Posts filed under ‘Reviews’
My weekly…um monthly…um semi-annual…update
Well, yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve done a “weekly” update, hasn’t it? <g>
On the personal front, the kid is back in school, and we are now in the midst of soccer season. Twice weekly practice, and weekly games make it a big part of our week. Things are pretty hectic, what with making sure soccer clothes are clean, and homework is done before practice. But, once we’re at the park, it’s all fun and games. 
Things are also going to get crazier yet, since next week I will be having surgery to remove my gall bladder. I’ve been told it’s a minor out-patient surgery, so I’m hoping I’ll bounce back relatively quickly. And, if nothing else, it’ll serve as a great excuse to spend the following week reading and relaxing. (Hey, I’ve got to take my opportunities where I can!)
Can you believe, that after almost a year of living in our place, we finally unpacked our books a couple of weeks ago? We’d been waiting for some furniture changes in our office, and I really didn’t want to have to move the books once they were unpacked. Our furniture situation was finally resolved, and there were no more excuses. And, while we did have to move the graphic novels over to the shelves that hold the comic book boxes—yes, we have custom shelving for the comic book boxes, can you get any geekier?— we were able to fit all of our fiction onto one wall, filled with bookcases.
Let me tell you, there is nothing more goofy than 2 Lit majors arguing over how to shelve books. If you were a fly on our wall, you’d have heard questions like:
- Honey, should I put the Asian lit together with the Asian American lit? (Answer: a quick vehement NO)
- Does Balzac’s Seraphita go on the European lit shelf or on the literary criticism shelf? (Answer: a ridiculously long debate that ended in putting it on the lit crit shelf)
- Should Octavia Butler’s books be classified as contemporary fantasy or sci-fi? (Answer: a still debatable sci-fi shelving)
I have to say that my guy and I thoroughly enjoyed the day organizing our books. And, I actually spent an additional morning just playing among my bookcases (the 2 on the left, pictured here, and my other small “imminently tbr” in my bedroom). It felt so satisfying getting things organized and cleared up. We now even have additional guest sleeping space in the office, as well as a comfy reading nook, just for me!
I’ve just finished listening to Killing Floor by Lee Child. I don’t often read suspense-thrillers, but I’d heard so many good things about the Jack Reacher series, I thought I’d give it a go. It was a fun, pulpy read. Jack Reacher’s character made the book stand out. He really reminds me of Clint Eastwood’s “Man with No Name” character in the Sergio Leone movies. I’m still mourning the fact that Tom Cruise has been cast in the Jack Reacher role for an upcoming movie. You know. The 6’5″ 250lb ex-military policeman. *headdesk* (This fact was broken to me on Twitter during a highly amusing and very depressing conversation with @younglibrarian, @SonomaLass, @cjewel, and @MeganMulry.)
This past weekend, I also read Pharaoh’s Concubine by ZA Maxfield and The Tempering of Men by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear. Both were excellent reads. Here’s a couple of mini-reviews I did for them over at Goodreads:
Pharaoh’s Concubine by ZA Maxfield:
I really liked this romantic suspense. It put me in mind of Jane Seville’s Zero at the Bone and Brooke McKinley’s Shades of Gray.
Dylan and William go on the run, to prevent Dylan’s mobster lover from killing William in retaliation for a botched kidnapping attempt on Dylan. There’s lots of suspense and angst. Dylan’s character grows so much through the story, as he makes peace with his past and reunites with some of his family. I loved Williams low-key intensity, and his ability to see through Dylan’s pretty-boy image, and into his heart.
The Tempering of Men by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear:
I’m currently reading Song of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy. I’ve heard so much buzz about this sci-fi romance, and was thrilled to find it when I went to the Borders closing sale in Rancho Cucamonga. I really like the originality of the world, and Finn and Edie’s relationship. I’m already planning on reading book 2, Children of Scarabaeus.
I’ve also started Cherie Priest’s Hellbent in in audio. I really enjoyed the first in the Cheshire Red series, and though the narrator sounds a little too smirky at times, the narration is mostly well done.The story itself is really good, and I like how Raylene, despite her desire to be a tough cookie, keeps finding herself taking care of those around her.
Later this week, I’m hoping to get to Midnight by Ellen Connor, Good Girls Don’t by Victoria Dahl.
So, that’s what’s been going on with me. What’s been going on with you? Read any good books lately?
Just finished reading…Pushed to the Limit by Nico Rosso
Pushed to the Limit (Limit War series, book 2) by Nico Rosso [NOVELLA]
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Teryn Pilander lives in a world of secrets. She is a Shadow Corps operative for the Core Army in the Limit War, trained in espionage. Her latest mission takes her to the planet Viela, drawn by a communication that the local government captured a Dusk Warrior Officer for questioning. More interesting than the message, though, is the voice delivering it. A little shy, but deep and strong, the masculine voice sparks dormant fires in Teryn. She tells herself that once the mission is over, she might put her spy self away for a bit and live a little as a woman.
Typically, I tend to be a bit compulsive when I read a series, hating to read out of order. However, when I was asked by the author to review this novella, I was assured that the story would stand alone just fine. And, I was so relieved to discover that it was true. While there were some references to what took place in Taken to the Limit, book 1 in the Limit War series, I never felt like I was missing out on any important storyline, character development, or information.
I really liked this story of Teryn, a strong, kick-ass heroine, and Drel, a shy but tough beta hero. Pushed to the Limit opens with Teryn arriving on the planet Viela after being lured to it by communications tech Drel. She quickly sees it for the trap that it is, and Drel realizes that he’s made a big mistake. When they join forces against the Dusk (a stealthy invading force) and Vielan collaborators, the story kicks into high gear.
At the beginning of the story, their connection felt sort of like “insta-love,” with a pretty extreme reaction on Teryn’s part just by hearing Drel’s voice as he guided her and her crew to land on Viela. However, as events unfold, Teryn and Drel are given an opportunity to connect and get to know each other. (The time-frame is still pretty fast, but the time is well spent, with each learning what makes the other tick.) I really appreciated that even in the compressed format of a novella, a good amount of it was focused on developing their connection. One really gets why they are drawn to each other.
As far as the world-building, there was just enough given the novella-length, with out the story feeling either wallpaper-y or too dense. There also was a good balance between the romantic relationship and the larger story arc.
I would really enjoy seeing a long story in this world, with a greater complexity of plot and more time to develop characters. However, Pushed to the Limit was a satisfying introduction to the series, and I’m now curious enough about it that I’ve gone ahead and bought the first book. I’ll be looking forward to reading more about the Limit War.
I received this book from the
author, for review purposes.
Just finished reading…My Dangerous Pleasure by Carolyn Jewel
My Dangerous Pleasure (My Immortal/Witches series, book 4) by Carolyn Jewel
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I love this series, and was so glad that the long wait between books 3 and 4 was finally over. Iskander has been put through the mill in previous books in this series, so I’ve been really looking forward to his getting a shot at a HEA.
First off, let me say that this is the fourth book in the series, and given the complexity of the world and the character relationships, I highly recommend reading them in order. I’m usually a stickler about these things, and the payoff will be worth it in this case, since the larger story arc continues to get more and more interesting as the books progress.
The world of demonkin, witches, and mages waging a power struggle in modern-day San Francisco is dark, sensual, and often violent. Nikodemus, the leader of the kin, is struggling to keep the peace between his kind with their witch allies, and the power-hungry mages.
Paisley, a human woman who owns a bakery and rents a garage apartment from her sexy (and unbeknownst to her) demonkin landlord, Iskander, stumbles into this explosive situation when Kessler, a dark mage awakens an incipient magic in her, and begins to terrorize her.
I really liked Paisley. While she’s often put in terrifying, confusing, and overwhelming situations (at the beginning of the book she is completely unaware of the non-human world) she deals with it in a straightforward, no-nonsense manner. Her naiveté doesn’t result in tstl actions, as often is the case with uninformed heroines.
Iskander is someone who has been through hell, been damaged, especially by his crazy blood-twin, and is often on the edge of losing it, himself. I love how when he’s put in the position of guarding Paisley, she brings out another side of him that we haven’t seen in previous books. He’s not just a bad-ass alpha around her, but also a considerate protector (and, eventually,) lover. Their love scenes are HOT, and I love how Iskander, for all his passion, always tries to make sure that she is ok with his more “demon-like” aspects.
While the story itself took a little bit to really get going, once it did, I love where it went. I found the story behind Kessler’s actions original and absorbing, and it kept me turning pages. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to see where the larger story arc continues to go.
Related posts about the series:
I received this book from the
author, for review purposes.
Just finished reading…Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts
There’s little as thrilling as firefighting-at least to Rowan Tripp. The Missoula smoke jumpers are in Rowan’s blood: her father is a legend. She’s been fighting fires since her eighteenth birthday. At this point, returning to the wilds of Montana for the season feels like coming home-even with reminders of the partner she lost last season still lingering.
Fortunately, this year’s rookie crop is one of the strongest ever-and Gulliver Curry’s one of the best. He’s also a walking contradiction, a hotshot firefighter with a big vocabulary and a winter job at a kids’ arcade.
Everything is thrown off balance when a dark presence lashes out against Rowan, looking to blame someone for last year’s tragedy. Rowan knows she can’t complicate things with Gull-any distractions in the air or on the ground could mean the end-but if she doesn’t find someone she can lean on, she may not make it through the summer. . . .
5★ Reads for March 2011
I’ve always hesitated to grade or “rate” the books I read. There’s a piece of me that feels it’s a bit reductive. I’m a wordy sort of person (if you couldn’t already tell 
) and prefer to give the whys of something rather than a letter grade, number, or a symbol (insert quantifying icon here).
However, spending so much time on Goodreads has really gotten me into the habit of giving books I read a star-rating. And, while I balked at first at giving the 1 to 5 star ratings there, I’ve now gotten (mostly) used to it.
In March, I was surprised when I noticed that I had a good number of 5★ reads. I don’t feel like I give 5★s out easily. Phrases like: “blown away”, “greatly exceeded my expectations”, and, “awesome!” have to enter my head while reading a book to which I’d give 5★s.
And, these books did all of that, and then some:
The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran
This is one of those books that I don’t have an excuse as to why I haven’t read it earlier. I’ve read Meredith Duran’s other books (except her most recent one) and really loved them. Yet, despite having The Duke of Shadows on my tbr for a while, I just now got to it. And loved it. I was wrecked for other books after finishing it.
Emma was smart and feisty. She goes through hell and doesn’t come out unscathed. A lot of the book’s personal drama is due to her damage. Yet, I understood why she felt the way that she did—even though on the inside I just wanted her to get with Julian. Of course, then the book would have had no conflict.
And, in Julian I have found a new favorite hero. He’s honorable and straightforward, and like Emma, he too has baggage he’s carrying around. Yet, I never doubted his love for Emma.
The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, book 1) by Clay and Susan
I’d heard so much buzz about this book, that my expectations were pretty high. And, even so, I was utterly captivated by this highly original story.
The closest I can come to comparing it to another book, is that it’s like a slightly less romance-y Iron Duke. It has elements of steampunk, adventure, and some romance.
Princess Adele is the next in line to the Empire of Equatoria. She’s brave and idealistic, and she still has lots to learn about the world beyond her kingdom. An attack while she is touring border territories thrusts her into the middle of a terrifying world where vampires now rule what was once Great Britain.
Coming to her aid is the mysterious Greyfriar, a masked hero, who always mysteriously shows up at the right time. (Though that’s not to say that Adele is some helpless maiden.) The story is pulpy in feel (in a fun way), but it doesn’t sacrifice character development for action. It has a great balance of both, and is one of my favorite reads of 2011 so far. I can’t wait for book 2, The Riftwalker, later this fall.
Home for the Holidays by Sarah Mayberry
I went on and on about Home for the Holidays over at Goodreads, so sorry if I repeat myself here:
Sarah Mayberry packs an amazing amount of story into a category romance. Even with the Super Romance’s longer length, I was surprised by how this category romance packs a wallop.
I LOVED both Joe and Hannah. They each had their baggage coming into the story, but worked through all of it even while the story took time showing their courtship. Great stuff.
There was a plot twist at the end that had me glancing at the number of pages left, wondering how Sarah Mayberry would resolve it in a realisitc and satisfying way. She did. And, then some.
A Lot Like Love by Julie James
Tied with Practice Makes Perfect as my new favorite by Julie James.
Julie James is an author I know will always give great banter. The interplay between her heroes and heroines read like Tracy/Hepburn movies, with palpable chemistry and fast dialogue that is smart and funny.
What made A Lot Like Love work so well for me was that the suspense plot flowed equally well, and made me not want to put it down. I can tell I’m really into a book when I catch myself skimming, in an attempt to read the book faster. (Of course, then I have to make myself go back, and savor what I read s-l-o-w-l-y.) There was a lot of that in A Lot Like Love.
GhosTV (PsyCop series, book 6) by Jordan Castillo Price
I was worried that my anticipation, high expectations, and love for Vic and the PsyCop series would lead to disappointment when I finally got hands on GhosTV. I was wrong.
JCP did something that often is hard to find in mystery/romance books. That is, she showed the hero in a believable, but still compelling established relationship, while developing an equally compelling and suspenseful paranormal mystery.
Vic is one of my favorite protagonists to read about. His uncomfortable-ness in his skin competes with how happy he is in his relationship with Jacob. And, where sometimes a somewhat neurotic protagonist can be whiny or annoying, Vic is never that. One really gets that Vic’s insecurity doesn’t stem from doubts about Jacob’s love for him. THAT’S his touchstone. The rest of his baggage is his shit to work out, he owns it, and he doesn’t just dump it on Jacob. Which makes him a wonderfully strong character, IMO.
And, as for the case Vic and Jacob are working on, it kept me guessing, trying to figure things out, as well as having a considerable creep factor. It also left me with wanting more. Especially, after a decision that’s made at the end of the book. Can’t wait for book 7!
Wanna know something awesome? After writing the greater part of this post, I actually had another couple of 5✭ reads. However, my preparations for attending the Romantic Times Book Lovers Convention is necessitating that I wrap this post up here. Next week, I’ll do some mini-reviews of the rest of the books.
People are going to talk…