Blog Slut

I got some decent reading done in the past week and a half. First off, Demon Night, by Meljean Brook. Loved it. Ms. Brook writes great characters and dialogue, and always a hot romance. Read my review here.

I also read two great non-fiction books: Sex With the Queen and Sex with Kings by Eleanor Herman. Very readable, totally absurd history. As you may have guessed, these books focus on royal adultery. Crazy shit. Those poor kings and queens, not only were they forced to marry complete strangers, they were also pretty sad cases themselves. All the inbreeding led to unattractive, weak-minded and stupid monarchs. I enjoyed Sex With the Queen a bit more. Queens definitely got the rawest deal. Very ruled in their own right. Most of them had to leave behind family, friends and country for a place with an unfamiliar culture and language, to be treated poorly by husband and in-laws. It was interesting to read how some of them grabbed happiness (and sometimes a bit of power for themselves) by taking a lover. Don't expect dry academic writing. Herman is very dramatic, almost purple-y. Take a passage like this, about Henry VII's ill-fated fifth wife, Katherine Howard:

Let us imagine the queen's duties in the royal four-poster. The king would likely have suffocated his petite bride if he had perched on top of her. He must have required her to ride astride him, careful not to disturb the stinking wound on his thigh....We can picture the happy king,perfectly sated, snoring, as his young wife lay silently beside him, her heart sinking (Sex With the Queen 79).

Hee. Fun. Read more about the books in Dirty Sexy History.

Now I just have to get something reviewed for this blog.

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Sunday night, while I was watching The Munster's Scary Little Christmas with the kids, it got me thinking about how paranormal romance (and its cousin urban fantasy) is really just so many variations on just a few themes. Humans and creatures living together (uneasily or unknowing), secret groups of vampire or shapeshifter warrior/defenders, and the kickass vampire/demon/monster slayer. It's the particular author's voice and style that makes a book rise above the cliches. For example, I passed over Dark Lover several times, thinking I'd had enough vamp warriors. But once I read it, a fangirl was born. Similarly, Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost flew completely under my radar. I think I dismissed it as a Buffy/Anita Blake ripoff (although I hate those books, I do give LKH credit for being innovative). Then reviews by Bev and katiebabs had me wavering. Young vamp slayer with superpowers and a bleached blonde vampire with a British accent? Certainly sounds derivative. But the reviews were so enthusiastic I found myself wanting to give it a try. And they were right, it is definitely worth a try.

Flirting With The Grave...

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father – the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unlikely partnership.

In exchange for help finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner – are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side ... and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

So here we have a young half vampire who lives to kill vamps, meeting up with a mysterious stranger who kills vampires. And who, indeed has bleached blonde hair and is of English extraction. He teaches her how to hone her fighting skills, about vampire society and generally shakes up her world. Cat finds herself increasingly attracted to Bones, who goes against all her assumptions about vampires. Okay, not terribly new or different, but well done here. Just plain fun to read.

I think the characterization is what made the book stand out. Sure, Cat is immature, sassy, hot-headed and other potentially annoying traits, but her loneliness and alienation always shine through. It's pretty sad. She has always been different, and has never known unconditional love. Her grandparents and neighbors disapprove of her illegitmacy and unusual strength, and her rather unhinged mother is just waiting for Cat to go psycho and start sucking blood. Her vampire hunting is a way to avenge her mother's rape and also to gain her mother's love and approval. Cat's behavior always seemed appropriate in the context of how she had been raised. And as she begins to show vulnerability and just blossom because of her relationship with Bones, it was very nice.

And Bones was just lovely. All tough and scary and mysterious, but also so sweet and loving and protective with Cat. He was a great hero. The development of their relationship began with him beating the crap out of her, but from there on out it was a lot of fun to read. The interesting characters and romance, combined with the fast moving plot, made this one a winner for me. I'm going to give it an A-, and I really look forward to the sequel, One Foot in the Grave, out April 29.

A round up...

I wanted to talk about a couple of other books I read while sans computer. I was still in Harlequin mode. These are more impressions or comments than anything else. I'm not going to give letter grades or anything.

*Rising Darkness by Cynthia Cooke--I had read the first in the Dark Enchantments miniseries and enjoyed it, so I picked this one up. It started off with a great Gothic set-up: a British family in a crumbling estate held hostage by a pack of howling demonic wolves. The heroine, Emma McGovern, is the last of a line plagued by a Gypsy curse, and her face has been badly scarred by a wolf attack. Sadly, the book didn't sustain the atmosphere, the suspense or any interest on this readers part. Strictly paranormal romance by the numbers, it featured two bland ciphers (the hero a tormented vampire type) who fall quickly and deeply in love for reasons unknown to them and me. Seriously, I can't remember how it ended, but I remember being annoyed. Ah well. I still bought the next installment, Night Mischief by Nina Bruhns.

*The Farmer Takes a Wife by Barbara Gale--I wanted this story of a Boston doctor who brings new life to a sleepy town and a crabby farmer because it took place in New Hampshire and I love NH. Unfortunately, this book suffered from some of the worst editing ever. Both the hero and heroine's eyes change color, and the heroine's hair color changes several times before settling on Auburn. At one point the heroine suggests talking to the local congressman in Albany (which is the capital of NY, not NH). The hero reflects on his initial meeting with the heroine, recalling a scene which he was not in. He came in after she walked into the gas station. Also much ado was made of the hero's marrying too young and having a child too quickly. But he's 40, and his son was described as 8 or 9. Having a child at 31? Not exactly teenage pregnancy. It made no sense. And now? I know what people mean when they complain about head hopping. I found the pov confusing at several times. Nah, can't rec this one at all.

*A Family of Her Own by Brenda Novak.--I've been reading another book by Novak, and I think that she is a skilled writer who writes interesting and original stories. But the romance (frustratingly to me) always seems to take a backseat. This is about an ex-con auto mechanic named Booker and a "good girl" hairdresser named Katie whose intense affair ends when she runs off for SF with a guy that everyone thinks is a tool. Two years later she returns to Dundee Idaho unwed, alone, penniless and pregnant. Booker is unhappy to see the woman who broke his heart but he ends up taking her in when her family turns her away. There was a lot of focus on Katie growing up and becoming mature and independent, which was a good thing, because I wanted to hate her. Sure, no one approved of Booker, but they didn't like the other guy either. And once they got to SF he got a nose ring and a Robert Smith haircut and became a club kid who sponged off of her. But she stuck it out for two years? And gave him pity sex "one last time"? Whereupon she became one more victim of the dreaded romance novel condom failure rate? Great judgment, Katie. Dump the sexy, mysterious, intense guy who is kind enough to take in the village idiot (no, not Katie, this other guy) for a wannabe hipster tool. I wish there had been some flashbacks or something about Katie and Booker's relationship, so I could see what he saw in her, as well as why she didn't believe that he cared about her. I was also curious about what Booker did time for. Overall, not so bad though, just didn't quite satisfy.

*Driven by Eve Kenin--All is not lost, 'cuz this book was great! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes futuristic/sci fi or who is looking for something other the standard vamp/furry paranormal. Driven is set in a frozen future in which truckers have to bring goods to the various settlements. One particular company controls everything, and is run by a powerful and super nasty guy. There's a tough, kick butt and likeable heroine, Raina who is a great match for the unusual and very hot hero, Wizard. I lurved him, though an HEA with him would not be easy. See some reviews here, here and here. Worth your while. Bev from Bev's Books, if you stop by, I'm recommending this to you. You'll like it!

I'm baaaack!

Woo-hoo! The drought is over. My computer is back and better than new. Hurrah! I've been so busy, and worked so little, that I have had very little computer access. So before I go bopping around catching up, I wanted to type up a review that I wrote out longhand. Yes it's that time of year again...Black Dagger Brotherhood time!



I've got to say I'm definitely curious to see what people have to say about Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward. This book had a lot going on, some of it pretty unorthodox for a romance. I've always been a Vishous fan myself. I find the fact that he is supposed to be super smart sexy, and I dig the tattoos, the weird abilities, the tortured feelings for Butch, the Dom tendencies. Just the kind of delicious weirdness I like. I was apphrehensive about how Ward would treat his kinky and queer leanings? Was he going to to meet some chick and undergo a personality transplant, a la a Dark Hunter? Would it be all peaches and vanilla cream? I was also invested in the Butch/Vishous relationship that had developed. Could I buy V's HEA with someone else? I bought Butch and Marissa, but she was a familiar character. Also, weak soul that I am, I gave in to the temptation to read some spoiler, which made me pretty nervous about whether I'd like this book at all.

Since there are probably many, many places to read about the book at this point, I shall dispense with the synopsis and get down to business. I'm going to try to avoid spoilers, but read at your own risk. I definitely liked LU better than Lover Revealed, but...well there are several buts.

The Love--Love V. Love him. Totally tortured hero. I've got to give JRW props for sticking to her guns and making it clear that V is not your average tortured hero. He likes sex rough and his feelings for Butch went way beyond friendship. I thought that both situations were acknowledged, handled and explained well, as was his horrible childhood. These things made V who he was, not some aberrations to be explained away, by meeting the right woman. And I did buy his HEA with Dr. Jane. As for heroine Dr. Jane Whitcomb herself, I liked her quite a bit. She was intelligent, strong willed and witty. V and Jane played off of each other well, and had a repartee somewhat like Butch/V [whose dialogues provide some of the best moments in LU]. But this brings me to the big but...

The But--Not enough V and Jane. These books have always alternated between the primary romance and the larger cast of characters within the BDB universe. Now being such a fan of these books and characters, it doesn't always bother me, but in LU all the scene changes detracted from the romance. I really liked V & Jane, but damn if the story didn't keep cutting away to John Matthew and his school chums. I've enjoyed the saga of JM/Tehrror so far,but this time I wanted him to go away. He was having quite the pity party also. The best part of a romance is seeing how the emotional connection develops, and I always feel short changed if it is rushed or if we are told rather than shown. V & Jane had great chemistry and good scenes, but they came after V's realization that he was "in love". Before that, one or the other was passed out. I would have preferred some 'getting to know you' banter. The later chemistry was not quite enough to overcome this. The Primale thing took from them as well, and was kind of unnecessary. It was resolved so quickly, it ultimately served only as Phury's sequel set-up (more on that later), and there was plenty of conflict without it. Question: If the Primale is to father future Brothers (sons) and Chosen (daughters), and if the Brothers and Chosen are expected to mate as well, won't there be all sorts of creepy incest going on? The only interesting thing about the subplot was V's relationship with the ever-annoying Scribe Virgin.

The Ending--I would imagine the ending is quite controversial. Didn't bother me too much. Perhaps it helped that I was mildly spoiled (and read a similar ending in Kenyon's Sins of the Night). So yeah (spoiler warning) Jane gets shot and dies and lives happily ever after as a ghost. Seemed a bit unnecessary but whatever. My biggest problem was all the questions that kept coming to mind. Like if Jane can have sex and eat, does she need to go to the bathroom or wash up? I appreciated the humor, but it was a bit sitcom-y. Uh-oh, Zsadist sat on Jane again. Fritz, you dog, you put Jane's clothes in the washing machine while she was still in them! Oh well, although the Scribe Virgin as Deus ex Machina is getting old, I did get a bit verklempt at the ending.

The Dislike--Not feeling the setup for Phury's book at all. Hate the Chosen. They just creep me the hell out. The only thing that made those scenes bearable were some funny lines and reactions. Phury's book is going to to be Dumber and Dumber, with who can be stupider about sex. At least Cormia has already seen Phury's (Ph's?) junk, so we'll be spared an "Oh My God, it's so big! And it moves!" scene. And I love Phury so. Would've like someone with a bit more fire for him. And Lordy, how I hate the idea of John Matthew with the 'hermaphroditic' chick with the dumb ass name. I try to be open minded, but something about how she is described squicks me out. Please don't let it be so.

The Conclusion--Lover Unbound is an unusual and compelling addition to the BDB series. Disappointing in that intriguing characters were given short shrift in favor of storylines I found almost painful to read I still enjoyed it, and was completely obsessed with finishing. I was going to give it a B, but I've been thinking about it a lot, and want to re-read soon, so I think I'm going to bump to a B+. This series is staying strong, and is definitely one to try. Read in order for sure and your can check out my previous ramblings here.

Demon Moon by Meljean Brook

Demon Moon by Meljean Brook
Every once in awhile a book comes along that makes you think the author may have written it just for you, so well does it push all of your buttons. Demon Moon was such a book for me. It's hard to write a review of a book you really liked. I don't want to sound totally gushing and fangirly. But I swear, this book had so many of the things I love, which is tough to find. An unusual (yet hot) hero, an intelligent, fully realized heroine, loads of internal and external conflict, as well as great emotional and sexual tension. It wasn't a perfect book, but I loved it. It just got the angsty romance bit so right, while still having a nice wit to it. It was a genuinely smart book, with a fast moving plot. Let's get to some specifics.

The Hero: Colin Ames-Beaumont is the oldest and strongest of his kind, after many vampires were wiped out in an attack. He is different from other vampires though. He can't feed others because his blood carries a taint. Thus, he has to drink from different human women each night. He also carries a curse which makes it impossible for him to see his reflection in a mirror. Instead, he catches a glimpse of Chaos, the horrifying realm above Hell. Colin is cursed, isolated and tormented, for sure. He can also kick ass, owns a nightclub, and wears leather pants at at least one point in the book. But this is where the similarity to other vampire heroes end. He doesn't particularly sweat who he is. He's still the handsome, indolent second son of a nobleman, after all. Colin is unashamedly vain and arrogant, sarcastic and superior. He is very smart and witty, and can come off like an asshole. And I loved him. I think it's the influence of too much Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels, PBS Mystery and British mysteries (in general) growing up. Nothing revs my engine like an arrogant, witty, overbred Englishman. I think the reason I love heroes like this is because when they fall, they have far to fall, and the fall is hard, and it's bewildering to them (and highly entertaining for the reader). Colin just adores Savi, and is amused and fascinated by everything about her. There are a number of reasons they can't be together, but it's clear that's going to be a losing battle. He tries to keep away, and acts like a douchebag, and it's almost like he can't help himself, which I actually found kind of endearing. I just loved how in love he was. A great flawed hero.

The Heroine: Sometimes in romance, "geeky" or intelligent heroine are rather annoying and TSTL, but I really liked Savitri Murray. The techno-geek (and Hugh from Demon Angel's "sister") who invented the video game based upon Hugh and Lilith's past, she genuinely seemed like a smart, slightly eccentric twentysomething woman. She lacked the other characters' supernatural abilities (to start with, anyway) and fighting skills, but in her own arena she was very confidence. I liked her curiosity as well. Too often these human chicks just get swept off her feet by some sexy otherworldly dude, and don't ask enough damn questions! Her strong sense of responsibility to her Grandmother was another interesting trait. Having some close friends of Indian heritage, the doing the whole matrimonials bit, and the pressure to marry a fellow educated Indian rang true to me.
And man, she had it bad for Colin!

The Conflict: She's a human, and mortal, and he's not. Plus, even if she was turned into a vampire, Savi would not be able to feed from Colin because his tainted blood will kill her. He can't feed from her to often without seriously weakening or draining her. Savi would have to deal with Colin feeding from a parade of other humans. In Brook's universe, the need for blood and sex are tied (called "bloodlust"). After a certain point, the lust for sex as well as blood overtakes the vampire. Not surprisingly, Savi doesn't think she can handle Colin screwing other women. All this makes for lots of lovely angst, because these two are just so head over heels for each other, and they know it won't work, but they can't stay away from each other. They have a fun relationship, a real battle of wits. They can make each other laugh even when bad shit is going down. I liked the sense of friendship and appreciation that came through, as well as the desire.

Oh man, I'm sleepy. I had more I was going to write, but I have a feeling I'm just babbling and not doing the book any justice. But hopefully this expresses a bit of why I gave Demon Moon an A. As I said, it's not a perfect book. The worldbuilding is pretty intricate, and sometimes I had to stop and mentally review who was who and what was what, when I just wanted more Savi/Colin loving. Pesky thing, that plot, although I did enjoy the plot as well. This series is definitely worth a try, especially if you enjoy good characterization, writing that actually assumes you're intelligent, and something a bit out of the ordinary. I'm going bye-bye now.

Everybody Join Hands...

board the L.U.R.V.E. Train!

I won a copy of Demon Moon! Yay! Meljean Brook left a comment mentioning that no one had nominated their own sexiest vampire alive yet, and I thought to myself,"Self, who would be better equipped to come up with a vamp than you?" But who to pick? Kiefer Sutherland in "The Lost Boys"? Max Schreck in Nosferatu? Vishous? Spike? Edward from Twilight? Glenn Danzig? But then I thought to myself what vampire commonly starts young ladies down the road to romanticizing creatures of the night? And an idea was born. (Or rather ganked from my sister.)

Without futher ado--

Dear People Magazine,

Meljean Brook wants us all to take a ride on the L.U.R.V.E. Train, and is nominating Colin Ames-Beaumont as the "Sexiest Man Alive (and Undead)" for 2007. Because Colin's picture can't be taken, she is submitting evidence in the form of her book, Demon Moon, and a long PDF excerpt.

But, come on! Everyone knows that Count Von Count is the sexiest vampire alive (or undead, anyway). He's great with kids, which is sexy. He's also good with numbers, which means he'd probably be good with money, and stay financially stable. And that accent! That laugh! Sends shivers down the spine. The Destroyer loves him, and she's a tough sell. He's got to be the most beloved vampire ever. Thus, I nominate for your consideration the Count Von Count for sexiest man alive (and undead), for his charm and his hard work teaching children numbers and making vampires lovable.

Living and Undead Readers for Vampire Equality

Join the L.U.R.V.E. Train - Because vampires are beautiful people, too.

(Want to join the L.U.R.V.E. Train? Nominate your own vampire, win books and Amazon gift certificates? Climb aboard here.)

Enter your own nomination! She's giving away lots of stuff!

I can't resist....

Something as fun and loopy as this. From Meljean Brook's blog. I really want this book, already.

Dear People Magazine,

Every November, you come out with your "Sexiest Man Alive" issue; every spring, you print your list of the "World's Most Beautiful People."

But in 2007 -- for the last two hundred years -- the sexiest man and the most beautiful person has been ... a vampire.

George? Pffft. Brad? Come on! Jude? ...no.

Why isn't it that Colin Ames-Beaumont hasn't graced your cover? Is it simply because his picture cannot be taken? (He's so beautiful a blank cover with just his name on it would make your readers drool.) Because he usually only comes out at night? (How is that different than Johnny Depp?) Because you think he hasn't bared his assets for a Hollywood camera?

Are you afraid of his tainted blood? You shouldn't be: one look will not send you to the Chaos realm, surrounded by flying dragons and the screams of the damned. Only Colin sees that realm when he looks into a mirror -- it will not trouble you. Is it the woman he's falling in love with? Geeks need love, too, People Magazine -- a fact you have long overlooked (but that is another campaign to be won.)

Is it the fear that if you met him in a dark alley, the words "Oh my God you're so beautiful!" would hardly be past your lips before he had you up against the wall for some hot sexing that you wouldn't remember the next day?

No; none of those things are true impediments to being called "the sexiest" or "the most beautiful". I think the problem is that you've been stuck on one pesky little word in the "Sexiest Man" title: Alive.

But there are those of us -- readers and authors, geeks and norms -- who know that Undead can be just as sexy as Living. And we've got hundreds of paranormal romances to prove it.

So I'm beginning my campaign to get a vampire on the cover of your magazine. To no longer be forced to stare longingly at men who can't read my mind. Men who can't use a sword. Men who can't wear satin-lined capes and look good doing it. I'm calling for all readers, living and undead, to fight for vampire equality.

And I'm nominating Colin Ames-Beaumont to the be first representative of the "Sexiest Man Alive (and Undead)" for 2007. What separates him from other vampire romance heroes, you wonder? He's strong, as they are. He sucks blood, as they do. He's got out-of-control sexual appeal, as they do. But there is one thing, People Magazine, that makes Colin stand out from the rest of the vampire heroes.

Colin ... is blond.

But do not take my word for it; judge for yourself. And because he is cursed, unable to see his reflection or to have any pictures taken, the only proof I can offer is in Demon Moon. The book cover cannot do him justice -- you must look inside. Want a peek? The first four chapters are here. Or you can buy it at Amazon (it is available June 5 in stores everywhere).

Sincerely,

Meljean Brook

Living and Undead Readers for Vampire Equality

Join the L.U.R.V.E. Train - Because vampires are beautiful people, too.

(Want to join the L.U.R.V.E. Train? Nominate your own vampire, win books and Amazon gift certificates? Climb aboard here.)

Contest Time!

Demon Angel by Meljean Brook was one of my favorite reads so far this year. I'm looking forward to Demon Moon, coming out next month, which features fabulous (in a totally non-gay way) vampire, Colin Ames-Beaumont. I was alerted by KristieJ to a fun contest Ms. Brook is doing at her blog. See here for a glimpse into Colin's psyche. I love stuff like this. Anyhow, to be entered into a contest (three free books!), you must answer seven of the questions in the comments or on your own blog. So here I go--

5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I'm finally (after many years) able to admit to myself that I have passive-agressive tendencies, which is something I hate.

6. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
There is this certain combination of arrogance and stupidity that I often encounter that drives me insane. You know, people who have no idea what they are talking about but are absolutely convinced that they are right.

10. On what occasion do you lie?
I have the deplorable tendency of lying to my son when I want him to go to sleep. "Dad went to New Jersey, that's why he can't come upstairs", "The television's broken", "Aunt Margee will buy you a pony if you just go to sleep." Horrible, I know.

13. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
From a quick scan of the blog: "fabulous", "meh", "apprehensive", "I can (or can't) buy...", "hot", and I'm sure there are many more.

19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Totally cheesy, but my kids. All else pales in comparison to their awesomeness.

24. Where would you like to live?
Steps from the beach somewhere in the Northeast. Perhaps in NH or RI.

29. What do you most value in your friends?
I don't know how to put it, but people who are "real." People who are just themselves, with real opinions, and interests, and who have something to say. So many people bore or annoy me, and I know I'm horrible for saying that. They don't have to have anything in common with me, they just have to be themselves, not fake or banal.

In brief...

I'm watching Howard the Duck. It's a lot worse than I remembered. It was that or Pee Wee's Big Adventure. It's 80's nostalgia night on cable apparently, because First Blood is on too.

I've been all caught up in the newest kerfuffle, rubbernecking as per usual. The comments are flying fast, I can barely keep up. At least some good has come out of this all. Of course by this I mean Mrs. Giggles' Blog Drama Drinking Game. Excellent! Too bad I don't drink no more.

I've been wanting to review Kiss Me Deadly, a novella by Shannon Stacey. I won a download by her at Sybil's, and she was nice enough to send me two!! KMD takes place at the isolated cabin of Bridget Sawyer. When a raven flies into her bedroom, she doesn't realize that it is a messenger of Death, and a sexy shapeshifter. Khail is stunned when she doesn't die, and intensely drawn to Bridget. The two of them want to explore their attraction to each other, but Bridget was marked to die, and the other ravens want to carry out their duties.

This one was okay. I liked the idea of Death as an unkindness of ravens (love that phrase), and the idea of these two stuck in the cabin while the ravens circle the house and tap on the windows, a la The Birds. But it suffers from the curse of the erotic romance novella: how to get two strangers fizz-nucking quickly and also to have feelings develop between them believably. There was definitely a touch of the bamp-chicka-wow-wow factor. A bird shows up in your house, turns into a naked, hot dude, and you're getting it on with him in a matter of hours? Hmmmm...The heroine had isolated herself in the mountains to escape an abusive ex-husband, and memories of a horrible childhood. This made it even rougher for me to believe she'd hop into bed with random werebird so quickly, no matter how undeniably drawn they were to each other. However, I liked Ms Stacey's style of writing, in particular the dialogue and characterization. There were some moments that did reveal a nice chemistry between the two leads. Although I'm giving this a C because I was not able to buy it completely, I am looking forward to reading her 72 Hours. I would imagine that without the length constraints, she will be able to flesh (heh) out the characters and relationship quite nicely.

Okay, now for a very short review of No Rest for the Wicked, by Kresley Cole. In fact, it is a not one, but two Haiku review. Here goes:

Sebastian, sad vamp,
Kaderin kills vampires dead.
Can she be his Bride?

Fast pace and great sex,
Talisman's Hie was cool,
Bitchy chick, hot guy.

For more on this series, see here. I like the array of creatures included. The Valkyries are still kind of annoying, but Cole does soulmates well. I give it a B. For a fun review, which does a great job of illustrating the book, check out the video review at Dear Author.

Attempting to keep it brief...

I'm trying to get my reviews a little bit shorter. It's tough though, I've always got so much too say. Let's give it a go...

**Step into Darkness by Naomi Bellis, was new to me, though it came out last September. It is the author's publishing debut, and I checked it out based upon the intriguing cover and back blurb, which promised a slightly different historical setting (Georgian England/Revolutionary France) and a hint of the paranormal. Step into Darkness kept my interest pretty well, but a few things kept it firmly in the C range. The hero, "Gentleman Jack" Tremaine, is not actually a thief, but a spy. Sorry for the spoilage, but this is revealed rather quickly. I haven't read too much spy stuff, so the revelation didn't bother me, and Jack's spymaster was the most intriguing character in the book. Jack himself, and the heroine, Sarah, were likable but rather bland, as was their romance. I think they fell in love too quickly for my tastes. The tension had the potential to be really juicy, but it was defused too fast. The love scenes were rushed also, particularly the first one,which should've been a bigger moment. The idea of "The Circle", a group (or groups?) of European Aristocracy who have magic powers, was introduced, but not particularly fleshed out. Who were "The Circle?" Where did they come from? What could they do? What influence (if any) did they have on society? I was left with many questions. I'm not sure if some of the blandness and vagueness is due to this being the first in a series, or if it's due to Ms. Bellis being a novice author, but there was enough that was good to keep me from writing the author off. I'll give the next one a try at some point, see if it's a bit more developed or exciting.

**I finally read If Angels Burn by Lynn Viehl. Ms. Viehl doesn't seem to have a website per se, but her blog is really interesting and has excellent resources for writers, especially. I had never read this series before, because I had read some mixed reviews. But I liked the titles and covers, and the descriptions sounded good. So I gave it a go, and I really liked it. I liked it so much that I dreamt that I was at Fortunoff's to get a dress for my sister's wedding, and there were used copies of all the books on a shelf, and in my haste to get to them, I knocked over a display of Lenox. Fortunoff's sells neither dresses nor books, but there you go. The heroine, Dr. Alex Keller, was prickly, without ever getting too annoying. I liked Michael Cyprien (the hero), as well. I did feel that the development into true love was a bit of a leap, but there was so much going on, I didn't mind. Viehl is building an interesting world here, with an intriguing cast, and good possibilities. Will Phillipe get a book, or is he sidekick material only? I really liked the explanation for the cause of the Darkyn's vampirism. It is very dark, though. Some scenes are not for the faint of heart. Damn, the Brethren (the Darkyn's enemy) are freaky! Although it is marketed as paranormal romance, I could give this one to my husband. In some ways, the love story took a back seat to the worldbuilding. But that was okay, because it was an exciting and intense read. I give it a B+ and I look forward to the next books, though I won't find them at Fortunoff's.

"Stop It!", Part Deux (Spoilery)

I think it's time to give up on For a Few Demons More. Every time I sit down with it, I start thinking about other stuff I could be reading, and indeed, I've read two other books before getting halfway through this one. Question is, do I give up on this series entirely? I couldn't finish the second one either (The Good, the Bad and the Undead) but I really enjoyed the third (Every Which Way But Dead). There are things I really love about Harrison's universe, like the secondary characters, and some of the little, funny, mundane details that make the Hollows come alive. But at the time, with all the detail and exposition involved, there are still sentences like this (p.149): "I took a quick breath and narrowed the inflow before my chi overflowed and I'd have to spindle it." And, five books in, I don't get it, the line stuff, the chi stuff, and I feel dumb. But many, many people love this series, so mebbe I am. So for now, this is a DNF (I'll skim the rest and I already read the end).

But I must address one thing. My biggest problem by far is Rachel Morgan, the protagonist from the series. I've gone from merely thinking the girl's kinda dumb, to full-blown dislike. I'd like to put my fake therapist hat on to try and help a fictional character. Just to refresh your memory:



Rachel, please try to learn from your mistakes. It is time to look before you leap, think before you act, take a deep breath before opening your piehole. Yes, you have pissed off half the critters in Cincinatti, as well as half the demons in the Ever After, but you've got no one to blame but yourself. Have you ever considered that there might be consequences to your actions? Stop it, you knucklehead. As for your relationships, you're starting to come off like a manipulative user.You know Ivy has strong feelings for you, and you appear to for her, but you don't do girls. So instead, you've turned to the closest thing to Ivy: Kisten. Fine, Denial Girl, but don't keep goading Ivy, asking her to drink from you, but that's all, no funny stuff. It makes you seem like a mindfucker. Have you ever heard the expression "Shit or get off the pot?" Just stop it! [Wo]Man up, get yourself some Birkenstocks, and Indigo Girls albums, and book a little weekend for you and Ivy in Provincetown. It'll get you what you both want.

Whew, I feel much better. Seriously is it just me? Hope I didn't get too spoilery.

If I had any sense of self-importance...

I would take this as a shout out. From The Midnight Hour: Funny vamp romance blurb alert! I've never read any of Ms. Love's books, as I'm a bit leery of funny vamps, having been burned one too many times, but I do believe I've read some good reviews. Maybe I shall give her a whirl.

For those who enjoy YA lit, I found a fun blog: The YaYaYas. Over at Sybil's, of course. BTW, an author I'd never heard of, Claire Cross, is blogging over there. Her books sound pretty interesting. I wouldn't mind winning one of her fantasy romances. Go forth and post.

A Few Interesting Things...

I'm currently reading For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison. This series doesn't work nearly as well for me as it does for others, but there is something that keeps me going with it. I looked at my review of Fistful of Charms and a lot of the same things are bothering me about this one. It started off o.k., but now it's starting to drag. I think I've reached my limit with Rachel also. I just don't get why everyone is so enamored of her. I'm determined to finish and review, though.

Other things that have been distracting me:
**I was lucky enough to win an e-book of Claiming the Courtesan from Dear Author. (Have you checked out the forums, BTW? They're just getting going, but look to be fun.) This was especially awesome because I was planning on giving this one a pass, until all the controversy erupted. Now I must read it for myself. I think Campbell's next release sounds good too. Now I don't have an EBook reader, so my method of choice for reading e-books is Microsoft Reader. When I popped on over to Fictionwise to claim my book, I was told by the site that I didn't have the proper software. Huh? Apparently, my copy of MS Reader has never been 'activated' and thus cannot get downloads from Fictionwise (a security measure. Moreover, I cannot activate my copy because I lack "Active X" controls. When I attempted to find out more about this Active X nonsense, I got pages and pages of jargon I could not understand. Has anyone ever faced this issue? I tried to backtrack and get it in Adobe Acrobat instead, but no dice. Arrrghhh!

**Elizabeth Hoyt guest blogged at Sybil's and Rene Lyons guest blogged at Sanctuary's Finest. Must get on reading their books. [Woo-hoo, I'm having good karma lately, and my love of leaving comments for authors is paying off. I won a copy of The Leopard Prince.] I love it when authors do the guest blogger thing.

**Has anyone read these?
Witchling by Yasmine Galenorn

Night Life by Elizabeth Guest

When Darkness Comes by Alexandra Ivy


**Things I'm excited about:






That's all. I shall return when I make it through the next round of birthday madness. And when I finish off the Harrison book.

Blah, blah, blah

Friday I went to Borders so that H-Bomb could use up his gift card, and I was wandering around looking at all the new book displays, and I was feeling awfully underwhelmed. Lots of vampires and vampire slayers. It looks like Urban Fantasy (less focus on the romance) is on the upswing. But nothing calling to me. I'm definitely suffering from book ennui. I feel like I had a couple of really good, different reads in the past couple of weeks. Now I'm looking around at the piles and piles sitting around and just...bleh. I'm looking for a "dare-to-be-great situation." I think I'm going to have to hit the e-pubs.

I almost bought The Dream Hunter by Sherrilyn Kenyon, just to get something, but I'm so glad I didn't, because the anonymous paranormal reader struck again. I bought it for 75 cents at the library yesterday, along with Dead Sexy, by Amanda Ashley. which got some bad reviews on Amazon. I thought they had the same cover image there for a minute. Not sure if I'm feeling the close up cover. The guy on TDH looks like Adrian Grenier, and the DS guy looks like he's going to cry. See? The chin, it's almost trembling.





I was surprised to find myself genuinely offended by something in Romance Blogland.
I usually am amused, and sometimes interested by the various debates, but I have to say I really disliked the title of this post. You know she wanted it, Part the second,deals with the book Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell, which has been garnering a lot of attention. I'm not too into the "forced seduction" trope myself, but I could care less if others are. But the title of this post, oy! I find myself unable to take what's written seriously, because of the reference to the mindset of date rapists everywhere. Ewww. As for the post itself, eh, but Jane said it better than me. Anna Campbell herself was at Sybil's recently. Although I wasn't planning on reading this, I may have to, just to make up my own mind.

Lover Revealed by JR Ward...

Where's Phury?

Warning: Will probably be spoilery...

I had said that I would wait until today to purchase Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward, but who was I kidding? I bought it on Tuesday (release day) while birthday shopping for the H-Bomb. It was 25% off! But I only allowed myself to read bits and pieces as I finished up other things that needed to be done. And you know what? It wasn't that hard to put down. Let's just get this out of the way right now: I think this was the weakest book thus far. I enjoyed it a lot, but I may say some things that are harsh, and its out of love, folks. I just finished the book an hour ago, and I want to get my thoughts down, so I can go blog hopping and see what's being said. I've been trying to avoid anything that might influence me unduly. As I said, it was a crazy busy week, so it wasn't too hard, but I am missing my blog fix.

I'm not going to spend too much time on a summary, because this'll be wordy enough as it is. Lover Revealed is the story of Butch and Marissa, who have been around since the first book of the series, Dark Lover. Butch O'Neal was the human cop and friend of Beth's who ended up becoming friends with the Brothers and roommate of Vishous. Marissa was Wrath's unwanted,untouched shellan (wife). The two were immediately drawn to each other, but remained apart for the next couple of books due to a "Big Misunderstanding" that happened offstage. As this story opens, they are both pretty frustrated and miserable with their lots. Both Butch and Marissa struggle with feelings of uselessness and self-doubt. They're both still longing for each other though. Not only do they have their poor self-images working against them, there are also class and species (Butch is human, Marissa a vampire) differences . It'll be a rocky road to HEA, but that's why we read paranormal romances, after all.

[Click on post title for full post]


The Good:
**Vishous: Man, I love this weird, perverted motherfucker! Can't wait for his story (coming to bookstores this fall). Very curious about his past. Much has been made of the overtones between Butch and V, and I'm impressed that Ward addressed it and pleased with the way she did. Butch and V are super close, and its definitely more than friends, but I think its because they have almost a symbiotic relationship. Plus, V doesn't really have feelings for anyone, so feeling so strongly towards Butch would defintely be confusing for him. I actually dig the homoerotic stuff, but I also need to buy Butch and V with women (rather than each other) and in the end I did. Anyway, V is a complicated character and I find him to be a real scene stealer (Is it September yet?)

**Marissa: Who thought she'd be the most interesting, well developed heroine Ward has created yet? Who thought she'd be a galvanizing presence for the other females? Previously, I didn't like her too much. She embodied the worst of the female characters in the BDB universe, wafting around the house in floaty gowns, with no apparent career or hobbies, waiting passively for a male to tell her what to do. She's just as disgusted with herself as I was with her, though. For the other of Ward's heroines, their personal journeys involved being saved by the Brothers and entering into (or deeper into) the cloistered vampire world. And although Marissa too ends up at the Brotherhood compound of hip-hop and hoyay, I feel like she pretty much saves herself, being proactive in finding a purpose and role outside of the house and sweaty sex with her mate. She was unsure and messed it up sometimes (I liked it when she almost set herself on fire), but she was fun. I also liked that there was no sappy forgiveness scene with her dicky brother.

**Greater development of the vampire universe--It was interesting to get more insight into the class and gender issues at work, which we got to see through Marissa's breaking out of them. Glad we're seeing more of the world that they inhabit.

**Wrath, Beth, Zsadist, Bella, John Matthew et al.--I was glad to see more of these characters and how they're shaping up. I particularly like the increasing development of Zsadist and John Matthew. And Rehvenge. Although I hope Ward's not going to make that chick Layla into a heroine, because she creeps me out. But where's Phury? There better be more of his one-legged ass in the next book.

**Less stupid slang--There was a definite decrease in jarring hip-hop speak, no? Although that brings me to..

The Bad:
**Enough with the product placement already!--the decrease in slang corresponded with an increase in the cataloging of everyone's clothing and how much it cost. I just don't give a fuck about Butch's Missoni overcoat and $25000 Patek Phillipe watch.

**Butch in general--Prior to LR, while I wasn't too into Butch, I didn't have anything against him either. But he got kind of the sad sack treatment here. No job, no purpose, living off the Brothers, drinks too much Scotch, former Cokehead, had unprotected sex with strangers...be still my beating heart. I didn't hate him, but I was meh. I started picturing him with a paunch and bloodshot eyes, though I tried to stop. I definitely liked him at the end better, after the [edited for spoilers].

**The romance--LR was more interesting in how it advanced the overall BDB story arc, and further developed the alternate universe, than in the love story. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it was because Butch seemed like kind of a loser. Or perhaps we had too much of them to start with. Butch and Marissa's feelings were well established before the book started, so some of the things that kept them apart seemed quite contrived. Just, like, knock it off already, and get married. It just lacked a zing that the other romances had. Their individual developments (and roles within the world) were more compelling than their development as a couple.

And the Unread (with apologies to Sybil):
**The Lessers--I still find myself skimming their bits until the action heats up at the end.

I am going to give Lover Revealed a B. I enjoyed it a lot, but pretty much for everything except the romance. Which is weird. Although it's better than most of the stuff I've read this year, my ambivalence about Butch and the lack of something keep it out of the A range. I'm going to read it again though, so we'll see if my feelings change. Ah well, the countdown begins til the next installment.

Things I've Read...

*Fear the Darkness by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I got this online short story from Nath. Worthwhile for completeness, for those of us who enjoy that sort of thing. Pretty much more Nick angsting/bitching. Bleh. I'm sure he'll be redeemed and all, but at this point I could give a rat's ass. The excerpt for her next release, The Dream Hunter, didn't particularly excite, either. But I popped on over to her website, and I did do a little dance when I discovered that Ash's book will be out at the end of the year. I'm still excited for it, but there's so much build-up, I can't see how it won't disappoint.

*New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. Another winner. One might think that one would not like this book, given that Bella and Edward are apart for 3/4 of the book, Bella was in a lot of emotional pain, and she grows close to another guy, Jacob. But the angst was good angst. I felt awful for Bella, but I felt for her. It wasn't just whining (I'm looking at you, Nick) And I really liked Jacob. There. I said it. I actually kind of wished it was more of a triangle. All I am saying is oy, the break up scene, and the scenes after Bella and Edward see each other again. Must be read several times.

*Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning. A decent read, not stunning but I'll be looking for the next one at the library (August 2007). I think that half the books I read as a teenager had a young woman travelling to a foreign country to investigate a mystery regarding her family and meet an enigmatic stranger. I have an affinity for that type of thing. Plus I'm a sucker for Ireland and the Fae. There were two issues that I hope go away. First off, this a recounting of events that happened to the narrator, MacKayla Lane. So "Mac" seems to feel the need to say something like "Little did I know..." or "If I had only known then..." or some other hokey foreshadowing phrase, at the beginning and end of each chapter. Y'know, the kind of thing that screams "DUN, DUN, DUN! Ruh-roh, some bad shit's about to happen." Heavy handed and lame. Next problem is the main male character. His name is Jericho Barrons, and for some reason, I have taken a violent dislike to that name. And I don't like him much either. It's too early to tell if he's the hero of the series, and I kinda hope he turns out to be a bad guy. He crosses the line from enigmatic to dickhead. Actually, I have a theory about who he'll turn out to be, so hopefully I'll stick with the series long enough to find out if I'm right.

Best of 2006...

Some other stuff...

Best Non-J.R. Ward Vampire Book:

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. A very engrossing read. Anyone who likes stories about teenagers or vampires would like this one. Worth a try even if you don't like vampires.I just finished New Moon, and I can't wait until Eclipse.

Best E-book:

Bone Deep by Bonnie Dee. I debated whether or not to make a separate category for this one, because I don't want to make it seem as though e-book are somehow different or less than print romance. I just wanted to mention more books. All jokes about crappy covers aside, one only has to visit an EPublishing site like Samhain, Ellora's Cave, or Liquid Silver to see that some of the most interesting and unusual stuff is being published in electronic format. Whenever I drop by, I always want to read so many of them. Damn my tight budget! [Will review for free books!] Tatooed guy from the carnival! Forties setting! You won't be seeing Avon publishing something like that anytime soon. I just loved this one. It was very sweet, yet very sexy. I think I might re-read it tonight. P.S. Great Cover.

Best guilty, guilty pleasure:

Unleash the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Abandon reality, all ye who enter here. The hero is a "tigard" (a mix of of tiger and a leopard), the heroine is a wimpy law student/senator's daughter. Since this is an SK, they have cartoonishly nasty parents. There are also cartoonishly nasty preppies named Todd and Blaine, a trip back to 1981, and a general disregard for rules set up by Kenyon in previous books. Even for the over the top Dark Hunter series, this one was over the top. I used to wait for one of this author's releases with baited breath (reality be damned is my motto), but her output has been increasingly disappointing, and I find myself increasingly uninterested in reading. But although I found UTN a bit ridiculous, it was fun and sexy, and very readable. I think this might be due to the absence of Ash. I actually love Ash, but his story has started to overshadow that of the primary characters in some of the more recent books. Hopefully, things will get back on track this year, and thanks to Nath, I have a new online Kenyon story to read.

Well that's all for now. Off to console the family over the Jets loss. Hopefully 2007 will be full of good, and so bad it's good reads.

Best of 2006...

Paranormal edition!





Overall, I must say, 2006 was not quite the reading year that 2005 was for me. I read a lot of books that I was "whatever" about, and a number that were outright disappointments. This week, I'd like to highlight some of my favorites of the past year. Let's begin with the paranormals. The romance market has absolutely been glutted with paranormals, as everybody and their mother tries their take on the vampire legends. In a genre that has quickly become hackneyed and cliched, J.R. Ward's books stand out. The premise is not particularly original (leather-clad vampire warriors), but the execution is so vivid that you can't help but get caught up in the world. I think the characterization is a particular strength. Thus far, Ward has created heroes (and potential heroes) who are not only vividly drawn, but quite distinct from each other. They're not all just grumpy, broody guys whose parents were mean to them or whatever. I enjoyed both Lover Eternal and Lover Awakened a lot. Have already re-read both a number of times. I loved both heroes, and I liked that the stories were so different from each other in tone. Ward's world is telescoping at a nice rate, so that I'm actually intrigued and interested. It must be said that Butch and Marissa are the characters I find least interesting, but I'm very excited (like dance in my seat excited) for their book, Lover Revealed, just for the return to the world of the BDB. Then again, I didn't think I'd like Rhage's book that much, but it's my favorite so far, so who knows?

In short, bring on the stupid spellings and names, and the annoying slang! Ms. Ward makes it work. Slap my ass and call me a fangirl.

Help?

Perhaps I am just having a spacy moment, but I can't figure out how to add some text to the column at the side of my blog. I just want to finally put in the guide to my review ratings. It's not even links or anything. Could anyone give me a clue or point me in the right direction?

I am currently reading New Moon, the sequel to Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. It is painful so far, but good. I believe it was Tara Marie who mentioned that Meyer writes the first person very well. I totally agree. Our girl Bella is in a lot of pain right now, and I'm right there with her. I rilly, rilly hope that we don't have to wait until 2008 for the third installment.

If my last review was kind of crappy, it was because I was terribly distracted by a double shot of excellent holiday viewing: The Office (a whole hour!), and The O.C. (back from the crapper). Seriously, this show has had such a turnaround. I coulda told them that getting rid of Mishka Barton (as my pop insists on calling her) was a good idea. It was two hours of will-they or won't-they love. My love for Jim (sigh) and Pam knows no bounds, and Ryan and Taylor have way more chemistry than Ryan ever had with Marissa. I have a new TV night, methinks.



I heart Jim and Pam.



I'm starting to heart Ryan and Taylor. Who knew?

I really have nothing of interest to say. I'm just avoiding gift wrapping. I need to find a new icon thingy, I guess. Where'd she go?

Hungry Like the Wolf...

So I finally read A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole. I avoided this one at first, because I was sure it was more of the same: badass, hipster paranormal beings, soulmates, vampires, werewolves yadda, yadda, yadda. Plus, the hero was supposed to be really overbearing, and there was some "forced seduction" type stuff. Not my favorite. Plus, the cover. Oy, the cover. This cover makes me think of eighties videos. It makes me think of smoke machines and strobe lights. Like the guy's about to start swinging the woman around like they are competing to be the new couple on DanceTV.
(What random movie am I referencing?) But then it started to get quite a bit of attention and alot of it was good. Let me point out some reviews here,
here,and here. Somewhere along the way, it started to sound interesting. So I decided it was worth checking out.

I'm not really feeling up to summarizing, so here's the blurb:

A mythic warrior who’ll stop at nothing to possess her...
After enduring years of torture from the vampire Horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he’s waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.

A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy...
Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents—until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae—and their notorious dark desires—ebb as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.

An all consuming desire...
Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be...?

Yeah, so I liked this one. Liked it quite a bit. It's one of those books that had several elements that made me cringe, yet was just so compulsively readable. This shit was hot. Some writers just know how to get that sexual tension going. Man, I couldn't wait for these two to do it. Even when the hero, Lachlain, was being a dick and pushing himself on Emmaline Troy (his fated soulmate), I didn't mind it that much. I did a bit, but Cole knows how to write the soulmates thing, in my opinion. Lachlain was wary, angry and resentful to find that the mate that he had searched for for so long was a vampire (well, half vampire), but the author didn't overdo the hostility. The connection he felt for her was always clear, and his feelings towards her changed and deepened at a good pace. I found his intensity to be quite sexy. I know some other reviewers didn't like Emma too much, but I found her to be a nice change of pace. She was very timid, but able to stand up when the time came. At the same time she didn't suddenly morph into super woman. She was still a bit awkward and doofy. I could see why Lachlain would start to like her so much. I found the world of the Lore(this alt-universe) to be pretty interesting.
Now for the not-so-good. The slang/pop culture references were overdone. This is a particular pet peeve of mine. The attempt to make the characters sound hip or cool just seems so forced and has the opposite effect. I could do without the characters saying things like, "...I've got madskills [sic] going on...", "This skeeves me out," "Frau Badass", "Mate-Schmate..." Yadda, yadda, so on and so forth. "U-ee" "'Kay" I know people use slang in real life, but too much on the page just seems overly cutesy and lame. There were also a few too many Valkyries. They were kind of annoying and started to blend together a bit. But overall, this was an enjoyable and satisfying read. I give it a B. I'll definitely be looking for the next one, No Rest for the Wicked. This cover features another couple who may or may not be auditioning for featured dancers in a Pat Benatar video. BTW, even if you have no interest in reading this book, I encourage you to check out Jane's video review at Dear Author. It's a hoot.