Summary:
The final book in the Hunter Games series, Mockingjay keeps the action going. At the end of Catching Fire, Katniss is pulled out of the arena from her second Hunger Games to find out there is a whole revolution already happening in Panem. She finds herself in District 13, the district that the rest of the country thought was long gone, and she's in the midst of the revolutionaries' camp. She is asked to be the face of the revolution, the Mockingjay, the person to inspire Panem's people to fight against President Snow and the Capitol's forces. This final installment in the series watches Katniss try to find her place in the world, and figure out who she wants to have at her side in the end.
Thoughts:
This series is a good one. There is a lot of hype about it for a reason. Is it the next Twilight or Harry Potter? Maybe or maybe not, but the writing is definitely on par with Rowling's. (Stephanie Meyer's writing is no where near the same caliber, so I refuse to acknowledge her popularity further.) The concluding book is bittersweet for sure, and watching the deaths of some of the characters in this one are hard to handle, for sure. The problem with this book is that it flies through the story so quickly that you don't have time to really mourn anyone, as much as you'd like. One death in particular is so shocking, not even Katniss really deals with it. I understand that the plan was always to have a trilogy, but this particular piece could have used a good fifty to one hundred extra pages of exposition. The ending is what I would have wanted to see, but hardly brushes the surface of the joy and happiness it should have. It could have been worse, certainly, but it really could have been better.
Book 28 of 50
Pages: 400
Genre: Post-apocalyptic teen lit, with touches of romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Yes, but read the first two first!
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
High Five (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
The bounty is almost nil during the hot and sweaty summer of [whatever year this is supposed to be...] and Stephanie Plum is hunting for something to do, and some way to pay the bills. Her mother begs her to help find her uncle Fred who has gone missing during his morning errands. She soon learns that there's far more to the disappearance than just a wandering old man. Stephanie gets one little bounty to go after, though, and I do mean little. Her little person FTA bounty is not coming quietly, and winds up living in Steph's apartment thanks to a broken door at his place. In the wake of the waning bounties to recover, Stephanie's mentor, Ranger, throws a few "small" jobs her way to help her get by, and she winds up developing more than a passing interest in Ranger himself.
Thoughts:
I don't have to keep singing Evanovich's praises if you've read any of my previous reviews of her other three books, but I will say this: High Five was the hottest book so far, and there wasn't even major action in the romance department. The tension, however, was incredibly high, in every respect. HEL-lo! The ending leaves you hanging, too, and I fought like hell to not pick up number six, especially considering how addicting this series is, and the fact that I already had six in hand! Whooooo, boy! The story line is a great one, with another great twist. I might be the most clueless reader, but I never really guess who's going to turn out to be the bad guy with Evanovich's work until she reveals the last clues. Highly suggested, as usual.
Book 27 of 50
Pages: 340
Genre: A+
Grade: Mystery, romance, chicklit, and a whole lot of all of them, too!
Would I Recommend?: Yesyesyesyes! Go start the series. Read it. Love it! GO!
The bounty is almost nil during the hot and sweaty summer of [whatever year this is supposed to be...] and Stephanie Plum is hunting for something to do, and some way to pay the bills. Her mother begs her to help find her uncle Fred who has gone missing during his morning errands. She soon learns that there's far more to the disappearance than just a wandering old man. Stephanie gets one little bounty to go after, though, and I do mean little. Her little person FTA bounty is not coming quietly, and winds up living in Steph's apartment thanks to a broken door at his place. In the wake of the waning bounties to recover, Stephanie's mentor, Ranger, throws a few "small" jobs her way to help her get by, and she winds up developing more than a passing interest in Ranger himself.
Thoughts:
I don't have to keep singing Evanovich's praises if you've read any of my previous reviews of her other three books, but I will say this: High Five was the hottest book so far, and there wasn't even major action in the romance department. The tension, however, was incredibly high, in every respect. HEL-lo! The ending leaves you hanging, too, and I fought like hell to not pick up number six, especially considering how addicting this series is, and the fact that I already had six in hand! Whooooo, boy! The story line is a great one, with another great twist. I might be the most clueless reader, but I never really guess who's going to turn out to be the bad guy with Evanovich's work until she reveals the last clues. Highly suggested, as usual.
Book 27 of 50
Pages: 340
Genre: A+
Grade: Mystery, romance, chicklit, and a whole lot of all of them, too!
Would I Recommend?: Yesyesyesyes! Go start the series. Read it. Love it! GO!
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Four to Score (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
Stephanie Plum's latest FTA (Faiure to Appear) bounty is a waitress with an ass of a boyfriend. She swiped his car because she was pissed at him, and he pressed charges. Maxine and her family take Stephanie on a wild goose chase thanks to her clues for her dumb-ass boyfriend. Of course, Stephanie has to figure out what all the clues mean, because they might lead her to her bounty that much faster. She enlists not only Lula, a former prostitute turned secretary and sidekick, but her Grandma Mazur, a seventy-something lady with time to kill, and a drag queen named Sally Sweet. It doesn't help that she can't figure out what the hell is going on with her hunky almost-boyfriend Morelly, or that her cousin has brought her least favorite person in the world (the woman she found screwing her now-ex husband on their dining room table) on as a fellow bounty hunter after the same bounty, or that someone is once again trying to kill her. Just another day in the life of a Jersey girl.
Thoughts:
I straight-up love this series. It's addictive, and I am so totally hooked. It takes everything in me to hop to another book after finishing one, so that my blog doesn't look like a Janet Evanovich love fest! (Currently, I'm in possession of the books up to number nine, but I'm trying to take my time... You'll see in the next few weeks how well it's working out!) This particular installment sees Stephanie fighting several different wars as usual, including a few of the heart. I love that Stephanie's forced to stay with Joe Morelli, thanks to a tiny little thing called a fire bomb... I like their dynamic. I have a friend that's a fan of a certain other gentleman in the series, though we'll get into that situation further when Stephanie's travels put her more in his way. For now, I love this series like a fat kid loves cake. Keep it coming, Evanovich.
Book 26 of 50
Pages: 313
Genre: Mystery, romance, and a whole lotta chicklit
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Definitely. Love this series. Enjoy!!
Stephanie Plum's latest FTA (Faiure to Appear) bounty is a waitress with an ass of a boyfriend. She swiped his car because she was pissed at him, and he pressed charges. Maxine and her family take Stephanie on a wild goose chase thanks to her clues for her dumb-ass boyfriend. Of course, Stephanie has to figure out what all the clues mean, because they might lead her to her bounty that much faster. She enlists not only Lula, a former prostitute turned secretary and sidekick, but her Grandma Mazur, a seventy-something lady with time to kill, and a drag queen named Sally Sweet. It doesn't help that she can't figure out what the hell is going on with her hunky almost-boyfriend Morelly, or that her cousin has brought her least favorite person in the world (the woman she found screwing her now-ex husband on their dining room table) on as a fellow bounty hunter after the same bounty, or that someone is once again trying to kill her. Just another day in the life of a Jersey girl.
Thoughts:
I straight-up love this series. It's addictive, and I am so totally hooked. It takes everything in me to hop to another book after finishing one, so that my blog doesn't look like a Janet Evanovich love fest! (Currently, I'm in possession of the books up to number nine, but I'm trying to take my time... You'll see in the next few weeks how well it's working out!) This particular installment sees Stephanie fighting several different wars as usual, including a few of the heart. I love that Stephanie's forced to stay with Joe Morelli, thanks to a tiny little thing called a fire bomb... I like their dynamic. I have a friend that's a fan of a certain other gentleman in the series, though we'll get into that situation further when Stephanie's travels put her more in his way. For now, I love this series like a fat kid loves cake. Keep it coming, Evanovich.
Book 26 of 50
Pages: 313
Genre: Mystery, romance, and a whole lotta chicklit
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Definitely. Love this series. Enjoy!!
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Dead Reckoning (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Sookie's got a vampire hubby who just can't seem to talk things through with her. They have a blood bond that Sookie is worried is the only reason she actually loves Eric. But when the bond is broken, and the love is still there, she's not quite satisfied. She wants Eric to talk to her, include her in his life and his worries. Not that she doesn't have enough to worry about. There's still someone out to kill her, and she can't stand Eric's new boss. She just can't figure out whether it's horrible to want people dead...
Thoughts:
Not bad. I wouldn't say it's one of the best in the series, but it could have been worse. The good news for you, dear readers (all three of you, haha!) is that you're not going to have to hear about Sookie Stackhouse much more. I've got one more published book to get my hands on, and then it'll only be once a year that you'll hear about Sook's adventures in vampirism. But back to the book. I found that this particular book didn't stick with me nearly as much as some of the others in the series. If something's really super-fantastic, it'll stick in my brain and make me want to read more of whatever it is so badly I can't wait to get the next in the series. This book in the series wasn't like that. I got more annoyed with the characters than usual, and was almost looking forward to getting to the end so I could move on to the next book. I'm not as pleased with Harris's work on this one as I have been in the past. Oh well, better luck next time!
Book 25 of 50
Pages: 368
Genre: Mystery, with romance and vampires and a few other fantasy characters...
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Yeah, it's still a good book, and the series is fabulous. But be sure to read from the beginning. This one will lose you if you start from the middle!
Sookie's got a vampire hubby who just can't seem to talk things through with her. They have a blood bond that Sookie is worried is the only reason she actually loves Eric. But when the bond is broken, and the love is still there, she's not quite satisfied. She wants Eric to talk to her, include her in his life and his worries. Not that she doesn't have enough to worry about. There's still someone out to kill her, and she can't stand Eric's new boss. She just can't figure out whether it's horrible to want people dead...
Thoughts:
Not bad. I wouldn't say it's one of the best in the series, but it could have been worse. The good news for you, dear readers (all three of you, haha!) is that you're not going to have to hear about Sookie Stackhouse much more. I've got one more published book to get my hands on, and then it'll only be once a year that you'll hear about Sook's adventures in vampirism. But back to the book. I found that this particular book didn't stick with me nearly as much as some of the others in the series. If something's really super-fantastic, it'll stick in my brain and make me want to read more of whatever it is so badly I can't wait to get the next in the series. This book in the series wasn't like that. I got more annoyed with the characters than usual, and was almost looking forward to getting to the end so I could move on to the next book. I'm not as pleased with Harris's work on this one as I have been in the past. Oh well, better luck next time!
Book 25 of 50
Pages: 368
Genre: Mystery, with romance and vampires and a few other fantasy characters...
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Yeah, it's still a good book, and the series is fabulous. But be sure to read from the beginning. This one will lose you if you start from the middle!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Three to Get Deadly (Janet Evanovich
Summary:
Stephanie Plum, novice bounty hunter, gets the worst assignment yet. She's got to pick up Uncle Mo, Trenton's favorite candy shop owner. Mo missed a court date, and hasn't been seen at the shop in days. Stephanie gets in too deep as usual, and finds herself threatened almost every day after starting her hunt for Mo. Add to that Lula, a former hooker who's angling to become a bounty hunter herself, who decides that she's going to help Stephanie out, and often causes more trouble than good. And the icing on this cake is Joe Morelli, Stephanie's first bounty and a Trenton cop, who can't seem to decide whether he wants to kill Stephanie or screw her senseless. Tough life for anyone, but Stephanie deals. Barely...
Thoughts:
How obsessed am I with this series? So much. I love Stephanie Plum's voice. Evanovich makes me smirk like the Jersey girl I am, and I feel like Stephanie could be the girl down the street from me. I love the feel of the books, a little suspense, and a lot of Jersey jokes that only we really get. Even if you're not from Jersey, there's plenty in this series that anyone can love, including the hunky cop (that we all KNOW Stephanie's going to get her *ahem* hands on eventually), the crazy sidekick, the crazy dude that knows how to handle the worst of it, and a ridiculous family that you're thankful that you don't have. One of the things I love about this series is that the books don't end with a ridiculously open ending. They end with actual closings of the storylines, and the only overarching plots are the romantic plot with Stephanie and Morelli, and the plot that carries Stephanie through her learning how to be a bounty hunter. Well done, Ms. Evanovich.
Book 24 of 50
Pages: 384
Genre: Mystery, with hints of romance
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Yup. For sure, especially if you're from New Jersey.
Stephanie Plum, novice bounty hunter, gets the worst assignment yet. She's got to pick up Uncle Mo, Trenton's favorite candy shop owner. Mo missed a court date, and hasn't been seen at the shop in days. Stephanie gets in too deep as usual, and finds herself threatened almost every day after starting her hunt for Mo. Add to that Lula, a former hooker who's angling to become a bounty hunter herself, who decides that she's going to help Stephanie out, and often causes more trouble than good. And the icing on this cake is Joe Morelli, Stephanie's first bounty and a Trenton cop, who can't seem to decide whether he wants to kill Stephanie or screw her senseless. Tough life for anyone, but Stephanie deals. Barely...
Thoughts:
How obsessed am I with this series? So much. I love Stephanie Plum's voice. Evanovich makes me smirk like the Jersey girl I am, and I feel like Stephanie could be the girl down the street from me. I love the feel of the books, a little suspense, and a lot of Jersey jokes that only we really get. Even if you're not from Jersey, there's plenty in this series that anyone can love, including the hunky cop (that we all KNOW Stephanie's going to get her *ahem* hands on eventually), the crazy sidekick, the crazy dude that knows how to handle the worst of it, and a ridiculous family that you're thankful that you don't have. One of the things I love about this series is that the books don't end with a ridiculously open ending. They end with actual closings of the storylines, and the only overarching plots are the romantic plot with Stephanie and Morelli, and the plot that carries Stephanie through her learning how to be a bounty hunter. Well done, Ms. Evanovich.
Book 24 of 50
Pages: 384
Genre: Mystery, with hints of romance
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Yup. For sure, especially if you're from New Jersey.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Two for the Dough (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter, and she's not so great at it. Not yet, anyway, considering she's not had all that much practice at it just yet. This second book finds her going after a guy who shot his buddy in the knee, and then skipped bail. Little does she know, Kenny Mancuso is involved in much bigger things than just an accidental shot to the knee, and there's soon dead bodies to deal with. What's worse, Joe Morelli, Stephanie's former flame, local cop, and ex-bounty, is after Kenny too. Of course, Morelli explains it away that he's just looking for his cousin, but Stephanie's gut tells her that there's more to it. She's learning well that she should go with her gut whenever possible.
Thoughts:
Love it. No really, I love this series. Stephanie Plum is a great character, and Evanovich gets the Jersey voice just right, as though she's a Jersey Girl, born and bred, which of course, she is. Of course, in this second book, she misses the boat on one of the classic Jersey phrases, (In Jersey, we go "down the shore," not "to the shore.") but if that's the worst of it, that's hardly anything at all. The series so far is great fun. I love Stephanie's fight to make herself look like she can actually handle herself as a bounty hunter, and I love the constant jabs and pokes at Jersey from someone in the family. Plenty of people make fun of New Jersey, but only real Jersey kids know how to truly stick it to the state. Plus, there's the romance story line with Stephanie and Morelli that no one can overlook. Evanovich does a great job carrying the whole mess, and I love watching every second of it. New favorite series, friends. Lucky you.
Book 23 of 50
Pages: 312
Genre: mystery, with a touch of romance
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Yes. And this series feels more like one you don't have to read from the start. It helps, but it's not completely necessary.
Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter, and she's not so great at it. Not yet, anyway, considering she's not had all that much practice at it just yet. This second book finds her going after a guy who shot his buddy in the knee, and then skipped bail. Little does she know, Kenny Mancuso is involved in much bigger things than just an accidental shot to the knee, and there's soon dead bodies to deal with. What's worse, Joe Morelli, Stephanie's former flame, local cop, and ex-bounty, is after Kenny too. Of course, Morelli explains it away that he's just looking for his cousin, but Stephanie's gut tells her that there's more to it. She's learning well that she should go with her gut whenever possible.
Thoughts:
Love it. No really, I love this series. Stephanie Plum is a great character, and Evanovich gets the Jersey voice just right, as though she's a Jersey Girl, born and bred, which of course, she is. Of course, in this second book, she misses the boat on one of the classic Jersey phrases, (In Jersey, we go "down the shore," not "to the shore.") but if that's the worst of it, that's hardly anything at all. The series so far is great fun. I love Stephanie's fight to make herself look like she can actually handle herself as a bounty hunter, and I love the constant jabs and pokes at Jersey from someone in the family. Plenty of people make fun of New Jersey, but only real Jersey kids know how to truly stick it to the state. Plus, there's the romance story line with Stephanie and Morelli that no one can overlook. Evanovich does a great job carrying the whole mess, and I love watching every second of it. New favorite series, friends. Lucky you.
Book 23 of 50
Pages: 312
Genre: mystery, with a touch of romance
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Yes. And this series feels more like one you don't have to read from the start. It helps, but it's not completely necessary.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Dead in the Family (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Poor Sookie. All she wanted was some quiet in her mind after years of telepathy cluing her in to what everyone she's ever met is thinking. That's all she wanted when she started getting into the vampire world. But now she's got her fairy bloodline, not all of whom are pleased with her, whether the door to the fairy world is open or not. She's got a whole other vampire that she's bonded with forever, and she might be in love, but she might not. She's got friends that are werewolves and dealing with their newly exposed existence, and one might be a traitor. And once again, there's someone out to get her. Sookie just can't get a break.
Thoughts:
Once the ending isn't really there. I won't harp, but Harris, you've really got to work on this. The book itself is good. Sookie and Eric are getting closer, and start dating in this book. Good for them. (Finally.) Jason, Sookie's brother, seems to be growing up a bit. (Finally.) Everyone seems to be settling into their lives (or unlives) well in this book. Of course, there's always problems, because it would be a pretty boring book if there weren't. I'm almost glad I'm getting close to the end of this series, though. (I'm sure you're glad I'm almost done too!) I enjoy them, don't get me wrong. They're just not as intense anymore. They've settled into a groove, which I appreciate, but the groove isn't as groovy as when they were more action-packed. Eric, one of the very major characters at this point, has become more kitten than tiger, thanks to a shift in power. Sookie, who used to be so light-hearted, has become hard. It's almost as though Sookie and Eric have swapped places. I almost want Sookie to get herself turned, just to see what she would do with it. Anyway, I've come this far (10 books into an almost 12 book series. Book 12 comes out in May.) I don't think I'll feel right stopping now. Besides, despite their groove status, they're still entertaining. Just with a little less wow.
Book 21 of 50
Pages: 311
Genre: Mystery, vamps, and romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Sure. But please start from the beginning. They're more fun that way.
Poor Sookie. All she wanted was some quiet in her mind after years of telepathy cluing her in to what everyone she's ever met is thinking. That's all she wanted when she started getting into the vampire world. But now she's got her fairy bloodline, not all of whom are pleased with her, whether the door to the fairy world is open or not. She's got a whole other vampire that she's bonded with forever, and she might be in love, but she might not. She's got friends that are werewolves and dealing with their newly exposed existence, and one might be a traitor. And once again, there's someone out to get her. Sookie just can't get a break.
Thoughts:
Once the ending isn't really there. I won't harp, but Harris, you've really got to work on this. The book itself is good. Sookie and Eric are getting closer, and start dating in this book. Good for them. (Finally.) Jason, Sookie's brother, seems to be growing up a bit. (Finally.) Everyone seems to be settling into their lives (or unlives) well in this book. Of course, there's always problems, because it would be a pretty boring book if there weren't. I'm almost glad I'm getting close to the end of this series, though. (I'm sure you're glad I'm almost done too!) I enjoy them, don't get me wrong. They're just not as intense anymore. They've settled into a groove, which I appreciate, but the groove isn't as groovy as when they were more action-packed. Eric, one of the very major characters at this point, has become more kitten than tiger, thanks to a shift in power. Sookie, who used to be so light-hearted, has become hard. It's almost as though Sookie and Eric have swapped places. I almost want Sookie to get herself turned, just to see what she would do with it. Anyway, I've come this far (10 books into an almost 12 book series. Book 12 comes out in May.) I don't think I'll feel right stopping now. Besides, despite their groove status, they're still entertaining. Just with a little less wow.
Book 21 of 50
Pages: 311
Genre: Mystery, vamps, and romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Sure. But please start from the beginning. They're more fun that way.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Dead and Gone (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Sookie's got more troubles as usual. Her friends and colleagues in the Were community (werewolves, werepanthers, etcetera) are officially coming out of the supernatural closet. The FBI wants to question her about how she was able to help find people in the bombing of the vampire summit a few months back, and they're hoping to exploit her gift. There's fairies that are after her, and want her dead. A former bestie of Sookie's is not cool with the news that their boss is a shapeshifter, and wants to take them all down. There's a crucifixion. And to top it all off, Eric does something really sneaky that ties Sookie even tighter to him. Poor girl.
Thoughts:
Once again, a good one. I am starting to get a bit annoyed, though, at how Harris ends these books. Sure, they leave you wanting more, that's not a big issue. But when the wanting is for a more wrapped up plot, and for an actual ending to a book, not a "to be continued," that's not a good thing. Harris does pack a punch with this one once again, which I appreciate, and there's always something going on. I really enjoy Sookie's growing attachment to Eric, because I always liked his character, and how they interacted. I'll keep going with the series, because there's not much left, but the open endings are starting to bug me, especially considering Harris only puts out one book a year, it seems, and I'm coming very close to the current end of the series. I will say, though, I'd be interested in going back and watching how this would play out on the TV show. I wonder if it'll even be around long enough to get to these plot points, though it might, as it's already in season five, and each season seemed to equate to one of the books in the series.
Book 20 of 50
Pages: 312
Genre: Mystery, romance, and vampires
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Please start from the beginning of this series, if you're going to read it at all. It's too confusing otherwise.
Sookie's got more troubles as usual. Her friends and colleagues in the Were community (werewolves, werepanthers, etcetera) are officially coming out of the supernatural closet. The FBI wants to question her about how she was able to help find people in the bombing of the vampire summit a few months back, and they're hoping to exploit her gift. There's fairies that are after her, and want her dead. A former bestie of Sookie's is not cool with the news that their boss is a shapeshifter, and wants to take them all down. There's a crucifixion. And to top it all off, Eric does something really sneaky that ties Sookie even tighter to him. Poor girl.
Thoughts:
Once again, a good one. I am starting to get a bit annoyed, though, at how Harris ends these books. Sure, they leave you wanting more, that's not a big issue. But when the wanting is for a more wrapped up plot, and for an actual ending to a book, not a "to be continued," that's not a good thing. Harris does pack a punch with this one once again, which I appreciate, and there's always something going on. I really enjoy Sookie's growing attachment to Eric, because I always liked his character, and how they interacted. I'll keep going with the series, because there's not much left, but the open endings are starting to bug me, especially considering Harris only puts out one book a year, it seems, and I'm coming very close to the current end of the series. I will say, though, I'd be interested in going back and watching how this would play out on the TV show. I wonder if it'll even be around long enough to get to these plot points, though it might, as it's already in season five, and each season seemed to equate to one of the books in the series.
Book 20 of 50
Pages: 312
Genre: Mystery, romance, and vampires
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Please start from the beginning of this series, if you're going to read it at all. It's too confusing otherwise.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
One for the Money (Janet Evanovich)
Summary:
Stephanie Plum is a woman living in Trenton, NJ, and she's just lost her job. She can barely pay her rent, let alone car payments or anything else. She's dying for any job she can get her hands on. When she goes to her cousin's office to interview for a filing job, and finds the position filled, she is willing to do anything. That's when her cousin's secretary tells her there's an open spot for a bounty hunter. Stephanie jumps at the chance when she hears how much she'll get for the job. The added bonus is that she'll be bringing in the one guy that's humiliated her all her life. Little does she know that she's way over her head in the bounty hunting business, and there's more to her case than meets the eye.
Thoughts:
Oh my God, I loved this. I read it two sittings, because I couldn't put it down. (The only time I did was because it was well past midnight, and my eyes were more closed than open.) It's not only a fast read, but it's funny as hell. I will say that it is very dated, considering it was originally written in 1994, when the eighties were only slightly uncool, and car phones were the new rage (Forget cell phones. Those weren't even thought of yet!) The fashion described for poor Stephanie sounds like a girl getting ready for an 80's party. But if you take all that in stride, and remember a time when cell phones weren't available to call for help from a dark alley, you'll be fine. I will admit that when Stephanie first gets into trouble when she's out and about in the city, and she needs help, my first reaction is "use your cell phone and call someone," but then I checked myself, checked the publishing date, and laughed. But it really is a fun read, and I look forward to getting into the series. As a girl from Jersey, I appreciate and understand a lot of the "New Jersey attitude" that Stephanie and the rest of the characters exude. And even 18 year old jokes about Jersey's lack of gardens make me smile. I highly suggest this book, and probably the series. Besides, although I plan to see it no matter how bad it supposedly is, I hear the book is way better than the movie. I just hope it's set in 90's Jersey, not 2010's Jersey. It would be so much more interesting! Be warned, once I start really getting my hands on these books, you'll be hearing about them endlessly until I'm through, just like the rest of the series I've powered through.
Book 19 of 50
Pages: 352
Genre: Mystery
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: Definitely. And it doesn't hurt that it's the first in the series either!
Stephanie Plum is a woman living in Trenton, NJ, and she's just lost her job. She can barely pay her rent, let alone car payments or anything else. She's dying for any job she can get her hands on. When she goes to her cousin's office to interview for a filing job, and finds the position filled, she is willing to do anything. That's when her cousin's secretary tells her there's an open spot for a bounty hunter. Stephanie jumps at the chance when she hears how much she'll get for the job. The added bonus is that she'll be bringing in the one guy that's humiliated her all her life. Little does she know that she's way over her head in the bounty hunting business, and there's more to her case than meets the eye.
Thoughts:
Oh my God, I loved this. I read it two sittings, because I couldn't put it down. (The only time I did was because it was well past midnight, and my eyes were more closed than open.) It's not only a fast read, but it's funny as hell. I will say that it is very dated, considering it was originally written in 1994, when the eighties were only slightly uncool, and car phones were the new rage (Forget cell phones. Those weren't even thought of yet!) The fashion described for poor Stephanie sounds like a girl getting ready for an 80's party. But if you take all that in stride, and remember a time when cell phones weren't available to call for help from a dark alley, you'll be fine. I will admit that when Stephanie first gets into trouble when she's out and about in the city, and she needs help, my first reaction is "use your cell phone and call someone," but then I checked myself, checked the publishing date, and laughed. But it really is a fun read, and I look forward to getting into the series. As a girl from Jersey, I appreciate and understand a lot of the "New Jersey attitude" that Stephanie and the rest of the characters exude. And even 18 year old jokes about Jersey's lack of gardens make me smile. I highly suggest this book, and probably the series. Besides, although I plan to see it no matter how bad it supposedly is, I hear the book is way better than the movie. I just hope it's set in 90's Jersey, not 2010's Jersey. It would be so much more interesting! Be warned, once I start really getting my hands on these books, you'll be hearing about them endlessly until I'm through, just like the rest of the series I've powered through.
Book 19 of 50
Pages: 352
Genre: Mystery
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: Definitely. And it doesn't hurt that it's the first in the series either!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
From Dead to Worse (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
The next installment in the life of Sookie Stackhouse finds her dealing with the aftermath of the explosion at the vampire summit. Many of the vamps she'd known got killed in the blast, or burned by the sun. Quinn, her hunky weretiger (think werewolf, but with stripes.) boyfriend got seriously hurt, and after seeing him in the hospital, Sookie hasn't heard from him again. The vampires of Louisiana are really hurting, particularly the Queen, who lost both her legs in the fire. Their already weakened state was made even worse by the explosion, and now they've got an impending war to deal with. Sookie's werewolf friends aren't fairing much better, and although they had nothing to do with the summit, they've got their own serious war issues to worry about. People are turning up dead or missing, and the two factions of the pack are butting heads worse than ever. Sookie's brother and his new wife are being idiots, which is no surprise to Sookie, though she worries about what might happen if either of them steps too far out of line. And of course, there's the little matter of Sookie's extended family, which didn't much exist until now, but she's just learned that there are people out there that are her blood, and now she's trying to learn more about them.
Thoughts:
So good. (Shut up, I know I said I'd take a rest with the Sookie, and I will. I've got a few more books in line that are not related at all!) This one was easily as good as the last, if not better. I always love when people that have very little or no family find a little more for themselves. (Prisoner of Azkaban was always my favorite Harry Potter book primarily because he finds his godfather.) There's a lot more going between Eric and Sookie, which I'm totally down for. (Hunky vamp that he is!) I appreciate the stuff with the Were community, though it feels like a much bigger invasion into Sookie's life than it had previously. I wouldn't mind if that plot line were mostly finished after this book. I wouldn't be too upset if we didn't see Alcide much more, as sad as that is. This particular book made me lose a little of my endearment toward him. The most interesting thing about this book, as well as the last book, though to a smaller extent, is that Sookie has become harder and harder. In the beginning of the series, when she knew little of the vampire world, and nothing of the Weres, let alone anything else. She was much more lighthearted and sunny than she is now. I would equate it to how Buffy changed in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. Buffy started out a perky teenager who managed to utter the line "If the apocalypse comes, beep me!" in all seriousness before scampering off to a school dance. By the end of the series, she takes the death of some of her close friends as casualties in battle. Sookie is turning out very much the same. When thinking about the casualties from the battles that arise within this book, Sookie doesn't get weepy and upset, she's shaken, but she moves on. It's a very interesting shift in Sookie's mindset, and I'll be looking forward to reading more from Harris. (Though not so soon, I promise!)
Book 18 of 50
Pages: 303
Genre: Mystery, vampires, romance
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Here comes the broken record. This series really needs to be read from the beginning, and if you don't, you'll really feel as though you're missing something big. Promise. But hell yeah, read it!
The next installment in the life of Sookie Stackhouse finds her dealing with the aftermath of the explosion at the vampire summit. Many of the vamps she'd known got killed in the blast, or burned by the sun. Quinn, her hunky weretiger (think werewolf, but with stripes.) boyfriend got seriously hurt, and after seeing him in the hospital, Sookie hasn't heard from him again. The vampires of Louisiana are really hurting, particularly the Queen, who lost both her legs in the fire. Their already weakened state was made even worse by the explosion, and now they've got an impending war to deal with. Sookie's werewolf friends aren't fairing much better, and although they had nothing to do with the summit, they've got their own serious war issues to worry about. People are turning up dead or missing, and the two factions of the pack are butting heads worse than ever. Sookie's brother and his new wife are being idiots, which is no surprise to Sookie, though she worries about what might happen if either of them steps too far out of line. And of course, there's the little matter of Sookie's extended family, which didn't much exist until now, but she's just learned that there are people out there that are her blood, and now she's trying to learn more about them.
Thoughts:
So good. (Shut up, I know I said I'd take a rest with the Sookie, and I will. I've got a few more books in line that are not related at all!) This one was easily as good as the last, if not better. I always love when people that have very little or no family find a little more for themselves. (Prisoner of Azkaban was always my favorite Harry Potter book primarily because he finds his godfather.) There's a lot more going between Eric and Sookie, which I'm totally down for. (Hunky vamp that he is!) I appreciate the stuff with the Were community, though it feels like a much bigger invasion into Sookie's life than it had previously. I wouldn't mind if that plot line were mostly finished after this book. I wouldn't be too upset if we didn't see Alcide much more, as sad as that is. This particular book made me lose a little of my endearment toward him. The most interesting thing about this book, as well as the last book, though to a smaller extent, is that Sookie has become harder and harder. In the beginning of the series, when she knew little of the vampire world, and nothing of the Weres, let alone anything else. She was much more lighthearted and sunny than she is now. I would equate it to how Buffy changed in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. Buffy started out a perky teenager who managed to utter the line "If the apocalypse comes, beep me!" in all seriousness before scampering off to a school dance. By the end of the series, she takes the death of some of her close friends as casualties in battle. Sookie is turning out very much the same. When thinking about the casualties from the battles that arise within this book, Sookie doesn't get weepy and upset, she's shaken, but she moves on. It's a very interesting shift in Sookie's mindset, and I'll be looking forward to reading more from Harris. (Though not so soon, I promise!)
Book 18 of 50
Pages: 303
Genre: Mystery, vampires, romance
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Here comes the broken record. This series really needs to be read from the beginning, and if you don't, you'll really feel as though you're missing something big. Promise. But hell yeah, read it!
Sunday, May 6, 2012
All Together Dead (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Sookie's being dragged to the vampire summit in Rhodes, (I believe in Michigan, but it could be Illinois. One of the northern central states, anyway...) to be Queen Sophia-Anne's personal telepath. Her job is to keep a mental ear out, and try to learn what the other kings and queens (and their minions) are up to at this summit. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana is hurting, along with many other states in the Gulf area. Louisiana's vampire population is hard hit, too, and the Queen of Louisiana is no exception. Sophia-Anne's position is not only crippled due to the storm's abuse, she's being accused of unjustly killing her recently acquired husband for the sole purpose of getting her hands on his Arkansas territory. Sookie gets unhappily jammed up right in the middle of all this, with no consideration for the fact that she's got other pressing things at home, not least of which is her brother's wedding to a girl she doesn't care for at all, and her witch friend from New Orleans coming to stay at her house for a while as she works to rebuild more than just her home. Disaster is around every corner for Sookie, just another average day for poor Sook.
Thoughts:
Yes, I know. Another Sookie book. I'll branch out soon, I promise. I'm almost done with the series anyway! It's a good one, though. I really enjoyed it (shocker). Harris puts so many balls up in the air that I hardly know when another one's going to come down, let alone what's going to happen. This one had the return of the telepath Barry, who we hadn't seen since "Living Dead in Dallas," and it was interesting to see Sookie deal with another telepath. The reader is treated to more vampire lore, and a few extra bits for the other supernatural areas in Sookie's life too, which definitely helps Harris broaden her fantasy world. It was interesting, too, to see how Harris dealt with the Katrina issue. She didn't go into much detail, but the book did begin with a lot of talk about what had happened to Louisiana vamps thanks to the flooding. To be honest, this is near the top on my list of good books within the series. I will highly recommend this series to anyone who asks. It's a fun series (with no damn sparkly vampires.) with a lot going on, but never too much to handle. Good stuff.
Book 17 of 50
Pages:323
Genre:Mystery plus romance plus vampires equals Sookie!
Grade:A
Would I Recommend?:Once again, this is a read the whole series kind of book. There's too many things wrapped into this series to pick up in the middle.
Sookie's being dragged to the vampire summit in Rhodes, (I believe in Michigan, but it could be Illinois. One of the northern central states, anyway...) to be Queen Sophia-Anne's personal telepath. Her job is to keep a mental ear out, and try to learn what the other kings and queens (and their minions) are up to at this summit. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana is hurting, along with many other states in the Gulf area. Louisiana's vampire population is hard hit, too, and the Queen of Louisiana is no exception. Sophia-Anne's position is not only crippled due to the storm's abuse, she's being accused of unjustly killing her recently acquired husband for the sole purpose of getting her hands on his Arkansas territory. Sookie gets unhappily jammed up right in the middle of all this, with no consideration for the fact that she's got other pressing things at home, not least of which is her brother's wedding to a girl she doesn't care for at all, and her witch friend from New Orleans coming to stay at her house for a while as she works to rebuild more than just her home. Disaster is around every corner for Sookie, just another average day for poor Sook.
Thoughts:
Yes, I know. Another Sookie book. I'll branch out soon, I promise. I'm almost done with the series anyway! It's a good one, though. I really enjoyed it (shocker). Harris puts so many balls up in the air that I hardly know when another one's going to come down, let alone what's going to happen. This one had the return of the telepath Barry, who we hadn't seen since "Living Dead in Dallas," and it was interesting to see Sookie deal with another telepath. The reader is treated to more vampire lore, and a few extra bits for the other supernatural areas in Sookie's life too, which definitely helps Harris broaden her fantasy world. It was interesting, too, to see how Harris dealt with the Katrina issue. She didn't go into much detail, but the book did begin with a lot of talk about what had happened to Louisiana vamps thanks to the flooding. To be honest, this is near the top on my list of good books within the series. I will highly recommend this series to anyone who asks. It's a fun series (with no damn sparkly vampires.) with a lot going on, but never too much to handle. Good stuff.
Book 17 of 50
Pages:323
Genre:Mystery plus romance plus vampires equals Sookie!
Grade:A
Would I Recommend?:Once again, this is a read the whole series kind of book. There's too many things wrapped into this series to pick up in the middle.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Catching Fire (Suzanne Collins)
Another special post, since this series is so popular right now!
Summary:
The second in the ridiculously popular Hunger Games series, this episode finds Katniss dealing with the aftermath of her victory at the Games. She has to deal with how she feels about Peeta, her fellow victor, and Gale, the boy she left home while she played up a love story for the Hunger Games cameras. But much more importantly, the country of Panem is reeling after Katniss defied the Capitol with her ending of the Games. There are uprisings threatening in several districts, and President Snow, president of Panem, forces Katniss to play up the romance between herself and Peeta once again during the Victor's Tour. But what happens just before the next Hunger Games sends Katniss into a tailspin, and she's got a whole new set of worries to deal with.
Thoughts:
First things first, I'm trying to not spoil anything from the original book or this one. It's tough, but enough people haven't gotten there that want to read the books. So I'll do my best. Now, I hate how this book ends. It is abrupt and very clearly a ploy to get readers to pick up the next book tomorrow. I despise authors who find the need to do this. If your book is interesting enough, or thrilling or endearing or enjoyable or imaginative enough, people will go get the sequel. Take Evanovich and Rowling for example. There are clearly defined endings with their work. Harry finishes year one. Stephanie brings her big score in and solves the case. In this book, Katniss barely clings to life, and the book ends. There are at least half a dozen major, disgustingly wide open plot holes that have yet to be looked at, let alone sewn up. At least with the original, The Hunger Games, there was a clear finality to the end of the book. This book ends with a shocking declaration. Are you kidding? I digress. I really enjoyed the book. It's thrilling and inventive, and I couldn't put the damn thing down, just like its predecessor. I couldn't wait to see how things played out. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book, and I liked it like that. The writing is good (save the ridiculously abrupt ending) and the characters are well built. But damn, girl. End a book with an ending, not a middle.
Book 26 of 50
Pages: 391, read as an e-book
Genre: Post-apocalyptic teen-lit
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: Yes. Read the first one, because everything in this hinges on what happened in the first book. But yes. It's a great book. Read it.
The second in the ridiculously popular Hunger Games series, this episode finds Katniss dealing with the aftermath of her victory at the Games. She has to deal with how she feels about Peeta, her fellow victor, and Gale, the boy she left home while she played up a love story for the Hunger Games cameras. But much more importantly, the country of Panem is reeling after Katniss defied the Capitol with her ending of the Games. There are uprisings threatening in several districts, and President Snow, president of Panem, forces Katniss to play up the romance between herself and Peeta once again during the Victor's Tour. But what happens just before the next Hunger Games sends Katniss into a tailspin, and she's got a whole new set of worries to deal with.
Thoughts:
First things first, I'm trying to not spoil anything from the original book or this one. It's tough, but enough people haven't gotten there that want to read the books. So I'll do my best. Now, I hate how this book ends. It is abrupt and very clearly a ploy to get readers to pick up the next book tomorrow. I despise authors who find the need to do this. If your book is interesting enough, or thrilling or endearing or enjoyable or imaginative enough, people will go get the sequel. Take Evanovich and Rowling for example. There are clearly defined endings with their work. Harry finishes year one. Stephanie brings her big score in and solves the case. In this book, Katniss barely clings to life, and the book ends. There are at least half a dozen major, disgustingly wide open plot holes that have yet to be looked at, let alone sewn up. At least with the original, The Hunger Games, there was a clear finality to the end of the book. This book ends with a shocking declaration. Are you kidding? I digress. I really enjoyed the book. It's thrilling and inventive, and I couldn't put the damn thing down, just like its predecessor. I couldn't wait to see how things played out. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book, and I liked it like that. The writing is good (save the ridiculously abrupt ending) and the characters are well built. But damn, girl. End a book with an ending, not a middle.
Book 26 of 50
Pages: 391, read as an e-book
Genre: Post-apocalyptic teen-lit
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: Yes. Read the first one, because everything in this hinges on what happened in the first book. But yes. It's a great book. Read it.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Definitely Dead (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Sookie Stackhouse is once again shoved unrepentantly into vampire business. Her cousin, Hadley, who was turned into a vampire a few years previously, was permanently killed, and Sookie was named as her benefactor. Sookie has to now go to New Orleans to get Hadley's affairs in order, and collect any belongings Hadley's left behind. For once, though, Sookie's got something good going for her. She's got a hunky guy drooling over her, and he's not even a vamp! Quinn is a weretiger (think werewolf, only he turns into a tiger instead) that spotted her in the prior book, and they developed an... interesting connection. Add in a witch landlady, a vampire queen demanding help, and Eric and Bill (Sookie's exes) still trying to vie for Sookie's attentions, and there you have the next chapter in Sookie's crazy life.
Thoughts:
I really enjoy this series. Often when I start a book, within the first twenty pages or so, I see how many more pages I have, so I know when things are really going to ramp up, and then finish off. For Harris's page-turners, it easily takes me eighty or more to think about the page check, and then it's usually more to see how far I got and less to see how far I have yet to go. Harris has a way of building characters that you become completely enamored of, and who you wish you'd see more. (Personally, I'm crazy about Eric's character, because he's predictable in his unpredictability. Gotta love that guy!) Sookie's making more of a stand this time around, and trying not to jump straight into another shaky relationship that's based mostly around lust, so she's trying to take it slow with Quinn, a trait I appreciate and admire in not only a fictional character, but in an actual person. Something to note about this particular edition to the Sookie books: It seems there is a short story that comes between the previous book, Dead as a Doornail, and this one. The story of how and why Hadley died is touched on briefly, but I'm fairly positive there is something more than just flashbacks to rely on for the full story. I'll be hunting for it, but I'm not sure if/when I'll find it. Just something to think about. Overall, barring the lack of info about Hadley's early exit, this was another great turn for Sookie, and for Harris.
Book 16 of 50
Pages:324
Genre:Mystery with a side of supernaturality
Grade:B+
Would I Recommend?:Yes, but please read the previous installments before you get here. It'll just be confusing otherwise.
Sookie Stackhouse is once again shoved unrepentantly into vampire business. Her cousin, Hadley, who was turned into a vampire a few years previously, was permanently killed, and Sookie was named as her benefactor. Sookie has to now go to New Orleans to get Hadley's affairs in order, and collect any belongings Hadley's left behind. For once, though, Sookie's got something good going for her. She's got a hunky guy drooling over her, and he's not even a vamp! Quinn is a weretiger (think werewolf, only he turns into a tiger instead) that spotted her in the prior book, and they developed an... interesting connection. Add in a witch landlady, a vampire queen demanding help, and Eric and Bill (Sookie's exes) still trying to vie for Sookie's attentions, and there you have the next chapter in Sookie's crazy life.
Thoughts:
I really enjoy this series. Often when I start a book, within the first twenty pages or so, I see how many more pages I have, so I know when things are really going to ramp up, and then finish off. For Harris's page-turners, it easily takes me eighty or more to think about the page check, and then it's usually more to see how far I got and less to see how far I have yet to go. Harris has a way of building characters that you become completely enamored of, and who you wish you'd see more. (Personally, I'm crazy about Eric's character, because he's predictable in his unpredictability. Gotta love that guy!) Sookie's making more of a stand this time around, and trying not to jump straight into another shaky relationship that's based mostly around lust, so she's trying to take it slow with Quinn, a trait I appreciate and admire in not only a fictional character, but in an actual person. Something to note about this particular edition to the Sookie books: It seems there is a short story that comes between the previous book, Dead as a Doornail, and this one. The story of how and why Hadley died is touched on briefly, but I'm fairly positive there is something more than just flashbacks to rely on for the full story. I'll be hunting for it, but I'm not sure if/when I'll find it. Just something to think about. Overall, barring the lack of info about Hadley's early exit, this was another great turn for Sookie, and for Harris.
Book 16 of 50
Pages:324
Genre:Mystery with a side of supernaturality
Grade:B+
Would I Recommend?:Yes, but please read the previous installments before you get here. It'll just be confusing otherwise.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Six Geese A-Slaying (Donna Andrews)
Summary:
Yet another Donna Andrews mystery featuring Meg Langslow. This one is set at the most magical time of the year, the Christmas season. It's two days from Christmas, and Meg is in charge of Caerphilly's Holiday Parade. The trouble is, Santa gets offed within thirty minutes of his arrival. Whoops. Of course, Meg's got to hunt down the killer and save Christmas.
Thoughts:
The goose motif throughout was quite amusing. Andrews always throws the fowl named in the title into the storyline of the particular book, and this time was no different. And of course, along with the geese, there comes ridiculousness and hilarity that accompany Meg's family anywhere and everywhere. I enjoyed this one as always. The reasons behind the murder were not as obvious as they've been previously, and I was glad to see that drama stemming from Meg being unmarried is now gone, as she and Michael have happily gotten that out of the way. Unfortunately for Meg, now she's got to contend with the "when are the kids coming?" questions that old married always seem to need to ask the nearest newlyweds. Poor girl, I know how you feel, far more than I'd like. As usual for Ms. Andrews, this is yet another splendid turn for Meg and company.
Book 15 of 50
Pages: 288
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Sure. There aren't nearly as many callbacks to previous books as there are in other series, so this one would be an okay choice to pick up in the middle. Great for Christmas reading (or maybe even a little Christmas in July?)
Yet another Donna Andrews mystery featuring Meg Langslow. This one is set at the most magical time of the year, the Christmas season. It's two days from Christmas, and Meg is in charge of Caerphilly's Holiday Parade. The trouble is, Santa gets offed within thirty minutes of his arrival. Whoops. Of course, Meg's got to hunt down the killer and save Christmas.
Thoughts:
The goose motif throughout was quite amusing. Andrews always throws the fowl named in the title into the storyline of the particular book, and this time was no different. And of course, along with the geese, there comes ridiculousness and hilarity that accompany Meg's family anywhere and everywhere. I enjoyed this one as always. The reasons behind the murder were not as obvious as they've been previously, and I was glad to see that drama stemming from Meg being unmarried is now gone, as she and Michael have happily gotten that out of the way. Unfortunately for Meg, now she's got to contend with the "when are the kids coming?" questions that old married always seem to need to ask the nearest newlyweds. Poor girl, I know how you feel, far more than I'd like. As usual for Ms. Andrews, this is yet another splendid turn for Meg and company.
Book 15 of 50
Pages: 288
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Sure. There aren't nearly as many callbacks to previous books as there are in other series, so this one would be an okay choice to pick up in the middle. Great for Christmas reading (or maybe even a little Christmas in July?)
Sunday, April 15, 2012
A Touch of Greek (Tina Folsom)
Summary:
Triton is a philandering minor God, sprung from Olympus with spectacular good looks, a smokin' hot bod, and the arrogance to go with it. He can and will sleep with anything with breath and boobs. He even beds Zeus's current mistress, which leads to all kinds of trouble. His punishment, he is banished to the mortal world and must find a woman who will fall in love with him, not for his good looks, but his selflessness and kindness. Triton's in deep crap. Sophia's aunt, who raised her and her cousin Michael, has just passed away, and she is the sole benefactor of her aunt's will, thanks to Michael's conniving, cheating, stealing ways. She's trying to refurbish the house and turn it into a bed and breakfast, so that she won't be swept away by the taxes on her inheritance, and Michael's doing everything to stop it, and take what he believes he's owed. An unfortunate accident leaves Sophia nearly blind, and facing hardship upon hardship when Triton comes to her, ready to help and gain her love. Little do they both know, there's all kinds of peril waiting for them at every turn.
Thoughts:
Really good. It's absolutely classic romance novel formula, of course. But the writing is good, and the details are interesting. I was rooting for them both the whole way through, even if I did know what was going to happen in the end. The writing was good enough that you can ignore the "holy crap, so predictable" and move on to the "aww, what are they going to do next" of it all. I can't say it's the best I've ever read, but it's definitely not the worst. Added bonus is the Greek mythology angle, which will usually hook me right off. It does get fairly racy, and Triton often (especially at the beginning) can't stop thinking about his (ahem) trident. (Har har.) But it's not so much to be off-putting. There's more books in the series, though it apparently focuses on Dionysus not Triton, but I'll probably check it out anyway. I read this one on the Kindle, but it is also available in hard copy.
Book 14 of 50
Pages:221 according to Kindle (the last 5-10 pages were a "sneak peak"), 228 according to Amazon's page
Genre:romance, with a touch of Greek mythology
Grade:B+
Would I Recommend?:Sure, it's a fun romp in the hay.
Triton is a philandering minor God, sprung from Olympus with spectacular good looks, a smokin' hot bod, and the arrogance to go with it. He can and will sleep with anything with breath and boobs. He even beds Zeus's current mistress, which leads to all kinds of trouble. His punishment, he is banished to the mortal world and must find a woman who will fall in love with him, not for his good looks, but his selflessness and kindness. Triton's in deep crap. Sophia's aunt, who raised her and her cousin Michael, has just passed away, and she is the sole benefactor of her aunt's will, thanks to Michael's conniving, cheating, stealing ways. She's trying to refurbish the house and turn it into a bed and breakfast, so that she won't be swept away by the taxes on her inheritance, and Michael's doing everything to stop it, and take what he believes he's owed. An unfortunate accident leaves Sophia nearly blind, and facing hardship upon hardship when Triton comes to her, ready to help and gain her love. Little do they both know, there's all kinds of peril waiting for them at every turn.
Thoughts:
Really good. It's absolutely classic romance novel formula, of course. But the writing is good, and the details are interesting. I was rooting for them both the whole way through, even if I did know what was going to happen in the end. The writing was good enough that you can ignore the "holy crap, so predictable" and move on to the "aww, what are they going to do next" of it all. I can't say it's the best I've ever read, but it's definitely not the worst. Added bonus is the Greek mythology angle, which will usually hook me right off. It does get fairly racy, and Triton often (especially at the beginning) can't stop thinking about his (ahem) trident. (Har har.) But it's not so much to be off-putting. There's more books in the series, though it apparently focuses on Dionysus not Triton, but I'll probably check it out anyway. I read this one on the Kindle, but it is also available in hard copy.
Book 14 of 50
Pages:221 according to Kindle (the last 5-10 pages were a "sneak peak"), 228 according to Amazon's page
Genre:romance, with a touch of Greek mythology
Grade:B+
Would I Recommend?:Sure, it's a fun romp in the hay.
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