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Nothing but Writing Reviews Challenge
Reviews from this month so far:Queen of Shadows by Dianne Sylvan (3.5 stars)
Stray by Rachel Vincent (2.5 stars; this is my first--and probably last, lol--"musical review")
Captive Spirit by Liz Fichera (4 stars)
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (5 stars)
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride (4 stars)
Nothing but Writing Reviews ChallengeStart Date: Feb 1, 2011
End Date: Feb 28, 2011
Level: Intermediate (Goal = 6 reviews)
1. Review of Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst - 3 stars
2. Review of Made To Be Broken by Kelley Armstrong - 4 stars
3. Review of Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins - 4 stars
4. Review of Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder - 3 stars
5. Review of I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore - 1 star
6. Review of Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins - 4 stars
6/6 Complete
Lots of excellent character development and further fun in this sequel to Gregor the Overlander. I loved learning a bit more about Gregor's other sister, Lizzie, and the mysterious, insightful Mrs. Cormaci. In some ways this book only became sillier than the first, adding mercenary fireflies to the already well-rounded cast of talking animals and insects, but I can sense that Collins wrote with a hidden sense of humour. I get the impression that she wouldn't be too uptight to laugh at herself and poke fun of the series, yet there is surprising depth and intelligence as she continues to deal with themes of poverty, war, family and death. The way that both Luxa and Gregor carry the burdens and responsibilities more suitable to adults twice their age once again broke my heart.
As I did with the first book, I listened to this one on audio. Although the narrator was still quite good, as audio-book narrators go, there were some weird inconsistencies between this book and the first one. He really changed a couple of voices, especially Boots'. He did an awesome toddler voice in the first book, but he totally changed the way he did her voice this time around and I didn't like it as much. He also added a random southern drawl for the grandmother that she didn't have in the first book, and I thought Vikus sounded different too. Not a bad narration, but it was just weird that he wasn't more consistent with the character's voices. If that's something that is likely to bother you, you may want to consider picking this one up in print instead of audio. Still a solid four-star listen though!
I suppose I could have done better with this one. Month: March
Review #: 1
Title: The Spy Who Saved Christmas
Author: Dana Morton
Rating: 3/5
I liked it. The plot was decent, and the characters felt real. The actions of the characters felt true to their personalities and authentic responses to the situations they found themselves in.
I appreciated the fact that Reid Graham, though he really wanted to protect Lara, treated her like a woman, not a child:
"I'm going to be wherever Zak and Nate are. If you're trying to sell me on the idea that Cade will be outnumbered, and he needs me to help him, I'm going to be really offended. How stupid do you think I am?"
"Too smart for your own good." He pressed his lips together. "Okay, how about if I ask you to stay for the sake of your own safety?"
"Not a chance."
"How did I know that you were going to say that?"
"Because I'm a strong, independent woman?"
"That you are. Exactly like your grandmother."
"Really?" She felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth.
"But even so, please don't do anything reckless." He reached out and pulled her to him, brushed his lips across hers, rested his forehead against hers. "I couldn't stand it if something happened to you."
And seriously? After the reckless move she had pulled that would have made furious yelling justified, all Reid said was:
"Be careful. No insane heroics like at the bridge."
She flashed him a look. "I knew you'd bring that up. I had to try something. I thought they had the twins and they were just going to drive away. Might not have been the smartest thing to do. Thanks for not jumping down my throat about it."
He gave a sour smile. "You don't know what it cost me not to bring it up until now. I could have--" He shook his head. "You didn't get hurt. That's what matters."
After the machismo of most of the alpha males in the romance novels I've read, this sort of response nearly made me swoon with delight.
These days, I rarely like the female character. Either I dislike them or they do not stand out in any way. However, I thought that the author did a good job with the character of Lara Jordan. Although there had been instances where in any other character, I would have labeled her Too-Stupid-To-Live, in this case, I had to accept her actions as being in character. She was a single mother, and a butcher by trade. That meant she would be fiercely protective of her children, desperate to get them back in one piece, and thanks to the hand-eye coordination skills required of a butcher, I was able to accept that she could pick up handling firearms with some ability. Her desperation for her children drove many of the actions that would otherwise have cast her into a TSTL category. When she did do something dangerous, she acknowledged it. It might have helped that Reid didn't jump down her throat about it, which might have gotten her defensive. Unlike some novels where the hero is military/special elite forces/whatnot and the heroine is either TSTL or helpless Barbie, Lara felt more like an equal despite her inexperience. I really appreciated that.
The antagonists were not caricatures of bad guys. Too often, to drive home the fact that so-and-so is a bad guy, the authors rarely paint them with shades of gray. In this book, the enemy were men with families, women who loved the wrong men, and men who had had a beloved mother and understood the value of family. Truly, it's been a while since I've come across a book with antagonists who were not outright sociopaths. It's a welcome relief.
I'm definitely interested in checking out more of this author's work.
My review page
Thanks for posting niquae, you reminded me that I need to set a new goal for March. I'm going to aim for five reviews this month. Nothing but Writing Reviews Challenge
Start Date: March 1, 2011
End Date: March 31, 2011
Goal: 5 Reviews
1. Review of The Iron King by Julia Kagawa - 3 stars
1/5 Complete
A fun addition to the overflowing pastel-covered stacks of YA fairy fiction, with a lot less grit than Melissa Marr's series or adult urban fantasy like the Fever series. The Iron King also had a lot less romance than most other popular fae series, which I found to be enjoyable. It's nice to see romance take the back-burner once in a while to other concerns like family, identity, self-sufficiency and friendship. This is almost more of an adventure-quest type of story than it is a romance, so it does seem a bit surprising that it's published by Harlequin Teen, but I suppose any kind of branching out on their part can only be a a good thing.
The first couple of chapters were rough-going, and I didn't think I was going to like it much. Initially the dialogue seemed very stiff, and all of the high school stuff (unpopular outsider girl who hates the shallow cheerleaders and crushes on an unintelligent jock) was very stale and cliche for me. However, a bit of persistence paid off, and once Meghan left the human world behind and entered the faery world, Nevernever, the story improved immensely. Aside from the way that Kagawa worked a subtle condemnation of human materialism and technology dependency into her faery mythology, there wasn't anything super fresh or innovative in this fantasy, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
Meghan was a fairly respectable heroine, as YA heroines ago, and I appreciated that she had goals and interests (she was fond of programming and web design, and was hoping to get into ITT Tech after high school). I thought she could have done with a bit more sticking up for herself, saving herself, and getting out of scrapes without the boy's intervention, but she had her independent moments and I didn't find her to be constantly playing the damsel in distress, as some reviews suggest. After all, she did (view spoiler). In terms of the love triangle, I'm definitely Team Robbie/Puck. I'm so not a fan of the arrogant, tortured, being-a-jerk-makes-me-sexy, I-want-to-kill-you bad boy thing that Ash had going on, although he wasn was nowhere near as bad a perpetrator of that trope as someone like Jace in The Mortal Instruments Series, and Meghan didn't get more turned onto him by his indifference or beg for scraps the way that Clary does. Will be interesting to see who she ends up with, if anyone, and I sincerely hope that it isn't Ash.
By the last half the the book, I did find that some of the fight scenes were becoming dull, and I ended up skimming through the many descriptions of swordfights and hacking at dragons/gremlins/our creature flavour of the hour. It seems counterintuitive to say that the non-stop action and fight scenes were what really slowed down the pace, but I found that they were the most boring parts and would cause me to start to lose interest in the plot when there were several of them all crammed very close together. I would have rather had more introspection on Meghan's part, perhaps more backstory to Robbie/Puck or Ash, or just more character development in general than a 10th fight scene with some beautiful yet gruesome creature. The ending was enjoyable though, with just the right amount of resolution and remaining tension. I will definitely be continuing on with the series as an easy nighttime read.
You are quite welcome, Alicia. :) I think I will aim for intermediate too. Month: March
Review #: 2
Title: Secret Wedding
Author: Liz Fielding
Rating: 2/5
This idiot didn't connect the dots and the fact that this was a Harlequin Mini so was totally dumbfounded to find out this was a very short read.
When I read what seemed like the start of a BIG MISUNDERSTANDING on top of their past misunderstandings, I was ready to bang my head. I had no desire to wade through an unstable relationship fraught with misunderstandings so I was grateful when it was wrapped up really quickly. I was thinking, "Oh, this author is either trying something new and putting the resolution of a BIG MISUNDERSTANDING early in the story or she is mocking the BIG MISUNDERSTANDING". Expecting a full-length novel, it didn't occur to me that what seemed like the conclusion to a book (when the HEA is achieved) meant it was actually the conclusion to a book so when I turned the last page (darn e-book), I was shocked to realize it was not a novel but a short story or novella. I literally blinked and drew back in disbelief.
This expectation of mine influenced my reaction to the overall work. I was expecting more and felt deflated and let down when it ended so quickly. I got my quick conflict resolution and the HEA, but I didn't get my relationship development - and that was why this book did not rate any higher for me.
I did like the beginning, and I liked the resolution. I thought the story was too short to form an opinion about the characters except for the fact that Tom Garrick is a charmer. I don't recall there being an explicit sex scene but that is fine with me.
My review page
I'm shooting for 5 this month too.The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
finished 6 March 2011
3 stars
This is probably only the second fey book I've read all the way through. I did enjoy it and once I started the book, it took a lot to get me to stop. While it was compelling, I can't honestly say it was great or amazing. I did feel like I was reading Labyrinth most of the time though. I kept expecting David Bowie in fabulous glam makeup and a unitard to show up singing Dance Magic before turning into an owl and flying away.
Puck was a great character. While he was pretty different from the Puck we know from A Midsummer Nights Dream, the changes in his character worked in this story.
The imagination of the book was wonderful. The fact that humans dreams and emotions power the Nevernever is kind of a given, but I loved that the author addressed technology. If our imagination created the fey to begin with, why wouldn't our modern imaginings do the same? Since our focus as a culture (on a global scale) has become technology and the pursuit of the next big thing, it makes sense that there would be a new type of creature born from that drive.
What I did NOT appreciate was being bitch slapped about how our progress as a species has effected the world around us. I counted no less than three occasions where I got the distinct impression I was getting preached at for my love of technology. (Side note: I found it a bit ironic that I was reading a book like this on my Kindle.) Thank you, I am fully aware of the damage we have done and continue to do to our planet.
Another aspect that raised my hackles was the romance. Seriously? Are we really going with the doomed romance again? Why can't one of these YA heroines ever step back and say, "Y'know what? Sure this guy is mysterious and sexy and dangerous. But he just promised to kill me. I think I'll stick with my BFF dude. I know he'd do anything to protect me and keep me happy and I love him already. Forget dark and dangerous, I'm going with happy and safe." No. Instead we're still stuck in this avalanche of bad boy heroes who are completely wrong for the heroine and a seemingly tragic romance that will miraculously overcome all odds. Don't get me wrong. I love some tragic romance. But I'd love to see some boy-next-door heroes as well. Sorry, mini-rant is over now.
All in all this is a good book and I'm definitely going to read the next installment in the series. It's a fast, imaginative read and fun.
Review link here
Month: MarchReview #: 3
Title: Ruthless Game
Author: Christine Feehan
Rating: 2/5
I had hoped that this would be the book to raise my flagging enthusiasm for the Ghostwalkers series, but it did not turn out to be the case. Nonetheless, I did like the heroine and the sex scenes were hot, so I give this book a star for each.
After a series of disappointing or unmemorable female protagonists, it was quite exciting to read a book whose heroine seemed rather remarkable. One of the first things that distinguished her from the other heroines I've read recently was the fact that she was Asian. No blond hair and big blue eyes. Instead, straight black hair and big, dark eyes. Wait a minute. Big, dark eyes on an Asian? Well, maybe.
Anyway, it seemed a pity that the author seemed to rely on some stereotypical descriptions of a Chinese person, including china doll. This term was used several times by Kane Cannon, the hero of the book, to describe Rose, and set my teeth on edge. In the interest of fairness, I will say that the author does have Kane point out how Rose may look like a china doll but is actually quite a small bundle of...dangerous woman? She's handy with weapons, speedy getaways, shimmying up a rope into a hovering helicopter with an infant, and cool thinking in tight situations. She can be blood-thirsty, enjoys the adrenaline rush and satisfaction of putting her skills and training to use, and doesn't let Kane dominate her. She was pretty awesome even if she did overlook things that Kane had to point out to her. I guess I wanted her to be the perfect superwoman, because I sure did dislike the fact that Kane had to look after her and point out things that should have been obvious to her.
As for Kane, I liked how he did seem to genuinely care about Rose and the baby. He seemed like a good guy. He'd probably be perfect if he got rid of his antiquated notion that his woman had to be the obedient homemaker who stays in the kitchen and raises the children. I believe Rose told him to learn how to cook.
As for the plot? What plot? It's the same old, same old. I keep reading this series, wanting to find out whether the overall plot advanced any further, but no. It's once again, woman on the run to escape Dr. Whitney. Somehow woman and man meet. Dr. Whitney tests them. Woman and man manage to pass tests, fall in love, have a lot of sex, find themselves in dangerous situations, do dangerous things, and live another day out of reach of Dr. Whitney's mad-scientist hands (not always in the above-listed order).
But the sex! Oh, yes, it was pretty hot, hot, hot.
One other thing that did interest me was the description of the second-generation of genetically modified humans, the babies of the Ghostwalkers. I'd be interested in reading more about their abilities, what their home life would be like, and how strongly connected they end up being with each other despite their parents living in different states.
Would I recommend this book? Only to the die-hard fans, and only for the characters, especially Rose, and the action, both sexual and the fighting.
Will I read the next book? Probably. I'm still waiting for tidbits about the overall plot besides "Dr. Whitney is up to mischief again". It looks as if we might get to see Rhianna and what's-his-name's book soon. I did wonder what kind of history they had after the author did her best to tease us about it.
My review page
My first review in a long time. I can't really commit to being a consistent reviewer because it's hard for me.Delirium by Lauren Oliver
My Review Page
Whenever a book creates as much buzz as this one did, it’s only natural to be a little curious. However, I was so impressed by all the glorious rants and ravings that I was bound for disappointment. It’s no one’s fault, really. I listened to all the hype and, inevitably, was disappointed. I must admit to feeling slightly bad for judging this book by some preconceived notion of greatness. But, hey, it comes with the popularity.
The sense of disappointment wasn’t the only reason for my slight dislike of this book. Frankly, I feel like the plot was completely unoriginal. While reading, I kept getting flashbacks from other Young Adult dystopian novels that I’ve already read. The clone like people, their lack of emotions, and the medicinal ‘treatment’ issued to them by their government reminded me of The Giver by Lois Lowry. The regulators, the Invalid wilderness settlement, and Lena and Alex’s relationship reminded me of the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. At one point I had to check the cover to make sure I wasn’t reading one of the former books mentioned.
Make no mistakes; there were many things that I enjoyed about this book. The last chapter in particular was great! It made my heart go pitter patter and I was so shocked, heartbroken, and left yearning for more. I love that Alex and Lena’s relationship had some sweetness to it (view spoiler) .(I feel like many YA authors tend to lean on the vulgar side of things when it comes to young love).
All in all, the story was decent and I am genuinely looking forward to the second book but I don’t think it’s worth all the hoopla.
Month: MarchReview #: 4
Title: Acquainted with the Night
Author: Tymber Dalton
Rating: 3/5
What can I say? The premise of the book intrigued me. I was familiar with m/m and menage but m/m/m/m? Men as pets? Male pregnancy? Err, no. I was curious how that would play out. The warning tags about having a box of tissues on hand emblazoned across the other reviews nearly scared me off (gotta have my HEA, dammit!), but my wanting to know how men could be portrayed as pets and breeders proved to be a stronger draw. If you've ever seen the film Hachi and loved the ending, you will like this one.
Rave reviews. That was what all the reviews seemed to be. There were themes of relationship, loss, and love, and really touching scenes that deserved the high marks from the readers. And while I enjoyed this book, I was a little disappointed and do not feel the need to rave about it.
The world-building was scarce but to be honest, the author's writing and the way she presented everything made it unnecessary to elaborate much of how the world was. This was a pleasant surprise to me as I've often felt disappointed by fantasy romance/erotica because of the superficiality of the fantasy aspects of those sub-genres.
I also liked how this book followed the entire lives of the main characters. We rarely see that in romance/erotica. The author shows us this through the characters' eyes as they note the changes in appearances as they aged. It was nicer than being told how old they were or that they had aged.
I really liked how the men bonded with each other, and with their Algonquan owners, and vice versa. It was tender, sweet, and strong enough to have readers in tears towards the end of the book.
I thought that the author had a very interesting idea and story. But where things failed for me were:
1) The author tried too hard to make the men sound like pets that it felt unnatural, unsubtle, and almost a little forced - I sometimes just saw them as puppies/dogs which was a little unnerving. In some cases, I appreciated the comparison but things could have been balanced better.
and 2) the men's, especially Mark's, aggressive hostility against their native homeland and people. The background set up by the author provided an explanation, but each time I read the men cursing or talking about how much better their life was as pets or how much smarter the Algonquans were, it felt as if I was being preached at or having the fact that their lives are better and that the men are happy pounded at me over and over again. I did not appreciate it.
And finally, there was too much sex.
Too much sex? No way!
Yes way. About 2/3 of the way through as the author chronicled the lives of the men as they grew older, it occurred to me that all I was reading was sex, sex, sex -- and I was getting bored.
One last remark: Was I the only one getting confused and turned about by the name Algonquan? I kept seeing Algonquins. I wish that the author had chosen another name to name her non-human species.
My review page
I still have a couple of other books I should review but this was the only one I felt like reviewing as soon as I finished it.
Nothing but Writing Reviews ChallengeStart Date: March 1, 2011
End Date: March 31, 2011
Goal: 5 Reviews
1. Review of The Iron King by Julia Kagawa - 3 stars
2. Review of Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder - 4 stars
An intense, enjoyable continuation of the series, if perhaps a tiny bit repetitive. I'm starting to feel just slightly burned out on this series for the same reason that I know a lot of readers got tired of the Poison Study series, which is that there certainly seems to be a never-ending flow of kidnappings, beatings, assaults, torture and attacks for Yelena and Opal, our poor featured Sitian women. It does get to be a bit over-done and repetitive, and after a while you start to wonder if there is anyone left who isn't out to get our main characters. Although the numerous kidnappings do stretch believability and lack in freshness, ultimately they don't bother me enough to make me lose interest entirely, probably because I view these series as fun, thriller-esque fantasy reads that are more focused on packing in action and female kickassery than dealing with issues of violence in complex or deep ways.
All of the great minor characters like Lief, Mara, and Zitora, as well as all the crazy twists, overall unpredictability and the theme of strong young women overcoming adversity manage to keep this a 4-star read for me despite an occasional lack of freshness. I sped through most of the book in one afternoon because I was so invested in seeing Opal succeed. As usual, Snyder's writing is simple and unadorned, although not unskilled, which makes for fast reading. I will be starting the last book in the series, Spy Glass, right away, because I am eager to see where Opal goes next and dying to know more about that creepy Bloodrose family. I really hope to see the Bloodrose family developed further as a story-line and I hope they weren't just a one-off mention. After I finish Spy Glass I will be taking a much-needed break from Snyder for a while, although I do look forward to reading her new dystopian book Inside Out sometime in the future.
Need to get my tush in gear, I've only done 2 reviews so far. Bad Sans.The Demon In Me by Michelle Rowen
4 stars
This was my first "demon" book. I've stayed away from them for a while, but dash it all, this just sounded too good. I'm glad I finally caved.
The Good: Eden. I loved her! She was tough, empathetic and knew enough to be terrified shitless when the situation called for it. She didn't think she could take on the world (a character flaw that bugs me in most paranormal romance and urban fantasy) and was actively trying to get help when she needed it. She even knew when the help she was looking for was wrong and busted her biscuits to get away from said help. Also, you have to love a gal who is so socially awkward around a guy she's attracted to and can still keep up an inner snark dialogue.
More Good: Darrak *fans face* I totally see how he used to be what he used to be. His sarcasm and not-quite-careless flirting was a great break from the uber-alpha paranormal heroes. He was a bad boy (extremely bad) who honestly did want to do the right thing and was trying his damnedest (har har) to make those right (to him) decisions when the chips were down. He wasn't all sunshine and flowers, which is a very good thing, and he was definitely a selfish ass at times. Flawed and trying to turn his "life" around. Just how I love my heroes.
The Mediocre: (view spoiler). Oh, and (view spoiler).
The Bad: I actually can't think of anything right now that was Bad about the story. Yay!
Anyway. I was thrilled that the focus of the book was really Eden and Darrak figuring out how to "live with each other" and their growing relationship. There were action-y subplots and whatnot that gave it a nice break and kept the story from flagging too much.
All in all, a fun, fast read that made me immediately download the second book on my ereader and pre-order the third book.
Review here
Two reviews is a rarity for me in one month but here's the second one. I didn't expect it to be that long, I don't know what came over me.The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
My Review Page
Nicholas Sparks is truly the 8th wonder of the world- well…at least when it comes to the romance genre. The thing is, despite his tear jerking novels, he is- surprisingly- one of the most unversatile authors that I have ever read. Almost all of his novels begin with some fragile soul reflecting on the summer/fall/winter/or spring that altered his or her life forever. The cause of this change is usually a loved one who, in the end, dies of an unrecoverable terminal disease or an equally tragic accident. So what makes Sparks an ‘8th wonder?’ The answer is just that. Despite his somewhat predictable storyline he manages to bombard his readers with a kaleidoscope of emotions that will usually have them reaching for a box of Kleenex every. single. time.
Life, he realized, was much like a song. In the beginning there is a mystery, in the end there is a confirmation, but it’s in the middle where all the emotions resides to make the whole thing worthwhile.
Because I already saw the movie prior to reading the book, I did not expect to be emotionally affected. Furthermore, I was instantly repelled by Ronnie’s attitude towards her dad her when he showed her nothing but kindness. But Sparks quickly solved this problem by weaving the most wonderful father-daughter relationship imaginable.
Steve was by far my favorite character. His kind, gentle, and forgiving nature made me believe in the goodness of people even though he was fictional. I understood his need to get closer to God and his children. At many times, his need was so powerful that it had my throat raw with emotions and unshed tears. (view spoiler)
All in all this book can be summed up by saying it was a book about relationships. How Ronnie spent a summer rebuilding her relationship with her father, Will, and most importantly, herself.
Favorite Quotes (said by Steve)
1. At times, even he admitted that he’d been more of an observer of the world than a participant in it, and in moments of painful honesty, he sometimes believed he was a failure in all that was important.
2. These days, all he could say for sure was that he was ordinary in a world that loved the extraordinary, and the realization left him with a vague feeling of disappointment at the life he’d led.
3. Life, he realized, was much like a song. In the beginning there is a mystery, in the end there is a confirmation, but it’s in the middle where all the emotions resides to make the whole thing worthwhile.
I decided to post my longest review/rant. And it's of...
(Really? Did you expect anything else?)
Link to review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Rating: 2/5
REVIEW: ***Contains spoilers, BTW:***
Oh my, where to begin? I find it really hard to voice my opinion on this book. To put it simply: I used to love this book. I thought Meyer was the best writer in the history of forever. But then, why is it that now whenever anyone fawns over Edward Cullen and tells me how romantic Twilight is, I shudder? I mean I was part of the Twilight-obsessed club. Maybe it was that I wasn't a reader back then, maybe I was just a total sucker for romance, or maybe it was that I was a fourteen-year-old daydreaming teen? Either way, I worshipped this book and its sequels, and I couldn't wait till the last book came out—Breaking Dawn. But now I wish I hadn't. The whole time I was reading Breaking Dawn, I was internally fighting the urge to throw the book across the room, or better yet, burn it—so I couldn't ever see it again. I felt like I was betraying Twilight and told myself that I was being irrational, and then I searched on Goodreads to see what other people thought of the book. I was really surprised when I saw it had made to the "worst books of all time" list. I was soooooo…proud? Because then I knew that I was right; that Breaking Dawn was just a pitiful excuse for a book. And the reviewers? Oh don't even get me started. I just loved reading their 1 star reviews. It's like they were reading my mind! Because I liked their reviews so much, I decided to check out what they thought about Twilight.
The results left my jaw hanging open.
I couldn't believe people hated Twilight! I thought that was blasphemous. But then I started reading further and it was like a light bulb had gone off in my head. Seriously. So I read the book for the umpteenth time. And I mean really read. I took in every little detail of the book. And by the end, I found myself hating it with a fiery passion (not be melodramatic or anything). And I wanted to slap a fan girl whenever I came across one—which happened a lot. Now let me tell you why I hated this book:
Bella. I despise this girl. She's incredibly boring, when she's not gushing over how hot Edward was, or how much she loved him and couldn't live without him, she was whining. And really, talking about Edward's beauty in every single page—paragraph—is not cool. It's disgusting. You don’t have to describe the character every two pages, we know all about Edward’s ‘perfectly toned chest’ the fourth time you mention it. Edward is HOT. We get it. I think I would have enjoyed the book a little more if it wasn't written through Bella's idiotic mind. Not to mention she's incredibly needy and has no life outside of Edward Cullen. That's not how a main character should be. A main character should be smart, witty, and most of all, strong. This girl is shallow, stupid, dim-witted and weak. The situations she gets herself into are just mind boggling. I didn't believe anyone could be that stupid. Here is a little proof of how brainless she really is (and I quote):
-What did she do when she found out Edward was a vampire? "It doesn't matter to me what you are."
-What did she do when she found out Edward had watched her sleep and practically stalked her before they even knew each other? "I was flattered."
That should pretty much explain Bella's character. Oh, and she's also a Mary Sue, Bella Swan = beautiful swan, really? That's just horribly cheesy. It doesn't take a genius to find that out. See? Even her name is perfect. I really don't buy all the bullshit she says about being ordinary. If she's so "plain," why do so many guys fall for her within the first 2 chapters? And clumsiness is not a fault, especially when Edward is always there to catch her.
This book was just full of purple prose. Ugh. I hate purple prose. This is an example:
"He lay perfectly still in the grass, his shirt open over his sculpted, incandescent chest, his scintillating arms bare. His glistening, pale lavender lids were shut, though of course he didn't sleep. A perfect statue, carved in some unknown stone, smooth like marble, glittering like crystal."
That was just unnecessary. I could've written that whole paragraph in one single sentence.
Oh, and what the hell was it with Bella and "holly crow?!"
The characters are all flat and predictable. And apparently it takes Bella one week, ONE FREAKING WEEK to be "unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him." But how exactly did they fall in love? Oh yeah, Bella smelled like freesia and Edward was hotter than any male model she'd ever seen. How very romantic.
And has anyone noticed that Meyer basically wrote down her fantasies? Think about it; brown eyes, brown hair, widow's peak, full lips. The only difference is that Bella is small, which might be Meyer's wishful thinking?
Now let's come to Edward. God, someone stake his whiny ass before he gives all vampires a bad name; he's a disgrace. He's also stalker. Watching Bella sleep is not romantic. It's creepy. And he's supposed to be the mature one. Way, way more mature. 100 years more mature. He's always acting so calm and cool and wise, and I used to really like that about him, but a 100 year old vampire falling in love with a brainless 17 year old is such a turn-off. I mean, really? Couldn't Meyer make the main character a little more intelligent and mature, at least? Because 100 years of age difference certainly equals a pedophile. Not to mention he's extremely possessive and border-line abusive. Edward also has multiple personality disorder. One minute he's smiling, the next he's "growling." Who the hell growls? And did I mention that he's perfect? His face, his body, even his smell and handwriting is perfect.
Meyer must be really into this whole pedophilia business, first Edward and Bella and then **spoiler followed with a yuck** Jacob and Renesme.
Some of the most important questions Meyer never once answered:
-Why were the Cullens in high school? Seriously, if they're as hot and rich as Bella claims they are, why would they enroll in high school when they could be doing better things? Why wouldn't they just go and live in **spoiler** Isle Esme (their island—yeah, they're that rich) if being around humans is so hard for them? Obviously, Meyer couldn't think of a better place for Bella and Edward to meet.
I thought this was supposed to be a VAMPIRE book. Where the hell are the fangs? We don't need a bunch of high school pussies that play baseball and sparkle in the sun and can't get killed by stakes. That is not how a vampire should be. They are apparently indestructible, and if they're so indestructible, why hide their identities from humans if they can't get killed by them?
-Why couldn't Edward read Bella's mind? Part of why I was so enthusiastic about reading Breaking Dawn was that I thought that Stephenie Meyer would finally explain to us why Bella's mind was immune to Edward's powers, but noooo …that wasn't important enough. What was important was Bella and Edward getting it on day after day after day. Again, how romantic. Why could some vampires work their abilities on her, and some couldn't? Bella's mind seems like some deux-ex-machine. Seriously. Edward couldn't read her mind, Alice could see her future, Jasper could alter her emotions, Aro couldn't read her mind, Jane couldn't mind-torture her. Why was she immune to all the bad ones, and not the good ones? And why was it never explained? I just can't get over that, for some reason. I've eased my anger a bit by telling myself that the only reason Edward couldn't read Bella's mind was because she didn't have one.
-Why wouldn't Edward leave Bella alone? He was like, actually running after her and then saying "we shouldn't be friends." Well it's kind of hard when he's constantly stalking her.
And worst of all…the ending.
THEY. GO. TO. F***ING. PROM.
PROM! Of all things…
She could've thought of something a little smarter than that. I mean a vampire wanted Bella dead and after Edward rescuing her from him, they go to prom. I just…I don't know what to do with this.
The only reason the books became so popular is because Bella has no life or personality, and any loser can put themselves in her shoes. Well, I'm nothing like Bella. She has no goals and no future, her life revolves around Edward. Obsessive much?
Now let's come to the idea of the book in general. Twilight is sexist. Stephenie Meyer makes the guy tough and strong whereas the girl is weak and fragile and always needing the guy to come and save her. That's pretty much a huge step backward for women everywhere, who have fought for equality. Do any guys even like Twilight? Poor, poor guys. Their girlfriends are probably waiting by their bedroom windows for Edward to come watch them sleep. Now this is the main message Meyer gives her readers:
Girl: “I can’t live without you. I'll leave my whole family to be with you. If you leave me, I will kill myself. You're hot, I love you.”
Boy: “you smell good. I love you.”
Oh, and just a tip, Meyer: if the first 200 pages of your book rely on the mystery of a character’s identity, don’t slap “First, Edward was a vampire” on the back cover. AND complaining about how crappy Forks is is really not cool, you could've just made up a fictional town for Bella to whine about.
This book was not worth the paper on which it was printed. You may think Edward Cullen is smart and fast, but Lestat A.K.A. badass-vampire-of-all-time could totally take him. Or even Damon Salvatore.
Whew. I'm so glad I finished this review. Now I'll finally go and read about a main character that actually does something.
Wow. This book is so bad it took me 4 pages to take out my hatred for it.
Okay, now I really have to stop babbling. Sorry guys!
Month: MarchReview #: 5
Title: Her Best Friend's Brother
Author: Kay Stockham
Rating: 4/5
I don't like to read books that make me emotional or cry. I don't, and I avoid them if I can. That said, I don't regret reading this. Kay Stockham's books had been average or less for me, each new Tulane book I read getting lower and lower in the rating. This one, I give 3.5 stars - because it made me cry.
Shelby had a lot of baggage, and her troubled family background shaped the way she was and how she handled relationships. I liked it that although she was apparently beautiful (3 time beauty pageant winner), she had troublesome hives that popped up all over her body when she was stressed. She seemed like a real person, not some fantasy woman who was perfect in looks; had a made-up, superficial flaw; and who everyone loved because of her sweet personality. Shelby was not sweet. But because we spend so much time in her POV, I was able to understand her. The author really explored why Shelby couldn't trust relationships. Although I hated and got very frustrated with Shelby every time she was cruel to Luke who was so patient and kind, and refused to take the chance at love, as the author gently reminded us through Luke's POV, Shelby had cause.
If there was ever an author who made me believe that a person's family background caused a real obstacle to the story's main relationship, it was this author - at least in this book. I totally believed it. As I tried to put myself in Shelby's shoes, I could imagine that I'd probably act much in the same way. In a way, I was able to relate to her.
It's been so long since I'd read a romance novel where I could identify with the heroine and she really stood out. This heroine was flawed all the way through, but how could I hate her? She was what her life had made her, and she was real.
Where the book really grabbed me was the scene that led to Shelby finally getting her emotions out there instead of repressing them. I've read books that made my eyes water, books that made me cry. I think this is the first book that made me want to bawl. The scene when Shelby finally lets her feelings go was so raw and emotional that I couldn't help but empathize deeply. And the ending? I'm so happy for the HEA. Luke and Shelby both deserve it.
My review page
Coming Clean by Inez Kelly5 stars
Genres: Romantic erotica, menage, m/m, novella
This is simply one of the best menage stories I have read. It felt honest, real and a little scary too.
What happens when your spouse of ten years tells you they have a fantasy? And that fantasy involves your best friend of more than twenty years?
Watching Grant discover a new part of himself with Cade was amazing. His certainty that this was the right decision at the right time made me want to hug him. He didn't have the caveman reaction to being with another man, as long as that man was his best friend. It says a lot about love when it removes obstacles and previously conceived conceptions about ourselves. It says even more when it allows you to see beyond gender and labels. If you love someone, you love all of them and you love who they are, not what they are. Grant and Cade are a wonderful example of that.
Vivi's fears of being replaced by Cade rang true and addressed what a lot of menage romantica stories ignore: the very real possibility that bringing a third person into your bed could very well backfire on you. Yes, the menage was her idea, but she rightfully became frightened when her husband took to the idea so readily and even started exploring without her. But as soon as Grant reached out to her when she felt she was being shut out, my heart constricted and I got a huge smile on my face.
Cade's reaction at the end of the night also felt genuine. It would be normal to panic and want to reestablish boundaries, if only to try and protect yourself from wanting too much. Seeing Cade finally find a true home and a sense of genuinely belonging was wonderful.
Coming Clean is a beautiful story about learning that your heart is never too full and there is always the capacity to love more than you already do. With some amazingly hot smut. ^o^
Review here
Bonded by Blood by Laura London0 stars, did not finish
Genre: paranormal romance, vampires
I have no right to review this book (considering I got maybe 50 pages into it), but I'm going to anyway. "WTF?" just about sums up my mercifully short experience with this book.
One of my main grumps is the excessively silly verbs. The heroine yanked off her helmet. (Wouldn't that hurt? They're not exactly loose-fitting.) She sprang to the injured dude's side. (Does she have rabbit genes?) He clamped his eyes shut. (Is he using vice grips?) She jumped on her motorcycle. (Was the seat too damn high for her?). Her spine prickled. (Spines don't prickle. Ever. Your vertebrae are not capable of prickling, goddammit.)
Another grump is a seeming continuity fail. The chick's hair is clipped up one second, but magically flowing around her shoulders when the dude gets a boner for her two seconds later. When she was checking out her face in the bathroom mirror, I thought she was still on the phone with her boss and started to wonder if she was going to shower with him on the line too. And she keeps her candy in the bathroom? WTF? Won't it melt or get soggy or something?
Some notes I made on certain lines while struggling through this:
It took a man and a body capable of carrying a child." p.30
Would this be the giant foreshadowing sign that normal human jizz can't stick to her womb but super-strength vampy jizz can get her preggers? I sincerely hope not. I made my feelings quite clear on that score when I reviewed Wolf Tales 1.
"Sure you didn't prong her with the sharps and the blunt?" p. 41
Dude, that's just skeevy. You should be ashamed for that vamp-frat comment.
There was something on page 40 (can't remember what exactly it was) that felt like a bitch-slap of back story that had absolutely nothing to do with what was currently going on in the book. Shouldn't back story at least have a vague connection or context within present events?
Skeey line on page 41 was my breaking point. I'm glad some people liked this book. I'm also glad I didn't have to finish it. Good luck with this one.
Review here
@Nina: I read snippets of your review when I check in to this thread. It's so long, it's daunting. lol. But yes, there are guys who have read and have enjoyed Twilight. A family friend even argued that it was a very good book while I argued the opposite. Then he had the audacity to act all superior because I read adult romance. Hmph.
Month: March
Review #: 6
Title: With This Ring
Author: T.A. Chase
Rating: 1/5
You ever get the feeling that you were missing something? I did. Apparently this short story is a follow-up to Tabloid-Star. Josh and Ryan have overcome their obstacles, and are getting married. Yay. There was a lot of telling and not enough showing, not enough description, and the poor decision to flip from present day to flashback with each chapter. I didn't feel connected to the story or the characters, and while Great Aunt Edna and Billy seemed fun, the rest of the characters meant nothing to me. Perhaps I would have liked this better had I read the first one, but as it stands, this piece was a bit disappointing.
Month: March
Review #: 7
Title: Love Pursued
Author: Sandra Heath
Rating: 2/5
It was hard to believe how they fell in love - or rather, why the hero fell in love with Alice. Alice herself was a bland character, and we know nothing of the hero except that he is a) a nobleman b) loves Alice for no reason c) does not like Alice's relations d) practically founders his horse in order to catch up with the train Alice is on. The epitome of true love, yes? To make everything even more sickly sweet, this happens on Valentine's Day. Nonetheless, it was not too poorly written so if you have a spare 15-20 minutes for a quick, light read, go for it.
Month: March
Review #: 8
Title: Bride's Holiday Gift
Author: Solange Ayre
Rating: 2/5
The Gift of the Magi, meet Sex in Outer Space. Erotic futuristic romance featuring feline, anthropomorphic aliens who abduct full-sized human women as Brides. The brief description of Terilien society was interesting, but the focus was on sex which was very gratuitous.
Month: March
Review #: 9
Title: Shelley's Secret
Author: Jean Hart Stewart
Rating: 1/5
Good: not the usual time period I read: early 1960's.
Bad: no show, all tell, relationship shown seem to be mostly sex, Ross initially seemed to want Shelley as his personal assistant because she was gorgeous, and not for her to-die-for secretarial skills, Shelley the doormat, err, basically everything else in the book.
If this is an example of the author's better works, am not interested. If trying to entice readers to try her backlist with a freebie, I recommend making a good work free, not a bad one.
And my goal for five reviews in March has been reached. Woot!Genesis by Kaitlyn O'Connor
3 stars
Genres: sci-fi romance (for lack of a better one)
I'm going to get this down while it's still fresh in my head. Because I honestly don't know if I'll remember much of it in a day or two.
So. Earth girl is kidnapped off the road, in her car, in the middle of night in the middle of nowhere by aliens called Sheloni. She wakes up in a "hotel" room where nothing is really quite right. After a few days, she's forced outside to discover she's been put in a habitat with another human woman and a bunch of alien guys called Hirachi. They're all slaves. And the gals are part of a new breeding experiment to make the next generation of slaves more docile. Is it a good thing that she's got two of the most virile aliens panting after her?
Interesting idea. Very interesting. And if I was to judge just by the synopsis I read on Amazon, I could almost expect a light-hearted romp similar to several others I've read. But something seemed darker about this one. Less focused on smut, even though she's a breeder for these alien slavers. And the first half of the book had me riveted. I was intrigued, frightened and drawing comparisons to the underground and world wide sex slave trade we hear about on the news. I was thinking I had picked up a full-length psychological sci-fi thriller. I was totally impressed.
Now, maybe I was just too tired last night (I stayed up until 3am reading) that I didn't notice how goddamed annoying Bri really was. Or how much fucking navel gazing this chick indulged in. And how many goddamn fucking questions she asked herself purely to move the plot along. I understand that she's being held in a pen with nothing to do all day, but seriously. Enough was enough. Here's an example, just one of many:
Did that mean it was possible assuming they could find a way out of the habitats to reconnoiter? Gather materials they could put together to make weapons? Plant traps?
Could they afford to wait to arrive at their destination and see if conditions were better? Or would they find when they arrived that the Sheloni outnumbered them even more?
And yes, those paragraphs are connected. I didn't want to search for the three in a row I encountered earlier.
Worse still was the Hirachi dudes. For some random reason that was never fully explained, the human women were suddenly able to understand the alien guys. Some translator was implanted in their brains. (Why just the women? Why didn't the dudes get translators implanted? Or even a Babel fish for fucks sake??) Then! The two dudes who want our heroine launch into several page monologues out loud and in front of the chick in their native language, apparently feeling safe to do so since they thought she couldn't understand them. And what do ramblings out loud accomplish? Nothing other than info dumps and an attempt to establish that these guys aren't just hot for some human pussy. No, these two have found themselves arse over tits in their version of love for her and want to protect her, even above their own safety and that of their fellow Hirachi captives. Riiiight. Just because she's so damned beautiful.
And the story just went from good to WTF? from there and stalled out. Never got the momentum back. Nothing really even happened until the last 10 pages of the book! And that last chapter? Made me want to gag. Seriously? SERIOUSLY??
There are at least two other books dealing with the Hirachi, but I feel no urge to buy them. Meh.
Review hereGenesis
Month: AprilReview #: 1
Title: Fish Out of Water
Author: Mary Janice Davidson
Rating: 3/5
Fred remained her abrasive and socially-awkward self. I really like that about her. It made her a fun character to read about, especially in a genre (romance) that is inundated with heroines who are universally beloved by all except (or in some cases including) the antagonists. Instead, we have a half-human, half-mermaid who does not get along that well with humans, and had Undersea Folks who didn't know her hating her on sight - or did. It was great also to see that Fred were quite aware about her faults and her effect on other people. She was a little miffed that the Undersea Folk did not receive her warmly but more because people tend to dislike her after getting to know her (which was fine with her), and not before (which she thought was unfair).
Fred is still waffling in the third book between the Prince Artur and Dr. Thomas Pearson, and makes decisions for the wrong reasons again, which was a little frustrating and annoying so it was a relief to have her finally make a decision that brought her the most happiness.
We are introduced to her biological father. I was actually a little surprised by how quickly Fred seemed to accept him since she did not seem to think too much of him in the first two books. Her willingness to believe that her biological father had changed made me a little skeptical, especially considering how cynical she was about the U.S. Nonetheless, a point made by Thomas's father, Captain Pearson, did seem to explain this i.e. she was raised by hippies and thus reflected their views with regards to the U.S. and in the case of her biological father, her mother only had good things to say despite having known the merman for however long it took to conceive Fred (one night). Regardless, Fred's defense of her biological father was still a little naive and hard to believe.
When Farrem reveals his true self, however, was what really flummoxed me. How could someone who had seemed honestly repentant and loving toward his only daughter turned into Mr. Hyde? (And I clearly see how hypocritical I am in thinking Fred too gullible in accepting dear-old Dad.) And Fred didn't feel a sense of betrayal or maybe even shock? Same with her two housemates who had lived in the same house as Farrem for at least a few days. It was so startling and didn't seem believable. And Farrem calling everyone worm was kind of comical. I think that that was what the author was trying to achieve but it didn't really seem to work out that well with me.
The ending with Farrem was a bit disturbing, especially considering that Fred had no feelings about what she had just done. I suppose that regrets would have made the book seem more serious but it was still uncomfortable. Fortunately for me, Fred had made her decision and got her HEA.
My review page
Figured I might as well join in on this since I've been trying to write more comprehensive reviews lately of the books I've finished. I'll do the Easy level. Here are a couple of my recents to start off:Genesis by Bernard Beckett 5/5 stars
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa 2/5 Stars
Litle Brother by Cory Doctorow 5/5 Stars
Month: AprilReview #: 2
Title: A Mom for Matthew
Author: Roz Denny Fox
Rating: 2/5
If I were to describe this book in one word, it would be "unexciting".
Zeke needs to build a new oil well for his company, but Grace has a military-issued permit to look for the wreckage of her deceased grandfather's plane. In order to throw the two main characters into each other's way, what better way to do that than to make Zeke help her?
The thing is, almost anything I had a question about why the author chose to do what she did, she gradually answered it. I really appreciated that about the author because I feel like not enough authors (that I've read) make an effort to make sure their stories are just as tight. The reason for their personal problems seemed somewhat contrived, especially Grace's. In fact, thinking back on it, I wonder whether it was really necessary to give Grace that kind of dating history. As for the kid, there was nothing out of him. I wish that there'd been more interactions or scenes that would have brought the kid to life instead of fading into the background, which he did since the author made him deaf and unable to speak or sign due to his current circumstances. In fact, the reason I had chosen this book was because it featured a deaf child. As someone interested in Deaf culture, I'd hoped for something more to do with a deaf child. While I got the perspective of a clueless parent raising a deaf child, it wasn't exactly what I was hoping to read about since most of it consisted of Zeke agonizing over what would be best for his son and seemingly not making an effort to actually communicate with him. We see Zeke talking to Matthew but there's no indication that Zeke makes an effort to mime, draw pictures or have Matthew focus on his lips as he is speaking, and that bothered me.
I thought that Grace and Zeke made a decent couple but the constant see-saw between good relations/bad relations got old pretty fast. I liked how Grace was able to stand up for herself with wit and boldness, refusing to be intimidated by Kemper Oil company or De Molierno and his goons. The scenes when Matthew and Grace share his first book, and when Matthew learns to sign good-bye were so touching, it brought tears to my eyes.
Yes, there were good parts to this book but overall, it was pretty unexciting.
My review page
Month: April
Review #: 3
Title: All-American Father
Author: Anna DeStefano
Rating: 3/5
I've decided that I do not particularly care for plots where girl has been mooning after a guy and ends up getting him once he realizes what a gem she is. While Bailey has always had a crush on him - and it is quite apparent to those who have seen her around him (how embarrassing) - sometimes it is not made quite so evident to the reader, for which I was thankful for.
Derrick, in the beginning, did not really appeal to me. Why, of all people, would he ask Bailey to help him with his daughter? He hardly knew her. Yes, he is expected to fall in love with her. Yes, she is a trusted employee of the irascible owner of the Shop Rite his daughter had gotten caught shoplifting at. Yes - oh wait, that's right. Bailey could perhaps work her trusted employeeness to encourage her cheapskate boss to drop the charges against Derrick's daughter. On the one hand, without this additional detail, it seemed so contrived to have Bailey help him with his daughter. On the other hand, with the additional detail, it made him seem so...mercenary. He couldn't win either way. Luckily, his true desire to do right by his daughter, and his true appreciation for Bailey and the help she was with Leslie, did make him a likable character. PS: I loved his reaction when he found out exactly what Leslie had tried to steal.
I liked how much on-screen time that Derrick's daughter, Leslie, had, and how it seemed that she really did play an important part in driving the romantic plotline. However, her younger sister hardly seemed necessary. Leslie's voice did seem like that of a troubled adolescent, and I liked how the author portrayed her as being quite perceptive. I liked seeing how she was able to form a bond with Bailey, and I thought that the author did quite well showing how that closeness affected Derrick.
Overall, I enjoyed this story - even if Bailey apparently was obvious about her crush on Derrick.
My review page
Month: April
Review #: 4
Title: The Heiress
Author: Lynsay Sands
Rating: 2/5
In short, I found this book disappointing to the extent that I even contemplated giving it 1 star. I settled for 1.5.
I did not expect this book to be a rehash of The Countess. Once I realized this, I thought, "Why not?" I had enjoyed Julia Quinn's Mr. Cavendish, I Presume despite the poor and sometimes scathing reviews so I thought that The Heiress and I would get along fairly well. Imagine my disappointment, then, when it basically summarized or repeated The Countess for nearly 2/3 of the book. If done well, I might not have been as unhappy but the summaries of what had occurred in book one were as interesting as the fine print on a contract. I remember writing similar, uninteresting summaries for book reports back in elementary school. I was surprised that such writing managed to pass the editor's eye and get published. The writing seemed so lazy of the author.
The characters - I really liked them. I enjoyed The Countess and liked them there. I liked them in The Heiress. I liked Suzette and Daniel. Suzette is likely the most interesting character in this book. I enjoyed her straightforwardness, and her interactions with Daniel. I liked her sharp and sarcastic ways, even in the face of danger. I liked how the antagonist responded to Suzette's goads. But to see her so quickly run into danger, even if she did not realize it, made me rethink my admiration for her character because at that point, she seemed TSTL. Perhaps I'm being harsh but the author did not manage to convince me that Suzette had had a valid reason to do what she did before her flight to Gretna Green. Daniel was sweet. I liked him better in The Heiress than in The Countess. And his mother became my new favorite character. The scene that so impressed the Madison Sisters impressed me too. It is probably my favorite scene in the book.
In short, what I liked about this book: most of Suzette, Suzette & Daniel, Dowager Lady Woodrow, Lord Madison (especially the scene when he becomes the hero), and Robert Langley; the scene where Lady Woodrow manages the men. What I didn't like: plot and summaries of what happened in book one.
My review page
Well, lookit that. Barely into the month and I already have 4 reviews. Pretty good, if I do say so myself. :)
It's a good thing I'd written as many reviews early in the month as I did. I've slowed down on my reading and have been too lazy to review most of the books I've completed, leaving it for a future date. Anyway, here are the few I managed to write up. And since Sam's format seems nice and neat, I think I'll borrow and modify it. :D
Month: April
#5:
Rating: 4/5
I am not sure what to say. It was chilling to see how methodically Master molded Emily, every single step. It was fascinating. But what really impressed me most was the sense that it was all psychological. Emily knew it. Master knew it. From beginning to end, I sensed the psychology behind everything, which to me brought this short book to another level. I really enjoyed it because of that, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
#6:
Rating: 2.5/5
"You really are a virgin."
"Am not!" Kyle groused.
"Oh, baby, you are." Jesse kissed him. "It's hot how innocent you are. You're my vanilla cowboy."
Kyle felt chagrined. "I guess that's another word for boring."
I loved Kyle. He was a simple man, just a cowboy, who loved. I could definitely see what drew Jesse, the younger wild one, to him. I could also see why he felt himself insufficient to hold Jesse's interest including the fact that he had once been Jesse's older brother's lover and that there was a considerable age gap between them. From their words and actions, Kyle and Jesse defined themselves and seemed to act their respective ages.
I enjoyed reading about Kyle's struggles to accept this new relationship with someone so young and wilder. He wondered about being too old, worried about eventually leaving Jesse alone when he dies, about the impact their relationship would have on Jesse's younger brother, and whether his simple self would be enough to keep Jesse with him. I appreciated the fact that he may have had some desires he never thought he had until Jesse introduced and chivvied him into trying them out. I appreciated the fact that though he initially felt self-conscious about his kinkier side, he was able to accept it and participate in the role-plays, and light bondage and D/s.
Jesse's personality really dominated. He was the one who pursued Kyle, and although many years younger, he was more dominant and usually topped. Nonetheless, for the love of Kyle, he was willing to accept things he would not accept from other men. Despite his brashness and confidence, I loved seeing the hints of the younger man escape in times of worry and doubt. It made his character more real and worked to balance out the dynamics in their relationship.
I liked David. His confession about his sexuality intrigued me as did his two new friends. I wonder whether there is/will be a book for him. I would like to read it. Despite his troubled family background, I liked the fact that his older brothers' sexuality did not bother him. He loved Kyle as an older brother, but did not accept him as part of the family when it suited him - just like any other rebellious teenager, I might say. Nonetheless, this did hurt Kyle so I hope that we might see that David has wholly accepted Kyle as one of them. I did not get this at the end of the book.
I also liked his loyalty and
"So what happened?" Jesse sighed, finally asking.
"Debbie Hardwick," David said succintly.
"Uh-huh. You got a thing for her, maybe?"
"Nope."
"Oh."
"She thought I liked her, but her boyfriend, Alan, said I couldn't, on account that all the Coulter men are fags." David's jaw tightened. "He's a fucker."
"Jesse said, "Yeah. So then you got in a fight with him?"
"No, then I kissed him."
Despite this, there were a few points I didn't really care for such as the whole psychic thing going on with the Coulters (minus the evil dad) and Kyle. It didn't seem to add much to the story except to hasten Kyle's acceptance of his kinkier side and to further increase his desire for Jesse, and doing this the old-fashioned, non-psychic way might have allowed for more character development. The sub-plot seemed a bit contrived and the villainous dad a bit exaggerated. Not sure this was entirely necessary as well.
I also did not think that the author pulled off the BDSM aspect of the romance that well. While I appreciated what she was trying to do, it felt unnatural and forced. And I've discovered I don't particularly care for the role-play unless it was being acted out in dreams (in which case, it was pretty hot).
I would probably rate this a 2.5 since I did like the book.
#7:
Rating: 3.5/5
This review will have to be revised but in short, I give it a 3.5 star rating. I didn't think I'd ever come across a fantasy romance that made me believe in the world. Thank you, Ms. Wilson, for putting effort into the world-building and the fantasy aspect of this romance. I truly appreciated it. There wasn't much in the way of descriptions of locations and environment but the world-building came through in the different people, the customs, the politics, and the myths, stories and history of that world. The characters were fairly likable or fairly wicked, whichever way they leaned. In particular, I liked the characters of Bel, Kiel and Kieran. I am hopeful for a future series with Kiel and Kieran with the twin sisters of Ellie. :)
The biggest gripe I had with this was how derivative of Christine Feehan's Dark series it appeared to be. While this might thrill the die-hard fans of Feehan's Dark series, it's been a few years now since I've been disenchanted with that series, to the point of great reluctance to read anything like it. Instead of Carpathians, we have Fey and Tairens. The mating bond, unlike in the Dark series (but as in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Were-Hunter books), must be accepted by the woman. The Tairen Soul, Rain, sounded like any other Carpathian, and Ellie sounded like any other Carpathian mate. There's telepathy and ability to manipulate the elements although it was altered more to fit the fantasy mold. As interested as I was in the world, I will admit to great disappointment and displeasure to finding out how similar to the Dark series this was.
Nonetheless, the world-building was such as to allow myself to get carried away by the story. I love the fact that this is more fantasy than romance, that the love is not consummated in the first book, and that there is more to this story than Rain and Ellie getting together. While this wasn't perfect and I am uncertain whether this will make it to my list of rereads, I am interested in getting my own copy and in continuing the rest of the series.
In short: good world-building, more fantasy than romance, decent characters, decent storyline. Negatives: not very original (see Feehan derivative complaint), and I find flying cats silly
niquae wrote: "Not really happy with this review but here it is anyway:Month: February
Review #: 2
Title: Sir Percy Leads the Band
Author: Baroness Orczy
Rating: 4/5
I have to say that this is my second favori..."
Nice review, niquae! This series has always interested me and your review makes me even more inclined to check it out.
The only thing I would suggest would be to make a new paragraph starting with Speaking of comrades, this is the second book which has a traitor; however, check with the others in this thread to make sure my suggestion is correct.
Thanks, Lisa Kay! I've made the change you suggested. It does break up the block of text more. :)I think I'm aiming for Easy again this month. *pained* I've been slacking off on reviewing and don't have enough time to read and review much in May.
Month: May
#1:
Rating: 3/5
In the beginning, while Tyler, Thomas and Nevvie's banter kept me giggling, I ultimately felt disassociated from them rather than the connectedness most readers hope for. The transitions between scenes didn't flow smoothly, and the dialogue felt a bit awkward. Nevertheless, I kept reading because I loved Thomas, I loved Tyler, and I loved Thomas and Tyler. They are complete sweethearts, and they seem to complement each other so well. I wasn't too keen on Nevvie, but I won't lie. Part of that may have to do with the fact that I envied her her luck in wrapping two absolutely sweet, sexy, rich men around her finger. Speaking of envy, did the green leave my skin yet?
I would say that the strengths of this book lie in its humor and Thomas and Tyler. It has regularly kept me giggling or stifling a shriek of laughter in public. I LOVED how the author described the differences between Thomas and Tyler. If not for that, it would have been so easy to confuse the two men. I also LOVED how the author showed how Nevvie fulfilled a need for each of the two men, and how each of the men fulfilled a need in her. It made me fall in love with Thomas and Tyler even more. If I were Nevvie, I wouldn't be able to choose between the two either - nor would I want to. Lucky, Nevvie. *sigh*
I also appreciated how the author made an effort to show that despite the lovey-doveyness of the three, all is not perfect and that they still have to work at it. I thought that Nevvie really shined when it came right down to it. Under the love and care of Tyler and Thomas, she really seemed to become a more confident woman. I also liked seeing how her crafty side went from wistfully thinking up plots to get Tyler and Thomas into bed to outsmarting even the evil genius Tyler. I was very impressed by her diabolical side.
What I did not like was the "submissive" sub-plot. I thought it was superfluous. I did not really care for the role-play (but I usually don't so that's likely just my problem).
In short, I thought that this book could have been better. However, because it kept me laughing and because I adore Thomas and Tyler and can appreciate how well Nevvie complements them both (the sex wasn't that bad either), it gets an extra star.
#2:
Rating: 1/5
Seduced by the blurb, turned off by the excerpt but curious masochist that I was, I had to inflict this work on myself. I'll admit, I was also tempted to read it just to write the review with the expectation that I most likely would not enjoy it. Nevertheless, I read "In the Dark" with a half-hearted hope that perhaps I might like it regardless of the writing style that made me wince as I read the excerpt. I was disappointed.
It seemed as if the author attempted to meld some philosophy with erotic fiction. It was a good idea but the execution failed. The author could have imbued his work with philosophy, adding more depth to "In the Dark", as Kitty Thomas did with psychology in Comfort Food. The psychology in Comfort Food thrilled and fascinated me. The philosophy in "In the Dark" did not. The only thing philosophical about it was Duncan occasionally mentally rambling about reality during his imprisonment. Let me put it another way. Kitty Thomas showed, Jack Brighton told. As for the kidnapper's parting remarks, (view spoiler) That would have been a really interesting way to end it but...it didn't work because the whole work failed to persuade me that it had anything to do with philosphy. (See above about show versus tell.)
The writing was painfully inelegant. The dialogue was cheesy. And then there was the abuse of exclamation marks and CAPS LOCK! This story could have used a good editor. I mean, what was this?
'He's going to do it anyway. He said that as well - I'm going to fuck you tonight - and I'm going to make you come harder than you've ever come inside a cunt. He's taken you to such highs already. Why not give it a go?'
"NOOOO! STOP THIS! STOP TORMENTING ME! WHO'S SIDE ARE YOU ON!"
Poor Duncan; he was slipping away, losing the plot. His mind was all over the place. One moment afraid then another looking forward to the moment the man would return and ask if Duncan was ready to be shagged - not just ready; but hungry and eager for a good fucking.
And the time dragged by... It really dragged. It was so incredibly cruel.
Speaking of which, do 19-year-old British men really talk like the way Duncan did? Do they really use the word tormenting? I'm an American so I wonder.
I also did not think it very believable that Duncan gave in too quickly to his kidnapper's demands. Maybe it was because the story and Dan failed to draw me in, thus allowing me to read impassively and disconnectedly. I had no emotional connection with Duncan so I could not feel Dan's fear, his lust, and his confusion. The author also failed to persuade me that sensory deprivation and isolation made Duncan desperate enough to beg his kidnapper to rape him. Or maybe it was because of lines like these:
"Would you like me to shave all that ball fuzz off, Duncan?"
"In the dark?" he replied. "No! Put a light on if you're going to do it."
"Sorry - no can do. The dark heightens the senses - it sharpens the pleasure...and the pain."
"Then blindfold me!"
What did work was the sex, which was pretty intense. If the moral of the story was "Nothing is simple, and no man is totally straight – not when the dark strips everything away and only physicality remains", well, that worked too - sort of. I just wish that the execution had been better.
PS: The cover is titillating but embarrassing so I'll be deleting this from my Kindle for PC to avoid accidental exposure.
#3:
Rating: 2.5/5
I'd read this short story once before and didn't think too much of it aside from the fact that it was sort of stupid but funny. However, the author's decency to thank me for even rating it made me resolve to reread it and see whether I missed something the first time - and if not, to at least review it.
The problem I had had with this short story was basically a matter of personal taste. I found Ryan's family (and Lydia) gauche, and although I appreciated reading about a family with a background so completely unlike my own, it ultimately turned me off. Yes, I admit it. I'm a snob. I also thought the "fight" scene, the way it started and the way it ended, was poorly written. "No Nose" was clearly a caricature of a typical crude bully who thinks he can claim any woman he wants, and this portrayal of the character lowered the believability of the start of the fight scene. How he quickly gave up made the "fight" scene seem even more contrived.
What I did like about it was the humor. The short story was pretty funny, especially Holly's phone conversation (and mental dialogue) with her sister, Lydia. I also liked Ryan. He seemed pretty sweet, and as the baby and the sport of the family, it was rather cute to watch him around his family. I thought that he and Holly made a cute couple, mainly due to their mutual exasperation with their blood relatives. While I did not end this story believing that their relationship would last, I could believe that they had a fair chance of it.
If you have 5 minutes and are looking for a cute, funny holiday story, this might work for you.
1st Read: March 26, 2011 - 1 star
2nd Read: May 15, 2011 - 2.5 stars
#4:
Rating: 2/5
Dear Self,
why don't you do yourself and het romance authors a favor and stop reading romance for a while because you've clearly got issues with this genre right now (such as the desire to read original work with a memorable voice). So, let's get on with the review, shall we?
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." - Charles Caleb Colton, Lacon, volume I, no. 183 (1780-1832) Source
Let's start with something positive. I liked the timing and the setting. It was contemporary England but still had the son of a member of the peerage (life peerage but whatever) that is ubiquitous in traditional Regency romances. I will also add that Rufus, despite being somewhat unremarkable, was rather sweet.
It was okay. It was light, sweet and readable. But it was also unoriginal, the characters were fairly flat, and the dialogue rather trite. There was a serious case of tell, not show, and a lot of introspection. That meant that there was not enough action and progression - and I realized this by the end of the first chapter.
(view spoiler)
Come to think of it, it probably wasn't so much the same-oldness of the book that bothered me but the fact that 4/5ths of the book was introspection and exposition. Therefore, I say,
"It's elementary, my dear
Ok this is really nice challenges because i have always trouble with writing reviews...especially to books that i love...Challenging: 8+ reviews per month
niquae wrote: "Good luck, Laura!"Thanx :)
Hi, This is such a great idea!Can you join in anytime?
I'd like to start out with Easy in June.
I would like to join, with Intermadiate, in June :) I usually do write reviews, but they're short and not very good. So, I think this will help me a lot =)
*grumbles* Have to start a new post due to word count limits. Edit: Well, what do you know? I managed to get up to Intermediate this month as well. :)
Month: May
#5:
Rating: 3/5
I think what I need to do is take a long break from het romance because I've clearly overindulged in it. How else do I explain my lack of effusive enthusiasm for a series that is apparently highly recommended, highly rated, and commands a loyal following?
Like many other women, I've always been attracted to heroes who were elite warriors. Navy SEALS easily fall under that category. Thanks to the SEALS recent efforts in bringing down Osama bin Laden, they're popularity in the romance field surged - I'm sure of it. Why else would I deliberately look for books with Navy SEALS after all, like the others in that thread that had recommended this series?
And so we get Tom. I think under the usual circumstances, I would think he's great. He's nice, kind, chivalrous, and has the hots for Kelly Ashton. I mean, he loves her and he admits it to himself, and was ready to try for a relationship with her. And he's Navy SEALS: tough, dangerous, elite. So, why am I not shivering with delight?
I'm currently also reading the fourth part of Special Forces, a four-part cycle of a gay love story that spans decades, co-authored by Aleksandr Voinov and Marquesate. We have Special Forces, British SAS and Russian spetsnaz. They too are elite warriors. What does this have to do with The Unsung Hero? Voinov and Marquesate's elite warriors are believably elite. Brockman's Tom is...not. Granted, the situation between the two "elites" is different. Special Forces was in wartime. Tom is on medical leave in his quiet hometown. Granted, Special Forces is not a traditional romance just like Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series are not, and The Unsung Hero is sanitized for the romance category. But I think that the experience of reading Special Forces just before reading The Unsung Hero resulted in an unintentional, unflattering comparison for the latter.
As for Kelly Ashton, drop-dead gorgeous, Harvard Medical School graduate, rich, white girl with a good-girl image she is trying to shed? I didn't like her. I didn't like her because she was perfect. I didn't like her because she was the stereotypical heroine. I didn't like her because I couldn't relate to her. I didn't like her because of my recent unhappiness about the lack of diversity in romantic heroes and heroines. I really did not want to like her - but she had had the courage to pursue Tom for a summer fling. That chapter when she cornered him in her room and started telling him everything she wanted to do with him? That was my favorite chapter in the book. I was as stunned as Tom. She was pretty awesome in that chapter. In the end, I was really impressed by her.
Can you believe that I was actually more interested in the subplot with Tom's niece Mallory and her new, artist friend David? Well, except for the fact that David was a stereotypical Asian dork/geek. It's no wonder Asian men are not often considered "sexy studs" when stereotypes such as these are perpetuated. At least he wins over the arrogant, get-in-her-pants Brandon and gets the girl with his sweetness and genuine love. Yay for that. No, really. I do appreciate it but seriously? The perpetuation of these stereotypes doesn't really do much for Asian men's "sex god" image. (And if you find Asian men and "sex god" in the same sentence pretty funny, then I may have just proven my point.)
The plot was nothing out of the ordinary. The sex was decent, nothing explosive (I swear, Special Forces may have ruined me for het romance - at least for a while longer). And the romance was fine. The frequency of the sex wasn't gratuitous since it did give information on how their relationship was proceeding - if at all (see Tom and Kelly's 5-minute conversation inside joke).
While I did enjoy the flashbacks that Charles and Joe had of their experience in Nazi-occupied France, I felt that this was just a bit too much. The story of Charles, Joe and Cybele was pretty sad. The ending of this book was pretty sad. It's a damn good thing that this book had been pretty funny and had had fun moments because I don't like sad and the funny moments are the reason I gave this book an extra star.
In short: Due to my current ennui with heterosexual romance (among other hang-ups), I was not able to properly appreciate this book. (Yes, it's not you, it's me.) The review is an explanation of my own personal feelings regarding this book based on my own personal reading experience, so unless you're like me (tired of unoriginal romance, perfect heroines, and storybook dangerous heroes), you'll probably like this. I know I would have liked it better - under the usual circumstances.
#6:
Rating: 3/5
This was actually my second attempt to read this. If it weren't for the fact that it was a library book and I was looking for a quick read, I might never have gotten around to it despite my intentions.
Based on some of the quotes, I really wanted to like this series. It seemed fun, funny and light. I did get that once I managed to get past page 2 (where I left off on my first attempt to read it). The world-building was fairly decent so far and the characters were fun. I liked Bill's and Sookie's relationship, and Eric was very interesting, especially knowing (view spoiler)
Overall, I cannot quite understand what the hype is about this series. It was fun, it was funny, but the only thing that I'm interested in reading is Bill & Sookie's relationship (view spoiler).
#7:
Rating: 2/5
My first introduction to erotic genre and erotic romance was Claire Thompson's Two Masters for Alex. I'd liked it. Unfortunately, that was my only positive experience. Non-con is an itch of mine that I'd hoped to scratch with Claire Thompson's dark erotic works, but I guess her works don't push quite the right buttons.
Slave Jade (and The Frog: A Tale of Sexual Torture and Degradation before that) paled in comparison to Kitty Thomas's Comfort Food. Kitty Thomas effortlessly added depth to Comfort Food with a clear psychological theme. In Comfort Food, the reader interacts only with the characters. While Claire Thompson attempted to explore the minds of sociopaths and their victims, to portray the victims as discovering a core strength while becoming sexually awakened, it was not clearly and convincingly delivered. Her particular writing style also did not lend itself to this goal as she sometimes injected an authorial voice into her writing. This jarred me from the story, and with Slave Jade it became more obvious to me that she was telling me what was supposed to be happening between victim and sociopath instead of showing me. I guess, that is why her non-con works failed with me. If you want non-con with substance and a work that shows rather than tells the reader what happens, I recommend Kitty Thomas's Comfort Food.
I may try one more of her non-con works, Slave Island, but I've removed the others from my TBR list. Instead, I'll stick with her usual BDSM erotic romance books since I still have fond memories of Two Masters for Alex.
Well, what d'ya know. Apparently I write too much. I'm on a roll, going from I-don't-think-I-can-write-many-reviews-this-month to almost 10 reviews for May. #8:
Rating: 4.5/5
4.5 stars. I really liked this version of "Puss in Boots" meets "Beauty and the Beast", m/m-style. But I lack the words to articulate as elegantly as I wish what excited my enthusiasm so I'm afraid that my review will have to settle for simpler and more awkward words.
The style of writing was reminiscent of many fairy tales as were the characters - for the most part. It delighted me, and encouraged me to read this as a fairy tale for adults which meant no expectations of deep plots and multidimensional characters. The language was rather quaint
"Please, monsieur," he whispered, "release me before I shame myself."
Jacques laughed again, sending a streak of sensation up Etienne's spine. "'Tis your shame I crave. Indeed, I positively require it."
although there were very few occasions when I felt jarred by something that seemed more modern. The atmosphere was just a little bit dark
When he spoke, his voice was rough and rasping. "Does it pain you? Pray, tell me true."
"Oui, monsieur."
"Good. Learn to love this minor hurt, as I intend for it to be your constant companion." Jacques lowered his head and whispered, "There are not names for all the crimes I shall commit upon your person, nor for the ways you'll suffer at my hand."
with a touch of tongue-in-cheek humor:
Gentle reader, I give you our hero--a cursed, nameless soul with no purpose in life save the torment of unlucky songbirds and the regurgitation of the odd hairball.
And,
He was, instead, a youngish gentleman suffering under a curse laid upon him by an elderly sorceress, who, after casting her spell, promptly choked to death on a chicken wing.
The characters, as mentioned earlier and by many of the reviews, are fairly two dimensional, imitating the style of fairy tales. Etienne's brutish older brothers remained caricatures of villainous brothers to the end. Master Rennard was the oily innkeeper, always ready to make money. I was a little disappointed, though, about the lecherous Duke. He had paid a lot of gold for Etienne, and when Etienne refused to play, he...gave up but I suppose that that is what some rich, lecherous noblemen did - waste money for pleasure and then forget about it, especially if their toy refused to cooperate. Etienne, sweet Etienne, remained good and wickedly innocent for most of the story despite Jacques's original plan:
The beast in him, awakened by fury, whispered the remedy--to ruin this thing that gave him such a pang...stain its purity with perversion and corrupt its generosity with greed. Yes, Jacques would do this, and he would begin tonight.
His 2-dimensionality only served to highlight the changes that were gradually wrought in Jacques's own character, and as well served as the tool by which the change was made. Etienne's and Jacques's relationship also became a symbol of good triumphing over...if not evil, then destruction as illustrated by Jacques's very own words:
"Your very nature defeats me, and will defeat me again. You trust too well, and too easily, and see friendship where only peril lurks."
And Jacques was such a tortured soul. I had never come across a character like him nor felt as strongly for one like him. His initial impression of Etienne, his disappointment and hatred, and eventual realization of what Etienne was to him was touching. He was a mixture of cruelty which excited, tenderness which softened, derision which dismayed and protectiveness which encouraged. This combination of feline animality and reluctant caring made Jacques an exciting and interesting character. His and Etienne's sexual relationship, initially one of dubious consent, gradually became something more - and boy was it hot. The sparseness of the descriptions and short length of those scenes frustrated me a little because I wanted more.
While it was in keeping with the ending, I was a little disappointed with how Etienne and Jacques turned out because I wanted my twisted fairy tale to last. Etienne grew a bit of spine and confidence, and Jacques lost his bite. Nonetheless, I am happy to know that "they all lived happily ever after." The End.
9th review is too long and needs its own post. Ack. #9:
Rating: 3/5
"A Shiny New Toy" by M.J. O'Shea: 4.5 stars
This is my first time reading one of M.J. O'Shea's work but it certainly won't be the last. This story was just so cute.
"Thick as Thieves" by Brian Jackson: DNF, 1 star
Ah! I was all prepared to love every one of the stories in this anthology but I could not love this. I could not even finish it. This story suffered from the most acute case of tell, no show that I've ever seen. Not only that, as I was skipping ahead for the next story, I discovered that the couple we are introduced to in the beginning of the story wasn't quite the couple we get a happy ending for. While I think I can appreciate the concept, the author failed in the execution - and in Basic Writing 101.
"Leaking Pipes" by Deanna Wadsworth: 4 stars
Yet another new-to-me author (there will be many from this anthology) that I will be reading more of (already had a few of her works on my TBR shelf). While not a huge fan of either twinks or plumbers, this story was very cute as well - especially the dog.
"Christmas in the Sandbox" by Missy Welsh: 3 - 3.5 stars
I liked Neal and Digger's relationship, but the ending paragraph was probably my favorite part of this story. Another cute story.
Did I say that I was going to take my time reading this? I changed my mind. :)
"Crying Wolf" by Jade Archer: 3 stars
This story was set in the same world as the author's Portals series. While this meant that there were some questions about the world that were left unanswered, it didn't detract from the story overall. One of the things that bothered me was the mage calling the Wolf boy and pup, and the cute whines that Wolf made. It made me think of a kid or a boy no older than maybe 12-14 years old. There wasn't enough in the way of description, behavior or conversation that led me to believe that Wolf was older although I'm sure he was. I was also not a huge fan of "werewolfy" or anthropomorphic characters, and this one just barely worked for me. Nonetheless, I did enjoy this story and I will be checking out the other books in the Portals series.
"The New Man's Army" by Michael S.: 2.5 - 3 stars
It was very short but it did answer the "Dear Santa" request in a rather amusing way, I thought. How quickly the narrator accepted his situation was not very believable but I liked the story nonetheless.
"Rommy and Jules" by Xara X. Xanakas: 2 - 2.5 stars
This story was kind of cute. I did like how the author attempted to incorporate the picture which this story was the inspiration of, and I enjoyed the beginning of it. But the second half of the story was a very detailed sex scene that failed to be...sexy. As I mentioned, while I did like how the author attempted to incorporate the tattoos in the picture into the story, I thought that the whole shifter idea was not well executed, mainly due to the lack of any world-building. The spoof on Romeo and Juliet was somewhat corny but didn't detract from the story overall.
"The Conquerors" by Mark Alders: 2 stars
Err...WTH? Detachable genitals?? That was a
"A Wish for Jamie" by Em Woods: 3.5 - 4 stars
My first thought when I finished this story? "That was nice. That was really nice." I really liked it. It was sweet, lovely with a tinge of bittersweet. This story caught my attention from its very first line. I'd love to read more about Jamie and Alex.
"Pony Up" by Rachel Haimowitz: 3.5 - 4 stars
Okay. So apparently I'd already read this short story some time, somewhere. I was going to skip it but decided to reread it, not remembering exactly how I'd felt about it. The story is in 1st person POV, set in an alternate universe (perhaps the same Belonging universe as Anchored?) where people own (sex) slaves. Although there really isn't much to the story, it was pretty hot so an extra star for that.
"Masters and Boyd" by SJD Peterson: 3.5 - 4.5 stars
Let's just say, I was really grateful for the air conditioning on the train. :) But to expand upon what I liked about this story, I have to say that this might be the first one that I recall reading where the author took care to describe that the submissive partner, although called "boy", is in fact a man. The "boy" doesn't act like an adolescent (or younger) either. While I would normally give this a 3.5 or 4 rating, the heat level bumped it up a star. And this is also the only story I recall reading where the author convincingly showed two consenting adults engaging in D/s role-play, that once over, reverted to ordinary men who love each other. Suffice it to say that I'll be looking forward to reading more from this author.
"You Melted Me" by Kari Gregg: 3.5 - 4 stars
It was hot, sexy, and...Brian is too funny. I really liked this one. :D
"A Bugger to Pack" by Kim Dare: 2.5 - 3 stars
Something was missing. Maybe passion, heat, humor? I couldn't warm to the characters. But who was who's present was a pleasant surprise.
"Juniper's Christmas Stocking" by A.J. Llewellyn: 3.5 stars
I really liked how the author had incorporated the Santa letter into his story. He has quite a sense of humor. I couldn't stop laughing.
"Bobby's Christmas Gift" by Serena Yates: 2 - 2.5 stars
Required a bit of suspension of disbelief for me that didn't quite make it. Not a bad story though.
"Las Posadas" by Ocotillo: 3 stars
I liked it. The setting was different, the people seemed real, and the sex scene was pretty hot. I understand now why the folks at M/M Romance suddenly seemed to have found a medical kink. I think I just did too. :)
"Love Bound" by Jessica Freely: 4 - 4.5 stars
OMG. I hate stories like this - (view spoiler). I've hated it since I first saw it in a movies several years ago because it's so sad! This story was so lovely and poignant, and I love the way the author had interpreted the picture. It was not what I was expecting - in a good way. Now, please excuse me while I go hunt for a tissue.
"In the City of Neverlove" by Heinrich Xin: 2 stars
I was a bit confused. The author chose to "tell" the story of the picture, which was a little disappointing, and it seemed awkwardly done. The world was interesting but I did not like it. I also do not care for androids. I suppose it was an okay story. A little sad. It was just not to my taste.
"Christmas Gifts" by William Cooper: 3 stars
It was a cute, ordinary family time story.
"In the Wind" by Wren Boudreau - 2 stars
It was okay. I wasn't thrilled about it being a wolfy shape-shifter story but I liked the beginning of the story. I wasn't so thrilled about the destined mate trope; it made me cringe. Second half of the story seemed too pat. The sex scene was pretty hot though.
"The Guttersnipe's Gift" by Selah March - 4 stars
It was a delicious combination of sweet, dark and dangerous. I was fascinated. The vampires and the atmosphere reminded me of the film, Interview with the Vampire. I thought that the older vampire's wishes for his Guttersnipe was pretty sweet though. It was my first time reading Selah March. It wasn't the last since I almost immediately purchased and read Year of the Cat which I also loved. :D
"A Walk on the Wild Side" by Sarah Madison - 2 stars
It was eh for me. The identity of the tiger surprised me - pleasantly. The fact that Alex was a vampire surprised me - unpleasantly. There'd been no indication that he was a vampire in the beginning of the story. Aside from little details toward latter part of the story such as teeth, not so fragile body, and ability to smell blood beneath the skin, Alex sounded entirely human and so his vampirism wasn't believable for me. There were mention of other people without much explanation who or what they were, and apparently tiger-shifters and vampires are not the only species around this world. There are werewolves too. It was too much for me, and a bit too ridiculous, especially for a short story where the world-building was nil.
"Holiday Bonus" by Stephani Hecht - 3 stars
Wish I had a boss like Blake. Nice holiday bonuses. :)
"Cocklebur's Christmas" by Amy Lane - 2 stars
There was a lot of background story, and references to probably the other books in this author's Green's Hill universe.
"The Gift" by Angela Benedetti - 2.5 stars
Hmm. I prefer real men. The Companion Shay and Austin relationship is rather sweet. Will real Shay also get his chance?
Nothing but Writing Reviews Challenge
Progress:
February: Intermediate - 5 reviews
March: Challenging - 9 reviews
April: Intermediate - 7 reviews
May: Challenging - 9 reviews
Based on the above, I think I ought to stick with Challenging. lol.
Month: MayReview #: 8
1. The Dead Girls' Dance ****
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
2. Torment ***
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
3. Nightshade ****
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
4. Prom Nights from Hell ***
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
5. The Iron King ****
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
6. The Forest of Hands and Teeth ****
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
7. Demon's Fall ***
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
8. Angels' Blood ****
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Month: JuneReview #1
A Lot Like Love by Julie James
I am a HUGE fan of a well-written contemporary romance novel, and Ms James has managed to make it to my favourites list twice before with
Practice Makes Perfect and Something About You. So when I saw ALLL had been released, I was curious to see how her most recent book would compare.
To her credit, this book has
-lead characters that are smart, witty, likeable, modern (emotionally and sexually assertive, sarcastic humour and slightly cautious when it comes to relationships but they don't take themselves too seriously) and realistic.. and let's not forget HOT!
- secondary characters that add warmth and humour.
- some really great dialogue and witty repartee
- lots of humour within the story!
I loved reading Nick and Jordan's story. The only thing I think this lacked was the same sizzle that there was between the characters at reading my aforementioned favourites, but in all honesty I re-read SAY and PMP every few months, so my expectations were possibly a little too high.
It was great to see previous characters play a part in this book, like revisiting old friends...
My first review in a long time. It's on
by Melina Marchetta.Direct Link
Oh what a tangled web she weaves! And no, I’m not referring to Shakespeare or even deception for that matter. I’m talking about Melina Marchetta and her wonderful way of weaving a story with such breathtaking and dynamic relationships. It’s almost as if I can feel the emotions that her characters are going through; which leads me to believe that I’m either an empath or Marchetta is just that good. I’m going for the latter.
I’m not going to waste time (yours or mine) by giving you a plot summary. Frankly, you can read the synopsis, other reviews, or better yet, the actual book. Instead I’ll focus on sharing a few of the many things that made me love this novel.
1. My love for this book would not be complete without Josephine Alibrandi. She has such a warm heart and forgiving nature. I loved the way she welcomed her father into her life without resentment. I love that she has values and a strong sense of family.
2. Australia has been dubbed one of the friendliest countries in the world. However Marchetta has given the rest of us a glimpse of the real Australia. And while I am sure it is a country filled with smiles, rainbows, and butterflies I’ve learned that these are not its defining traits. It is a country filled with a rich history, diversity, prejudice, and some very kick ass slang. I mean, who walks around saying words like wog? And wagged? The Australians that’s who! And while most of the slang in this book went over my head it didn’t take away from the enjoyment factor (it added to it).
3. Can I just say how refreshing it was to read about ‘real’ Italians? Because it was! I am a little misled about their culture because of shows like the Jersey Shore and Jerseylicious (which I admit are my guilty pleasures). But these were far from the Gorilla Juiceheads we watch on MTV. Marcehetta showed us the gossipy neighbors, the outdated yet strong traditions, the fiery tempered and passionate Italians that are often overshadowed by their vulgar MTV counterparts.
One has to wonder what Australia is in hiding ‘down under’. Because Melina Marchetta is certainly a hidden gem.
Month: JuneReview #2
Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
Ms Picoult is simply brilliant. I used to have her on my auto-buy list and have to admit that her last few books, while good, have seemed somewhat formulaic. I was hovering on whether or not to buy this book when my friend suggested it for this month's book-club read. I'm so glad she gave me that push.
I wont give another synopsis of the story, you can read enough of those on the reviews below. What I will do is give my opinion.
Someone once said (Hemingway? Orwell?) - and I'm paraphrasing: that a great book is truer than if they had really happened. And afterwards you feel like you own that memory, that you were involved. I think this book personifies that statement. I read this story more slowly than I usually go through books these days, and I think it's because there was so much emotion, so much depth, that I wanted to savour it.
I particularly like the way she uses a change in POV by chapter so you get the "complete" story from all the main characters' perspectives. Picoult has used this syntax in previous books with less success, but has worked it well here.
I'll admit I find it hard to review this story. It's very difficult to analyse the writing style, the prose, even to a certain extent, to dissect the characters. They were so rich, so very real in all their imperfections and good intentions, that to analyse them would be to reduce them to back to 2 dimensions. They came to life for me and immersed me in their problems, in their fears and in their struggles over the last few days. As so rarely happens these days, I feel richer for the reading of this book. Thank you Ms Picoult, for sharing your wondrous talent.
Month: JuneReview #3
Comfort Food by Kitty Thomas
(This isn't a book report, it's a review, my opinion, so if you'd like a synopsis, please click on the cover or link above. )
I can't say I loved this book, because it disturbed me too much for that kind of response.
I can't say I hated this book, because I didn't, and that disturbs me a little too.
I started reading this book when I first bought it back in April, and put it down when I found it too confronting. I picked it back up tonight and was unable to stop reading til the end. I wanted to write this review while it was all still fresh in my head. This is without a doubt the darkest erotica I've ever read, and I'm not sure if that's even the correct label to put on it, this was a psychological journey, an intriguing thriller as much as it had erotic elements...
I often enjoy books that are confronting, that make you think. I know this one will stay in the back of my mind for a while to process further. I couldn't help but respond emotionally as I was reading the story.
I'm not a fan of non-consensual erotic plots. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I'm happy to break any taboo in reading but that. The thing that confounded me with this book, was in that it seems to suggest consent in a completely non-consensual situation. I'll admit I think the book was skillfully written. The author does a magnificent job of putting us into the mind of the victim, which is what makes it an extremly intriguing read. But a victim is exactly what the protagonist was and ultimately it's what made it such an uncomfortable read, for me personally.
Here's my first review of the month:
by Tara Hudson 3.5/5 Stars
3.5 stars.
Amelia is dead. How, why, when, she doesn't have a clue. She wanders aimlessly, not knowing who she is. But that all changes one day.
This story was romance story, with a twist. I really like the uniqueness of it, I haven't read anything like it. That's why I liked it so much.
What I didn't like was that some parts felt like they needed a little more in them. There were a few parts that a little more information would have been great. Parts of it also seemed bland to me, maybe just because I don't read this type of stuff too much.
All in all, I thought it was an enjoyable story with a twist, and a fast read.
Here's the link to the original post:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
My second review of the month: 
by Ruta Sepetys4/5 Stars
This story is one of those that makes you say..... wow. In a good way, and bad.
Between Shades of Gray is a story about Lina and her family. Lina was living her normal life, until one day, it takes a terrible turn for the worse, and changes completly.
This story is very well-written. It doesn't try to hide the truth- it just gives it out to you.
It's hard to find something bad to say about this book. But, there were important details left out. For example, I still don't know what NKVD means, or davai, both which are used alot throughout the story.
All in all.... a breathtaking story.
My orginal post:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Review # 3:
Shine by Lauren Myracle
3/5 Stars
This story is about a girl named Cat. She's trying to figure out the person who attacked her best friend is. She stopped being best friends with him years ago. Yet she finds the need to figure out the mystery.
I must say, it took a very long time for the mystery part to actually start. Actually, I would say it barely existed. The whole story was just about Cat, Cat, Cat. And it didn't even reveal her whole past until the near end of the book.
There were also a few disconnects for me. For example, when the introduce a new character, they say "'Blank' and I were so close." This happened multiple times. I mean, how many "close friends could she have?
All in all, it was an ok story, but nothing too spectacular. It, again, enforces the rule of "Don't judge a book by it's cover (which I completly did!)
Link to my original post:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Review #4- 
Divergent by Veronica Roth
5/5 Stars
Divergent is a book about a girl named Beatrice. She is forced to make a descion about her whole life, in one moment. The one she chooses will change her life forever.
I must say, I gobbled this book up! I loved the unpredictable-ness, and how there were some really great twists in the story. It was a great harmony of action, suspense, and romance.
There were a few tiny things missing in the story though. I was suprised by Beatrice's lack of pain, even though she was getting hurt pretty badly. The story, for me, sometimes went a little to fast, but nonetheless, it still slowed down after a little bit.
In the end, I LOVED this book! I can see the buzz about this book is all good! =)
My original post:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Yay- I'm done with my goal for July! =) I might do one more review before the end of the month.
The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge*****
I was very excited to read this book. Some of that excitement might have come from the fact that it was my nomination that became the Book of the Month for the group with which I read it. Regardless, I found a fascinating tale that reached back into ancient mythologies to weave a conflict born of and enforced by the time and seasons of a planet. A planet split in two, ruled by a native, but policed by offworlders. A planet proscribed so that no one who leaves can return and no native can leave. Looming over everything is Arienrhod, the Snow Queen and her attempts to make sure Winter never ends. The story also weaves its way through Sparks Dawntreader Summer and his cousin Moon Dawntreader Summer. The world created as backdrop is vibrant and complex in a way that makes it almost a character itself
July Review #1
Original Post
A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin****
I have been torn on how to rate this book, so I am going with 4, solely because that is what I gave A Feast for Crows. I would say I enjoyed this one roughly as much, primarily because of the first two-thirds. I was, however, disappointed. I did not receive the resolution or movement I expected and was led to believe there would be in this book. Favorite characters did practically nothing, there were entirely new characters I found completely impossible to care about, and the book ends on a massive and irritating cliffhanger. Overall, though, I enjoyed reading it. I was just very unhappy when I finished it and afterwards. Here's hoping The Winds of Winter is better, when it comes out (hopefully) half a decade from now.
July Review #2
Original Post
Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding****
I really enjoyed this, far more than I expected. It is very true that the book is extremely similar to the TV show Firefly, but there were enough differences to make it enjoyable. Retribution Falls is grittier and has far more moral ambiguity. It also takes place on a single planet, with airships, instead of in space, which was an interesting change. I found myself liking this more and more as I read it. Given some of my inevitable comparisons to the parallel Firefly characters at the beginning it had to work to fully suck me in, but it succeeded admirably. It has action, romance of a sort, and is overall surprisingly good.
July Review #3
Original Post
Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch****
I enjoyed Moon Over Soho even more than I enjoyed Midnight Riot. Peter Grant remains an interesting character, trying to both remain a normal cop while also playing his role as apprentice wizard to Nightingale, the only other wizard/cop on the force. His propensity to run off and try to solve things on his own gets him into more trouble this time around, which added a nice touch of "reality" the book needed for balance. I also found it easier to relate to the plot this time. I was very glad to see them continue to develop Peter's relationship with his former partner, who is struggling with injuries, rather than simply writing her out or into the background. I look forward to the next book in the series.
July Review #4
Original Post
The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler*****
It is rare that I read a book and instantly add it to my favorites list as well as giving it five stars, but that is exactly what happened with The Long Goodbye. Raymond Chandler deserves his place at the top of the noir heap. The book is dark and grim, but never feels like it is being more of those than the story demands. The city itself plays a huge role, which I think is an essential part of the genre. There are beautiful tragic women and confused, doomed men. There are terrible murders. There are lots of cocktails and plenty of backroom dealing. Throughout the book it remained impossible to separate the good guys from the bad, and even now I would not like to take on the task. The way humanity is presented in this book is so bare. That's one of many reasons I loved it so much.
July Review #5
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Nothing But Reading Challenges
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Month: February
Review #: 5
Title: Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Rating: 4/5
I didn't think that the author would be able to get me to like the second book more than I had liked the first, but I did. In The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, I loved reading about how Ian viewed the world and how it affected his romance. With this book, it was the romance. I loved reading about how Mac desperately wishes to make amends to Isabella for having hurt her early on in their marriage. I loved reading about how he expresses his barely restrained longing and love for Isabella through his painting. This is a man who overcame his addiction to alcohol to become a man who deserved her. It was beautiful. The passion exhibited by Lord Mac Mackenzie as he painted his Love brought to mind the passionate longing exhibited by Sir Percy Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel as he kissed the footprints of his departing Lady. Reading scenes of barely restrained passion makes me sigh at how romantic it is. And that is what made this book a very good read for me.
My review page
Edit: Wow. 5 or so reviews in a month. Maybe I should have gone for intermediate.