Patient Lee's Blog, page 8

Review: Kismet: A Desi Rhapsody in London

KISMET - A DESI RHAPSODY IN LONDON by Shaheen Darr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kismet is a rich read following the lives of several Pakistani families living in London. We see through the eyes of several of the characters as the book meanders through their stories, allowing a unique view of how they interconnect. There's no "big action" in this book. Instead, the story is made of pieces of daily life, and that's what makes it successful. I found myself pondering the characters when I wasn't reading, wondering where their stories were going.

The narrative was bulky at times, but I would recommend this book to readers looking to expand their world view and experience culture. I'm still thinking about it.

(I received a free copy for an honest review.)

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Review: Pandora Spocks- Rannigan's Redemption Book 2

Rannigan's Redemption Part 2: Running Rogue by Pandora Spocks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adore Pandora Spock's characters. Maggie is delightful, and all the reader wants from page one is for her to be happy. Michael is not the nicest guy, but he's so damn likable, you just want to take him home and . . .

But I digress. I started reading, thinking I had it all figured out, loving it. And then there was a detour. And then a roadblock and some sadness and some stress. And then something wonderful happened. No. I'm not going to give spoilers.

I grinned through much of this book, and I cried through others. You will too. It's excellent.


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Work in Progress: The House of Flies

WIP (Work in Progress)Thanks to sci-fi/romance author Jolie Mason for arranging this WIP blog hoppy thing!

"The House of Flies" is a BDSM tale for an anthology called Erotic Transformations. It's the which will feature stories by M.S. Tarot, Bryce Calderwood, B. J. Taylor, and others. I'm not sure of the release date, but I'll let you know. I'll also be submitting the story to the Literotica April Fool's Day contest, so you can look for it there in March.

The story was inspired by the Deftones' song "Change (In the House of Flies)". A university professor discovers that his student writes erotica and sets his sights on fulfilling her submissive fantasies. Read below for the first paragraph.

They called her Nerdy Nadine for good reason. Mousy brown hair fell over her face, creating a curtain to hide from other people. The book in which she perpetually stuck her nose was her shelter, protecting her from life outside her own head. Her clothes were too big for her body, making her appear chunky rather than pleasantly curvy. It was all a disguise, hiding the woman inside, but he was her English professor; he read her writing. He knew what lay beneath the surface of Nadine’s cold, prudish exterior, and he planned to bring it out.

 

Review: Conquered Shores by Brooklynn Rivers

Conquered Shores by Brooklynn Rivers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Historical romance is not my preferred reading material, but this book was fun, sexy, and well written. The Norse mythology was interesting, and the action was pretty exciting. Rivers is an excellent writer, and I found it to be a slick read.

The best part of this book were the love scenes, partly due to the author's rich description of the settings of these scenes. I enjoyed the bath scene quite a bit, and the scene at the banquet with the candles (and what followed) was my favorite of the book.

Fans of Viking romance will love this story.

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Review: Rannigan's Redemption by Pandora Spocks

Pandora Spocks writes in this delightful way that sucks me right in and forces me to fall in love with the characters. (If you haven't read Luke and Bella: Two Streets Over, do it now.) This book is about irresistible attraction. Maggie plans to work for the district attorney's office upon graduation from law school, but she finds Michael Rannigan at a job fair and wins a job offer from his prestigious firm. They work together, fighting sexual tension while he dates a parade of Barbie Dolls, and leading up to a finish that left me pining for the next episode. The book feels good when you read it. The author creates characters who live in the reader's heart. And the sexy parts are hot too.

Review: Merry Christmas, Eve by Suzie Jay

Merry Christmas, Eve by Suzie Jay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book would be at home on the Hallmark Channel. It's sweet and happy and Christmassy. Read it next to the Christmas tree. It will make you feel as good as a cup of hot cocoa.

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Review: Desecrated Beauty by Kyleigh Castronaro

Desecrated Beauty by Kyleigh Castronaro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The writing in this book is spectacular, which is what kept me reading even though the story wasn't my cup of tea. I didn't realize it was a dystopian vampire story at first, and while I knew it was a retelling of a fairy tale, I didn't realize which one it was right away. When I figured it out, I was delighted by the subtle, yet sophisticated references to the original story. For me, those touches were what made the book special. I kept reading because I wanted to see how the author incorporated the rest of the story.

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Review: Desecrated Beauty

Desecrated Beauty by Kyleigh Castronaro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The writing in this book is spectacular, which is what kept me reading even though the story wasn't my cup of tea. I didn't realize it was a dystopian vampire story at first, and while I knew it was a retelling of a fairy tale, I didn't realize which one it was right away. When I figured it out, I was delighted by the subtle, yet sophisticated references to the original story. For me, those touches were what made the book special. I kept reading because I wanted to see how the author incorporated the rest of the story.

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Review: She Dies at the End, by A.M. Manay

She Dies at the End by A.M. Manay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to preface my review with this: I don't usually choose read vampire stories. I was reluctant to read this one, but agreed based on a friend's recommendation. Now for my review.

On page one, I thought, "Wow. This is slick writing." Very tight. No extra words. No unnecessary adverbs or weasel words. Just good, clean writing. By the end of the first chapter, I was in love with November, the main character. By the middle of the second chapter, I couldn't put the book down. I finished the book two days ago, and I still think of the characters as if they will show up in front of me, just to give me an update. To me, that is the mark of an excellent book. I crave book two.

This book gave me a rare "aha" moment. I thought I didn't care for fantasy/sci fi. As I read this book, I thought of the way I connected with Stephen King's Salem's Lot, and I finally understood. I LOVE a good fantasy novel, as long as it is well written. This one is superb.

The characters in this novel are magnetic. From the first pages, I felt as though they were people I knew and wanted to spend time with. To me, characters make the book. I LOVED these characters. I miss them already. I need that sequel. A.M. Manay is talented, and I can't wait to read another of her works.




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Blogging Because I'm Stuck

In two days I am going to a writing workshop at the local public library with my daughter. We started writing together in June, but after two chapters, we got busy. She's been with her grandmother a lot of the time, and I had two erotic stories with deadlines to work on. The problem is that I'd like to have a few more chapters ready before we attend the workshop. I can't fall back on the erotica I've written because my daughter is twelve.

So, you may ask. Why are you writing this instead of your story, Lee? Excellent question. I'm stuck. In the weeks since we've worked on it last, the story has lost its spark. I can't get back into the groove. I've tried reading. I've tried jigsaw puzzles. All my usual tricks for jump starting my brain. Still nothing.

It doesn't help that I didn't write down what I think was an important piece of the plot, so I'm not even sure where I was going with that. (I don't know how I managed that. I write EVERYTHING down. When I make a phone call, I write my own name down, just in case.) Sigh...

Here's my plan. I'm going to put myself into the head of a ten-year-old girl and take a shower. All the best ideas happen in the shower.

Thanks for listening.

Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pnash/4...