A Book Blogger's Diary

Review - As You Wish by Jude Deveraux

2018-03-06T14:08:00.002-06:00

This book was received free, for review purposes.

Series: A Summerhouse Novel (Book 3)
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: MIRA (March 6, 2018)
ISBN-10: 0778307611

Synopsis - One fateful summer, three very different women find themselves together in Summer Hill, Virginia, where they find they have much more in common than they realized…

Sixty-year-old Olivia’s first marriage was long and unhappy, but now she is a newlywed, thrilled to finally be starting her life with the man she’s always truly loved—even if they are getting a late start. Kathy is in her forties and married to a handsome, successful businessman. Theirs would be a fairy-tale romance if it weren’t for one problem: he’s passionately in love with someone else! Twenty-something Elise is also in a troubled marriage, stuck with the man her wealthy parents chose for her. Now that he has a pregnant mistress, he seems willing to go to drastic lengths to take Elise out of the picture.

Though each of them wound up at the summerhouse for separate reasons, it’s not long before they begin to open up about their regrets, their wishes and their dreams. And when they’re presented with the opportunity of a lifetime—a chance to right the wrongs of their past—all three discover what can happen when dreams really do come true.

Readers, as you probably know, this is book #3 in the Summerhouse series. I haven't read the other books and while it's not immediately obvious, there is a sense of some things being repeated or carried over, which puzzled me until I realized this book was part of a series. Initially the story was really slow and disjointed and I almost didn't want to continue reading. But then I did and I liked it, generally speaking. Read on for an in depth review....

Review - Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins

2017-09-28T18:41:00.003-05:00

After getting run over by a Pest Terminator van while jaywalking, and then waking up to find her hot ER doctor boyfriend flirting with another woman, Boston based endocrinologist Dr. Nora Stuart finally decides she's had enough and limps back to her island home in Maine that she hasn't returned to in fifteen years.

Battered and bruised, she brings with her her huge heart (and an even huge-er dog) and lots of questions about her missing father along with a desire to bridge the distance with her estranged sister via her sister's daughter and a deep longing to understand and be understood by a mother who is just like the island she lives on - rugged, isolated.

Kristan Higgins' novel resonates with a purity of intent that will be recognized by every reader who has ever faced an emotional trauma at any age, and of any kind.

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This book was received for review consideration.

Review - The Martian by Andy Weir

2015-02-04T16:58:00.002-06:00

Have you ever picked up a book by an author you've never heard of, written in a genre that's not your usual cup of tea and with a title that reminds you of a cheesy sci-fi movie...and then ended up loving it? That's how it was with me and 'The Martian'.

The story is pretty straightforward. A manned mission to Mars goes wrong and the crew have to flee the surface in haste when a storm threatens to destroy their take-off vehicle. In the chaos, botanist/mechanical engineer Mark Watney is injured. Believing him to be dead, the crew takes off.

However, Watney is still alive. And he has every intention of "staying alive" (a song our hero adopts as his theme song - yes, Watney is funny that way). Mark Watney becomes the first Martian - a good humored, resourceful and the one and only resident of Mars. How he survives on a freezing cold planet with no help in sight and no way to communicate with Earth makes for a terrifically compelling read and the suspense and drama of if/how he ever gets back to Earth is breathtaking.

If I was in the habit of giving stars, I'd give this book 4 stars. Why not 5 stars, you ask? Read on...

Review - The Undead Pool (Hollows) by Kim Harrison

2014-03-14T16:15:00.000-05:00

Book 12 of the Hollows series, The Undead Pool, is officially my favorite! I won't keep you in suspense (as I was, since I missed it's Feb release) but all my dreams for Rachel and Trent finally came true!

Here is the synopsis straight from the author's website -

Witch and day-walking demon Rachel Morgan has managed to save the demonic ever after from shrinking, but at a high cost. Now strange magic is attacking Cincinnati and the Hollows, causing spells to backfire or go horribly wrong, and the truce between the races, between Inderlander and human, is shattering.

Rachel must stop the occurrences before the undead vampire masters who keep the rest of the undead under control are lost and it becomes all-out supernatural war. However, the only way to do so is through the ancient elven wild magic, which carries its own perils

When I first mentioned my hope of Rachel and Trent becoming a couple, someone commented that the author would be giving Rachel a new boyfriend. Instead, Ms. Harrison did what seemed most natural, and brought these two lo

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Review - The Last Victim by Karen Robards

2012-07-27T23:32:00.000-05:00

I've read many books this summer (around 35+, so don't expect many reviews), but Karen Robards' The Last Victim (Ballantine, Isbn-0345535405) is one that I feel deserves a special response, an immediate review.

One word summary - Interesting

One line Review - An interesting mystery together with stellar characters and complex relationships, this book is one of my top five reads for this summer.

Synopsis : Fifteen years ago, young Charlie Stone was the only one to escape the Boardwalk Killer. Now an eminent psychiatrist whose speciality is serial killers, Charlie is called in by the FBI when a series of similar murders rock the town of Kill Devil Hills. Because of her ability to see the ghosts of those who've recently died violent deaths, Charlie is shocked to find that the ghost of her most recent patient, drop dead gorgeous serial killer Michael Garland who died in her arms, has attached to her and refuses to "go towards the light". As the killings escalate, Charlie finds in Garland a reluctant ally and a growing attraction that refuses to die, even as her head tells her that the living, breathing FBI Agent Tony Bartoli is a better prospect than the ghost whose kisses are killer. The resulting suspense holds the reader spellbound.

Spoilers ahead - Beware!

(ps - the book releases August 7, 2012)

Review - Now You See Me by S J Bolton

2012-04-21T23:58:00.001-05:00

One word summary - Fantastic!

One line Review - S.J Bolton's pulse pounding, modern day Jack the Ripper murder mystery is about the BEST book I've read in a long long time, with enough complex psychological twists and turns to keep the reader guessing literally till the last chapter.

Detailed (& slightly more wordy and coma-inducing long :-) Review -

Just half an hour ago I finished reading S.J.Bolton's Now You See Me (Minotaur, 400p, Isbn-1250001633) which has been glued to my hands for the past day and a half as I was transported into a gory police procedural across an ocean to London where trainee detective Lacey Flint has a dying woman collapse on her. Things get considerably worse as it becomes clear a modern day Jack the Ripper is loose, moving about undetected and disemboweling victims with the same ease and brutality as the original himself. As the panic in London escalates, the Metropolitan police do their utmost to uncover the truth, which unexpectedly circles back to Lacey.

From the beginning, there's an enigmatic quality to Lacey, some secret about her that her actions and behavior hint at but never reveal fully, and senior officer Mark Joesbury seems to be curiously the only one aware of it. Lacey's general fascination with serial killers including a near encyclopedic knowledge of Ripper-lore transports her from mere murder witness to an integral part of the investigation even as unfolding events reveal the copycat killer's unhealthy fixation with her. Lacey seems the best candidate for the prime suspect, but at odds with this theory is her courage and her selfless compassion towards others that's revealed time and again. All this, together with a healthy dose of sexual attraction, is what keeps DI Joesbury guessing to the last (as it does the readers, minus the sexual attraction!).

Lacey is a deeply intriguing and fantastically developed central character who takes this book from a great whodunit to a complex psychological thriller. Other side characters are also well developed and not merely props in the plot. Romantic intrigue adds to the general tension as does London itself, with its underground catacombs and sleazy social underbelly hidden but not totally concealed under the modern-day chicness and progress.

As for the reader, I can almost guarantee that the complexities of the plot together with in-depth and compelling characterizations will intrigue enough to help the reader plow through the nausea-inducing gory murder scenes. Now You See Me is one of the best told, deliciously slowly unveiled mysteries ever to cross my bookish hands.
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Note - This book was received for review consideration.
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Review - Zero Day by David Baldacci

2011-11-16T16:46:00.000-06:00

Zero Day by David Baldacci

When an entire family is found murdered in a rural, coal-mining community in West Virginia, John Puller, Army CID, is sent to investigate this all alone. While Puller finds this suspicious, he follows his orders and starts looking into it with the aid of local cop, Samantha Cole.

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Kill Alex Cross

2011-11-16T13:21:00.002-06:00

Alex Cross's beloved DC is in turmoil as Saudi terrorists unleash deadly attacks upon the city at a time when all the alphabet agencies are already scrambling about trying to locate the two kidnapped children of the President of the United States. Is there a connection?

The misleading title, a two-pronged storyline that proceeds at two different paces and with varying degrees of suspense, the overall similarity (at least of the kidnap scenario) to a previous (and stellar) Alex Cross novel (Along Came a Spider) and various questions unasked and/or unanswered make for an embarrassingly tepid reading in James Patterson's latest Kill Alex Cross (Little Brown & Co, 384p, Isbn-0316198730).

There's no mistaking that the quality of Patterson’s writing continues to shrink along with the length of his chapters.

The terrorist plot is the one spot of (mild) interest in an otherwise cliched story. The planning and dedication that goes hand in hand with fanaticism, the splinter cells operating independently and with deadly accuracy, and other aspects are chilling in the extreme. Despite the great beginning, this aspect of the storyline ends so abruptly and pointlessly as to leave the disappointed readers gaping in shock.

As previously mentioned, the kidnap plot is eerily similar to the Gary Soneji book, though not as equally well executed. It's hard to appreciate that only Alex Cross asks the right questions or is able to extract pertinent information from the correct culprit just in the nick of time. Too many coincidences leave the readers feeling cheated.

Alex Cross’ personal life, which used to be pretty interesting, receives a mild upheaval but the author never goes much into it. Ditto with his ongoing friendships. Nothing is mentioned about his complicated professional life as well.

Overall, there is nothing very new or exciting about this so-called thriller. I got the distinct feeling that the author is just going through the motions and churning out story after story without any depth or sincerity to them. This is especially evident if you’ve read the Alex Cross novels in order. This one in particular can be described as all show and absolutely no heart.

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Review - Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure by Diane Kelly

2011-10-28T01:20:00.003-05:00

Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure: A Tara Holloway Novel
St.Martins, 384p, Isbn-0312551266

IRS very Special Agent Tara Holloway is out to nab every tax-cheating sob in the Dallas metroplex area, a job that's surprisingly not as safe and dreary as one might imagine. She's in the thick of things, literally kicking ass and shooting off bullets to keep the tax-evading hordes in line, all the while trying to keep her perfect French manicure intact.

While in the race to net her boss that magic number of $1million in recovered taxes, Tara gets involved romantically with a guy who seems perfect. If only he kept company with men who didn't have a history of cheating innocent people of their hard-earned bucks. Will Tara's perfect manicure survive the resulting war between her heart and her head?

I rather liked this story. Not only is it sassy and sexy and gave me a lot of tips on how not to get on IRS' bad side (lol), but it's also set in one of my favorite places, Dallas. Having lived near the Big D for quite a while, I was able to follow the intrepid heroine in my mind's map as she goes around catching bad guys and creating romantic havoc. Not quite up to Stephanie Plum's weight, but heading there!

The book starts out energetically, but there's a part about a drug sting which is so long that it soon borderlines on boring and the story starts to sag in those parts, despite Tara's entertaining romantic entanglements and subsequent financial shenanigans. Now those are really interesting, if a tad bewildering to all of us non-financially types. I quite liked how it ended with literally a bang, a big, very apt Texas-style Bang, I should say!

I certainly wouldn't mind read more about this very special IRS agent in the future.

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Prey by Linda Howard

2011-09-05T22:59:00.001-05:00

Ballantine, Isbn-034550691X

In this captivating novel of romantic suspense, New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard brings us deep into the wild, where a smart and sexy outdoor guide and her ruggedly handsome competitor must join forces to survive—and avoid becoming what they never expected to be: PREY

Linda Howard's books are a general hit or miss for me. Veil of the Night is one book of hers that I still remember with fondness and that's the only reason I made it past the synopsis for this book. Reason - it screamed predictability and in that aspect I was proved right. What's different is Howard's treatment of it which makes it somewhat interesting.

I'm not saying I loved it, but then I didn't hate it either.

As mentioned before, the story is way predictable: Angie and Dare (the name, the hoarse voice, the attitude - all kept screaming Clint Eastwood to me) are in the same business - camping/hunting guide - and unfortunately Dare is better so he's unknowingly driven Angie out of business. Dare has the hots for Angie (or rather, her world-class ass - his words, not mine) and and she returns the feelings but the business comes in the way. She goes off on a trip that proves to be anything but usual. Thankfully Dare is there to save the day.

Honestly, what captivated me were not the lead characters, but rather the man-eating bear. (Thanks to this book, I'll never be able to go camping ever, knowing what I now know about bears.) Actually all the predators in this story are pretty interesting, although the four-footed one is way interesting than the human, who runs true to villain-ish standards but ends up bumbling badly towards the end.

Howard's has a way with descriptive prose whether describing Angie's harrowing escape from the predators chasing her or how it all appears from the bear's perspective. That and how Angie and Dare gradually become close makes for a happy if somewhat (yes, there's that word again) predictable ending.

While not keeper shelf material, Prey will certainly help while away a lazy Sunday afternoon. Just don't take it on a camping trip - you'll be too scared to sleep!

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review (with Spoilers!) - Kill Me If You Can by James Patterson

2011-09-01T21:15:00.008-05:00

Kill Me If You Can
Little Brown, 384p, Isbn-0316097543

An assassin who calls himself the Ghost, shoots and kills a Russian mobster at Grand Central station in New York. In the resulting mayhem, Matthew Bannon, an impoverished ex-Marine turned art student, stumbles upon the dying mobster and soon walks away with a bag full of diamonds.

Prince, a bigwig in the Diamond Syndicate mob, wants his stolen diamonds back at all costs and the Ghost is re-hired, this time to kill Bannon and get back the diamonds. As a precaution, another expert killer is also set the same task. Who comes out on top and how makes for a somewhat entertaining, if highly predictable, read. Spoiler + Cautionary note to all readers - There are Incest scenes in this story!

Spoiler Alert!

One of the twists in this story involves incest (family members having sex). Too many details of that incestuous lovemaking are repeatedly provided. Frankly, it was enough to make me want to vomit. It added absolutely nothing to the plot. The villain's a very very bad man - I got that loud and clear even without him having sex with his daughter. I'm compelled to say that those particular pages could have been used for some better purpose, like say pick up dog poop or something worse. Those scenes were that stomach-turning.

This story has another (nothing to do with the yucky sex) clever twist in the plot which will not come as a surprise to mystery readers who make it a point to read between the lines. Or in this case, pay attention to what is not mentioned, which is a big giveaway to the pivotal twist. For others, it'll be a total "A-ha!" kind of moment. Unfortunately, once that a-ha is revealed, the suspense is quite gone.

This is not the only weak point of the plot. Re-reading revealed many others. I'd like to mention one of the plot details that was botched. The second killer on Bannon's quest phones one of the bad men, Chukov, about following Bannon to Venice. The killer specifically states she's on her way to the Charles de gaulle airport in Paris at that moment of making that call. And then literally a few minutes later, she's breaking down Bannon's door in Venice. I can't reveal more without giving away key plot points, but take it from me, that's how the timeline plays out. I went back and re-read that part again and again, but it's a fact that the killer reaches Bannon within 10-15 minutes of making that call. I don't think Paris and Venice are that close. Even a security check at an airport would take longer than that!

The high standard I had come to expect from James Patterson after reading his Alex Cross novels is simply not evident in this book and indeed, has not been in any of his recent releases.That's the sad part. The saddest part is that incest was used so much, and without purpose too, in this book.

My sincere recommendation - If you still want to read this book, get it for free from the library instead of paying around $15 for it (Amazon's price for the book at the time of this review).

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Sylvester: or The Wicked Uncle by Georgette Heyer

2011-08-18T00:54:00.001-05:00

Georgette Heyer

From the queen of Regency romance Georgette Heyer, Sylvester: or The Wicked Uncle is an enjoyable and witty story from start to finish.

Sylvester, the Duke of Salford, is a man of consequence and ready to marry. He has his pick of eligible London beauties; if only he couldn’t find flaws in them, which he does. Hearing of a girl from his beloved mother, he goes to see her. He’s disappointed to find Phoebe Marlow has neither beauty nor conversation. She also wants nothing more in life than NOT to marry him. He learns this when she runs off to London in harsh winter weather so as to avoid what she believes is an imminent proposal from him.

Sylvester: or The Wicked Uncle by Georgette Heyer

When inclement weather and other misfortunes conspire to throw the two together, Phoebe unleashes her wrath on an icily polite Sylvester. With refreshing honesty, she sharply criticizes his arrogant behavior and regularly takes him to task. This novel experience at once angers and intrigues Sylvester, who’s not slow in returning fire. Just when it looks like they’ll either kill or kiss each other, a startling new development occurs - one which just might destroy their fledgling romance.

As always, a Heyer romance is a joy to read. This one in particular is all the more enthralling for the battles waged between the leads and the peculiar circumstances surrounding them. Phoebe is as far from a conventional heroine as can be imagined. Ducal to the end, Sylvester nevertheless manages to redeem himself somewhat. The character analysis that’s an integral part of the story rings true without being boring, for despite their varied stations in life, Phoebe and Sylvester come across as actual human beings with flaws, instead of stereotyped characters.

Their romance runs the usual course of ups and downs. But unlike the typical romance where the characters change themselves or give in, in order to achieve a harmonious union, here Phoebe and Sylvester learn to love the other both for and despite their negative qualities. This complicated turn of events happens so naturally that the reader remains mostly unaware of it.

The protagonists are also ably supported by an assortment of supporting characters, whose individual eccentricities and interesting stories add to the general mayhem. Indeed, the rapier wit Heyer employs to describe people and events elicits laughter and admiration time and again.

Here’s what I found to be best thing about this book - the honesty of it. While there is the requisite happy ending, Heyer, using Sylvester’s Mom as her mouthpiece, gently advises readers that total character changes are just not possible, especially in Sylvester’s case. The conclusion being that while their overall future will be happy, the journey to it will include a lot of fighting between Phoebe and Sylvester. Only Heyer could write a truth like this and still leave the readers happy.

Review - The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer

2011-08-11T00:58:00.011-05:00

Sourcebooks Casablanca, 347p, ISBN: 1402238835

Synopsis - Returning to his family seat from Waterloo, Gervase Frant, seventh Earl of St Erth, could have expected more enthusiasm for his homecoming. His quiet cousin, stepmother, and young half-brother seem openly disappointed that he survived the wars.

And when he begins to fall for his half-brother's sweetheart, his chilly reception goes from unfriendly to positively murderous.

Yes, this is a sort of a murder mystery, my dear Heyer fans. Or rather attempted murder, I should say (that's not a spoiler, for I'm sure you guessed the hero can't be murdered - right?). I feel the real mystery lies in the romance part of it, for till the end the reader is left wondering who exactly will end up with whom. Not at all the usual sort of fare we've come to expect from this wonderful romance author of yester years, but one which she writes surprisingly well.

Before I explain all that, let me begin by telling you about our hero, Gervase. He's not at all a typical Heyer hero, for he's soft-spoken and a little dandified with perfect manners. If his stepmother and stepbrother believe they can rule the roost over him, they're mistaken, for they soon discover, it's a case of an iron hand in a velvet glove with Gervase. He ultimately always get his own way, whether he cajoles others into it or mood failing, simply gives a soft but firm statement which everybody comes to respect and has to obey. It's great entertainment to see him get the upper hand again and again, whether in a battle of swords or of wit and words.

And if he's the least bit careless of others' feelings, why Miss Morville, a girl with more common sense than beauty, informs and sometimes takes him to task about it. She even expertly smooths over troubled situations with her expert ways, if the opposing parties prove too stubborn for their own good. This is something the Earl (aka Gervase) soon comes to rely on and even be amused at.

Martin, the jealous stepbrother, is the perfect suspect in the murderous plot as he keeps butting heads with the Earl, over many things, the chief being the interest of a local beauty. This beauty is one of the sillest characters around. What scenes she's in are almost always full of romantic tension, but I could form no clear understanding of her motivations. The Dowager, with her self-absorption and a habit of instantly negating any proposal put forth by anyone other than herself, is a character who provides some comic relief time and again. It's sheer amusement to see how she's cleverly managed by both Miss Morville and Gervase. I had high hopes of Mr.Clowne, the chaplain who resides in the house, but he's pretty uninteresting, more an echo of the Dowager than anything else. Theodore Frant, a penniless cousin who serves as estate agent, comes across as a man of solid character with great loyalty towards Gervase. Little else can be discovered about him.

Major Spoiler alert!

The overall story is entertaining, but the parts where Martin's jealousy gets him in trouble are so frequent that I began to tire of them. The attempts on the Earl's life, on the other hand, are always unexpected and come in so many forms that it's not always easy to predict them.

Miss Morville unexpectedly turns out to be the heroine, instead of the local beauty, and this is a little hard to digest. She's there in practically every other scene, but always in the background, coming out in the limelight only to dispense a few wise words or expertly handle a difficult character or situation. Only in the last quarter does she really shine and there's an outburst of explanation about her growing feelings for the Earl. I was quite surprised by it. As I was when the Earl returns her feelings. An unlikely pair they make for sure!

Apart from this romantic tangle, the book is in fine form. As I've mentioned before the murder mystery is the main attraction and while not complex, Heyer maintains the suspense beautifully.

All in all, a good, if not great read. 4 stars out of 5, but no more.

PS - Below is a photo of Georgette Heyer that I found via Google and an original cover of this book, from http://www.georgette-heyer.com/. Click on the book cover to see a bigger version.

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Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Colors By Thierry Laval

2011-08-09T00:17:00.001-05:00

Chronicle Books, board book,
10p, ages Infant-3,
Isbn-9780811879521

Children can't get enough of color, but making them learn the names of these beloved colors is another task. Which is why I'm always happy to introduce my kid to the world of colors with simple, yet fun and informative books like this one.

This clever board book has pages of different colors. Each glossy colored page has a flap with a die-cut shape, lifting which reveals a brightly colored image of familiar things. For example, on a page covered with green lily pads, there's a lily pad shaped die-cut. Lifting that up reveals a green grinning frog underneath. Purple flowers are scattered across another page only to reveal purple butterflies underneath, while flying black bats populate another and lift up to reveal a witch flying on a broom.

The charming die cuts along with the surprise that awaits beneath each, were the inspiration for many delighted squeals of surprise and laughter among my kids. My older kid had a blast trying to teach the younger one the different colors with this book and ultimately they both liked it so much, they ended up in a tug of war over it.

Books like these which combine fun with learning, are the best kind there are!

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Quinn by Iris Johansen

2011-08-05T00:10:00.001-05:00

St. Martin's, 374p,
Isbn-031265121X

As a former Navy SEAL turned cop, Joe Quinn has seen the face of evil and knows just how deadly it can be. When he first met Eve Duncan, he never expected to fall in love with a woman whose life would be defined by her dual desires to bring home her missing daughter and discover the truth behind her disappearance---no matter how devastating. With the help of CIA agent Catherine Ling, they make a shocking discovery that sheds new light on young Bonnie’s abduction and puts Quinn squarely in the crosshairs of danger. Eve’s first love, John Gallo, a soldier supposedly killed in the line of duty, is very much alive---and very much a threat.

Emotionally charged, with one shock after another, Quinn reveals the electricity of Joe and Eve’s first connection, and how they fell in love in the midst of haunting tragedy. As their search takes them deeper and deeper into a web of murder and madness, Joe and Eve must confront their most primal fears . . . and test their resolve to uncover the ultimate bone-chilling truth.

All the books I've read so far in the Eve Duncan series have been interesting, with lots of emotional drama and ever increasing suspense. All these ingredients have been watered-down and recycled into 'Quinn''s lukewarm story.

In all the novels of this series, Joe Quinn has been portrayed as a hard and steady man, one who loves Eve wholeheartedly even though she's unable to put him first as her life's consumed by her search for Bonnie. Told from Joe's poignant point of view, readers come to know and understand the bittersweet details of how and why Joe falls in love with Eve during the emotionally-filled initial days when he first starts to investigate Bonnie's kidnapping.

Although the book is named Quinn, Joe himself gets to star in only the first half of the novel. Surprisingly, the second half is dominated by CIA agent Catherine Ling's hunt for Bonnie's presumed killer and father, John Gallo, who's himself a wily adversary. Of course there's a twist there, one that's not unexpected but which still adds an interesting dimension to the otherwise molasses-slow pace of this story.

While the other books in this series have been standalone stories with a definite ending (except for the part about Eve's search, of course, which is ongoing and a connecting thread), 'Quinn' ends abruptly in the middle of a bayou battle with no definite ending. It leaves the readers feeling (not only cheated, but also) that like the last 2 Harry Potter movies, the last three stories in this series (Eve, Quinn and the forthcoming October'11 release, Bonnie) should have been released as one book, but for various reasons have been split up.

Mildly engrossing, 'Quinn' is interesting only because it's part of a long-standing series and not on its own merits.

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer

2011-08-04T00:01:00.022-05:00

Sourcebooks Casablanca, 368p, ISBN:1402238797

To say that the beautiful and tempestuous Lady Serena is highly upset to find that her recently deceased (and highly eccentric) father, the Earl of Spenborough, left the care of her fortune and control over her marriage to her jilted fiancé Ivo Barrasford, the Marquis of Rotherham, is to understate the case. Too much time has elapsed since Serena broke her engagement to her childhood companion, Rotherham, (and that too after the invitations had been sent - such a scandal!) for them to feel anything but discomfort at this bit of posthumous matchmaking on the part of the Earl. Or so they both declare.

Used to commanding a large household and having acted as her father's hostess from a young age, energetic and politically-savvy Serena soon finds herself in doldrums when her life is suddenly reduced to a small Dower house with none but her father's young widow, Fanny, for company and a social sphere consisting of occasional visits from neighbors who'd been just casual acquaintances before. The only bright spots in Serena's life are visits from the Marquis which always set off verbal fireworks between them, leaving a timid Fanny much distraught, but which curiously leave Serena exhilarated.

When even Fanny begins to feel their quiet life is a dead bore, the two ladies decide to move to Bath for a welcome change. And suddenly things begin to get a little too exciting for words - the return of an old lover, a shocking engagement, an elopement, flaring passions and love intrigues complicate their lives like never before. What follows is an engaging drama of romance and wit from that mistress of the genre, Georgette Heyer.

My thoughts - I've long been a Heyer fan and it is always a pleasure to read and re-read her books. This one I'd read so long ago that I'd entirely forgotten the story. But more and more of it came back as I rapidly turned the pages. My kids don't leave me a lot of time to read these days, but this was a book I just couldn't put down and so finished reading it in a record day and a half.

The battle of words and wits between Serena and Rotherham is central to the story and for me, it was the best part. They're so alike in temperament and so attuned to each other's thinking and plotting that it makes their fights memorable and the reader wonder why they broke up in the first place. Neither Serena nor Ivo are perfect people - they have faults, they're also eccentric, don't behave well with either each other or others, and their strength is often their weakness. This is particularly clear when often Serena's independent behavior draws down censure upon her head, but not from Ivo who perfectly understands how and why she chafes at the restrictions placed upon her and what begets her respect. And for her part, Serena understands Ivo's arrogance stems more from thoughtlessness rather than pride or that his respect is gained by standing up to him, like few have the courage to. What comes through loud and clear is that despite all their quarrels, they're friends, even if sometimes other emotions overcome it. Of course, that by no means ensures their romance is going to be revived and indeed for almost the entirety of the novel it looks like it's going quite the opposite way. Thankfully things take an unexpected but joyous turn in the end.

There are a lot of side characters, who're brought to vivid life with all their individual faults and strengths. And while mentioning side characters, I have to say I quite like how Heyer introduces the touchy subject of class - the difference which lies not just in the lifestyle but also in temperament and attitude (for example, the liberties in behavior granted to upper class women is something not tolerated in other females) and how varied the reactions are to it, depending on which class the character belongs to.

The best part of this story (or indeed of any other Heyer story) is the authenticity of the details whether in description, dialogue or the behavior of the characters themselves. One such which struck me forcibly is the (Spoiler alert!) is the elopement scene. I've read many historical romances by today's authors which have included an elopement to Gretna Green and in these books it's something that's either achieved speedily or foiled with ease. Nowhere is it mentioned how hard it is to maintain that kind speed on those kind of roads for long, how costly it is to travel that kind of a distance, and even how hard it is to pursue the runaways on those roads or catch up with them without creating a scandal. While I understand it's not easy to come by those kind of details today, it nonetheless makes a big difference to the readers if that kind of effort is made.

And unlike modern historical romances, Heyer masterfully elevates the romantic tension and passion with nothing more descriptive than the mention of burning kisses to the face or the hands. This time-appropriate behavior of the characters is just one of the highlights of Heyer's books and perhaps even a source of continued popularity. As is the zest with which the characters are portrayed and the sparkling manner in which a romance progresses to overall form a story that's filled to the brim with appealing side characters and gripping sub-plots.

I generally don't rate the books I read, but if I could, I would give this 8 stars out of five.

Below are images of the original cover of this book and of Georgette Heyer, herself.

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Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

2011-08-03T00:18:00.001-05:00


Otherworld, Book 12 Dutton, Isbn: 0-525-95220-9

Savannah Levine is in terrible danger, and for once she’s powerless to help herself. At the conclusion of Waking the Witch, Savannah swore that she would give up her powers if it would help a young girl. Little did she know that someone would take her up on that promise.

And now, witch hunting assassins, necromancers, half-demons, and rogue witches all seem to be after her. The threat is not just for Savannah; every member of the Otherworld might be at risk. While most of her fellow supernaturals are circling the wagons at a gathering of the council in Miami, Savannah is caught on the road, isolated from those who can protect her and unable to use her vast spell casting talent, the thing she counts on most.

In a story that will change the shape of the Otherworld forever, Spell Bound gathers Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jaime, Hope, and others, who soon learn that the greatest threat to supernaturals just may come from within.

I was a tad disappointed with the previous book in this series, Waking the Witch, for it was the first book in the entire series that didn't have a true ending. Like most series, Otherworld books are best read in order so readers can make sense of who the characters are, their pasts, histories etc. But for all that, each book had a definite ending. Waking the Witch didn't (or at least, not a complete one) while Spell Bound just leaves the readers completely hanging.

SPOILERS!

One thing - do not read this book without first reading Waking the Witch. I tried to do it but got so confused that I had to go and get Waking the Witch from the library (yes, I missed it when it came out last year - oh the horror!) and read it straightaway. So many things are carried over from that story that, while not necessary, it's best to read Spell Bound afterwards. I did so and things were vastly clearer.

I get the feeling that Waking the Witch and Spell Bound are like the last two Harry Potter movies. They should have been one, but for various reasons they were split into two. Nothing actually gets resolved between these two books, more plot threads evolve than are resolved and the vacillating nature of the romantic relationship between Samantha and Adam is enough to drive a fan nuts.

Samantha's growth as a character seems to be focal issue of this book, which is somewhat acceptable given that it's made clear that somehow she'll be at the epicenter of a (cue the ominous music) forthcoming battle between supernatural forces. What's tedious is Samantha's road to self-improvement/maturity since she regresses regularly and for some weird reason, has started taking blame for every little thing that goes wrong. This is not the strong, confident, sarcastic, devil-may-care Samantha Levine readers love. Maturity seems to be sucking out the very spirit that made her so interesting.

I just read on the author's website that the next book in this series will be the final one. That makes sense why so many of the Otherworld characters were gathered together in this book. Mention of incidents and unresolved issues from some of the past books drove me mad as I only vaguely remembered who/what they referred to. The scope and breadth of this series (10+ years in publication) has grown so much that it's getting almost impossible to keep track of it all.

This story ends in such a way that it left me sad and excited at the same time. Sad that nothing had been resolved. Excited at what all was left to be resolved in the next and final book of the series.

And since characters don't seem to stay dead and gone in this series, I've gotten used to unexpected reappearances. Who will come back in the next one and as what, I can't predict, but I'm sure they will. It'll be interesting to see how it all ends, given that there's prediction of an epic battle between the supernatural creatures of all kinds and powers.

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Animal Rummy by Bob Barner

2011-08-02T00:52:00.001-05:00

Chronicle Books, ages 5 and up,
42 cards in drawer box

This fun and easy-to-play card game featuring Bob Barner's colorful and lively animal characters is sure to be a family favorite. Players try to gather as many of the same cards as possible to create sets of each animal, including panda bears, lions, elephants, and more! The oversized cards come in an elegant drawer box with a ribbon drawstring, making them durable for years to come.

Cards are always fun to play with whether sheltering inside from blistering heat, traveling somewhere or just driving. I'm not comfortable with introducing my kids to the traditional card games, but these animal cards are just the right alternative.

They feature 40 brightly colored images of various kids of animals on the oversized cards, plus 2 instruction cards. The rules of Rummy as to played by these cards is explained and all that remains is for the fun to begin.

My kids proved to be bit young to understand how this game works, so instead we've been using them to play a fun yet competitive game of Memory and some variations of it. It's just as much fun! The bonus is the drawer box these cards come in which makes for a handy and easily accessible storage case.

And they proved invaluable to keeping my kids entertained when they were sick recently and unable to summon much energy for Legos etc.

Note - This product was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Watch Me Die by Erica Spindler

2011-08-01T00:55:00.002-05:00


St. Martin's, 341p, Isbn-031236394X

Synopsis - A priest murdered in his church…a homeless man slaughtered in a toilet... these are just the first of two seemingly unrelated murders plaguing a sweltering New Orleans. As the murders continue it becomes clear that glass restoration artist Mira Gallier is somehow at the heart of it.

Whether she’s the one killing people and leaving weird Biblical quotes at the murder scenes or someone connected to her is, are the questions that plague the uneasy partnership of homicide detectives Spencer Malone and Karin Bayle.

Meanwhile Mira is convinced her dead husband has come back to life. Could that be a clue?

********

Erica Spindler is at the top of her game in this edge-of-the-seat Hitchcockian psychological drama. Her skill is evident whether describing a character’s heart-rending survivor’s guilt, capturing the subtle nuances of a police partnership, or building an atmosphere of exponentially ominous tension.

This subtle, intelligent plot develops quietly but with utmost conviction. As the secrets unravel and the complex nature of interpersonal relationships between the characters is revealed, readers can’t help but appreciate the author’s research and diligence in crafting this intricate plot. A slowly recuperating post-Katrina New Orleans provides a suitably eerie setting for the story. Red herrings are made excellent use of to keep the readers guessing. The conflict between the two detectives and how it affects the case is one of the hallmarks of this story as the almost palpable terror surrounding the protagonist.

Despite an over-the-top and somewhat unconvincing ending, Watch Me Die remains an otherwise exceptional thriller.

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver

2011-07-31T00:39:00.001-05:00

An encrypted text message sends James Bond to Serbia where he diverts what he thinks is a plot to derail a train containing toxic chemicals. He soon learns this is just the tip of the iceberg and follows clues that lead him to a recycling company’s owner with an obsession with death, decay and privacy. Flying all over the world, Bond races against time to save thousands of lives…from what, he himself doesn’t know.

*********

Without reading Ian Fleming’s 007 novels, it’s not possible to tell where the novels left off and the movies picked up. However Carte Blanche, Jeffrey Deaver’s endeavor to continue the series in print, certainly has a Hollywood-like feel to it.

Deaver does a good job of continuing the traditional aspects of the Bond story - fast cars, gorgeous women with odd names, fiendishly clever villains and lots of gadgets (or rather apps - in keeping with modern tradition, Bond has an app for that, no matter how improbable). Also in tradition, Deaver’s globe-trotting Bond makes fantastic leaps of intuition that often have no basis in fact, and still manage to hit the nail on the head each and every time.

What’s commendable is not Deaver’s continuation of the more traditional aspects of Bond, but rather sneaking in some lost bits of Bond’s history – his parents (there’s a mystery there as well, not solved, but enough to keep interest alive for the next book), his upbringing, the path taken to become a 00 agent, why he can never have a normal relationship with a woman and the reason why Bond’s always gallivanting around the world and yet not seen much in action in his own country.

The story's good enough – multiple mysteries with lots of red herrings strewn in, exotic foreign locales (Serbia, Dubai, South Africa) and a doomsday deadline guarantee the reader will keep turning the pages. A prose laden down with acronyms, pages devoted to minutiae of intelligence gathering and analysis, plus inter-department rivalry etc, give a feeling of authenticity but also make for dull reading. What’s not dull is the authentic English feel readers get to experience as Deaver takes the readers soaring through the roads of England along with Bond in one of his fast cars.

As for the characters themselves - well, Bond is at once similar and new. The one striking difference is that this modern-day Bond is more in touch with his own feelings and more so, with that of his female companions – a welcome empathy and still it takes away much of Bond’s roguish charms. Keeping up with this trend, the women in this story are many and varied; all beautiful (of course!) but also intelligent and complex. Severan Hydt certainly makes for a memorable Bond villain – he’s not only physically creepy-looking, also harbors an unhealthy obsession with death and decay that will cause shudders to run down readers’ spines. Yet, he’s a disappointment as he never comes across as either very smart or fiendish. However his henchman, Niall Dunne, is like Bond’s villainous counterpart, for he’s ready with a counter move even before Bond’s made a move. Unfortunately, he’s always in the background, pushing Hydt in this direction or that.

Overall, remove the Bond name and Jeffrey Deaver’s Carte Blanche is one entertaining thriller. But add the name and the high expectations it comes with, and the result is a reasonably good, but certainly not great Bond book.

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Review - Killer Move by Michael Marshall

2011-07-29T00:18:00.002-05:00

William Morrow,
Isbn-0061434426

Bill Moore already has a lot, but he wants more . . . much more.He's got a lucrative job selling condos in the Florida Keys, a successful wife, a good marriage, a beautiful house. He also has a five-year plan for supersuccess, but that plan has begun to drag into its sixth year without reaping its intended rewards. So now Bill's starting to mix it up—just a little—to accelerate his way into the future that he knows he deserves.

Then one morning Bill arrives at work to find a card waiting for him, with no indication who it's from or why it was sent. Its message is just one word: modified. From that moment on, Bill's life begins to change. At first, nothing seems very different. But when things begin to unwind rapidly, and one after another, people around Bill start to die, it becomes increasingly clear that someone somewhere has a very different plan for Bill's future. Confused and angry, Bill begins to fight against this unseen force until he comes to a terrifying, inescapable realization: Once modified, there's no going back.

This is one of those books about which I'd heard a lot of, which had received a lot of hype and so I was eager to read it. Unfortunately, I couldn't get past the first chapter.

It's very rare for me to leave any book unread. But when I lost interest before I'd read the first five pages, I knew this book just wasn't for me. First impression was in this a case a poor one, and it left a lasting impression on me. I've set this book aside and perhaps in the future, when I don't have a pile of much more interesting books waiting to be read, I'll come back to this book. Until then, it's bye-bye.

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy

2011-07-27T00:47:00.001-05:00

St. Martin's Griffin, 541p,
Isbn-0312385242

In this thrilling collection of original stories some of today’s hottest paranormal authors delight, thrill and captivate readers with otherworldly tales of magic and mischief. In Jim Butcher’s ”Curses” Harry Dresden investigates how to lift a curse laid by the Fair Folk on the Chicago Cubs. In Patricia Briggs’ “Fairy Gifts,” a vampire is called home by magic to save the Fae who freed him from a dark curse. In Melissa Marr’s “Guns for the Dead,” the newly dead Frankie Lee seeks a job in the afterlife on the wrong side of the law. In Holly Black’s “Noble Rot,” a dying rock star discovers that the young woman who brings him food every day has some strange appetites of her own.

Urban Fantasy is one of my favorite genres, even though I arrived late to it. Too late, by the looks of this book. If you're a fan of any of the no-doubt wonderful authors who've contributed a story to this anthology, then you're going to LOVE this book. However if, like me, you're not familiar with them, then better go read some other book.

Reason - this anthology is composed of stories that are offshoots of popular (ongoing) series by the authors, featuring characters that fans of these series are no doubt fully familiar with. And that's why this anthology will be of interest to only those fans, as other readers, like myself, are left largely guessing when it comes to understanding the whys and wherefores of the stories and characters.

The one exception, I felt, was the very first story - Curses: A Dresden Files Short Story by Jim Butcher. This story is written in a way that a reader is able to understand who and what the protagonist is and the story is thankfully nothing that needs the reader to know the ins and outs about this series. In other words, it's a standalone and one which was easy to understand, and thus appreciate.

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - A Butterfly is Patient

2011-07-26T00:38:00.001-05:00

Chronicle Books, ages 5-10, 40p
Hardcover, ISBN 9780811864794

The creators of the award-winning An Egg Is Quiet and A Seed Is Sleepy have teamed up again to create this gorgeous and informative introduction to the world of butterflies. From iridescent blue swallowtails and brilliant orange monarchs to the worlds tiniest butterfly (Western Pygmy Blue) and the largest (Queen Alexandra's Birdwing), an incredible variety of butterflies are celebrated here in all of their beauty and wonder.

My kids love nothing more than to play outdoors and this inevitably leads to them asking me many many questions. Some like, "what butterfly is this?" I'm now better able to answer thanks to this book which I received for review recently from Chronicle Books.

Along with beautiful pictures of butterflies plus their names, the book has a simple yet picturesque way of describing how a butterfly comes to be - from a simple egg to a caterpillar to a chrysalis, to finally emerging as a gorgeous butterfly. This visual method is just right to capture a growing child's vivid imagination like it did my son's whose questions about the metamorphosis process were seemingly unending. There's a lot of information provided about the varied kinds of butterflies from the most common to the most exotic, how they're different from moths etc.

Overall, it's a great book to get children interested in aspects of science, biology and nature.

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Overbite by Meg Cabot

2011-07-25T12:26:00.001-05:00

William Morrow, 288p,
Isbn-0061735108

Overbite's story picks up six months after where the previous (and first) Meena Harper story 'Insatiable' ended. Now Meena is officially working for the Vatican which believes Lucien has left NYC even though Meena knows otherwise. A misunderstanding has left the possible romance between Meena and Alaric Wolf in doubt. Torn between two men, and varying allegiances Meena tries to take the burden of everything upon herself and sets herself up for failure in a situation where failure is not only not an option, but a sure way of becoming vampire fodder.

***********

As I mentioned in my review, Insatiable is one of the best books I've read this year (even though it was first released last year). Overbite is its sequel and like all sequels, sadly falls short... way way short.

With Insatiable I couldn't find anything to dislike, but with Overbite, it's just the opposite.

->    Let’s get to the meat of the story, which is that Meena is in love with two men – one a Vampire prince, the other a vampire killer. You have to agree – this is the perfect love triangle, with potential for great romance, kick-ass action, and given Alaric’s tendency for sarcasm and blunt understatement, a huge opportunity for verbal warfare as well.

Is it made use of? No! An initial misunderstanding, which happens even before this story starts, takes care of any romantic situation developing between Meena and Alaric. And the entertaining war of words they’d started in Insatiable seems to have ended with that book.

Since Lucien is in hiding for most of this story and seems to come out only to aid Meena, bite her or sleep with her, no actual conflict ever arises between him and Alaric. They think plenty of bad things about each other, but that’s it.

All that potential for fireworks and the end result is a dismal fizz.

->    Let’s get to the next big thing, the plot.

Despite or because of the Vatican’s overwhelming presence in this story, the plot is too hol(e)y for words [sorry, just couldn’t resist the pun!]. An underground river of evil, the New Jersey Devil, flesh-eating vampires – all are interesting, but the way they’re thrust into the plot with no rhyme or reason and on top of each other, makes for a confusing storyline. Plus none of them feel essential to the overall story.

->   Insatiable had a great story arc - with events unfolding swiftly but in perfect harmony to add a sense of urgency and adventure – plus great character development. In Overbite, there’s no such coordination. Things are happening all over the place, there are too many people and tons of wild, chaotic emotions. Even the lead characters seem confused about what to do and how to react.

->    Side characters are the one redeeming factor in this story, even though their share of print has been vastly downsized. Meena’s brother Jon with his “Superstaker” [given that this is a vampire story, I think you can guess what it is] had the potential to add some much needed humor to the story. Alas, that too fizzles out faster that you can say ‘oh no’, with blood and gore sadly taking the place of laughter.

->    And the big thing, the Ending. It was so confusing that I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. The mind boggles as all the norms of traditional vampire handicaps are challenged and that too for a reason beyond comprehension. And the way it ended, both romance and suspense-wise! I honestly have no idea if there will be another story in this series.

I just don’t have the strength to list in detail what more I didn’t like, so here are some highlights:

->    Meena’s gigantic leaps of intuition. Especially evident towards the end.
->    No one else in the Vatican thought anything about that book from Lucien’s past – really? Not one person in all the eons spent in trying to kill the Prince of Vampires, not one?! What kind of researchers do they have?
->    "Yes, your boyfriend turned out to be not just a vampire, but their leader! So what? You've had a good six months to get used to it, you twit!" - I wanted to shout this every time Meena dissolved into tears which she did whenever she wasn’t too busy trying to take the blame for everybody's actions and lives, vampire or not. Needless to say, it got tedious... fast.
->    The overall lack of humor and fun in stark contrast to Insatiable.

One other redeeming factor in the story (apart from the side characters), is Lucien’s inner conflict. He’s torn between being the (not-so) bad guy who may not get the girl, and embracing his true nature which definitely won't get him the girl. The secret of that nature is the big question at the heart of this story.

Overall, if I had to I’d give ‘Insatiable’ 10 out of 5 stars and ‘Overbite’, 1 out of 5.

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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Review - Insatiable by Meg Cabot

2011-07-22T00:43:00.002-05:00

William Morrow, 451p, Isbn-0061735086

Despite a talent for predicting people's death, Meena Harper doesn't believe in the supernatural. Forget vampires in real life...she doesn't even like them invading the reel life of soap opera Insatiable, for which she's a dialogue writer.

And then at a neighbor's party, she meets and is instantly smitten by the intensely gorgeous and charming Lucien Antonescu, who seems to return her interest in him. Little does Meena know that this modern-day prince has a very dark side to him, one that will rip away all her illusions and defenses. Question is will she survive it?

*********

Leaving behind the YA world of Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot makes a stellar entry into the world of adult paranormal writing. I'd frankly grown sick of books starring vampires but was persuaded to pick up this one as Cabot has a knack for taking a tired plot and enlivening it with her particular fun and sizzling brand of adventure and romance.

And I'm glad I did as "Insatiable" fulfilled all my expectations and more! It is truly one of the best stories I've read so far this year.

I must say I have a bone to pick with Cabot, though.

I can't honestly say who/what I liked best in this book, as I liked all! Meena with her creepy talent, Lucien whose darkness is at odd contrast with his deep love, or even the advent of a Vatican-authorized, sword-wielding vampire killer - how is a reader to pick among such delicious choices? And doesn't Cabot know that side characters are just meant to provide fodder for the background and not be almost as interesting as the protagonists?! But they are. This just makes things worse, as readers are compelled to ignore all the responsibilities (aka chores) of real life only to lose themselves among the rapidly-turning pages of this fictional one. I know for sure my husband was glad when I was done reading this book, for he didn't enjoy eating cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the approximate day and a half it took me to finish this story. (My kids,on the other hand, loved it!) And oh, what a spectacular bang (read battle) the book ended with too - I couldn't have predicted it for all the money in the world.

I'm really glad I didn't read this book last year when it was first released as I'd have half-died of waiting for the next book to release, which (since it's the next year already) it has...just a few weeks before!

I'm off to read "Overbite" - hope it's at least half as good as this one, which would be plenty enough.

Note - This book was received for review/feature consideration.
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