The Book Buff

Deadly Kisses

2011-08-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

Brenda Joyce

Rich-girl sleuth Francesca Cahill returns for another adventure in early twentieth-century New York, this time attempting to exonerate her fiance of murder. Much to the dismay of her parents and most of polite society, Francesca is engaged to a self-made, wealthy enigma of a man, Calder Hart. She alone can see the goodness and vulnerability in this former rogue, and her faith in him is severely tested when his former mistress is murdered and he becomes the number-one suspect. Francesca dedicates herself to finding the real killer, in spite of much opposition. Calder attempts to distance himself from her until he realizes that no matter what he has or hasn't done, and no matter what is said of him, Francesca will loyally stand by even as things go from bad to worse.

My Take:

Very rarely do I dislike a book as much as this one. I couldn't stand the man character AT ALL. She is in love with an absolute, well, the only way I can think of to describe him is D-bag, to be quite blunt. She is proclaimed to be super intelligent and have amazing judgement, yet, the reader is forced to swallow this romance. Francesca spends over half of her dialogue defending her "true love" and at least 3/4 of her inner thoughts defending him to herself and the reader. Yuck. I skipped pages and pages and pages (something I oh so rarely do) because it was so repetitive and unenjoyable. Now, aside from the romance that bugged me, I was completely unimpressed by Francesca's sleuthing skills. It wouldn't be a big deal, except that her character is famous for her ability to solve crimes, but I saw absolutely no evidence of her crime solving prowess. In fact, she was so blinded by her personal life that she missed out on a ton of important clues and she was totally off base in a bazillion of her assumptions. She didn't even have the slightest inkling of who the killer was until said person was waving a gun in her face. I know it is easier for the reader to figure out whodunnit than it is for the characters, but I had the killer pegged so early it wasn't even interesting. Also, the final showdown, a scene I always look forward to in mysteries, was a zzzzzzz fest.

Not only did I find the storyline lackluster, but the writing as well. My apologies to the author, but contraction removal alone does not authentic period dialogue make. Period dialogue is tough, if the author doesn't know what they are doing, the reader will see right through you and your dialogue. I, personally, am a super crappy historical dialogue writer, which is why I stay away from it. All in all the book felt clunky, badly paced, and completely uninteresting. There was a very distinct feel of been there done that-a total no no for a mystery. There were a few side story lines that I really enjoyed but since they took up a total of probably 40 pages, they weren't nearly enough to save this book for me. I absolutely hate assigning this rating, but I have no choice. 5-Don't Even Bother

Tell me what you think! Have you read this book, or any of the other Francesca Cahill mysteries? Have you read anything by Brenda Joyce? Do you think I am totally off base in my review? Hit the comments and let me know!

If Deadly Kisses were a movie, it would likely be rated R for some strong language and brief but strong sexual content

***FTC Disclosure: Deadly Kisses was provided free of charge by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Deadly Kisses, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon links, thank you!

Paperback: Kindle:

An Interview with Mina Harker

2011-07-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

In Dracula in Love, a new novel by Karen Essex, Mina Harker finally comes clean about what happened between her and a certain Count. Ms. Harker agreed to a short telephone interview under the condition that she not be asked about her present identity or her life today. Here is what the vampire’s eternal muse had to say:

Q: Ms. Harker, journalists and vampire hunters have been trying to track you down for one hundred thirteen years. Why did you choose now to come out with your own—and, may I say, startlingly different—version of the story?

Ms. Harker: As you can imagine, I needed to wait until some people died, and in my circle, death can take a very long time, if it comes at all. Also, for a long time, I thought my story too outlandish for the public to accept. I did not wish to be scorned as a fantasist or attention seeker. But whereas humans once shuddered at the very notion vampires, now more and more “normal” humans are fantasizing about becoming one. The timing seemed perfect.

Besides, this is the age of the tell-all, so I am telling all; I’m just omitting the modern habit of going into rehab first. I find this need to repent for, be cured of, and then confess one’s “transgressions,” a tedious aspect of today’s culture. I prefer to keep a stiff Victorian upper lip. I am telling my story; I am not confessing it. Do you know the expression, “never complain, never explain?” My version is “never repent, never recant.”

Q: Well, I confess that I found some of your revelations surprising and shocking. Without revealing any spoilers, you take us on a journey that crosses centuries and introduces exotic mythological creatures into what used to be a traditional vampire tale. Are we really to believe this hidden history of blood-drinking?

Ms. Harker: Modern readers have no idea of the real roots of the vampire. Bram Stoker gathered a lot of information, some of it true and some of it based on old wives’ tales. He simplified a very complicated matter for easier public consumption, creating rules for the vampire’s creation and destruction. Please! As I say in the book, crosses and garlic have no power in the supernatural world!

People love things served up in the form of good versus evil, though we all know that reality is always more complex. There have always been sexy, scary blood-drinkers, and there have always been immortals—obviously. I’m not going to explain it to you again. You did read the book, didn’t you?

Q: Yes, and you do make a good case for the history of these immortal blood drinkers. I just had no idea that it dated back to pre-biblical times.

Ms. Harker: It predates Time itself, my dear.

Q: In Dracula in Love, you accuse your tormentors, who were the heroes of Mr. Stoker’s classic, of some appalling behavior. How do we know that you are telling the truth, and moreover, how did he get your side of the story so wrong?

Ms. Harker: Bram needed what you now call a “blockbuster.” He had spent years and years as a theater manager living in the shadow of the actor Henry Irving. He had written a few books that didn’t sell very well, and he was determined to reverse that. Besides, he needed money! And to be fair, he was completely under the spell of the man he named Van Helsing, who as you now know, had some very strange ideas about blood and about women! I don’t hold any grudges. Men of that era had absolutely no clue into the female psyche, nor did they want one. Today’s men are much more understanding.

As to my telling the truth, well, madam, you did not live in the 19^th century! I decided to reveal what life really was like back then. “Career” women like you were considered freaks. You have no idea of how “fallen” women were treated. Despite all of that, I miss those days—candlelit rooms, feather beds, soft velvet gowns, satin gloves, not to mention the beautiful lingerie. Don’t get me started!

Q: Why did you allow Ms. Essex to call the book Dracula in Love when it really is your story? Why not Mina in Love?

Ms. Harker: I’m a little miffed about that. I thought I was being clever, telling my story at a time when the world has a mania for vampires, and when women have made unprecedented gains. I gave the story to a writer known for retelling the stories of history’s misunderstood women, and I certainly have been one of those. But she sat me down and explained that, feminism be damned, the Count is still the bigger draw—at the box office, on bookshelves, everywhere! “Face it, Mina, in the eyes of the public, you’re nothing without him.” Indeed! I don’t want to imply that he and I are competitive with each other; we’re not. I was just hoping that in the 21^st century, a woman could get equal billing.

I guess I’ll have to wait another hundred years.

Q: Whoa, are you saying that you and he are still together…that he is still…but at the end of the story….

Ms. Harker (interrupts): This interview is now over. (Click.)

***For more about Dracula in Love, check out my review here***

Dracula in Love

2011-07-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to participate in this blog tour. A big ol' thanks to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to participate. I am always so grateful when I am able to participate in things like this. Anyway, below you'll find all sorts of good stuff. We've got my review, a book trailer and some really awesome links for anyone wanting to learn more. Enjoy! (P.S. stay tuned for a guest post later this week!)

Karen Essex

"Reader, you are about to enter a world that exists simultaneous with your own. But be warned: in its realm, there are no rules, and there is certainly no neat formula to become—or to destroy—one who has risen above the human condition…The truth is, we must fear monsters less and be warier of our own kind."

London, 1890. Mina Murray, the rosy-cheeked, quintessentially pure Victorian heroine, becomes Count Dracula’s object of desire. To preserve her chastity, five male “defenders” rush in to rescue her from the vampire’s evil clutches. This is the version of the story we've been told. But now, from Mina’s own pen, we discover that the story is vastly different when told from the female point of view.

My Take:

This is a tough review for me to put into words. But I'm just gonna soldier on and hope I can string together a coherent sentence or two :) First off, let me say that I found Dracula in Love to be extraordinarily engaging and very well written. I liked the strong female characters (but hated the semi demonization of the men, yes women were oppressed at the time but that doesn't mean every man was super sexist/chauvinistic as they all seemed in the book) and I really enjoyed the super random twist on the original story. I loved the Irish fairy twist which seemed totally out of place in a retelling of Dracula, but in my opinion, it worked. Now, there were some things I didn't love. First and foremost, there was a bit of random folklore and mythology told in the first half of the book or so, which, while interesting, didn't really do much to further the story, and didn't pop up later, as I expected. I hesitate to call it filler, as it was very intriguing, but just didn't give the book any forward motion, thus feeling a bit filler-y. Also, I'm not quite sure how I feel about the ending. I think it was probably the most appropriate ending for the story, but I didn't love it, it was a tad anti climactic. Though I didn't love the end, it definitely didn't ruin the overall book. I'm always a huge fan of retelling from other points of view, and I think that the author gave Mina Harker a great voice. She was a practical woman for her time. She was smart. She knew her realistic limitations and was happy with her lot in life overall. This was a really enjoyable book, I loved the creepy tone and I LOOOOOVE the cover! Just like this was a toughie for me to review, it was a toughie for me to rate. While there were some things I didn't love about the book, it had a lot of resonance, that elusive indescribable "it-factor" which keeps you thinking about the book long after you've read it, and is one of the most important aspects for me to consider when rating a book. This in mind, I rate Dracula in Love a 2, Borders with a Coupon

Tell me what you think! What do you think about a redo of a classic like Dracula? Do you enjoy retellings from another point of view? Have you read Dracula in Love? What did you think of it? Hit the comments!

If Dracula in Love was a movie it would likely be rated R for sexual content and mild violence (the violence by itself is definitely more in the PG-PG-13 range)

Whats that you ask? You want to watch the book trailer? Well...

If you are interested in learning more about the book, the author, etc. here you go:

Dracula in Love Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgHRtNHZiQI
Link to tour schedule: http://hfvirtualbooktours.blogspot.com/2011/07/virtual-book-tour-dracula-in-love-by.html
Karen's Website: http://www.karenessex.com/
Karen's Blog: http://www.karenessex.com/blog/
Karen's Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=1060811184

***FTC Disclosure: Dracula in Love was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Dracula in Love, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

Book Buff Update

2011-06-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

Soooooooo, normally I'm able to balance life and blogging, but at the moment, it just ain't happening. I'm pregnant at the moment, and we are in the process of buying a new house. So between the puking, the moving, the painting and the decorating, I am having a tough time finding the free time to blog. I'm not going on a full on hiatus, I just can't be the prolific poster I used to be. So don't unfollow me, because I haven't quit blogging, I'm just slowing it down a bit, k?

Coming soon: Dracula in Love Review and GUEST POST :)

I Finally Drank the Hunger Games Kool-Aid...

2011-06-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

...and it was yummy!

Awhile back, I did a post on books I haven't read, but it seems like I'm the only one (see here) Well, I finally knocked one series off of that list: The Hunger Games. I was a little nervous to read them but was ecstatic to find they lived up to the hype. I flew through them so fast, they were awesome!

I'm adding The Hunger Games to my list of what I call Gateway Books. Just what are Gateway Books? Well, if you attended American public schools from at least the year 1983, you are familiar with D.A.R.E.

In D.A.R.E. we learned, in varying degrees of effectiveness about how to resist drugs and gangs. My D.A.R.E. officer was so nice and cute, all the girls wouldn't shut up about him long enough for shy, scrawny, 10 year old me to learn how to avoid being recruited by a bloodthirsty gang. Some D.A.R.E. officers take a different, more terrifying approach. I've seen kids walk out of school after D.A.R.E. on shaky legs, furtive eyes darting here and there, watching for bad guys to come out of every shadow to kidnap you, knock you out and get you addicted to everything under the sun and steal your kidney before you can even wake up.

Anyway, one of the biggest things we learned about was avoiding Gateway Drugs, drugs that are less harmful, but can lead you to the more hardcore junk. Well, yes, that is basically what a Gateway Book is, only, getting hooked on them is a good thing :) These are books like The Hunger Games, books that even the most notorious non-readers can get sucked into, which will lead them to read other things. To illustrate my point, I'm going to do what I do best, make a list! So here you go, love them or hate them, here are my top Gateway Books (in no particular order):

1. The Twilight Saga: Yes its on the way out (at least the books, the movies are still huge), and most people are thankful that the rabid fandom is dying off, BUT there is no denying that this series is a Gateway Book. 12 year old girls that would previously only read Tiger Beat magazine were thrust into the world of YA love triangles and found they had a taste for them. After reading the Twilight books 10 to50 times, they began to branch out, seeking more of said love triangles (as we all know, there is no shortage of them) They eventually branch out beyond YA and before long they can call themselves *GASP!* "bookworms"!

2. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series: This series is aimed at a young audience (usually kids who just think they are too cool for school/reading) and it hits its target right on. I've read these books, I see why they are a huge hit-they are flippin HILARIOUS! Do they have much substance? Nope. Are they literary genius? No way, but they get kids reading the written word and simply learn that book does not always equal boring. You get your kid reading these books, you move them onto maybe something with a few more words, a few less pictures, before they know it, you can get them reading classic children's stuff like The Chronicles of Narnia or Alice in Wonderland. I actually used these books to test my Gateway Books theory with excellent results. My very own nephew has progressed from these all the way to classic adventure books like Treasure Island and The Jungle Book.

3. Goosebumps books: These were all the rage when I was younger, and yes, that wasn't THAT long ago. I just had a birthday and I can still consider myself to be in my early 20s (for one more year) These books, while not exactly my cup of tea, really pulled in a lot of kids to get them hooked on reading. They are extremely formulaic and cheesy, but all those Night of the Living Dummy's and Say Cheese and Die's really struck a chord with young boys and showed them how interesting the horror genre can be. Often times, if you were a kid who listed R.L. Stine as your favorite author, it translated to Stephen King as an adult. The only problem with The Goosebumps Books, are the fact that they are an open ended series. See, with other Gateway Books, once the reader has exhausted all options with the Gateway Series in question, they begin to look elsewhere for something similar. Sadly many times, I've seen kids that read Goosebumps exclusively, then when they get a bit older, the cheesiness of the series hits them like a ton of bricks, and they set them down never to pick up another book again.

4. The Hunger Games: Got a teenager girl who couldn't give a crap about sparkly vampires? Well, how about if you introduce this teen (or adult for that matter) to a hardcore hunter fighting in a death match arena who happens to have two hot guys in love with her (but is written so that the love triangle isn't so in your face). That's The Hunger Games series for ya. It's edgy and not a little bit violent (but not too violent for teens in my opinion) and it sneaks in some really good lessons about not accepting the status quo etc. Plus an awesome bonus, it introduces people to the completely awesome and not as widely read dystopia genre.

5. The Harry Potter Series: Sorry I include Harry Potter on just about all of my lists, I love these books, and that is not going to change ever. This is, I think, the most powerful Gateway Book series of all. I saw this one work with my brother. He grew up severely dyslexic, and reading for fun was always out of the picture. He did enjoy the Goosebumps books for a while, but they didn't quite lead him into other stuff. So when I first started Harry Potter, and was hooked immediately, I knew my brother would love these books so much, he'd push through his difficulties and get hooked too. Well, little 12 year old me was a dang genius. I dared my brother to read them, and (with the generous backing of my parents) I told my brother I'd give him 50 bucks if he read the first one and didn't want to move on. I can always tell if my brother is lying, so I wasn't worried he'd try to trick me. Needless to say, he was a goner immediately. The things about Harry Potter that makes them so effective at getting people hooked on reading, and not just the books themselves, is that they are so well written and you are truly getting a taste of how extraordinary the literary experience can be. You get a taste of intricately woven plot lines, full and richly developed characters, classic good versus evil stuff that epic literature is made of. My brother moved quickly on to Lord of the Rings and hasn't looked back. If my brother, who was practically the very antithesis of a bookworm in his younger years can turn into an avid reader by a very strategically planned progression through the world of literature, trust me, anyone can.

And there you have it, my top weapons in my arsenal of Gateway Books. I have a few random talents in this world. One of which is the fact that I am the only person in my office who can get our IT guy to fix our computers. Another is the fact that I can fish info out of anyone without even a hint of suspicion (this is best used when trying to glean birthday/Christmas present ideas without detection) Finally I rock the socks off of getting people into reading. I can always pick out the exact right Gateway Book and have done so on many occasions. I am a huge believer that everyone loves to read, it is just a matter of finding the right books.

Have you have any experience with Gateway Books? Have you ever been hooked by any of these books? Am I missing any from the list? Let me know!

Worse Off Wednesday

2011-06-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Worse Off Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by me! The Book Buff in which we discuss characters in books who have it worse off than us.

Today we are going to be talking about a lovable giant dog and children's classic: Clifford The Big Red Dog. See, there is a dark underbelly to the classic children's series that people rarely, if ever, consider.

Oh sure, being a giant dog seems all peaches and cream. When the school bus is full, go ahead and ride the big red dog to your field trip (never mind the liability involved-we'll leave that alone for right now) What? An elephant has gone missing from the circus? Clifford can fill in! Like I said, it sounds great, but when little miss Emily Elizabeth made her wish for her dog to be huge, did she even consider the havoc gigantism wreaks on a body? Didn't think so, for starters...

Sufferers of this disease often develop frequent infections, and are more likely to experience kidney failure, other health problems "[include] hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea (when breathing stops during sleep), carpal tunnel syndrome (pain, numbness or a tingling sensation in the hand or fingers). So people with untreated acromegaly gigantism, in addition to the growth problems,...can [experience] premature death because of the other associated problems. They get organomegaly--so all their organs get big, too--[and] they have a higher incidence of heart disease. Then you couple that with hypertension and diabetes and you can imagine they don't live very long." *

In summation my worst health problems are a sensitive tummy and allergies. Clifford's heart is too big, he has diabetes, his joints ache, he can't sleep and he has an owner who would wish all this crap on him. So I'd say yeah, Clifford the Big Red Dog is worse off than me!

Do you want to participate in Worse Off Wednesday? If so, please grab the Worse Off Wednesday icon at the top of this post to include in your own post. After you've participated, head back here and leave your link in my Mr. Linky so all of my followers can check you out!

*Scientific American http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-causes-gigantism-sandy-allen

Giveaway Roundup! Yee ha!

2011-06-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

Best way to get rid of the mondays? Talk about free books! I've combed through all of the blogs I follow to find some really awesome giveaway for everyone! Happy monday :)

Quest for the Demon by ML Sawyer over at Book'd Out (this one is a giveaway, and also a promo code to purchase to book 75% off if you don't win :)

Treasure Me by Christine Nolfi over at A Bookish Affair

An Alyson Noel prizepack over at A Cupcake and a Latte

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen over at Alison's Book Marks

Dark Days of Summer Supernatural Giveaway over at Bewitched Bookworms

Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz over at Book Garden Reviews

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson over at Book Garden Reviews

Dead on the Delta by Stacey Jay over at Dark Faerie Tales

Everlasting by Alison Noel over at Dark Faerie Tales

1700 Follower Giveaway over at Fire and Ice

Book Blowout ARC Giveaway over at Fire and Ice

Perfect (signed ARC) by Ellen Hopkins over at Fire and Ice

Go ye forth unto the blogging world, enter contests, and enjoy!

Books I Swore I'd Never Read

2011-05-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

(Can you tell I love icanhascheezburger.com? more to come...)

In an attempt to broaden my literary horizons, I am issuing myself a new reading challenge. I'm a bit too lazy to organize it all fancy like and make it an "Official Book Blog Reading Challenge" with graphics and progress bars etc. I'm simply issuing it to myself, and if you feel inspired, so be it, but given the subject of the challenge, I wouldn't blame you if you passed on it :)

I'm going to read books I swore I'd never read, or read again, as the case may be with some on the list. I don't know how long it will take me to get through this challenge as I will likely procrastinate the crap out of some of these. Here is the list:

1. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I know what you are thinking: Kate, why would you hate this book? It's a classic, it won all sorts of fancy schmancy awards! I'll tell you why. I have actual anger toward this book, even though I've never read it. I saw the movie, and yes I'm sure the book is better than the movie, that isn't the issue. My issue is a certain character you fall in love with dies and I felt gypped. I hate when children die in books. Call me unrealistic, I don't really care. I was mad.

2. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. Dogs die. I'm not down with that.

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I read this in high school and I swore I'd never read it again. I'm annoyed with whiny rich people. Actually, I'm annoyed with whiny people in general, this book had 'em all over the place. I'm going to re read this, maybe I'll like it better the second time around.

4. The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I think there are other ways to discover yourself and awaken from your self imposed repression other than having an affair, abandoning your children and committing suicide. I'm just sayin. Plus! It was a snoozer.

5. Anything by Charles Dickens. I think he is a great story crafter. His stories have really stood the test of time, but his actual writing is not my favorite, so I'm going to give him another shot.

So what are the books you are totally self proclaimed judgmental about? Are there any you are brave enough to give a chance? Are you in shock over some of my choices? Don't be shy, let me know!

It's not BEA But It's Still Awesome!

2011-05-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I'll be off on vacation until Monday, no, I'm not at BEA, or BBC, I'm going camping :) No computers or electronics (except my husband's i-touch to keep my daughter busy on the loooooong drive) I'm so excited to finally go on a vacation! I slacked and forgot to schedule a bunch of posts to go up while I'm gone, so I'm sorry to all of you, but you'll have to do without my lovely words of wisdom until Monday. Farewell all!

Worse Off Wednesday

2011-05-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is the weekly meme hosted by me, The Book Buff in which we discuss those in books who have it oh so worse off than us. Read on, enjoy, and pass it along!

My subject of Worse of Wednesday is not so much one individual, but rather a sad, totally not cared about demographic. That is, that guy who loves the girl in the love triangle, but alas, is not even thought of enough to be in said triangle. No one cares, not even us, the readers. An example you ask? Gladly. The first to come to my mind is Mike Newton from the oft criticized and very polarizing series, The Twilight Saga. Whether you love or hate the books (is there even an in between?) you probably didn't even notice this nice, but gasp! non paranormal dude.

See, he's cute, he's nice, he's not overtly controlling. But he, albeit unwittingly, commits the most egregious sin in all of YA paranormal-dom. He's not sparkly or semi canine, or __insert paranormal aspect here__. How. Dare. He. This character is very similar to and often overlaps with the best friend forever relegated to the friend zone no matter how hot/cute/sweet he is (i.e Duckie in Pretty in Pink, I will never forgive Molly Ringwald for picking the snob over him) Sometimes the guy who doesn't get the girl lucks out and gets another one. This other girl might even be prettier or more awesome than the original girl (again i.e. Duckie), but we don't care, because she isn't the main character.

So next time you get caught up in Team Wars, just give a moment of silence to those who will never have a team, or if they do, it is very small and will never have an official t-shirt or snazzy blog button.

If you are participating in Worse Off Wednesday, feel free to link the post up right here! Remember to leave the URL of the Worse Off Wednesday post, not you blog URL :)

Better Book Titles

2011-05-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard of the blog Better Book Titles, let me share a few of their gems with you and maybe you'll feel so inclined to check out their totally rad collection. They've got everything from kid's books:

Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Curious George by H.A. Rey

to the classics we read in highschool...

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

And here are some random funny ones I just loved...

As You Like It by William Shakespeare (also this works for 12th Night and several others lol)

Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Life by Keith Richards

James and the Giant Peach by Rauld Daul

(slightly edited for The Book Buff :)

Here is the link to the blog Better Book Titles: http://betterbooktitles.com/ Enjoy!

P.S. a tiny disclaimer, the blog isn't as family friendly as mine, there is some strong language and sexual content in some of the titles

I Sit in a BEA Armchair Soaked with Tears...

2011-05-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

...tears of lament over my lack of adequate fundage to attend the actual BEA :) So if you are broke like me, or bogged down with the other stuff life'll throw at you, sit down and enjoy Armchair BEA. This is my first time participating, and as the first post, we are supposed to introduce ourselves, so here is some random junk about me:

I like to use my wedding pictures whenever possible, though it was 5 years ago because that was the last time I think I was photogenic.
I have social anxiety (one of the things that drew me into the anonymity of the blogosphere) but I am KILLER at hiding it. I can put on a charming, funny face while (usually unwillingly) in social situation, but inside I feel like I'm gonna toss my cookies. So next year, when you see me at BEA and I appear cool as a cucumber, you'll know that I'm just acting well and putting all of my years in musical theater to good use. Mom would be so proud!
Now, seemingly at odds with my last random factoid, I talk a lot. I mean, a LOOOOOOOT. But on the plus side, I'm pretty good at editing myself around people who aren't used to the sheer volume of words I can spit out, I'm pretty funny and I'm quite entertaining with my facial expressions, etc.
I started my book blog because I realized I was yapping incessantly about every book I read to my poor unfortunate husband, mom, dad, siblings, and even 3 year old. I already had a personal blog, so I decided to branch and out blog about books instead. I have so enjoyed finding like minded book weirdos (I mean that as the highest compliment), you all feed my book addiction and I love you for it!

So that's it for now, I'm looking forward to participating in the rest of Armchair BEA, more than that I'm really really looking forward to the day when I can go to the real thing! But for now, let's all console ourselves in our tear soaked armchairs :)

Once Upon a Scandal

2011-05-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Delilah Marvelle

Lady Victoria Jane Emerson left behind her girlish notions of romance when Jonathan deserted her without a backward glance. Now the time has come when she must finally choose a husband, and she has vowed to marry someone who will never break her heart.

Jonathan Pierce Thatcher, Viscount Remington, has returned home, free of all his family's debts. Only to discover that by some miracle he has been chosen to vie for the hand of his beloved Victoria. To convince his only love to once again believe in the magic of love and the promise of desire will be his greatest challenge yet. And one he cannot fail!

My Take:

Do you ever read a romance novel, but the romance moves so quickly, you don't know where the story can go for the rest of the book? That thought ran across my mind several times in this book, and the author kept taking it in a random direction I wasn't expecting, so kudos to her for that. The book itself was not too bad, but it felt a little disjointed at times and I didn't love all of the characters. I enjoyed the love interest, Remington. He was flawed but wonderful and stubborn and romantic. Victoria on the other hand was a big ol' pain in the butt and I didn't really get why Remington was hopelessly in love with her. Several times I just wanted to smack her and tell her to get over herself and chill out. She was super cold and unfeeling, but of course her handsome love warmed her up by the end, it is a cheesy historical romance after all. Like I said before, the book took some unexpected twists, which was good, but some of them I think felt a bit out of place. The villain of the book was referenced throughout, but not an actual character or threat until the very end, and his storyline ended quickly and easily. Once Upon a Scandal was a quick and easy read you'll enjoy well enough, but you won't remember it very far into the future. With all this in mind I rate it a 4, Borrow from a Friend.

Tell me what you think! Have you read this book? Did you enjoy it? Did it feel disjointed at all to you, or was that all me? Hit the comments!

If Once Upon a Scandal was a movie it would likely be rated R for brief but strong language and sexual content.

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given,all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Once Upon a Scandal, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon links, thank you!

Paperback: Kindle:

Oh snap, The Book Buff's legit now!

2011-05-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

I was very excited to be interviewed for The Gatekeepers Post. I'm usually the one doing the interviewing, so it was a little disconcerting to try to think of answers people would actually give a crap about reading! So here is the link the the interview, feel free to rate it at the bottom, I'm not really sure what that does, but it would be super cool to get a bunch of 10s :) http://www.gatekeeperspost.com/uncategorized/an-interview-with-book-blogger-kate-2/ Please do come back here and comment to let me know what you thought. Here are some of the highlights:

"Well, the best way to describe how I read is to compare it to how a pregnant woman eats..."

"I, Emma Freke by Elizabeth Atkinson is one that stands out. I’m a total sucker for books about smart misfits who have a hard time making friends. You know, not because that would describe me to a tee at a young age or anything *clears throat awkwardly*. "

"The Darling Strumpet is about Nell Gwynn who was the original Pretty Woman aka hooker with a heart of gold (sorry Julia Roberts, that market was cornered about 300 years before you were born!)"

Hopefully I've piqued your interest, or at least confused you enough where you want to read the full interview to figure out what the crap I'm talking about :)

So thank you to the editor in chief of The Gatekeepers Post, Jeff Rivera for being so awesome and reaching out to me, you sure do know how to make girl feel special!

If you've been interviewed by The Gatekeepers Post, feel free to share your links in the comments.

Worse Off Wednesday

2011-05-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well, this is my first meme, so I thought hey, why not just make up my own? So here it is, Worse Off Wednesday...

We all have problems, it's true, but it seems characters in books have it waaaaay worse. Whether it's a bunch of kids fighting for their lives gladiator style, or just a dude married to the most obnoxious woman alive (i.e. poor poor Mr. Bennett) I'm willing to bet that if you really think about it, you can find a character in the book you are reading right now who is worse off than you. So tell me, who is it?

For my first Worse Off Wednesday, I think I'm going to go with a classic, and probably one of my favorite characters in all of book-dom: Severus Snape (spoilers ahead, if you haven't read all of the books, beware!)

First of all, no one likes the dude, except maybe me. He's just not attractive (though I think Alan Rickman was more than attractive in Sense and Sensibility :) and the only woman he ever loved, up and married his nemesis and popped out a kid who totally hates him! Yes, his demeanor doesn't help his situation much, but nobody ever loved him so he's crotchety, give him a break! He made some stupid mistakes as a kid, fell into the wrong crowd, and now he's stuck playing a spy and living a double life, which does not turn out well for him. In summation: He's not attractive, he has no friends, he had a tragic love life, and he died. Poor guy. So while yes, I have problems, I've got it better than Severus Snape.

If you participate in this meme, please let me know in the comments!

Here Lies Bridget

2011-05-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Paige Harbison

Bridget Duke is the uncontested ruler of her school. The meanest girl with the biggest secret insecurities. And when new girl Anna Judge arrives, things start to fall apart for Bridget: friends don't worship as attentively, teachers don't fall for her wide-eyed "who me?" look, expulsion looms ahead and the one boy she's always loved—Liam Ward—can barely even look at her anymore.

When a desperate Bridget drives too fast and crashes her car, she ends up in limbo, facing everyone she's wronged and walking a few uncomfortable miles in their shoes. Now she has only one chance to make a last impression. Though she might end up dead, she has one last shot at redemption and the chance to right the wrongs she's inflicted on the people who mean the most to her.

And Bridget's about to learn that, sometimes, saying you're sorry just isn't enough….

My Take:

I love reading about good juicy villains. You know, the ones you looooooove to hate, whether they be the school's horrid yet mesmerizing queen bee such as Regina George from Mean Girls, or the freakin crazy anarchist out to destroy just for fun a la Heath Ledger's The Joker. Then of course you have your Heathcliffs (yes, I consider him a villain, get over it :), your Voldemorts, your Prince Humperdinks, the list goes on. Unfortunately, Bridget is not one who, in my opinion, can be counted among the ranks of the delicious juicy villains. She's just a big old beeyotch that you can barely stomach! I didn't blame her friends for hating her or her boyfriend for leaving her even a tiny bit. Yes Bridget, you are sad inside. Yes Bridget, you have problems, your dad isn't around as much as he should be, you feel abandoned, blah blah blah. I just wanted to take the character by the shoulders shake her and tell her to get over herself, we all have problems!!! **pants from overdoing the rant** Anyway, despite the fact that I hated the main character (which you were supposed to, to a certain extent) I actually enjoyed the book overall. I enjoyed the modern day Scroogey feel, and by the end, I found Bridget to be a character I no longer wanted to smack right in the face. This book is definitely worth a read, just don't expect to enjoy Bridget until she's had a few dozen servings of humble pie shoved quite forcefully down her throat! I really enjoyed a lot of the secondary characters, as they felt a bit more realistic, and I REALLY felt for Bridget's not so wicked step mother. I think I'm going to give Here Lies Bridget a middle of the road rating, solid, but not overly impressive: 3, Find a Used Book Store

Tell me what you think! Who is your favorite juicy villain? Have you read Here Lies Bridget? If so, what did you think of it, and specifically of Bridget? Hit the comments!

If Here Lies Bridget was a movie it would likely be rated PG for some material not suited for young ones (underage drinking etc)

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Here Lies Bridget, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon links, thank you!

Paperback: Kindle:

GASP! I'm branching out! Eeek!

2011-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you may know that I have OCD, and if you didn't already know, well, now you do. I've always been a little OCD with my postings, i.e. 1 post = 1 review, but there are so many fun things I've wanted to do, but my self imposed posting limitations have made that a bit difficult. So I've decided to ***GASP!*** change things up a bit! Now, along with my usual reviews, I'm going to be posting book news, book thoughts, memes and other fun things. Now, don't laugh at me but this change is really nerve racking for a creature of habit such as myself. So while I get this whole thing figured out, show me some love and send me some comments so I don't feel like such a dufus!

So for my first foray into the wild randomness of the bookish thoughts swirling around in my head, I'm going to make a list of some of the books I've been wanting to read forever, but just haven't gotten around to it for one reason or another. So go ahead and leave me a comment or two on just how badly I am missing out :)

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Yes I know, these are the best books ever according to just about everyone, but I haven't gotten around to it yet! Sue me!

2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan. I saw the movie, I liked the movie, I'm sure the books are better, they always are. I plan on reading the books, but there are a lot of them, and I'm just a wee bit too broke at the moment to go out and buy em all.

3. The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare. I started reading the first book in this series and I was HOOKED but then my TBR stack of books authors had sent me to review was getting a bit behind, so I had to abandon the books. I can't complain though, I got all of those books for free!

4. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. SIKE! Gotcha! I'm obsessed with Harry Potter, I've read them all a bazillion times. I love them and I can debate all the nitty gritty details with the best of 'em, just wanted to make sure you were paying attention!

So tell me, what are you out of the loop on? Don't be shy!

Sharpshooter in Petticoats

2011-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Mary Connealy

After a disastrous marriage, widow Mandy McClellen Gray is doing just fine in her remote mountain home. She's got her three children to keep her company and gold in the bank to keep her solvent. The last thing she needs right now is a cantankerous cowboy encroaching on her life.

Rancher Tom Linscott is as tough and cranky as his unruly stallion. When he finds outlaws have trapped Mandy on her mountain, he's determined to rescue her, whether she wants to be saved or not. Only problems is, Mandy's trouble follows her. When he brings her to his home--against her will--outlaws trail then right to his door.

When the feuding family expands their vengeful plans to include Tom, his need to protect his woman puts him right in the line of fire.

My Take:

Growing up I did a lot of stuff to be like my dad. As a kid, I thought blue cheese dressing was quite possibly the nastiest thing on planet earth, but I ate it all the time because that's what my dad ate. I read Lord of the Rings in elementary school because they were my dad's favorite books, though I had to take it one line at a time and consult a dictionary constantly. I ate sushi with a smile concealing a gag reflex. I watched James Bond movies completely confused by the Cold War intrigue (I was 2 when the Berlin Wall came down, so I didn't grow up in the height of it). Whodathunk that eating and doing these things as a kid would make them my favorite things as an adult. I can't get enough blue cheese and sushi (though not at the same time-gross!), I am an avid Lord of the Rings fan, and I go to the midnight release of every James Bond movie and actually understand the plots (mm'mm Daniel Craig, be still my beating heart).

Well, in all of the things I did to be like my dad, one thing stands out as the thing I most love: reading amazing Westerns a la Louis L'Amour. I don't read as many as I used to, because I've read everything by my beloved Louis, and other westerns just can't stand up in comparison. So in my oh so verbose and "I digress" sort of way, I'm trying to point out that westerns were a very important part of my childhood and I'm picky about them and I really enjoyed Sharpshooter in Petticoats. The author really seemed to know what she was talking about. As I've mentioned before on my blog, I grew up in rural Nevada, where they pronounce "creek" as "crick" etc. so I have a healthy appreciation for all things outdoorsy including hunting fishing and firearms. I cringe a bit in most books when firearms are brought up, because most of the time, I can see write through the author attempting to sound knowledgeable and it really bugs me. This is especially key to westerns, because whether you are pro or anti gun, there is no denying that they were an integral part of the old west, and an authentic knowledge is essential. Sharpshooter in Petticoats is, I believe, the third book in the the Sophie's Daughters series, but it was the first one I read. I absolutely enjoyed it and never felt lost or that I'd missed out because I hadn't read the previous books. I did get very interested in the other character's stories and I can't wait to read the other books. If you enjoy a good western, I'm sure you'll enjoy this book. The characters are rough, gruff and often down right mean, the action is good, the scenery is beautiful and the romance was practical yet sweet. Now, I'm nothing if but honest on this blog, so I do have to say that Sharpshooter in Petticoats was no Louis L'Amour, but it was a great book nonetheless and I rate it a 2, Borders with a Coupon.

Tell me what you think! Do you enjoy westerns? Have you ever read Louis L'Amour? Have you read any of the books in this series? Which is your favorite? Hit the comments!

If Sharpshooter in Petticoats was a movie it would likely be rated PG for some mild violence and mildly suggestive material (references to "wifely thoughts" or "being a wife in every way")

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing the Sharpshooter in Petticoats, or any of the books from the Sophie's Daughters Series, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon links, thank you!

Paperback:

Kindle:

Kylie Jean Drama Queen

2011-05-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Written by Marci Peschke and Illustrated by Tuesday Mourning

Kylie Jean's class is performing Alice in Wonderland! Kylie Jean knows she'd be just perfect as the Queen of Hearts. But mean girl Paula wants the part too . . . .

My Take:

Well, my favorite little pink lovin', hard workin', beauty queen aspirin' girl is back in Kylie Jean, Drama Queen. Her last adventure was Kylie Jean, Rodeo Queen, where she learned the value of hard work and perseverance. Her mama always tells her pretty is as pretty does, and this time around she's learned that lesson through learning to be nice to the new, mean girl in class. I really love these Kylie Jean books, she's such a good example to little girls, she always works hard at her goals, and she always tries to be nice. She doesn't always accomplish that last goal, but watching her learn and grow is the fun of the books. Aside from learning to be nice to someone she doesn't like, she also learns how to handle the disappointment of not getting the part she wanted in the school play. I've been there, and while as an adult it doesn't seem like a big deal, as a kid, it is devastating. But Kylie Jean puts on a smile, and keeps on truckin'. Of course, the ending of the book turns out picture perfect, but its a book for little girls, so it works just fine. This is a series that I truly love and would recommend to just about any little girl. I would say however, that the books might not appeal quite so much to the tomboy set, but Kylie Jean is so endearing, I think even they won't mind the pink overload in this book :) I whole heartedly rate this book, 1, Pay Full Price.

Tell me what you think! Do you enjoy the Kylie Jean books? Do they seem like something your little girl would enjoy? I love the cover of this book, what do you think of it? Hit the comments!

If Kylie Jean, Drama Queen was a movie, it would be rated G, appropriate for all audiences.

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Kylie Jean, Drama Queen, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

Stone Kissed

2011-05-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Keri Stevens

When Delia Forrest talks to statues, they talk back. She is, after all, the last of the Steward witches.

After an arsonist torches her ancestral home with her estranged father still inside, Delia is forced to sell the estate to pay his medical bills. Her childhood crush, Grant Wolverton, makes a handsome offer for Steward House, vowing to return it to its former glory. Delia agrees, as long as he'll allow her to oversee the restoration.
Working so closely with Grant, Delia finds it difficult to hide her unique talent—especially when their growing passion fuels her abilities.

But someone else lusts after both her man and the raw power contained in the Steward land. Soon Delia finds herself fighting not just for Grant's love, but for both their lives...

My Take:

This was a weird one for me to rate. I absolutely loved the main character's totally random ability to communicate with statues, but there were many, less wow-y aspects of the book to consider. I'll get what I didn't love over with in the beginning, then we'll end on a positive note:) The antagonist of the book wasn't all that great. I mean, she was some weirdo succubus chick who totally creeped me out, but she wasn't really all that much of a threat to the main character, and after all, isn't that the point of an antagonist? It almost felt like she belonged in a different book altogether. Now, the other thing I didn't love: Grant, the love interest. The reason I don't care for him isn't so much the fact that he's a bit of a d-bag, because let's face it, romance novel love interests are full of 'em, but more the fact that he was dumb enough to agree to marry a girl he thought to be a full on lunatic/liar. Now of course, we omniscient readers know she isn't but he doesn't! Why on earth would you want to saddle yourself to a lifetime of that??? If you really believe a girl to be a lunatic/liar, you really want to raising your children, etc? Didn't make sense to me, but whatever, I was still glad they got together in the end. Now to the good stuff. I absolutely loved Delia's interaction with the statues all around her. They all had fun and interesting personalities and I felt that Delia was a great character. If you like either paranormal or romance, check this one out. It is just one of those fun dinky romances I love so much, but since it isn't the sort of thing that you will want to read over and over, I rate it a 4, Borrow from a Friend.

Tell me what you think! Have you read this book? What did you think of the antagonist? What did you think of Grant? What do you think about the fact that the main character can talk to statues? Do you find that interesting or not? Hit the comments!

If Stone Kissed was a movie it would likely be rated R for violence and sexual content

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Stone Kissed, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

The Dangerous Edge of Things

2011-05-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

Tina Whittle

Tai Randolph thinks inheriting a Confederate-themed gun shop is her biggest headache — until she finds a murdered corpse in her brother's driveway. Even worse, her supposedly respectable brother begins behaving in decidedly non-innocent ways, like fleeing to the Bahamas and leaving her with both a homicide in her lap and the pointed suspicions of the Atlanta PD directed her way. Suddenly, she has to worry about clearing her own name, not just that of her wayward sibling.

Complicating her search for answers is Trey Seaver, field agent for Phoenix, an exclusive corporate security firm hired to investigate the crime. Trey is fearless, focused, and — much to Tai's dismay — utterly impervious to bribes, threats and clever deceptions. Still in recovery from the car accident that left him cognitively and emotionally damaged, Trey has constructed a world of certainty and routine. He has powerful people to answer to, and the last thing he wants is an unpredictable stranger "detecting" on Phoenix turf.

Tai's inquiry leads her from the cold-eyed glamour of Atlanta's adult entertainment scene to the gilded treachery of Tuxedo Road. Potential suspects abound, including violent stalkers, vengeful sisters, and a paparazzo with a taste for meth. But it takes another murder — and threats to her own life — to make Tai realize that to solve this crime, she has to trust the most dangerous man she's ever met.

My Take:

I seem to be in the minority on this one, I didn't really find this book all that great. It was competently written, I can't say there was really anything bad about it specifically, it just lacked a certain pizazz. I didn't love Tai, I wasn't all that intrigued about the mystery and the dialogue didn't wow me. The one bright shining light of the book was Tai's partner, Trey. After a head injury, he is left with a severe lack of social skills, which combined with his deadly training makes him a very volatile, and interesting, character. Of course, he was hot, he is the love interest after all, he's quirky and downright off, which I love. Probably due to the fact that I myself am more than a little bit off, normal characters just don't do it for me. I'd love to see him as the main character of series. Like I said before, the book isn't bad, and neither is Tai. I'm just not interested in finding out what makes her tick. I definitely appreciated the fact that she wasn't a wimpy southern bell, and the fact that she owned a gun shop, but didn't ascribe herself to any particular stereotype. Growing up in rural Nevada certainly left me with a healthy appreciation for the second amendment, so I always love some good firepower in an action book :) The book is worth a read, but didn't rock my world, give it a try and let me know what you think! 3, Find a Used Book Store

I'd love to hear your opinion! Did you enjoy this book? If you've read the book, who was your favorite character? Do you enjoy reading about people that are a little off, or do you like more straight-edge characters? Hit the comments!

If The Dangerous Edge of Things was a movie, it would likely be rated PG-13 for some sexual content and violence

***FTC Disclosure: The Dangerous Edge of Things was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing The Dangerous Edge of Things, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

The Mysterious Lady Law

2011-04-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

Robert Appleton

In a time of grand airships and steam-powered cars, the death of a penniless young maid will hardly make the front page. But part-time airship waitress and music hall dancer Julia Bairstow is shattered by her sister's murder. When Lady Law, the most notorious private detective in Britain, offers to investigate the case pro bono, Julia jumps at the chance—even against the advice of Constable Al Grant, who takes her protection surprisingly to heart.

Lady Law puts Scotland Yard to shame. She's apprehended Jack the Ripper and solved countless other cold-case crimes. No one knows how she does it, but it's brought her fortune, renown and even a title. But is she really what she claims to be—a genius at deducing? Or is Al right and she is not be trusted?

Julia is determined to find out the truth, even if it means turning sleuth herself—and turning the tables on Lady Law...

My Take:

"Eh." "S'Okay." Such were my considerably underwhelmed reactions at the conclusion of this little steam punk novella. Parts of the book I thought were totally random and downright weird (and not in a fun way, but in a huh? way) and the ending was just so so. But there were aspects I really enjoyed. I thought the main character (not the titular character Lady Law, she, I didn't care for) Julia, was interesting and her love interest, while nothing to write home about, was engaging. The whodunit mystery at the center of the book was not all that mysterious, but the means by which Lady Law solves mysterious (and whether or not she is a good guy) proves to be the far more interesting question. Now, while I didn't find the novella to be all that gratifying overall, to be fair, I must say that I didn't expect the twist at the end and overall the story was quite a page turner (or clicker, since I read it on my Kindle:) It is a fun and quick read, if you like steam punk, or light mysteries, you will probably enjoy this book, I'm just saying don't expect it to rock your world. 4, Borrow from a friend

I'd love to hear your opinion! Have you read this book? If so, what did you think of it? Do you enjoy the steam punk genre? What do you think the twist ending is (if you've read the book don't spoil it!)? Hit the comments!

If The Mysterious Lady Law was a movie, it would likely be rated PG-13 for some violence and brief strong sexual content

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing The Mysterious Lady Law, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

Song of the Silk Road (Plus Giveaway!)

2011-04-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Mingmei Yip

As a girl growing up in Hong Kong, Lily Lin was captivated by photographs of the desert - its long, lonely vistas and shifting sand dunes. Now living in New York, Lily is struggling to finish her graduate degree when she receives an astonishing offer. An aunt she never knew existed will pay Lily a huge sum to travel across China's desolate Taklamakan Desert - and carry out a series of tasks along the way. Intrigued, Lily accepts. Her assignments range from the dangerous to the bizarre. Lily must seduce a monk. She must scrape a piece of clay from the famous Terracotta Warriors, and climb the Mountains of Heaven to gather a rare herb. At Xian, her first stop, Lily meets Alex, a young American with whom she forms a powerful connection. And soon, she faces revelations that will redefine her past, her destiny, and the shocking truth behind her aunt's motivations...Powerful and eloquent, Song of the Silk Road is a captivating story of self-discovery, resonant with the mysteries of its haunting, exotic landscape.

My Take:

I honestly have no idea where to begin with this review, because I loved this book sooooooo much, I'm having trouble putting it into words. Anyone who knows me knows that if I can't find words, it's a big deal. I guess I'll just start with Mingmei Yip's literary voice. It is so difficult to describe, but she has an absolutely enchanting way of writing. I almost feel like I'm being lulled into a trance, a very rich and wonderful trance. Even when the action happening in the book is not super interesting, you are absolutely riveted to the page. Usually, when I am loving a book, I fly right through it, but with Song of the Silk Road, I slowed way down and savored it for about a week. Now...on to the actual story: Please excuse further gushing, but...the story was awesome. The romantic thread was great. It was well balanced with the other aspects of the story. I've got to laugh though, in the book, it seemed like every man the MC met, fell in love with her. I noticed this in the other book I read by the same author, Petals in the Sky. Normally I'd be annoyed at something like this but it just works with enchanting tone of the story I talked about earlier. You, as the reader, have also fallen in love with her a little bit yourself, so you can understand everyone else doing it too.

Okay, so I've gushed my brains out, it's out of my system, (mostly, I'm not gunna lie, I'll probably do a tad more gushing before the review is through) and I do want to impart one thing I didn't like. Like I said before, the author's voice kind of lulls you into this hazy enjoyment BUT THEN she jolts you out of your euphoric state with random strong language. Now normally I don't mention the language in my review itself, but save it for the MPAA section afterward, but the language in this book affected the writing itself, in my opinion. I'm very 1950's with my own personal language usage, with "gosh" and "darn" being the extent of it (I may throw in a "flippin" in there if I'm feeling rebellious). I never enjoy strong language in books per se, but I've gotten pretty good at ignoring it when it doesn't contradict the tone of the book itself. For example, James Patterson's books have the figurative mouths of sailors, but the books are so in your face anyway, you don't really notice. It was just such a bummer in Song of the Silk Road to hear all the random F-bombs dropped in. With that being said, I'm still going to give this book top marks because it is just amazing. It has insane resonance (I could hardly sleep the night I finished it because I kept thinking about it) the pacing is great, there are some really great twists throughout and the imagery of the setting the book conjures in your mind is just fabulous. Like I said, top marks: 1, Pay Full Price

I'd love to hear your opinion: What is your feeling about strong language in books? Do you hate it? Love it? Don't really care? Have you ever felt entranced by an author's voice before? Have you ever read anything else by this author? Do you enjoy her work? Hit the comments!

If Song of the Silk Road was a movie, it would likely be rated R for strong language and sexual content

A few words with the author, Mingmei Yip:

Q: Do you have any quirks that come out while you are writing?

A: I just plunge into my writing and ignore everything around me. Since I was a tiny girl I have always preferred life inside my own head.

Q: What is your daily routine as a writer?

A: I don’t have a chance to write every day, but when I do, I write eight or nine hours non-stop, then I eat Chinese take-out and fall asleep.

Q: What inspired you to write your first book?

A: I wanted to bring to back to life the strong women of an earlier era in China when almost the only choices for women were being a wife (actually, one of several wifes sharing the same husband), a Buddhist nun -- or a prostitute. Despite this some women overcame the barriers to become independent and creative artists. Some mingji, prestigious prostitutes, also called geishas, left behind poems and paintings providing windows into fascinating but often tragic lives. I decided to give these talented, powerful women -- silent for centuries -- a voice. The result is my first novel Peach Blossom Pavilion, which I’m happy to say, is now in its fifth printing.

Q: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

A: No. I work on each until it is as good as I know how to make it. Then I move on to the next one.

Q: Do you have any advice for other writers?

A: If you mean aspiring writers, yes. Read a lot, not only to feed your imagination and creativity, but also so you know when you are writing well. When you’re sure your writing is good, pursue publication until you succeed. The Daode Jing says more things are spoiled in the end than the beginning.

Don’t give up until you are there.

--------------------------------------

Now for the best part...the giveaway!

I am soooooo excited to give away a copy of this book (not my copy! I'm keeping it forever lol) below you'll find the giveaway guidelines:

1 copy is up for grabs
the giveaway will run until 5/6
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***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

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Paperback: Kindle:

Beauty and the Beast

2011-03-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

Arnold Arluke and Robert Bogdan

From fairy tales to photography, nowhere is the complexity of human-
animal relationships more apparent than in the creative arts. Art illuminates the nature and significance of animals in modern, Western thought, capturing the complicated union that has long existed between the animal kingdom and us. In Beauty and the Beast, authors Arluke and Bogdan explore this relationship through the unique lens of photo postcards. This visual medium offers an enormous and relatively untapped archive to document their subject compellingly.

The importance of photo postcards goes beyond their abundance. Recognized as the people s photography, photo postcards were typically taken by photographers who were part of the community they were photographing. Their intimacy with the people and places they captured resulted in a vernacular record of the life and times of the period unavailable in other kinds of photography. Arluke and Bogdan use these postcards to tell the story of human-animal relations in the United States from approximately 1905 to 1935. During these years, Americans experienced profound changes that altered their connection with animals and influenced perceptions and treatment of them today. Wide-ranging in scope, Beauty and the Beast looks at the variety of roles animals played in society, from pets and laborers to symbols and prey. The authors discuss the contradictions, dualisms, and paradoxes of our relationship to animals, illustrating how animals were distanced and embraced, commoditized and anthropomorphized. With over 350 illustrations, this book presents a vivid chronicle of the deep cultural ambivalence that characterized human-animal relations in the early twentieth century and that continues today.

My Take:

Describe Beauty and the Beast in one word you ask? Thorough. Well, maybe you didn't ask, but too bad, I told you anyway. I was very surprised by this book, I was expecting some cool pictures with a tad bit of social commentary and bam! Done. Well, no, it was much more...well...thorough, than that. The authors chose a specific period of time (1905-1935) in which to study photographs of human/animal relations in specific categories such as pets, mascots, workers, food, vermin, and symbols. The writing, though very involved, was very interesting. It is not what one would consider light reading, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. While I did enjoy the written analysis of the photos, the photos themselves were my favorite part. They displayed a wonderful cross section of animal interaction, some beautiful, some funny, some sad. This book is very straightforward, which makes it very easy to asses a person's interest. If you enjoy old photographs, are interested in the subject matter, and aren't afraid of some heavy reading, you'll enjoy this book. I know I did. 2, Borders with a Coupon

I want to know what you think: Does this sound like a book you'd enjoy? Are you interested in historic photographs and art? If so, what is your favorite time period and why? Hit the comments!

The images in this book are rated PG. There is a picture of breeding horses and gutted animals hanging up in slaughterhouses

***FTC Disclosure: This e-book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Beauty and the Beast, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

Kylie Jean Rodeo Queen

2011-03-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Written by Marci Peschke and Illustrated by Tuesday Mourning

My name is Kylie Jean Carter. Here are some things you need to know about me: I live in Texas. My color is pink. I have two brothers, but one of them is a dog. And my number-one dream is to be a beauty queen!

The rodeo is coming to town! I want to be Rodeo Queen just like Nanny was when she was a girl. But if I want to be Rodeo Queen, I have to be in the rodeo. Rope tricks, bull-riding, barrel-racing...I'll try everything to win that crown! It would look just perfect on top of my pink cowboy hat--just you wait and see!

My Take:

I cannot tell you just how much I loved this little book! Well actually, maybe this can give you a clue: I am very cheap/broke (aren't we all right now?) and after reading the digital copy from NetGalley I am going to head straight out to the book store today to get the print edition of this book and the rest of the series (reviews to come later) to give to my little nieces for birthdays and Christmas. I'll probably get a set for my daughter too, even though she is too young for the series :) The writing is completely engaging, Kylie Jean's Texas twang practically jumps out of the pages and is adorable. The character of Kylie Jean is definitely a kid you want your kids reading about. She is a pretty little girl who listens to her mom's advice of "pretty is as pretty does." She works hard to achieve her goals, and is happy and positive. While her perfection might be a bit grating to a cynical adult, a child will love her. Aside from the great story, there are fantastic illustrations and great features at the end of the book. There are discussion starters to get you and your daughter talking, there are creative project prompts, a rodeo term glossary and recipes. Kylie Jean is 8 years old, which seems to be about the right age of the audience. It is a good introduction to chapter books and a good challenge for young readers. Now I will say that Kylie Jean is a big girly girl, and little girls that tend to lean away from princess and pink will likely still enjoy this book, because it has horses and such, but perhaps not as much others who really embrace that which is ultra girly. 1, Pay Full Price

Tell me your opinion! What do you think of my review? What are your first impressions based on the cover and description? Does this seem like a book your little girl would enjoy? Hit the comments!

If Kylie Jean Rodeo Queen was a movie it would be rated G, appropriate for all audiences

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Kylie Jean Rodeo Queen, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!