Buddy Read: Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks... Sunday Nov. 25th

[Leea]

Here is where we can chat about reading Never Seduce a Scot.

Please make sure to mark your spoilers and enjoy!

[Gwennie]

Ugh! I wish I'd be finished with Iced in time!

[Regina]

I can't wait to start this!!

Wendy I am interested in how you are liking ICED?

[Gwennie]

LMAO, I actually made a Puh sound when I read this.

(view spoiler)[I'm pretty darn disappointed in it actually. I tried to stay away from Iced conversations because I didn't want others influence to affect how my read went. I knew there was issues with Dani's age, in particular, and having not read it I wasn't sure at what level it would be at, and so I didn't know how much I would be bothered. I just wasn't sure if it was a 'Ah, she's 14 now and that's too young, but we're never growing older so we'll wait', and the story moves on. I didn't realize that they would be biting her, and pressing against her, and talking about her panties. I mean, I think there was a line there between what was tolerable, that KMM crossed. (Ryo in Shadowfever telling Mac that he could wait, and that was the only thing said was tolerable because it ended there. He wasn't trying to sniff her and crap.) Plus, it doesn't help AT ALL that Dani reads so immature. I think that PERHAPS I wouldn't be sooooo grossed out if it wasn't so obvious that Dani is a little girl both in age and in mindset. So the differences between Ryo/Christan and Dani are glaringly obvious. Does that make sense?

But even if that was more toned down, as I wish it was, I'm STILL pissed at what she did to Christian's character. I mean, I get it. We won't always like what an author does with a character, but to me this is like Kiyo from the Dark Swan series. There's like nothing left of the amazing Scotsman from the Fever books, nothing that ties me back. His entire core is changed. And perhaps it's going to be part of the story, but right now I just really don't like him.

Which brings me to Ryo... okay, she tried to make him different from Barrons but it didn't really work. The mentoring, the things he's saying, his actions... they're like Barrons but the cheap imitation version. The knock-off. It's not hot at all, it's pathetic. I actually kind of liked him in Fever, but in the Dani books I just find myself rolling my eyes a lot.

Then there are the discrepancies! Which are REALLY killing my read. I think rereading the Fever books before I started Iced was a bad idea, because every single time she talks about the Unseelie Princes and their dark wings I want to throw the book across the room. I, normally, expect there to be a few minor inconsistencies. But all it took was ONE of her editors to reread the Fever books and they would have realized that Multiple times in the Fever books KMM said that the only Unseelie or Seelie Royalty who had wings was the King and Cruce. V'lane (Cruce himself) tells this to Mac. So one, there's no way that Christian would be growing wings. Cruce is technically still alive, therefore he can't be replacing him. And the Unseelie that he IS replacing did. not. have. wings. So that's really ticking me off. It's a huge discrepancy. I heard from someone posting on my review that KMM is now saying that 'all the Unseelie princes have wings, but they just choose not to show them'. She said this POST-Iced, which to me is a lame cover up for what was obviously an editing faux pas.

The ONLY thing I like so far in the book is Dancer. I'm not sure what his story is yet, because I'm not done. But the times where Dancer and Dani are together is the only time I feel like I'm reading something original and interesting (hide spoiler)].

So I guess I'm disliking it, lmao. I have had so much to complain about, and I'm struggling to finish it. There are some lines where I chuckled, and like I said, I enjoy Dancer... but overall the book is a huge disappointment. In my opinion, she shouldn't have written it yet. She should have done the last 2 Mac & Barrons books so that Dani could age some and grow up, then perhaps split off on a Dani story.

Oh, and (view spoiler)[I'm sorta irritated that we're reading a whole book BEFORE she talks to Mac, which was the one damn thing I was excited for. The conversation they're gonna have about Alina. I already know the cliffhanger because I've been so irritated that I totally cheated and just looked (hide spoiler)].

So in one word, what am I thinking about the book? BULLDOOKIE!!!

[Leea]

I felt the exact same was about Iced! I was waiting the whole time for KMM to redeem herself... We'll once you finish we'll have a lot to discuss.

Jump in after and read Never seduce a Scott with us.

[Gwennie]

I'll try to fit it in. I love to buddy read.

I still have to do Soulless and my two Challenge books for the challenge in YA-MA, and I'm running out of November days, lol.

I need to just blow through the end of Iced.

[Lori]

I'm at a "break" in books... have plenty on my TBR list, but I've been wanting to read one of Maya Banks' Scottish romances. Now is as good a time as any!

Wendy - I commented on your "Iced" progress... with you all the way!

Love the buddy reads - love discussing!

[Gwennie]

Going to read it now!

Hopefully I can just push through the rest of Iced tomorrow morning so Sunday night or Monday I can start this new Banks book with you guys.

[Leea]

Yay!!!

[Leea]

I'm ready to start this tomorrow morning... So excited for everyone to join us.

[Angie Elle]

Talk about seeing what you want to see...I was four chapters in before I realized Eveline's father's name was Tavis and not TRavis!

Geez. I'm not fit to read.

[Regina]

I am starting now!

[Regina]

Wendy, (view spoiler)[ I agree with your spoiler marked passage re Iced. I hadn't noticed that wing issue, but I haven't read the Fever books since the release of Shadowfever in January 2011. I agree completely about the age issue. It is truly bizarre. KMM always did cross the line between what is socially acceptable and what is not, but she made it sexy and we liked it (the near abuse by Barrons -- he left her bruised in the first book and he chained her up at one point) but she did it in a way that was sexy. We all swooned and ate it up.

My husband coaches 7th and 8th grade girls in soccer - -this includes 14 year old girls. Watching these girls (who are still kids but definitely more mature than Dani), I find it disgusting and not even borderline sexy to have men consideirng her romantically and sexually. Then add on to that, their behavior around her - -disgusting. Not sexy at all.

So why write the story this way? The audience that reads Moning's books are adult women. None of whom likely have the fantasy of grown men seducing their daughters, nieces, sisters. Are we meant to imagine ourselves in Dani's place? Still not sexy, I promise you as I have been there even though I was 16 at the time -- and definitley more mature than Dani is written. I also do not think most men entertain this fantasy at all. So why do this? My theory is that this is a storyline Moning enjoys. It is consistent with her highlander stories (which again, came up to the line of appropriateness, occasionally flitted across it, but then remained okay -- there is a scene in the dark highlander (my favorite one) where Daegus is possessed by evil and chases after the heroine before he has sex with her. She flees in fear, but still wants him. It is a sexy scene -- but this is what I mean but playing with that boundary.) In her highlander stories, most of the men are much older and more experienced than the women and the women are all young virgins ( with the exception of #2 - none are teens though). All of them are innocents.

I actually lowered my rating to 2 stars and I may lower it further. I really can't give any posistive rating to a book that glamorizes or sexualizes or romanticizes men wanting a child.

And yes, Christian is completely destroyed. I think I have said over and over again that Christian was my favorite male character from the Fever series. I preferred him over Barrons, not necessarily for Mac, but for me. :) I agree with you. Authors have the right to take their charcters where the natural progression would take them - -but I feel as if she is being inconsistent with the story -- in both of her previous series. As Tellulah stated in the currently reading thread, where are his uncles/cousins/dad? Knowing what readers know about the MacKeltars they would not be able to keep him on the land (spells keeping fae out) but they would be in contact with him and hard at work to reverse what happened. They would not disown him -- they tried very hard to save Daegus. I also think that Christian's storyline is a poor recycling of the Daegus storyline in Dark Highlander.

Then the Mac or the absence of her. So ridiculous b/c it is intentional and so unlikely in a city the size of Dublin for them not to encounter each other -- and based on our reading of Mac in the past 5 books -- if Mac wanted to find Dani, she would. Nothing would stop her. The ending was a ridiculous ploy and actually left me uninterested.

Despite all of this, I found the book boring! I had to change to audio to get through it. I don't know if I will read the sequel.
(hide spoiler)]

[Gwennie]

Yeah, (not to hijack this thread, sorry guys!), I agree! I mean, like I said, (view spoiler)[I perhaps could have accepted it if Ryodan made another comment about waiting. I find that my mind would expect that living for all time, 4 years is but a blip. So I can see him picturing the woman she would be and then being like, '4 years is nothing for me I can wait', which is pretty much what he said to Mac in Shadowfever. THAT would have been tolerable. It would have been tolerable if Christian thought she had a fire and wanted to help her, also saying 'you're gonna grow up to be quite a woman', but this lusting after her. This stripping her clothes off and commenting on her panties. The way that Christian pins her and talks about how she's making it hard for him to wait... it's really really a turn off. All it does is make Ryo and Christian skeevy and gross.

And it REALLY sucks that she's doing that to Christian because there's no way on earth I buy that from his character at all. I read the whole time just missing who he was. He was responsible, even up to the end when they fought Cruce. There's no way I see him lusting after 14 year old Dani.

I also find it hard to believe that Mac wouldn't have found Dani. That she would be in the same room with Dani and Barrons wouldn't have known or found her for Mac. I mean, it's all so... contrived.

The only character I find at all interesting is Dancer. I think there's more to him than we know (hide spoiler)].

It's stupid, the book is really really a let down. I haven't had the urge to pick it up to read the last 30%.

I'll read all of them, only because I will read the Mac/Barrons books and I want to know what might have happened between that time. But I still think KMM was an idiot for writing Dani's story first. She could have waited until Mac's was done, spanning enough time that Dani would have been older.

[Leea]

Never seduce a scot: Ladies I had insomnia this morning and was up and 5am with a list of things that needed to be completed this coming week and couldn't go back to sleep. So I started this book... I'm up to 60% - I love it!! I love how Eveline hearing loss is written and how each clan is trying to protect her, so many great characters. I don't want this one to end.

[Leea]

Iced: I agree with both of you. I have a (view spoiler)[Niece who is 13 and she's lanky, not developed, quiet, not sure of herself and just looks so young. I think what KMM did to Dani is a travesty. She could have done so much with each character, developed them is a different way or even included Mac/Barrons. I was not a fan. (hide spoiler)]

[Regina]

Great point Leea. I also agree with Wendy (this is re Iced), that (view spoiler)[KMM could have told Mac and Barrons story first and allowed Dani to age. I had thought she could also just allow time to have passed, anything. (hide spoiler)]

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

I agree that there was no excuse not to have some time put in between Dani's story and Mac's, whether it was by choosing to tell Dani's story later, or making a note in the book that she'd aged a couple of years since the last book. Even age 16 would have felt less awkward. Most 16 year olds are on the brink of looking like an adult by that point.

[Gwennie]

I think she didn't want to have time pass because she wanted to pick up right after Shadowfever and that way she could tell the story of Mac and Dani.

But honestly, I think I would have been happier if she had gotten lost in the Silvers for 2-4 years and that's the reason that nothing was resolved right after Shadowfever.

[Angie Elle]

Leea wrote: "Never seduce a scot: Ladies I had insomnia this morning and was up and 5am with a list of things that needed to be completed this coming week and couldn't go back to sleep. So I started this book....."

I started at 12:30 this morning, but darn housework has hindered my reading! I'm up to 50%, but I don't think I'll be able to read anymore tonight.

I have to admit, I was in love with H from the beginning. I love the characters in this book. The brothers especially are intriguing.

[Gwennie]

I haven't had a chance to start it yet. I think I'm actually going to set aside Iced and start this one tomorrow morning at work.

(It's really hard for me to read at home on the weekends. There's so much to do. Especially with this being a holiday weekend.)

So, Leea, stick around to chat because I'm loading the book onto my Kindle now and I'll be diving in tomorrow.

[Leea]

I'm not going anywhere. :)

[Angie Elle]

Wendy F wrote: "I haven't had a chance to start it yet. I think I'm actually going to set aside Iced and start this one tomorrow morning at work.

(It's really hard for me to read at home on the weekends. Ther..."

I want to know what you do for work that you can read books while you're there. That seems like the kind of job I need! LOL

[Gwennie]

Hahaha! Well, I can definitely read on my breaks and lunches.

I work at in the office of a warehouse that stores and ships books for publishers, so I have days were I'm very busy. I use my Kindle and set it next to my monitor though, that way if I have down time I can sneak it on and read like a sneak.

[Leea]

I finished... Sorry I couldn't stop reading :) Can't wait for you ladies to start so we can chat.

Angie, it's soo good, keep reading :)

[Gwennie]

WOW! Dang Leea, it must be good! You read it in a day!

Is your review up? Is it spoilery?

[Angie Elle]

Leea wrote: "I finished... Sorry I couldn't stop reading :) Can't wait for you ladies to start so we can chat.

Angie, it's soo good, keep reading :)"

It IS good so far! I am thinking of going on a Highlander kick after this. LOL

[Regina]

LMAO Angie, as you know that is what I did after I read the first McCabe book.

[Leea]

I'm on a highlander kick now... no clue what to read next. I do have a Highlander Arc I should read ;)

[Regina]

I read the prologue, and I like the setup already. It will be hard to follow on the heels of how much I LOVED and how much fun I had with

[Leea]

I don't know, I really liked this book. I think it's up there with t dsehe ones you listed :) Well I hope you like this

[Angie Elle]

Regina wrote: "LMAO Angie, as you know that is what I did after I read the first McCabe book."

Well if you could please scoot over and make room for me on the bandwagon it would be helpful! LOL

[Angie Elle]

Angie wrote: "Regina wrote: "LMAO Angie, as you know that is what I did after I read the first McCabe book."

Well if you could please scoot over and make room for me on the bandwagon it would be helpful! LOL"

I'll definitely be finishing this one and immediately diving headfirst into the McCabe trilogy.

I'm so glad I found this group! It's been years since I've read a highlander book and while I enjoyed it, I don't think I would have picked another one up without visiting this board. Kudos to all of you with good book taste! ;)

[Kay]

I'm about 57% in and I'm really liking it. I want to push myself to finish tonight. I like that Eveline is such a different heroine than I'm use to and I love how Banks write such yummy scenes.

[Angie Elle]

You know how you reach that point in the book where your heart starts fluttering and you can't help but say 'awww...?' Yeah. I'm there.

[Leea]

I know that feeling... keep reading it's so good :)

[Angie Elle]

Done! And it was so darn good that I have a stupid smile on my face. LOL

Must go to bed...have to work in the morning...do not start the McCabe trilogy...

[Regina]

I fell asleep last night so I didn't read. It is son surprising I never do that. Even my husband and be left spaghetti sauce on the stove that he spent all day cooking!

Today is my #3's seventh birthday. I cannot believe it. Anyway reading now on the train.

[Kay]

I fell asleep last night too but I finished the book this morning. I really liked it! I did find somethings to be predictable but it is still a very, very sweet romance.

[Gwennie]

I'm so much busier than I anticpiated today, BUT I am reading! I'm about 20% in and it's really cute. I like the dynampic between Graeme and Eveline without her speaking. The way she communicates with expression and touch just makes things sweeter. Eveline just (view spoiler)[showed up in his room after he got there wanting to talk, and he was saying he doesn't hold her accoutnable for her families actions and she punched him in the nose (hide spoiler)]. It was really cute!

[Angie Elle]

Wendy F wrote: "I'm so much busier than I anticpiated today, BUT I am reading! I'm about 20% in and it's really cute. I like the dynampic between Graeme and Eveline without her speaking. The way she communicate..."

I loved that part, too!

[Leea]

I loved that scene too, Wendy. I love Eveline's spunk.

Regina, you must have been tired. Happy Birthday to #3... My oldest just turned 7... It's so amazing to watch them grow. Mine is all legs. haha! Hope he had a good party, you doing anything fun today for him? My kids are back to school - Yay!!

[Gwennie]

Rorie kind of reminds me of Sinjun from the Sherbrooke Bride.

[Leea]

I like her a lot and I cannot wait for her book.

[Gwennie]

I like her too! I see that Bowen's book will be next. I wonder if they're going to do all the Montgomery's and then do the Armstrong kids too (Eveline's brothers). That'll make a longer series to read.

[Angie Elle]

Wendy F wrote: "I like her too! I see that Bowen's book will be next. I wonder if they're going to do all the Montgomery's and then do the Armstrong kids too (Eveline's brothers). That'll make a longer series t..."

I hope so! I'm really looking forward to Bowen's book. There was some sarcastic retort he made to Eveline's father that had me giggling. I think he's going to be a cheeky one.

[Leea]

I keep wondering of Rorie is going to hook up with one of the Armstrong brothers. That would be fun to read, her sneaking around behind everyones back. haha! I really like Bank's Highlander books more than her Erotica book.

[Angie Elle]

Leea wrote: "I keep wondering of Rorie is going to hook up with one of the Armstrong brothers. That would be fun to read, her sneaking around behind everyones back. haha! I really like Bank's Highlander books ..."

I need to learn how to post a spoiler, because I have other ideas who Rorie might end up with. OK...figured it out. LOL

(view spoiler)[I'm wondering if she'll end up with Nigel. The book mentioned a few times how young he was. I wonder if that's a precursor. I can see her wanting to spend time with him to learn about medicine. I'd really like to see her stay with her own clan. (hide spoiler)]

[Kay]

Leea wrote: "I keep wondering of Rorie is going to hook up with one of the Armstrong brothers. That would be fun to read, her sneaking around behind everyones back. haha! I really like Bank's Highlander books ..."

I was thinking the same thing about Rorie and one of the Armstrongs.

[Leea]

Great minds!!! I can just imagine her being "compromised" and her brother wrath - makes for a great book!!