A Gift to Remember (A Book Set During Christmas)

Pro: A cozy read
Con: Too long, not really my cup of tea.

The Bottom Line: If you want a Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan-esque type of story, then this could be for you.

I quickly realized, as Christmas was coming up, that there was a slot in the Reading Challenge for a book that takes place during Christmas. So after digging around I decided since I'd never read a Christmas romance book, I'd do that. But then I couldn't decide which I wanted, so I ended picking up two. Surprise.

A Gift to Remember by Melissa Hill sounded cute and fun. Darcy Archer works a bookstore, is a bit of a dreamer, and has a pretty cozy little life - until she runs over some poor guy out walking his dog. When he wakes up, he has amnesia, and Darcy takes it upon herself to help him remember who he is - and the possibility is pretty impressive. Is Darcy right? And moreover - is he Mr. Right?

I liked the premise - let's face it, Darcy sounds like me. And her customers definitely sound like some of the idiot customers we get. And it also reminded me of While You Were Sleeping. After a large chunk of Darcy narration, you suddenly split off into first person with Aidan (the memory loss guy), so you get a chance to try and piece things together along with Darcy. It had it's cute moments (though most of those were dog-related) and the atmosphere was lovely...but ultimately this wasn't the book for me.

It went on for far too long. Darcy spends the vast majority of the book musing about everything. From wondering about Aidan's apartment acroutrements to watching all the storefronts fly by while she rides her bike. For a 405 page book about figuring out who a guy with amnesia is, there's not enough actual meat to make it interesting. Darcy goes and does things for Aidan. Darcy goes home and muses about things. Darcy goes and does other stuff. Darcy eventually sees Aiden for a few pages. Darcy leaves to go do more stuff. I was beginning to get impatient. Because she's busy off doing all sorts of other things for him, there's rarely any interaction between the two. And given how giant the leap was from the end chapter to the epilogue, I was disappointed.

I guess I should have known better as on the book it says, "a novel" which in my brain typically means the book is shelved in fiction rather than romance, so the romance is going to be at a minimum, but I've read other non-romance books with more romance in them. Still, I know that this is the sort of novel that plenty of people love, and though there were other elements involved that made me kind of twitch, but it was a matter of suspending disbelief and moving on. In terms of figuring out who Aiden really is, it's predictable, but only if you're already used to looking at the least common denominator, which after years of R.L. Stine, I am. So the surprise wasn't really a surprise to me at all. Still, points awarded for doing a very good red herring job that I'm sure many other people have and will fall for, and there's no shame in that at all.

For a cozy, read-by-the-fire book with a cup of cocoa an dnothing better to do, go for it. But if you want more kissing and more interaction between your leading lady and gentleman, you may want to look elsewhere.

NT

P.S. Er, can we also stop with the obsession with Jane Austin? Yes, that's Darcy's namesake, and yes, she wishes for that kind of romance too - just like so many other romance characters. There are other people to choose from, you know. Just saying.

When a Scot Ties the Knot (A Book Set in a Different Country)

 

Pro: It's an enjoyable Highland romance - what else do you want?

Con: Nah.

 

The Bottom Line: Fun romance to read in the tub with some chocolate. Or whenever.

It started out as a joke. One of my co-workers requested I make an entire recommendation shelf devoted to romance books with giggle-worthy titles. The prank was that another co-worker's name would be on the recommendations - which he would never make. As I scanned various titles (including Wallbanger, and Sex Becomes Her), this one did indeed make me giggle, so I added it to the shelf. (Please note, I do enjoy romance and know that it's a huge industry. Our prank wasn't to make fun of that - but just to get a reaction from someone.)

To be fair, the reaction we got was pretty great.

But as I read up on the summaries of these books to at least make some sense in the recommendation (fake though they were), this one did happen to catch my interest. And I already knew Tessa Dare was an accomplished romance author. So I ended up picking up a copy from the library.

Maddie doesn't want to be out in English society. She'd rather stay away from balls and dancing and social gatherings. Instead, she aspires to be an accomplished artist and enjoys the quiet solitude of her own company. But when the pressure is on, she thinks up a quick lie that spirals out of control. She creates Captain Logan MacKenzie, a sweetheart she met while away (as her family hoped she might). For years their "correspondence" goes on as he is away in the military. Until finally she realizes she can't keep up the charade and conjures up his death. Which is fine, since he's not even real.

Until he is. And he's on her doorstep. And he's mad about everything - and ready to collect on the marriage and everything that comes with it.

I wanted to know just how the hell this guy showed up. How did someone she create become real? So I read. And it made sense. I mean, why not?

Each character's motivations work well. Logan wants a place for his men, Maddie can finally stop feeling like a fraud. Except she's not too keen on consummating the marriage and making it official. Marrying a stranger isn't exactly appealing, especially when his desires don't include her in the least. So her goal is to try and find the letters and destroy them. Then he'll have no proof over her and she can get out of this little debacle.

I had a good time reading this and I found it different in that there wasn't ever a bad guy. No clear-cut antagonist beyond Logan and Maddie's reservations around one another. Which is interesting. I kept waiting for someone to pop up and cause trouble, but it never happened. I guess it's because I'm used to those sorts of things in romance. There wasn't ever really a huge misunderstanding between the two, either - another barrier that tends to crop up in romances. I mean, there was one small one, but it wasn't anything major and was resolved pretty quickly. So it felt different, but that was all right.

It's a fun little romp if you need a good bit of romance to keep you entertained. It's your classic timid English girl and sexy Highland scot pairing, but that's always enjoyable to read - especially when the setting is out and about in the wild open world of Scotland, complete with beautiful vistas, lochs, and the occasional bog for our hero to pluck the heroine from. Enjoy.

NT

The Goblin King - No, Not Jareth

Pros: Some fun ideas
Cons: Could have been so much better...

The Bottom Line: I wanted a good romance book for some fun, fluff reading.  ...Meh.

I keep finding books at work that I want to read, despite the fact that I have a truckload of books on my To Be Read list.  (I swear, one more random book, then I’ll hit the list.  Promise).  And I admit, I’m one of those silly girls who was a sucker for the movie Labyrinth and who likes fairytale stories.  So when I saw The Goblin King on the cart, I couldn’t just ignore it.  Besides, I’d been feeling romancey so I figured, why not?

Roan is a Celtic king (aren’t they always).  At least, he was until a druid cursed him and his men.  Now he has a gold heart and lives in the Shadowlands.  Slowly but surely, they’re fading into goblins, creatures with goldlust in their hearts and no souls to speak of.  So when Eliza, a girl who once called for his help, calls again, he goes to her.  But she’s a grown woman now who knows what she wants.  It may be that Eliza will be able to save him – or push him into the world of goblins forever.

Sounds like fun, right?  It was, a little, but overall I was getting impatient.  I didn’t ever really get a sense of connection with Eliza, and the two threats within the book weren’t very threatening.  At all.  Eliza had to worry about her corrupt fiancée Steve, but I kept waiting for him to become abusive…but he didn’t.  In which case I finally realized Eliza was a little stupid.  The druid threatening Roan and his men just sort of lurked around, occasionally popping up.  It was mentioned why he cursed them, why he was there, and so forth, but his overall motivation was weak, especially after so many years.  And when he finally did attack Eliza, it was like no one understood how he did it since he wasn’t supposed to be able to do a lot of things.  It was as though the author painted herself into a corner and managed to just squeak out of it because – I assumed – the druid used magic they didn’t know he could do.  Likewise, he was defeated way too easily.

The romance between Eliza and Roan wasn’t very convincing either.  There was no real buildup.  No sense of attraction between the two other than “she’s hot, he’s hot” thing.  Sure, we do get the occasional “Eliza’s got that fiery spirit in her eyes” thing and the “Oh Roan’s such a sensitive guy” bit, but overall they knew essentially nothing about each other and just jumped into bed yippee-skippy.  Heck, near the end of the story, even Eliza admits to herself that she knows virtually nothing about the guy.

(Oh, and by the way, why was Roan’s brother such a jerk?  That reasoning didn’t seem to make sense either.)

I’ll give Shona Husk points for the whole goblin bit, how Roan looks like a goblin in our world and you knew that Eliza would have to get over that bit in a Beauty and the Beast type way for everyone to live happily ever after.  In the general fairytale sense, it was nice, but I still think there’s room for a lot of improvement.  Things could have been added, a lot of the angsty stuff could be removed because it got repetitive, there were some areas that tended to contradict one another, there were occasional point of view shifts right in the middle of a section without a break, and I ran across three typos.

It’s not bad, but I was hoping for a lot more.  There’s to be a second book coming out featuring Roan’s brother Dai, but I don’t think I’ll be reading it.

My recommendation here is a weak one.  I offer that because I know there are people out there who will enjoy this a lot more than I did.

NT

Originally posted on Epinions.com

Bet Me - Cute Shoes

Pros: A book with a woman at a healthy size instead of that 00 crap.
Cons: How many times can the whole guys-betting-on-women stuff be done?

The Bottom Line: Cute. Not phenomenal, but cute.

When I was in a writing program, before each residency we read from one of the chosen genres that time around. At that time, it was Romance’s turn and they chose Bet Me by Jennifer Cruise. Not a bad choice.

Our main girl is Minerva Dobbs (or just Min) who overhears a bet being made between ex-boyfriend/dirtbag David and playboy Calvin. Ten thousand dollars says Cal can’t get Min into bed within a month. Now the hitch – what exactly does Min hear? Does Calvin really take the bet? And why on Earth do they keep bumping into each other for? Is it really fate?

That’s the book in a major nutshell, really. There’s Min’s friends, her sister’s wedding, everyone’s parents, David, and Calvin’s ex-girlfriend to deal with. While it isn’t a layered book, obviously, it does well in keeping from turning boring. I mean, after all, who reading this hasn’t heard of the whole men-betting-on-women plot? It’s one of those books you read for fun, to enjoy yourself while you’re on break at work or just kicking back and drinking a cup of coffee.

Likewise, the characters aren’t horribly 3D either, but I doubt you’ll much care because they’re fleshed out enough to get all the points across. You quickly start to hate David, you think Cal’s ex-girlfriend has major issues, and even if you don’t believe in one of Min’s friends hooking up ridiculously fast with one of Cal’s buddies, it’s no big deal. Hey, nothing wrong with hoping and believing in the fairy tale, right? It’s all about the happily ever after.

There’s plenty of sexual tension in the book, but very little sex (in case you’re curious). Half the time you’re just hanging out with Min and her friends, Min and Cal, or Min elsewhere probably thinking about Cal. Yet it’s still rather entertaining, though I still wish Min would have lost it on her mother the same way she stood up to Cal’s parents. Which, by the way, leads me into the size issue of Min. I’ve read other romance books and remember hearing about flat stomachs, trim waists, blah blah blah. Here, I was delighted to find that Min was a lovely-sized girl, likely a 10 or 12. I wanted her to freak out on her mother because her mom kept telling her she was fat – a ridiculous claim because 10 or 12 is NOT fat by any means. Frankly, I’ve heard that’s the size most women either are, or should be. It was just nice for a change to read about a heroine who wasn’t a size 4 and under (while I, ironically, am a size 4 – metabolism through mom). And anyway, starving oneself is not going to make you lose weight anyway, so that’s a pathetic “diet option.”

Er, right, the book. Sorry about that. I’m just sick of the stereotype crap. Anywho, it’s a fun book. Bright and chipper, with the necessary amount of tension and happy clapping at the end (no, no one actually claps, but you might in a sort of “yay!” fashion). Actually, I think the part I liked the best was the last chapter where you get to hear what happened to everyone once the happily ever after part went through. I always have loved the end tidbits that let you know where everyone went.

So yeah. Go read it. Enjoy. Oh, and about the title - Min has a lot of fun, unique shoes. And yes, there is a reason for them.

NT

Originally published on Epinions.com.

Metro Girl - It Ain't Stephanie Plum

Pros: A fun read on a nice day, interesting plot
Cons: You can easily see the Stephanie Plum in it.

The Bottom Line: I still maintain that Josh Holloway would be the best candidate for the part of Sam Hooker.

At the time, I was still waiting on Plum Lovin’, the midway novel between books #12 and #13 in Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. I spotted Metro Girl, which is outside of the series, and stood there for a moment before having one of those “Eh, why not?” moments and plucking it off the shelf.

Ok, it’s not Stephanie Plum…but it is. Here’s the rundown.

Alexandra “Barney” Barnaby is a regular gal. Average, works for an insurance company, lives in Baltimore, has a rather unexciting life just like most people. Then her brother Bill calls from Miami around 2am one night, not making much sense, then there’s a scream and he disconnects. Not exactly something a sister ever wants to hear from a sibling. She flies down only to find Bill is missing and he’s “borrowed” popular NASCAR driver Sam Hooker’s boat. Hooker figures his best chance at finding Bill and his boat is to stick with Alex – but that might be a bad choice considering now there are many unsavory characters after them because of what Bill has done. Everyone is getting a bit more than they bargained for when it comes to Bill’s actions, leading to something about Cuban gold and an extremely dangerous item that cannot fall into the wrong hands.

Let’s say for a moment you’ve never read any of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books. In that case, you’re pretty well off. Sure, the characters don’t have too much depth, surprisingly especially Alexandra even though she’s narrating the story in first person. We only get the surface info on everyone, even though Alex throws out tidbits of her life here and there, we just never seem to truly get into anyone. And, by the way, it is way too easy for some things to happen; Alex has never been to Miami before and yet it’s like she has connections everywhere. She meets two women for maybe 10 minutes and already they’re digging up information for her like they work for the CIA. Yeah, you can find anything on a computer these days, but it still bugged me a little. And then Hooker had some ridiculously impressive connections as well. Sorry, it’s just a little too easy. Not sure how you would do it otherwise, but still.

Along those same lines, some people react in ways you’ll probably think, “No one would do that.” Or if they did, it wouldn’t be in the same manner. For example, the two get threatened that if they don’t stop looking for Bill, they’ll be killed, and yet they continue like it’s no big deal. Maybe you would continue, but you’d be a whole hell of a lot more careful and paranoid, at least I’d think so. In the end it’s all about the fun of the plot and multiple characters. They’re fun as well, don’t get me wrong, the whole book is amusing to read and will entertain you until you finish it. I do like the plot though, it’s nice and different. And as usual Evanovich has the sort of dialogue that will make you chuckle out loud.

Now say you’ve read the Stephanie Plum series. You can easily see a lot of the characters translated over to this book. They’re not exactly the same, but you can see elements of them, as well as some of the similarities in the way people act and things they say. Alex sort of bumbles around like Stephanie, she hates guns like her, and uses some of the same vocab. Hooker is his own man, though he has plenty of Morelli-like elements. Rosa is Lula, Maria is Connie, Judey is Sally Sweet, and you have a semi-psychotic bad guy who does the whole reveal-my-entire-plan thing, and two guys that Alex and Hooker keep bumping into and manage to escape each time. It’s different enough that you can enjoy it for what it is, but I’m sure Stephanie Plum elements are going to pop into your brain now and then as you read along.

Despite all that, it was a pretty decent book. It isn’t going to win any awards and it’s not going to become a classic, but if you’re impatient for some Stephanie Plum-like stuff or just want something fun to read, this is your book.

NT

Originally posted on Epinions.com

Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland - The Perfect Shade of Blue

 
Pro: The perfect summer read and exactly what I needed (and hoped it would be!)

Con: Nothing, really.

 

The Bottom Line:  I needed a fun, perky summer book and this one was just what the doctor ordered.

 

 

The second I saw this book at work and read the summary, I wanted to read it. I finally managed to crack it open when I had a few days off, the sun was out, and I could sit poolside and enjoy it. And enjoy it I did.

 

Cricket Thompson is thrilled that she can finally see the beautiful island that is Nantucket when her friend Jules invites her to stay with her family. But when tragedy strikes, the plans go awry, and Cricket ends up on Nantucket alone. Luckily she manages to get a job – it’s not exactly a dream come true, but at least she’s still on the island. Where white sandy beaches stretch out, some surprises await, and she might just fall in love with a boy she never expected to grow close to – and one that she’s really supposed to stay away from.

 

I liked this book from the start. Cricket is a character that you can really get into. She’s lively on the page, and you get a great feel for the friendship she and Jules have, which is excellent considering that the big tragedy that one usually finds near the middle or in this case maybe even at the end of the book happens right away. I have to say, it’s been a while since I’ve read a book where something that big happens at that juncture, and that alone made this book worth reading.

 

I loved Leila Howland’s writing. I loved her descriptions of Nantucket, from the houses to the scenery. Heck, after reading this book I really wanted to go to Nantucket – or at least the beach. There was plenty going on to keep everything interesting; a few little side stories to run alongside the main conflict kept me reading even when I got to a point where I thought I should stop and save some book for later. Nope. I gobbled this book up in one day. It’s also why I opted for a teen summer read rather than an adult one. While there is some sadness and necessary issues, they don’t overflow off of the pages. Main characters aren’t depressed and love isn’t all that complicated (I tried Kristin Hannah’s On Mystic Lake next – I still haven’t finished it because everyone is always soooo sad or torn about something).

 

I think my only qualm was I didn’t quite get how old Jules’s brother was from the get-go, so it was hard for me to picture some scenes later on. He was labeled as Jules’s younger brother so I automatically bumped him down to about 14. But that might also be because I’m 29 and not 17 anymore.

 

I really do recommend this book for one last summer fling. Buy it for a beach read, an escape into summer (during winter), or just for a good story. I know I’m happy to have it on my shelf.

 

NT

 

 

Notes from the playlist: "A Strange New World" by Brian D'oliveira

Recommended for Shameless Self Promotion

 Blood for Wolves by Me!

Yep. I have finally done it. I self published my book. I went the ebook route for now just to test the waters. I love it, naturally, so I guess the question will boil down to - will you?

As a wolf biologist, Caroline McKenna hates those old fairytales where the wolf is always the bad guy.

Except when she tries to keep a lost little girl from drowning in a pond, she ends up in the Kingdom of Red—where wolves are the bad guys.

And the girl she tried to save? Nowhere to be found.

Now, Caroline has no idea how to get home, and the Kingdom—once ruled by Little Red Riding Hood herself—is in trouble. Her only guide is a man named Wolf, whose golden eyes and oh-my-what-big-teeth-you-have are as startling as they are enticing. Caroline isn’t willing to leave without knowing the young girl is safe, but that means sticking with Wolf. Especially since her only other option is to wander around a fairytale forest alone.

But that means facing dangerous creatures and evil enchantments. There is more happening in the Kingdom than anyone realizes, and if Caroline wants to stay alive she has to figure out her role in this story—and she knows Wolf isn’t telling her everything.

 Notes from the playlits: "Half Acre" by Hem

Desperately Seeking Shapeshifter by Jessica Sims - Werebears and Werewolves? I'm In.

Pros: Sara and Ramsey make a cute couple.

Cons: Ugh.  Why are wolves always a-holes?

The Bottom Line: Aside from my aversion to the description of pack behavior, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

As much as I railed on Beauty Dates the Beast, I was still really intrigued about the next book, Desperately Seeking Shapeshifter.  Why?  Because I wanted to see if the protagonist’s sister, Sara, would actually meet up with some friendly werewolves, and if she and Ramsey would hook up.  That and the little teaser at the end made it seem possible for those to work.

In a nutshell, Sara didn’t even know werewolves existed until an abusive boyfriend bit her up and changed her.  She’s been having a horrid time ever since, not having any guidance on how to shift and afraid of being found out by other shifters – primarily werewolves.  But it’s happened, so now the only thing to do in order to stay away from them is to pretend to be another shifter’s mate.  And that shifter happens to be Ramsey – a werebear.  Makes perfect sense, right?

I loved the interaction between Sara and Ramsey.  The tension between them was very well done with some pretty strong reasons that they shouldn’t or couldn’t come together in reality, and that once the ruse was over, they would go their separate ways.  That made it all the more tasty when certain steamy moments appeared.  I also just really loved Ramsey.  He’s not your typical suave guy that appears in romance books, but instead the strong silent type that does his thing until the right button is pushed.  And extra points for being a werebear.  I have never seen that before and it’s a cool change.  Especially since I’m bored with werecougars and werepanthers always being the sexy, love you forever types. Wild cats are loners, fyi.

Which sort of brings me to the irritation I have with the wolf pack.  I really hoped that Sara would meet some nice ones, but ultimately those hopes were dashed.  While I’m able to suspend my disbelief *just* enough to accept that humans that shift into werewolves are probably going to run by their own rules and humans can be jackasses, it still drives me absolutely up the wall that there are no real wolf rules involved anytime someone writes about werewolves that are in a pack, aside from the inclusion of an alpha. (By the way, there’s a female and male alpha in a wolf pack – everyone seems to neglect this.  At least here the author acknowledges that the alpha’s mate died.)  Once again wolves get the short end of the stick and that makes me nuts.  I could lay out so many reasons why the pack dynamic didn’t work for me, but that’s a dissertation in itself. Suffice to say that people are jerks and they’re royally screwing up whatever wolf they have in them.  Granted, I shouldn’t be whining about supernatural creatures, but if you’re going to shift into an actual wolf and have wolf tendencies rather than into a half-man, half-wolf rage monster, then you might as well inject the rest of the reality into it.

Aside from the fact that I’m bringing up real world animal social behavior (because I’m like that), I had a great time reading this book.  I wanted to read it so much that when I finally saw it at work I snatched I up, set it aside, and bought it at the end of my shift. Then I was up until 2am reading it.  I liked how Sara finally took charge at the end and though I could have seen a different and almost more satisfying ending, it still gives you the happily ever after that you want, and isn’t that what matters?  Besides, maybe the pair I’m thinking of will end up in a future book...

It's a lot of fun so if you're looking for some supernatural romance goodness, this is a good place to be.  There will be another book in this series, but I don't know if I'm going to read it because the focus shifts back to were-cougars and I've never been all that interested in them.  Maybe because I'm not a cat person?

Notes from the playlist: "Peponi (Paradise)" by The Piano Guys

Currently Reading

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones

 

I've been reading this series and relatively enjoying it. Reyes is always a bit of a treat and I love how Jones writes him in the pages and how Charlie always reacts to him. It's an interesting story so far, though I have to admit the fact that people openly acknowledge that they have information that could probably very useful to Charlie bugs me. That she doesn't ever get annoyed enough to even demand they hand over that knowledge drives me nuts. But oh well. Entertaining. Though I am starting to get to that point that I'd be okay with the series ending. However, with the way things are going, it feels like there's probably at least one more book in the works.  Hard to say right now whether or not I'd be interested though. Maybe if it were the last one. If not, dunno. But until then, I raise a glass and say, "More Reyes!"

 

Notes from the playlist: "One Way Trip" by Alan Silvestri

The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst - What Good is a Marriage Without Money?

Pros: A fun romantic romp with a pretty decent plot, actually.

Cons: Some of those over-the-top corny moments.

The Bottom Line: For a good contemporary romance with the classic happy ending, you can't go wrong with this book.

Yet another book spotted at work that I decided would be fun to read.  I’ve been on a smidgeon of a romance kick, and this sounded entertaining.  Good job Jennifer Probst, and good job me for finding it.

Alexa is in a pickle.  Her business is doing well, but not quite well enough.  Her parents are struggling to make payments on their house, and there isn’t much time left before the bank will take it away.  Too bad there isn’t anyone around with a truckload of money to pony up.

Nick’s situation isn’t much better.  If he doesn’t want to be stuck owning half of the company he helped build up, then he’s got to marry, all thanks to his semi-wacky uncle who believed so strongly in the power of family that he made it a provision in his will.  Nick has to marry for at least one year or he doesn’t get the company.  If only there was a woman who could view such a marriage as a business transaction and not a serious thing.

Hmmm...

Of course, we all know what’s going to happen.  Especially since Nick and Alexa knew each other as kids and their go-between is Nick’s sister, Maggie.  Their conflict is that they’re both trying to keep things business, and that’s really difficult to do when they’re both hot for one another.  Yet Alexa tries to keep her distance because she knows that Nick isn’t the settle down and live happily ever after type – and he knows it too.

But people can change, right?

It was fun to watch their little exchanges together.  Nick is a typical businessman alpha male: nice house, no pets, quiet lifestyle.  Alexa is fun-loving, fosters rescue pets so they don’t have to get put down, loves her family, and enjoys food.  Probst brought in an additional tweak that I liked and she made good use of – Nick is a Yankees fan and Alexa is a Mets fan.  Oh the rivalry.

Some might argue that it’s silly that Alexa didn’t just tell him why she needed the money, but I’m actually good with her reasoning.  For the longest time she can’t really trust Nick so who knows what his reaction might be after finding out.  Personally, I could even see him scoffing at her in a, “Ugh, why would you want to bother?  Families are awful,” kind of way since his own past is all damaged and he can’t help but take it out on others.  So I’m actually quite happy with how things played out.  I’m tired of miscommunications and here it was more of zero communication with good reasons and it makes for a nice change.

I was very satisfied with this book, although yes, it does contain some over-the-top corny moments with language that is a bit too dramatic than what I think is necessary, but hey, that’s just me.  Overall, I had a great time reading it and if you like contemporary romances, I think you will too.

Notes from the playlist: "Like Sugar" by Matchbox Twenty

Beauty Dates the Beast by Jessica Sims - Rawr

Pros: A fun romp with shapeshifting goodness
Cons: A lot of inconsistencies and some unanswered questions

The Bottom Line: Despite some hiccups and the like, I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the Midnight Liaisons series.

After skimming through my copy of My Fair Succubus, I discovered a sliver of this book at the end. One of those little preview deals. I enjoyed it – and then spent forever tying to find the flipping book. Turns out Beauty Dates the Beast is under the name Jessica Sims, one of Jill Myles’s pseudonyms. Good to know.

Bathsheba is human – she just happens to work for Midnight Liaisons, a dating agency that caters to the more “special” clients in the city. From shifters to vampires, harpies to doppelgangers, if you need a date, then Midnight Liaisons is for you. But when Beau Russell’s date cancels on him, Bathsheba is in a panic. He needs a date and decides Bathsheba is his girl. Even though a human dating a shifter is strictly a no-no in the business, she might get fired anyway for losing the account. Besides, how much trouble could one little date stir up?

Apparently, quite a lot...

Bathsheba was a fun character and I really love that Sims decided to name her that. It’s different and not something you often see, well, anywhere. I like how protective she is of her sister (and her sister’s secret). I reminded me of myself and my sisters. Beau is an all around good guy that you eventually wish Bathsheba would realize and spill her guts to – even though that’s not possible for the sake of the story. Their interactions were entertaining and steamy when necessary – as they ought to be for a romance book.

However, there area lot of little hiccups in this book that I felt diminished it. The antagonist was someone who was supposed to be dead, and yet no one mentions the fact that he was still alive or questions why. His motivation is sort of weak, but I was willing to let that slide. Another issue was that it’s made pretty clear that shifters view humans as icky, and yet at the same time after Beau got his date a bunch of big-time shifters really wanted to date Bathsheba – so much so that her boss is willing to get downright ugly about making her date them. Confusing. There’s also a big deal made about Bathsheba being a virgin, making it sound as though that makes her magical in some way, but that’s never explained either (unless shifters just dig human virgins? But that still doesn’t make sense).

Scents are brought up a lot in this book, and it’s kind of contradictory at times. Bathsheba’s sister Sara is a werewolf, but they haven’t exactly had good relations with werewolves in the past, so they’re doing all they can to keep Sara away from them. A big deal is made about Sara’s wolfy scent and Bathsheba’s attempt to hide it, and at one point after the house has been broken into she doesn’t want to bring out clothes for an overnight stay elsewhere because they’ll smell wolfy and alert Beau. Yet at the same time she allows one of Beau’s shifter guys to check out the house – pretty sure the whole house would smell wolfy and they’d know anyway. And then when Sara is being kept safe in one area and Bathsheba in another, somehow she doesn’t think the shifter guys will find out – even though Sara has absolutely no way of hiding it and she’s there for several days.

I do take issue with how werewolves are portrayed in this book and wonder just how much Ms. Sims knows about wolf packs - because if the were packs are supposed to be reflecting them, then it's clear no research whatsoever was done. But this is a shifter thing and humans always screw everything up, so it's not inconceivable that they would act in such a manner. (personally, I'm just sick of wolves always being the bad guys)

There are some other things (such as a few other nonsensical decisions by Bathsheba), but then I think I might get into some spoilers and I don’t want to do that. If you just want a fun romance to read in a few hours and enjoy the paranormal side of things, then this is a solid choice.

NT

Originally posted on Epinions.com

Notes fromt he playlist: "Sleep Alone" by Two Door Cinema Club

Currently Reading

Second Grave to the Left by Darynda Jones

One of my managers recommended First Grave on the Right to me, and when I read the summary, I decided I was game. Finally the second book came out, and after months and months of being on the library's waiting list, I finally got it. This time Charley is trying to solve more than one case - both of which involve missing persons. Except while one is human, the other is not. Both might kill her. It's another fun ride, and one of the best parts about these books is Charley's voice. The author gives her plenty of snark and the room to do it, which is what makes Charley my kind of heroine. I look forward to seeing how this ends and then moving on to the third book right after.


Notes from the playlist: "Memories" from Xenoblade

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones - Hot, Snarky, and Fun!

Pros: Witty and funny, sexy and exciting
Cons: The writing style on random occasions

The Bottom Line: Recommended to me by one of my managers - good deal! I know I'll be reading the second one!

Usually when people recommend books to me, I brush it off. But sometimes the books they recommend just stick. In this case, one of my favorite managers recommended Darynda Jones's First Grave on the Right. One look at the cover and I thought, "Oh this could be fun." I read the book blurb and with my manager's insistence that the book was hilarious had me hooked. I checked it out of the library once I finished Clash of Kings.

Charley Davidson is a private investigator and "consultant" to the Albuquerque Police Department. What most people don't know is that she's a grim reaper. The grim reaper in fact. Ghosts can see her sparkly come-to-the-light beacon from miles upon miles away, but sometimes they need a little help. Like finding out who killed them. While Charley tries to discover who murdered three lawyers, her dreams are filled with a mysterious but super hot-n-sexy entity that she may actually know. Who is he and what does he want? And can Charley actually get through a day without getting herself injured?

The funny thing is that I read this book right after reading Stacey Kade's Queen of the Dead...and then Meet Joe Black was airing the night I finished this...and the next day some other person-sees-ghost movie was on. Coincidence? Or creepy fate..?

Anywho, this was a fun book to read. Charley is snarky and doesn't take crap from anyone. She keeps her little gift to herself because most of the time people can't take it and freak out. But her father and her Uncle Bob, both of whom worked for the police force, believe her and deal with it because it helps them solve cases and (naturally) get promotions. Her assistant, Cookie, is a fun little character, and the mystery man is ooh-la-la delicious. I look forward to seeing more of him...even after knowing who he is.

My only issue was some of the sentence structures and occasional writing style hiccups. Just very randomly I would have to go back and read a bit because I had no idea what someone was referring to, like a pronoun at the end somewhere - does "they" refer to the cops or the houses or donuts or what? Or when the dialogue went off on a slight tangent and then jumped back to the task at hand - only not quite. It's hard to describe, but I know if I were editing this, I'd mark several places with notes or question marks.

But maybe that's just me. Otherwise I had a great time and I do intend to dig up (hah, pun intended) the second book and then move on to the third. I loved some of Charley's little taunts and descriptions, and laughed aloud at more than one point. At the beginning of each chapter is something either Charley says or that exists on a bumper sticker or a t-shirt. And it's always funny.

More graves please!

NT

P.S. I love the shoes on the cover!

Originally posted on Epinions.com

Notes from the playlist: "Rest Easy" by Natalie Walker

Recently Finished (and Recommended)

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

Yes! The final installment of the Fever Series has arrived! Actually, it arrived back in January, and I actually finished it a week or so ago, but who cares? It's a great finish to the series. Though I personally felt some of it could easily be cut out to help speed the book along and Mac started to really annoy me at several instances, as a whole it's satisfying. It wraps up every loose end, and while one or two tiny things still hang out there, it's okay to let them go for now since they're not imperative to know. Even if you aren't interested in the series, go to your local bookstore and check out the cover simply because it's gorgeous. Once I finished the book and closed it, I stared at the cover before laughing. Now I know what it's meant to look like. Nice.

Check out the rest of the Fever Series:
Darkfever
Bloodfever
Faefever
Dreamfever

Notes from the playlist: "Time" by Hans Zimmer

Purchased for My Shelf

My Fair Succubus by Jill Myles

I do enjoy good romance from time to time, but Jill has actually made it to my shelf. Yes. I'll read romance, but books have to be something special, different, or just flipping good to end up on my bookshelf, and Jill Myles is actually the first author to do it. Maybe she got the timing just right, maybe it's her smart use of vampires, angels, and succubi, or maybe it's her steaming hot sex scenes. I think it's a mix of all those things. Her books are fun to read, characters are enjoyable, and these make for great reference books when it comes to writing my own love scenes. In the end, though, they're enjoyable and a great change of pace. Kudos Jill.

Previous books:

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi

Succubi Like It Hot

Notes from the playlist: "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac

Currently Reading

Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison

Like Zoo Story, we received this book (and the second, Shadow Fall) as an ARC (Advance Reader Copy). When I first saw it in the breakroom, I didn't give it too much thought. I was already reading oodles of Karen Marie Moning, so more urban fantasy with romance involved would sort of make my cup spill over. That and I admit, I'm not too fond of specialized institutes (government or otherwise) that seek to root out/understand/destroy strange things in our world. I've seen plenty of those.

But when I saw that Jessica Faust, agent for BookEnds LLC, was representing this book, I had to go back and get it. Why? I'm also a writer, and I want an agent, and what better way to understand agents than to understand what books they represent? No offense to Erin Kellison. After all, since I'm working my way toward the middle of the book now, I enjoy her character Talia and her intersting powers. I hope to see more of the strange world of Twilight (no, not that one), and see how all things end up connecting - and just what the hell happened to Custo for him to get his own book after this one. We shall see...

Read the Epinions review here!


Notes from the playlist: "Cry Little Sister" by Gerard McMann

Recently Finished

Kiss of the Highlander, The Dark Highlander, The Immortal Highlander, Spell of the Highlander

All by Karen Marie Moning

I didn't actually finish all of these that recently, per se, but within the last month I finally tackled the remaining four of the series. I've been reading the Fever Series, and since characters in this series are involved in that one, I want all the pieces of the puzzle. For the record, I don't think that Jericho Barrons is Adam Black. Aside from that, it's neat because you can see how Moning's writing improves, and I think some of the stories get better. If you like big, brawny (and practically perfect) men (I prefer them a little leaner and no one is perfect), these books are definitely for you. That's also true if you like magic, romance, some serious sexual tension, and a good story, then try this series. Moning is busy finishing up the Fever Series right now, but has no intentions of stopping with the Highlander series. Will I keep reading it? Sure, if I'm in the mood for a romantic romp.

Read the Epinions reviews!

#4 here

#5 here

#6 here

#7 here

Notes from the playlist: "The Secret Wedding" by James Horner

Recently Finished

4 Bodies and a Funeral, 5 Bodies to Die For, 6 Killer Bodies by Stephanie Bond

Well, I finished off the series - thusfar anyway. There are to be at least two more books in Stephanie Bond's Body Movers series, but right now they're on hold because a TV thing might happen. The last several books were a lot more fun, and I easily polished each of these off in a single day. One right after the other pretty much. So while I wasn't jazzed with the first few books, if you're willing to get past them for the sake of the subplots (which are interesting) and the boys (who are also interesting - and yummy), then you should be able to enjoy some mystery, some drama, excitement, and a relatively good time.

P.S. It's kind of scary how well the song below fits these books...

Read the Epinions reviews for books four, five, and six!

Notes from the playlist: "Lights Out" by Breaking Benjamin

Recently Finished

2 Bodies for the Price of 1 and 3 Men and a Body by Stephanie Bond

Well, since I muscled through the first book, Body Movers, I decided to continue on to the second and third books. I went through these much faster. I think it's because Carlotta wasn't as dumb this time around. There's some hot n' spicy stuff going on, another sticky situation that Carlotta finds herself in, and an attempt to draw in her parents (who've been on the lam for the last ten years). Though Carlotta and her brother are still totally stupid when it comes to money (and I mean painfully stupid), I was able to read both of these without as much eye rolling or a desire to throw it across the room. Though I don't recommend this series, I myself do intend to continue on. Why? I like the trio of guys (Peter is trying, Coop is squeal-worthy, and Jack is a smart ass cop), I'm curious about the parent thing, and I'd like to think that somehow both Carlotta and Wesley will wise up at some point.

I think we're getting there.

Read the Epinions review to book #2 here!


Notes from the playlist: "Brazil" by Django Reinhardt

Recently Finished

Body Movers by Stephanie Bond

There's a reason I have this book, and while it's a good reason, I'm glad I didn't buy it. Though thusfar it isn't bad, it's far from awesome. There are a lot of interesting things going on, but in some cases, it feels like too many. The main character has a lot of gusto and I love her name (Carlotta), but she makes a record number of stupid decisions. By page 55 I realized that if things didn't improve within the next 20 pages, I was going to be done and move on to something else. Bond managed to keep the story going and keep Carlotta from doing enough stupid things (barely) to keep me in it to the point that I felt that it was my duty to finish the book. I do intend to pick up 2 Bodies for the Price of 1, but it's because I want to see if Carlotta ever hooks up with anyone and what the deal was with her parents. Yet why do I get the feeling I'll be gypped out of getting the full story...?

P.S. Where's the romance? This is, after all, in the romance section...

Read the Epinions review here!


Notes from the playlist: "Major Tom" by Shiny Toy Guns