… On Vander: The Magnificent Tool

Four Nights with the Duke or is it Vander & His Magnificent Tool? (Vander: The Magnificent Tool?) I haven't made up my mind about him yet, but there is no question that this Duke is a tool.

This romance begins as fifteen year-old Mia eavesdrops on fifteen year old Vander and his best friend Thorn (from Three Weeks with Lady X) as they read a romantic poem she secretly wrote about her love for Vander. The two boys are joined by a school mate nicknamed Rotter and the three proceed to destroy the poem by finding sexual innuendos where she meant none, i.e., "moonbeam" = Vander's tool. The boys also act like fifteen year-old idiots and make personal comments about Mia's body parts -- focusing on the size of her breasts. Mia is brave enough to confront them, but as a result becomes totally self-conscious about her looks.

Years later, Mia, now a successful author writing under a pen name, finds herself in a terrible situation and blackmails Vander into marrying her. When confronted by blackmail, Vander reverts to being a tool by opening his breeches and exposing his magnificence to Mia in the hopes of scaring her off.

This man is a Duke? Supposedly. Vander is convinced that because Mia wrote that poem when they were 15, she is still a spinster and blackmailing him because she must be in love and hot to bed him. The arrogant idiot has no choice but to marry Mia, but doesn't even bother to read a letter she writes for him enumerating the conditions of marriage because: "a wife must do as the husband dictates." And, he comes up with the foolish idea that he will allot four times a year to bed her, but first Mia will have to beg him. Shenanigans, tool usage, and the eating of crow by both parties ensue.

The style used by Eloisa James to develop this story, as well as the type of male protagonist, reminded a lot of Three Weeks with Lady X. Yes, Vander is a Duke but he's very rough around the edges and no gentleman. That is proven by his on and off mean attitude, over-the-top lusty behavior (he's a walking erection for most the story) and appalling lack of manners in his dealings with Mia. Mia is a Lady. Never mind that her father was Vander's mother's lover. It is understandable that Vander gets upset over getting blackmailed, and that he resented Mia's father all those years on his father's behalf. But, really? How old is this man?

Mia. I did not understand how a woman who spent years becoming independent by writing her own books, and is spunky enough to take care of her disabled nephew against her uncle's wishes, spends so much time worrying about having big breasts or wishing she were tall and "willowy." Someone please tell if I am wrong, but if I remember correctly during those times shorter women with curves were considered beauties, not "tall, willowy women."  Maybe when Mia was a 15 year old she did not realize this, but as an adult she did not know this?

So what did I like about this book? I loved a couple of the secondary characters and the interactions between them and both Mia and Vander. I particularly loved Vander's drunken Uncle Chancy who stole every scene where he appeared.

This romance has some good sections with humor, but frankly, toward the end I was just tired. I usually love James' writing style, her over-the-top characters, romps and romances. Unfortunately for me, I never stopped seeing Vander as an egotistical fool. So, Four Nights with a Duke was definitely not a personal favorite. Grade C or 3 stars at Goodreads.
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NOTE: I wrote this review a while back (last year after reading the book) and never posted it, I decided it was time. Oh, and I made up my mind about the alternate tile…

Margaret Atwood | MaddAddam Trilogy

Joining Ames in her 30 Day Blog Challenge, hoping that I can make it so I can get back on the blogging groove.  No excuses, I just need to get back on the blogging horse.



To begin, I'm posting three mini-reviews for Margaret Atwood's MaddAddam Trilogy. I read these books back in February. Luckily, although my blogging has been more than negligent this year, I've kept up the habit of writing notes as I read. The following minis are choppy at best, but will give you a general idea about the trilogy without giving away too many details or spoilers.

Oryx and Crake (MaddAddam, Book 1)

Interesting social SFF. Dystopian world as seen from a male character's perspective. Themes include: Big pharma, Big Corp, gene tampering, an overpopulated earth with declining resources, debauchery, and humanity at its worst, all presented on an overblown scale. All of the above lead to a sort of apocalypse driven by a man's vision of a Utopian future in an earth populated by genetically engineered humans.

All three main characters, Jimmy/Snowman, Crake, and Oryx, are unsympathetic. Crake is portrayed as a narcissistic, Machiavellian genius. Oryx is sly, with a history that could have made an impact. Yet, in the end, her portrayal comes off as vaguely superficial. And Jimmy, our narrator, is the dupe. Jimmy is portrayed as an overgrown child, pouting, whining, and avoiding responsibility and the truth throughout much of his life until he is left with no choices.

Flashbacks are utilized between present (post apocalyptic) and past events leading to the inevitable conclusion. Atwood emphasizes genetic engineering (human, fauna, and flora), as well as man-made drugs, pharmaceuticals, in this book, and in the trilogy as a whole. So, science plays a big role. Pacing is uneven with long slow sections mixed with action, interesting world-building, and an ambiguous ending.

I picked up the 2nd book, The Year of The Flood immediately after finishing this one to find out what may or may not happen to the narrator and main character Jimmy/Snowman, and the genetically engineered Children of Crake. 3.75 or B-

The Year of the Flood (MaddAddam, Book 2)

The Year of the Flood parallels the plotting found in Oryx and Crake from a different perspective. This time from a female point of view, utilizing two different narrators. Atwood again uses the flashback device to complete this side of the story and introduces new characters while including the already introduced Jimmy/Snowman and Crake, expanding the reader's knowledge of events and this world.

Slow pacing plagues this second book, as well as long sections of preaching about the evils of consumerism, control of the masses by Big Corp, manipulation by pharmaceutical companies, and the over consumption of natural resources by humanity as a whole. All this is presented to the reader through the narrators who are part of, and explore the philosophy and prophesies of a "green" cult / religion called God's Gardeners.

Events do move forward and some answers left dangling in Oryx and Crake are answered. Some characters such as Toby and Zeb, as well as Amanda, keep the reader going. There are beautiful sections in this very "green" volume, as well as some extremely violent ones. The pre-apocalyptic world is dystopian and as such it is not pretty or sanitized. Unfortunately for me, there is not much more to be said about Jimmy/Snowman at this point.

The reader is pretty much beat over the head with a hammer with the main themes. Atwood's writing style is accessible, so even though this is a long book with slow sections, it is not a dense read. Quite the opposite.

After finishing this book I went on to find out if Atwood finally addressed the after effects of the apocalypse by reading MaddAddam, the last book of the trilogy. 3.0 or C

MaddAddam (MaddAddam, Book 3)

Zeb's pre-apocalyptic story, his perspective as well as a few others, are utilized in MaddAddam. His journey also parallels some of the other story lines found in books 1 and 2 of the trilogy, and in this last book, flashbacks to pre-apocalyptic times serve to complete the world-building, as well as to tie up loose ends left over from Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood.

In MaddAddam there is hope, as what is left of human civilization begins adapting to the new world. All begins anew. The rest are the details of how the survivors, along with the Children of Crake, get there.

How do they get there? Well you'll find romance, violence, rape, harsh and deadly journeys, as well as a battle with Pigs as allies. There is humor, blue dick jokes, and a couple of psychopaths that wouldn't die! But, the main theme is survival through adaptation. Humanity's ability to go forward, live, love, protect, teach, learn. Survive.

The end is neither the garden of Eden found in the God's Gardeners' prophesies nor the Utopia planned by the nihilistic Crake. What's man's future? Answer: ? 4.0 or B

Update, Brown-Eyed Girl by Lisa Kleypas, Him by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

I've been away for a couple of months on an unscheduled hiatus due to more changes taking place in my life, good ones this time. In September, I gave notice at my old job and that triggered a super busy time for me since I had clean-up to do before leaving, causing other concerns and stress factors. Then, at the beginning of October, my new job began at a new law firm and that has thrown my whole schedule off kilter. I am adjusting, but it all takes a bit of time. Additionally, October was a month of personal anniversaries that I needed to get through. I did just that with help from family and friends.

READING UPDATE: My August reading was prolific compared to other months in 2015. My favorite books were Ru by Kim Thúy and Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. In September my reading took a dip again but I still managed to read more than a few books, with From the Ashes and Bloodlines (Boystown #6 & #7) by Marshall Thornton making it to the top of my list. And, as expected, October was not a great reading month. I read 2.5 books during the last days of the month with Persuasion by Jane Austen, a highly enjoyable reread, as the sure favorite.

I am going to begin again by posting short reviews for two books I read in August. I will continue by posting reviews of my latest reads and impressions of selected books read within the past few months.
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Brown-Eyed Girl (Travis Family #4) by Lisa Kleypas

Brow-Eyed Girl ties up the Travis family saga with Joe Travis as the romantic hero, however, the main focus is the heroine Avery Crosslin from whose first point of view perspective the novel is narrated.

Avery carries baggage affecting her as an adult. In her case, its neglectful parents and a traumatic experience with an ex-fiance. Add those negative experiences and the result is a woman who no longer believes in love and has zero interest in developing relationships with men. Avery is a woman in hiding. She hides her curves behind unfashionably large clothing and avoids men by turning them down flat. No problem, right? Well, not when it comes to Joe Travis.

Avery runs a successful wedding-planning business and meets Joe Travis at a wedding for wealthy clients. Outwardly, Joe seems to be an easygoing man whose purpose is to live a "normal" happy life without the excess the inherited Travis fortune affords him. Whatever it is about Avery that strikes Joe's fancy, whether it is her physical appearance or personality (we don't really know), Joe is relentless in his pursuit. Joe is understated in his pursuit, but it is understood that he is used to getting what he wants. Avery plays a game of dodge until they end up having an affair. Joe does not seem conflicted about his feelings, however, while Avery begins to fall for Joe, her reluctance to commit to a serious relationship becomes the main conflict between them.

I read Brown-Eyed Girl when it first released and enjoyed reading it. As a light contemporary romance, the book works, and as such I recommend it. I was able to understand Avery's cautious stand to a certain degree, while liking Joe for his easy going, loving understanding, and subtle but relentless pursuit. The secondary romance, involving Avery's half-sister and business partner Sophia, is definitely a plus to this contemporary romance as it provides tension and some lovely romantic drama.

Unfortunately, as part of the Travis family series, Brown-Eyed Girl is a much lighter read. It lacks the impact, emotional depth, and memorable characterization Kleypas achieved with Sugar Daddy and Blue-Eyed Devil.

Him by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

How do I say this? I could just say I loved, loved this book, but know more must be said. Him is fun, cute, sexy, and romantic. It is one of my favorite reads of the year. A sports-related gay romance that provides just enough hockey details for fans, but does not overwhelm readers who do not follow the game.

Wes and Jamie met as boys at hockey camp and became best friends. A homosexual encounter during their last summer at camp results in estrangement and hurt feelings. They meet again as college seniors as opponents on the ice. The rest is one of those unforgettable "friends to lovers" romances filled with memorable characters, amusing situations, plausible conflicts, and sexual tension along with sexy and romantic moments.

Bowen and Kennedy collaborated to create this New Adult gay romance and, in my opinion, created two beautiful characters. However, because there are two writers involved format and dialog must be considered. In Him, the alternating chapter format works, as it avoids that confusing head hopping style I so dislike. As a result, the characters' voices and personalities are distinctive, and thoughts and emotions are clearly conveyed to the reader. Wes and Jamie are portrayed as neither too young nor too old for their age. Culturally, they fit right in with young men within their age group. The secondary characters make a positive impact, however, because this romance is written from the first point of view perspective of the two main characters, the focus is firmly maintained on Wes and Jamie, as well as on the emotional changes taking place in the friends to lovers relationship. Highly recommended.

Contemporary Minis: Kelly Moran, Delores Fossen, Nicole Michaels, Barbara White Daille

I read quite a few contemporary romances in August, seven of them are books acquired by Nath during the RWA 2015 conference and gifted to me. Nath went so far as to have a few authors sign those books! From this batch, the only signed book I possess is Start Me Up by Nicole Michaels, which says "Enjoy Uncle Mike." I did. Additionally, I purchased A Lawman's Justice by Delores Fossen after having read Surrendering to the Sheriff, another gift from Nath.

Last, but not least, I DNF'd one book from that batch, a Harlequin American Romance, The Bull Rider's Son by Cathy McDavid, which unfortunately did not work for me at all due to not one, but three 'secret pregnancies,' one that caused an almost irreparable rift in a family, another one swept under the carpet by the hero as if it was so much fluff and the right thing to do, and the third by the heroine of the piece, a woman who did not learn anything from her mother's mistakes. A myriad of lies are told by supposed adults within the first few chapters and insta-lust takes place in the first couple of paragraphs. DNF.

Now to my reads. Listed from most to least enjoyable.

Return to Me (Covington Cove #1) by Kelly Moran (Berkley, 2015) 

Return to Me is a second chance at love romance. Moran weaves a story through the past memories and present circumstances of a couple who met while they were young adults and fell in love, only to have that love end in lies, betrayals, and tragedy. The present also begins under sad circumstances as Cole Covington comes home from Afghanistan suffering from injuries, PTSD, and riddled with guilt about the past. Mia Galdon, now a nurse, is roped by his sister into helping with his recovery.

Set in the South with modern, politically involved, wealthy society taking its toll on the help. Rich kid falls in love with the help's daughter, unscrupulous mom disapproves, and it all ends in tragedy for everyone.

This is a bittersweet romance with many conflicts to resolve before the happy ending is reached. Cole? Cole is a damaged hero in love, and I admit that those types of heroes always make me swoon a little. Mia, on the other hand, has serious responsibilities in her life that may or may not interfere with her love life -- she has sole custody of a younger sister with down syndrome. Mia loves wholeheartedly, but understandably those responsibilities hold priority. In the present, some of the same obstacles from the past still hold sway, and as adults Cole and Mia must make tough decisions. I like that when the time comes, Cole is an adult about making those decisions and although Mia takes the tough road, she makes the right decision for her. I enjoyed the main characters and romance, as well as the secondary characters in Return to Me. I plan to read Kelly Moran's second installment in her Covington Cove series, All of Me. Recommended.

A Lawman's Justice (Sweetwater Ranch #8) by Delores Fossen (Harlequin, Intrigue, 2015) 

The conclusion to a highly dramatic Harlequin Intrigue romance series by Delores Fossen, A Lawman's Justice was both predictable and entertaining. I only read the installment released right before this one, Surrendering to the Sheriff, and was able to catch up with the overall story arc without a problem.

In this installment FBI Special Agent Seth Calder, Jewell's beloved stepson and Whitt Braddock's youngest daughter, relentless journalist Shelby Braddock, the woman responsible for uncovering the evidence that placed Jewell behind bars, finally collide in an investigation that threatens both their lives. The investigation throws  them together and ignites passion where before there had only been hostility and a mild attraction. Eventually their combined investigation leads to the truth behind Whitt Braddock's death and answers to the question of Jewell's guilt. High family drama ensues!!

Like the last installment, A Lawman's Justice is filled with action, a high body count, shootouts, and more than enough family drama. Although, truthfully, the only 'laugh-out-loud' moment related to the drama came when I read the word "amnesia," (Oh noes!!) yes, this lived up to my expectations of the soap-opera style writing style I expected. It had the over-the-top ending and intricate family relationships I was looking for, as well as hidden agendas and dramatic revelations. If you are a fan of this sort of "intrigue," this series is for you. I certainly enjoyed the last two installments. (Tongue-in-cheek: I was disappointed that the evil twin-sister device was not used). Recommended.

Start Me Up (Hearts and Crafts #1) by Nicole Michaels (St. Martin's Press, 2015)

Anne Edmund is a Do-It-Yourself single mother. She has a well-known successful crafty 'mommy blog' with two girlfriends as contributors. Anne is confident when it comes to craft projects, work, and life with her daughter, but not when it comes to herself or relationships with men. That becomes more than abundantly clear when she meets her daughter's best friend's uncle, the drool worthy Uncle Mike. Mike Everett owns a car body shop where he restores classic cars for collectors and wealthy clients. He is a contented single man with no plans to get involved with a woman for more than a one-night stand or a single date until he meets the gorgeous Anne.

When I read a romance, the female protagonist usually makes or breaks the romance for me. In this case, Anne has left over baggage from the breakup of her marriage. It left her feeling insecure about her looks and paranoid about the time she devoted to her blog. As a result, she continually obsesses about her lack of beauty, avoid and later lies about her blog to Mike. Additionally, Mike is younger than Anne by about three years, and this fact also makes her feel insecure about younger women, particularly since he is such a good looking man. Anne is a woman with curves, and the personal insecurity about her looks is of course baseless, since Mike, other men, and her friends find her gorgeous -- they tell her and show her throughout the story. This sort of personal insecurity may be understandable as not everyone is self-confident about their looks or sees themselves as others see them. Anne, however, uses her insecurity as a shield to avoid making a commitment to Mike almost to the very end. This drove me nuts!

Mike, on the other hand, falls for Anne like a teenager in love for the first time, and this side of the romance is worth reading. However, I found this to be an unbalanced romance. Anne just takes too long to trust Mike with her real self and I don't even know if in the future she won't allow her personal insecurities to interfere with the relationship. Mike will have to do a lot of hard work to keep this going.  Overall though, there are other aspects of the novel that makes Start Me Up a cute contemporary romance. It is a nice, light, fluffy read, and I loved "Uncle Mike." Recommended with caveats.

A Rancher of Her Own by Barbara White Daille (Harlequin, American Romance, 2015)

This western contemporary romance has the word "city slicker" in the summary when referring to the heroine. That turned me off right there. However, I went ahead and began to read it anyway. Unfortunately, that darn little phrase turns up all over the place throughout the story until it became thoroughly annoying. If you are a seasoned romance reader, just by that little phrase you may already have an idea about the content of this book.

Pete Brannigan is ordered by his boss to play tour guide to his granddaughter, photographer and 'city slicker,' Jane Garland while she photographs the family home turned Inn for a new website. He lusts after her but resents it because his ex-wife abandoned him and his two children for a life in the city. Eventually he falls in love with her but won't trust her with his heart or his children. Jane lusts after Pete as well, gets involved with his children despite his repeated warnings not to do so, but still wants her life in the city anyway. Pete's little girl ends up getting hurt by everyone: her selfish mother, fearful father, and Jane who abandons her just like her mother did when she returns to her life in the city. Grandpa who began it all by playing matchmaker worries these two people will never get together. They do despite the obstacles. This romance has its moments. I enjoyed the ranch house atmosphere and intimate family portrayal more so than the actual 'romance.' Not for me.

Contemporary Minis: The Liar, Anticipation, The Deal, Mimosa Grove & Longmire

It has been a while since I've been able to enjoy contemporary romance. But lately I've been able to finish reading a few of them. I'm highlighting the most current releases by posting minis, but I also read a few others:

•  After the Night by Linda Howard, an old school romance with one of those brutally hot alpha heroes that always makes me question why I enjoy books like these when in reality I wouldn't give a man like that a micro second of my precious time -- sizzling, sexy hot or not. I believe I read this book a long time ago because I seem to remember the hero, but could not remember the details. Kill & Tell (CIA #1) another romance by Linda Howard, this one with a suspense and a romance with a too short timeline. I love Howard's writing style and this book was good enough with a fantastic New Orleans setting. Both of these books were solid reads for me despite niggles and doubts about my personal taste when it comes to a few, select, fictional asshat alpha heroes. 
• I also read The Wanderer by Robyn Carr (Thunder Point #1) and really enjoyed it. It had a different flavor from Carr's Virgin River series. The over-the-top angst and drama was missing but it kept the close community atmosphere and friendships that I enjoy in her stories. I liked her main romantic couple and even as their romance had a happily for now, rushed feeling at the end, The Wanderer was another solid contemporary read for me. 

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE & SUSPENSE READS:

Last weekend I also read Nora Roberts' latest romance suspense, The Liar. Ms. Roberts' last two romantic suspense books did not make my favorite list, Whiskey Beach was an average read for me and I did not finish The Collector, so my expectations of The Liar were not great. Perhaps that is the reason I liked this book or it may be that I just fell in love with the extremely likable main characters -- 24 year old, recently widowed Shelby, her adorable little girl Callie, and the gorgeous Griffin -- and enjoyed the romance as well as the Shelby's journey.

The Liar has a Southern small town contemporary romance atmosphere as it is set in the mountains of Tennessee. To help this along, there are multiple secondary characters including Shelby's family, close friends, and townspeople, all of whom play a part in Shelby's troubled homecoming. Griffin is a magnificent male protagonist, passionate, sweet, and in love with Shelby. But I adore him for falling in love with Shelby's daughter Callie and taking her out on pizza and ice cream dates. Sweet! My favorite aspect of Shelby's character is her journey back after having been married to a narcissistic man whose psychological abuse during the marriage devastated her self-esteem. Unlike Abba from Whiskey Beach, Shelby is not an over-the-top perfect character and Griffin is portrayed as an honest, loving, down to earth man whose love and patience is exactly what Shelby and her daughter need in their lives. Despite the predictability found in the suspense with its black and white, unredeemable villain(s), the romance is just right. For the romance reader/lover in me that was enough to make The Liar an enjoyable read.

Next I read a book by another favorite author, Sarah Mayberry. I'm a fan of Mayberry's contemporary romances, and although I haven't read all her books, the majority are in my Kindle. That includes her self-published romances. I was really looking forward to reading Anticipation (Brothers Ink #2) because the trope used here is friends-to-lovers, a favorite. Blue and Eddie have been best friends for years! And Blue has been loving and yearning for sexy Eddie all that time, so it seemed to me that this was going to be a fantastic read filled with sexual tension and emotion. Mayberry has done this before, and she can do it so well! My expectations were high, high, high.

The chemistry between Blue and Eddie is fantastic and there are great moments between them along the way. I particularly enjoyed the friendly banter between Blue and Eddie as old friends. Mayberry can write excellent dialogue, banter, give and take (whatever you want to call it) and Anticipation has it in spades. However, once the great sex is placed aside and romance alone becomes the focus, there are not enough true adult interactions for my taste. For example: Blue and Eddie are supposed to be old friends, yet the lack of trust and real, meaningful conversations are missing from the picture. That scenario goes on for too long, almost to the end, until Anticipation lost all emotional and sexual tension for me and just became a frustrating read. It may be that my expectations were too high. Still this is an average romance from a favorite author whose next contemporary romance I look forward to reading.

Last month Mariana convinced me to read my first New Adult contemporary romance, The Deal by Elle Kennedy and overall it was a good reading experience. Kennedy definitely has a hit with college romance between a jock and a music major. The story struck me as being very up to the moment. While Kennedy addresses subject matters such as date rape and/or parental psychological and physical abuse, she also maintains a fun, sexy style throughout the story that makes The Deal a truly enjoyable read without the expected gloom and doom. As expected from a hormone driven couple of this age, sex scenes abound throughout this story. I personally couldn't help but think, 'what about them grades kiddos?' Somehow time stretches and this couple manages to do it all with gusto. The Deal was a surprisingly light, fun read for me and I already added the next installment of the series, The Mistake, to my Kindle.

I believe Mimosa Grove is my first read by Sharon Sala. Nath has recommended this author at her blog so I decided to give the author a try. Mimosa Grove goes from the rather cold setting in Washington DC to the hot, humid, sexually charged atmosphere of the Louisiana bayou. Sala's heroine Laurel is a psychic. At night, in her dreams, Laurel enjoys hot, passionate sex with an unknown man. During the day she deals with a high profile, skeptic father and a Washington DC society that does not believe in her psychic abilities. Just in time, Laurel inherits her grandmother's home, Mimosa Grove, in Louisiana and she escapes from a hostile environment to a place where her abilities as a psychic are not just accepted but wholly embraced. At Mimosa Grove Laurel also meets Justin Bouvier, the man of her dreams in the flesh.  Laurel and Justin quickly embark on a hot love affair but before everything is said and done they will have to confront death, a killer, and uncover a secret that spans centuries.

Mimosa Grove is a romance suspense riddled with predictable situations. The female psychic possesses some seriously powerful mojo that I found to be perfectly flawless -- Laurel is always right and can do everything from experiencing/seeing/channeling past, present and future events, to feeling, seeing and speaking to ghosts. Additionally, conflict between the romantic couple is non-existent. All seems to be hearts and roses from beginning to end as Sala utilizes the sexually charged dream sequences as a devise to accelerate acceptance of intimacy and the bonding process between the couple. Still, I enjoyed the Louisiana bayou as the setting and the likable protagonists. I would like to read another book by Sala, so if anyone has a book recommendation it would be greatly appreciated. :)

TELEVISION & BOOKS:

Very rarely do I blog about television programming. But, damn it one of my favorite television programs was cancelled and I need to rant just a little bit about it.

A&E (which supposedly stands for Arts & Literature television) cancelled the Longmire television series. Mind you, Longmire was A&E's highest rated program to date. So why did they cancel it? Apparently the bulk of the viewer audience for the program does not fall within the coveted ages of 18 and 49. Ageist much? The next season, however, has been picked up by Netflix. That is the good news for viewers interested in following up with the program's events after the end of last season's massive cliffhanger! Unfortunately, it seems as if this option may not be available to European fans. They way I see it though, it is A&E's loss.

Fortunately for me and the rest of Walt Longmire fans, Craig Johnson's mystery series is extremely popular and the books, which have much better content than the television program, are always available. As a matter of fact, the 11th installment of this fantastic mystery series, Dry Bones: A Walt Longmire Mystery, just released on May 12, 2015.

If you are new to the book series you need to know a few things about it. Each book contains a different and fabulous mystery. There is also an ongoing personal narrative involving Walt and all the characters that begins with the first book, The Cold Dish. My recommendation is that the books be read in order as characterization and the human factor are so important to the success of this mystery series.

Update + South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami

Wow, it has been a whole week since I posted. Let's dust off my little blog.

I read up a storm during the month of April (25 books), but only reviewed one book. This is what happened. First, I basically spent every single minute of my spare time reading instead of blogging. Second, I joined Scribd two months ago and took advantage of my first free month and first month and decided to become a paid subscriber ($8.99 per month). Needless to say I went nuts reading backlist books and/or old releases, or complete series I've been wanting to get to. Hmm... in some cases, I already have the print books (some are on my Kindle too) but it just became a matter of choosing a more accessible format -- ebook or audiobook. Anyway, I continued with the self-indulgent binge reading that I began in March by reading what I want to read when I want to read it regardless of release date, genre, etc. The good news for me is that I am again reading, and enjoying, a little bit of everything! ROMANCE (Yay!), LGBT (Hurray!), Sci-Fi (Fireworks!), Fiction, and more…

South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami (Naxos Audiobooks, narrated by Eric Loren)

I began the month by listening to the audio book South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami. This was my second audio experience, and my first in a long time. I enjoyed the narration and was able to get lost in the story without getting pulled out or bored by his voice. The plot is another matter as I did not find it exceedingly fascinating. My ongoing lack of excitement had much to do with Murakami's main characters, particularly the male character's passive inaction and the female protagonist's almost ghostly essence, or better yet Murakami's attempt to make her a mystery goes so far until, in my estimation, she becomes a non-entity and nothing more than a vehicle for the male character's ponderings.

Murakami's main character, Hajime, is a man who allows life to happen. Hajime is in an almost constant state of emotional stagnation for most of his life. He is seldom proactive, forward momentum is missing. Hajime is aware of the disconnect that occurs between his thought process and the lack of action that permeates his life. The man marries, has children, and becomes moderately successful because his father-in-law provides him with the means to do so. He seems content with his life, although there is a sort of awareness on his part, a certain resentment, but again what is there to do but go on and succeed as best he can?

Since Hajime is both emotionally stagnant and disconnected, the majority of his interpersonal and personal relationships lack intimacy. However, this man has also been obsessed (note that I did not say emotionally involved) with Shimamoto, a young girl with a lame foot, since he was a boy. At that point in his life Hajime felt a connection with her yet when his family moved away to a nearby neighborhood he allowed the friendship to die. He proceeds to obsess about this "perceived connection" with Shimamoto throughout long years, using it as a pretext to sabotage all other relationships but never seeking her out.

A reunion takes place between Hajime and Shimamoto when she shows up at his jazz club later on in his life. By that time he is married with children, however that doesn't stop him from lying to his wife and risking everything in order to grasp that old and longed-for perceived connection. Shimamoto has lived and is supposedly living some sort of complicated life that the reader never gets a handle on, and first becomes too overtly coy and mysterious about her life, while later turning into the sort of foggy Japanese female whose essence as a character is rooted in unknown tragedy.

Overall, I found South of the Border, West of the Sun to be a highly atmospheric story, moody, with lots of rain, inner philosophical monologues about life and the complexities of human connections. This passive journey of a man without a true destination has some beautiful passages with music that becomes part of the atmosphere: classical, jazz, and old standard titles that can almost be heard on the background. For me, this was a taste of Murakami's work, but I will move on to read (or listen) to his better known works.

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Coming up next: My Patricia Briggs reading binge continued in April with the complete Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series.

Update + Three Weeks with Lady X by Eloisa James

I finally picked up my precious computer from the Apple store today! I've been so busy there was no time to get it. There wasn't much wrong with it, thank goodness, but it is now working like new. In the meantime I've been enjoying a few favorite movies -- The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies & The Lord of The Rings Trilogy -- and the A&E production of Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth! And of course, I am waiting breathlessly for the second season of Outlander to begin.

I've also been catching up with some reading. I finished Dreamer's Pool by Juliette Marillier (upcoming review) and I picked up The Rake by Mary Jo Putney just to find out if the reread would help get me back on the historical romance horse. I am happy to report that it did!

I read Three Weeks with Lady X (Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers #1) and Four Nights with the Duke (Desperate Duchesses #8) by Eloisa James consecutively and basically in one sitting each! That hasn't happened for me in a long while.

My reactions to Eloisa James' historical romances are usually mixed -- I either love them or they don't work for me. Once in a while, however, those feelings get all tangled up in one book. I love sections of a book while other sections don't quite work. That's what happened to me with Three Weeks with Lady X.

Let's see. I loved the first half of Three Weeks with Lady X where the relationship between the protagonists and background exploration begin. The Duke of Villiers' eldest bastard son Juby/Tobias, now calling himself Thorn, hires Lady Xenobia India St. Clair to refurbish and redecorate a newly purchased country estate to impress his intended bride's mother. During this first section of the book, it quickly becomes evident that Thorn is a vastly wealthy but crass man whose years as a mudlark had a deeper influence on his character than his later education among aristocrats. He is an extremely successful as well as an acutely intelligent businessman and inventor, but his ideal wife material is a young woman known throughout society as a 'simpleton,' a woman he chose for her sweet character and love of children.

India, our female protagonist, is far from 'sweet.' She is the orphaned daughter of a Marquees, left without a dowry when her parents died. India, however, didn't sit around waiting for a husband to save her from destitution, instead she earned her own dowry by reorganizing and redecorating households for the aristocracy. Additionally, although she has had multiple marriage proposals, India will not choose a husband or marry until she is ready.

Upon meeting, Thorn and India develop a type of prickly relationship that leads to heated and amusing exchanges, quickly evolving into the sort of friendship that includes physical contact. It concludes with India lying about her virginity and giving herself, without second thought, to Thorn in a heated, off-the-charts passionate sex scene.

(WARNING: some spoilers ahead)
Then. . . everything falls apart for a while. Let's keep in mind that when all of the above takes place Thorn is not yet engaged to his chosen intended. However, even after having had sex with India, he still plans to go through with the engagement to Lala. Thorn further complicates matters by inviting his best friend Vander, the future Duke of Pindar, as a possible match for India! India willingly goes along with all of this and even considers Vander as a future husband while falling in love and still banging Thorn. (End SPOILERS)

Of course after all of those WTF moments, a highly dramatic farce ensues. And it just so happens that I love a good farce by Eloisa James, so you can see where I'm going, right? Because of course this is a romance and after all is said and done, Thorn is not about to let India get away. Villiers is involved, (I adore Villiers) and there is begging as well as some fantastic over the top fun along with emotional scenes all the way to the end. Plus in the middle of everything, James inserts a ward for Thorn -- the orphaned, overly eloquent and sincerely out of whack six year-old Rose whose grammar and vocabulary are more advanced than India's or Thorn's. Rose & Thorn. It's not easy people.

So yes, Three Weeks with Lady X was a roller coaster read and in the end I gave it a C+ because despite those "what the heck are they doing?" moments, I really enjoyed the first and last sections of the book. This book is a sort of continuation by way of a spin off of the Desperate Duchesses series. I think of it as the "manly man" series since so far the males are big, rough around the edges men oozing testosterone.

This post turned out to be longer than expected, so I will post my impressions of Four Nights with the Duke separately. The romance between Vander, The Duke of Pindar, and Mia, daughter of his mother's lifetime lover. Yeah. . .

ETA: I'm out of my mind. It's Three Weeks with Lady X, not Three Days! Edited…

Ini-Minis: The Buried Giant, Snowed In + More

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

Unique way to explore Ishiguro's favorite theme: memory (the effects of long lost or skewed recollections). Unfortunately the fantasy setting utilized to explore this theme in The Buried Giant is not as effective as the historical setting in The Remains of the Day or the speculative setting in Never Let Me Go. A B- read because Ishiguro's excellent writing abilities cannot be denied.

Snowed In (Kentucky Comfort) by Sarah Title

Snowed In was the perfect contemporary romance novella to read during an early March snowfall in the Northeast US. This quick romance is both cute and amusing. I found it enjoyable, predictable moments and all. I loved Pippa -- the only secondary character making a real impact. I read this novella at the right moment and it was a B- read at the time. Expect insta-love, predictable moments with some very cute interactions. After a quick reread, downgraded to a C.

The Gentleman and the Lamplighter by Summer Devon

A good m/m romance with a grieving Lord and a lamplighter as main characters. This novella has likable characters with enough emotions and historical background to make it an enjoyable read. Unfortunately the page count becomes a detriment and toward the end the novella has that rushed, underdeveloped feel. Nevertheless, I would read another book by this author, so a C read.

Checking Out Love by R. Cooper

I can't say much more than this story is short, cute, and pretty much an average m/m romance. I won't reread it and it is not a keeper. A C read.

Pride Mates (Shifters Abound) by Jennifer Ashley

Great premise, disappointing execution. Not much more to say about this paranormal romance except that I remember having a few problems as the story moved along. This was a February read and as of now I have to say that it is extremely forgettable. A C- read for me.

Tempting Meredith (Lovers & Friends #3) by Samantha Ann King

Tempting Meredith is an erotic romance with a threesome as the core basis for the romance. This erotic romance did not work for me as I did not buy the relationship between the three people involved. While in college the female first participates in a disastrous threesome that leaves her emotionally scarred. One of the new men in her now adult life is one of those men from her first college experience. That did not make sense to me. Additionally, I found the sexual encounters between the three people involved emotionless, while the two men had some good chemistry going. That is not a good development for a threesome, so that brings this book down to a D grade.

NOTE: Titles are linked to book descriptions at Goodreads.

This n That: Update, Reads, + The Manservant, Sentient Trains & OTT Mothers!

Hello! I've been out of commission since the 9th. My computer is at the Apple hospital getting full check up, and in the meantime my backup computer crashed! I've been going through withdrawals. I refuse to blog from my iPad because it is really a pain even to try and I'm not in the mood to go through that much frustration.

I read my book for the March TBR Challenge early in the month, but unfortunately missed posting the review. I followed the theme "catching up with a series" by reading Hunting Ground (Alpha & Omega #2) by Patricia Briggs. Actually, I read Fair Game, #3 and Dead Heat, #4 and I'm up to date now. I will post reviews for those books as soon as I am able.

Additionally, I have completed three other books in March, Vision in Silver (The Others #3) by Anne Bishop, Closer Than You Think (Faith Corcoran #1) by Karen Rose and Lovely Wild by Megan Hart. To date, my favorite March read was Fair Game (Alpha & Omega, #3) by Patricia Briggs, however, I have enjoyed all of them.

In the meantime, my TBR pile is bulging. I purchased many books last year that remain unread, still that did not stop me from losing control of my book budget in January and February and purchasing books I missed last year, and a few new releases. It's a bit crazy even for a book addict like me, particularly since I'm not reading at the same pace as I was on the prior years. Worse than that, I have DNF'd some pretty expensive books.

I'm working on a few reviews. In the meantime, I had these minis from some of my February reads more or less ready way back when.

The Manservant, Michael Harwood's debut novel, is a very British, highly entertaining, quick-paced contemporary gay fiction piece with an upstairs, downstairs flavor and a dash of BDSM restricted to some spanking, but without graphic sex scenes. This is very much contemporary British fare, so please do not expect gay versions of Downton Abby or 50 Shades of Grey. The novel focuses on the adventures of main character, Anthony Gower (please don't call me Tony!!), a young, thoroughly modern gay man whose experience as a footman to the Royals allows him to first find employment in a posh London hotel, and later as private butler to a Lord. His questionable judgment, however, gets him in deep hot water more than once. Harwood partially explores his main character's background, but I am hoping that he will write another book with delicious Anthony as his main character. And, more Frank please! Recommended.

Where the Trains Turn by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen is a SFF novella about sentient ghost trains, an imaginative boy, a mother who prefers her life as well as her son's be grounded in reality, and a meeting with destiny. The story grabbed my attention once I got passed the clumsy translation from Finnish to English. The narrative is austere and even with the problematic translation the story retains a heavy atmosphere. The boy, whose obsession with trains is fed by his father's, is socially inadequate with a healthy imagination. After a tragic incident, the mother eliminates everything from his life that may spark the imagination and the boy's life takes a new course. A chance meeting with destiny changes that. What made this story a great read for me were the fantastic twists that came at the end. I never saw them coming. Online free read at Tor.com

The Mothers of Voorhisville by Mary Rickert is another SFF novella from Tor.com and a Nebula nominee. This sff horror story begins with a stranger passing through a small town and seducing a group of women. Nine months later, there is a baby boom. But there is something different about these babies. The mothers will go to great lengths to protect them from those who might hurt them.

This story begins on a ominous note and ends quite well. Unfortunately, the middle drags rather badly. Narrated through journal entries by the different mothers, the reader never meets the babies' "father," the man or creature that so easily seduced the women of this little town. The mothers -- some of them children themselves, others married, divorced, single, or widowed -- are secretive at first. They love their little monsters too much to care what they are or they will be getting up to. This story is fantasy/horror. With the exception of little monster babies with tiny wings, the fantasy side in this novella is left to the reader's imagination since there are no real explanations as to what they are, where they come from, or what the real purpose of their existence is. The real horror in this story lies on the mother's disquieting actions once the "mother's instinct" comes into play, the rest is mild in content. Free online read at Tor.com.

The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble

2014 Winner — Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award — Young Adult Fiction

There is no cure for being who you truly are...

In a cottage high atop Llanfair Mountain, sixteen-year-old Clara lives with her sister, Maren, and guardian Auntie. By day, they gather herbs for Auntie’s healing potions. By night, Auntie spins tales of faraway lands and wicked fairies. Clara’s favorite story tells of three orphan infants—Clara, who was brought to Auntie by a stork; Maren, who arrived in a seashell; and their best friend, O’Neill, who was found beneath an apple tree.

One day, Clara discovers shimmering scales just beneath her sister’s skin. She realizes that Maren is becoming a mermaid—and knows that no mermaid can survive on land. Desperate to save her, Clara and O’Neill place the mermaid-girl in their gypsy wagon and set out for the sea. But no road is straight, and the trio encounters trouble around every bend. Ensnared by an evil troupe of traveling performers, Clara and O’Neill must find a way to save themselves and the ever-weakening mermaid.

And always, in the back of her mind, Clara wonders, if my sister is a mermaid, then what am I?

The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble is a whimsical short fantasy novel geared toward young middle schoolers. There are elements of the fairy tale in it, but the story itself is not based on a fairy tale.

Sisters Clara and Maren grow up happily with their Auntie on a small cottage high on a mountain. They help Auntie with her healing potions and she tells them fantastical stories, including their favorite of how Clara was brought to Auntie by a stork and Maren arrived on a stormy night in a giant seashell, while their best friend O'Neill was found beneath an apple tree.

The story takes off from there with Maren as a sixteen year old beginning to change into a mermaid with sparkly scales and the kind of beauty that maddens men. Soon they all realize that Maren will die if she is not taken to the sea. O'Neill and Clara place her on O'Neill's gypsy wagon and set off. Their journey is long and filled with troubles. Along the way they encounter evil and battle personal doubts, love, jealousies, and selfish love, as neither O'Neill nor Clara want to let Maren go to the sea.

There are a couple of threads about acceptance that are perfectly suited for young adults. Maren accepts who she is and knows where she needs to go, but can she learn that she can't always get her own way? The journey, however, turns into more of a quest for Clara, one in which she needs to figure out who she really is and what she is capable of doing. In reality Clara and Maren are adopted sisters, but in their hearts and minds they are sisters born. Their love for each other is boundless and Clara shows that love in thought and action. For O'Neill the journey becomes a lesson about letting go by accepting a loved one's decisions.

The Mermaid's Sister is a book that  young middle schoolers will enjoy, it is not for adult reading. As an adult reader, I found one too many unanswered questions at the end and a fairy tale "happy ever after" between two sixteen year olds that did not make sense. The story is well written. It contains joy and sadness, good and evil, a bit of magic, and a few extra surprises. I read it to find out if my younger nieces would enjoy it and yes, I believe they would.

January 2015 Recap: Books, Reviews & Posts

This year, although I signed up to participate in the 2015 Sci-Fi Experience, my mood took me elsewhere and I read everything but science fiction. It happens. My year began with a great contemporary fiction book, as a result I followed through by picking up fiction, non-fiction, and other assorted books accumulated but not read in 2014. I spent most of the month catching up by reading books from my TBR.

Additionally, I am making an effort to get my reviewing mojo back. It is amazing how quickly and easily we lose it when we don't use it on a regular basis. Since I returned to blogging in November, I have been writing minis, and this month I finally moved on to writing full reviews again. That is a step forward. Hopefully, I can keep it up.

January 2015 Total Books Read: 12
Contemporary Romance: 2
Fiction: 4
Non-Fiction: 1
Fantasy/Fiction: 1
Urban Fantasy: 4

Favorite Books of the Month: (Click on title links to read reviews & posts) 

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin: B+
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng: B+
Big Boy (Strangers on the Train) by Ruthie Knox: B+

The Prince of Los Cocuyos: A Miami Childhood by Richard Blanco: B
Stone Mattress: Nine Tales by Margaret Atwood: B (Upcoming review)
The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami: (Upcoming review)
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty: C+
Lead (Stage Dive #3) by Kylie Scott: C+ (See mini below) 
Seven Years by Dannika Dark: C+
Bloodsick: An Old World Novella by Melissa F. Olson: C
Dead Spots (Scarlett Bernard #1) by Melissa F. Olson: C-
Of Wings and Wolves (The Cain Chronicles) by SM Reine: C-

Additional January Posts:
LGBT: 2014 Favorite Books & Authors
2014: Top Books of the Year
SF Mini: The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Closing: The 2014 TBR Challenge
December 2014: Books Read + Minis

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Lead (Stage Dive #3) by Kylie Scott

I purchased this book based on Leslie's great review. She positively loved this book. It is book three of a contemporary series with famous music band members finding a happy ever after. I should have read the first two books of the series first but this one sounded good. I enjoyed this romance to a certain degree. There were some terribly cute moments,  good sexual tension throughout the story, and a sense of fun as a result of the young band members that intermingle on an almost daily basis with this couple.

There were also situations and characterization issues that did not work so well for me. For example, the female protagonist is supposed to be a tough and comes off as such at the beginning of the story when she is first hired to become Stage Dive's lead singer's companion or 'babysitter' while he goes through substance abuse post-treatment and therapy. Unfortunately, she promptly becomes adoringly in lust with him, and willing to forgive some of his worse behavior. Our male protagonist had a terrible childhood and struggles with addiction. He is used to getting his own way and can be pretty persuasive (manipulative). As a result there are scenes with inexcusable behavior on his part toward a woman he considers a friend. Don't get me wrong, he also shows vulnerability as their friendship grows and he becomes emotionally dependent on her. The story is compelling in many ways, particularly the sense of fun along with sections about how severe family dysfunction affects the male protagonist's self-destructive behavior, as well as his relationships with others.

Hilcia's Minis: UF by SM Reine, Dannika Dark & Melissa F. Olson

What else have I read in January beside fiction? I purchased the 'Shifters After Dark Box Set' (October 22, 2014, Steel Magnolia Press) a PNR/UF bundle that contains five books and one novella. A couple of reasons behind that decision:
(1) the price is right ($0.99);
(2) It is great to have a few UF books with wolves and vampires handy for when the "mood" strikes;
(3) I may find a new UF series to follow.

From this bundle, I read two novels and an 'origins' novella. All books are part of already existing series.

Of Wings and Wolves (The Cain Chronicles #6) by SM Reine

I had a hard time with this story since it is apparently the sixth book of a series. Of course I did not know this fact until after I read it. The main characters, twins Summer and Abram, are whisked away by their grandmother to another dimension, and while the babies' parents are supposed to follow, they never make it. Once they grow up, Summer meets Nash Adamson, a powerful, angsty angel she suspects he wants something from her but can't help but find him very attractive. This attraction is mutual, of course. Later, another dangerous angel, along with her minions, makes an appearance and it is revealed that the twins' whole lives are based on a lie. Shifters, angels, secrets, lies, and alternate dimensions are the main components that make the world turn in this novel. Unfortunately for me, I did not really gain real understanding of how everything began or where the overall story arc was going by reading Of Wings and Wolves. I found it to be a confusing, unfinished read.

Seven Years (Seven #1) by Dannika Dark

I liked the premise for Seven Years. Wolf shifters and mages are the main players in this first UF installment. Dannika Dark begins by introducing a still grieving Lexi Knight on the seventh anniversary of her brother's death, as well as her brother's best friend Austin Cole who has just returned home after having been gone those seven years. He is a young wolf alpha only just assembling his pack, and his return home is filled with guilt caused by his discovery that Lexi and her family have been abandoned and left without protection by her father after Lexi's brother's death. She and her family are in danger and Austin arrives on the scene just in time to become their protector.

Austin comes off as too overprotective, but he is a nice guy who gives Lexi choices we don't usually find in other stories with alpha shifters as protagonists. Lexi and her family have been targeted from a few different fronts. She is independent and used to taking care of her mother and little sister, but Lexi, who is new the world of shifters and magic, doesn't ask the right questions and suffers from lack of judgment. On the other hand, Austin doesn't explain situations clearly and makes some pretty basic mistakes himself. Some of it has to do with their mutual attraction, but much of it seems to be lack of experience or stubbornness from both sides.

I like many of the secondary characters in this UF series and the whole mage with shifters magic that develops. Some sections of the storyline did not quite make sense, i.e., Lexi inheriting a business when she is admittedly not the most knowledgeable or close to the person who left it to her. But it could be that this thread is further developed later on. So, overall a good first installment filled with a sense of menace, action, and interesting secondary characters. Even with some of the issues mentioned above, Seven Years is a good enough read that I will follow up by picking up the second book of the series.

Bloodsick: An Old World Novella by Melissa F. Olson

CONTENT WARNING: Violent physical abuse & admission of rape by victim

Bloodsick is an origins novella focused on Will Carling, the werewolf alpha from Melissa F. Olson's Scarlett Bernard UF trilogy. It chronicles how he became a werewolf after he unknowingly falls in love with the young and powerful witch Sashi, and in doing so makes some powerful enemies. However, we do not actually get Will's point of view, as the story is narrated by young Sashi and Astrid, an abused female werewolf belonging to the local pack.

There are two parallel stories going on at the same time. In the first, Sashi is being pressured by her famous mother, Dr. Noring, to follow in her footsteps. To use her powers to heal through touch by listening to the bodies of humans who are terminally ill. But Sashi's powers are different from her mother's, she is not only more powerful but she is also emphatic and cannot deal with the emotional pain involved with healing. She fights her mother but goes along until she meets one of her mother's patients, a young Will Carling and they begin dating against her mother's wishes. The second story involves Astrid, a female wolf who was brought into the local pack with the sole purpose of being mated to the alpha. Except that Astrid's wolf is incompatible with his and will not submit. This results in increasingly violent, physical and non-consensual sexual encounters between the two that end with Astrid needing Dr. Noring's healing powers on a regular basis. These two threads become entangled after Sashi witnesses healing sessions and unwittingly involves Will in her attempt to save Astrid.

In my mind the title of this novella should be "betrayal" because no matter where you look betrayal at the core of the overall story. There are multiple victims, victims who pay the price for the other characters' mistakes, suffering, and/or hubris. This novella, although violent and for the most part downright depressing, kept my interest through Will's character.

Dead Spots (Scarlett Bernard #1) by Melissa F. Olson

Reading Bloodsick led me to give the original Scarlett Bernard UF trilogy a try, so I borrowed the first book, Dead Spots, from Amazon. Unfortunately, although there are some unique additions to the world-building such as the fact that the heroine is a null or someone who nullifies the magic powers of those around her (vampires, witches, and werewolves) and physically vulnerable instead of kick-ass, everything else is pretty much old news in this UF world. The heroine works exclusively for the two powerful vampire and werewolf alpha leaders as well as the head of the witches, and is at their beck and call day and night. The story is narrated from two points of view: that of the heroine and a human cop. They partner up to solve a gruesome multiple-murder and beat a deadline set the vampire alpha at the end of which, if they fail, he kills them both. There is a requisite love triangle developing between the heroine who doesn't believe in love or commitment, the werewolf Beta with whom she has had a few drunken-fueled sexual encounters (he is emotionally involved, she only wants sex), and the human cop with whom she shares a mutual attraction and could potentially give her a 'normal' life.

The crime investigation, world and character building take up most of the page time, with the potential for romance taking a back seat. The crime investigation means there is action and a mystery to solve. Olson gives enough background story about Scarlett and her family so that we know why she has become emotionally stunted, and we get a good look at the vampire alpha and Scarlett's love interests. In this first book, however, Scarlett comes off as not much more than her employers' gofer and scared witless of the vampire alpha. I looked for Will Carling, the werewolf alpha from Bloodsick, and although he is involved in the storyline his appearances are as underwhelming as the overall story in Dead Spots.
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I had some issues with this bundle.
(1) Including a book from an already established series that does not stand well on its own and feels like an unfinished product (Of Wings and Wolves, Cain Chronicles #6) is frustrating and does not give me the incentive to look for previous books.
(2) The novella (Bloodsick) has interesting enough characters that I went looking for more information about them and followed through by reading the first book of the series. Unfortunately, the one character is minor and underwhelming while the others are missing. Additionally, the plot and characters in the first book of the series turn out to be predictable and disappointing.
(3) Although I did not mention it in my minis, the editing throughout all three books need extensive work.

In the end, Seven Years (Seven #1) by Dannika Dark is the best read of this bunch. I may read the other three books included in this bundle when my "mood" for vampires and werewolves strikes again.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (Putnam Adult, July 2014) is pure 'women's fiction.' It follows three women: Madeline, Celeste as the two old friends meet Jane and her son while attending kindergarten orientation with their own children and take her under their wing.

Moriarty builds a whole story around the dangers of keeping secrets and telling small lies. It all actually begins with a murder investigation and goes back in time to an incident that occurred at the school during kindergarten orientation. At the center of this story, and providing much of its humor, you will find 'helicopter' moms who spend most of their time micro-parenting and behaving worse than their kindergarten children at the school yard. There are 'mom cliques,' fights, malicious gossip, and petitions bandied about that affect both kids and parents. It is all done with biting humor and a healthy dose of sarcasm, but I found it all mean, petty, thoughtless, and generally detrimental to the little ones.

There are, however, other darker threads running through the story that are not humorous at all. First we have the issue of 'bullying' in school, which of course is mishandled by all adults concerned because they are too busy 'outdoing' each other and playing the judgmental card to really pay attention to the children. Second, we have a conflict between a mother and teenage daughter who decides to move in with her father and his new wife, the ex-husband who abandoned them both early on. Then, there are two 'violence against women' threads: a current 'physical abuse behind closed doors' thread that grows increasingly violent as the story unfolds, and the other a past experience with date-rape that still affects the victim deeply and as a result the victim's child.

This novel is rather tough to describe. It is bitingly humorous, but darkly so. There are moments when it is easy to laugh, particularly at the adults' ridiculous behavior -- Madeline for example has some great lines. But, the dark and violent moments are tough to read through. Moriarty portrays the abused woman's delusional state of mind, self-blame, and the progression of violence in the relationship quite well. I am, however, deeply disappointed that after all is said and done the state of her children's mental health is neglected.

And that is my main problem with this novel. It is ambitious in that it tackles multiple issues affecting women and children. Some aspects of these multiple threads are well rendered yet there is so much going on that some issues are superficially touched on while others are ignored. The narrative is well done and entertaining enough to keep readers involved. Unfortunately, the entertainment factor or light approach often takes away from the seriousness of heavier issues and vice versa. As the perfect example I will use the climactic scene, a combination comedic farce (bordering on slapstick) with dark revelations culminating in murder.

I believe that Big Little Lies will appeal to women's fiction readers who may be fans of Moriarty's light and mordant humorous approach to serious subject matter or fans of books with a similar style. I am leaving a lot of what goes on out of this post: dysfunctional children, poor parenting, a romance with a happy ending, infidelities, and more. I enjoyed a few out-loud laughs toward the beginning, before the numbing truth surfaced and those horrifying violent scenes began to trickle in. In the end I found the story to be well written with some admittedly good messages, but over-the-top and somewhat confounding.

December 2014 Recap: Books Read + Minis

I am finally going to close 2014 by posting my December recap. I was on vacation throughout the holidays and took the opportunity to read a few books that had been lingering in my TBR. As you can see below, there is only one new holiday book included in my least of reads.

Total books read in December: 11
Contemporary Romance: 1
Paranormal/Urban Fantasy: 1
Science Fiction/Fantasy: 3
LGBT: 6

1) City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett: B+
2-4) Provoked, Beguiled, Enlightened (Enlightenment Trilogy Books 1-3) by Joanna Chambers: B+
5) Turnbull House (Porcelain Dog) by Jess Faraday: B+

My favorite December reads were City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett, a SFF book that has received positive responses from readers. I meant to read it earlier in the year, unfortunately City of Stairs was the last book I read in 2014 and did not get a chance to review it. I plan to review it this month.

The other December favorites are Turnbull House (Porcelain Dog #2) by Jess Faraday, and Joanna Chambers' Enlightenment trilogy. Both were included in my LGBT Favorite Books and Authors list -- one as part of a duology and the other (all 3 books) as a highly recommended trilogy.

6) The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers: B
7) Night Shift with Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Lisa Shearin, Mila Vane: B
8) Between the Sheets by Molly O'Keefe: B
9) Comfort and Joy with Joanna Chambers, Harper Fox, L.B. Gregg, Josh Lanyon: B

My B reads are all on the strong side. My thoughts about The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers are outlined in my review. However, I also enjoyed the PNR/Urban fantasy anthology Night Shift in its entirety. Although I do admit that my favorite story is "Magic Steals" by Ilona Andrews. I mean who doesn't love Jim and Dali?

The contemporary romance Between the Sheets by Molly O'Keefe deserves a better title. The content just goes so much deeper than that title implies. There is sex (seldom between the sheets), and it is the hot kind, but there are other, deeper issues going on in this story that make this contemporary by O'Keefe a strong read.

And, the Comfort and Joy m/m romance holiday anthology is quite solid and one I'm keeping on my reread pile. I gave two of the stories a higher grade, but all four are enjoyable! These were my minimalistic (rushed) comments at Goodreads:
Rest and be Thankful by Joanna Chambers - Great! (4.5)
Out by Harper Fox - Solid (4.0)
Waiting for Winter by L.B. Gregg - Cute (3.5)
Baby, it's Cold by Josh Lanyon - Yummy (3.5)
Overall, a solid anthology that may become a "comfort" holiday reread in the future. Recommended.

10) The Boy with the Painful Tattoo by Josh Lanyon: C
11) Memory of Water by Emmi Itaranta: C-

The Boy with the Painful Tattoo is the third installment of Lanyon's Holmes and Moriarity romance/mystery series. I have really enjoyed this series and the characters thus far. So I hate to say this, but this installment, although good, did not quite do it for me. Chris and JX do not spend enough time together or working on their relationship, and the level of Chris' neurosis is so high that it hurts to read it. All of the above interfered with my enjoyment of the mystery which, taken on its own, was good.

And Memory of Water is a young adult speculative fiction novel by Finnish author Emmi Itaranta. This is the English translation of the novel. I gave it 2 stars at Goodreads because frankly the writing is beautiful, but my enjoyment of the book was next to nill. Here are my comments such as they are: "I wanted to love this book. The writing style is beautiful and the world-building interesting [enough]. Unfortunately, I ended up reading it in fits and starts. It just became a tedious, slow read and I forced myself to finish it. Obviously not for me." This is an award-winning book, loved and lauded by some readers and not-so-loved by others. Obviously, I fall under the latter.