Month: March 2012

Review: Lady Sophia’s Christmas Wish by Grace Burrrowes

On By MikaelaIn reviews

The Particulars:  Historical Romance, Sourcebooks,  available as print and in e-books 
The Source: Purchased at Booksonboard

The Grade: C+
The blurb:

All Sophie Windham wants is peace, quiet and the novelty of a little solitude in the Duke of Moreland’s London mansion before she joins her family for Christmas at the family seat in Kent. In the middle of a very inconvenient London snowstorm, Sophie finds herself stuck with an abandoned baby, and only the assistance of handsome stranger Vim Charpentier standing between her and complete disaster…
Vim Charpentier‘s worst memories are of Christmases spent with family in Kent, so when he has an excuse to tarry for a few days in London, he willingly lends a hand helping Sophie and her new little charge become acquainted. The growing attraction he shares with Sophie warms both their spirits, but when Sophie’s three brothers arrive (from the East) to whisk her away, Vim has to decide between facing his memories, or letting the Christmas gift of a lifetime slip through his fingers.

The Review:
I love Grace Burrowes books, yet for a number of reasons this book remained unread, or more properly halfread, before I picked it up.
This is a sweet tale that hooked me from the start. I could almost feel the cold, winds blowing. It was fascinating to read about Sophia’s adaptation to taking care of a baby boy. She was a newbie, and she admitted it. Through Vim’s gentle guidance she learns how to. But, she also falls in love. With Kit, which she admits. And with Vim. Which she doesn’t admit to herself.
I fell in love with the characters.  Sophia’s generous heart, the way she picked up strays.  Both animals, and humans. 
Vim was everything a man should be. Generous, charming, handsome. I loved the way their romance blossomed through small touches. I also appreciated the fact that since they were alone for a big part of the book, they didn’t have to hide behind facades.  
There were heart wrenching parts.  I could almost touch Sophia’s loneliness, despite the fact that she have a large family.  I understands it.  When you reach a certain age, you need time to be alone.   Then there is Vim.  He really, really, doesn’t want to go down to Kent.   Not just because he doesn’t want to leave Sophia, but for a number of reasons. 
His upcoming departure hang between them.   And causes some heartwrenching moments.  Then there is Kit. Sophia knows she has to do the right thing, and foster Kit.  And she really doesn’t want to. 
They have to fight to get their HEA. Oh, not literally, but they have to fight misunderstandings, and old wounds. And not to mention their families worry to do the right things.  
Let’s just say there are not just one, but two meddling Lords in this book. 

But their HEA left me with a satisfying feeling. Which is the way a romance novel should make you feel.

So, what I didn’t like. First, the setup felt… unrealistic. What likelihood is it that an duke’s daughter would have been allowed to remain unchaperoned, without even a maid?
Second, this tale bordered slightly too close to being an 100 000 words viginette. I think one reason is that the conflict only comes from internal conflict, and to some degree misunderstanings. 
Except for this, I enjoyed the story. But it will never be one of my favorite Windham books. 

Painted Truth by Lise McClendon

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The Particulars: Mystery, Smashwords, e-book
The Source: Purchased at Smashwords.
The Grade: B-
The Blurb:
Alix Thorssen’s partnership with sexy Paolo Segundo is at a crossroads. When another gallery on the town square burns, revealing the body of a famous artist, she is drawn into the investigation as an appraiser of the lost paintings. Ray Tantro was a has-been at 30 but was on the verge of a comeback. Why would he commit suicide? Why are the police so quick to dismiss foul play? The investigation makes her confront her own contradictions as an art lover, turning everything she knows upside down. She must examine her ethics and even her way of life to find the truth, and justice.
But not without a very high price.

The Review:
This is another book that have remained unread for awhile, before I got around to read it. ( Ok, I forgot add it to Calibre.) It was also a book that didn’t hook me immediately.  The setting was quaint, and I liked the characters, but it took me awhile anyway.  

I think it has to do with the fact that Lise McClendon took her time building the stakes.   As they increased, the illusion that small towns are nice faded.  Fast.  In fact, I think I’ll never view small towns as quaint and cozy again.

But what made the book for me was Alix.  Alix is stubborn, curious. Some times too curious for her own good. Does she doubt the wisdom of continuing the investigation? Hell yes.  Who wouldn’t when  the bodycount stacks?    

I felt for Alix when everything started to collapsing around her. Her friends abandoning her, the police hounding her. 

So what I didn’t like about this book.   First, I had trouble caring about the characters, that and the stakes problem were probably the cause of the problem I had with first half of the book.  Second, there were typos. Not a lot, and easy to fix but it was a bit annoying.

In the end, I liked the book and I intend to read more books by Lise McClendon in the future.

Kickstarter: Miles to go/ Promises to Keep by Laura Anne Gilman

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I have made no secret about the fact that I love Laura Anne Gilman’s books.   So, I when I found out that she planned to Kickstart  Cosa Nostradamus stories, I was very happy.  Still, despite this, the launch took me by surprise. ( Primarily since I was offline for a couple of days.)   I pledged as soon I found out.  If you haven’t read  Laura Anne Gilman, this is a great place to start.

From the Kickstarter page: 

The stories, Miles to Go and Promises to Keep, introduce Danny Hendrickson.  He’s a half-breed, very very rare in the Cosa Nostradamus.  Human mother, faun father, 100% Attitude.  For the most part, he’s made his own way, first as a member of the NYPD and then – when they started looking too closely at non-humans in the force – as a private investigator, straddling the line between human and fatae in his job the way he does in his life
He has a good life, he has good friends, he makes a difference…  But he also has a dangerous life.  And sometimes – when you’re in the middle of magic –  good friends aren’t enough.
Miles to Go: It’s an ordinary day, another ordinary – for Danny –  job, when he’s approached by a young woman who has information he needs to solve a case.  All she wants to do is help.  When a life – or more – are on the line, it’s hard to turn that down.  But the cost of that information will change Danny’s life…forever.
Promises to Keep: Following up on the events of MtG, Danny has a boring snoop-and-scoop infidelity case, the kind of thing that pays the bills and keeps everyone fed.  But his new – and magical – partner sees something more in the scenario…and what she sees is deadly. To the client – and to them.

 You can read more, and pledge here. ( You are going to pledge. Right?)

Review: Men of Bronze by Scott Oden:

On By MikaelaIn reviews

The Particulars:  Historical Fiction, Medallion Press, available as e-book and in print. 
The Source: Purchased at Omnilit
The Grade: A
  The blurb:
 It is 526 B.C. and the empire of the Pharaohs is dying, crushed by the weight of its own antiquity. Decay riddles its cities, infects its aristocracy, and weakens its armies. While across the expanse of Sinai, like jackals drawn to carrion, the forces of the King of Persia watch and wait. Leading the fight to preserve the soul of Egypt is Hasdrabal Barca, Pharaohs countless wounds, it is her spirit that heals and changes him. Once a fearsome demigod of war, Hasdrabal Barca becomes human again. A man now motivated as much by love as anger. Nevertheless honor and duty have bound Barca to the fate of Egypt. A final conflict remains, a reckoning set to unfold in the dusty hills east of Pelusium. There, over the dead of two nations, Hasdrabal Barca will face the same choice as the heroes of old: Death and eternal fame or obscurity and long life.

The Review: 
I bought this book in 2010, I think. I started reading it but abandoned it. I always intended to get back to it, one day. It took awhile, though. What spurred me was the fact that I decided to rebuy it in epub, to replace the pdf copy I bought in 2010. And I am glad I did. 
  One word can describe this book: Epic. At times, it felt almost like I was reading fantasy novel, with minium of magic.    This isn’t fantasy, but  Historical fiction.  This isn’t my favorite genre, since it often involves bloody, gorefilled battles.. ( I know, I have probably read the wrong books). But this book were different. Oh, there were battles in it.  What made me love this were the  vivid settings, and the human characters.   
The settings made me feel as if I were walking through Memphis, standing on the ship on the way to Gaza, feeling the wind tussling my hair.  My heart ached everytime Barca lost one of his friends. The ache tenfolded when I realised the source of The Beast.   At the start of the book  he was  almost a murdering machine. He live for battle.  Yet through the book, he change. He starts to feel compassion.  That change stems from Jauharah and her patience. 
Jauharah… I wept for her. For her loss, for the pain she had suffered, and for the choices she had to make. 
And Callianestes… I admired him for daring to what was right.  Heck, I admired all the characters for their honor and courage. 
The combination of the characters and the setting created a riveting tale, that I just couldn’t put down.  But, as I read it, I was reminded that history goes in circles, and that no civilisation last forever.
What I didn’t like.  I’ll admit it. I wish there was a happy ending, since is Hasdrabal Barca and Jauharah had earned it.  Yet, that would make it a romance, which this isn’t. 
Still, I’ll definitely read more by Scott Oden in the future.

Review: Copper Lake Secrets by Marilyn Pappano

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The Particulars: Romantic Suspense, Harlequin, available as e-book
The Source: Purchased at Allromance
The Grade: B-
The Blurb:
 “What happened that summer?”

The ill-fated vacation Reece Howard spent at her grandparents’ Georgia home long ago changed her in ways her mind still refuses to remember. She forgot about the man she once knew as “Jones,” but she can’t ignore the flashes of desire she now feels toward him. With her family estranged, she doesn’t have a good reason to return to Fair Winds. Until now.

Jones is looking for answers…answers he can find only at the plantation he left behind years before. By surprise, he discovers Reece there—all grown up and beautiful—never imagining he might be able to help chase away her demons. And neither of them expects an attraction as combustible as the secrets surrounding them.

But falling in love might be the most dangerous thing they can do…

The Review:
I love Marilyn Pappano’s Copper Lake books. I don’t rush out and buy the latest immediately, since I am not keeping track of her release schedule, but I buy them when I am in the mood for Romantic Suspense, set in the South. This book is no different. Or actually, it is. It has the additional element of a haunted plantation filled with secrets.Which is another thing that I love.
The atmosphere gave me goosebumps. Part of it was because it could be taken from a historical novel, set in the south. From the house, to Miss Willa’s manners. Just about everything.
It was nailbiting to follow Reece and Jones search for the truth of what happened that summer 15 years earlier. Their search shed new light on what happened all those years ago. From Reece arrival, to the foggy memories that she have dreamt nightmares about.
The characters felt like mirror images of each other. They were estranged from their families, both of them had lost something during their Summer in Copper Lake. It was touching to read about their unfolding romance. 
So what I didn’t like. If this had been release as a Paranormal Suspense, I would have given it an A. Since it is published as a Romantic Suspense, I cannot give it an A. Why? The romance between Reece and Jones are sweet and touching, but there is no obstacles for them to overcome in their relationship. Or if it is, it was swallowed by the Suspense part of the book.
Still, I enjoyed it and I plan to read more by Marilyn Pappano in the future.

Book recommendation: All Spell Breaks Loose by Lisa Shearin

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My name is Raine Benares—and it sucks to be me right now. I’m a seeker who managed to “find” the Saghred, a soul-stealing stone that gave me unlimited power I never asked for or wanted. Now I’ve managed to lose the rock—and the magic it gave me—to a power-hungry goblin dark mage whose main goals are my death and world domination.
I’m still bonded to the Saghred, and the dark mage can’t use the stone as long as I’m alive. If he kills me and gains control of the Saghred, he’ll become an evil demigod with the seven kingdoms at his mercy. This is more than enough incentive to plan a little trip to the goblin capital of Regor with a small band of good friends, not-so-good friends, and one outright enemy. Don’t ask.
All we need to do is destroy the Saghred, kill the mage, and put a renegade goblin prince on the throne. Did I mention I’ll be doing that with no magic?
Release date is May 29th. 

Pre-order the book from: Amazon, BN, Book Depository

Urban Fantasy and Horror reading challenge: Matchbox girls by Chrysoula Tzavelas

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The Particulars:  Urban Fantasy, Candlemark and Gleam, available in print and as e-book
The source: Received as a Kickstarter pledge reward
The Grade: B+

The blurb:

Marley Claviger is just trying to get her life together. Stumbling into an ancient conflict between celestial forces is going to make that a whole lot harder…
When Marley wakes up to a phone call from a pair of terrified children, she doesn’t expect to be pulled into a secret war. She rescues them from an empty house and promises to find their missing uncle. She even manages to feed them dinner. But she barely feels competent to manage her own life, let alone care for small children with strange, ominous powers…
And when a mysterious angelic figure shows up and tries to claim the girls, it all falls apart…
Plagued by visions of disaster, Marley has no idea what she’s gotten herself into, but she knows one thing: magical or not, the kids need her.



The review
I received this book as part of a Kickstarter pledge. Since I was in an Urban Fantasy slump, I didn’t read it immediately. Which I regret, since this is a really good Urban Fantasy novel.  The intriguing worldbuilding takes the standard tropes of angels, demons and fairies, and twists them around a couple of times, until the end result is something unique.   The writing starts with a bang, or a phone call to be more correct, and it doesn’t slow down. Marley’s reaction to the  events were refreshing.  She isn’t a kick ass heroine, she is just an woman who wants to return to her normal life.

The plot is just as fast paced as it should be, and when you think that nothing else can go wrong for Marley and her friends, something unexpected, yet totally logical happens, that turns an already dire situation into a catastrophic situation.  

But what made this book for me were the cast of characters. All of them were deliciously flawed. From Marley with her shambled life, to Zacharias with all his secrets, to the impulsive twins, to the new friends she gets in Corbin and AT. And Neath.. I loved Neath. She behaved like I imagine a cat should.  The bad guys were scary. Brr. I wouldn’t want to be alone with either Severin, Tarn or any of the other bad guys.

What keeps me from giving this book an A is the sparseness of description. It stopped me from imaging the settings to the level I wanted, and needed to get really sucked into the book.
Still, I’ll definitely get the sequel, since I believe in supporting good authors. And Chrysoula Tzavelas is definitely one of them.

 

Review: Maid for Love by Marie Force

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The Particulars: Contemporary Romance, indie, ebook.
The Source: Purchased at Smashwords
The Grade: C+
The blurb:
Maddie Chester is determined to leave her hometown of Gansett Island, a place that has brought her only bad memories and ugly rumors. Then she’s knocked off her bike on the way to her housekeeping job at McCarthy’s Resort Hotel by Gansett’s “favorite son,” Mac McCarthy. He’s back in town to help his father with preparations to sell the family resort and has no intention of staying long. When Mac accidentally sends Maddie flying over the handlebars, badly injuring her, he moves in to nurse her back to health and help care for her young son. He soon realizes his plans for a hit-and-run visit to the island are in serious jeopardy, and he just may be “maid” for love.
The Review:
This book had been on my TBR list ever since I bought it, but reading a guest blog by Marie Force spurred me into reading it. And I am glad I did.
Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. There were so many things that I liked about it. From the small town setting to the characters. I loved the nuance picture she painted of the life in the town. From the way Maggie has to scrape together money to get by, to the McCarthy’s lifestyle. I also liked the whispers and stares that arose when Mac stayed over with Maddie.
But what made the book for me was Mac and Maddie. Maddie for her scarred past and her stubborn independence. Mac for his determination to make Maddie’s life better in every way he can. The attraction between them were strong from the start. I also liked that they didn’t jump into bed immediately.
I also loved how Maddie’s past and Mac’s family caused obstacles between them, making the path rocky.
So what I didn’t like. I had two issues with this novel. First, I didn’t like the way that Mac tried to fix everything that had gone wrong for Maddie in the past. In the beginning it was touching, but after awhile it got annoying.
The more worrisome issue was the fact that I had trouble with feeling connections to some of the characters. I just didn’t care about them. Despite it’s short comings I am glad I bought it, and read it.  Since I did like the main characters, and I did like the setting.    
Will I buy the rest of the books? Probably, but I am not in a hurry.

BooksonBoards recommendations:

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

Books on board offers up to 33% off right now, so I am going on a shopping spree tomorrow.

Since it is easy to get overwhelmed, I decided to make some recommendations:

For the UF and PNR fans:
Laura Anne Gilman.    I love her books. They are snarky, witty, and action packed. With the discount, the books in her Retriever series costs 4-5 dollar.
Robin D Owens. Right now the books in her Mystic Circle series  is just 7.45. I recommend both of them.
Moira Rogers.Their writing is like crack to me. I just cannot get enough. Especially of the Bloodhounds books.
Let’s not forget CE Murphy.  There is no secret that I love her books.  I recommend starting with either Urban Shaman or Heart of Stone.
Shiloh Walker. I love her Hunter series, but I recommend that you get the backlist Samhain titles from All romance since they are only available in pdf over at Books on Board.  Wait with getting the Ellora’s Cave titles, she is  re-issueing them with better covers.   However, I do plan on picking up her Grimm series. 
For the Crime fans:
JT Ellison. Her All the Pretty Little Girls is only 3 dollar right now. The rest is below 5 dollar
Katie Reus. I never got around to review it, but I loved her book Deadly Obession.
For the contemporary romance fans:
Shannon Stacey.  I love, love her Kowalski trilogy. They are heartwarming, funny,  and witty.  Plus I enjoy the humor.
Liz Flaherty. I read, and raved, about One more summer recently. And I intend to get the rest of her books.
Jennifer Crusie.   I love all her books, but Getting Rid of Bradley is one of my favorites.  Just beware so that you don’t purchase pdf copies.
Shiloh Walker. Yes, again.  She is prolific.  Among her contemporary romances I recommend A Forever Kind of Love.  A poignant tale. 
Maya Banks.  I am having trouble picking a book, but in the end, I think I’ll go with Stay with Me and Understood. 
For Historical fans:
Scott Oden. I started to read Men of Bronze, and I loved the writing but unfortunately I got interrupted and new finished the book. I intend to one day, though. Right now Men of Bronze is only 3 dollar. In fact, I think I’ll rebuy it, and replace my pdf copy. 
Oh, and the best part with Books On Board? You get reward dollars. Which you can use on discounting other books .

On my To Check Out list: Indie authors, part two

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This is the second post in my series of blogposts about books  On My To Check out list.  I also try to add why I haven’t got them yet. 

First up is Burning Sky by Joseph Robert Lewis:
Taziri had a promising career as an airship engineer and inventor until an explosion tore through the airfield, incinerating the fleet and killing most of the Air Corps. Now, Taziri is the only pilot left to help the marshals chase the killers across the skies of Marrakesh.

The investigation ranges across the country on steamships, atop racing locomotives, and into ancient tombs. Taziri discovers a corrupt doctor performing hideous experiments, hiding lethal weapons inside the killers’ bodies using Taziri’s own inventions. And with assassins in every shadow and riots on every street corner, Taziri quickly learns to defend herself as only an engineer can – with her machines.

The marshals have one other problem: they’re men. And in a country where women control the government, the military, and the most powerful industries in the world, Taziri has a clear advantage. But despite all her efforts, her country’s only hope for survival may be an exiled Incan princess riding a giant eagle, a dashing swordsman who talks to ghosts, and Taziri’s airship Halcyon plummeting out of the burning sky.

This book have been on my check out list ever since it was released. The blurb intrigued, me the cover was Ok ( it is much nicer now), I read the sample and enjoyed it. I still haven’t bought it.
However, he offered a free novella recently, set in the same world which I downloaded.
If I like that one, I’ll probably get this one :). Edit: Woot!  I just discovered that the author offers it for free from his homepage, so I downloaded it.
Harry Connelly’s Twenty Palaces:
When Ray Lilly was 13 years old, a handgun accident landed his best friend, Jon Burrows, in a wheelchair and turned Ray into a runaway and petty criminal. Fifteen years later, Ray returns home after a stint in prison; he’s determined to go straight, but he knows he can’t do that without making peace with his old friend.

What Ray doesn’t expect is to discover that Jon has just received a mysterious cure–not only is he out of his wheelchair, he seems stronger and faster than… well, pretty much anyone. Worse, his cure has drawn the attention of all sorts of attention: the media are camped out on his block, the police are investigating him for insurance fraud, and weird shadowy figures have begun to draw closer, figures who clearly do not mean to do Jon any good.

Can Ray atone for the biggest mistake of his life by protecting his oldest friend? And what terrible price will the world have to pay if he succeeds?

This is a prequel to Harry Connelly’s Twenty Palace novels, which are available in print in all major bookstores. I have been curious about Harry Connelly’s books, but I never got around to buy them.
Dragon’s Bones by James Hetley:
Few things about Stonefort are exactly as they seem.

Stonefort, small fishing village and harbor and township and island, sits off the Maine coast, about as far Down East as you can get without passing through Canadian Customs. Only the Salt Hay Bridge connects it to the mainland and rest of the Boston States. If you held a vote, probably more than half of the residents would choose to blow up that bridge and all it implies.

In this latest installment in the Stonefort saga, Maine author James A. Hetley revisits the tough land when a logging camp becomes the center of illegal activity in this world and perhaps in another as well. Nurse and cop, both must face a special duty in the face of Dragon’s Bones.

I love James Hetley’s books, and the only thing that have stopped me from buying this one is the price: 2.99 for a 14 000 words long story. I’ll probably buy it sooner or later, though. 
* Click on the covers to get the Smashwords edition.