This paranormal novel seems to be a cross between the Midnight Breed series by Lara Adrian and the Lords of the Underworld series by Gena Showalter. Of course, it has its own premise and twists that make it unique, but it has far less action than the other two series (action meaning actions sequences, not love scenes. Well, it actually has fewer love scenes, too, which is not necessarily a bad thing.) The book is far simpler and quicker to read than the other series, but it seems to be missing something. I'm not quite sure what, though. I rate this as appropriate for those persons 18 years of age and older.
The basic framework here is that there is a group of vampires who form the Black Dagger Brotherhood, a sub-race of vampires that has evolved through selective breeding and that protects the vampire race. In this series, vampires can only be bred, not made, and vampires cannot feed on humans to gain the sustenance they require to live, only the blood of other vampires will do. They cannot go out in the sun, either, but that is where the coincidence with traditional Dracula vampire lore ends. As for the ultimate good and evil beings, the Scribe Virgin is the good, and the Omega is the bad. The Scribe Virgin created vampires as a celebration of her ability to create life, and the Omega trades the souls of humans for extremely long life and lots of power. The Omega uses his "Lessers" to attempt to eradicate the vampire race.
The leader of the Brotherhood, Wrath, is a reluctant king, who has not ascended to the throne due to his own insecurities. Instead, Wrath just leads the Brotherhood. Wrath's BFF, Darius, tells him one day out of the blue that he has a daughter, Beth, and wants Wrath to help her with the transition in case he isn't alive when that happens. Some time later, just a few days prior to his daughter beginning the transition, Darius is killed in a car bomb perpetrated by a Lesser, and so Wrath and Beth cross paths. Sparks ignite, and - happy, happy, joy, joy - they fall in love and get married. I'm not kidding. Meanwhile, Wrath and the Brotherhood are searching for the headquarters of the Lessers and for Darius' killer. I'm not going to give the rest of the book away, but if you add a scorned lover and her indignant brother to the mix, you have a recipe for betrayal, kidnapping, and death.
Most of this book seems to be focused on the Wrath/Beth relationship, and as usual with most paranormal novels, you have to suspend reality a bit to go with it. The book, as compared with the other series I mentioned earlier, is really fluff. Read it on a rainy day when you want something simple that you can easily put down if you want to take a nap, or read it during your lunch breaks at work. It is not so compelling that you cannot put it down, but it is an enjoyable read with some funny dialogue.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
The Cowboy's Wish by Ruth Ann Nordin - 0 stars
This "short story" reads like half of chapter 1 of a longer novella. The ending is abrupt and there is absolutely no plot. One almost wonders whether the eBook is incomplete. The bookseller summarizes this book as "a light-hearted look at a cowboy who wishes for a wife...and suddenly gets one."
A Bride for Tom by Ruth Ann Nordin - 3 stars
Quick and easy historical fiction. Tom Larson is having trouble finding a wife, and Jessica Reynolds decides to help him overcome his awkward and clumsy manners so he can attract women. This is your stereotypical PG RomCom. If it were a movie, one might almost expect Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts or Reese Witherspoon to play the female lead and Hugh Grant to play the male lead. Of course, be prepared to be frustrated by the typical lack of depth of the characters, as if any person could change the course of their life so easily and so quickly.
If you are looking to be entertained by fluff, look no further.
If you are looking to be entertained by fluff, look no further.
With This Ring, I Thee Dread by Ruth Ann Nordin - 4 stars
This RomCom (short for romantic comedy - I said I would throw in a non-drama every now and then) is typical, but could easily do without the explicit sex scene at the end of the book.
Quick and easy read. This is your stereotypical RomCom and could easily be a movie with Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant, except for the honeymoon scene that gets unnecessarily graphic during the last few pages of the book. Funny - pokes fun of romance novels and sleazy daytime talk shows - and shows growth of a relationship over a longer period of time, including resolution of past hurts. Of course, the situation in which the characters find themselves is not one that is common to many people, it is still believable to a certain extent. the resolution of the plot is too swift, though, and results in an ending that seems forced.
All in all, a fun read if you are simply looking to be entertained.
Quick and easy read. This is your stereotypical RomCom and could easily be a movie with Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant, except for the honeymoon scene that gets unnecessarily graphic during the last few pages of the book. Funny - pokes fun of romance novels and sleazy daytime talk shows - and shows growth of a relationship over a longer period of time, including resolution of past hurts. Of course, the situation in which the characters find themselves is not one that is common to many people, it is still believable to a certain extent. the resolution of the plot is too swift, though, and results in an ending that seems forced.
All in all, a fun read if you are simply looking to be entertained.
Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble - 5 stars
This young adult paranormal romance is an Awesome Read! I couldn't put it down.
Let me say first that I am fascinated by historical mysteries, like Anastasia Romanov, so I was immediately intrigued. But on the whole, Dreaming Anastasia has everything a great fiction novel needs - actual historical fact, legend, mystery, suspense, girl meets boy, and supernatural events. I especially appreciate the fact that while the relationship between the two protagonists is compelling, it is not the focal point of the plot. The protagonists have lives and purpose beyond their romantic interest, as do we all, and so it was easy to get swept up in the story. Joy Preble rocks her debut novel, and it's exciting to see my sophomore English teacher receive national acclaim.
Let me say first that I am fascinated by historical mysteries, like Anastasia Romanov, so I was immediately intrigued. But on the whole, Dreaming Anastasia has everything a great fiction novel needs - actual historical fact, legend, mystery, suspense, girl meets boy, and supernatural events. I especially appreciate the fact that while the relationship between the two protagonists is compelling, it is not the focal point of the plot. The protagonists have lives and purpose beyond their romantic interest, as do we all, and so it was easy to get swept up in the story. Joy Preble rocks her debut novel, and it's exciting to see my sophomore English teacher receive national acclaim.
Haunted by Joy Preble - 5 stars
This young adult paranormal romance is fantastic! So Good! Can't Wait for Book 3!
Great book for young adults, and adults who are young at heart. Haunted is a great follow up to Dreaming Anastasia. The boy/girl relationship is portrayed realistically - teenagers driven by their emotions and insecurities, not prone to calmly/rationally discussing how they honestly feel about each other or telling each other the full truth of what is really going on in their lives. Hence, a majority of the book may be painful for those who wanted to see an immediate "happily ever after" to Anne and Ethan's budding relationship in Dreaming Anastasia, but it is an important part of the character development - no cliched weakling women and superman men here. The legend of the rusalkas (Russian mermaids) is interesting and unexpected, and it made me interested in Slavic folklore. It was also nice to see the development of Anne's relationship with her mother. I can't wait for the third book, Again and Again! Spring 2012 can't come soon enough!
Great book for young adults, and adults who are young at heart. Haunted is a great follow up to Dreaming Anastasia. The boy/girl relationship is portrayed realistically - teenagers driven by their emotions and insecurities, not prone to calmly/rationally discussing how they honestly feel about each other or telling each other the full truth of what is really going on in their lives. Hence, a majority of the book may be painful for those who wanted to see an immediate "happily ever after" to Anne and Ethan's budding relationship in Dreaming Anastasia, but it is an important part of the character development - no cliched weakling women and superman men here. The legend of the rusalkas (Russian mermaids) is interesting and unexpected, and it made me interested in Slavic folklore. It was also nice to see the development of Anne's relationship with her mother. I can't wait for the third book, Again and Again! Spring 2012 can't come soon enough!
Undeniably Yours by Shannon Stacey - 3 stars
Good Book, but for Best Results, Read Ms. Stacey's Books in order
Overview provided by bookseller:
My review:
This book is most definitely for adults, not just because of the sex scenes, but because of the emotional load of the book. Shannon Stacey does a good job of capturing the heart-wrenching agony of having someone you love hold you at arms length; add a baby to the mix, and it is definitely painful sometimes to read. I enjoyed Exclusively Yours and Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey, and it was nice to see another member of the Kowalski family find his match. Best to read the books in the proper order - 1) Exclusively Yours, 2) Undeniably Yours and 3) Yours to Keep. This will further your understanding of the characters and their development over time.
Overview provided by bookseller:
Can a one-night stand turn into happily ever after?
Bar owner Kevin Kowalski is used to women throwing their phone numbers at him. Even if lately he's been more interested in finding Mrs. Right than Miss Right Now. Enter Beth Hansen.
Kevin and Beth may have started out all wrong, with an impromptu passionate encounter at a wedding, followed by a walk of shame. Yet Kevin knows there's more to their relationship than a one-night stand. Especially when Beth turns up pregnant.
Kevin may be ready for the "next step," but Beth doesn't want a relationship with a former playboy, however irresistible he might be. And it's going to take a lot to convince her to go on a second date with the father of her child….
My review:
This book is most definitely for adults, not just because of the sex scenes, but because of the emotional load of the book. Shannon Stacey does a good job of capturing the heart-wrenching agony of having someone you love hold you at arms length; add a baby to the mix, and it is definitely painful sometimes to read. I enjoyed Exclusively Yours and Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey, and it was nice to see another member of the Kowalski family find his match. Best to read the books in the proper order - 1) Exclusively Yours, 2) Undeniably Yours and 3) Yours to Keep. This will further your understanding of the characters and their development over time.
The Blood that Bonds by Christopher Buecheler - 3 stars
This paranormal "romance" is: Disturbing and Like a Train Wreck, You Can't Stop Looking.
The summary provided by the bookseller:
Two is trapped: hooked on heroin and forced to sell her body to feed the addiction. Her vampire lover, Theroen, can lift her from this dark life, but his plans conflict with those of the dangerous elder Abraham, to whom he is bonded by both blood and a long-held promise. Two enters a world of darkness, violence, and despair. She must fight for freedom, both for herself and for those she loves.
My commentary: The summary of this book only hinted at what was inside.This book should come with a disclaimer - Adults Only: Pervasive language, Pervasive Violence, Drug Use and Explicit Sexual Content. It is truly dark and disturbing. Be advised there is girl on girl action, inexplicable love connections, blasphemous talk of God and a huge creepy mansion that I wouldn't step foot in. I might even have nightmares. The end was more hopeful than I expected considering what transpires in the book, and I'm glad I finished it so that I wouldn't be left with that dark and depressing feeling you get after seeing a fatal car wreck. It is like a train wreck, once you get pulled into the story, you can't put it down because you have to know what happens to the characters. I'll probably even end up reading the next book, which I hope isn't a seedy as this one began.
The summary provided by the bookseller:
Two is trapped: hooked on heroin and forced to sell her body to feed the addiction. Her vampire lover, Theroen, can lift her from this dark life, but his plans conflict with those of the dangerous elder Abraham, to whom he is bonded by both blood and a long-held promise. Two enters a world of darkness, violence, and despair. She must fight for freedom, both for herself and for those she loves.
My commentary: The summary of this book only hinted at what was inside.This book should come with a disclaimer - Adults Only: Pervasive language, Pervasive Violence, Drug Use and Explicit Sexual Content. It is truly dark and disturbing. Be advised there is girl on girl action, inexplicable love connections, blasphemous talk of God and a huge creepy mansion that I wouldn't step foot in. I might even have nightmares. The end was more hopeful than I expected considering what transpires in the book, and I'm glad I finished it so that I wouldn't be left with that dark and depressing feeling you get after seeing a fatal car wreck. It is like a train wreck, once you get pulled into the story, you can't put it down because you have to know what happens to the characters. I'll probably even end up reading the next book, which I hope isn't a seedy as this one began.
The World from Rough Stones by Malcom Macdonald - 1 star
NO EASY READ - More Difficult Than Shakespeare!
This book is for adult men who are in love with engineering, railroads, mining, or any other profession that deals with digging in the dirt. Be prepared for pages and pages of how to build a railroad tunnel. This book did not sell itself as a "how-to" book, and i found myself skipping large portions of the book when it launched into the characters' daily employment. On the nook, it is 600+ pages long, but if all of the ridiculous MINUTIAE of building a railroad tunnel were removed, it would probably be about half that length.
Still, removing the railroad building descriptions would not fix things here. The characters speak in rural English dialects that are VERY difficult to understand - even more difficult than reading Shakespeare!
The characters lead difficult lives with much sadness and tragedy. There is no happy ending here. The only redeeming quality is the ingenuity of the protagonists. Watching them lie, manipulate, and work their way up in society is disturbing albeit, at times, entertaining.
This book is for adult men who are in love with engineering, railroads, mining, or any other profession that deals with digging in the dirt. Be prepared for pages and pages of how to build a railroad tunnel. This book did not sell itself as a "how-to" book, and i found myself skipping large portions of the book when it launched into the characters' daily employment. On the nook, it is 600+ pages long, but if all of the ridiculous MINUTIAE of building a railroad tunnel were removed, it would probably be about half that length.
Still, removing the railroad building descriptions would not fix things here. The characters speak in rural English dialects that are VERY difficult to understand - even more difficult than reading Shakespeare!
The characters lead difficult lives with much sadness and tragedy. There is no happy ending here. The only redeeming quality is the ingenuity of the protagonists. Watching them lie, manipulate, and work their way up in society is disturbing albeit, at times, entertaining.
Letters to Elise (Novella in My Blood Approves Series) by Amanda Hocking - 3 stars
Sad, but a nice complement to the My Blood Approves Series
This book contains letters that tell the back story to Peter's relationship with the people in his life. It provides good insight into his thoughts, feelings, and motives behind his actions in the My Blood Approves series.
Read this after finishing the other 4 books, and you will feel as though you know both sides of the story, thus endearing you to Peter and helping you believe his love for Alice is genuine.
This book contains letters that tell the back story to Peter's relationship with the people in his life. It provides good insight into his thoughts, feelings, and motives behind his actions in the My Blood Approves series.
Read this after finishing the other 4 books, and you will feel as though you know both sides of the story, thus endearing you to Peter and helping you believe his love for Alice is genuine.
Once in a Blue Moon by Brenna Lyons - 0 stars
8 pages of nothingness - don't waste your time
This "book" is more like half of the first chapter of a book that could be interesting. It simply ends, though, and leaves you wondering if there was something wrong with the download to your nook. Don't waste your time on this one.
This "book" is more like half of the first chapter of a book that could be interesting. It simply ends, though, and leaves you wondering if there was something wrong with the download to your nook. Don't waste your time on this one.
The Blue Moon by Lawrence Housman - 0 Stars
What the Heck?!
For the life of me, I can't tell what the heck this book is about. One can only commit so much time to figure out a story that refuses to give any hints to its storyline.
For the life of me, I can't tell what the heck this book is about. One can only commit so much time to figure out a story that refuses to give any hints to its storyline.
The Abbey by Chris Culver - 3 stars
This paranormal suspense was: Ultimately a Good Read, But Started Slow.
This story about a police detective whose niece is murdered has interesting plot twists and unexpected intrigue. It was a bit slow in the beginning, and has a lot of details, most of which surround police work. I had to put it down and pick it back up several times, and in the end, I'm glad I persevered through the lengthy setup. The book was well written - you actually feel for the main character at times, and also has some unexpected humor, which any lawyer or law student would appreciate. I saw a description that indicated this was a "paranormal" suspense thriller, but that is not the case.
I know this blog is dedicated to Romantic Dramas, but occasionally I'll throw in something different.
This story about a police detective whose niece is murdered has interesting plot twists and unexpected intrigue. It was a bit slow in the beginning, and has a lot of details, most of which surround police work. I had to put it down and pick it back up several times, and in the end, I'm glad I persevered through the lengthy setup. The book was well written - you actually feel for the main character at times, and also has some unexpected humor, which any lawyer or law student would appreciate. I saw a description that indicated this was a "paranormal" suspense thriller, but that is not the case.
I know this blog is dedicated to Romantic Dramas, but occasionally I'll throw in something different.
The Secret by Julie Garwood - ZERO Stars based on Sample
I downloaded the "free sample" to see if I would be interested in this book. Unfortunately, the sample of The Secret has a sample of *another* book before the text of The Secret actually begins. So after the title, copyright, review, table of contents, and sample of the OTHER book, there is NOTHING of The Secret to aid the reader before purchasing. Very badly done by whomever determines how many pages of the book to include in the sample.
Mud and Dirt (Promises to Keep Book 2) by Shayne Parkinson - 1 stars
Mud and Dirt is the second in Shayne Parkinson's Promises to Keep series. I give is only 1 star because even though the writing is good, it is even more depressing than the first book, something which I thought would be impossible to achieve.
Mud and Dirt begins the story of Amy's marriage to Charlie Stewart. We knew Charlie was no winner, but who could have predicted that he was a monster? Charlie is 100 times worse than Amy's stepmother. He physically, emotionally, and sexually abuses Amy. Amy has 2 boys in quick succession after giving up her daughter Ann for adoption. Amy's health declines and after a fall induces labor, her newborn infant, Alexander dies. Amy subsequently has somewhere around 6 miscarriages, if I counted correctly, the last of which was brought on by a brutal beating by Charlie. That last beating nearly killed Amy, and she finally found her will to confront Charlie. She moves into a different bedroom and tells Charlie that if ever touches her again, she will take the boys and return to her Father's house, notwithstanding her issues with her stepmother. Charlie concedes defeat on that front, but then begins to use Amy's sons as weapons against her. So even though the physical and sexual abuse have ended, the verbal and emotional abuse continue. That drama continues and one day an article is published in the newspaper about a woman in Auckland who had been taking money to arrange adoptions, but instead had been killing the babies and burying them in her yard. Amy has a little breakdown, worrying about her baby, Ann, and Amy's cousin, Lizzie, decides to find out what happened to the baby.
Again, the only reason I finished this book was because I needed a happy ending for Amy. I'm still waiting and will no doubt read the entire series, which is now becoming epic length, in order to get it. Another depressing book by Shayne Parkinson. I'll have to double up my Zoloft dosage to get out of this funk I'm in.
Mud and Dirt begins the story of Amy's marriage to Charlie Stewart. We knew Charlie was no winner, but who could have predicted that he was a monster? Charlie is 100 times worse than Amy's stepmother. He physically, emotionally, and sexually abuses Amy. Amy has 2 boys in quick succession after giving up her daughter Ann for adoption. Amy's health declines and after a fall induces labor, her newborn infant, Alexander dies. Amy subsequently has somewhere around 6 miscarriages, if I counted correctly, the last of which was brought on by a brutal beating by Charlie. That last beating nearly killed Amy, and she finally found her will to confront Charlie. She moves into a different bedroom and tells Charlie that if ever touches her again, she will take the boys and return to her Father's house, notwithstanding her issues with her stepmother. Charlie concedes defeat on that front, but then begins to use Amy's sons as weapons against her. So even though the physical and sexual abuse have ended, the verbal and emotional abuse continue. That drama continues and one day an article is published in the newspaper about a woman in Auckland who had been taking money to arrange adoptions, but instead had been killing the babies and burying them in her yard. Amy has a little breakdown, worrying about her baby, Ann, and Amy's cousin, Lizzie, decides to find out what happened to the baby.
Again, the only reason I finished this book was because I needed a happy ending for Amy. I'm still waiting and will no doubt read the entire series, which is now becoming epic length, in order to get it. Another depressing book by Shayne Parkinson. I'll have to double up my Zoloft dosage to get out of this funk I'm in.
Sentence of Marriage (Promises to Keep Book 1) by Shayne Parkinson - 2 stars
I give this book 2 stars, not because of the quality of writing, but because of the tone of the book itself. If I wanted to be so depressed that I would want to kill myself, I'd watch the news. There is no happy ending here. The characters' lives are just horrible, from start to finish. I spent most of the book crying - literally bawling. The writing is good, but the plot is absolutely the bleakest I've ever encountered.
Sentence of Marriage is about Amy Leith and her family, who live in the middle of nowhere New Zealand, and are farmers. The period is the late 1800's. Amy's mom passed away when she was 3. When she is 12, her father takes a trip to order some heavy farm equipment, and comes home 5 weeks later with a new wife. New wife is the classical wicked stepmother, who hit WAY TOO CLOSE to home for my liking. Seriously. New wife enjoys being miserable and treating everyone else like they are her servants. The serious family drama escalates when Stepmother's brother, Jimmy, comes for a visit, and seduces Amy. Amy thought she was in love with Jimmy, and accepted his proposal of marriage. But Jimmy had no integrity, and once Amy realized she was pregnant, Jimmy decided to return to the mainland to ask his father's permission to marry her. Big Surprise - he doesn't return. Stepmother emotionally abuses Amy until she agrees to give up her baby for adoption and marry the next door neighbor, surly drunkard Charlie Stewart. Heartbreaking stuff, and the only reason I kept reading was because I needed and was hoping for a happy ending of sorts. None came. Instead, there is only book 2, Mud and Dirt, to read.
The writing was some of the best I've read of books published via Smashwords, but the plot is a killer and not something I would ever read again.
Sentence of Marriage is about Amy Leith and her family, who live in the middle of nowhere New Zealand, and are farmers. The period is the late 1800's. Amy's mom passed away when she was 3. When she is 12, her father takes a trip to order some heavy farm equipment, and comes home 5 weeks later with a new wife. New wife is the classical wicked stepmother, who hit WAY TOO CLOSE to home for my liking. Seriously. New wife enjoys being miserable and treating everyone else like they are her servants. The serious family drama escalates when Stepmother's brother, Jimmy, comes for a visit, and seduces Amy. Amy thought she was in love with Jimmy, and accepted his proposal of marriage. But Jimmy had no integrity, and once Amy realized she was pregnant, Jimmy decided to return to the mainland to ask his father's permission to marry her. Big Surprise - he doesn't return. Stepmother emotionally abuses Amy until she agrees to give up her baby for adoption and marry the next door neighbor, surly drunkard Charlie Stewart. Heartbreaking stuff, and the only reason I kept reading was because I needed and was hoping for a happy ending of sorts. None came. Instead, there is only book 2, Mud and Dirt, to read.
The writing was some of the best I've read of books published via Smashwords, but the plot is a killer and not something I would ever read again.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Blood Moon by Toni Minard - 3 stars
Some Good, Some Bad, But I don't think I'll read any more of Toni Minard's work.
While the concepts introduced in this book are unique, I had several issues with this book. #1 - the title has ZERO to do with the book. Absolutely no connection at all. The cover art is also lame. Ditch the half-naked man and show us some more of the magic writing. #2 - the story drags. I think this could have been reduced from the nearly 800 pages it is on the Nook for PC down to 500. The only reason I finished the book was because I had to find out what the connection was between Van Orten and Benedict. If that piece of the puzzle hadn't been so compelling, I would have put the book down long ago.
I do appreciate the author's descriptions of the Amaki and the magic. So many of these stories don't include any explanations of the settings. That part was easy to follow and added to keeping me reading.
While the concepts introduced in this book are unique, I had several issues with this book. #1 - the title has ZERO to do with the book. Absolutely no connection at all. The cover art is also lame. Ditch the half-naked man and show us some more of the magic writing. #2 - the story drags. I think this could have been reduced from the nearly 800 pages it is on the Nook for PC down to 500. The only reason I finished the book was because I had to find out what the connection was between Van Orten and Benedict. If that piece of the puzzle hadn't been so compelling, I would have put the book down long ago.
I do appreciate the author's descriptions of the Amaki and the magic. So many of these stories don't include any explanations of the settings. That part was easy to follow and added to keeping me reading.
The Wary Widow by Jessica Knight-Catania - 3 stars
Ok, but I'm glad it was free.
While this storyline for the most part was interesting, there is only so much martyrdom one person can take. Mrs. Hawthorn's insistence on not telling the Andrew about being pregnant is ridiculous, esp when he had already told her he loved her and they had already come to an understanding about being married. THe "he deserves someone better" theme is so overdone in these historical romances that it strains credulity, even moreso her under these circumstances. I'm of the opinion that if you can't make a plot interesting enough to sustain a regular length book, you should not become wordy by creating unbelievable character issues that certainly would not be given credence during those times. Her family would have put a stop to it immediately whether she wanted them to or not. Instead, throw two plots into one and delve into the lives of ther other characters a bit more.
While this storyline for the most part was interesting, there is only so much martyrdom one person can take. Mrs. Hawthorn's insistence on not telling the Andrew about being pregnant is ridiculous, esp when he had already told her he loved her and they had already come to an understanding about being married. THe "he deserves someone better" theme is so overdone in these historical romances that it strains credulity, even moreso her under these circumstances. I'm of the opinion that if you can't make a plot interesting enough to sustain a regular length book, you should not become wordy by creating unbelievable character issues that certainly would not be given credence during those times. Her family would have put a stop to it immediately whether she wanted them to or not. Instead, throw two plots into one and delve into the lives of ther other characters a bit more.
Broken by Heather Boyd - 2 stars
While this story might be interesting, it is wholly destroyed by the lack of editing. I had to re-read so many sentences just to make sure I wasn't mis-reading only to find that no, the book was just not edited. Such blatant oversight on the part of the author makes me uninterested in buying any more of her books.
Vampire Dreams by Gabrielle Bisset - 0 stars!
Lame - don't waste your time
The plot is totally unbelievable in the way the female protagonist responds. After nearly being assaulted by a man on the street, a homeless girl is taken in by a vampire who saved her to be his "maid." She has no idea what her job description is b/c he doesn't ever need anything from her. He feeds and has sex with her every night while she is a trance. She thinks she is dreaming, and falling in love with the vampire. This story defies the reality of human emotion. Sex does not equal love, and apparently, this very short book - novella, really - attempts to persuade the reader that it does. There is no other plot line in this story, no other adventure or danger. Lame. Don't waste your time.
The plot is totally unbelievable in the way the female protagonist responds. After nearly being assaulted by a man on the street, a homeless girl is taken in by a vampire who saved her to be his "maid." She has no idea what her job description is b/c he doesn't ever need anything from her. He feeds and has sex with her every night while she is a trance. She thinks she is dreaming, and falling in love with the vampire. This story defies the reality of human emotion. Sex does not equal love, and apparently, this very short book - novella, really - attempts to persuade the reader that it does. There is no other plot line in this story, no other adventure or danger. Lame. Don't waste your time.
A Broken Bond by Stacey Kennedy - 3 stars
This is your traditional wolf leaves previous pack and joins another pack story. The writing wasn't bad, though, and it could have been a great plot if it were longer. Perhaps making what is there only half the story and leading up to some larger conspiracy or drama. Editing wasn't bad.
A Blood Moon by Bitten Twice - 3 stars
Interesting Plot, but Writing Style and Editing Needs Major Work
This book is interesting; it introduces a lot of new ideas re: the supernatural, e.g., a vampire can be involved with the daughter of Satan. It also doesn't follow the traditional vampire loves human plot line, which is nice. The book also mixes in history, which adds a fresh flare, and introduces many new kinds of entities.
All of the above is great except for the fact that the book needs major editing. New characters and creatures have no introduction. When making up new stuff - whether supernatural beings or technology, you have to be smoother. This writing style is blunt and leaves you wondering whether you missed something, only to find out after re-reading the last 5 pages that no, you are not losing your mind - the new stuff just isn't explained. Also, what is up with the lack of commas?! Commas are needed to help people know when to pause in a sentence, and will prevent you from having to re-read the sentence 3 times to figure out what is meant.
Despite my issues with the editing, I am wondering if there is a second book. I want to know what happens with the characters.
This book is interesting; it introduces a lot of new ideas re: the supernatural, e.g., a vampire can be involved with the daughter of Satan. It also doesn't follow the traditional vampire loves human plot line, which is nice. The book also mixes in history, which adds a fresh flare, and introduces many new kinds of entities.
All of the above is great except for the fact that the book needs major editing. New characters and creatures have no introduction. When making up new stuff - whether supernatural beings or technology, you have to be smoother. This writing style is blunt and leaves you wondering whether you missed something, only to find out after re-reading the last 5 pages that no, you are not losing your mind - the new stuff just isn't explained. Also, what is up with the lack of commas?! Commas are needed to help people know when to pause in a sentence, and will prevent you from having to re-read the sentence 3 times to figure out what is meant.
Despite my issues with the editing, I am wondering if there is a second book. I want to know what happens with the characters.
Wicked Mourning by Heather Boyd - 0 stars!
Terrible - don't waste your time
Too short. Absolutely NO character development. The initial scene where there is a girl hanging from a tree is amusing, but everything after the girl gets out of the tree is terrible, terrible, terrible. At one point, the dialogue even contradicts earlier dialogue and narration. Thankfully, it was a free nook book.
Too short. Absolutely NO character development. The initial scene where there is a girl hanging from a tree is amusing, but everything after the girl gets out of the tree is terrible, terrible, terrible. At one point, the dialogue even contradicts earlier dialogue and narration. Thankfully, it was a free nook book.
Darkest Intentions (Book 3) by S.K. Yule - 1 star
DARKEST INTENTIONS by S.K. Yule reveals good intentions, but fails to meet its potential. The excessive and explicit sex scenes dominate the novel, while the overall series plotline is only really advanced in the epilogue. I hope that the next book in the Darkest series focuses mainly on the overall series plotline.
DARKEST INTENTIONS tells the story of how hunter Malachi Mannering, a one thousand year-old vampire, falls in love with his viata amant, or soul mate, Geri Baxter, a CPA recently divorced from Colorado's governor. Malachi comes upon Geri as she is attacked in a city park by a shadow drifter, a vampire that has sold his soul to Satan and become pure evil.
After Malachi saves Geri from the drifter, he then saves her from homelessness by giving her a temporary place to stay, but before they can discuss finding her a permanent solution, Ashe Aleksandrov calls and requests Malachi's help with the drifter uprising in St. Louis. The road to Malachi and Geri's happy ending is long and drawn out, and each must face their own nemesis in order to be free to love each other.
This third installment in the Darkest books showed some promise, but by the end of the book, I couldn't wait for it to be over. There is minimal character development, and given the lives of the protagonists, there was ample material for illustration. The overall series plotline regarding the drifter uprising was not concluded, and it was only slightly advanced in the epilogue. The book leaves the reader with the belief that there will be a fourth book.
DARKEST INTENTIONS also presents the same technical issues as the first two books in the series – grammatical errors and poor sentence construction, in addition to repetitive narration and repetitive and contrived dialogue. At some point about halfway through the novel, the protagonists' interactions become completely unbelievable.
Additionally, the number of pages devoted to sexual content is exponentially more in this book than in either of the first two. The protagonists' relationship follows the general template laid out in the first two books, and as in the first two books, the sex scenes become unnecessary, redundant, and downright boring. In addition to the typical M/F sexual encounters, this book deals with some serious sexual abuse issues and can be rather disturbing and painful to read at times. The book also touches on PTSD-like domestic violence as well as homosexual relations. If you are sensitive to these issues, beware. The heat level rating on this book is a 4, which is sad because the sexual encounters completely overshadow the fresh and interesting overall series plotline. I would have much preferred the ink spent on the sex scenes be used to advance the overall series plotline regarding the drifter uprising and the ancient vampire sibling warfare.
Overall, I did not enjoy DARKEST INTENTIONS, and can only hope that if there is a fourth novel in this series, the majority of the book will be focused on the substantive plotline instead of gratuitous sex scenes.
*Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=9279
DARKEST INTENTIONS tells the story of how hunter Malachi Mannering, a one thousand year-old vampire, falls in love with his viata amant, or soul mate, Geri Baxter, a CPA recently divorced from Colorado's governor. Malachi comes upon Geri as she is attacked in a city park by a shadow drifter, a vampire that has sold his soul to Satan and become pure evil.
After Malachi saves Geri from the drifter, he then saves her from homelessness by giving her a temporary place to stay, but before they can discuss finding her a permanent solution, Ashe Aleksandrov calls and requests Malachi's help with the drifter uprising in St. Louis. The road to Malachi and Geri's happy ending is long and drawn out, and each must face their own nemesis in order to be free to love each other.
This third installment in the Darkest books showed some promise, but by the end of the book, I couldn't wait for it to be over. There is minimal character development, and given the lives of the protagonists, there was ample material for illustration. The overall series plotline regarding the drifter uprising was not concluded, and it was only slightly advanced in the epilogue. The book leaves the reader with the belief that there will be a fourth book.
DARKEST INTENTIONS also presents the same technical issues as the first two books in the series – grammatical errors and poor sentence construction, in addition to repetitive narration and repetitive and contrived dialogue. At some point about halfway through the novel, the protagonists' interactions become completely unbelievable.
Additionally, the number of pages devoted to sexual content is exponentially more in this book than in either of the first two. The protagonists' relationship follows the general template laid out in the first two books, and as in the first two books, the sex scenes become unnecessary, redundant, and downright boring. In addition to the typical M/F sexual encounters, this book deals with some serious sexual abuse issues and can be rather disturbing and painful to read at times. The book also touches on PTSD-like domestic violence as well as homosexual relations. If you are sensitive to these issues, beware. The heat level rating on this book is a 4, which is sad because the sexual encounters completely overshadow the fresh and interesting overall series plotline. I would have much preferred the ink spent on the sex scenes be used to advance the overall series plotline regarding the drifter uprising and the ancient vampire sibling warfare.
Overall, I did not enjoy DARKEST INTENTIONS, and can only hope that if there is a fourth novel in this series, the majority of the book will be focused on the substantive plotline instead of gratuitous sex scenes.
*Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=9279
Darkest Desires (Darkest Book 2) by S.K. Yule - 2 stars
DARKEST DESIRES by S.K. Yule, Book 2 of the Darkest Series, picks up about a year or so after Darkest Hours and tells the story of Aiston, the youngest Aleksandrov brother, and Avril Taylor, Ebony's best friend. DARKEST DESIRES is a classic second book in a trilogy and leaves you desiring more.
In DARKEST DESIRES, Avril Taylor is attacked by a bar patron at her workplace. Due to the increasing threat by shadow drifters, Aiston has been covertly protecting Avril, whom the Aleksandrovs consider part of the family. So Aiston saves Avril from her attacker, and their subsequent interactions create a bond between them. Aiston and Avril have always had a love/hate relationship, and when one of Aiston's former lovers gets jealous, Avril believes the woman's lies. Drama ensues.
The Darkest Series showed such promise in book one, however, the plot line in DARKEST DESIRES seems too close to book one with the destructive love triangle and lacks enough character development to support the romantic relationship. The characters don't learn from their experiences in book one, and so the main romantic relationship is a bit unbelievable. The real purpose of DARKEST DESIRES seems to be moving the plot line as it pertains to the shadow drifters. This book gets you to book three.
Also, the editing in book two could use another pass. There were several places where poor sentence construction caused confusion, and the pacing of the story was a bit off, making the timeline seem wonky. There are still more sex scenes than necessary to illustrate the physical aspect of their relationship, which give DARKEST DESIRES a heat level rating of 3, appropriate for those 18 years of age and over.
Overall, DARKEST DESIRES achieves its purpose of persuading me to read book three. The ride to get there was not so enjoyable, though. I give DARKEST DESIRES 2 stars, and look forward to book three's resolution of the conflict building in book two.
*Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=9278
In DARKEST DESIRES, Avril Taylor is attacked by a bar patron at her workplace. Due to the increasing threat by shadow drifters, Aiston has been covertly protecting Avril, whom the Aleksandrovs consider part of the family. So Aiston saves Avril from her attacker, and their subsequent interactions create a bond between them. Aiston and Avril have always had a love/hate relationship, and when one of Aiston's former lovers gets jealous, Avril believes the woman's lies. Drama ensues.
The Darkest Series showed such promise in book one, however, the plot line in DARKEST DESIRES seems too close to book one with the destructive love triangle and lacks enough character development to support the romantic relationship. The characters don't learn from their experiences in book one, and so the main romantic relationship is a bit unbelievable. The real purpose of DARKEST DESIRES seems to be moving the plot line as it pertains to the shadow drifters. This book gets you to book three.
Also, the editing in book two could use another pass. There were several places where poor sentence construction caused confusion, and the pacing of the story was a bit off, making the timeline seem wonky. There are still more sex scenes than necessary to illustrate the physical aspect of their relationship, which give DARKEST DESIRES a heat level rating of 3, appropriate for those 18 years of age and over.
Overall, DARKEST DESIRES achieves its purpose of persuading me to read book three. The ride to get there was not so enjoyable, though. I give DARKEST DESIRES 2 stars, and look forward to book three's resolution of the conflict building in book two.
*Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=9278
Darkest Hours by S.K. Yule - 3 stars (revised 6/20/13)
DARKEST HOURS by S.K. Yule gives readers an interesting new twist in the classic vampire-loves-a-human plot line. It also nicely reflects the old adage "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." This was a fun read, and I give it 3 stars.
In DARKEST HOURS, readers meet Ebony White as she walks home from a life-changing doctor's appointment. Ebony has a malignant brain tumor, and her prognosis isn't good. Fate, however, has different plans for Ebony. Unbeknownst to her, Ebony is being hunted by a vampire's slave, a "drudge," and she literally runs into Ashe Aleksandrov, a vampire out hunting demons. Despite being a human, Ebony is able to see through Ashe's shield, which keeps him invisible to humans while he is out hunting. She can also speak to Ashe telepathically. Both of these abilities mean that Ebony is Ashe's viata amant, or soul mate. Needless to say, this particular day is one of serious upheaval in her life, and Ashe must navigate the turbulent waters of this new relationship while figuring out who is trying to kill Ebony.
Overall, this was a fun read. The length of the book is nice in that it shows some character and relationship developments, but I would have liked to have seen fewer sex scenes and more scenes where Ashe and Ebony connect emotionally. By the time the protagonists work out their issues, the sex scenes do not advance the plot line at all. Instead they become monotonous and slow the pace of the book. The many romantic scenes also give this book a heat rating of 3, appropriate for those readers 18 years of age and older.
The plot is decent, although a bit predictable. While there were plenty of dialogue-driven scenes, the plot is mostly moved forward through narration. I would have liked to see less narration, and instead, more dialogue in which Ashe's world is described with more subtlety, through nuance. Much of the narration feels very spoon-fed, but if you need an easy read, this book serves that purpose well.
While the writing style was pretty good - indeed some of the dialogue was funny and made me laugh out loud - the book needs some major editing. At times, the timeline is forgotten, and consequently, a scene description or a character's history is repeated. There are also some sentences that are structured in such a way that I had to re-read them several times to understand what they meant. Overall, though, one can get past the editing issues and enjoy the story. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the vampire genre.
**Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=9277
In DARKEST HOURS, readers meet Ebony White as she walks home from a life-changing doctor's appointment. Ebony has a malignant brain tumor, and her prognosis isn't good. Fate, however, has different plans for Ebony. Unbeknownst to her, Ebony is being hunted by a vampire's slave, a "drudge," and she literally runs into Ashe Aleksandrov, a vampire out hunting demons. Despite being a human, Ebony is able to see through Ashe's shield, which keeps him invisible to humans while he is out hunting. She can also speak to Ashe telepathically. Both of these abilities mean that Ebony is Ashe's viata amant, or soul mate. Needless to say, this particular day is one of serious upheaval in her life, and Ashe must navigate the turbulent waters of this new relationship while figuring out who is trying to kill Ebony.
Overall, this was a fun read. The length of the book is nice in that it shows some character and relationship developments, but I would have liked to have seen fewer sex scenes and more scenes where Ashe and Ebony connect emotionally. By the time the protagonists work out their issues, the sex scenes do not advance the plot line at all. Instead they become monotonous and slow the pace of the book. The many romantic scenes also give this book a heat rating of 3, appropriate for those readers 18 years of age and older.
The plot is decent, although a bit predictable. While there were plenty of dialogue-driven scenes, the plot is mostly moved forward through narration. I would have liked to see less narration, and instead, more dialogue in which Ashe's world is described with more subtlety, through nuance. Much of the narration feels very spoon-fed, but if you need an easy read, this book serves that purpose well.
While the writing style was pretty good - indeed some of the dialogue was funny and made me laugh out loud - the book needs some major editing. At times, the timeline is forgotten, and consequently, a scene description or a character's history is repeated. There are also some sentences that are structured in such a way that I had to re-read them several times to understand what they meant. Overall, though, one can get past the editing issues and enjoy the story. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the vampire genre.
**Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=9277
Lost Lords series (Books 1-3) by Mary Jo Putney - 4 stars
Loving a Lost Lord
Never Less Than A Lady
Nowhere Near Respectable
Great Plots, Complex Characters & Lots of Historical Facts
These books are wonderfully written, although sometimes a bit much narration in the middle of the characters' conversations. The plot twists, complex characters, and historical facts make it easy to forget that this is categorized as a romance novel. Unlike most "romance" novels I've read, these books do not revolve around sex. While these books follow the template (boy meets girl, but impediment to relationship + some disaster or dangerous situation + development of admiration and affection + impediment to marriage destroyed = happy ending) the characters are not bland stereotypes, and much time is spent developing the characters and the relationships. I can't wait to see more in the Lost Lords series, e.g., Will Masterson!!
Never Less Than A Lady
Nowhere Near Respectable
Great Plots, Complex Characters & Lots of Historical Facts
These books are wonderfully written, although sometimes a bit much narration in the middle of the characters' conversations. The plot twists, complex characters, and historical facts make it easy to forget that this is categorized as a romance novel. Unlike most "romance" novels I've read, these books do not revolve around sex. While these books follow the template (boy meets girl, but impediment to relationship + some disaster or dangerous situation + development of admiration and affection + impediment to marriage destroyed = happy ending) the characters are not bland stereotypes, and much time is spent developing the characters and the relationships. I can't wait to see more in the Lost Lords series, e.g., Will Masterson!!
Surrounded by Woods by Mandy Harbin - 2 stars
This book is interesting in its premise, but fails to provide any sort of substantive plot line to engage the reader. The idea that only "attached" females can come to the Woods' home is negated by the fact that there is no explanation as to *how* any of the shifters would know whether she had a significant other or not. Also, the book promotes the idea that sexual attraction makes a longstanding relationship, when in fact it doesn't. There is no development of the relationship between the two protagonists; they just jump in the sack together. While the premise of the book had promise, the author fails to deliver any kind of solid story to the reader. Kinda Lame.
His Indecent Proposal by Lynda Chance - 0 stars!
Horrible - Just An Excuse to Describe Sex - The Book goes NOWHERE.
This book is based on an intriguing idea, but there is NO character development - NONE! Jenna, the debt ridden accounting lackey from Texas, is AFRAID of David, her boss. How on earth could the author hope to convey the development of LOVE in just 4 weeks time? The 4 weeks aren't even described in detail. It's all: 1) boy meets girl and makes the proposition; 2) boy and girl have sex at his place, and get married and have sex in Vegas and then have sex again back at his place. All this time she is resistant to him (not the sex). Then he confesses that this whole thing was a rouse to get her in bed b/c he's been lusting after her for 6 months. Then he asks her to ditch the contract they had, to which she agrees. Excuse me? Totally incredible. Then in a quick wrap up of the story with 1 paragraph beginning something like "Four weeks later" and ending in "i love you"s from both characters. I mean, seriously, this book is only about writing sex scenes. There could have been several more chapters that described their life over those 4 weeks that showed the development of their feelings for each other. Or Even Better - keep that whole "i love you" think until the year mark - show how they are after a year of marriage. There is just no possible way that these characters could exist. If I could get my money back for this book, I would.
You might ask, "Well, Avid Reader, why did you buy the book in the first place? The title should have told you all." I would respond as follows: Historically, romance novels are not titled in such a way to describe the book, nor does the cover art necessarily say ANYTHING about the story. Along the same vein, the book description/ summary provided by the publisher doesn't necessarily tell you the truth either. I have actually thought to myself that a particular book would have been better had it been named something else, only to have the author confirm on her website that she wasn't able to name it what she wanted. The publisher chooses the cover art, title and book description, and since this could have nothing to do with the story, if a particular aspect of any of those three intrigues me, I'll download the sample and go from there.
This book is based on an intriguing idea, but there is NO character development - NONE! Jenna, the debt ridden accounting lackey from Texas, is AFRAID of David, her boss. How on earth could the author hope to convey the development of LOVE in just 4 weeks time? The 4 weeks aren't even described in detail. It's all: 1) boy meets girl and makes the proposition; 2) boy and girl have sex at his place, and get married and have sex in Vegas and then have sex again back at his place. All this time she is resistant to him (not the sex). Then he confesses that this whole thing was a rouse to get her in bed b/c he's been lusting after her for 6 months. Then he asks her to ditch the contract they had, to which she agrees. Excuse me? Totally incredible. Then in a quick wrap up of the story with 1 paragraph beginning something like "Four weeks later" and ending in "i love you"s from both characters. I mean, seriously, this book is only about writing sex scenes. There could have been several more chapters that described their life over those 4 weeks that showed the development of their feelings for each other. Or Even Better - keep that whole "i love you" think until the year mark - show how they are after a year of marriage. There is just no possible way that these characters could exist. If I could get my money back for this book, I would.
You might ask, "Well, Avid Reader, why did you buy the book in the first place? The title should have told you all." I would respond as follows: Historically, romance novels are not titled in such a way to describe the book, nor does the cover art necessarily say ANYTHING about the story. Along the same vein, the book description/ summary provided by the publisher doesn't necessarily tell you the truth either. I have actually thought to myself that a particular book would have been better had it been named something else, only to have the author confirm on her website that she wasn't able to name it what she wanted. The publisher chooses the cover art, title and book description, and since this could have nothing to do with the story, if a particular aspect of any of those three intrigues me, I'll download the sample and go from there.
Twice Tempted by a Rogue (Stud Club #2) by Tessa Dare - 2 stars
I was so hopeful after reading the first of the Stud Club trilogy that this would be a great book. Unfortunately, it was not. The sex scenes were excessive and unnecessary for the plot, and there wasn't much plot in the end. The dialogue was decent for a good portion of the book, but towards the end lapsed into the cheesy melodramatic fluff that so many ridiculously unbelievable romance novels include. I am uncertain whether i will read the last of this series given my disappointment with this. While the first book was worth the $7.99 eBook price, this second one was not.
One Dance with a Duke (Stud Club Trilogy #1) by Tessa Dare - 4 stars
Too many romance books these days have unbelievable characters, repetitive narration, and overly dramatic dialogue, and trite love scenes. This book has none of these things! Finally, an author with some intelligence who writes real stories. The impass between the two lead characters is typical of men and women, but where most stories will show each character holding their ground stubbornly and then making some sudden dramatic turnaround in the last 5 pages, this book shows us the development of their relationship through the small compromises and concessions each character makes. Finally, a romance worth reading.
Demon High by Lori Devoti- 1 star based on sample only
If Sample is Accurate, Book Will Suck.
This book opens with the lead female character getting a notice that the bank is foreclosing on her grandmother's house. We are given no indication of the lead character's age, which makes it difficult to determine whether her reactions and responses are appropriate. Then the author just drops in the fact that for generations, her family has been "calling demons," but the author fails to tell the reader what that means. Note to authors who are writing supernatural or paranormal fiction: Explain the parameters of your paranormal paradigm. Here, the sample fails to explain the paranormal aspects that are the subject of the book, or how the lead female feels about it. There isn't much depth there to give us any idea what to expect. If the rest of the book is the same, this book will suck. Not spending my cash.
This book opens with the lead female character getting a notice that the bank is foreclosing on her grandmother's house. We are given no indication of the lead character's age, which makes it difficult to determine whether her reactions and responses are appropriate. Then the author just drops in the fact that for generations, her family has been "calling demons," but the author fails to tell the reader what that means. Note to authors who are writing supernatural or paranormal fiction: Explain the parameters of your paranormal paradigm. Here, the sample fails to explain the paranormal aspects that are the subject of the book, or how the lead female feels about it. There isn't much depth there to give us any idea what to expect. If the rest of the book is the same, this book will suck. Not spending my cash.
Some Kind of Wonderful by Barbara Freethy - 3 stars
This story was difficult to read at times given the social issues raised - parental abandonment, mental health disorders, overbearing/ controlling parents, and infertility, but in the end it all works out. As for the writing style, I can't say that this was all that exciting or compelling. It took me several attempts to finish the book, but I suppose it was ok. Wouldn't pay much for it though.
A Season for Love by Blair Bancroft - 5 stars
Witty and Sweet! A Great Book for 16+
I laughed out loud many times while reading this book. The dialogue is smart and witty. The romance is clean and real, as opposed to the usual trite nonsense one finds in regency romance novels. The characters' insecurities are described honestly, but there is growth and progress. So many regency romances feature insecure ninnies who vacilate so fast between loathing and being madly in love with the significant other that it sounds and feels like whiplash. This storyline had enough history, action, adventure, emotion and romance to make it well worth the price.
I laughed out loud many times while reading this book. The dialogue is smart and witty. The romance is clean and real, as opposed to the usual trite nonsense one finds in regency romance novels. The characters' insecurities are described honestly, but there is growth and progress. So many regency romances feature insecure ninnies who vacilate so fast between loathing and being madly in love with the significant other that it sounds and feels like whiplash. This storyline had enough history, action, adventure, emotion and romance to make it well worth the price.
Duke for All Seasons by Mia Marlowe - 3 stars
Good Story Told In Nicely Succinct Novella
This story is about a duke and an opera singer who fall in love. There is some intrigue, some treason and some action. I've read many a regency romance novel that used a simple storyline like this, but dragged it out with melodramatic musings, endless pondering of the characters' insecurities, and ultimately, ridiculous reactions by the characters. The wordiness of those novels always bothers me because the author doesn't seem to care that the melodramatic fluff is totally unrealistic. Here, Mia Marlowe has told a great romance in a short span of time. Naturally, given the tempo of the book, there is little obvious development of the main characters' feelings for each other, but there is growth and heartache that is realistic and believable. This is a great basis for a screenplay and would make a great movie.
This story is about a duke and an opera singer who fall in love. There is some intrigue, some treason and some action. I've read many a regency romance novel that used a simple storyline like this, but dragged it out with melodramatic musings, endless pondering of the characters' insecurities, and ultimately, ridiculous reactions by the characters. The wordiness of those novels always bothers me because the author doesn't seem to care that the melodramatic fluff is totally unrealistic. Here, Mia Marlowe has told a great romance in a short span of time. Naturally, given the tempo of the book, there is little obvious development of the main characters' feelings for each other, but there is growth and heartache that is realistic and believable. This is a great basis for a screenplay and would make a great movie.
The Rake's Proposal by Sarah Elliott - 2 stars
This book for me was unimpressive. It was a nice read, with only a few editing errors, but it contained the standard ridiculous melodrama that so many authors feel necessary to put in their books. This causes the lead female character to be unbelievable - here she starts out as an intelligent, fully independent, self-assured woman of 24 who runs her late father's shipping company. She goes through a great deal of drama whilst looking for a husband, and suddenly, all that intelligence flies out the window. She realizes she's in love with her husband and then works hard to push him away. Even after he makes all this effort to make the marriage work, she is completely irrational. If she had been pregnant, that kind of irrationality could be easily explained by hormones, but in this case, it just makes her character annoying and unbelievable.
This book does not deviate from the standard regency romance fare.
This book does not deviate from the standard regency romance fare.
Bride's Baby by Liz Fielding - 2 stars
Bride's Baby, by Liz Fielding, had such potential in its plot, but fell so short in the end due to a slow start, too short of a period for relationship development, poor editing and an abrupt ending. The concept was great, but I found myself re-writing the book in my head. Adding parts where the author didn't provide a segue. The book was choppy, and in several parts, I had to re-read the text just to be sure I hadn't missed something or read it incorrectly. The editing was atrocious. A simple read through or software spell checker would have caught most of the missing words or misspelled words.
The part at Longborne where the two main characters spend time together was nice - especially the scene sitting by the fire in the library - but it needs to be longer and more fleshed out if the characters are going to exchange credible "I love You"s in the end.
The discussion of the Steamtrain wedding theme was either too brief or too vague to get a visual. If you are going to go into detail about those kinds of things, make sure it is enough to give the reader a solid idea of what it looks like. Otherwise, it is superfluous material that only confuses the reader and takes up space in the book.
Overall, it could have been a great book, but I'm glad it was free.
The part at Longborne where the two main characters spend time together was nice - especially the scene sitting by the fire in the library - but it needs to be longer and more fleshed out if the characters are going to exchange credible "I love You"s in the end.
The discussion of the Steamtrain wedding theme was either too brief or too vague to get a visual. If you are going to go into detail about those kinds of things, make sure it is enough to give the reader a solid idea of what it looks like. Otherwise, it is superfluous material that only confuses the reader and takes up space in the book.
Overall, it could have been a great book, but I'm glad it was free.
Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series #1) by J.R. Ward
If you attempt to download the free sample of this book to your Nook or Kindle, BEWARE! The sample portion of this book only contains definitions for the book. While a glossary is helpful to a book in which you introduce uncommon words and concepts, the sample needs to be long enough to actually show the reader what the writing is like. This sample does not provide any clue for the reader to determine whether they are interested in buying this book, and for the cost of the book, that is a huge mistake. I am currently on the waiting list at my local library for this book, and so will read the whole thing for free. Your other alternative is to go sit at Barnes & Noble with your Nook and read it 1 hour a day for free. Like I said, I'm waiting for the library book.
Isaiah's Haven (Legacy Book 2) by N.J. Walters - 1 star
Like the first book, this second installment of a werewolf trilogy had the
ability to be good, but it wasn't. The plot had promise, but fell way short.
Plot was clearly second to sexual dialogue and narration, and narration did not
vary between characters. Author needs to realize that not every character will
think or speak the same way about a common subject. This lack of variation just
makes this book full of unnecessary, gratuitous words. Narration and description
of characters were repeated - almost as if there was a minimum page requirement.
Don't waste your time on this R-rated (maybe even NC-17 rated) book.
Don't waste your time on this R-rated (maybe even NC-17 rated) book.
Annabelle Lee (Summersville Secrets, Book 1) by N.J. Walters - 1 star
While the male character was somewhat believable, the female character was NOT.
A thirty y/o woman who has had only 1 relationship, who has the insecurities
described in the book, whose parents have died, and who spent time taking care
of an ill parent may have the fantasies that Annabelle Lee has, but the way she
would speak and act are completely different. Her character would not be nearly
as shallow and wanton as this female character. Additionally, there was NO
character development - these two characters "fall madly in love" after 2 weeks
of having sex, and without any kind of acquaintance before their first
introduction. As IF! Romance novels do have the ability to be well written with
excellent plots that are bolstered by the development of the relationship
between the characters. THIS one is absolutely NOT one of them.
Alexandra's Legacy (Legacy Series Book 1) by N.J. Walters - 2 stars
This first installment of a werewolf trilogy had the ability to be good, but it
wasn't. The plot had promise, but was not really fleshed out. Plot was clearly
second to sexual dialogue and narration, and narration did not vary between
characters. Author needs to realize that not every character will think or speak
the same way about a common subject. This lack of variation just makes this book
full of unnecessary words and makes it seem gratuitous. Narration and
description of characters were repeated - almost as if there was a minimum page
requirement. The characters and plot had promise, but fell totally flat.
Stolen by Merrill Gemus
Love the concept, but the story is too short - Bitten and Stolen should be 1
book. Also, the book has some other VERY annoying issues. E.g., Characters don't
do obvious things like call each other when they need to talk. Duh! Pick up the
phone if you need to talk to someone. You don't just pace around their home
hoping they'll show up. ALSO - EDIT THE FREAKIN' BOOK!!! Even a casual read out
loud after you haven't looked at the manuscript in a day will alert you to many
of the problems. When in doubt of your own skills, use the grammar and spell
checker on your computer! Repeated uses of THAN instead of THEN, and words in
sentences are jumbled up so that they are ridiculously incomprehensible. These
things are so distracting that they seriously impede the reader's enjoyment of
the story.
The Maiden at Midnight by Kate Harper-1 star
The Maiden at Midnight follows the lives of Isabella Hathaway and her mother and
two sisters after they arrive in London for their first season out of mourning
for their father. The father killed himself after bankrupting the family with
gambling debts. The only brother is MIA in the Napoleonic War, and Isabella's
fiancée has broken off their engagement in light of the scandal surrounding the
father's death.
Enter Male Protagonists, best friends since Eton - Joss, 6th Earl of Stoneley (whose estate is held in trust until 1 year and 1 day after he is married) and Harry (waiting on Uncle to die so he can inherit obscene amount of money)
Joss needs to wed an heiress quickly so that he can repay 600 pounds to a loan shark (Gallows Jack). While attending a masquerade ball, Joss gets drunk, and in that drunken stupor, decides to kidnap the woman he fancies and elope. Harry tries to dissuade him from the idea, but Joss doesn't listen. Kidnapping goes awry when Joss grabs the wrong girl (it is a masquerade ball, after all), and Joss calls in Harry to help him clean up his mess. Isabella is understandably furious, and through her attempts to secure her own release from Joss' madness, comes to like Joss in a friend sort of way. (He's mad, but not malicious.) After she returns home, she concocts her own plan to help Joss get the woman he loves while finding a wealthy husband of her own who can secure her family's future.
As Joss and his love's relationship grows, so does Isabella's and Harry's, resulting in a happy ending for all. I have to admit that I appreciated the slow development of Isabelle's and Harry's relationship - they might have runaway thoughts or dreams, but they keep themselves in check (mostly). So I have nothing but good thoughts about the plot line and character development. HOWEVER, the editing was so poor that it seriously distracted me from the book. I had to re-read sentences two or three times to get the meaning. Commas should be used to join two independent sentences! (,and ,but ,or) Where has the basic standard of grammar gone? Many of the editing issues seemed to result from poor re-writes - the sentence changed construction, but the superfluous words remained. Very disappointing on that front. There was also the occasional repetition of narration - of descriptions and thoughts that had already been fleshed out earlier in the book.
Enter Male Protagonists, best friends since Eton - Joss, 6th Earl of Stoneley (whose estate is held in trust until 1 year and 1 day after he is married) and Harry (waiting on Uncle to die so he can inherit obscene amount of money)
Joss needs to wed an heiress quickly so that he can repay 600 pounds to a loan shark (Gallows Jack). While attending a masquerade ball, Joss gets drunk, and in that drunken stupor, decides to kidnap the woman he fancies and elope. Harry tries to dissuade him from the idea, but Joss doesn't listen. Kidnapping goes awry when Joss grabs the wrong girl (it is a masquerade ball, after all), and Joss calls in Harry to help him clean up his mess. Isabella is understandably furious, and through her attempts to secure her own release from Joss' madness, comes to like Joss in a friend sort of way. (He's mad, but not malicious.) After she returns home, she concocts her own plan to help Joss get the woman he loves while finding a wealthy husband of her own who can secure her family's future.
As Joss and his love's relationship grows, so does Isabella's and Harry's, resulting in a happy ending for all. I have to admit that I appreciated the slow development of Isabelle's and Harry's relationship - they might have runaway thoughts or dreams, but they keep themselves in check (mostly). So I have nothing but good thoughts about the plot line and character development. HOWEVER, the editing was so poor that it seriously distracted me from the book. I had to re-read sentences two or three times to get the meaning. Commas should be used to join two independent sentences! (,and ,but ,or) Where has the basic standard of grammar gone? Many of the editing issues seemed to result from poor re-writes - the sentence changed construction, but the superfluous words remained. Very disappointing on that front. There was also the occasional repetition of narration - of descriptions and thoughts that had already been fleshed out earlier in the book.
Masquerade Secrets (Book 2 in Scandals & Secrets series) by Janelle Daniels - 2 stars
Masquerade Secrets picks up about 3 months after Scandal of Love ends. Although
it is helpful, you don't need to read Book 1 to understand or enjoy Book 2. Lady
Sera and her Earl are off on the Continent enjoying their honeymoon, and Lady
Sera's best friend, Aubrey, is left to handle the social whirl alone. Bradford,
the Duke of Wathersby, has been hiding himself in the country since the
unsuccessful abduction of Lady Sera. Upon his return to society, Aubrey makes an
effort to be nice to him because the Duke was always genuinely nice to Aubrey
when he was courting Lady Sera.
Then, a masquerade ball is held, and Aubrey shows up in this magical gold dress that has all the men fighting over her. Of course, there is instant attraction between the Duke and Aubrey, and so he wins her first dance. He takes a long time to speak, and when he does, she realizes who he is, and then will not tell him who she is. He is smitten and declares himself to her, but she doesn't believe that he would still want her if he knew who she was. She pulls a Cinderella, and runs away at the first opportunity.
Lady Victoria's brother throws a 2-week house party, and after a really long time, he figures out that Aubrey is the masquerade woman. There is a happily ever after for these two, but I won't spoil the story by telling you how it happens.
This follow up to Scandal of Love is definitely an improvement in the depth of the characters and the believability of their interactions and reactions to what life throws their way. We even get to understand Lady Victoria some more. (It wouldn't suprise me if Book 3 deals with her story.) Given the leading characters' history, their suddenly discovered attraction is more understandable. The foundation has been there since before the time covered by Book 1 - the characters have been acquainted for years. Also, the drama created by Aubrey's nemesis is much more dramatic and unsettling than in Book 1. Such a challenge could easily happen in this day and age, and so it is not a leap that the characters would struggle as they do.
However, the editing in this book was also poor. Words are clearly misused - e.g., when a business matter suddenly arises, sometimes you are unavoidably detained, NOT: "the business matter could not be detained." If you say, "Nothing can come between us" it means there is nothing separating the two people, but it was used here to mean that "nothing can come of us" or "nothing can happen between us." Misuse/mix-up of adjectives and adverbs was also a problem.
I would give this book a PG-13 rating because the characters' thoughts about each other are set forth in greater detail, which makes part of the book more suggestive. I still don't remember any curse words.
Then, a masquerade ball is held, and Aubrey shows up in this magical gold dress that has all the men fighting over her. Of course, there is instant attraction between the Duke and Aubrey, and so he wins her first dance. He takes a long time to speak, and when he does, she realizes who he is, and then will not tell him who she is. He is smitten and declares himself to her, but she doesn't believe that he would still want her if he knew who she was. She pulls a Cinderella, and runs away at the first opportunity.
Lady Victoria's brother throws a 2-week house party, and after a really long time, he figures out that Aubrey is the masquerade woman. There is a happily ever after for these two, but I won't spoil the story by telling you how it happens.
This follow up to Scandal of Love is definitely an improvement in the depth of the characters and the believability of their interactions and reactions to what life throws their way. We even get to understand Lady Victoria some more. (It wouldn't suprise me if Book 3 deals with her story.) Given the leading characters' history, their suddenly discovered attraction is more understandable. The foundation has been there since before the time covered by Book 1 - the characters have been acquainted for years. Also, the drama created by Aubrey's nemesis is much more dramatic and unsettling than in Book 1. Such a challenge could easily happen in this day and age, and so it is not a leap that the characters would struggle as they do.
However, the editing in this book was also poor. Words are clearly misused - e.g., when a business matter suddenly arises, sometimes you are unavoidably detained, NOT: "the business matter could not be detained." If you say, "Nothing can come between us" it means there is nothing separating the two people, but it was used here to mean that "nothing can come of us" or "nothing can happen between us." Misuse/mix-up of adjectives and adverbs was also a problem.
I would give this book a PG-13 rating because the characters' thoughts about each other are set forth in greater detail, which makes part of the book more suggestive. I still don't remember any curse words.
Scandal of Love by Janelle Daniels - 2 stars
Sandal of Love is about Lady Sera, a duke's daughter, whose reputation is ruined
by a false rumor. The rumor is that she was compromised by Quinton, the Earl of
Sutton, a man she hasn't ever met. The Earl's father gambled away the family
fortune, and he is forced to marry an heiress in order to keep himself from the
poorhouse. They both arrive at the same conclusion - they must marry to save
themselves, and big surprise - they fall in love within a
week.
Ridiculous! First of all, the characters are shallow - one dimensional and unsurprising. Sera and her friend seem fairly bright and knowledgable about the ways of the ton. Why then does she not suspect that her **nemesis** started the rumor so that she could move in on Lady Sera's suitor, the Duke of Wathersby??? DUH. I figured that one out immediately. Still, TOO MUCH time and TOO MANY words are spent pondering and hemming and hawing over who started the rumor, who has anything to gain by it, and whether it was the Earl. Lame. Second, there is no character development. Sera and Quinton "fall in love" after 2 balls, an opera, a morning call, a gift, some flowers and a clandestine meeting where Quinton crawls in her window to make sure she is not deathly ill. Incredible. Absolutely unbelievable. At the end of the book, we know as much about the characters as we did in the beginning. There are no surprises, and we know nothing aside from their insecurity re: them getting married.
Although this love story is G rated - I don't even remember any curse words - it is a complete waste of time and money. No wonder this book is only found on Amazon, and not on other noteworthy booksellers' websites
Ridiculous! First of all, the characters are shallow - one dimensional and unsurprising. Sera and her friend seem fairly bright and knowledgable about the ways of the ton. Why then does she not suspect that her **nemesis** started the rumor so that she could move in on Lady Sera's suitor, the Duke of Wathersby??? DUH. I figured that one out immediately. Still, TOO MUCH time and TOO MANY words are spent pondering and hemming and hawing over who started the rumor, who has anything to gain by it, and whether it was the Earl. Lame. Second, there is no character development. Sera and Quinton "fall in love" after 2 balls, an opera, a morning call, a gift, some flowers and a clandestine meeting where Quinton crawls in her window to make sure she is not deathly ill. Incredible. Absolutely unbelievable. At the end of the book, we know as much about the characters as we did in the beginning. There are no surprises, and we know nothing aside from their insecurity re: them getting married.
Although this love story is G rated - I don't even remember any curse words - it is a complete waste of time and money. No wonder this book is only found on Amazon, and not on other noteworthy booksellers' websites
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