Batman, Vol. 4: Zero Year - Secret City by Scott Snyder (Goodreads Author), Greg Capullo (Illustrations)

Batman, Vol. 4: Zero Year - Secret City by Scott Snyder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is essentially a new exploration of Batman's origin story. It has a few what I would consider right turns, but I suppose if you're going to re-imagine a character, that's poetic license. I think Snyder is a strong writer and the artwork is also appealing. I would say this is a good quality graphic novel. It has all the things that a Batman fan would like. Portraying Bruce Wayne as the strong character he is; the important and foundational relationship he has with Alfred Pennyworth, who is as much surrogate father as mentor and caretaker. It also portrays the broken and irredeemable nature of Gotham, which seems to attract the morally bankrupt and flamboyant criminals that Batman exists to thwart. It also shows why Batman won't give up on Gotham, even though it cost him his own mother and father.

The storyline about the Red Hood Gang was interesting and more than a little creepy (creepy in the sense of the pervasiveness and ruthlessness of the cult). I'm thinking that the leader may be the origin of one of Batman's arch-nemeses.

I've really liked the New 52 Batman that I've read so far. Each one makes me want to pick up the next.

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The Fade Out, Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (Illustrations), Elizabeth Breitweiser (Colorist)

The Fade Out, Vol. 1: Act One by Ed Brubaker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One word for this graphic novel. Atmosphere. I definitely felt like I was in the late 1940s Hollywood. But the real Hollywood, not the glamorous, shining synthetic world that so many people in the industry tried to project. The point of view is from a screenwriter deeply immersed in the studio system who was emotionally broken by his war experiences. He wakes up in a bedroom and finds the body of the starlet in the next room. The star of the movie he's been working on. The list of suspects is long, and even if they aren't the murderer, most of these people aren't blameless and are far from innocent.

People like to say that the depths of depravity in society has gotten worse. I don't think so. I think people have gotten more blatant in their dark desires, but they have been doing anything under the sun for gratification since the beginning of time. This book shows that very dark side of Hollywood that swallows people whole, brings out the very worst in its denizens, exploiting their weaknesses and insecurities and their desire to be famous regardless of the cost. It features the wolves and the lambs (although the lambs aren't without blemish), and the bottom-feeders of the industry.

The artwork was alluring and perfectly paired to the narrative. It conveys the feel of a hardboiled, noir mystery, although the artist is not afraid to use color. I love the style of the 1940s, and I found myself a student of the character design in this book. It's done in such a way that it doesn't give a misleading tone of brightness that is completely opposite to the story.

This ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, in that there is no resolution of the mystery, but instead a big breadcrumb for the reader to follow in the next volume. I need to know, so I'll keep reading.

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Ransom by Julie Garwood

Ransom by Julie Garwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another book I thought I had read. Boy was I glad that I didn't. Read this for the Julie Garwood group read, and it was delightful. Julie Garwood books are definitely comfort reads. She understands why we read romance, and one of the reasons is we want heroines who we can root for, that we fall in love with just as much as the heroes. Her heroines have this tangible sweetness that makes me want to hug them, root for them, and to fight with and for them. Gillian is no different. My heart hurt for her losses and I cheered her for her indefatigable will. To be honest, I did think she was a slightly too good for Brodick, although I did like him. Maybe that's a good thing, because the common dilemma for a romance fan is to like the hero more.

I have read the other two Highland Laird books and loved them. I don't know how this fell through the cracks! But it was perfect timing, because you need a pick-me-up sometimes when you've been reading for so long, and some of it's assigned reading. I am a die-hard romance lover, and while I enjoy other genres, I always come back to romance because it has the tried and true things that satisfy me as a reader. In this case, it's the great heroine and the story that completely immerses me and takes me away from my world--back to medieval Scotland. The romance is great, but there's so much more in addition to offer in this book.

One of the things that spoke to me strongly was the theme of family and loyalty. Gillian has lost more of her family, but she cleaves to that which is left. She lived with the hope of being reunited with her sister. Her uncle who raised her after the betrayal and death of her father has her unswerving loyalty. She faces great danger to keep him safe from her so-called guardian Baron Alford, who is essentially the Son of Satan. That doesn't mean she won't spare the time to protect a young Scottish boy who was kidnapped by Baron Alford's forces, even at the risk of her own life. She does it for because it's right, even if it's a great cost to her. Fortunately, her good deed leads her right where she needs to be, and into the sights and arms of Brodick, Laird of the Buchanans.

Brodick doesn't know what hits him (not unusual for a Garwood heroine). Before he knows it, he can't live without Gillian, even though he knows from the beginning that she's bound to return to England. He fights his love for her because he believes love makes him weak. Although he hypocritically demands Gillian's love as his due. Brodick takes her into his clan literally, and gives Gillian the family she's missing.

Brodick was a pretty good hero. Not good enough for Gillian, but I liked him. I didn't like that he tended to usurp Gillian's self-will, both because he believes he knows better, and also for her protection. He knew that she needed a protector, but the lie he told was a costly one, nearly losing the love of his life in the process.

This book has almost two romances for the price of one. The second romance between Ramsey and Brigid was fun, and it develops more slowly than the one between Gillian and Brodick. Most of the characteristic humor is evident in their interactions, since Gillian's situation is so serious, it doesn't leave as much time for humor.

Not only was the romance good, but it had genuine suspense. Gillian is in some very dangerous situations, and she makes it through between a combination of divine providence, will power, and intelligence. She hasn't had an easy life, but it's made her into the wonderful heroine she is. One who can't help but acquire the loyalty of those around her.

I was more than satisfied with this book. It took me a while to read, but that's sort of my life now. But every time I picked it up, I was deeply involved and enthralled. This was a long book, but when it ended, I wished for more. I did feel disappointment with the resolution of Gillian's search for her sister, but that's real life. And at least she found a new sister in Brigid. I can't help but give it five stars under those circumstances. Even with my increasingly stingy ratings, I can't argue myself down from there.

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Batman/Superman, Vol.1: Cross World by Greg Pak and Jae Lee

Batman/Superman, Vol. 1: Cross World by Greg Pak
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The artwork is a stunner in this graphic novel volume, however the story is rather incomprehensible. It's hard to track what's going on, seeing as how there are two different Batmans and Supermans (technically one is Superboy), and their behavior was different from what you expect from the characters. I think the origin story about Darkseid was pretty awesome. I'd definitely give that a higher rating than the rest of this volume. Overall, it's a three star read that could have been smashing with more effort for clarity.

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The Dream Stealer by Gregory Maguire

The Dream Stealer by Gregory Maguire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This short novel reads like a fable, ripe with Russian culture and built on the foundation of well-known and more obscure Russian folklore. Two children in a small village in Russia called Miersk face the knowledge that the Blood Prince, a huge, demonic wolf, is coming their way and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Underneath all the fable elements, there is a strong theme of the alienation of childhood from adulthood. Children are rarely heeded, listened to, or taken seriously. Through a benign sort of emotional neglect, adults leave children to build their own worlds and societies among themselves to fill an emotional void. I'm speaking in generalities. There are plenty of wonderful parents who are intimately involved in their children's lives. There are also parents who mean well, but are weighted under by the cares of life. You can see that dynamic in this book. Pasha's father is in the shadow of his own father, a dominant and opinionated man who dismisses Pasha's concerns as being ridiculous. Other than when he is needed for chores, it appears as though Pasha is left to his own devices. Whereas Lisette's father has been soured by the loss of his beloved wife and therefore neglects his daughter and his infant son when he's not raging and yelling at Lisette. Pasha and Lisette form a friendship of necessity that becomes true as they muster their courage to save their village from the Blood Prince.

I admit I rushed through reading this because I had to return it back to the library that day. I feel that I had taken my time, I would have been better able to bask in the richness of Russian culture on display. Russian culture is my thing. I have an absurd attraction to it and the language. Some might argue that mistakes were made, but I felt it was well done. There are some very lovely and magical moments that would make for a striking animated film that I hope will be made some day. Baba Yaga plays a prominent role and while she's generally regarded as a villain, she's a huge help to the people of the village, perhaps for her own reasons.

I think I would have given this a higher rating if it had been a little deeper and richer. I am probably asking too much, since this is a children's book. For what there was, it was a lovely little fable.

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The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I started this in early August, but it took me a while to finish it. One of the reasons is it's a profoundly unsettling book. I'm a scientist by training, and I take the ethics of science pretty personally. Dr. Moreau crosses so many ethical/moral lines in his experimentation, it's not even funny. Some things just should not be done, even if it's to advance scientific knowledge. I am also a inveterate lover of animals, and I felt a horrible rage at the way Dr. Moreau was torturing animals. I feel it's fair to admit I am a meat eater, and I don't feel that eating meat is wrong. This book did make me feel extreme discomfort and think about what an animal goes through so I can eat a hamburger (something that I know intellectually but still ponder the ethics of regularly). However, there is a clear line that even both vegans and avowed carnivores can agree on: torturing animals for no reason, and inflicting pain on them because they are merely animals and don't feel pain the way humans does is terribly wrong. Also, to treat animals he had ostensibly humanized with no decency or respect was capping off the wrong that Moreau was doing. I admit I wasn't sad about Dr. Moreau's fate at all. I could feel Prendick's sense of pervasive horror acutely. Because of that, I had to put the book down at one point and didn't go back to it until yesterday/today. I listened to this on Kindle Text-to-Speech and it adds an element of horror to experiencing the book as an auditory experience.

HG Wells is a good writer. He immerses the reader fully into the story. He writes descriptively and seems to be aware of science in a way that lends credibility to the story (although my mind went to what we know about tissue matching, organ donation and graft rejections today). I felt all the emotions that Prendick felt, although not his sense of superiority that comes from being a white Englishman of the 19th century. I know I would feel the weirdness of humanlike animals put in a situation where they are forced to act human but are denied the same respect and decency that humans deserve. I believe in the quality of life for animals and as a veterinarian this is a huge issue for me. I felt so sorry and angry on behalf of the Beast Men that it was a huge discomfort factor for me as I read. That's probably a good thing. I don't think anyone should be okay with how those poor beings were treated.

There is a touch of racism but it's not as bad as some of the classic novels can be. I always notice it, because I'm a black woman, and for good reason, I am clearly sensitive to such things. It's good to read books from different periods and see how things were then and be grateful that things have changed for the better, or at times, realize things haven't changed all that much.

I wonder what Wells would say about some of the things we do in modern medicine/medical research without blinking an eye at. Thankfully, there are stringent limitations on animal research (although I admit that I think some research that takes place is beyond what I consider moral or ethical). If anything, this kind of story will make a reader feel uncomfortable and ask themselves about what is ethically okay, and challenge them to feel things from a different perspective that they might not always be sensitive to.

Prendick was mostly a sympathetic character. He was in a very extreme situation way beyond his control or comprehension, and his actions were probably what one could expect for someone put in such a horrific situation. I can see why he would remain scarred emotionally for the rest of his life. Who could blame him?

This is a book that can easily be classified as science fiction horror. The horror is psychological because of being confronted with the extremes of science and the unnatural results of it on nature. HG Wells is considered a foundational science fiction writer, and I believe he definitely writes something prophetic about biomedical research that still can serve as a warning to us in the 21st Century. There is a line and we must not cross it.

I can't give this more than 3.5 stars because of the ick factor. The writing is good but it made me feel icky inside. As an emotional reader, I have to listen to those instincts.

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Code Name: Papa by Aliyah Burke

Code Name: Papa by Aliyah Burke
My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars

Ms. Burke gave me just what I was asking for: a great interracial spy romance. And the heroine is Grade A Certified Kickbutt Artist. She reminds me favorably of one of my all time favorite heroines, Charly Baltimore from "The Long Kiss Goodnight." There's even a line about her joining the PTA and making pretty good cookies. Happy sigh!

Seriously, Indigo is the real deal. She is hardcore. She's an ex assassin who goes off the grid to raise her son by her ex-partner, Beckett. They are reunited when he's sent to retrieve her from a Mexican jail. She cannot go back to their ex-agency. She has to save her son from the people who kidnapped him. Beckett finds out he's a papa in a very explosive way. And Beckett quickly chooses that he's going to help his ex-partner and lover get their son back. They make a killer team (literally).

I love that Burke makes the action authentic. Sometimes with romantic suspense, the action takes a backburner. The spy stuff will make a spy fan happy. Indigo and Beckett really do act like operatives. It also reminded me of "Alias", which is one of my all time favorite shows. Indigo has many of the traits I loved about Sydney Bristow, although she's more emotionally closed off. The scenes in which Indigo does what she needs to do to get her son back are well-orchestrated. I liked that even though there are plenty of steamy scenes, they are appropriate to the story. No extraneous sex breaks. And while it's clear that Indigo and Beckett love each other, they have to work through their issues and put the past into perspective. You can see that they were always good together. Their romantic relationship was built on a solid foundation of mutual respect and friendship, and despite the way things ended, that didn't change, except maybe for the better.

While this read a little slow at times (It was probably me and not it. I'm a bit short attention span right now), it ends with an explosive action sequence that will make any bonafide action lover happy. And the operations felt pretty authentic to me (not that I have a spy background!).

I gave this 4.25 well deserved stars because it's a very good story. The writing flows and it has a cinematic feel. Burke know show to bring on the sexy without being kinky or off-puttingly raunchy. The characters are three-dimensional (although I wish that Indigo's physical features were more described). Beckett is likable despite the fact that he acted like a commitment-avoiding Peter Pan in the past. I couldn't hate Indigo for her choice to disappear and have her baby without Beckett, based on their situation and the way Beckett acted in the past. It was good that she got to hear Beckett's side of things and to see that Beckett had changed. He deserved the right to know his son, and clearly he would die protecting both of them.

Burke delivers on the spy romance and with a dangerous couple to boot. Pick this up when you need your kickbutt heroine action romance fix.



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Dark Hunger by Christine Feehan

Dark Hunger by Christine Feehan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm just now getting back into reading the Carpathians after such a long break. This was a good start. About Riordan, the youngest De La Cruz brother and Juliette a member of the jaguar shapeshifting species, this is a steamy and action-packed short read.

It has all of the Carpathian aspects that one would expect to see. The manner in which a Carpathian male is brought back to life by his destined lifemate. I have missed all that ritual and the culture of the Carpathians. It was interesting how Juliette and Riordan work out their new matehood. Juliette comes from a species that is highly sexual and Riordan has to get past his jealousy that Juliette was with other men. He isn't a jerk about it, but it's definitely part of his nature to be highly possessive. He loves Juliette, so he accepts that this is part of who she is. It turns out that Juliette is an excellent match for him. Strong and independent, and sensual. Juliette has some serious baggage, due to the dysfunctional social dynamics of the jaguar, the way they abuse their women. She lives with her younger sister, Jasmine and her cousin Solange, and none of them are overly fond of men, with good reason. My mind went to the fact that despite their dislike of men, they had to do their thing because of their species, physical needs. Perhaps in a longer book, Feehan could have delved into that whole jaguar dynamic. It was interesting, and seems to fit thematically with my last couple of Feehan reads, which were in the Leopard series.

This is full of sensuality that Feehan writes so well, and the action is very good and well-integrated into the story. I love reading about all the abilities of the Carpathians, and they're uniquely tailored to this story about a Carpathian with a jaguar shifter lifemate. Of course, it does end abruptly, as a short story. It left me wanting more of Juliette, Riordan, Jasmine and Solange, so that's a good thing.

I went ahead and got this in Darkest at Dawn, in which it's accompanied by Dark Secret, a more controversial Carpathian book, although it's one of my favorites.

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Greenglass House by Kate Milford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was admittedly a slow read for me. But it's proof that some things are worth sticking in for and waiting on. At its heart, this is a moving story about a young boy who is coming to terms with his identity as an adoptee. He's asking the questions about his birth family, but that in no way invalidates his feelings or attachment to his adoptive family. On the surface, this is a mystery/adventure about a treasure hunt in a house that once belonged to a famous smuggler. Milo wanted a quiet Christmas with his family, but unexpected guests arrive and change the whole dynamic. But it turns out this is a pivotal event that will put to rest old secrets and reveal the answers to all the questions of the guests that come to stay in Greenglass House one snowy Christmas week.

While this moved slowly, and I found myself rereading several parts to make sure I understood what was happening, there is a strength to the narrative that made me want to soldier through. I found Milo adorable. He's Chinese by birth and ethnicity, and he's sick of that question of why he doesn't look like his white parents. He's a quiet and bookish kid with a big inner life, and he's ripe for an adventure. Milo meets a young girl who comes along with their cook, and they become partners in a Dungeons and Dragons-like game called "Odd Trails", which ties in very heavily with their quest for secrets about Greenglass House.

That mystery is extremely clever. Especially how the very house itself is full of clues about the mystery. I would enjoy staying at Greenglass House, and exploring its several floors that have stood the test of time, and gazing at the raging winter (I love winter) outside the beautiful stained glass windows. Any good mystery writer presents a group of suspects, and each one is interesting, with deep motives yet to be discovered.

The end was quite a lovely surprise. I hadn't suspected what we find out near the end, but it definitely makes sense, and there are seeds all along. That's the hallmark of a good mystery to my mind.

The author writes an afterword about her reasons for writing this novel, and that adds so much to the story. How this came out of her personal journey to adoption, along with other aspects of the genesis of writing this novel, in which an adoptee plays a major role.

I'm glad my library had this book, and for the recommendation from my friend Rane. While it took me a good while to read, it was definitely worth the reading. I'll look forward to reading other books by Ms. Milford.

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Surrender to Seduction by Robyn Donald

Surrender to Seduction by Robyn Donald
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. This wasn't exactly what I was expecting. It has some very nontraditional aspects to the storyline, with two delays on what I'd consider a textbook romance HEA. Also, the hero does something pretty lousy to the heroine (even if he thought he had good reasons at the time). I understand his motives, but the way he made excuses about it, I didn't like it so much. Readers who like a heroine with serious commitment issues might enjoy this. Her mother has a history of running out on her family and lovers. Gerry has avoided relationships because of her fear that she can't stay in love and stay committed to a man. Bryn causes all kinds of intense emotions in her, and while she's tried to avoid him, he continually engineers situations where they are in contact, with some very calculated reasons.

It's not my favorite by this author. I think it's emotionally intense in the way her books are, but it wasn't satisfying to me. I guess I'm just old-fashioned. I like a committed HEA at the end of my book (this one has it, but there's a two year delay.) This kept my interest, so that's something.

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The Awakening by Christine Feehan

The Awakening by Christine Feehan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A nice introduction to the Leopard series. I'm late reading this, but I finally got an opportunity. I splurged and downloaded Fever (a duology of "The Awakening" and Wild Rain, which I've already read. This took me a while because I was listening to it on Kindle Text-To-Speech at bedtime, and I kept falling asleep and having to rewind.

We learn about the Leopard shifters and how their society and physiology works. We're along for the ride as Maggie Odessa goes to the Borneo rain forest to find out about her birth parents. She's been lured there by Brandt Talbot, the man who happens to be her destined mate. He's known for some time that she was his mate (in their race they spend lifetimes looking for their mates). Maggie has no idea that she's a Leopard shifter. She's getting some feelings and physiological changes that don't make sense and are actually quite embarrassing, including some amorous feelings when that wasn't a problem before now.

At first, Brandt seems a bit stalkerish. I don't mind that if it's done well. It was a little weird in this book. He was stalking along beside Maggie in panther form when she arrives with some of the Leopard Men to their village. I was like, could you just say hi already? I was glad he finally introduced himself, and I think that he did come a little too strong at first. However, I liked that he realized that his love for Maggie meant that he had to make sure she was happy with being with him. I like that it wasn't going to be a foregone conclusion that she would accept him. He gave her the choice. Interestingly enough, I found Brandt quite a desirable contrast to the hero in Cat's Lair, who assumed and was willing to force his mate to accept him. I think that Maggie and Brandt are a really excellent match, although I didn't feel that way at all about the couple in "Cat's Lair."

I really liked that Maggie gained control of her change on her own, and I loved the scene when she changes for the first time. That was very well done. I felt like I was seeing and feeling everything along with her. The rainforest and its flora and fauna was beautifully rendered in Feehan's descriptive pose. I wouldn't love the humidity or the insects, but I would love seeing so much vibrant life firsthand.

This was pretty darn steamy. Less of the off color words that are in the newer books, but no less steamy. Great chemistry between Maggie and Brandt. Not hard to believe they loved each other, even in this short format.

The suspense aspect was a little weak, to be honest. Feehan was a bit preachy about the environmental message. Don't get me wrong. I'm 100% on board with conservation and environmental awareness, but I don't like when it comes off as a Public Service Announcement in a fiction novel. But overall, this was a satisfactory short story. I'll give it the full four stars.

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Courtney Crumrin and the Coven of Mystics by Ted Naifeh

Courtney Crumrin and the Coven of Mystics by Ted Naifeh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This second volume in the Courtney Crumrin series is superior to its predecessor. It's atmospheric and creepy, and a bit sad underneath it all. Courtney is not remotely a sweet little girl. She's cranky and isolated from her peers. She has a devious nature. However, she's also decent and kind when she wants to be. She's so well drawn, her personality coming through loud and clear.

At first, I didn't like that the whole book is drawn/inked in black and white. I prefer color, but it suits the story and the mood very well. The drawings are gorgeous and the use of shadow and light (values) is impeccable. As an artist, it's important to be able to convey everything through the strength of one's skill with that particular medium, and Naifeh definitely succeeds. It's interesting that I just completed a unit on Chiaroscuro in my drawing class around the time I read this. This book enhanced my understanding of its usefulness in illustration.

There is a very sad element to this book that affected me even after I finished the book. I'm still grieving about it, actually. Someone innocent is used as a pawn and injustice seems to win out. Courtney resorts to extreme measures to exact justice, and one wonders what stains that will put on her soul. Her magic ability is growing in leaps and bounds, and it's going to be interesting to see where that goes in the next volumes.

I like her uncle. He's a pretty tough character. I wish there was more interaction between Courtney and him in the books.

An interesting world that seems to be growing in an intriguing way. I'll keep reading these.

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Never Kiss a Rake by Anne Stuart

Never Kiss a Rake by Anne Stuart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing is sly, sensual, humorous and firmly ensconced in the period. Even if I wasn't the biggest Anne Stuart fan on earth, I will still have found this book utterly enchanting.

I was really nervous with the storyline because I hate adultery with a burning passion. I'm happy with how things unfolded. There was no line crossing in this book that I couldn't live with. While Lord Kilmartyn is supposed to be a sleazy rake, I was completely in love with him quite early on in the book. I found him very seductive and I could see why Bryony fell for him, despite being a very sensible young woman. I liked the importance of his Irish heritage to his persona, and how it had gotten him into a shaky situation of late, but defined him in a way that he couldn't turn his back on. I wish that Ms. Stuart had delved more into where his marriage went wrong, but I got the impression that he wanted to be a good husband to his wife at some point, and he loved her, but now he hated her. In some books with the unrepentant, adulterous rake, I question the character's ability to remain faithful to the heroine, but I have no doubt that Kilmartyn would be capable of that with Bryony. His caring for her when she was in need was very touching and showed more than words.

I also loved Bryony as a character. Her pain in feeling unloved and unattractive because of her smallpox scars made sense. While it scarred her self-esteem, she was still a strong-minded person and no fainting flower in the face of her family's recent change in fortunes. I like her pluck and how her natural personality comes out in her interactions with Kilmartyn. I rooted for her to get him, and win him over in a way that didn't cross the line into adultery or illicit affair territory and I was glad Ms. Stuart gave her that happy ending with no compromise in that area.

The secondary characters are a fun addition to the book, with a little bit of the "Upstairs, Downstairs" vibe as Bryony gets engrossed in the world of the servants and they take her in, especially Mrs. Harkins the kindly chef.

I confess I read the last book before this, so I sort of know how it ends, but it didn't spoil things for me. There is still plenty of mystery in the storyline with what happened to Bryony and her sisters' father to keep the story interesting. That is if steamy romance with a soon-to-be reformed rake isn't enough to keep things exciting.

Never Kiss a Rake is a promising start to this newest historical romance series by Ms. Stuart. She brings all the steamy romance and engaging characters that make her books delicious reads for me. I hope to read Never Trust a Pirate very soon.

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Lucky You by Carl Hiaasen

Lucky You by Carl Hiaasen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun and laugh-out-loud book populated with plenty of 'characters'. I have only been to Florida once, so I can't comment on the veracity of this portrayal of Floridians, but I can't see how someone can make up this kind of weirdness without a grain of truth behind it all.

Under the levity, there is a very serious undercurrent. Two white supremacists who are so busy blaming blacks, Jews, Hispanics, gays, and other undesirables can't look in the mirror and see that they certainly could do much better at being upstanding citizens themselves. Everyone else is a scapegoat for the disappointments they have with life, and never can they take responsibility for their own lives. While I found their antics funny, there is a part of me that was really dismayed at the intensity of their hatred for people who didn't look like them or live their lives their way. Most importantly, hatred for manufactured reasons that make no sense. As unlikable as Bode and Chubb were, I really liked JoLayne and Tom, although they were no less quirky. JoLayne is an animal-loving vet tech with a history of bad romantic choices that she leverages as a lottery win by playing her age at which she broke up with each one every week. Tom has spent four years trying to divorce his wife who has been evading him because she doesn't want to be a divorcee. Tom gets sent to a small town to investigate the lottery win and ends up volunteering to help JoLayne to get her lottery ticket back.

The romance was well-integrated into the story. It starts out as respect and friendship and a romantic entanglement progresses sensibly. Along with the romance, this was a fun sort of caper, on-the-road read as JoLayne and Tom pursue the fellows who have beaten her up and stolen her lottery ticket, as well as wreaking havoc across the state of Florida.

Hiaasen gives the reader some really strange characters, and along the way, I found myself getting sucked into this story, rooting for JoLayne and Tom, scratching my head over the psychology of such flagrant bigotry as evidenced by Chub and Bode, and enjoying the Florida local color.

I've read another book by Hiaasen, but it was a long time ago. I'm glad that this book reminded me to add him to my roster of authors to pick up in my reading adventures.

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Wicked House of Rohan by Anne Stuart

The Wicked House of Rohan by Anne Stuart

Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick

Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I listened to this on audio, and I enjoyed it. I didn't get quite as into this as other reads by this author on audio. I felt that the romance wasn't as well-developed. It seemed almost arbitrary, whereas the mystery was much stronger. The Bridegroom storyline was dark and twisted, and well-thought out. The Bridegroom was one creepy piece of work.

One thing I really liked was that Benedict felt awkward about himself as a romantic prospect. He felt that he might be too boring for a woman to want to be married to him, and that he wasn't romantic enough. I kind of get sick for the uber-confident hero who knows everything about love and romance. Benedict was sweet and adorable. He made me root for him in that regard. I liked Amity. She was independent and thoughtful. I liked that she had found her niche as a travel writer. Seeing Benedict and Amity's close bonds with their siblings added another level to the story. I also appreciated her sister's budding relationship with the Scotland Yard investigator they were working with on the Bridegroom case. Its tie-in with the industrial espionage aspect was a bit thin though.

I think I was disappointed because I liked the past few books on audio by Quick I've listened to. It wasn't bad, just not as good as I was hoping.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

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Cat's Lair by Christine Feehan

Cat's Lair by Christine Feehan
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

It took me a while to process my thoughts after reading this. I love Christine Feehan's books. She's got her quirks, for sure, but she is one of my autobuy authors for a reason. I liked this book, but I disliked some prominent aspects enough that I had to knock my rating down to 3.5 stars. I will try not to get too graphic in describing why, but I hope that no one is offended by any content in this review. I will refer to the hero as "the hero", because if I call him something else, it's a spoiler.

I am not an erotica fan when it comes to romance. This book has definitely crossed the line into erotica. In fact, some love scenes actually felt downright porny to me. There is actually too much sex in this book, and not because sex is not good or wrong, but it doesn't really add to the story after a certain point. Plus, some of the sex scenes were not appealing to my taste. Thankfully, there is no anal sex or content, but there were still some sex aspects I felt were not necessary in a romance novel. A lot of it ties into the hero's dominant proclivities. I know a lot of romance fans really like that D/s stuff, but I don't like it. I think it's counter to what I love about a deep, strong romantic bond. I like a mutual submission and I like that there's give and take and that both parties can be strong and gentle instead of one person always having the reins. I think that if a hero always wants control in the bedroom 100%, that says a lot about his personality as a partner, and that comes across loud and clear with the hero. I'm not for that in a relationship. If the author goes there, it needs to be well done, and so far, I don't think it's been done in a book to my satisfaction, not that I'm looking for that, because I'm not. In this book specifically, it was a big turnoff for me, more than anything else. Frankly, I love when the hero is all tough and lethal and growly, but the heroine has him wrapped around her little finger. That's really sexy to me. Not a hero who's always giving orders and wants control, even in the most intimate and safest of places, the bedroom. The bedroom needs to be a place of trust and absolute security. Not a place where the roles are so locked into place that it's all taking from one party (and I don't mean orgasms).

I have no problem with oral sex, but I don't like the forced/aggressive kind of aspect to it that has a certain name that won't go into on this review. There was another oral sex act that is straight out of a porno that I was like, "Not so much." I also don't like spanking used as punishment for a grown woman included in sex. Even if the heroine likes it, it feels wrong to me. Your mileage may vary.

I love stalkerific heroes like a house on fire. I like when the hero is crazy and even obsessed with the heroine. I find that highly appealing. But there is a limit to it in this way: I don't like when the hero is super-controlling or dominant. Especially in bed. And also in that he wants the heroine to live life according to his rules. I'm not against a hero who wants to protect the heroine and feels like he knows best. Especially if he does know more about keeping the heroine safe than she does. But he shouldn't feel like he has the right to administer corporal punishment if she fails to follow his instructions. I mean, Really???

I don't like that a hero always wants sex to be his way and feels like he has to train his heroine to accommodate his needs. In that sense the hero crosses the line with me. He made a point of saying that he was a rough man and he had certain needs. He had already determined that was his woman, and he would have to train her to his way of doing things. To me, that's not really showing love. Love is when you accept people for who they are essentially. You don't try to change them, making the assumption that they will like changing for you and doing things your way. He knew how Catarina grew up, but he didn't even try to gentle himself for her, considering that she had been in a controlling situation her whole life before him. While the hero did love Catarina, and he cared for her and made sure her needs were met, I felt their relationship was a 60/40 relationship, with the balance his way. Catarina is very young, and I can't help wondering if she's happy with the hero just because he's all she's known other than the life she ran away from. She loves that he focuses on her, compliments her and takes care of him, and is willing to accept his need for control. She loves what he does to her sexually, but how does she know she wouldn't like a more gentle lover? She doesn't. As she grows, I feel that she will eventually find that control to be a stranglehold on her. I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.

I loved Catarina. She was a cool heroine. I liked the aspect of her being a master chef and barista, and that she taught herself to read. I liked that she had found a home at the dojo and working in the cafe shop, her own life, what she deserved.. The hero frankly ruined that for her. I didn't mind that she was compliant and submissive. Truth be told, she was way too good for the hero. I think he needed to work harder to be worthy of her in my eyes. To clarify, I felt like she needed a different hero based on her past. The hero was a bit too much like the man she was running away from, and if that is the case, I think the resolution could have been stronger than how it occurred. There was one aspect I loved, because you could see how deeply the hero cared for the heroine at what happens near the end. I'm sorry that it took this, frankly. I think there needed to be more of a confrontation between the hero and Rafe, the man she was running away from. Instead, there was the big smack down but no words exchanged as humans. I would have loved seeing the hero hand the jerk the beating he deserved. I feel that Feehan always writes awesome heroines and I usually love her heroes, with rare exception. This hero is definitely an exception for me.

I always like the parts of this series where the hero and heroine run as big cats. I think that part was too short. I'm a cat fancier, and I always get a kick out of the H/h running free together. I would easily have sacrificed one or more love scene for more of this. It's one of the best aspects of this series. The animal nature is so integral to the characters, and it should be more of a plot element than making the hero require rough sex.

It was great to see Emma and Jake again. It made me want to reread Burning Wild again. I just might!

Despite its issues, this was a very readable book, and I couldn't hardly put it down. Feehan knows how to write paranormal romance and compelling stories. I think I expect a lot from her, so that's part of why I was disappointed with this book. I feel that the hero just didn't work for me, and the sex aspects were unnecessary and unappealing. I still have high hopes for Elijah's book. I have been wanting his story for a long, long time.

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All Star Western, Vol. 6: End of the Trail by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, Staz Johnson (Illustrations)

All Star Western, Vol. 6: End of the Trail by Jimmy Palmiotti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm going to miss this series like crazy! I never thought I'd get so sucked into Jonah Hex, but there you have it. Hex is back from the future with his companion Gina, and they end up in a proverbial hornet's nest. Things don't go to well for either of them. Along the way, Hex meets up with a boon companion, Tallulah Black, and they are on the trail of a Jonah Hex imposter who is killing and rampaging across the west. Hex isn't going to take his name getting tarnished lightly.

This is violent western action. Those who are squeamish might want to pass it by. But I submit that it's too good not to read if you like Westerns and antiheroes. Jonah Hex is an honery cuss, but he's the guy you want backing you up again the scum that populated the Old West. The artist is different than the other volumes, but the artwork is just as good. I'm studying perspective in my drawing class, and this book was an excellent example of perspective done right, and how crisp a background it makes in a picture. My teacher said he learned perspective from comic books and I can see what he means. It helped the lightbulb to come on for me.

So all together, I love so much about this series. I will sincerely miss it. We don't get enough Old Western fiction nowadays, so having a good graphic novel series to turn to was a bonus. I hope that sometime soon we see more of Jonah Hex and the other DC Old West characters that have shown up in this series again in the near future.

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Fables, Volume 14: Witches by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham (Illustrator), Steve Leialoha (Illustrator), David Lapham (Illustrator), Jim Fern (Illustrator), Andrew Pepoy (Illustrator), Craig Hamilton (Illustrator)

Fables, Vol. 14: Witches by Bill Willingham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Fables series is back on track after Volume 13 Fables, Vol. 13: The Great Fables Crossover, which was one of the first volumes in the series I didn't rate five stars in a long time. When I considered this book, I knew I was being extra-picky not to give it five stars. The story really is excellent, and some of the profound questions I've had about the Witches on the 13th Floor are starting to be answered. The reveal on Frau Totenkinder is deeper than I thought and was written so poetically. You even get a glimpse into the power politics between the 13th Floor witches. Frau Totenkinder has a young rival in Ozma. Yet they will have to work together to defeat the threat of the Dark Man, known as Mr. Dark. He is out to destroy all the Fables and build his own kingdom of darkness in its place. He truly is creepy and a terrible enemy. The secret of the power of the gateways and the magic that sustains Fabletown itself is revealed, and it's very much related to both Mr. Dark and an ancient corp of sorcerers who fought dark magic for the Empire, and Frau Totenkinder goes on a journey to recruit one of them to help their cause.

So much happens in this volume that I feel that I will get spoilery if I go into it. I did like the side story about Frogcatcher and Red Riding Hood. I always like catching up with the various Fables and seeing how life is treating them (and that's not always well).

This series is so near and dear to my heart. I'm glad it bounced back from the last volume so adroitly.

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Mistress by Mistake by Kim Lawrence

Mistress by Mistake by Kim Lawrence
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not bad, but I never did come to like Drew very much. He commits the cardinal sin of being way too 'entitled'. He's entitled to judge Eve at first glance, and when he gets enlightened on the situation, he feels like it's his right to seduce her into bed, even knowing that he doesn't want a commitment. So what, his heart was broken by his childhood sweetheart. No reason to become a commitment avoidant jerk. I couldn't really believe in their romance together, so that's why I didn't like this book more. Otherwise, it had a distinct atmosphere. No exotic locations or extravagant throwing of money around. It's set in a small town and Eve is just about done raising her younger brother since he's about to go to college. Drew is the uncle of Eve's brother's best friend. He's got his nephew in awe of him because of his reputation as a ladies' man and a tough city businessman. Eve is as down to earth as they come, and I really liked that about her. I think she could have done better with a love interest. I kind of liked the end, although I don't think I would be wanting to get amorous in my great-aunt's house. Not one of my favorites by this author, but it wasn't bad. I think it just caught me in a picky mood.

By the way, the name is completely erroneous.

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Element of Risk by Robyn Donald

Element of Risk by Robyn Donald

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


**Disclaimer:  This book does involve past adultery between the lead characters. I pretty much hate adultery in romance novels. I avoid those storylines when I can.  But this sounded very interesting, and the adultery does seem to fall into the accidental category, if that can be said about marital cheating.   One of the reasons I rated this four stars is because Donald takes this novel to deep waters.  What you think you know about the characters gets turned on its ear before everything is over.  And initially, while one might tend to think of the wife as the victim, you will find out soon that it's not the case at all.  Perdita is a strong woman, and I loved seeing that she went from vulnerable teenager to independent, self-actualized mature woman with her own life and her own finances. She goes back to confront Luke and to get acquainted on her own terms, willing to tangle with Luke in order to have the chance to know her children.

I liked this book quite a bit. I think the strength of it was that the author really allowed the reader to walk in Perdita's shoes. That was hugely crucial, considering that she's effectively an adulteress. And while I hate adultery, I couldn't judge her or even Luke for that matter.  I'm not saying that I'm sanguine about the situation.  But by the end of the book, I had to come to terms with everything.  I won't spoil, but the deceased wife definitely doesn't come out of this looking like a martyr or smelling like roses.  Luke did annoy me quite a bit, but he grew on me by the end of the book. He was as much as a victim as Perdita was, and he did really care about his children, loved his wife, and much to his chagrin, loved Perdita.  There were a lot of ugly words thrown at Perdita, considering that she was underage (at least according to my standards--16-17) when it happened, but she held her own, and Luke wasn't really as much of a b*stard as he could have been (especially by old school Robyn Donald standards).

The dynamic with the twins was interesting, as Perdita got to know them, and they got to know her.  The ending was a bit weird with what happens, but that's just me.

I give this four stars because it meets my criteria for a very good Harlequin Presents:  well written, angsty, dramatic, likable heroine, intense storyline. I wanted to keep reading and I wasn't in a hurry to finish it. It's a plus that the hero has to admit his love for Perdita fairly sooner than usual in these books.

This is on Kindle (and that's the format I read). It's worth checking out as long as adultery of any kind isn't completely a no-no for a reader. Normally I pass it by, but this was a good book and the adultery wasn't rationalized or dismissed as immaterial.



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The Vengeance Affair by Carole Mortimer

The Vengeance Affair by Carole Mortimer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It took me a while to read this because of other stuff going on. This was pretty good. I think the name is hugely misleading. That's not what this book is about at all.  It's nothing that exciting.  Beau Garrett is a talk show host who is recuperating in the boonies after a life threatening accident.  He hires female landscaper, Jaz Logan, who is living under the shadow of her mother running off with someone else's husband.  They strike up an uneasy friendship that turns into love.

Beau is a bit of a misanthrope.  Jaded and sophisticated, and fairly grumpy.  Jaz is highly stressed with all the burdens she's had to carry her life, dealing a shame forced on her just because she is the daughter of her mother.  They find an unlikely connection that isn't just physical.  Beau knows he's too old for her, and Jaz feels that she's not sophisticated enough for Beau.  But there seems to be something that continue pulls them together.

I didn't think this was terribly exciting. It was okay. Not bad, but not particularly distinctive.  Books like this make you wonder how the writer felt when they were writing it. If I'm not excited as a reader, are they while they are writing it. Being creative is hard and lonely work.  You need to feel a drive to finish that work. If the results turn out blah, doesn't the author feel that when they are in the midst of its creation?  I digress.  So, yes this is just a three star read from me.  It kept my interest, but not in a spectacular way. It was a good read before bedtime. 



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Wolverine MAX, Vol. 1: Permanent Rage by Jason Starr (Text), Connor Willumson (Illustrations)

Wolverine MAX, Vol. 1: Permanent Rage by Jason Starr

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This one ain't for the kiddies!  The f-bomb shows up and there is nudity and plenty of in your face violence.  I don't necessarily need that to enjoy a story, but I feel that the violence is part and parcel of Wolverine aka James Logan Howlett's life.  This book is a good one for people who got introduced to Wolverine via the Marvel Movie Universe and want to dive into the graphic novels about this beloved and complex character.

This starts with a boom and ends fairly the same way. The reader is just as confused as Wolverine about his situation, since he is afflicted with memory loss.  Of course, Wolverine's personal Satan, Sabertooth is there to engineer chaos and destruction and to try to convert Wolverine to his way of doing things, psychopathic behavior.  But Wolverine is no one's plaything. He's a strong-minded person, and while he doesn't always do the right thing, he is guided by an intrinsic sense of honor that keeps him from going over the edge and into the abyss where Sabertooth happily lives.

I gave this four stars because I just plain love this character. The writer gets this character, and he conveys the essence of him to readers, older and newer fans alike. However, I do have a quibble. Some of the artwork was just ugly. Wolverine is a hairy guy, let's face it. But they made him look like a grotesque troll.  And there was too many bulgy eyes and gooey entrails. Not very pretty.  yes, violence can be conveyed in an aesthetically appealing way if done right.  I could have done without that art, but I did like some of the artwork, and I especially like the chiaroscuro cover that the volume I got from the library has.   My library has a plethora of Wolverine volumes to enjoy, and I am taking my time exploring them.  This was a nice use of my hour while I was waiting for my ride home.





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The Flash, Vol. 2: The Road to Flashpoint by Geoff Johns, Francis Manapul (Illustrator), Scott Kolins (Illustrator)

The Flash, Vol. 2: The Road to Flashpoint by Geoff Johns

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


I actually read this almost two weeks ago.  I have been following the Flashpoint storyline since I watched the DC Animation movie, "The Flashpoint Paradox."  It's very intense and even disturbing.  This book is sort of like a prelude to that situation, related to the extreme hatred that Eobard Thawne has for the Flash (Bary Allen), who lived about a thousand years prior to the time in which Thawne lives, the 32nd century.  Thawne's hero worship turns into hatred because he cannot live up to the standard that Allen has set. Frankly, Thawne is a bully, a creep, and an uneasy mix of sociopath and psychopath.  It made this book unpalatable reading in that he manipulates the timeline in terrible ways just to get what he wants.  When this doesn't achieve the result he desires, he decides to go back in time and wreck if not destroy Barry Allen's life, when he realizes he cannot eradicate Allen from the timeline. 

This wasn't bad reading. I just didn't think that it compares to the powerful impact of the following Flashpoint volumes.  I like the Flash, but I realize that I wasn't as drawn into a story where it's just about him, and other Justice League members don't feature.  I don't know how fair a statement that is just yet, so I will have to read more Flash volumes to decide if this is true or not.

It think this deserves 3.5 stars. It's diverting and Thawne truly is a piece of work. I feel that his characterization was stronger than Barry and other members of the Flash family, so that's part of why my rating wasn't higher.  But I think it's still pretty good.  I get increasingly fascinated with time travel, and the Flash presents such a distinctive look at time travel and the concept of faster-than-light travel.



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The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I finished this about a week and a half ago, but this is my first opportunity to write a review.  I have steadily become very enamored with mysteries over the past few years, and I love when the sleuth is atypical. In this case, it's a ten-year-old girl with an obsession for chemistry, poisons in particular.  This book stands out because of Flavia's very unique point of view.

I am a big nerd. I won't even lie. I love trivia and I love science facts. While my interest is more biological science and medicine, I admit to a love of chemistry.  I connected to her in this way.    This young woman has set up her own chemistry laboratory and regularly does experiments with compounds based on her readings from her deceased relative Tarquin de Luce, whose laboratory she appropriated in her family's home.  Flavia has a sense of loneliness being the youngest daughter of three and so different from her older two sisters (and the fact that they are caught up in their own interests) and a father who is emotionally unavailable due to the loss of his wife and his war experiences.  Like many children who grow up surrounded by neglectful adults, Flavia is rather precocious and mischievous.  When a man is murdered in her garden, she takes it upon herself to solve the murder, especially when her father is accused of the crime. And she does an excellent job.

I liked Flavia's investigative process. She uses the tools in her arsenal and gets fairly hands on solving the crime. She displays a fearlessness that might put an older investigator to shame.  Flavia is observant and has an inquisitive and analytical mind that allows her to process the information she receives as she discovers clues about the man who was murdered and how it connects to her family and others in her small community.  And it makes that the world is a lot smaller than one would think.

At times, Flavia does come off as a bit bratty. But it's to be expected, considering that she is more or less ignored by her family.  I like that this book shows how family work.  Even good families have some degree of dysfunction, but in the end, the love of family members usually comes out.  I appreciated her relationship with her father's retainer, Dogger, a troubled man suffering from PTSD from being a prisoner of war, but very kindhearted and loyal.   Flavia's viewpoint touches on very adult issues in a hopeful, often humorous and essentially truthful way that I really appreciated.

I liked the backstory about her dad and how it relates to the mystery. It was sad and kind of disturbing at the same time.  You can see that the person behind the murder truly has no moral limits to what he'll do, and when Flavia ends up in his path, I truly feared for her safety.

This book is as much a coming of age story as a mystery. I love them, seeing life through the eyes of a child or teenager, as they learn that life is a lot more complicated that they previously thought, and how this narrative shows the resilience and inner strength and intuitive intelligence of young people. 

Flavia is a fun lead character. I'll definitely continue this series and see what mysteries of life and chemistry she'll encounter and solve next.



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Wife by Contract, Mistress by Demand by Carole Mortimer

Wife By Contract, Mistress By Demand by Carole Mortimer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Does step-sibs getting together turn you off?  You might still like this book.  Gabriella fell like a ton of bricks for her new stepbrother Rufus.  He saw it and ultimately gave into her amorous advances. Well sort of.  Then he walks away.  From then on, Gabriella hates him.  Five years later, they are brought back together by a clause in Rufus' father's will that states if they don't marry, Rufus will lose control of the family business, a department store chain, and fifty million dollars to his feckless cousin.  Gabriella gets half of the fortune if she marries and lives with Rufus for six months and she gets ownership of the restaurant in the London store. The problem is she can't stand Rufus and he doesn't respect her. He thinks she's a gold-digger, like her mother (who wasn't) and his ex-wife, who he had to buy off to get custody of his then infant daughter.  Gabriella has another incentive to marry Rufus. She can't stand his cousin since an altercation that occurred three months prior, and the idea of his inheriting is detestable and the implications it would have for her.  Can they make a marriage work, even for such a short time?

I liked this a lot. I admit I was a bit turned off by how Gabrielle just melts like a ton of bricks whenever Rufus touches her.  It doesn't shed the best light on a heroine who is so gaga over someone who thinks so little of her.  However, that's more or less standard vintage HP fare, and I think that it's apparent that she's still deeply in love with Rufus, although her so-called loved has appeared to turn into hate.  I would have liked Rufus to treat her better and not be such a jerk to her, even though I knew it was because he did have feelings for her and was afraid to feel for her, due to the situation with his ex. 

I really liked Gabriella.  She had grown into a pretty strong woman and had a good head on her shoulders.   I liked that she was a chef and made a pretty good career for herself in the five years (although she did have a financial crisis that made her need a loan from her step-dad, which of course made her look bad to Rufus).  She managed to hold her own against Rufus, for the most part, although she did have a bad case of putty knees for him.  I like how she gently takes on the role of stepmother to a reluctant and spoiled stepdaughter who really does need to have more discipline for a father who spoils her too much.

I gave this four stars because it had drama, passion and angst, and a likable heroine.  Rufus was a bit of a jerk, but with this line, that's not a deal breaker.  A nice older HP to keep me busy for a couple of hours.



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An Heiress for His Empire by Lucy Monroe

My rating: 3.25 of 5 stars


A well-written book but almost zero tension.  Everytime I thought the author had managed to build an angle for HP-style tension, it was quickly diffused.  I feel that there was a lot of potential here.  Tough-minded executive hero of Russian heritage, poor little rich girl with daddy issues, forced marriage scenario.  But it turns out where everyone is really nice to each other, and even though Viktor blew off Madison years ago and they weren't friends in the interim, it takes a short discussion to clear all that up.  A slightly longer discussion has them agreeing to get married. Sex works out perfectly, and while Viktor has sowed his wild oats, Madison has kept her aged hymenal status for an incredible to believe twenty-four years.  I'm being a bit sarcastic, but that was a big irritating that such a huge deal was made about her being a virgin so long.  Yeah, I know that most people aren't virgins into their twenties, I think that way too much of a deal was made of it. And I found it irritating that while Madison couldn't feel that way about other men, Viktor was able to have his share of sexual attachments in the interim. When asked why he didn't take her up on her offer at eighteen, his answer is too glib for my tastes. "It's marriage or nothing with you."  But I guess women who aren't Madison can be used to slake his sexual urges with no emotional entanglement. *Rolls eyes."  I'm all for virginity.  I like virgin heroines.  But I really hate that double standard for men.  It sticks in my craw.  Your mileage my vary. Of course after marriage, declarations of love occur equally smoothly.  It's all too smooth for me.

Yeah, that's the problem. Everything felt too copacetic in this book.  I guess that would be fine if you were looking for an easygoing romance where everything is assured, despite a sticky beginning.  I wasn't.

I did like the descriptions of Viktor's grandparents Russian marriage customs, and the family drama aspect almost created more tension, almost.

I think this is a perfectly fine book if you're in that headspace where you don't want too much drama and tension. But usually, I reach for a Harlequin Presents because that's exactly what I'm looking for. So it failed to meet my needs.

I would say that this is worthy of 3.5 stars.  I took off a star and a half because there's practically no tension and the obnoxious virginity hype/double standard was irritating.

Not bad, just not very exciting.



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Shattered Dreams by Jacqueline Baird

Shattered Trust by Jacqueline Baird

My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars


This was intense like I like my Harlequin Presents.  I honestly didn't like Nick at all initially. I totally thought the worst of him.  But then there would be moments where he looked so devastated and heartbroken.  I sort of guessed what his issue was partway into the book, and that he was trying to push Abby away.  I also felt he must be deeply in love with her and that's why he was trying to get them back together. It was heartbreaking to see Nick interact with the son he had rejected four years before.  But I could see why Abby didn't trust him and certainly didn't want to fall back in love with him, since it had cost her so much the first time around.  This book really makes you believe the hero was a cheater, but hang in there if you don't like cheating.  It all turns out well.

I liked that both lead characters are so three-dimensional.  You see all their traits, even the ones that aren't as pretty, such as Abby's jealousy of other women.  Although that is really understandable, considering the situation.  I like that Baird shows Nick at his worst, but allows the reader to gain the ability to think favorably about Nick and believe he loves his family and his wife.  He was a very tortured guy and that came across very clearly.  I think this is one of the HPs where you can feel just as strongly about the hero and the heroine.

Books like these are why I avidly reach for the older Harlequin Presents. They really bring the emotion and intensity for the reader. 

Overall rating: 4.25/5.0 stars.



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Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


"Coraline" continues my love affair with Neil Gaiman's books on audio. I love his voice so much. It's soothing but also keeps my mind focused on the story.  I think that he endows his words with all the emphasis, power and creative energy they should have.  He's really great with different voices as well. "Coraline" might be a short book on audio, but it's so rich and fulfilling.

I freely admit I had ghoulish tastes in books when I was a girl. I read every scary or dark fantasy novel in the children's section, and some multiple times (The Gruesome Green Witch I'm looking at you!).  I would have loved this book if it had been written when I was a young girl. It's nicely scary and intense, but also suitable for a child (and adults like me).  The "Other Mother" seethes with menace, and the use of subtle details (like her button eyes, penchant for eating beetles, and hair that waves as though a breeze is blowing although it isn't.)  There are even gruesome touches, such as the fact that some of the inhabitants of the world the "Other Mother" created are barely formed, gelatinous blobs.   I agree with another reviewer who said that they admired how brave Coraline was (and she's brave in the real sense, doing something in spite of her fears).  She's really an awesome young girl (but also realistic in her flaws).

I think that Gaiman has a sense of childhood that has not faded with his age. He understands the joy and the disappointments of it. Coraline is a young girl surrounded by adults, and that's a tough situation.  She seethes with physical and mental energy, and while appropriate in development for her age, she's also mature and capable of taking care of herself to a degree. But like any other child, she yearns for the love and attention of parents who care about her.  Luckily, she is able to see through the "Other Mother" and realizes that her parents are exactly what she needs and not a figment of her imagination with a menace beneath the wish fulfillment.

I would have to give this one 4.5 stars because it doesn't quite meet the high standards of The Graveyard Book in comparison. But it really is an outstanding book.  The movie is pretty good, if you get a chance to watch it.  I saw it first, and I plan to re-watch it and compare it since I watched it years ago and I'm just now reading the book.

If you can get this on audio, I highly recommend it.



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The Unleashing by Shelly Laurenston

The Unleashing by Shelly Laurenston

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was a group read for the Dangerous Hero Addict Support Group, and I'm glad it got voted for.  It gave me that push to read Shelly Laurenston. I've heard from many that she's a good author, and I actually have most of her Dragon books written under G.A. Aiken, but I just hadn't gotten around to reading her books written under this name.

One thing that one needs to understand about this book is that it's very heroine and women-bonding centered.  Kera is a woman who needed strong bonds with women who had her back and who accepted her no matter what, and she found that with the Crows. At the same time, it's a romance, but the romance doesn't really develop until maybe 70 or so pages into the novel.  Having said that, I found this very enjoyable.  It's really funny and every character is a real 'character'.  There's even a dog that manages to steal some scenes.

I liked Vig, a lot.  He's a dangerous hero, but in a cuddly kind of way (when he's not in battle mode and ripping people's arms off.)  He's very supportive to Kera, and I'd call him the perfect boyfriend.  I would say the cover is highly misleading. I tried not to be embarrassed about it when I'd have it at work and my coworkers saw it.  Vig has a big beard and lots of hair. He's not a clean-shaven male model type.  I guess the publishers didn't think people would go for a cover with Vig as he looks in the book.  It seems to me that having big beards is very much in vogue, so I'd find that intriguing if the cover actually reflected that (not that like facial hair, because I don't). I like that Vig was comfortable with himself and thus with Kera as she was.  I think that's so crucial in a relationship that people accept you as you are.  They want the best for you, but they aren't constantly trying to change you.  The romance worked for me because it was built on mutual like and respect, as well as passion and strong emotion.

This book is pretty violent, with descriptive action scenes.  It wasn't over the top, and after reading Matt Reilly this past month, it seemed kind of mild, to be honest.  The story is about a violent subculture of fighters for the Norse gods who go all out.  I wasn't surprised for it to be violent with that expectation.  The story itself is intriguing and makes me want to keep reading this series.

So I really liked this one. I liked Kera a lot. She was a real person and I appreciated her strengths and weaknesses.  She was very caring, but tough as well.  I loved the multicultural feel to this book. There are people of just about every race and ethnicity.  And considering this is based on Norse mythology, it was cool that Laurenston was able to achieve this.  I also loved how the Crows are all strong women but not all cut from the same mode. I love when the diversity of strong women is presented instead of making it seem like all women have to be the same to be strong and confident.

There was a lot to appreciate about this book. Four well earned stars.



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Pulse of The Heartland by Melinda Cross

Pulse of the Heartland by Melinda Cross

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


I liked this, but at the same time, I didn't love the hero. He came off as a jerk from the beginning.  I don't mind a hero who torments the heroine (in a gentle way like the boy at school who teases the girl he likes), but his attitude of entitlement and his overweening arrogance killed it for me.  I almost felt like Nick was considered perfect with no faults, but Emily had to justify herself for her practices and beliefs because they were wrong.  I guess I felt like there was a sexist overtone to this book (and a little bit of the "traditional woman is the right kind of woman" vibe to this that irritated me).  I'm not saying that Emily couldn't use a different viewpoint, but how much did Nick try to understand her or show acceptance for who she was and why she lived life that way? Not much. From the beginning, Nick seemed like he was on a mission to change her or shake her up.  I think I might have felt somewhat better if Nick had ever said that he loved her or in his pursuing  of Emily, he showed more than purely lust or sexual attraction. It seemed like he was all about getting her into bed.

I wasn't very satisfied with the ending of this book.  It left a bad taste in my mouth because no words of love were said, and Emily was the one who was doing all the giving up and submitting (other than Nick staying in town).  While submitting isn't a bad word (depending on the root of the act), her submission didn't feel right to me.

I tend to over-think things and I know that I am thinking about this book from a personal vantage point because I do have issues with the perception of women in society and the persistent view that all women need to fit the same mode in relationship with men.   Marriages and relationships don't always have to follow the same model, but it seemed as though being with Nick had to be according to his terms, and that's always wrong to me.  I feel that love should be about mutual submission. I would have love to see Nick do some of the surrendering in this book. 

** Part of men thinks the nice brown eyed guy she danced with a lot at the block party might have been a good choice for Emily. I guess we'll never know.

It's not a badly written book at all. It's good, but the underlying message that came across didn't work for me.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.



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Pulse of the Heartland by Melinda Cross

I liked this, but at the same time, I didn't love the hero. He came off as a jerk from the beginning.  I don't mind a hero who torments the heroine (in a gentle way like the boy at school who teases the girl he likes), but his attitude of entitlement and his overweening arrogance killed it for me.  I almost felt like Nick was considered perfect with no faults, but Emily had to justify herself for her practices and beliefs because they were wrong.  I guess I felt like there was a sexist overtone to this book (and a little bit of the "traditional woman is the right kind of woman" vibe to this that irritated me).  I'm not saying that Emily couldn't use a different viewpoint, but How much did Nick try to understand her or show acceptance for who she was and why she lived life that way. From the beginning, Nick seemed like he was on a mission to change her or shake her up.  I think I might have felt somewhat better if Nick had ever said that he loved her or did pursuing in a way that didn't seem purely lust or sexual.

I wasn't very satisfied with the ending of this book.  It left a bad taste in my mouth because no words of love were said, and Emily was the one who was giving up and submitting.  While submitting isn't a bad word (depending on the root of the act), her submission didn't feel right to me.

I tend to over-think things and I know that I am thinking about this book from a personal vantage point because I do have issues with the perception of women in society and the persistent view that all women need to fit the same mode in relationship with me.   Marriages and relationships don't always have to follow the same model, but it seemed as though being with Nick had to be according to his terms, and that's always wrong to me.  I feel that love should be about mutual submission. I would have love to see Nick do some of the surrendering in this book. 

** Part of thinks the nice brown eyed guy she danced with a lot at the block party might have been a good choice for Emily. I guess we'll never know.

It's not a badly written book at all. It's good, but the underlying message that came across didn't work for me.

House of Mystery, Vol.5: Under New Management by House of Mystery, Vol. 5: Under New Management by Matthew Sturges , Luca Rossi (Illustrator), José Marzán Jr. (Illustrator), Bill Willingham , Sergio Aragonés, Dave Justus, Paul Levitz, Alisa Kwitney, John Bolton (Illustrator), Farel Dalrymple (Illustrator), Sam Kieth (Illustrator)

House of Mystery, Vol. 5: Under New Management by Matthew Sturges

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I think I just need to hang up the towel and admit this series is not for me. It's gruesome and dark in a way that doesn't appeal to me.  The characters are either sadistic or they fall prey to other sadistic characters. I wouldn't say I'm too squeamish to enjoy any horror, but this kind of horror I don't like.  I was drawn in by the story within a story format and the idea of a house between dimensions. But those things don't overshadow the unappealing aspects for me. I feel the series really jumped the shark with one event.  I was like, seriously!  I did kind of like the cameo though.  I guess I'm going to have to say that this is the last volume I will read.  My sister is tough and I'll ask her to hold me accountable not to pick any of these up.  It's a shame. I want to know how things end.  I suppose I'll have to do what I did with the Under the Dome show. I had my sister keep me honest!  I stepped away and haven't looked back, other than drooling over pictures of Mike Vogel.  I don't think that there's a hot actor in this series to tempt me to reading more of this series.

Three stars because it's not really bad quality or poorly written. It's just not my taste.



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JLA: Earth 2 by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely (Illustrator)

JLA: Earth 2 by Grant Morrison

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


I can't get over how disturbing the evil twins of the Justice League are.  I mean just the Triad is bad enough.  Ultraman is a sleazy, psychopathic, cruel bully.  Owlman is like a demon-possessed Batman (or maybe if Batman was the Antichrist).  Superwoman is a little more developed in this than in Justice League, Vol. 5: Forever Heroes, and I what I know, I definitely don't like.  She's playing Owlman and Ultraman off each other, and I think she hates both of them (but feels more lust for Owlman).  She's sadistic and psychosexually deviant.  Yeah, it's just bad.  More disturbing is that Earth 3 is the opposite of Earth 2. Evil is the predominant value, given free reign.

I think that the science seems too implausible (or at least was so nebulously explained, I didn't believe it was plausible), and I didn't get how the day was saved in the end.  I feel that Crisis on Two Earths Justice League movie (which I suspect this is based on) explains the situation a lot better.  It's worth watching as an adjunct to this graphic novel. I re-watched it again last night and I liked the further insight into the characters.

It was pretty good, and kept my interest. Surprisingly adult and dark in content. It's kind of fun if you want to see the dark side of the triad of the Justice League and Lex Luthor as a good guy.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.



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