may have briefly hesitated in hiring Ellie as his assistant, but once he made the decision he never looked back. He wasn't overly worried what the townspeople would think if they found out she was a former stripper, and he never admonished Ellie for anything she did, past or present, even when she says bad words in church. I also love how he's always looking out for Ellie and her kids in a sweetly protective way, and the man definitely has a way with words when it comes to expressing his love and passion for her. Ellie has been through a lot in her short twenty-five years, but somehow, she's still managed to keep a positive attitude and always look on the bright side of things. Initially, she comes off as something of a bimbo, especially when we learn that she used to work as an exotic dancer, but it quickly becomes apparent that there's more to her than meets the eye. She's a devoted mother, who only lost her kids due to the machinations and ill-will of others, and is prepared to do anything to get them back. Even though her own life is something of a mess, Ellie is great at counseling others, because her grandmother gave her a solid upbringing along with imparting all her words of wisdom. Ellie is a huge bundle of energy, and isn't afraid of hard work. I can only wish that I were as fast at housework as she is.:-) She breezed through cleaning and painting the church, and was always ready to lend a helping hand anywhere it was needed. I love how she helped Vanni in her hour of need and made a huge difference in her and Paul's lives. In my opinion, she had all the qualities a good pastor's wife should have. I love how Noah and Ellie built a deep friendship before anything else happened between them, but I didn't feel like the transition from their friends relationship to becoming lovers was quite as smooth and seamless as it could have been. I think that some of the moments that were intended to build romance felt more like friendship, so when they suddenly became lovers, expressing all these strong feelings for one another, it seemed like things sped up a tad too quickly. Still, by the end, I was definitely sensing the romantic connection between them and was convinced that they were perfect for each other. As I mentioned before, pretty much all the previous main characters put in an appearance. Paul and Vanni were the ones who had the meatiest secondary roles, as they deal with having a bombshell dropped on them when Paul's ex-girlfriend, Terri, unexpectedly passes away. I like how they were able to weather through this crisis and come out on top, keeping their marriage intact, even though it was primarily Vanni who had the most adjusting to do. Ms. Carr also brings back long-time, Virgin River residents, Jo and Nick Fitch, who I don't believe we've seen since the first book of the series when Nick made a pass at Mel and got his butt kicked. We get to learn why Nick behaves the way he does, and what happened to cause the rift in their marriage. They end up becoming surrogate parents/grandparents for Ellie and her kids, while Ellie helps them rebuild their marriage and reconnect in their love for one another. We also get to meet Noah's friend, George, an older, retired minister who I really liked. I hope he'll be visiting Virgin River often. Last, but certainly not least, we finally get to witness the wedding of Luke and Shelby, attended by the entire Riordan and McIntyre clans. Overall, Forbidden Falls was an enjoyable read. It would be darn near impossible not to like one of these books. However, for some reason, I didn't find it to be un-put-down-able. I simply didn't have that, “Aww, do I really have to stop” feeling when it was time to put it down, nor that burning need to pick it back up again. I also felt like it was a bit less polished than some of the other books in the series. I detected some mild repetition that could have been tightened up. These two things almost made me give the book four stars, although it would have been a very solid four stars. There wasn't anything wrong with it per se. I loved the characters, and the story was good. It just didn't quite move me as much as some of the other books in the series have, but then Robyn Carr managed to make me teary-eyed, not once, but twice, during the final pages, which I thought warranted the extra half-star after all. Bravo, Ms. Carr for grabbing me in the end, and for writing another lovely story in the Virgin River series.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Feb 19, 2013
| Feb 24, 2013
|
Feb 19, 2013
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0758205694
| 9780758205698
| 3.74
| 909
| Oct 01, 2003
| Oct 2003
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews "3.5 stars overall" He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Lori Foster – I thought that He Sees You When You're Sleeping was a l...more Reviewed for THC Reviews "3.5 stars overall" He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Lori Foster – I thought that He Sees You When You're Sleeping was a little light on the plot and character development. It is basically all about the hero, Booker, finding out that he is finally free of a past romantic entanglement. He then immediately sets out to get the heroine, Frances, into his bed, and a whole lot more. I normally enjoy the friends to lovers theme, but even though Booker and Frances had been hanging out as buddies for the past two months, I still felt like things moved too quickly for them. I liked Frances and respected her for keeping things purely platonic between them even though she had fallen for Booker almost as soon as she moved in next-door. She also insisted that he officially break up with his ex before they could start anything with each other. There was just something about the way that things developed with Booker though, that didn't quite sit well with me. He had fallen for Frances while he was still involved with another woman, Judith, and then he strung Judith along for a full month even though he knew that the spark was gone from their relationship and it was essentially over. The author says it was because he was a nice guy and was looking for just the right way to break up, but in the end, all it accomplished was making both him and Judith unhappy and drove her to try to cheat with Booker's brother. When Booker realized that he didn't have to do the breaking up (which felt like he was trying to take the easy way out), he then immediately went to Frances with what I thought was a rather arrogant attitude, as though he didn't expect to be turned down. He did soften up later on, and I thought that them baking cookies together and talking through the connecting wall of their bedrooms was rather cute. The love scenes were pretty steamy which I would expect from Lori Foster as this is an area where she seems to excel in her writing. Since I've only read one other story by Ms. Foster, I don't know if including the ex is a typical thing for her to do, but the other story had this element too. While I don't mind if the hero has a past with other women, I don't care to hear about those exploits or to have the “other woman” play any kind of role in the story. I'm also not a fan of two brothers casually dating and/or sleeping with the same woman. That's something that just seems like it would be very weird and complicated in real life, but was treated very casually in this story. He Sees You When You're Sleeping is the first in a trilogy of novellas titled Dean Brothers & Friend. The third story, Playing Doctor, features Booker's brother, Axel, as the hero and the second story, Some Like It Hot, has their friend, Cary, as the hero. From what I could tell in this novella, Cary seemed like a fairly decent guy, but Axel's extreme playboy persona did not endear me to him at all. Even though these two are both doctors which I usually like, I probably won't be in any hurry to pick up their stories. Overall, He Sees You When You're Sleeping was an OK read, but I just didn't feel connected enough to the characters or plot to really love it. I know that a lot of romance readers rave about Lori Foster, but I'm beginning to think that her style may not be for me. I might give her another chance with a full-length novel though, before throwing in the towel. Star Rating: ***1/2 All She Wants for Christmas by Janelle Denison – It took me a little while to get into All She Wants for Christmas mainly because when I started it, I couldn't help thinking that it was basically a carbon copy of the first two books of the Wilde series. Hero who has an undeserved “bad boy” persona, but underneath really has a heart of gold and strong family ties – check. Heroine who only wants a sexual fling because of a past relationship gone bad with a similar type of guy – check. Hero who doggedly pursues the heroine attempting to convince her she's “the one” for him – check. If it hadn't been for the redundancy or if I had spread them out and hadn't just read the first two Wilde stories within the last month, I might have been able to give this one keeper status. Matthew was a to-die-for hero, a rich, successful pediatric surgeon who's great with kids, and unbeknownst to anyone has been looking for a woman who wants him and not his money or the prestige of being married to a doctor. Faith is a schoolteacher and hospital volunteer who loves kids every bit as much as he does, and has been attracted to his seemingly good heart as well as his gorgeous body. However, Matthew has a really bad reputation with the ladies around the hospital, and after a nasty breakup that left her heartbroken, she hasn't been able to bring herself to take a chance on him and accept his numerous requests for dates. Instead she decides to ask him for her Christmas wish of a steamy one-night stand. I loved that Matthew had wanted Faith for six months and the second she gave him an opening, he was ready, willing and able to do anything and everything to convince her that he was in love with her. He was definitely a dream man who knew how to seduce and pamper a woman. If I weren't a married woman, I wouldn't mind finding a Matthew under my tree on Christmas morning to “unwrap.”;-) I could kind of understand Faith's reluctance to get involved with Matthew thinking what she did of him. I don't mind sexually aggressive heroines once in a while, but I just don't relate to them quite as well as ones who aren't. Perhaps having three heroines in a row like that who also harbored the same basic commitment issues, was just a bit too much for me. I was glad, however, that she didn't fight it for long. I can't imagine any woman being able to resist Matthew after all he did for her, so at least that part was believable for me. Aside from the plot and character repetition, so far, all the Wilde series stories have been pretty good reads, and overall, so was All She Wants for Christmas. This novella gives a brief introduction to Chayse Douglas who is apparently acquainted with Adrian Wilde and becomes his heroine in the next story, The Wilde One (Bad Boys to Go anthology), and Ashley St. Claire who is the heroine of book #5, The Wilde Side. I do plan to continue with the Wilde series but hope that Janelle Denison has a bit more creativity in store for future books, or maybe I should just put a lot more space in between them. Star Rating: **** Turning Up the Heat by Susan Donovan – I spent the majority of my time reading Turning Up the Heat thinking that it was a nice little fantasy scenario, but not one that worked well for me personally. It seemed to be based primarily on stranger sex which is generally one of my least favorite romance themes. I really tried to get into it, but up until the last chapter or so, I couldn't help wondering how the hero and heroine could possibly have this wild, elaborate sexual encounter with someone they'd just met. Knowing that Valerie appeared to be having a lonely Christmas Eve, I wanted to just go with the flow, but her sexual daring was kind of weirding me out, as was Earl's forcefulness at one point and the lack of any sort of protection. Granted the author dropped a few hints along the way as to where things were leading, but in spite of that, she still managed to completely catch me off guard with a big plot twist near the end which saved the whole story from getting a lower rating from me. While I admire her skill for being able to do that, this is an extremely rare case where I think I would have enjoyed the novella more if I'd known the ending first. As written there wasn't a lot of character development either. I'm sure this story would appeal to other readers more than it did to me, but it didn't quite “turn up the heat” for me as well as it could have. Turning Up the Heat was my first read by Susan Donovan. Other than a few odd word choices, she had a pretty solid writing style, which leaves me open to trying something else by her in the future. Star Rating: ***1/2 Note: This novella has a few instances of slightly more explicit language that is typically reserved for the erotic genre, but otherwise the sexual content is on par with most steamy mainstream romances. Baby, It's Cold Outside by Donna Kauffman - Baby, It's Cold Outside centered around one of my all-time favorite romance themes, the reunion, but in spite of that, it still fell pretty flat for me. I like introspective characters, but the first two chapters of this story were almost entirely nothing but a running commentary of what each one was thinking. I realized that the author was attempting to do some character development by giving the reader background information and establishing that Jace and Suzanna still had deep feelings for one another even after ten years apart, but in my opinion, this wasn't the best way to go about it. Once the two characters started having some dialog, it was a little better, but then their conversations were so frequently punctuated with more internal ruminations that I often lost track of what they were talking about. The steam level of the story was pretty good and could have been great if the author had kept a steady flow going in the narrative of the love scene. As it was written though, it seemed like the hero and heroine couldn't decide if they wanted to make love or talk out their problems, so the scene went on for about three whole chapters. I think it would have been better if they had talked first and made love later, because they started and stopped so many times, I was beginning to get frustrated. I also thought the reasons that Jace and Zan had parted company ten years before and never sought each other out when it became clear that they were still hopelessly in love were for the most part rather weak and mainly a result of pride on both their parts. Overall, this wasn't a truly bad novella, but there were just too many parts that felt forced for it to be truly good. Ultimately, it did not hold my attention very well at all. Baby, It's Cold Outside is the first story in the Men of Rogues Hollow series in which each book or novella revolves around one of the Morgan brothers. Jace's other three brothers were mentioned in passing, but no carry-over characters actually appeared which gives me the feeling that each volume may stand fairly well on its own. The remaining stories in the series are Exposed (from Bad Boys Next Exit), Catch Me if You Can, and Making Waves (from Merry Christmas, Baby). This was also my first read by Donna Kauffman, and even though she didn't wow me this time, I may continue the series at some point and will keep an open mind about reading other works by her in the future. Star Rating: **1/2 A Blue Christmas by Alison Kent - A Blue Christmas was a surprisingly heartfelt and emotional read about two former teenage lovers who've never been able to forget one another and who reunite ten years after they last saw each other, just in time for Christmas. I absolutely love a good reunion romance, so this little story was very appealing to me. I wish that I could have gotten to know Jessie better. Her reasons for leaving Thomas aka “Blue” a decade earlier made sense, but it would have been nice to know more about her past. Although he was understandably angry and resentful when Jessie walked back into his life after so long, Blue was obviously a very loving and forgiving man to let go of all the hurt and bad feelings and just allow Jessie into his heart again. I loved that the two of them had never found anyone else who could equal the level of passion, intimacy and trust they had with one another. I do wish that Jessie had come to Blue out of a desire to rekindle their relationship rather then just to find out whether she was actually frigid or could get him out of her system by sharing a wild weekend of sex, but it was fairly obvious that she did still love him and was simply holding back her feelings. Their love scenes were tender, passionate and thoroughly sensual with them giving very freely to each other. The ending was sweet, and although Jessie and Blue did admit there was a lot of work to do, I wished I could have seen how they resolved their issues. Oftentimes, wanting to know more is par for the course with novellas, and alls well that ends well I suppose. At least, I did come away from reading it, believing that they could make it work this time. Overall, A Blue Christmas was a lovely and enjoyable read for me. This is the first time I've read anything by Alison Kent, but after this, I'm definitely open to trying more of her work. Star Rating: ****1/2 Note: This novella is the steamiest one in the Jingle Bell Rock anthology. It has a little more explicit language and some borderline erotic content (back-door caressing with fingers and tongue) which may make some readers uncomfortable. The Nutcracker Sweet by Nancy Warren – I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of the love/hate relationship in romance, and The Nutcracker Sweet mainly revolves around this theme. I've just never quite been able to wrap my head around the idea of two people who are at each other's throats in the light of day, but have perfect explosive chemistry during their long passionate nights together. I'm beginning to think this is one of Nancy Warren's favorite themes, because it is the second novella of hers that I've read which is based on it. All that said, The Nutcracker Sweet had a sort of underlying humor and cuteness to it which made it more palatable to me. Daniel and Tara are definitely a case of opposites attract in the extreme. He is a thoroughly disorganized, but charming salesman who hates Tara's nitpicking of his expense reports. Tara is a perfectionistic accountant who can't stand Daniel's penchant for not turning in the proper receipts. After her daring Secret Santa gift to him, they can't keep their hands off of each other. What little I got to know both characters in such a short story, I generally liked them, and their love scenes were hot and steamy. The only other thing that wasn't quite to my liking was how quickly things progressed between them. They went from driving each other crazy, to jumping into bed, to falling in love in a mere two weeks. Even though they'd been co-workers for a while this was a little hard for me to swallow. However, I decided to try to just go with it, and overall, The Nutcracker Sweet ended up being a fun, sexy and pretty well-written read which has left me open to trying Nancy Warren again sometime. Star Rating: ****(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| Dec 22, 2010
|
Feb 27, 2009
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0451225007
| 9780451225009
| 4.27
| 15,684
| Oct 07, 2008
| Oct 07, 2008
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Father Mine – Father Mine is yet another incredible story in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. It fills in the blanks for...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Father Mine – Father Mine is yet another incredible story in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. It fills in the blanks for Zsadist and Bella, covering the events that occurred in their lives between the final chapter and epilogue of Lover Awakened. It relates the narrative of Nalla's birth, and the subsequent return of Z's nightmares of his horrific past. Z is one of my favorite brothers, because he is tough as nails on the outside but broken and vulnerable inside. He is such an amazing character, I could read dozens of stories about him and never get tired of them. Z is extremely complex and multi-layered which is one of the things I love about him. I liked that J. R. Ward didn't make the end of Lover Awakened the end for Z. In real life, recovery from abuse is never, in my experience, something that is miraculously overcome, and there may be unexpected things that can trigger unpleasant memories even after one thinks they've been put to rest. With this in mind, it made perfect sense that the birth of Z's daughter would reawaken some of his past issues, and it became an opportunity for him to take the next step in the healing process. I had been somewhat disappointed that the effects of Bella's abuse at the hands of the lesser in Lover Awakened was not really explored, so it was nice to see how she had been able to get closure as well. Father Mine was a beautifully told story in which Z and Bella, once again, show the unfathomable depth of love they have for one another, and now for their new daughter as well. All of the brothers except Butch put in an appearance in this novella, as well as Mary and Jane. There was a little hint of what the future may hold for Rhage and Mary as well, and I'll be interested to see how that plays out. Father Mine was a sweet, tender, romantic story. It was a definite keeper for me, and in my opinion, a must-read for fans of the series. I've been away from the brothers for far too long, and I'm glad to be back, anxiously looking forward to reading the rest of this book, and continuing the series. Although it doesn't have an official book number, Father Mine falls between Lover Enshrined and Lover Avenged in the series ordering. Rating: ***** Other Content – I thoroughly enjoyed the Brotherhood Dossiers. The questionnaires and J. R.'s interviews with the brothers are a combination of sweet and LOL funny just like the brothers are in the novels. As I read these sections, I alternated between cracking up at their jokes (my hubby asked me what was so funny) and feeling touched by how genuinely real these characters seem to me. It must have been a challenge for J. R. Ward to play herself plus get in character to play each brother in turn at the same time. I really appreciated her efforts on this, because I had a blast reading each one. Ms. Ward's craft comments on each book gave me a lot of insights into her personality as both a person and a writer. She also made me think about certain aspects of the stories and characters in a deeper way, so that I now understand a few things about the world she has created even better than I had before. I love time travel in stories, but strangely hadn't really considered how the Scribe Virgin and the Omega had altered the space-time continuum in this series. I'm glad Ms. Ward brought that up, because I had a fun, mind-blowing time pondering all that.;-) I was thrilled to discover that some of my favorite scenes are also hers, and that some of her self-critique mirrored my own critique of her books in my reviews of them. It seems that we think quite a bit alike which I've come to conclude must be one of the reasons I love the Black Dagger Brotherhood series so much. As a newly aspiring author myself, I found Ms. Ward's advice for writers section to be both helpful and inspiring. It was comforting to know that I am already on the right track in some areas, and I learned several new things that could be invaluable in the future if I decide to attempt to publish. I also really appreciated the story of her meeting with Suzanne Brockmann at the RWA convention and her feelings that she could never live up to the writing standard that Ms. Brockmann had set. When I sit down to my computer to write, I've had these same feelings usually in regards to J. R. Ward herself and other authors that I really admire. Ms. Ward sharing that small part of herself touched my heart and encouraged me in ways that are difficult to express. The Black Dagger Brotherhood proposal was very interesting. I enjoyed seeing all the little things that changed between the original concept and the finished manuscript. At the same time I was amazed by how well fleshed out everything was right from the start and that so few changes were made. I think the most major character difference was that Phury had a different backstory, and he and Zsadist weren't brothers. The biggest storyline difference was how Dark Lover ended. From the perspective of an aspiring writer and a big fan of the series, it was all was rather fascinating and a really fun walk down memory lane. I absolutely loved the deleted scenes. A couple presented extra character development on John Matthew, Butch and Vishous, as well as a far-distant future epilogue for Phury and Cormia. The others were smokin' hot love scenes, one between Zsadist and Bella and the other between Phury and Cormia, both of which were altered before the final draft. I loved reading every one of them. They were so good, I wish that they could have remained in their respective books. The Kicks and Giggles section was pretty fun to read. The brothers have always had their own special brand of dark sarcasm that frequently makes me laugh, so having all their best humorous scenes and one-liners collected together in one place was a treat that kept a smile on my face almost the whole time I was reading this part. The Brothers on the Board section is edited interactions between the brothers and the fans on J. R. Ward's website. The first half is similar to the Kicks and Giggles section in that the brothers are in fine form, pulling pranks on one another and letting their silly sides show. The second half is more serious and actually gives some insights into Lassiter's relationship with the brothers. In this part the alpha posturing is pretty intense. I think the brothers definitely need their females to balance them out, otherwise all that testosterone would be pretty overwhelming. The final bit detailed the absolutely lovely mating ceremony of Phury and Cormia which brought a few tears to my eyes. I always seem to cry at weddings.;-) The Slices of Life section was really good and almost like deleted scenes. The first story was written in a casual "this is what the characters did today" sort of way. The second story about Wrath was written more formally and did feel like an extra scene that might have been in one of the books, not to mention it was quite steamy. The last two were written from J. R. Ward's perspective when Phury came to “visit” her, and when she went to “visit” V and Butch. In my opinion, all of them added even more depth to the characters who were a part of the stories. I know that this section and the Brothers on the Board section can both be found on J. R. Ward's website, but I had never read them before. Even if I had, I think it was nice to have them neatly edited and gathered together in one place, so that I don't have to go searching for them online. There were some great questions in the Q & A with J. R. section which added insights to the stories already told and a few hints of what might be coming in the future. The Time Line of the Brotherhood, Table of Abbreviations and The Old Language were great references. The Old Language was particularly nice, because I can now visualize the shellans names on the brothers backs. If only I had known that the Old Language was in this book, I wouldn't have had to decipher it in Lover Avenged, but then again, geek that I am, it would have taken all the fun out of it for me.;-) The Brothers Interview J. R. was a total riot, and not unlike her interviews with them. The In Memoriam was a beautiful family moment with Tohr, Wellsie, and John Matthew which really underscored the loss of Wellsie and the disappearance of Tohr, and what a huge hole was left without them. Overall, I absolutely loved reading The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide, and in my opinion, it is a must-have for die-hard fans of the series like me. There is so much extra info here that is simply not to be missed, and although the brothers already felt like they truly existed somewhere before, they feel even more real now. For me, reading this book was also a great way to reintroduce myself to the Brotherhood's world after a long absence, and now I'm really stoked to read Lover Avenged. Rating: *****(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| May 31, 2010
|
Apr 15, 2009
| Trade Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0312998767
| 9780312998769
| 4.09
| 6,127
| Nov 02, 2004
| Nov 02, 2004
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Winter Born by Sherrilyn Kenyon – Winter Born was another enjoyable story in the Dark-Hunter series. At only 75 pages, it is...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Winter Born by Sherrilyn Kenyon – Winter Born was another enjoyable story in the Dark-Hunter series. At only 75 pages, it is pretty short and very fast-paced. The whole story took place in just one day's time. As I've said many times before, I'm not usually a fan of instant hook-ups, but in this case it worked OK for me. That's because it all made sense within the context of the heroine being in heat and the way that the were-hunter mating rituals work. At least they did slow down a bit after the mating mark appeared and tried to get to know each other a little before making a lifetime commitment. I liked Dante and Pandora as the hero and heroine. Dante is a Katagari panther who first appeared in Kiss of the Night as the owner of a nightclub that the hero and heroine of that book visit. He reminded me of Vane, the hero of Night Play, because he has a similar personality and similar views on his race. Dante is proud of his heritage but still disdains their violent mating practices and prefers to remain unmated, taking his pleasure with human females instead. When he catches the scent of a female panther in heat, his body and instincts won't allow him to ignore her. Pandora is an Arcadian panther from the future who was brought to the present against her will. She doesn't really have a pack anymore and was seeking Acheron's help to return home when Dante showed up at her door. Her own mating instincts wouldn't allow her to refuse him, but she's never heard anything good about the Katagaria, just that they are vicious beasts which makes her afraid of him. I loved how tender and gentle Dante was with Pandora which was another thing about him that reminded me of Vane. The only carry-over Dark-Hunter characters who appear in this novella are Acheron and Simi. They have some amusing scenes as they peruse the Dragon-Con convention where the story is set, and as always, Ash is a scene-stealer. With the story being so brief, there wasn't a lot of time for relationship building, so I didn't feel the connection between Dante and Pandora quite as strongly as I would have liked. Otherwise though, I really enjoyed this novella, and look forward to continuing with the series. Winter Born falls between Night Play and Seize the Night in the ordering of the Dark-Hunter series. There are currently a total of 19 full-length novels in the Dark-Hunter series and a number of related novellas and graphic novels as well, with more still to come. A complete list of all the books and their recommended reading order can be found on Sherrilyn Kenyon's website. Star Rating: **** Born of the Night by Amanda Ashley - Born of the Night was a sweet paranormal romance about a young woman who falls in love with her captor. He has been cursed since birth to run with the wolves every full moon. The story takes place in an unspecified time and place that had a medieval feel to it. This novella had some very tender moments such as when Reyes saved Shanara from a would-be attacker, and when Shanara cut short her escape to help Reyes who had been wounded. Still, in the end, I couldn't help feeling that there was a little something missing. Maybe it was simply the short length of the story which didn't allow a great deal of room for character or plot development and which led to a fairly hasty wedding and declarations of love, but I just didn't feel the connection between this couple 100%. I did like both Reyes and Shanara. Reyes had kidnapped Shanara in retribution for her father's misdeeds and initially was threatening to kill her if her father didn't consent to taking her place in his dungeon, but he became attached to her very quickly. After that he was pretty gentle and never truly harmed Shanara in any way. In fact, he saved her on more than one occasion. I liked that Reyes was a rare celibate hero, and if one reads between the lines, it might even be implied that he's a virgin, although it was never stated in so many words. It's just that he seemed to have no interest in sleeping with any of the loose women who followed their camp. He had also vowed not to marry because of his curse, so he was extremely cautious about passing that on to any offspring he might have. Shanara was a very nice heroine, but not a pushover. She bravely stood up to Reyes in the beginning, and once she began to fall for him, she would do anything to save him. It was rather sad that being the youngest in her family and a daughter at that, she was basically ignored, and her father was even willing to sacrifice her to get revenge on Reyes. Even though I didn't fully connect with the characters, Born of the Night was a reasonably satisfying read. I really enjoyed the gentle kisses and embraces that Reyes and Shanara shared, and since this novella has no explicit love scenes, it should be suitable for most romance readers. Overall, I enjoyed the story and look forward to checking out more of Amanda Ashley's works soon. Star Rating: **** Make It Last Forever by L. A. Banks - Make It Last Forever is a side-story in the Vampire Huntress Legends series. I'm not terribly familiar with L. A. Banks' work, but based on this novella, I would say that the series leans more toward urban fantasy than paranormal romance for a couple of reasons. First, even though the setting is completely rural, it had a much harder, edgier feel to it than other paranormal romances I've read. Second, by the RWA's definition, romance should have an HEA, but this story had a very bittersweet ending which left me feeling rather sad and unsatisfied. I really liked the heroine, Tara. She is very sweet and has an air of innocence in spite of being on her way to transitioning into a vampire. Tara is a brave soul with a lot of self-control, refusing to feed from Rider and turn him into a vampire too even when she is dying. She was the one bright spot in an otherwise rather dark tale, but I wish that a little more of her background had been explained. Rider was not exactly the typical romantic hero. To say that he is a diamond in the rough would probably be an understatement. In the beginning, he is described as somewhat scruffy and unkempt, but I guess he cleaned up pretty well. He is also into the hard living biker lifestyle, doing a lot of drinking, smoking and womanizing. In these respects, Rider just wasn't the sexy hero that I would normally expect. However, Tara calls him “man with a good heart,” and that was definitely true. He protected Tara and treated her with tenderness. I loved when he went out and bought all sorts of feminine things for her even though he didn't really know what women needed, and it was great how he kept his promise to her in the end. The scene where Rider washed Tara's hair was a lovely combination of sweetness and sensuousness. Even though the love scenes lacked that little extra bit of detail that would have really made them emotionally spark for me, they still conveyed a certain intensity of feeling. Somehow, in spite of the brevity of the story both in length and time-frame, the author managed to make me believe that Tara and Rider had fallen in love which often doesn't happen in a novella and was also why the ending was so depressing for me. I have to give the author kudos for writing an inter-racial romance between a white hero and a heroine who was half-Black/half-Indian. I've never read this combination in an I/R romance before, and it was set in the 1970's South which made it all the more interesting. Another thing that I loved about Rider is that he always saw Tara as a beautiful woman and not just the color of her skin. Make It Last Forever falls in between books 3 and 4 of the Vampire Huntress Legends, and was meant to tell the back-story of Jake Rider, who apparently is a prominent character in the series, and how he became a Guardian. I normally don't read series books out of order, but after doing a bit of research on the Vampire Huntress Legends, I can't say that it jumped out at me as a series that I knew for certain I would enjoy. Since I had never read L. A. Banks before either, I decided to take this as an opportunity to test out her writing skills and the series. Make It Last Forever stood pretty well on it's own, but it might have been helpful if I had read the other books first to get a better understanding of the world building and maybe know a little more about Rider and the other characters whose names were dropped. Overall, I found Ms. Banks' writing style to be pretty solid. The plot was tight for such a short story, and other than it being a little narrative-heavy in places, it certainly engaged my attention which is why I was able to give it 4 stars. Normally, when I give a new-to-me author this high of a rating, it is a given that I will read more of their work at some point, but with Ms. Banks, I will have to give it some thought first. I wouldn't necessarily be averse to reading another of her stories, but I'm just not entirely sure that the dark, edgy tone of her writing is quite to my taste, nor do I know if my tender heart can take another melancholy ending like this one had. However, I can't deny that there was something rather enthralling about her storytelling which at the moment, leaves me on the fence, so I may pick up another of her books in the future after some careful consideration. Star Rating: **** Red Moon Rising by Lori Handeland - Red Moon Rising is only the second paranormal story I've read that centers around Native American skinwalker legends which made it very interesting to me. Oddly enough, neither the hero nor the heroine is a supernatural creature, but instead are hunting and running from them respectively, which made it a unique read to the paranormal romance world. In my opinion though, this novella leans more toward urban fantasy than paranormal romance anyway. The combination of the heroine's first-person narration and the edgier tone, along with some dry, black humor seems more consistent with urban fantasy, even though the story is almost entirely set in a rural area. Both the hero and heroine seemed more cerebral than emotional to me which made it a little difficult to connect with them. Maya is a best-selling author of action-adventure novels who is experiencing writer's block. She moved to the wilds of northern Arizona for some peace and quiet and to try to get in touch with her muse, but finds herself being stalked by a skinwalker. Maya was never an adventure type girl until she finds herself virtually kidnapped by Clay and running for her life. I have to give her credit though for being brave and toughing it out. In the end, I guess she was a kick-butt heroine. Clay is part of a secret government organization that hunts down supernatural creatures. He's been searching for the skinwalker who is after Maya, and when Clay finally finds him, they nearly get blown to smithereens not once but twice. Clay is an uber-alpha hero who doesn't have much of a softer side to speak of. I suppose in his defense, he had lost everyone he ever cared about to the creatures of the night. As a result, he had dedicated his life to hunting them, yet even when he spoke of the past he seemed more like a hardened warrior who had shut down all of his emotions than the vulnerable man I would have preferred. Red Moon Rising was my first read by Lori Handeland, and based on this experience, I'd say that her writing itself is pretty solid. From an action-adventure perspective, the story was good, and I generally enjoyed that part, however, the romance, in my opinion, was rather weak. The story takes place over a mere two days time, and I'm afraid I just couldn't buy the idea of Maya and Clay falling in love and wanting to make a lifetime commitment in that short of a time. I didn't really feel any chemistry between them, and the love scenes happened far too quickly for my taste. There was very little tension leading up to them, and to me, the scenes themselves felt like virtually emotionless casual sex. If I didn't know any better, I'd think a man had written them. Overall, Red Moon Rising was a decent novella. I just didn't connect with the story or characters in the way I would have liked. Red Moon Rising is part of Lori Handeland's Nightcreature series. It falls between Blue Moon and Hunter's Moon, the first and second full-length novels of the series. Normally, I don't read series books out of order, but I can't say that I was particularly drawn to this series and decided to take a chance in order to finish the anthology. Perhaps reading the first book might have enhanced my knowledge of the mythology and the world that Ms. Handeland has created, but I never felt lost at any point. After doing some research, I don't believe there are any carryover characters either, so I think readers should be fine with treating it as a stand-alone story. However, there is one thread that is left hanging at the end of the novella, which I suspect may be resolved in future books and might tempt readers to continue with the series. Even with that in mind, I can't say that I'm any more eager to read on than I was before starting Red Moon Rising, but I might give the author another try at some point. Star Rating: ***1/2(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| not set
| Oct 12, 2011
|
Apr 29, 2010
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 1557047669
| 9781557047663
| 4.38
| 8
| Jun 01, 2007
| Jun 19, 2007
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews My Body, My Self for Girls is a great book for girls in the 9-14 year-old age range who want to learn more about the changes t...more Reviewed for THC Reviews My Body, My Self for Girls is a great book for girls in the 9-14 year-old age range who want to learn more about the changes they can expect in their bodies during puberty, and for the parents or other adults who will be raising them through it. This book is written in a very easy-to-understand, conversational style that is fully accessible to it's target audience. I really liked that the authors frequently reassure girls that everything they are going through is perfectly normal and natural, and that they should be happy with their bodies just the way they are and not feel embarrassed about the things they are experiencing. My Body, My Self for Girls mainly covers the basics of the physical changes a girl can expect when going through puberty such as growth spurts, breast and pubic hair growth, and “The Big M,” menstruation. The book does include detailed line drawings of the naked female body including both the internal sex organs and external genitalia. In my opinion however, it is all quite age appropriate, as there is nothing included about boys or sexuality, except for a couple of brief mentions of masturbation. The authors' companion book, What's Happening to My Body?, covers those types of issues, but I will probably wait a couple more years before giving it to my currently 11 year-old daughter until she has matured a bit more. Of course, this is just my opinion and every parent has their own ideas about the age at which it is appropriate to share such things. My Body, My Self for Girls also contains lots of fun, interactive activities including quizzes, games, questionnaires and journaling exercises. There are some good ice-breaking questions to help open the channels of communication between girls and their parents or other adult role model in their lives to discuss the ofttimes difficult topic of puberty, and suggestions for getting a parent to open up when they seem embarrassed or unwilling to talk about it. Overall, I found My Body, My Self for Girls to be a very informative book. In spite of being a mom with 40 years of experience to back me up, I was still able to learn a couple of things from it that I didn't previously know. All I can say is that I wish this book or one like it had been around when I was my daughter's age and that my mom had given it to me. My Body, My Self for Girls can be used as a companion workbook for What's Happening to My Body?, or the two books can be read separately.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| May 03, 2010
| Jun 15, 2010
|
May 03, 2010
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0312934343
| 9780312934347
| 4.11
| 17,015
| Jan 01, 2006
| Nov 28, 2006
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews Dark Side of the Moon got off to an excellent start, thoroughly tickling my funny bone. The heroine is a serious investigative...more Reviewed for THC Reviews Dark Side of the Moon got off to an excellent start, thoroughly tickling my funny bone. The heroine is a serious investigative journalist who got fired after a story went bad and has now been reduced to writing stories about alien babies and killer moths for a Weekly World News style tabloid. The conversation she has with her boss in the opening chapter about her moth piece and sensational headlines had me grinning from ear to ear. Then we meet the hero, a Were-Hunter, in his animal form, which at that moment happened to be an adorable but very ticked off house-cat who's stuck in a cage at an animal shelter. The way he was hissing and spitting at his captors, especially when they threatened to neuter him, was hilarious. Add to that the heroine “adopting” him in spite of being terribly allergic to cats and taking him outside where the poor baby's fur kept getting singed by the sun, creating a horrible stench in her car, and I thought that the book had the makings of something truly LOL funny. Unfortunately, this was just the first thirty pages or so of the story and after that, it was just never quite as humorous again, unless you count the author's numerous cheesy jokes which just never seem to do a whole lot for me. While Dark Side of the Moon had a certain sameness to its characters and situations, there were some unique elements to it as well. Some of this uniqueness was what I consider “good,” because it added to the Dark-Hunter world-building. To begin with, the hero was the first Dark-Hunter/Were-Hunter hybrid. His form is that of a leopard, but as I mentioned above he can shrink down to the size of a house-cat. I would have loved to see more of him in this form, but as an Arcadian rather than a Katagaria, I suppose there was less call for him to take on his animal shape. This book also has the first alliance between humans and Daimons which made for a bit of mystery as to why these two species would be working together. This was an interesting side-story, but I would have liked to have seen a little more actual investigating considering that the heroine is a reporter. By the end, the reader also gets a glimpse at a demigod in the making, although I was rather on the fence about this since I thought that demigods were born not “created.” However, I think this sub-plot may be part of a huge build-up to Acheron's story and in a roundabout way, may have revealed some things about his background, so I'm willing to let it slide for the moment. Then there were differences that I consider to be “bad” (or at least not well explained) such as the Dark-Hunters and Squires breaking/bending rules left and right, particularly those prohibiting blood-drinking and mating/marrying, seemingly without consequence. Not that there hasn't been some occasional rebellion in the ranks before, but it seemed especially egregious in this book. There was also a secondary Dark-Hunter who was implied to have been turned Daimon, but if that's the case, I don't entirely understand how, as it wasn't really explained. Lastly, the ending for the hero and heroine was different than that of other Dark-Hunters who have found their mates to this point. I think it was intended to address the life-span issue between a human and a Were-Hunter, but logically, it didn't make sense to me. Ravyn and Susan were nice enough as the hero and heroine, but even after learning both their back-stories, which were quite sad, I still couldn't seem to make a deep connection with them or muster much enthusiasm for them. I liked the way Ravyn showed Susan many small but thoughtful kindnesses, and I liked how Susan took care of Ravyn when he was drugged. Also, Ravyn's surprising compassion for others in general, made me feel some small emotional connection to him, but as a couple, they just didn't spark off the pages for me like some of Sherrilyn Kenyon's other heroes and heroines. I think this was owing in some part to the author's penchant for having her stories take place over a mere few days time. Everything just happened too quickly to make them falling in love believable to me. Even though Ravyn and Susan spent some time talking about their backgrounds, it felt more like sympathy and lust, than a true intimate and loving bond that comes from knowing someone for a while. There just needed to be deeper, more meaningful character development for me to buy into a lasting relationship. Even though the story is set in Seattle, far away from the Dark-Hunters home base of New Orleans, there were a number of character sitings, both new and old. The Seattle contingent of Dark-Hunters are mostly new characters with the possible exception of Zoe who I believe made one or two brief appearances elsewhere. I was intrigued by Cael with his kilt and Scottish accent, and I have a feeling he will play a role in future stories. There are also a number of characters reappearing including the Squires, Otto and Kyle, and the goddess, Artemis. Savitar puts in a brief appearance, and I find myself still on the fence about him, as he seems too arrogant and self-centered for my taste. Stryker plays a big role, once again as the villain. There was a little more development to his character this time, but I continue to have a hard time seeing how he's going to be redeemed sufficiently to have his own book. We also get to really see Nick again for the first time since he was turned Dark-Hunter at the end of Seize the Night. He is obviously no ordinary Dark-Hunter to begin with and even less so by the end of this book. I dearly miss his sarcastic humor. He's now a bitter, angry shell of his former self who only seems to be living to seek revenge against Acheron. Then, of course, there's the amazing Ash, who never fails to steal the show. I so admire him for the way he grieves deeply over every lost Dark-Hunter and over his lost friendship with Nick. It's one of the things that makes him so human and relatable. As usual he is as sweet as can be while continually getting screwed over by Artemis which seems to be causing some friction with the Dark-Hunters and the possible beginnings of rebellion against him. I truly can't wait for his book to see him finally be free of her clutches. Dark Side of the Moon had some decent action sequences, but it also probably had an equal number of instances where the story seemed to plod along. This was, in part, due to Ms. Kenyon's penchant for repetition. I realize that she likes to do this so that new readers who may jump into the middle of the series will be up to speed, but for someone like me, who has been following the series religiously from the very beginning, it's nothing but a bunch of filler that can be easily skipped. Not to mention, when she starts repeating stuff from earlier in the same story, it can actually become annoying. The author also has a tendency to overuse certain words such as “Uh-huh” and one character calling another male character, “boy,” as well as the phrase “begs the question” which happens to be an incorrect usage of the expression anyway. Overall, in spite of my criticisms, Dark Side of the Moon was a decent story in the Dark-Hunter series. I just wish that Ms. Kenyon had pared down the repetition in favor of better character and relationship development between Ravyn and Susan. As is, it happened to be one of those books in the series where, generally speaking, I was more interested in some of the sub-plots about other characters like Acheron, Nick and Cael than I was in the main romance. For the bits and pieces that were added to the bigger Dark-Hunter story arc, I definitely recommend it to fans. Dark Side of the Moon is book #9 in the Dark-Hunter series. There are currently a total of 19 full-length novels in the series and quite a number of related novellas and graphic novels as well, with more still to come (#20 is due for release in Aug. 2011). A complete list of all the books and their recommended reading order can be found on Sherrilyn Kenyon's website.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| May 24, 2011
| May 29, 2011
|
Mar 05, 2011
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 4.13
| 14,897
| Jan 01, 1979
| 1979
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews I first read Love Comes Softly when I was only about 15 or 16 years old, and if memory serves, it was my very first romance no...more Reviewed for THC Reviews I first read Love Comes Softly when I was only about 15 or 16 years old, and if memory serves, it was my very first romance novel. It seems I must have picked well, because not only is it an appropriate story for younger readers content-wise, but it has stood up to the test of time. I still enjoyed it every bit as much today as I did 25 years ago, perhaps even more because I'm seeing it through more mature eyes. Love Comes Softly is something of a Little House on the Prairie story aimed at a slightly older audience. Janette Oke captures that same spirit of the pioneers, depicting their day-to-day lives in a way that made me feel like I was there with them. It amazes me how hard-working and courageous these people were. Ms. Oke paints a picture of joys and sorrow, hardships and laughter against the backdrop of the frontier where close-knit communities of people existed who were willing to help each other in any way they could. She also really brings home the harsh reality for people in that time period, especially women, and how few choices they had. Marty would have been in unbelievably dire straits, and could possibly have even died, if Clark, a stranger to her, hadn't proposed a marriage of convenience. Under the circumstances, it couldn't have been an easy thing for him to do either, but he needed her almost as much as she needed him, even though she didn't want to admit it. The vast majority (probably more than 95%) of the story is told from Marty's third-person point of view. Marty was a great female lead, but she was also a character who had to slowly grow on me. The author did a wonderful job of palpably expressing Marty's grief over the loss of her first husband. Then Clark came along immediately after her husband's funeral with his proposal. After some thought, Marty, being a practical woman, realized that she really had no other choice, but it didn't stop her from stubbornly resenting Clark for it. Although Marty never gave voice to her angry thoughts in Clark's presence, the reader is certainly privy to them. There were times when I felt like she was being ungrateful for this man taking her in and treating her with kindness and respect, and that she was rather selfish in not even considering the fact that he too might still be grieving the loss of his wife. In her defense though, I carefully considered what it would be like to be in her shoes, and decided that she was for the most part simply having a fairly normal human reaction to being placed in such an untenable position. During these times, I wish that a little more background information had been given about Marty so that I could better understand her reluctance to be beholden to a man, her being suspicious about Clark's kindness, and her inability to perform some of the simplest household tasks. I did admire her determination to uphold her end of the bargain (one way in which her stubbornness served her well), her willingness to learn, and that she always tried her best even when it didn't turn out right. Marty's initial ineptness at cooking and doing household chores could be pretty funny at times. As I continued to read, I realized that the story was really all about Marty's journey back to wholeness and being able to open her heart to love again, and I really enjoyed watching her learn, and change, and most of all grow as a person. There is a part of me that wishes we could have had a little more insight from Clark's point of view. There were only a handful of times in the entire book where we get to see things from his perspective, and they only last for a couple of paragraphs. However, I think that the author meant for the reader to experience Clark through his actions, and the message that actions speak louder than words came across very clearly through his character. Clark was an incredibly kind and gentle man. He only asked for a mutually beneficial marriage in name only, and even offered Marty an out if she chose to take it. He gave her the space she needed to grieve the loss of her husband. He was never mean or demanding like she expected, but instead treated her with respect and patience when she burned dinner or made a mess of her attempts at cleaning. He even ate pancakes every meal for several days without complaint, and helped with some of the cooking and other chores until Marty got her feet under her. Clark was always caring, thoughtful and understanding, especially after he found out that Marty was expecting. He was an amazing father to Missie, and later, to Marty's child as well. Even Marty realized that Clark always did what was right and best for others, even if it hurt him to do it. I think that the best thing about Clark though was how he quietly “lived” his faith in God through example. He never, ever used it to beat Marty over the head. He just accepted her as she was. It would have been impossible not to love a romantic hero like Clark, and slowly but surely his love (as well as God's love) stole into Marty's heart softly and unexpectedly. There were a couple of other elements in Love Comes Softly that really drew me in. First was the marriage of convenience which I haven't really read much of in romance before, and I guess had never really thought much about either. After reading this book, I am quite curious to try more romances with this theme. The other was simply the underlying Christian message of the story which I found to be utterly inspiring. I've been very reluctant to read inspirational romances lately because of the preachiness I often find in them, but Love Comes Softly was a truly uplifting novel that brought me back to some simple spiritual truths that had somehow gotten lost in the busy hustle and bustle of everyday life. For that reason alone, I am so grateful that I decided to re-read this book. In fact, the one and only small problem I had with the story was the author's use of backwoodsy vernacular that seemed a little extreme even for the frontier. In my opinion, it made the characters seem somewhat unintelligent which they clearly weren't. Overall though, it was a minor issue, and otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the book. Love Comes Softly is the first volume in the series of the same name. I can't recall how many of the books I read as a teen, but since the latter three were published several years later, I know that I never made it past #5. This all makes me very eager to revisit/discover the rest of the series soon.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Mar 07, 2011
| Mar 09, 2011
|
Mar 07, 2011
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||||
| 0060927585
| 9780060927585
| 3.92
| 202
| Jan 01, 1900
| Jan 01, 1900
|
I have suffered from occasional panic attacks for years but hadn't really put a name to them until somewhat recently. When I began experiencing genera...more
I have suffered from occasional panic attacks for years but hadn't really put a name to them until somewhat recently. When I began experiencing general anxiety disorder in the summer of 2011, I began looking for more help. A quick search of Amazon brought up From Panic to Power. Lucinda Bassett's name happened to be familiar to me, because a friend had mentioned her anxiety program to me years ago before I knew what I was suffering from. I immediately got a copy of the book from the library and eagerly started reading it. From Panic to Power offered me a lot of comfort in knowing that I'm not alone, and that there is hope for living an anxiety-free life. What I love most about the book is that Ms. Bassett is just an ordinary woman who suffered from anxiety disorder and panic attacks. She somehow managed to overcome them on her own at a time when less was know about the condition. I felt that I could trust and respect her, since she speaks from experience, and apparently I'm not the only one. Her program is used and recommended by many doctors, clinics, and therapists all over the country. Since my anxiety is currently under control with medication, it's hard to tell just how effective the techniques outlined in the book are going to be with me, but I've been trying to put them into practice when minor flare-ups occur with reasonably good results. I have since purchased a copy for my keeper shelf and will undoubtedly use it in the future as a reference book. I highly recommend From Panic to Power to anyone who is dealing with anxiety disorder and/or panic attacks.(less)
| Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Jul 11, 2011
| Dec 31, 2011
|
Jul 18, 2011
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0060752017
| 9780060752019
| 4.00
| 6,434
| Apr 25, 2006
| Apr 25, 2006
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" Vamps and the City was another great installment in the Love at Stake series. It was a really fun read that was es...more Reviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" Vamps and the City was another great installment in the Love at Stake series. It was a really fun read that was essentially a paranormal spoof of The Bachelorette, except in this case, rather than having only one bachelorette, there are five, the cast-off harem of Roman Dragenesti from the first book. I'm normally not a big fan of reality TV and have never actually watched The Bachelor/Bachelorette. I wasn't quite sure how I would like the premise when I started the book, but it didn't take long for me to really get into it. The story was pretty amusing and light-hearted with several LOL moments, and yet, Kerrelyn Sparks still managed to infuse the narrative with plenty of emotion and even some angst. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read. I couldn't help but feel for Darcy in her situation. She has been living among the vampires for four years, but is having trouble being accepted as an intelligent and capable person in the chauvinistic, male-dominated vampire world. Her nervousness about applying for the job at the TV station made her sympathetic. It can be hard for an author to make a drop-dead gorgeous woman who doesn't seem to have any outer flaws vulnerable, but I think Ms. Sparks did a beautiful job of it with Darcy's character. I really liked that her first inclination when asked about her dream man was to describe his personality. Since I tend to pay more attention to a man's personality too, I could relate. It was really cute that she fell as head over heels at first sight for Austin as he did for her. She thinks that Austin's handsome co-worker is just OK, but is super attracted to Austin, even though her friends thought he was just meh. I've often had a tendency to go for guys that other women don't, so this was another way in which Darcy was relatable to me. I also think it showed that Darcy wasn't a shallow woman. Then there is her angst and turmoil over how she came to be a part of the vampire world, and how she can ever make a life with Austin with all that baggage. Everything came together to make Darcy a very likable and admirable heroine. Austin was an equally likable hero. He does, of course, lie to Darcy about his identity at first, because he was working undercover for the Stake-Out team. He has also been taught to believe that all vampires are evil and must be killed, but underneath he has a pretty open mind. Once he starts to see the truth of things, he comes around pretty quickly and even becomes protective of the good vampires. It was really cool that Austin had psychic and telekinetic powers. This is a little different for paranormal romance, but it fit the story quite well. I loved that Austin is seriously attracted to the whole package that is Darcy and not just her beauty. It was really sweet that Austin doggedly pursued Darcy while she was a bit more reluctant because of her situation. Overall, Austin was an incredibly nice guy with a sensitive side who usually always said just the right thing in romantic situations. Vamps and the City has a strong supporting cast. Roman and Shanna (How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire) put in a couple of brief appearances. The women of the harem were a hoot, although the only one who wasn't exceptionally shallow was Darcy's friend, Vanda. She gets to become the heroine of book #8, Forbidden Nights with a Vampire. We are also introduced to Emma, a new co-worker of Austin's on loan from MI6. She will be the heroine of the next full-length novel in the series, Be Still My Vampire Heart. The vampire men, Connor (Vampire Mine), Ian (All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire), and Gregori (Sexiest Vampire Alive) also have roles in the story. I thought that Darcy's other friend, Maggie would make a good heroine too, but it doesn't look like she has her own book yet. I enjoyed the initial mystery of whether Darcy was a vampire. There is a constant is she or isn't she vibe throughout the first third or so of the story. The reveal of both character's true identities came a little sooner than I expected, which led to a temporary separation in the middle of the book. Although Austin and Darcy's break-up made perfect sense for the story, this part lagged a little for me, because I really missed their sparkling chemistry. The ending had a great twist to it that I wasn't expecting, and I have to say that I'm really liking the development of the series story arc. Some things happened in this book that advanced the overall plot, and I'll be looking forward to seeing where things go next. Overall, Vamps and the City was a great read that has me eager to continue the series as soon as possible, and with two winners in a row, Kerrelyn Sparks has earned a spot on my favorite authors list.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Sep 2012
| Sep 06, 2012
|
Aug 31, 2012
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0061118443
| 9780061118449
| 4.19
| 6,040
| Mar 27, 2007
| Mar 27, 2007
|
Reviewed for THC Reviews So far, I've really been enjoying Kerrelyn Sparks' Love at Stake series. She has created some lovable heroes and heroines enga...more Reviewed for THC Reviews So far, I've really been enjoying Kerrelyn Sparks' Love at Stake series. She has created some lovable heroes and heroines engaged in fun and exciting stories, and Be Still My Vampire Heart is no exception. In fact, it is, in my opinion, the best book in the series to this point, owing in large part to its to-die-for hero. Normally, I'm not a big fan of romantic comedy, especially in paranormal romance, but Ms. Sparks really knows how to do it right. I'm able to love her books, because she knows how to balance humor, romance and emotional angst into the perfect blend to make an engaging story that doesn't feel silly or contrived. Every time I pick up one her stories, I know I'm going to get a great read. Angus is just too scrumptious for words. He's a kilted Highlander, with that sexy brogue, and a vampire to boot. What an awesome combination! I don't think I've run across a Highland hero that has made me fall this hard for him since Outlander's Jamie Fraser. Much like Jamie, Angus's honor means everything to him and his word is his solemn bond. From the very beginning, he vowed to protect Emma and convince her to stop slaying. Everything he does throughout the entire story is to those ends. When it comes down to a choice between her life and keeping his vow, he knows he must break it, but it doesn't stop him from feeling extreme guilt about it to the point that he nearly lets the best thing that ever happened to him get away. I loved how chivalrous Angus was. Even when Emma was trying her level best to kill him at first, he still protected her. I adored his peaceful, diplomatic side too and how he tried to get Emma to stop slaying by taking a gentle, reasoned approach. In the end, it worked wonders and showed that violence isn't always the answer. Angus has a humorous side too. Emma and some of the other characters love to needle him about his kilt and sporran, and when they do, his growly, "It's no' a skirt" and "It's no' a purse" responses cracked me up. The impassioned speech he gave Emma about how it was a man's duty and privilege to pleasure a woman was totally smokin' hot. Angus is quite simply the absolute perfect gentleman. He truly is the honorable hero of Emma's dreams (and mine too;-)). Emma is an MI6 agent on loan to the CIA and working for the elite Stake-Out team. She wanted the assignment, because her parents were murdered by vampires, leaving her all alone in the world. She has a major bone to pick with the vampires, and thinking they're all evil, she has been slaying in Central Park nearly every night. Emma is one of my favorite types of heroines. She's a tough, no-nonsense girl, who's a very skilled fighter, but at the same time, she has a soft heart. Like Angus, she has a funny side too. Her scene with the flasher in Central Park was LOL hilarious. When Emma first meets Angus, she can barely resist his charms even though she strongly suspects him to be a vampire. She knows she should hate him, but even when she finds out the truth, she can't quite bring herself to. Angus, quite simply, isn't anything like she thought vampires were, and he challenges her preconceived notions at every turn. Surprisingly, she came to terms with all that a little quicker than I thought she might, so her constant insistence that she and Angus couldn't have a future together made her seem a tad too stubborn at times. In those moments, I couldn't help wishing she'd lighten up a little and just give in, but overall, she was a well-drawn heroine who I liked. Together, Angus and Emma have some great chemistry. These two have delicious sexual tension right in the opening chapter, and it only builds from there. They also share wickedly witty banter that I loved. It was sharp and clever, showing just how intelligent both characters are. Their first date at the top of the Eiffel Tower was very romantic, and their first “almost” love scene was very sensual. I loved Angus's sexy talk. The man definitely has a way with words. The psychic vampire sex is as hot as ever (one of my favorite elements in this series), and when they finally made it all the way, it was even better. The only thing that might have improved the story for me would have been, perhaps, one more sexy encounter after they reunited at the end instead of a cut scene. Be Still My Vampire Heart is loaded with fun secondary characters too. We get a decent helping of Roman and Shanna (How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire) along with updates on how her pregnancy is progressing. Some characters have questions as to what exactly the baby will be, and I have to say I loved how this part of the story played out. Austin and Darcy (Vamps and the City), who are hunting the evil Casimir in Eastern Europe, come to Angus and Emma's rescue when they're abducted by the bad guy vamps. Several characters who were previously introduced and will be getting their own books in the future get some more page time: Jean-Luc (The Undead Next Door), the dashing French fashion designer; Connor (Vampire Mine), Angus's always reliable right-hand man; Phil (Forbidden Nights with a Vampire), Angus's mortal daytime guard; Gregori (Sexiest Vampire Alive), Roman's charming and funny right-hand man; and last, but certainly not least, is the adorable Ian (All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire), the centuries old vampire who looks like a teenage boy. I was wondering how the author was going to turn this guy into a hero without it being kind of weird, and she lets us in on that secret in this book. Dougal (The Vampire with the Dragon Tattoo), another Highland vamp, and Howard (Wild About You), another day-time guard receive mentions. Then we're introduced to some new characters: Robby (The Vampire and the Virgin), Angus's several greats grandson; Giacomo (Secret Life of a Vampire), the smooth-talking Italian Casanova; and Phineas (Wanted: Undead or Alive), a newborn African American vamp who turns out to be some good comic relief, but whose libido gets him into a heap of trouble. Luckily, Angus is a very forgiving man.:-) The main villains are the Russian coven led by the utterly evil Katya who has a history with Angus. However, Shanna father, Sean, is still at it with his Stake-Out team. At first, he won't give up on his vendetta against the vampires or believe that Shanna isn't being held against her will, but some unexpected new depth is added to his character as we finally learn what drives him in his quest. He ends up making a reluctant alliance in order to help Emma, and with a new grandchild on the way, he starts to soften some. Overall, Be Still My Vampire Heart was a great read. The early parts of the story were some of the funniest I've read in this series, while the climax was edge-of-your-seat suspenseful as Angus and Emma fight for survival against the evil vamps. One of the things I love so much about this series is the multi-ethnic, international cast. They really add a lot of variety and flavor to the stories, and I'm very much looking forward to getting to know each of them better as I continue the series.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Apr 18, 2013
| Apr 23, 2013
|
Apr 18, 2013
| Mass Market Paperback
|
Loading...
