THE BASTARD RETURNS, the second installment in The Montmoors serial, picks up 2 weeks after Catherine Roth's arrival at the estate. It begins with Catherine writing a letter to her best friend, Emily, who had previously advised Catherine against accepting the governess position. Unfortunately, the issues which perplexed me in the first installment are only compounded by more questions in the second, and what intrigued me in the beginning only makes me impatient now. Perhaps I am just not a fan of serials and prefer to have everything in one nice novel package to read at a quicker pace than the installments are published.
THE BASTARD RETURNS, a 22-page installment, introduces new characters, most of whom are just as creepy as Lord Andrew and the mansion. We are first introduced to the ghost of Monroe Montmoor, Lord Andrew's great-grandfather. The ghost seems intent on scaring the wits out of Catherine, and shows up in her bedroom in the middle of the night.
Next we are introduced to Lord Andrew's brother, Mr. Benjamin Smitt, who is loud, obnoxious, and just as creepy as Lord Andrew, but in a different way. Mr. Smitt says that he is "the bastard come home to claim what is rightfully" his and eyes Catherine like she is a tart fit for his dessert. She would do best to avoid Mr. Smitt. We are finally introduced to Cullen, Catherine's charge, who seems a sweet boy, but about whom we still know very little.
The descriptions of male characters continue to be well done. Their characters seem consistent, if still mysterious. Catherine's character continues to confound me, though. I was unable to resolve my questions regarding Catherine's character - whether she is as flighty and thoughtless as she seems. Her actions and words still seem inconsistent not only with each other but also with her gender and station in life.
The improprieties also continue, with Lord Montmoor spending the night in her bedroom in order to catch Monroe Montmoor's ghost when he makes an appearance. I have to ask: If the ghost has been ruling the roost at the estate for some time, why isn't the female housekeeper or some other maid on duty? Lord Montmoor's motivations are clear. We've always seen that he has some sort of design on Catherine, but why is Catherine not concerned?
Also, I would have liked to hear more about Catherine's first lesson with Cullen. It seems a momentous occasion given that she's been waiting for two weeks to do what she has been hired to do, but that event is glossed over as merely a scene to connect Catherine's interactions with the adult men in the house.
As far as historical integrity goes, the minor issues I noted in regards to the first installment were resolved here in the second. However, I was distracted by some instances of poor editing. Although I am still curious as to how this story will play out, I may have to wait until this serial is complete before picking it back up since it seems that I have no patience for the publisher-imposed pace.
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6584
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Montmoors 1: The Governess and the Master by Lisa Greer - 3 stars
The Montmoors 1: THE GOVERNESS AND THE MASTER presents an intriguing beginning
in this serial publication about a destitute young lady who accepts a dubious
position as a governess in a remote and creepy castle. If you are new to this
kind of publication, think of it as the pilot episode of a new TV series. This
23-page first installment of The Montmoors definitely presents a story
with a lot of potential. If you are a fan of serials, I would absolutely
recommend you check it out.
The story opens with Catherine Roth, who suffers from multiple heartbreaks in her life, is at turning point in her life. Not only has her father passed away, but his debts have left her without any money. She has no family to protect her or provide for her, and so she does what many young ladies in her position at that time did – she seeks a position as a governess.
Despite her best friend's warnings, Miss Roth accepts a position in the household of Lord Andrew Montmoor, a man whose family and estate are steeped in mystery, to tutor Lord Montmoor's sickly nephew, Cullen. From the moment she sets eyes on her new residence, she begins to doubt the wisdom of her decision. The castle is isolated, and she knows nobody who works in the castle or lives near it. The servants are few and inhospitable, and Catherine is given a bedroom a few doors down from Lord Montmoor's room.
Lord Montmoor is creepy, even by modern standards. He provides his sister's clothing for Catherine and seems to stalk her as she walks about the property. Add to all that irregularity, Catherine is not promptly introduced to her charge. Lord Montmoor and the housekeeper say that Cullen is too ill to meet her, but as time passes, you begin to wonder whether the nephew even exists. Catherine certainly isn't performing her duties as a governess, and she begins to wonder (as did I) what exactly she's doing there.
The description of Lord Montmoor's actions and the property are well done. I definitely felt a sense of foreboding - that creeping feeling up my neck that I get when I watch horror films. It made me want to tell Catherine to get out of there as fast as her little feet could carry her. I'm still shaking my head wondering what she is thinking staying there.
This being the first installment of the series, the book merely introduces the characters and the mysterious setting of the story; there is very little character development or development of a romance. As for the characters, Catherine seems to be a little flighty and illogical. Aside from putting herself in this precarious living situation, Catherine accepts the sister's clothing with a bit too much ease for that time period, and her decision to wear an expensive silk gown to the beach is completely illogical considering that any of her old gowns wouldn't be ruined in the sand and surf. Perhaps she is just selfish and inconsiderate and doesn't care whether she ruins the expensive new gowns she's been given. I will just have to read the next installment of the series to find out whether she is really this way, or whether we should forgive her thoughtlessness while she tries to get her bearings in this new reality of her life.
As far as historical integrity goes, I was not distracted by modern colloquialisms, but there was one glaring error that I would like to see addressed in future installments or re-released versions of this one: Catherine would not be referred to as "Ms." She would be a Miss. The title "Ms." did not come into use until the mid-1900's, and it was introduced in the U.S.A., not England.
Other than that, though, there were very few grammatical issues to distract from the scary castle and its inhabitants. I look forward to reading the next installment of the series, and can't wait to get answers to my myriad of questions: What is the truth behind the mystery surrounding the house? What really happened to Lord Montmoor's sister? What role does Cullen play? Why does Lord Montmoor not mix in society? Does Lord Montmoor win Catherine?
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6529
The story opens with Catherine Roth, who suffers from multiple heartbreaks in her life, is at turning point in her life. Not only has her father passed away, but his debts have left her without any money. She has no family to protect her or provide for her, and so she does what many young ladies in her position at that time did – she seeks a position as a governess.
Despite her best friend's warnings, Miss Roth accepts a position in the household of Lord Andrew Montmoor, a man whose family and estate are steeped in mystery, to tutor Lord Montmoor's sickly nephew, Cullen. From the moment she sets eyes on her new residence, she begins to doubt the wisdom of her decision. The castle is isolated, and she knows nobody who works in the castle or lives near it. The servants are few and inhospitable, and Catherine is given a bedroom a few doors down from Lord Montmoor's room.
Lord Montmoor is creepy, even by modern standards. He provides his sister's clothing for Catherine and seems to stalk her as she walks about the property. Add to all that irregularity, Catherine is not promptly introduced to her charge. Lord Montmoor and the housekeeper say that Cullen is too ill to meet her, but as time passes, you begin to wonder whether the nephew even exists. Catherine certainly isn't performing her duties as a governess, and she begins to wonder (as did I) what exactly she's doing there.
The description of Lord Montmoor's actions and the property are well done. I definitely felt a sense of foreboding - that creeping feeling up my neck that I get when I watch horror films. It made me want to tell Catherine to get out of there as fast as her little feet could carry her. I'm still shaking my head wondering what she is thinking staying there.
This being the first installment of the series, the book merely introduces the characters and the mysterious setting of the story; there is very little character development or development of a romance. As for the characters, Catherine seems to be a little flighty and illogical. Aside from putting herself in this precarious living situation, Catherine accepts the sister's clothing with a bit too much ease for that time period, and her decision to wear an expensive silk gown to the beach is completely illogical considering that any of her old gowns wouldn't be ruined in the sand and surf. Perhaps she is just selfish and inconsiderate and doesn't care whether she ruins the expensive new gowns she's been given. I will just have to read the next installment of the series to find out whether she is really this way, or whether we should forgive her thoughtlessness while she tries to get her bearings in this new reality of her life.
As far as historical integrity goes, I was not distracted by modern colloquialisms, but there was one glaring error that I would like to see addressed in future installments or re-released versions of this one: Catherine would not be referred to as "Ms." She would be a Miss. The title "Ms." did not come into use until the mid-1900's, and it was introduced in the U.S.A., not England.
Other than that, though, there were very few grammatical issues to distract from the scary castle and its inhabitants. I look forward to reading the next installment of the series, and can't wait to get answers to my myriad of questions: What is the truth behind the mystery surrounding the house? What really happened to Lord Montmoor's sister? What role does Cullen play? Why does Lord Montmoor not mix in society? Does Lord Montmoor win Catherine?
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6529
Only Scandal Will Do by Jenna Jaxon - 4 stars
ONLY SCANDAL WILL DO by Jenna Jaxon is a refreshing take on the 18th century romance even though it involves a rather horrid social issue (sex trade). I definitely would recommend this book, especially to those who enjoy reading about Georgian England but are tired of the same old story line. I might be persuaded to buy this book if there is a sequel or follow up book that does as well. Standing alone, this book was definitely enjoyable, and I give it 4 stars.
ONLY SCANDAL WILL DO tells the tale of Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam, an American woman, sister to an earl, and recent arrival to England, who is kidnapped on her way to a masquerade ball and sold at auction at a London brothel. Lady Katarina is purchased by Duncan Ferrers, the Marquess of Dalbury, who has just returned to England after a year in Italy, where he was hiding out until some family scandals blew over. Unfortunately, Duncan's penchant for redheads might land him in scandal yet again. He believes Katarina's protestations of innocence and claims of title are part of her character/disguise and so plays along, pretending to comfort her and calm her. She caves in to his attentions for a few moments until she realizes he does not believe her and is just trying to seduce her. Then, Lady Katarina demonstrates her American fortitude and knocks him out…literally.
After making it home without the police knowing the full truth of her experience and dealing with her brother's injuries obtained during her kidnapping, Lady Katarina begins to plan her return to America in order to avoid bringing scandal on the family. Meanwhile, Duncan discovers that Katarina was telling him the truth of her family and status in the ton. Seeking to avoid yet another scandal, he tracks her down and convinces her to marry him. This is not done so easily though, and Katarina truly believes that she is destined to be miserable in her marriage to a rake who only needs her money and an heir.
The relationship between hero and heroine here develops more naturally than is typical in the romance genre, lending it more credibility, and allowing the reader to be drawn in to the characters' lives more completely. The relationship develops over several months during which the hero is more understanding and less demanding than expected. I definitely felt the frustration of the hero and the uncertainty/insecurity of the heroine. The love scenes, although explicit, are appropriate in number and context - not too many and not ridiculous. The only point which strained credulity is when Duncan kisses Katarina full on the mouth after she's been puking her guts out for days. Somehow I really doubt that he would do that - kiss her forehead, her hand, yes, but not her lips.
The conclusion of the book is a total surprise. When the bad guy was revealed, I truly was taken aback, and that rarely happens to me these days. Usually, the ending and the villain are obvious after the first few chapters, but not here. The conclusion of this book also sets the foundation for the next book in the Dalbury family series, but I would have liked to have seen an epilogue that either teases out that potential or shows a more conclusive ending to Katarina and Duncan's story. As it is, the ending of this book is rather abrupt.
On the whole, I definitely enjoyed this book. It mixes a social issue that has been around for some time – the sex-slave trade – with your typical 18th century romance, and does it well. However, there are a few romance genre clichés I could do without, e.g., after the woman suffers a traumatic experience, the man leaves the woman to recover; she gets some notion in her head about what she can do while the man is out investigating, so she goes out without telling anyone or taking anyone with her. DUH! Of course she's going to get herself in hot water! Leave a note, woman! Take a servant. Do something to protect yourself when you leave the safety of your home. This kind of situation occurs all too frequently in the historical romance genre, and I would like to see Katarina stick to how she's been written. Here, Lady Katarina is written as a reasonably intelligent woman, but all sense flies out the window at one point, and there is never any explanation about that divergence of character. A few lines of dialogue could have explained why she acted as she did after the situation was resolved without compromising the tempo of the book. Overall, though, the book exceeded my expectations, and if there is a follow-up book that improves on this one while continuing the Dalbury family saga, I might just add them to my library.
A Note about cover art: The cover art here could have been more indicative of the substance of the book. It is helpful to me as a reader when the cover art is connected to the actual substance of the book. Many books are labeled "bodice rippers" because of the cover art – featuring a half-naked man and a woman whose dress is being ripped off in a moment of passion. I am generally turned off by these books because they seem to indicate that the writing is so lacking in plot that they only way to make a sale is via a scandalous looking cover. Some of these books have much more substance than the typical bodice ripper and feature real people in situations that could actually happen. I have recently stumbled across these books where the cover art was not actually shown until after the book was purchased and downloaded.
Here, the cover art does not really reflect the book. The man could have been dressed in a domino & black mask and the woman in an Athena/Greek goddess inspired white dress and a white mask. This would reflect how the two actually meet in the book and lend more credibility to the writing. I know, I know. The book is categorized as a romance and so the cover art should reflect that. I just think it's possible to have both the substance and the genre represented in the cover art.
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6328
Monday, June 4, 2012
A Catch of Consequence by Diana Norman - 3 stars
This was not a romantic book. I'm not sure whether it was proffered as such when I first came across the overview. The writing is excellent, but I gave it only 3 stars because it is ridiculously depressing. I cried a good deal through the second half. The ending is bittersweet, and there is a moral to the story. As soon as I finish blowing my nose and drying my eyes, I'll try to figure out what it is.
A Catch of Consequence is about a Bostonian tavern owner, Makepeace Burke, who saves an English lord from drowning after being chucked in the river by some Patriots. She nurses him back to health only to become the target of civil unrest. The English lord, Phillip Dapifer, had come to America to get a quiet divorce from his adulterous wife, Catty. Phillip doesn't feel right leaving Makepeace in Boston after her tavern is burned, and he takes her to England. They get married on the ship, and land in serious drama in London. Even though she has received a very generous divorce settlement, Catty sues Phillip for divorce on the grounds of bigamy, alleging that he was still married to her when he married Makepeace. Makepeace gets pregnant, and in a ridiculously unwise move, tries to make peace with Catty. In an intemperate move, Makepeace reveals that she is pregnant, and oh, do the games begin. I won't give any more of the story away, mostly because it is just too depressing. I can say this for certain though - Update your wills, including guardianship of any children you may have, every YEAR, and keep them in a safe deposit box where no conniving ex can get to them. Seriously. The ruination faced in this book by the characters could have been completely avoided, but such is the nature of stories with morals behind them. There are things to learn here, and not all of them are pleasant.
This book is appropriate for those 16+ because of thematic elements. Other than some occasional language that would make this a rated R film, it is relatively clean.
A Catch of Consequence is about a Bostonian tavern owner, Makepeace Burke, who saves an English lord from drowning after being chucked in the river by some Patriots. She nurses him back to health only to become the target of civil unrest. The English lord, Phillip Dapifer, had come to America to get a quiet divorce from his adulterous wife, Catty. Phillip doesn't feel right leaving Makepeace in Boston after her tavern is burned, and he takes her to England. They get married on the ship, and land in serious drama in London. Even though she has received a very generous divorce settlement, Catty sues Phillip for divorce on the grounds of bigamy, alleging that he was still married to her when he married Makepeace. Makepeace gets pregnant, and in a ridiculously unwise move, tries to make peace with Catty. In an intemperate move, Makepeace reveals that she is pregnant, and oh, do the games begin. I won't give any more of the story away, mostly because it is just too depressing. I can say this for certain though - Update your wills, including guardianship of any children you may have, every YEAR, and keep them in a safe deposit box where no conniving ex can get to them. Seriously. The ruination faced in this book by the characters could have been completely avoided, but such is the nature of stories with morals behind them. There are things to learn here, and not all of them are pleasant.
This book is appropriate for those 16+ because of thematic elements. Other than some occasional language that would make this a rated R film, it is relatively clean.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
The Proposal by Mary Balogh - 4 stars
This novel is a breath of fresh air in the historical romance genre. It is deeply philosophical and addresses such topics as death, guilt, regret, class distinctions/boundaries, spirituality and the reasons for living. Can two people from different classes and very different backgrounds succeed in a relationship? The two main characters in this book show that it is possible if you truly love each other.
Gwendoline, Lady Muir, is a widow of 7 years, and while visiting a recently-widowed acquaintance, sprains her ankle on the property of a Duke. The Duke just happens to be housing the members of The Survivors' Club, a group of people in recovery from their war experiences, and one of the members, Hugo Emes, Lord Trentham, comes to Lady Muir's aid. Hugo's title was bestowed on him for services he rendered to the crown during the Napoleonic War - he is known as the Hero of Badajoz- and he is not comfortable with his elevation in status. He is from a very wealthy middle-class family and has little respect for the aristocracy. So it is a difficult twist of fate for him as he falls in love with Lady Muir. He has to adapt himself to her world in order to give his sister the chance to live life to the fullest and experience the upper class lifestyle of the ton. But fitting in to the ton is not enough for their relationship to last, and Gwen ultimately must attempt to fit into his world as well. Ultimately they make it work.
I enjoyed the interactions of the characters a great deal. They were realistic and have substance. My only issue with the writing was that sometimes the language used was too modern for the 1800's, and occasionally phrases like "head over ears" were used instead of "head over heals". Mary Balogh is Welsh and lives in Canada, so that may explain some of the figures of speech, but the book was published by Random House in the US. So you would think that the editors there would have caught the inconsistencies.
This book would be rated R for sexuality, but the love scenes are not gratuitous. The book is solidly based on the development of the characters as people and not the development of their sexual relationship, as is so common in the romance genre. The characters spend time together and their relationship develops through dialogue covering deep and heartfelt topics.
Gwendoline, Lady Muir, is a widow of 7 years, and while visiting a recently-widowed acquaintance, sprains her ankle on the property of a Duke. The Duke just happens to be housing the members of The Survivors' Club, a group of people in recovery from their war experiences, and one of the members, Hugo Emes, Lord Trentham, comes to Lady Muir's aid. Hugo's title was bestowed on him for services he rendered to the crown during the Napoleonic War - he is known as the Hero of Badajoz- and he is not comfortable with his elevation in status. He is from a very wealthy middle-class family and has little respect for the aristocracy. So it is a difficult twist of fate for him as he falls in love with Lady Muir. He has to adapt himself to her world in order to give his sister the chance to live life to the fullest and experience the upper class lifestyle of the ton. But fitting in to the ton is not enough for their relationship to last, and Gwen ultimately must attempt to fit into his world as well. Ultimately they make it work.
I enjoyed the interactions of the characters a great deal. They were realistic and have substance. My only issue with the writing was that sometimes the language used was too modern for the 1800's, and occasionally phrases like "head over ears" were used instead of "head over heals". Mary Balogh is Welsh and lives in Canada, so that may explain some of the figures of speech, but the book was published by Random House in the US. So you would think that the editors there would have caught the inconsistencies.
This book would be rated R for sexuality, but the love scenes are not gratuitous. The book is solidly based on the development of the characters as people and not the development of their sexual relationship, as is so common in the romance genre. The characters spend time together and their relationship develops through dialogue covering deep and heartfelt topics.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
The Wife Trap by Tracy Anne Warren - 3 stars
Generally speaking, this book is your standard romantic drama. Lady Jeanette Rose Brandtford, daughter of an earl and twin to the now Duchess of Raeburn, Violet, has been sent off to visit her eccentric cousins in Ireland after causing quite a scandal in London by doing the old twin switch-a-roo at her wedding to the Duke of Raeburn. Apparently Jeanette was in love with another guy, Toddy, and so thought they would marry. I think all this back story may be in another of Tracy Anne Warren's books, but I haven't checked. It seems the perfect topic for a book. Anyhoo, Jeanette has a chance meeting with a guy named Darragh O'Brien, and then finds out he is the architect for the renovations on her cousins' estate. She does not know that he is also the Earl of Mulholland, and so when sparks fly between them, she is convinced there is no future for them. They have quite the little battle going on about what time the renovation work begins in the morning. Jeanette is used to London hours and so wakes late, but manual labor on the house must begin with the sun. Her antics are childish, but still funny.
The rest of the story is what you would expect - them ending up married. However, along the way, there is some very real heartache, and pride keeps these two persons from a happy marriage. There are times I really thought that they wouldn't make it, despite the fact that this is a romance and so must have a happy ending. Their story definitely promotes humility and full honesty in a relationship.
Rated R for sexuality. Most of the book is fairly tame - lots of kissing - but then about 3/4 of the way through the book, things get more intense between them. I give the book 3 stars because the plot moved a little slow throughout most of the book, and then wrapped up like lightening. The book also did not have an epilogue, so we did not have an opportunity to see the felicitous couple after they settled into life. Perhaps that is because there is another book, The Wedding Trap, after it that tells the story of Eliza Hammond, Violet's close friend and companion. Regardless, I would have liked to see either a slower, more developed conclusion to this story, or an epilogue.
The rest of the story is what you would expect - them ending up married. However, along the way, there is some very real heartache, and pride keeps these two persons from a happy marriage. There are times I really thought that they wouldn't make it, despite the fact that this is a romance and so must have a happy ending. Their story definitely promotes humility and full honesty in a relationship.
Rated R for sexuality. Most of the book is fairly tame - lots of kissing - but then about 3/4 of the way through the book, things get more intense between them. I give the book 3 stars because the plot moved a little slow throughout most of the book, and then wrapped up like lightening. The book also did not have an epilogue, so we did not have an opportunity to see the felicitous couple after they settled into life. Perhaps that is because there is another book, The Wedding Trap, after it that tells the story of Eliza Hammond, Violet's close friend and companion. Regardless, I would have liked to see either a slower, more developed conclusion to this story, or an epilogue.
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz - 4 stars
OK, so here is a review of a non-romantic drama. This book is actually better described as a dark comedy. The writing is witty and the characters do funny things, but if you take a step back, you realize how dysfunctional the Spellman family is. I give it 4 stars instead of 5 because the ending felt a bit abrupt, and it definitely was not the happy ending I desired after the rest of the sadness in the book. If this were a movie, it would be rated R for language, thematic elements and some sensuality.
The Spellman Files is about Isabel Spellman and her family, all private investigators except for her brother, David, who is a corporate attorney. The story is told in a manner similar to the Lost TV series - you get a bit of present day drama and then a lot of back story/ family history. Ultimately, the big mystery is what happened to the 14 year old Rae Spellman. She is missing, and in order to find her, Izzy recounts the family's history to the detective investigating her little sister's disappearance. I won't spoil the book for you, but let's just say that the writing is real. This is no fluff piece that you read when you want to feel good, but as I said earlier, the book is also funny. The characters' dialogue is witty and sharp, and some of the things they do are outrageous. I enjoyed this book immensely, but would have preferred a happier ending.
The Spellman Files is about Isabel Spellman and her family, all private investigators except for her brother, David, who is a corporate attorney. The story is told in a manner similar to the Lost TV series - you get a bit of present day drama and then a lot of back story/ family history. Ultimately, the big mystery is what happened to the 14 year old Rae Spellman. She is missing, and in order to find her, Izzy recounts the family's history to the detective investigating her little sister's disappearance. I won't spoil the book for you, but let's just say that the writing is real. This is no fluff piece that you read when you want to feel good, but as I said earlier, the book is also funny. The characters' dialogue is witty and sharp, and some of the things they do are outrageous. I enjoyed this book immensely, but would have preferred a happier ending.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1) by J.R. Ward - 3 stars
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.
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.
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.
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