Reviewed for THC Reviews There really isn't a whole lot to this little e-book quickie, and I freely admit that readers will likely have to suspend disbReviewed for THC Reviews There really isn't a whole lot to this little e-book quickie, and I freely admit that readers will likely have to suspend disbelief to buy into the implication of Galen and Freida having a lifetime of happiness ahead of them after only spending what seemed like mere minutes in each other's company. However, the story did have a rather enchanting quality to it that was sweet and charming. I also can't help but be a sucker for characters who are wounded. Galen was in both body and soul after a battle injury had left him lame in one leg and his betrothed had abandoned him because of it. Freida had her own imperfection that made her perfectly suited for Galen. They additionally had a shared love for animals. I thought it was cute that their two pets got an HEA of their own. The writing itself was pretty good, although in my opinion, some of the prose passages could have been written a little tighter and more concisely. Overall though, Song of the Swan was a worthwhile way to spend a few minutes of my reading time, and since there is no particularly objectionable content, it would be suitable for most romance readers. Song of the Swan is available as a free download from the publisher, Cerridwen Press.
Merged review:
Reviewed for THC Reviews There really isn't a whole lot to this little e-book quickie, and I freely admit that readers will likely have to suspend disbelief to buy into the implication of Galen and Freida having a lifetime of happiness ahead of them after only spending what seemed like mere minutes in each other's company. However, the story did have a rather enchanting quality to it that was sweet and charming. I also can't help but be a sucker for characters who are wounded. Galen was in both body and soul after a battle injury had left him lame in one leg and his betrothed had abandoned him because of it. Freida had her own imperfection that made her perfectly suited for Galen. They additionally had a shared love for animals. I thought it was cute that their two pets got an HEA of their own. The writing itself was pretty good, although in my opinion, some of the prose passages could have been written a little tighter and more concisely. Overall though, Song of the Swan was a worthwhile way to spend a few minutes of my reading time, and since there is no particularly objectionable content, it would be suitable for most romance readers. Song of the Swan is available as a free download from the publisher, Cerridwen Press....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews Vijaya Schartz sent me an ARC of her latest novel, Black Jaguar, for review, and I'm pleased that she once again gave me the oReviewed for THC Reviews Vijaya Schartz sent me an ARC of her latest novel, Black Jaguar, for review, and I'm pleased that she once again gave me the opportunity to read one of her stories. Ms. Schartz's books have been consistently enjoyable for me, and Black Jaguar was no exception. It was yet another worthy entry into The Chronicles of Kassouk series.
Black Jaguar fast-forwards about 30-40 years from where the previous book in the series ended. It opens with Kahuel aka Black Jaguar, Prince of Yalta and son of Terek and Galya from book #2, Red Leopard, sailing away to the far eastern continent on his brother's ship. Accompanying them is Esperana, Princess of Kassouk and daughter of Dragomir and Tora from book #1, White Tiger. She is on an unsanctioned mission to find out more about her ancestry. Interference from an unknown alien race causes them to be shipwrecked on a island that no one knew existed and which they soon discover is inhabited by a group of indigenous humans with psychic abilities known as The Chosen. Kahuel and Esperana develop romantic relationships with the sibling Prince and Princess of the island, Vanaru and Talina, but both of their romances may be doomed when the alien Estrell aka the Star People, try once again to kill the “foreigners” in an attempt to keep The Chosen isolated for their experiments purposed to prevent the extinction of the Estrell race.
Kahuel and Talina are the main hero and heroine of the novel, and I really liked them both. Talina is a little different than the other heroines of the series in that she wasn't raised and trained as a warrior. She isn't really the kick-butt heroine I'm used to seeing from Vijaya Schartz, but in some ways, I related to her better because of that. Talina is a peaceful, gentle soul whose psychic and empathic abilities tie her to all people and animals, making the death of any one of them a very painful experience for her. She may not have innate warrior tendencies, but she is a bit of a rebel, being the first to question the Star People's motives for associating with The Chosen. She defied her brother to save Kahuel, and she was bravely willing to stand up for what she thought was right and fight when the freedom of her people was at stake.
By going on this mission, Kahuel hoped to turn over a new leaf and leave his dissolute, libertine past far behind. However, that past catches up to him rather quickly when he realizes that Talina's people value chastity very highly which causes some fairly serious conflict when he beds Talina not realizing he's making a lifetime commitment or that she expected him to virginal as well. I thought Kahuel had a great balance between being tough and being tender. He is a strong warrior with the Zerker blood of his ancestors running through his veins, and also really steps up to the plate to lead the human contingency on the mission when his brother is killed. Still, he had more gentle moments which were evidenced not only in his interactions with Talina, but also in the connection to his jaguar, Diablo. I was impressed with his open-mindedness toward Talina's people and his willingness to forgo hunting and eating meat in deference to their beliefs. In my opinion, he proved his worthiness as a mate for Talina by willingly putting his life on the line for her more than once.
The beginning of Kahuel and Talina's romance had a rather enchanting quality to it with them meeting by a waterfall in the jungle. They have something of a curious attraction, just wanting to know more about one another. I really enjoyed these parts, but beyond that, there isn't as much relationship development or building of sexual tension as I would typically expect from a romance novel before the consummation and declarations of love. I've come to realize though that this is just the author's style. She tends to play the romantic angle as more of a love at first sight scenario and is simply stronger on the action, adventure and fantasy elements which is OK, as I enjoy those parts too. It's kind of like watching a good sci-fi movie in my head with a sweet little romance on the side.
I think this may be the first of Vijaya Schartz's books I've read that had a secondary romance. Being a Mutant, Princess Esperana can seem a little cold and aloof, but not enough to make me dislike her. She is trained as a warrior like her parents, and she exhibits intelligence and confidence. I liked that she was seeking out her heritage. Prince Vanaru could be rather stubborn, initially remaining steadfastly loyal to the Star People even though their orders fly in the face of everything The Chosen have been taught so far, and he is also none too pleased with Kahuel and Talina's relationship. He does come around though, and I liked when he started thinking for himself. Vanaru and Esperana's romance is sweet and limited to looks, touches and Vanaru's thoughts about Esperana. There was even a bit of romance for the alien villains with the leader of the Estrelle hoping to “ride off into the sunset” with one of his ship's female officers. Last, but not least, I love how the big cats always play a significant role in this series fighting alongside their masters, and perhaps as a reward, even Diablo found a love interest.:-) I also really enjoyed spending time with Dragomir and Tora and Terek and Galya again, as well as seeing that both couples are still very much in love after so many years have passed.
As with the first two books in the series, Black Jaguar took a little time to get up to speed (about ¼ of the way in), but once it got going, there was virtual non-stop action. One small complaint I had was that the formatting of the dialog and mind-talk was done in such a way that I often found myself confused as to who was speaking. Glancing ahead and/or re-reading certain parts usually cleared that up, and I'm willing to allow that since I was reading the ARC version, perhaps this was cleaned up before final publication. Overall, Black Jaguar was an enjoyable read. It will be interesting to see if there is any more story for Esperana and Vanaru and whether the fate of the Estrell eggs that were implanted in The Chosen females will be revealed. Although I don't know much about it yet, Blue Lioness, the next book in The Chronicles of Kassouk, is due to be released in August 2011, and Ms. Schartz also has a prequel to the series, Noah's Ark, in the works for 2012, which will tell the story of the settling of New Earth. I look forward to reading both when they come out.
Merged review:
Reviewed for THC Reviews Vijaya Schartz sent me an ARC of her latest novel, Black Jaguar, for review, and I'm pleased that she once again gave me the opportunity to read one of her stories. Ms. Schartz's books have been consistently enjoyable for me, and Black Jaguar was no exception. It was yet another worthy entry into The Chronicles of Kassouk series.
Black Jaguar fast-forwards about 30-40 years from where the previous book in the series ended. It opens with Kahuel aka Black Jaguar, Prince of Yalta and son of Terek and Galya from book #2, Red Leopard, sailing away to the far eastern continent on his brother's ship. Accompanying them is Esperana, Princess of Kassouk and daughter of Dragomir and Tora from book #1, White Tiger. She is on an unsanctioned mission to find out more about her ancestry. Interference from an unknown alien race causes them to be shipwrecked on a island that no one knew existed and which they soon discover is inhabited by a group of indigenous humans with psychic abilities known as The Chosen. Kahuel and Esperana develop romantic relationships with the sibling Prince and Princess of the island, Vanaru and Talina, but both of their romances may be doomed when the alien Estrell aka the Star People, try once again to kill the “foreigners” in an attempt to keep The Chosen isolated for their experiments purposed to prevent the extinction of the Estrell race.
Kahuel and Talina are the main hero and heroine of the novel, and I really liked them both. Talina is a little different than the other heroines of the series in that she wasn't raised and trained as a warrior. She isn't really the kick-butt heroine I'm used to seeing from Vijaya Schartz, but in some ways, I related to her better because of that. Talina is a peaceful, gentle soul whose psychic and empathic abilities tie her to all people and animals, making the death of any one of them a very painful experience for her. She may not have innate warrior tendencies, but she is a bit of a rebel, being the first to question the Star People's motives for associating with The Chosen. She defied her brother to save Kahuel, and she was bravely willing to stand up for what she thought was right and fight when the freedom of her people was at stake.
By going on this mission, Kahuel hoped to turn over a new leaf and leave his dissolute, libertine past far behind. However, that past catches up to him rather quickly when he realizes that Talina's people value chastity very highly which causes some fairly serious conflict when he beds Talina not realizing he's making a lifetime commitment or that she expected him to virginal as well. I thought Kahuel had a great balance between being tough and being tender. He is a strong warrior with the Zerker blood of his ancestors running through his veins, and also really steps up to the plate to lead the human contingency on the mission when his brother is killed. Still, he had more gentle moments which were evidenced not only in his interactions with Talina, but also in the connection to his jaguar, Diablo. I was impressed with his open-mindedness toward Talina's people and his willingness to forgo hunting and eating meat in deference to their beliefs. In my opinion, he proved his worthiness as a mate for Talina by willingly putting his life on the line for her more than once.
The beginning of Kahuel and Talina's romance had a rather enchanting quality to it with them meeting by a waterfall in the jungle. They have something of a curious attraction, just wanting to know more about one another. I really enjoyed these parts, but beyond that, there isn't as much relationship development or building of sexual tension as I would typically expect from a romance novel before the consummation and declarations of love. I've come to realize though that this is just the author's style. She tends to play the romantic angle as more of a love at first sight scenario and is simply stronger on the action, adventure and fantasy elements which is OK, as I enjoy those parts too. It's kind of like watching a good sci-fi movie in my head with a sweet little romance on the side.
I think this may be the first of Vijaya Schartz's books I've read that had a secondary romance. Being a Mutant, Princess Esperana can seem a little cold and aloof, but not enough to make me dislike her. She is trained as a warrior like her parents, and she exhibits intelligence and confidence. I liked that she was seeking out her heritage. Prince Vanaru could be rather stubborn, initially remaining steadfastly loyal to the Star People even though their orders fly in the face of everything The Chosen have been taught so far, and he is also none too pleased with Kahuel and Talina's relationship. He does come around though, and I liked when he started thinking for himself. Vanaru and Esperana's romance is sweet and limited to looks, touches and Vanaru's thoughts about Esperana. There was even a bit of romance for the alien villains with the leader of the Estrelle hoping to “ride off into the sunset” with one of his ship's female officers. Last, but not least, I love how the big cats always play a significant role in this series fighting alongside their masters, and perhaps as a reward, even Diablo found a love interest.:-) I also really enjoyed spending time with Dragomir and Tora and Terek and Galya again, as well as seeing that both couples are still very much in love after so many years have passed.
As with the first two books in the series, Black Jaguar took a little time to get up to speed (about ¼ of the way in), but once it got going, there was virtual non-stop action. One small complaint I had was that the formatting of the dialog and mind-talk was done in such a way that I often found myself confused as to who was speaking. Glancing ahead and/or re-reading certain parts usually cleared that up, and I'm willing to allow that since I was reading the ARC version, perhaps this was cleaned up before final publication. Overall, Black Jaguar was an enjoyable read. It will be interesting to see if there is any more story for Esperana and Vanaru and whether the fate of the Estrell eggs that were implanted in The Chosen females will be revealed. Although I don't know much about it yet, Blue Lioness, the next book in The Chronicles of Kassouk, is due to be released in August 2011, and Ms. Schartz also has a prequel to the series, Noah's Ark, in the works for 2012, which will tell the story of the settling of New Earth. I look forward to reading both when they come out....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews Scandalous Lord Dere is a tender, sensuous friends-to-lovers, reunion story, two of my favorite themes in romance. Stephanie LReviewed for THC Reviews Scandalous Lord Dere is a tender, sensuous friends-to-lovers, reunion story, two of my favorite themes in romance. Stephanie Laurens seems to have a talent for writing richly descriptive prose that isn't at all boring, but instead draws the reader into the story as through they are actually there watching everything unfold. For a novella, I thought that the characterizations and plot were extremely well-developed. Adrian is a rake to be sure, but surprisingly gentle, vulnerable and sympathetic, which is my favorite kind of alpha hero. I loved his possessiveness and his persistence in getting Abby to agree to marry him. Abby was a kind-hearted young woman who had never forgotten her one-time lover, Adrian, but he had also unknowingly broken her heart all those years ago, making her reluctant to accept his proposal now. I thought it was sweet that out of the countless women Adrian had seduced over the years, Abby was the only one he could truly remember in detail even though they had only made love once eight years before. I also like that he had become tired and fed up with his rakish lifestyle and wanted to turn over a new leaf. At the heart of it all, Adrian was a great guy who had simply gotten off track in his wild youth, but what better time for new beginnings than on New Year's Day, the day that he reconnected with Abby, the only woman who had ever truly understood him and that he had ever really cared about.
I found it very endearing that these two were childhood friends who later became more, and was totally enamored of the deep intimacy Adrian and Abby shared. It was often in their quieter moments that this showed through the most. I loved reading about them simply sitting together in Adrian's study while she sketched and he worked. They also had a mutual love of books that I could relate to and their impromptu waltz in the park was very romantic. I just thought these two were completely perfect for one another, and their love scenes absolutely sizzled. Stephanie Laurens is very good at writing varied love scenes that are powerfully passionate and lushly sensual. In general her writing style reminds me a lot of Lisa Kleypas which is a very good thing in my book. It is a rare author who can write a short story and make me feel fully satisfied from beginning to end. This was my first read by Ms. Laurens, and she has impressed me so much, I can say with certainly that it won't be my last. I'm very much looking forward to trying more of her books soon....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews Father Mine is yet another incredible story in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. It fills in the blanks for Zsadist and BelReviewed for THC Reviews Father Mine is yet another incredible story in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. It fills in the blanks for Zsadist and Bella, covering the events that occurred in their lives between the final chapter and epilogue of Lover Awakened. It relates the narrative of Nalla's birth, and the subsequent return of Z's nightmares of his horrific past. Z is one of my favorite brothers, because he is tough as nails on the outside but broken and vulnerable inside. He is such an amazing character, I could read dozens of stories about him and never get tired of them. Z is extremely complex and multi-layered which is one of the things I love about him. I liked that J. R. Ward didn't make the end of Lover Awakened the end for Z. In real life, recovery from abuse is never, in my experience, something that is miraculously overcome, and there may be unexpected things that can trigger unpleasant memories even after one thinks they've been put to rest. With this in mind, it made perfect sense that the birth of Z's daughter would reawaken some of his past issues, and it became an opportunity for him to take the next step in the healing process.
I had been somewhat disappointed that the effects of Bella's abuse at the hands of the lesser in Lover Awakened was not really explored, so it was nice to see how she had been able to get closure as well. Father Mine was a beautifully told story in which Z and Bella, once again, show the unfathomable depth of love they have for one another, and now for their new daughter as well. All of the brothers except Butch put in an appearance in this novella, as well as Mary and Jane. There was a little hint of what the future may hold for Rhage and Mary as well, and I'll be interested to see how that plays out. Father Mine was a sweet, tender, romantic story. It was a definite keeper for me, and in my opinion, a must-read for fans of the series. I've been away from the brothers for far too long, and I'm glad to be back, anxiously looking forward to reading the rest of this book, and continuing the series. Although it doesn't have an official book number, Father Mine falls between Lover Enshrined and Lover Avenged in the series ordering....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" The Reindeer Keeper is a short novel about love, life, family and loss with a dash of magical realism on the side.Reviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" The Reindeer Keeper is a short novel about love, life, family and loss with a dash of magical realism on the side. It is by turns both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Abbey and Steve, the main protagonists are a more mature couple (around 60-ish), but their love and passion for one another hasn't dimmed one bit in the 30+ years they've been married. Their love was a palpable thing throughout the entire story. Their life together hasn't always been easy, but they've been each other's rock through the bad times, and taken great joy in the good times.
Abbey and Steve begin the book preparing to spend Christmas with their two sons, a daughter-in-law and the other son's girlfriend in a new house that was bequeathed to Abbey's father by a mysterious, reclusive stranger and then passed to her when her father died. It is the first time they've all been together in a while and it turns out to be a beautiful and joyous occasion. The magic of Christmas works through Abbey to finally help her make peace with her mother's death when she was a teenager. She in turn is able to see and understand the same feelings of loss in her daughter-in-law, who up to this point, has been rather difficult to like. Abbey is also able to help rekindle her son's dream/talent for cooking, and assist both him and his wife in understanding that they do have choices in life. It's just sometimes hard to make them when it means changing everything to which you've become accustomed. After the holidays and throughout the coming year, Abbey and Steve face the biggest challenge of their lives, as everyone deals with a devastating loss, but the spirit of Christmas continues to sustain them.
I liked how the author used a bit of magical realism in the form of Santa Claus. In the midst of an incredibly serious story, there were moments of surreal escape, but it wasn't just for fun and games. Santa became a universal, non-religious illustration of faith and how it sometimes takes going back to that pure faith of childhood in order to believe in something greater than ourselves. I liked how Santa took the characters back to that place in the past to help them understand the present and future. There is also a lovely message about how each person can touch other people's lives and even after death, they live on in the small things. Life still goes on for the living, and we just have to open our hearts to look for our loved ones who have passed on in the spirit they left behind.
The Reindeer Keeper was a much sadder book than I was expecting, so readers should definitely keep a box of tissues handy for this one. I'm tearing up just writing this review. It's difficult to use the word enjoy to describe a book that is this melancholy, but I did like it very much. This is one of those books that has a lovely message to impart rather than a feel-good story to tell. It has no objectionable elements which should make it appropriate for readers of all ages from teen and up, although the older protagonists and the mature subject matter may not resonate as well with younger people. The only thing that kept me from giving it a perfect five stars is that I thought the writing itself could have used a bit more polish. It was just little things like the dialog not flowing as naturally as it could have in places or needing a few more details here and there. Overall though, The Reindeer Keeper was a book filled with heart and soul from beginning to end that has found a spot on my keeper shelf. I definitely recommend that readers who liked The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere, or similar books, give this one a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author via the publicist, Bostick Communications, in exchange for my review....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews A Christmas Kiss was a gentle, sweet, romantic story that helped to put me in the Christmas spirit. It was a Cinderella-style Reviewed for THC Reviews A Christmas Kiss was a gentle, sweet, romantic story that helped to put me in the Christmas spirit. It was a Cinderella-style tale of a lowly governess who has nowhere to go for Christmas and then fortuitously gets invited to the country house party of an Earl with whom she almost immediately falls in love. Even though it was based in large part on two of my least favorite romance tropes, a misunderstanding and love at first sight, I still couldn't help but enjoy it. The misunderstanding was more of a humorous comedy of errors than annoying, and the hero and heroine seemed to instantly connect on a deeper level than mere physical attraction which made them falling in love quickly more believable. I didn't even overly mind the huge age difference between them, because Philip seemed a bit younger than his forty-four years even though he had a grown son, and Evalyn was very mature in spite of her youth. Not to mention, from a historical perspective, it wasn't uncommon for a younger woman to marry an older man, so I could justify it in that context as well. The fairy tale theme also helped tremendously as that's one of my favorites.
It is pretty rare in romance for the hero to be above thirty-five, so I actually found it rather refreshing that Philip was a bit more mature in years. I could very much relate to him being a closet writer and an introvert who didn't care much for entertaining. He was a progressive thinker who believed that everyone, from nobleman to servant, should be treated with equality, which made him a very fair and gentle man. He may have badly misconstrued his son's intentions toward Evalyn which led to all sorts of trouble, but I did like that he was self-controlled enough to stay away from her in deference to his offspring after nearly kissing her.
Evalyn was a lovely heroine. I really respected her no-nonsense attitude, and she was an incredibly patient and talented governess who was just perfect with any child she encountered. She also proved she was quite capable of taking care of herself. The beginning of the story where she clocked her employer's son on the head with an atlas for making improper advances toward her was rather funny, but she was also wise enough to know that he was generally harmless and merely meant her action as a wake-up call for him. Evalyn was just an all-around nice person who was very caring, helpful, and always thinking of others.
A Christmas Kiss had a large cast of colorful secondary characters, most of whom had their own point-of-view scenes, making it more of an ensemble cast. I liked all of them except for the jealous Sally who was vying without success for Philip's attentions. She caused a bit of trouble for Evalyn, but got her comeuppance in the end. Phillip's son, Jamie, and his friend, Reggie, were really nice young men to make arrangements for Evalyn to have a dream holiday and help her find another position when she was dismissed without reference. Best of all, there were no less than three other romances going on in addition to Philip and Evalyn's. It was a lot of fun watching each couple go through their own romantic trials and each get an HEA too. I thought the author was very good at creating a beautiful feeling of longing between all of them which made my heart do a few flip-flops.
Traditional Regency authors seem to excel in the area of dialog, and Elizabeth Mansfield is no exception. I loved all the light bantering and gentle humor, and the dialog seemed to be pretty well-balanced with the introspective scenes. Other than a couple of mild profanities, this book had no objectionable content, so it should be appropriate for all romance readers. I really enjoyed reading about all the little Regency holiday traditions: kissing boughs, Yule logs, wassail, the dishes for Christmas dinner, and the games they played on Christmas Eve. There was just enough detail to make it interesting and bring the setting to life without overwhelming the rest of the story. I particularly enjoyed a conversation between all the guests about their favorite holiday traditions which I thought gave everything a nice, homey feel. The only thing that kept this story from getting a bit higher rating from me is that I would have liked Philip and Evalyn to have a few more scenes together. Overall, A Christmas Kiss left me with a smile on my face and a feeling of contentment. It may have been a nice, easy read, but was still quite enjoyable for me. This was my first novel by Elizabeth Mansfield, but it certainly won't be my last. A Christmas Kiss can be purchased as a separate book or as part of the two book anthology A Christmas Kiss and Winter Wonderland....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" Much like a couple of the other books in the Wallflower series, I thought that A Wallflower Christmas started a liReviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" Much like a couple of the other books in the Wallflower series, I thought that A Wallflower Christmas started a little weak, but by the end, I was completely hooked. What primarily made me skeptical at the beginning was the love/hate relationship and love at first sight themes, neither of which I'm really a fan. I guess I just don't get the love/hate scenario, how a person can one minute strongly dislike someone, often for no particularly good reason, and the next be melting into a passionate embrace with them. I also admit that the short length of the book itself made for a very quick romance that all takes place over a matter of just days, but once again, Lisa Kleypas pulled out all the stops toward the end and made me totally believe that Rafe and Hannah were completely in love with one another and truly would have an HEA.
I wasn't entirely sure about Rafe at first either. The first two kisses he stole from Hannah left me a little cold. At the time, he just seemed arrogant and spoiled, used to getting whatever he wanted, and he wanted Hannah. Once they got to Stony Cross Park (the place where so many magical moments have been born in Lisa Kleypas's stories), he started to show more vulnerability. The conversation with his father was very revealing, because it showed just how much Rafe (like his sisters, Lillian and Daisy) had been trying to gain his father's approval all his life and never got it. He seemed to have realized this years ago when he broke ties with his sire, but in hopes of still inheriting the family fortune, he's back and considering marrying his father's choice of a bride for him. I was so glad to see Rafe stand up to Thomas Bowman once and for all, no matter the consequences. It showed he had a great strength of character. Because of this, I think he might have been subconsciously testing Hannah, who was quite disapproving of him when they first met, to see if she would still care for him in spite of his bad boy persona. Also, the part about the toy soldier was sweet and heartbreaking. Ms. Kleypas has always been very good at making some small memento important to the character development. I just wish that she had found a way for Rafe to tell the story to Hannah himself rather than it coming from Lillian. I've always thought that secondary characters relating information about the past generally takes away good opportunities to build intimacy between the hero and heroine, but I'll admit that this element wasn't as annoying in this book as it has been in others I've read. Best of all, his love letter to Hannah was utterly swoon-worthy. Besides setting the pages on fire, I thought it proved beyond a shadow of a doubt how deeply he had come to love her.
I can't say that I entirely understood Hannah's initial dislike of Rafe. She kind of seemed to have it in for him before she ever met him, and then his uncouth American ways, and worse yet him accosting her in the hallway with a passionate kiss, only added fuel to the fire. Again, once Hannah arrived at the house party, she started showing a softer side. She slowly became more willing to spend time with Rafe which in turn, helped her get to know the man underneath the facade. Hannah turned out to be a very gentle and sensitive young woman. I loved how she read A Christmas Carol to the children each night, and Rafe couldn't resist listening as well. I thought something might come of Rafe's assertion that Hannah was tired of being in Natalie's shadow, but it never really went any further. Hannah perhaps could have been a bit more developed than she was, but overall, I found her to be a likable heroine.
It was really nice seeing all the wallflowers and their husbands again. I thought it was really sweet how they banded together to help Hannah and made her an unofficial member of their group. Fans of Sebastian and Evie and Marcus and Lillian will be happy to know that both couples get their own brief love scenes. I was a little disappointed that there weren't more interactions between Simon and Annabelle and Matthew and Daisy. The latter couple and Simon didn't even appear until nearly halfway into the book. At least, Simon and Annabelle got a scene of affection with the implication that they were headed off for some intense lovin', but Matthew and Daisy (my favorite Wallflower couple) didn't even get that much.
Perhaps it's her strong personality, but Lillian always seems to be a scene-stealer. Since she's not my favorite Wallflower heroine, that's not always a good thing. Once again, she actually managed to aggravate me a little in this book by doubting Marcus's love for her. I realize that her past might give her some insecurity issues, but one would think that after two years of marriage to him, she would have grown and changed enough that she would have no trouble trusting him, especially when their passion hadn't seemed to wane one bit. Admittedly, it was a very Lillian-esque thing for her to do, but I still wish that Ms. Kleypas had found another way to handle this part of the story. It was obvious to me right from the start what Marcus was up to, and to have Lillian questioning him the way she did cast a bit of a pall over their HEA for me. Luckily, this little side plot was a very small part of the overall story, but I have to admit that I couldn't help cheering Marcus on when he was sorely tempted to take Lillian over his knee and thrash her for thinking such a thing.
I may have had a few minor issues here and there with A Wallflower Christmas, but overall, it was a very good read. I loved the Christmas theme with the decorating of the tree, and the little secondary bit about Thomas Bowman's toupee was a hoot. Not to mention, as always, Lisa Kleypas knows how to write a satisfying love story. In my opinion, A Wallflower Christmas was a fitting conclusion to the Wallflower series and another keeper for me. I hear tell that some of the characters pop up again in the spin-off Hathaway series. I really look forward to starting that series, and with any luck, perhaps I'll get to visit with a few of my favorites again....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews I received a copy of AIDS Orphans Rising from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program quite a while ago and had never gotten Reviewed for THC Reviews I received a copy of AIDS Orphans Rising from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program quite a while ago and had never gotten around to reading it until recently. I believe that perhaps I was expecting more from this book and in the end felt somewhat let down. I thought that it might have more personal narratives of the children who have been orphaned by this terrible epidemic, but there was very little in the way of individual stories, only a few brief accountings to illustrate a particular point. I had also expected it to focus on the orphans of Africa, but the author randomly threw in information and statistics on AIDS orphans in other countries as well. In my opinion, it made the topic feel a bit too broad. What the book does cover is just the basics of what a child-headed household is and what life is like for them. Chapter topics include: Where do they live?, What do they eat?, How do they survive?, and What's best for them?. For me, it was rather dry reading, and simplistic information, most of which probably could have been found easily online. In my opinion, the entire book had the feel of a college research paper.
I realize it may not be the fault of the author, but some of the photos are very dark and difficult to make out. At least one photo mentioned a color in the caption, but since all of them are printed in black and white, there is no way to tell for sure what was meant. In general, I thought the pictures could have been better organized. Often the text would refer to a photo, but I would them have to turn the page to find it. Also, in my experience with language mechanics, exclamation marks should be used pretty sparingly, but Sr. MaryBeth uses them a lot in her book, often to end sentences which didn't really need them.
Each chapter wraps up with suggestions for things that the reader can do right now to help. Some of the ideas such as praying for them, giving money to organizations that specifically help child-headed households, or giving of your time to travel with a charitable organization to a country where child-headed households are prevalent to assist them were things I could have easily come up with on my own. Some of the other suggestions, such as contracting a local real estate agency to see what they could do, were a bit confusing to me, and still others talked of personally taking/giving items to the children. In this case, I wasn't sure if she was saying to ship them overseas or take them to local children in need. There were a few good ideas I hadn't thought of, but in my opinion, some of them were too open-ended, needing more guidance and clarification.
I hope that my review doesn't make me sound cold-hearted, because I do feel deeply for these children and their plight. In fact, that is what drove me to request the book in the first place. It just didn't turn out to be a huge inspiration to me personally. I could tell however, that Sr. MaryBeth has a big heart for the orphans especially those in child-headed households, and I wish her and all the others who are working for their well-being all the best in their endeavors. I'm sure there are other readers who may be more invigorated and motivated by AIDS Orphans Rising than I was. However, I couldn't help coming away from reading it feeling rather underwhelmed, and can't say that I learned much anything new or surprising....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews A Kiss Under the Mistletoe was a sweet little story of two lovers who are reunited on Christmas Eve following the end of the CReviewed for THC Reviews A Kiss Under the Mistletoe was a sweet little story of two lovers who are reunited on Christmas Eve following the end of the Civil War and just as she is about to marry another man out of necessity. Although it's nearly impossible to get to know characters in a scant eight pages, what I saw of Doug and Samantha, I liked. I thought it was very romantic that they'd shared their first kiss under the mistletoe exactly one year before and were now rekindling their love in the same spot. I also enjoyed that Samantha had never stopped loving Doug even though she thought he might be dead, and his love for her kept him alive. I definitely would have been interested in reading a longer story about them and their romance. I think it would make a really good one.
From what I could tell in this short format, I'd say the author's writing style was pretty solid. I loved the Civil War theme. There seem to be few romances set during that time and it looks like everything Ms. Macatee has written to date is Civil War related, making me quite interested in seeing what she can do with a longer novella or full-length novel. A Kiss Under the Mistletoe is available as a free download form The Wild Rose Press....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews There are numerous re-tellings of the blessed birth of Christ in children's literature, and I'm always interested in checking Reviewed for THC Reviews There are numerous re-tellings of the blessed birth of Christ in children's literature, and I'm always interested in checking out new ones. Chris Mouse and the Promise was a cute enough story of a mother mouse's reminiscence of the first Christmas, but I thought it was missing that little something extra to make it truly special. I realize this is a children's book and there is only so much one can do with such limited words, but I still couldn't help but feel the story needed a bit more development. As one example, Chris Mouse mentions the wise men visiting Jesus, but not the shepherds. I'm not a historical stickler when it comes to putting the wise men in the nativity, but considering that they most likely weren't there at the actual birth of Christ while the shepherds were, not including them seems a rather big omission. I don't think I've ever read a Christmas story before that left them out. I thought it could have been a bit more original too. After reading Chris Mouse and the Promise, I went to my bookshelf and found no less than three other children's books told from the perspective of animals who were present in the stable when Jesus was born.
The illustrations were also a bit different than what I'm used to seeing in a children's story. When it comes to picture books, the illustrations are half of what makes the book engaging in my opinion. The pictures in Chris Mouse and the Promise are very simplistically rendered, appearing to be pencil and crayon type drawings much like a child's artwork with a bit more sophistication. They appropriately complimented the story being told, but didn't really draw me any further into it.
Children are likely not going to be as particular as an adult reader like myself, so for anyone who is simply looking for something new to read with their young ones for the holiday season, Chris Mouse and the Promise may be the perfect choice. Those readers who are looking for gorgeous illustrations or a compelling story may want to borrow a copy first to make sure it is the right type of book for them and/or their children. Some of the pictures can also be viewed on the author's website. At a cover price of $16.95, it is a bit pricey for a paperback edition of a children's book. Usually, only hardcovers are that expensive. However, a signed copy can be purchased at Ms. Adams website for nearly $5.00 less including shipping.
Note: I received a copy of Chris Mouse and the Promise from the author via the publicist, Bostick Communications, in exchange for my review....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews Wilde Thing is a super-hot contemporary romance that definitely touches on the erotic with a little mystery on the side. The bReviewed for THC Reviews Wilde Thing is a super-hot contemporary romance that definitely touches on the erotic with a little mystery on the side. The book, without a doubt, focuses in on the steamy love scenes with the mini-mystery and relationship development taking a back seat, but all things considered, it was still a pretty good read. With the heroine working undercover as a phone sex operator in an attempt to find her missing cousin, she and the hero (a private investigator) tend to go through a circular cycle of having phone sex and then living out those fantasies in person each night. In between, they manage a few getting-to-know-you moments during the day. Then it starts all over again, until they finally get the information they need to locate the errant cousin. The love scenes and the story in general were well-written, but I have to admit that I could have done with a little less sex and a little more character, relationship and plot development. Overall though, Wilde Thing was fairly enjoyable.
Steve is an ex-cop who was sidelined by a bullet and decided to become a PI instead. He's a successful businessman with strong family connections. One failed marriage has left him none too interested in a serious relationship, but that all changes in a heartbeat when he gets to know Liz. He frequents Liz's cafe and has been admiring her from afar for over a month before she approaches him with her case. Out of the three Wilde brothers I met in the first story of the Wilde series, Steve had appealed to me the most. In the beginning of his own book, he initially seemed pretty arrogant, and I thought he might hit that borderline of being a little too alpha for me. However, he quickly proved otherwise. It was kind of fun to have Steve being the one to fall for Liz and then pursuing her, and I have to say he had a lot going for him. He was intuitive of her needs and feelings, charming, protective, a skilled lover, and best of all he respected her as his equal in every way while trying to help her understand that the things which happened in the past weren't her fault. I certainly can't deny that Steve was a pretty appealing hero.
I liked Liz for her sense of responsibility, her loyalty to family, and her determination to pull herself up by her bootstraps when life handed her a raw deal. However, I totally agreed with Steve that she took all those things too far, allowing what other people thought to essentially run her life and keep her from accepting happiness when it was within her grasp. I couldn't help but be rather frustrated with her when she was about to let a great guy like Steve get away, just because of her over-inflated sense of responsibility. I also didn't think the author explained her relationship with her first husband sufficiently for me to really understand her cautiousness with Steve. Liz's first husband was essentially described as a deadbeat womanizing jerk who liked to run up huge bills he couldn't pay, leaving Liz in the lurch for his debts when he died in a car accident. Steve had a classic bad boy image, riding his Harley and living on the edge a bit. He also initially told Liz he wasn't looking for a complicated, long-term attachment, but otherwise, he never gave her any reason to think that he was at all like her ex. If anything, it was pretty obvious (at least to me anyway) that Steve was a very stable guy who exhibited the same deep sense of loyalty and responsibility that Liz had, and he also treated her unselfishly with kindness and respect. This being the case, I couldn't quite grasp why she kept thinking of him as a “bad boy,” and ultimately, her arguments on that count rang rather hollow.
Other than the overabundance of sex that I mentioned earlier, there were two other things that kept this book from earning keeper status from me. The first is that the romance is one of those typical “insta-love” plots that seem so common in contemporaries these days. Although Steve and Liz had been admiring one another from afar for a month, they didn't really know each other until he took on her case. Of course, they fell into bed their first night on the job, and fell in love within a week, a scenario which I can never quite seem to find believable. In fact, there were a few other instances where the timing of various events seemed a little off. The second problematic thing for me was that once Steve and Liz gained entry to the Ultimate Fantasy sex party, and located the woman they'd been looking for, he went off alone with her to get information, leaving Liz by herself. I could see the trouble coming as a result of that folly from a mile away. It was quite simply a TSTL move on his part (he could have just as easily pretended he wanted a threesome, taken Liz with him and gotten the same result) and in my opinion, extremely out of character for this protective alpha. To me, this plot point seemed like a flimsy excuse to create a little trouble and lead into yet another steamy sex scene which to my way of thinking was unnecessary and didn't really add much to the overall story.
Other than those two main issues, Wilde Thing was a generally fun and sexy read. Readers get another glimpse of Steve's brother Adrian who becomes the hero of the fourth Wilde story, The Wilde One (Bad Boys to Go anthology), as well as an introduction to Steve's partner, Cameron, and cousin, Mia, who become the hero and heroine of book #7, Too Wilde to Tame. There is also a passing mention of Mia's three brothers, Alex, Joel, and Scott, who become future Wilde heroes too, as well as a visit with Steve's brother, Eric and his lady love, Jill, from the first story of the series, Something Wilde (I Brake for Bad Boys anthology). For the most part, I've enjoyed Janelle Denison's writing style so far and look forward to continuing with the Wilde series soon.
Note: This book contains some fairly erotic content including phone sex, “edible” sex, and light bondage. The hero and heroine also visit a sex party (as part of their investigation) where just about anything goes. While there, they become “accidental” voyeurs and engage in sex themselves in a semi-secluded public area. In my opinion, everything was tastefully written, but all this could definitely make some readers uncomfortable....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews I can only imagine the excitement of the Tolkien children to receive these wonderful letters from Father Christmas every year,Reviewed for THC Reviews I can only imagine the excitement of the Tolkien children to receive these wonderful letters from Father Christmas every year, or what it must have been like to have such a talented writer as a father. I, for one, think that it would have been splendid to get letters from Santa each Christmas. Letters from Father Christmas (previously released as The Father Christmas Letters) is a delightful book that is sure to entertain readers both young and old. Starting in 1920 when his oldest son was three, J. R. R. Tolkien began writing letters to his children from Father Christmas telling of his adventures that year with his friend North Polar Bear. Along with each letter was also a picture that made a lovely accompaniment (for some reason I never realized that Mr. Tolkien was an artist as well). All of the pictures and portions of some of the original handwritten messages, penned in a funny spidery scrawl, are reproduced in this book.
The tone of the letters is something different than I had imagined before picking the book up, but this would probably only make it more intriguing to adult readers. Embedded in each one, I could see a certain degree of social commentary on the times. These missives were written between 1920 and 1939. Of course, during that time, there was the aftermath of one World War and the beginning of another as well as the Great Depression. Ofttimes, Santa is befallen by some calamity which is used to explain why he was unable to bring the children all they asked for in their stockings. As the years go by, the stories increase in complexity and become more and more imaginative. Santa finds himself battling goblins who are the denizens of evil, and new characters are introduced with some of the later letters being written in part by Father Christmas's elf helper, Ilbereth. Overall, I believe readers will be able to see shades of Mr. Tolkien's later work in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy (there is even a short passage written in Elvish). At the end, there is a letter from Polar Bear written in the goblin alphabet which will keep readers busy for a while deciphering it.
In my opinion, Letters from Father Christmas is a must-have book for true Tolkien fans. I borrowed it from the library but will definitely be acquiring a copy for my keeper shelf. Although our children may be too old now to fully appreciate it, I'm sure my husband and I will enjoy it ourselves for years to come and look forward to sharing it with our grandchildren or any other youngsters who may become a part of our lives. Letters from Father Christmas would make a fabulous holiday gift for children of all ages, and could easily be turned into a family tradition by reading one letter each night leading up to Christmas....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews Lately, I've realized that I'm something of a language geek particularly in the area of etymology, so the instant I saw EuphemReviewed for THC Reviews Lately, I've realized that I'm something of a language geek particularly in the area of etymology, so the instant I saw Euphemania, I was thoroughly intrigued and knew I wanted to read it. What I got was a fascinating study in euphemisms which intermingled the words and phrases themselves with their origins and social commentary on their use. I learned a lot of new euphemisms with which I was not familiar, as well as where many I already knew came from. The author draws on a wide variety of sources including quotes from famous people, songs and literature. Oddly enough, I've never studied Shakespeare (not even in school), so until reading this book, I never realized how incredibly “naughty” the Bard actually was. I was also amazed to discover that the original King James Bible contained many words and phrases which over the years have been sanitized, because they came to be considered vulgar. Since censorship is an area ripe for the use of euphemistic talk, there is some interesting discussion on what words and phrases can and can't be used in movies, television and other media both now and down through history. Could anyone possibly imagine Rhett Butler's famous last words in Gone with the Wind being, “I don't give a hoot” or “My dear, I don't care?” I know I sure couldn't. I also found myself nearly ROTFL at a sidebar discussion on automatic censoring in Internet forums.
In addition to the great history of words, I also got a wonderful study on the sociology and psychology behind word usages (two of my favorite scientific areas of interest). The sociology angle explores which words and phrases were acceptable in polite company in various eras and cultures and why that is. It is absolutely fascinating how something can be perfectly acceptable in one country/culture and considered insulting in another or how a particular saying could go from being acceptable to vulgar, and perhaps back to acceptable, depending on the time frame in which it was used. In this vein, there was another hilarious side bar on the conflicting meanings of various euphemisms between America and Britain. The psychology angle discusses how “prettying-up” certain words can fool the brain into thinking they are more appealing, such as how adding French words to the name of a food that would normally be considered icky on a restaurant menu will make it sell better. The author also makes some fabulous points on the use of euphemisms, one being that, when done well, euphemisms can show a marked talent for creativity and they can be a really fun way to communicate, the other being that euphemisms can sometimes be overused to the point that they sap power from the words that they replace.
Euphemania covers a large selection of potentially taboo or at the very least uncomfortable subjects with major chapter topics including sex, anatomy, bodily functions, illness and death, food, money and commerce, and war. This book is chock full of “bad” words and “naughty” phrases which could be offensive to some readers, but when one critically analyzes the subject matter, I'm not sure how a book like this could have been written without them. I personally found the author's directness to be refreshing. There is also an index and extensive bibliography that looks like it might make for some interesting extended reading on the subject. For me, Euphemania was a fast-paced, humorous, and entertaining look at why we use euphemisms that is definitely going on my keeper shelf for future reference. Ralph Keyes certainly has a way with making a topic that could have been dry into something fun and easy for the average lay-person to understand. I only wish all non-fiction books were so engaging and well-written.
Note: I received an ARC of Euphemania from the publisher in exchange for my review....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews Not Exactly Strangers is a sweet little story of Shelly, a damsel in distress, who is looking for someone to save her from a rReviewed for THC Reviews Not Exactly Strangers is a sweet little story of Shelly, a damsel in distress, who is looking for someone to save her from a rowdy cowboy's harassment, and just happens to pick the handsome local sheriff to cozy up with. Conrad, her gallant “knight” is more than happy to help out a lady in need. This 9-page e-book quickie packed a surprising amount of sexual tension for such a short story without resorting any actual love scenes. I had never read anything by Roni Adams before, but I really liked her writing style and plan to check out her other works. It appears that a secondary character from this novella, musician, Teddy Weston, who was acquainted with both the hero and heroine, is soon to get his own full-length novel, The Cowboy's Duet. Not Exactly Strangers is available as a free download from the publisher, The Wild Rose Press....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews A Nice Change of Pace is an extremely short e-book quickie. At only 5 pages, it has the feel of the beginning of a longer storReviewed for THC Reviews A Nice Change of Pace is an extremely short e-book quickie. At only 5 pages, it has the feel of the beginning of a longer story with the serendipitous meeting of the hero and heroine. Melinda is a harried woman who is trying to balance an exhausting schedule of both work and college classes. She desperately needs a change of pace, and finds it when Rod accidentally almost runs her down on his scooter. I really liked what there was of this story but wished that I could have followed Melinda and Rod “into the sunset” to see what would happen next for them. This is a very sweet novella with absolutely no sensual content, not even a kiss, so it would be appropriate for all romances readers. This was my first read by Margo Hoornstra, but I liked her writing style and plan to check into her other works. A Nice Change of Pace is available as a free download from the publisher, The Wild Rose Press....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews Sins of the Night definitely had the potential to be a really good book, but in my opinion, it simply didn't live up to the prReviewed for THC Reviews Sins of the Night definitely had the potential to be a really good book, but in my opinion, it simply didn't live up to the promise. I've had a kind of up and down relationship with the Dark-Hunter series, but for the most part, either the main love story catches my attention, or if not, there is usually some significant advancement to the overall series story arc which keeps me on the edge of my seat. In this case, I couldn't help feeling that Sins of the Night was something of a throw-away book, because in my opinion, it didn't really do much of either.
Alexion and Danger were both likable enough characters, but I still had a hard time mustering up much enthusiasm for them or their relationship. I think this may have been due to a lack of character development as I didn't feel like I got to know them very well at all. Readers are told the general backstory of their lives and the events which led to where they are currently, but it felt like little more than a narrative that was nearly as "soulless" as the protagonists. When I realized Alexion's true identity and that I had met and liked him in a previous novella, I was rather excited, but my enthusiasm died pretty quickly when I realized that this new beginning for him seemed to hold little meaning. I did feel rather badly for Alexion living without the benefit of human touch for several millennia, only interacting with them every few centuries when there was a Dark-Hunter uprising, and for his cruel betrayal in the past. I also felt for Danger having been sold out by her husband in her human life. However, my feelings just didn't go as deep as I thought they could have if the story had been written differently. I also just couldn't seem to bring myself to buy into them falling in love so quickly. For the most part their attraction seemed to be purely physical, only there to make the love scenes “fit in” later on, and lacked true sexual tension. When the author occasionally tried to put a bit more emotion into a scene, it helped a little, but I still didn't feel an intense love connection between them like I have with some of the other couples in the series. I also couldn't understand how two characters who had been so horribly betrayed in their former lives could come to love and trust each other so quickly and easily. It just didn't make sense to me.
Shockingly, there weren't a lot of secondary characters in this book, and those who were present primarily inhabited the periphery. Normally, I don't like the plethora of supporting players that Ms. Kenyon always seems to fast and furiously throw at the reader, but in this case the lack of them seemed to be a detriment to the main characters. They didn't really have anyone else to play off of besides each other which led to too much dialog and sadly had them resorting to talking to themselves as well. The characters who did put in an appearance from previous stories were Acheron, the Dark-Hunter leader, and his demon companion, Simi, who are in nearly every story; Stryker, the evil god who has an axe to grind with the Dark-Hunters and who I'm still having a hard time figuring how he'll ever be redeemed for his own book (One Silent Night); and Kyros and Ias who were two of the original Dark-Hunters. Those readers like myself who are religiously following the series in order will recognize that they were first introduced in the short story, The Beginning. There were two new characters introduced who I suspect may have an impact on future stories, Savitar, a god who is something of a mentor to Ash, and Xirena, a Charonte demon with ties to Simi.
Overall, Sins of the Night just didn't hold my attention very well, and I found my mind wandering frequently. Especially during the first two-thirds or so of the book, there is a whole lot of talking but not much action. During these periods of interminably long discourses, there weren't enough details of facial expressions or gestures to draw me into Alexion and Danger's exchanges and some of the dialog was, in my opinion, rather juvenile. I felt the narrative in general was too simplistic with the plot being too convoluted. The majority of the book was written in “be” verbs which means lots of telling and not nearly enough showing, a mistake I might expect from a novice, but not a seasoned writer like Ms. Kenyon. I found a number of continuity errors, or at the very least, things that were confusing and could have been better explained. As has been the case with some of the author's previous books, there are several things which occur a bit too conveniently, and in this case, I felt like it was glaringly obvious that she was sloppily trying to make certain plot points work rather than putting more thought into them. If nothing else, I can usually count on Sherrilyn Kenyon for some scorching and emotional love scenes, but even those were lackluster for me. First, I just couldn't seem to invest myself in two people who were hopping into bed together after only 24 hours, when Danger had been resistant to the idea right from the start and then suddenly changed her mind with little explanation. Secondly, the scenes were lacking in details and over almost before they got started. Unfortunately, it felt like Ms. Kenyon rushed through the writing of this book and consequently, in my opinion, it was definitely not one of her better efforts in the Dark-Hunter series. That is regrettable, because after finding out Alexion's identity, I felt like he deserved a much better story. I'm giving Sins of the Night three stars because I liked Alexion and Danger even if I did feel they were underdeveloped, and I also still felt that with the couple of new tidbits being added, it was a worthwhile read for fans of the series. It just simply won't be a memorable one for me.
Sins of the Night is book #7 in the Dark-Hunter series. There are currently a total of 19 full-length novels in the series and quite a number of related novellas and graphic novels as well, with more still to come. A complete list of all the books and their recommended reading order can be found on Sherrilyn Kenyon's website....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews Romancing the Geek was a cute little e-book short story about a geek who is having trouble asking a woman out, so he enlists tReviewed for THC Reviews Romancing the Geek was a cute little e-book short story about a geek who is having trouble asking a woman out, so he enlists the help of his new female office mate for lessons on how to relate to women. Of course, in the process of trying to get the hero a date, the pair fall in love with each other. This novella is only 34 pages long, so not a lot of background information is given on the characters. Brad is a video game programmer who has pretty healthy family ties. He is the typical geek who tends to get wrapped up in his work. However, most geeks I've come across in both real life and my romance reading tend to be sweet and lovable, while Brad seemed rather grumpy and irritable at first. Since there isn't a lot of introspection either, I could only guess at the reasons for that and mostly assumed it was part of his personality. He definitely isn't much of a romantic, but his Valentine's Day gift to Stephanie surprised me as much as it did her and left me thinking, “Awww, how sweet!” Stephanie didn't have a family growing up, but sadly that was only mentioned and never explored. She wants to design toys, but the only job she can get at her favorite toy company is menial labor. Through an act of fate, she ends up having to share an office with Brad. I thought it was very nice of her to agree to help him out in his quest for female companionship.
Overall, Romancing the Geek was a very fast-paced story that didn't have a lot of descriptive detail. I wasn't even entirely sure what Brad and Stephanie looked like as the author gave very little information about their appearances. I did like that Ms. Odell took them through about a one month period of time, allowing them to get to know each other, before anything happened between them, although I thought the actual romance and sexual tension during that time could have been better. As it was written, I didn't really feel much of an emotional connection until the very end. Still, Romancing the Geek was an agreeable way to spend about an hour of my reading time. It was my first read by Terry Odell, but her writing seemed pretty solid, and has left me open to the possibility of checking out her other works to see what she might be able to do with a longer format....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" Love on the Lifts is a sweet, young-adult romance that celebrates the wonder of first loves. High school senior, KReviewed for THC Reviews "4.5 stars" Love on the Lifts is a sweet, young-adult romance that celebrates the wonder of first loves. High school senior, Kate, the main protagonist and first-person narrator of the story, takes her two best friends to a ski resort to stay in a condo owned by her aunt, where they are unexpectedly joined by her college freshman brother and his two friends. Needless to say everyone finds someone to romance during a fun-filled winter break.
Kate was a very likable heroine. She seemed like a pretty typical girl in her late teens. She harbors some mild self-confidence issues and teen angst. Once I realized that Kate's huge crush, Brad, her brother's roommate, is a player who can also be a bit of a jerk, it could have been easy to want Kate to just get over him and open her eyes to Joe, the other, better guy right in front of her, but in my opinion, her being stuck on Brad was never overdone. She does a great deal of thinking about whether he's really worth pursuing, as well as pondering what she really feels for Joe. In fact, I liked that Kate took the time to carefully consider a relationship and ended up making a wise and admirable choice in the end. I also couldn't help but sympathize with her conflicting feelings and confusion as I remembered the romances of my own youth. Even though the events took place pretty quickly over just a few weeks time, I liked that Kate and Joe built a friendship and got to know each other before anything of a more romantic nature took place. It was just really sweet that they came to realize how well-suited they were for each other and how much they simply enjoyed each other's company.
In addition to the romantic relationships, Love on the Lifts also had an uplifting take on the relationships between family and friends. Kate has a close bond with her aunt, with whom she has spent many a winter break, but she learns a few new things about her this trip. Kate fights with her brother, Sam, as siblings are often wont to do, but even they have a few more loving moments that come as a bit of a pleasant surprise to Kate. Her best friends, Allie and Leah, have very different personalities, but they all get along wonderfully and support each other unconditionally.
As a parent, I would say that Love on the Lifts is appropriate for the young-adult audience at which it is aimed. I counted a sum total of only three mild profanities. Not surprisingly, since the plot revolves around three guys and three girls sharing the same house without adult supervision on site, there are some implications of possible hanky-panky going on behind closed doors, but absolutely nothing explicit within the text. Even the kisses (the only thing that does take place on canvas) are pretty sweet and tender without getting too sensual. Aside from Brad, who only seems to be out for a fling, all the other relationships are rooted in loving feelings (not just sex), even though I'll admit that most of those feeling came about pretty quickly. Not to mention, all the couples plan to continue their newfound romances long-term. Because of the implied sexual content though, I would probably only recommend it for more mature teens. On the up side, I thought the book had a very good message about love being more than a surface attraction, and that one must look deeper to find something more genuine and lasting.
Love on the Lifts is a fast-paced, easy read. It was a fairly simple and predictable story, but I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. It may have been a lighter, more upbeat novel than what I typically read, but I thought the author managed to infuse it with just enough emotion to keep it real and believable. I've previously read Rachel Hawthorne writing adult romances as Lorraine Heath, and I'd have to say this book was definitely a different style and tone from what I'm used to seeing from this author, but still enough alike that I could discern hints of her other style. It seems that no matter which name she is writing under, Ms. Hawthorne has me entranced by her story-telling skills, and I'll definitely be picking up another of her books when I'm in the mood for something a bit lighter....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews I had previously read and enjoyed Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion which had been pretty comprehensive in itReviewed for THC Reviews I had previously read and enjoyed Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion which had been pretty comprehensive in its explanation of how the Twilight movie was made, so I wasn't sure if the Twilight Director's Notebook would add much to that. Upon initially leafing through the book, I also discovered that it is rather short with limited text which made me even more skeptical, but I'm pleased to say that I couldn't have been more wrong in my pre-reading assessment. In fact, I ended up liking it a little better than the movie companion in some ways, not because it told me more or had more beautiful pictures, but because it was written by the director herself, Catherine Hardwicke. It was almost like getting the director's DVD commentary in written form. I really liked how Ms. Hardwicke took the reader through the movie-making process step by step, giving her own insights into each phase of production.
The Twilight Director's Notebook is exactly what the title implies. It is packed with scrapbook-style photos, original artwork rendered by Ms. Hardwicke herself, as well as other members of the production team, storyboards, architectural-type plans for sets and stunt coordination and more. The author has then supplemented everything with her own captions and margin notes, almost giving it the feel of a graphic novel. While it isn't precisely a detailed narrative, she does indeed tell the complete story of the making of Twilight from beginning to end. The Twilight Director's Notebook was a quick and surprisingly enjoyable read that in my opinion, is a must have for every hard-core Twilight fan. Readers who are looking for an in depth recounting of the making of Twilight may prefer Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion, but anyone looking for a bird-eye view from the director's chair should definitely check out the Twilight Director's Notebook. Both books were excellent, but very different reads, and both have found a spot on this Twi-hard's keeper shelf....more
Reviewed for THC Reviews The Christmas Blessing is a lovely follow-up to the first book of the Christmas Hope series, The Christmas Shoes. Nathan AndreReviewed for THC Reviews The Christmas Blessing is a lovely follow-up to the first book of the Christmas Hope series, The Christmas Shoes. Nathan Andrews, the little boy from that story who had been so desperate to buy a pair of shoes for his dying mother, is all grown up and studying to be a doctor, but is doubting whether that is the right course for his life. Every time he looses a patient, it's like reliving his mother's death, and he isn't getting along very well with the doctor in charge of his rotation either. Then he meets a young woman whose zest for life, in spite of being born with a hole in her heart, is absolutely infectious, and his whole life changes.
I really liked the grown-up Nathan. His doubts and fears were very relatable. He is such a sensitive young man, and I have to agree with everyone who kept telling him he'd make a great doctor. Caring so much about his patients was really hard on him, but it made him so much more genuine. Doctors who truly care seem to be few and far between, so I really liked this aspect of his character. His struggle with his belief in whether miracles can really happen was very understandable too. I could also relate to his quiet, unassuming nature, and his difficulty talking with some people which made his immediate connection to Meghan all the more special. Their love was so sweet and their relationship reminded me of the beginnings of my own romance with my husband. I also loved the closeness he shared with his father, sister and grandmother which was just a more mature version of their family ties in The Christmas Shoes.
I couldn't help but admire Meghan for her indomitable spirit. She never let her medical condition get in the way of following her dreams, and her determination led her to be a first-class runner. It was really hard to read about such a vibrant young woman becoming so sick almost instantly, but her illness was the catalyst which helped Nathan finally realize his own destiny. Meghan's young friend, Charlie, a fellow heart patient who acted as her unofficial coach was a big inspiration to her and others. I loved how Meghan and Charlie's families were always there supporting them unconditionally. They, along with Nathan's family, gave the story a great deal of warmth. The spirit of Nathan's mother lived on in the beautiful letters she wrote to her son before she died which was another lovely aspect to the story, as were the sweet little letters that Nathan's grandmother encouraged him to write to his mother over the years.
What I think I liked most about The Christmas Blessing and Donna VanLiere's writing in general is that she has a way with imparting a wonderful message of Christian faith without being too trite or preachy. It's done in a gentle, almost philosophical way through an object lesson that I think readers from many walks of life and faiths could relate to. I have to admit to being on pins and needles wondering how the story would turn out, and although there was definitely some sadness, there was also great joy in the end too. Overall, The Christmas Blessing was a great companion novel to The Christmas Shoes that has also earned a spot on my keeper shelf. There is television movie of the same name based on the book which I look forward to checking out, and although I'm not sure if the remaining books in the Christmas Hope series are related to these two books by characters or plot, I'm eager to read them during future holiday seasons....more
Loading...
