Review: X-23, Vol. 1: The Killing Dream

Title: X-23, Vol. 1: The Killing Dream

Author: Marjorie Liu
Illustrator: Alina Urusov
Publication Date: April 20, 2011
Publisher: Marvel
Genre: Comics/Graphic Novels
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N
Source: Library

X-23 has spent her short life being used by those in power, from the military to the X-Men. But when she is forced to confront a being who can control her life with nothing but a thought, will X-23 finally learn how to fight -- not for others, but herself? Guest-starring NYX!

COLLECTING: X-23 #1-6

I went into this not knowing anything about X-23. I picked it up because it was written by Marjorie Liu, a writer whose urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels I really enjoy. I was a big fan of X-Men as a teen but haven't read it in years. I'd heard good things about X-23 though and was excited to dive in.

I am not sure where this volume falls into the X-23 timeline but it's written as a good entry point for those who might be unfamiliar with the character or need a refresher course. X-23 is a killer, born and bred in a lab to be the ultimate killing machine. A genetic clone of the X-Men Wolverine, X-23 has his advanced healing abilities and adamantium claws. She has been trained to kill efficiently and without remorse. By the time we find X-23 in The Killing Dream, she has broken free of the lab and has been with the X-Men for a while. She briefly joined X-Force and was working for them as an assassin, though for the greater good. When this volume starts, her X-Men teammates and friends have just found out that X-23 has been killing for X-Force and most of them are not too happy about it. Some question her morals and whether or not she is safe to be around while others defend her. X-23 is doesn't know if she can reconcile her old self with who she wants to be. Is she just a stone cold killer? Can she be more than just a weapon?

Like I said, this is a good primer for into X-23's world. I got a sense of her character pretty quickly. She is struggling to figure out who she is and is trying to come to terms with the things she has done. She sets out on her own and, of course, comes across some trouble along the way. Luckily she has Gambit along for most of the ride and they play well off of each other. I am not sure I really got the entire Mr. Sinister storyline. I vaguely remember him from the X-books when I was a teen but not that well. He seems to have taken on a larger role than I remembered and has a fearsome reputation. Also, Ms. Sinister's outfit is pretty ridiculous, even for a comic book.

X-23 did not have the most original characterization. Her origin is fascinating and she has a lot of potential to be a really interesting character but, I found her struggle to be pretty standard for any clone or assassin story. This could also be a symptom of the fact that this is volume meant to attract new readers and her character may get more complex as we delve deeper into her world. The artwork was fine, but not particularly memorable. I do remember liking the covers for this run though.

This volume didn't blow my socks off but there's definitely potential here. X-23 is an intriguing character that I think has a lot more depth than this volume shows am looking forward seeing her evolution as the series goes on.

Review: Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran

Title: Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead (Claire DeWitt Mysteries #1)

Author: Sara Gran
Publication Date: June 2, 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Genre: Adult Mystery
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N
Source: Library

Sara Gran has written a novel about an unprecedented private investigator named Claire DeWitt. Destiny, it seems, has chosen Claire to be a detective, planting a copy of the enigmatic book Détection in her path as a teenager. Claire has grabbed this destiny with both hands but fate has been cruel. Twenty years later detection is her religion andDétection is her Bible.

Now she is summoned to New Orleans, because someone has heard she is "the best," to search for an upstanding citizen lost in the miasma of Katrina. The battered and beggared New Orleans, second only to Claire, is the star of this story. Thus the title.

The style is slick, gripping, and mystical, as strange and as easy as the character of Claire DeWitt. You may be repelled by her earthiness or mesmerized by her off-the-wall devotion to her calling.

Well known district attorney Vic Willig has disappeared - assumed to have perished in the floods that devastated much of New Orleans. However, his nephew isn't convinced that Vic perished in the flood and calls on detective Claire DeWitt to find out what happened to his missing uncle. Following the controversial methods of Jacques Silette in his book Détection, Claire has a knack for finding out what others want hidden.

My big problem with this book is the main character, Claire Dewitt. She is the (self professed) best detective in the world but it's really unclear why she or anyone else would think so. We are not given an information on her professional background or what cases she has solved. Most of her investigative process involves drinking and smoking with teenage delinquents and dream interpretation. Clues fall into her lap (or next to her chair) and I saw very little detection going. Since Claire's skills are supposed to be slightly mystical, she goes about things in an unconventional way. However, as a reader, I think we need to have some idea of where her conclusions come from. There is one point in the book where Claire figures out a major clue but I have no idea how she got there. Without insight into her thought process, she’s just pulling answers out of thin air, with no skill or talent involved.

Claire is a contradiction. She acts intellectually and morally superior to everyone but is also constantly telling people how she comes from the street and the gutter. She is depressed, hostile, arrogant and has addiction problems. She has no friends and I can see why. Now there are plenty of flawed literary detectives with poor social skills, but they usually have some kind of investigative brilliance or an endearing quality to make up for some of it. And, as noted above, I did not see signs of Claire possessing any extraordinary detective skills or redeeming personality traits.

I do have to say that the author paints a vivid picture of New Orleans, post Katrina. It is an extremely bleak picture though. Gran's New Orleans is a place of desolation and violence, where people are lost and no one cares. Even seemingly good people turn out not to be and there is little hope for those who stay. It’s a side of New Orleans I don’t often think about and I have been told by a friend that the portrayal is accurate on many points.

I was pretty disappointed in this book. I was looking forward to a good mystery but found Claire to be too unlikable and the mystery was pretty bland. There was too much coincidence and conjecture and not enough real detecting. I will not be continuing on with the series.

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Audiobook Review: The Black Echo by Michael Connolly

Title: The Black Echo (Harry Bosch #1)

Author: Michael Connolly
Publication Date: December 1, 2002
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Adult Mystery/Thriller
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Audible
Source: Library

For maverick LAPD homicide detective Harry Bosch, the body in the drainpipe at Mulholland Dam is more than another anonymous statistic. This one is personal...because the murdered man was a fellow Vietnam "tunnel rat" who had fought side by side with him in a hellish underground war. Now Bosch is about to relive the horror of Nam. From a dangerous maze of blind alleys to a daring criminal heist beneath the city, his survival instincts will once again be tested to their limit. Pitted against enemies inside his own department and forced to make the agonizing choice between justice and vengeance, Bosch goes on the hunt for a killer whose true face will shock him.

When a body is found in a drain pipe in the Mulholland Dam, Detective Harry Bosch knows it's more than just the tragic fate of a homeless man. The victim is from someone from Harry's past and the investigation leads him down a dark and winding road that will test him in more ways than one.

I don't usually read a series out of order but that's what happened and I read Nine Dragons, book 15 in the series a couple of years ago. It had good points but I didn't love it and put off reading more in the series until now. The first book in Michael Connolly's popular Harry Bosch series is gritty, twisted and full of surprises. I listened to this audiobook in one week while commuting and it was great at helping pass the time while stuck in traffic. Bosch is a throwback to the grizzled noir detectives of the past. He's smart and unrelenting and has a hard time with authority.  He can be gruff at times but it's clear that he cares the victims in his cases. I also enjoyed that the story was set in LA (where I live) and the city was great backdrop for the unfolding mystery.

The story was well paced and full of twists that I did not expect. It was also really interesting to see how Bosch meets Eleanor Wish, a character who comes back later in the series. Dick Hill is the narrator for the audiobook and he has a great voice that embodies Bosch well. There's a grit to it and a sort of wariness in the voice that fits the character well. I wasn't as big of a fan of his female voices - Eleanor comes off as a bit high pitched and breathy - but he is a very good narrator overall.

I am glad that I returned to the beginning of this series. While I don't think I will be rushing out to get the next book but it will be on my list of books to read when I am in the mood for a well written mystery. Recommended for fans of noir and hard-boiled detective stories and mysteries.

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Visit the author online at www.michaelconnelly.com/, Facebook and follow him on Twitter @Connellybooks

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Review: Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

Title: Ketchup Clouds

Author: Annabel Pitcher
Publication Date: November 12, 2013
Publisher: Little Brown for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary/Drama
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository
Source: Library

Dear Mr. S. Harris,

Ignore the blob of red in the top left corner. It's jam, not blood, though I don't think I need to tell you the difference. It wasn't your wife's jam the police found on your shoe. . . .

I know what it's like.

Mine wasn't a woman. Mine was a boy. And I killed him exactly three months ago.

Zoe has an unconventional pen pal--Mr. Stuart Harris, a Texas Death Row inmate and convicted murderer. But then again, Zoe has an unconventional story to tell. A story about how she fell for two boys, betrayed one of them, and killed the other.

Hidden away in her backyard shed in the middle of the night with a jam sandwich in one hand and a pen in the other, Zoe gives a voice to her heart and her fears after months of silence. Mr. Harris may never respond to Zoe's letters, but at least somebody will know her story--somebody who knows what it's like to kill a person you love. Only through her unusual confession can Zoe hope to atone for her mistakes that have torn lives apart, and work to put her own life back together again.

One thing I can say for Ketchup Clouds is that it's definitely a unique read and I can't think of another book quite like it. Ketchup Clouds is told from the point of view of Zoe (an alias), a teenager suffering from debilitating guilt. From what, we're not exactly sure. Zoe decides to share her story with a death row prison inmate in order to assuage her guilt and share her secret with someone. Zoe relates to the inmate because, in her mind, she's killed someone as well. Through Zoe's letters, the reader learns about the events leading up to the fateful day that would change Zoe's life forever and leave one young man dead.

I don't read many epistolary novels (novels written through documents, like letters and diary entries). I think it's really hard to do well. Zoe's letters read more like diary entries and I think the book would have worked better for me if that's what they were. Instead, the letters feel awkward and gimmick-y. It also bothered me that Zoe took such a long time to tell her story. She confesses a burning desire to share her tale, and then takes months to do it, even as the inmate's execution draws near.

Zoe starts writing to this inmate because she says can relate to his crimes. However, after hearing her whole story, I found it hard to believe that she would identify so much with a man who murdered his wife and her lover after he caught them cheating. Zoe feels like she murdered someone but the situations were so different it was hard for me to believe she'd relate so much, though I guess it just shows how guilty Zoe feels.

Zoe is an interesting character though not one that I can say I really like. She really likes one brother but starts going out with another because he happens to be available.  While I don't expect every character to be a paradigm of good human behavior, I found Zoe's actions to be very selfish and immature. She's acting like a normal teenager but there was just something about it that rubbed me the wrong way. She did win a few points with me though with her relationship to her sister. She was very protective of her and their relationship was very sweet.

As for the romance in the story, I definitely fell on the Team Aaron side. It was clear to me that Zoe and Aaron had so much more in common and more chemistry than Zoe and Max. I think that's why I was so annoyed that she kept things going with Max because she and Aaron seemed to have a much deeper connection.

This book was really a mixed bag for me. The overall premise is original but the execution was not quite there and it fell short of my expectations. It's still a worthwhile read just because it is very unique point of view and the identity of which brother died left me guessing until the very end. No doubt this book will find fans, but it just wasn't for me.

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Visit the author online at www.annabelpitcher.com, Facebook and follow her on Twitter @apitcherauthor

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Review: Catwoman, Vol. 1: The Dark End of the Street

Title: Catwoman, Vol 1: The Dark End of the Street

Author: Ed Brubaker
Illustrator: Darwyn Cooke, Mike Allred
Publication Date: November 1, 2002
Publisher: DC Comics
Genre: Comics/Graphic Novels
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N
Source: Library

For years, Selina Kyle has prowled the skyline of Gotham City as its most famous thief, Catwoman. But when word spreads of Catwoman's demise, Selina decides to leave the costumed world behind and continue her trade cloaked in the shadows. Unable to enjoy her newfound anonymity for too long though, Selina decides that she must return to her infamous persona. Donning a new costume and attitude, Catwoman returns to the streets and sets her sights on the serial killer that has been preying upon the streetwalkers she calls friends.

I recently picked up the first TPB volume of what the Catwoman reboot that was first released in the early 2002. The series, written by Ed Brubaker with art by Darwyn Cooke and Mike Allred finds Catwoman at a crossroads. With both Catwoman and her alter ego Selina Kyle believed to be dead, Catwoman decides that it's time to lay low and re-evaluate her life and the direction she wants to take it.

The story starts off in classic Brubaker style with a noir-type storyline featuring a detective, Slam Bradley, very clearly inspired by Dick Tracy, who is hired to find out if Catwoman is really dead. Brubaker does hard-boiled and gritty really well and the first couple of issues of this volume really showcase that. I wasn't familiar with Darwyn Cooke's work before this. At first I didn't think I was going to like it, but it slowly grew on me. I really liked the redesign of the Catwoman costume. It is sleek, sexy and functional - perfect for a vigilante cat burglar.

Since most of my knowledge of Catwoman comes from the movies (and I am still trying to forget the Halle Berry Catwoman), this was a really nice jumping off point into the character. It's a rebirth of sorts for Catwoman and Selina Kyle and we see her coming to terms with her life and the things she's done. She even has a therapist. Unlike Batman, Catwoman doesn't see things in black & white, but shades of grey. I like the ambiguous nature of her character. She isn't afraid to bend the rules to get what she wants. I liked her snark and attitude but also the vulnerability beneath it all.

Catwoman's first mission after coming out of hiding it to find a serial killer preying on the prostitutes of East End. I found the story to be well paced and interesting, though the identity of the serial killer and the overall resolution of the storyline was somewhat underwhelming.

Overall The Dark End of the Street is a good intro to Catwoman and is a good starting place for those who might be new to the character. Brubaker has laid the groundwork for what could be a really exciting series and I definitely want to see where he takes Catwoman next.

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Visit the author online at Comic Vine and follow him on Twitter @brubaker

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Review: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Title: Me Before You

Author: Jojo Moyes
Publication Date: December 31, 2012
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books/ Viking
Genre: Adult Contemporary Fiction
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository
Source: Library

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

Before reading Me Before You, I was warned that this was the type of book that would have me in tears by the end of it. More than one friend had confessed that boxes of tissue were laid to waste while reading this book and another confessed to weeping – actual weeping during the reading of this book. I am not a person who cries by nature and wasn’t sure what kind of book could elicit such intense emotions from all of my friends. So it was with a little trepidation that I began Me Before You.

Me Before You takes place in a small tourist town in England. Lou is a twenty-six year old café worker who has lived in the town all her life. She is content working at the café, where she knows her job and everyone knows her. Quirky and funny, Lou is happy playing it safe. Will isn’t afraid to take risks and lives life to the fullest. Fast cars, beautiful women and extreme sports are the norm for Will until the day a tragic accident leaves him a quadriplegic. Confined to a wheelchair, Will must rely on others for most of his daily functions. Will and Lou meet when Lou loses her job and takes a position as Will’s daytime caretaker. Will’s mother thinks that Lou might be just the right person to help Will through his depression, but Lou is unconvinced.

Even all of the previous warnings about weeping and such, I wasn’t prepared for all of the emotions that would run through me as I read this book. They ran the gamut from elation and joy to panic and grief. Will and Lou are both amazing, complex characters. I felt an immediate kinship with Lou. I related to her and found my life in many ways, parallel to hers. I loved her warmth and passion. She sacrificed a lot for her family (who were pretty awful at times) and put up with Will when he was at his worst. Will could be terse and sullen but he was also charming and intelligent. He challenges Lou and believes in her when no one else does. I felt Will’s frustration and despair and grieved for the adventurous man he once was. I raged with him as he fought for control of his body and his life. Will and Lou are different in so many ways but alike in many others. I loved that they laughed together but also shared each other’s pain. Their romance never feels forced or unrealistic. Their relationship isn't always pretty, but it's honest.

Though it deals with a controversial subject, Me Before You never feels preachy or agenda ridden. It's much more than just a love story and will make you think about love, life and how we choose to look at the world. Even if you think you already know what this book is about, give it a chance. I think it will surprise you.  

This is one of the best books I have read this year. Funny, sweet, unexpected and emotionally gripping, Me Before You is a book that will stay with you long after you've put it down.

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Visit the author online at www.jojomoyes.com, Facebook and follow her on Twitter @jojomoyes

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Audiobook Review: Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

Title: Second Grave on the Left (Charley Davidson #2)

Author: Darynda Jones
Narrated by: Lorelei King
Publication Date: August 16, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, Audio by Brilliance Audio
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository, Audible
Source: Library

If you hang around with dead people, life can get pretty complicated. Take it from Charley Davidson, part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Complicated is her middle name. The deceased find her very sparkly. Demons find her irresistible. And one entity in particular wants to seduce her in every way possible.

When Charley and Cookie (her best friend/receptionist) have to track down a missing woman, the case is not quite as open and shut as they anticipate. Cookie's friend Mimi disappeared five days earlier. Mimi then sends Cookie a cryptic message telling Cookie to meet her at an nearby coffee shop. The coffee is brewing, but Mimi's still missing. There is, however, a clue Mimi left on the bathroom wall: a woman's name. Mimi's husband explains to them that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old high school friend had been murdered. The same woman whose name Mimi had scribbled on the bathroom wall.

Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He's left his body because he's being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can't let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they'll have a portal to heaven...well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty.

Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Can she keep those she loves out of harm's way? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel her as she does?

Here is your signpost for the most hilarious read of the year: Second Grave on the Left.

I read and really liked First Grave on the Right, the first book in the Charley Davidson series. Charley’s sarcastic wit and self-deprecating nature really appealed to me and had me laughing out loud. The super hot romance with Reyes was an added bonus and I was really happy to find a fun new series to get into. I don’t know what happened between when I read the first book and when I read the second one, but Second Grave on the Left was not fun and I really had to push myself to finish it.

The main problem for me with the book was Charley herself. I remembered that she was super sarcastic in the first book and the jokes felt a little forced at times but, overall, I liked her and enjoyed the sarcasm. This time around though, I really noticed how every sentence and word out of her mouth was a sarcastic quip or catch phrase. It’s like she could not utter a normal sentence. Because she would only speak in wisecracks, nothing that came out of her mouth seemed sincere. She also used “like,” “duh” and “totally” too much and I kept wondering if she was a grown woman or a testy teenager. She is also described as being a great PI but I did not see any evidence of this. At least 3 people tail her during the book and she doesn’t notice a single one of them. Later she ends up leading the bad guys to a witness. She makes really dumb decisions and barely manages not to get herself killed every few hours.

I was hoping that Reyes would save this book for me but I didn’t like him either. His interactions with Charley in this book consist of threatening her and saving her life. He even calls her a “whore” at one point, which isn’t a good sign in a relationship. The two still have physical chemistry but the book doesn’t go anywhere with it. And if I have to hear about Reyes’s “liquid brown eyes” one more time, I may scream. There is a reason that I have avoided audiobooks with a lot of romance. Lines that sound swoon-worthy when reading often sound cheesy when read aloud.

Then we get to the ending, which really annoyed me. I don’t want to give it away but Charley’s actions at the end of the book just show how immature and selfish she is. I really can’t think of any other reason why she does what she does.

Lorelei King read the audiobook of Second Grave. I have heard good things about King but this is the first time I have listened to her. King is very talented, giving life and expression to the words and dialogue. However, her voice didn’t quite match what my image of Charley. As I said, Charley is very immature and speaks more like a teenager than an adult. King has a really rich, deep voice that is incongruous with how I perceive Charley. It just wasn’t a good fit for me.

Sad to say that I won’t be continuing on with this series. I don’t think I can take another book of Charley’s one-liners and pouty quips. It’s unfortunate, too, because I really enjoyed the first book in this series. But Charley’s schtick gets old fast and, without a viable plot or other likeable characters, the humor simply isn’t enough.

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Visit the author online at www.daryndajones.com and follow her on Twitter @darynda

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Review: Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Title: Dead Ever After (Sookie Stackhouse #13)

Author: Charlaine Harris
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Ace
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository
Source: Library

There are secrets in the town of Bon Temps, ones that threaten those closest to Sookie—and could destroy her heart...

Sookie Stackhouse finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.

Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.

But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail. Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough.

Dead Ever After is the final installment of the long running Sookie Stackhouse series. This series has been steadily going downhill for me for a while now but I knew that I wanted to finish it and get some closure. After the previous book, I didn't have very high expectations for this one.

After 13 books, Harris definitely had her work cut out for her. There were a lot of loose ends to figure out and you can never really please everyone with a series as popular as this. I expected Sookie to go out with a bang, but the ending surprised me .

The book starts when a body is found behind Merlotte's.  The body conveniently has a piece of Sookie's clothing on it and she becomes the number one suspect. Harris goes back into familiar territory here as Sookie tries to unravel the mystery, while trying to stay alive. A lot of characters pop up in this book. While some of them do add to the plot, I can't help but feel that some of them are there just to make a goodbye appearance.

Of course, the big question is - which guy does Sookie end up with? Without spoiling it I have to say that I am not surprised by the outcome. Harris has been hinting in the last few books which way this might go. I think a lot of fans might be disappointed but I didn't have a strong feeling about it. In many ways I think she ended up with the right person but I also would have been OK had it gone in another direction. I guess I just didn't have that much invested in Sookie's romantic life anymore.

While I was expecting some kind of epic ending for the series with revelations and battles galore, what I got was just another Sookie book. There were more guest appearances than usual by characters I imagine Harris wanted to say goodbye to but didn't have much bearing on the plot. Harris does wrap up the major plot points. For the most part though, it really didn't feel like an ending, but just another crazy day in Bon Temps. While I was a bit underwhelmed by the whole thing, I wasn't particularly upset about the ending. Would I have liked to have seen some things resolved differently? Sure, but this is Harris's baby, this is how she wanted to end it.

Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the last few books, I will always think of this series fondly, and am interested to see what Harris will do next.

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Visit the author online at www.charlaineharris.com and follow her blog.


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Review: Rush

Rush (Breathless #1) 
by Maya Banks

Publication date: 05 Feb 2013 by Berkley

ISBN 10/13: 0425267040 | 9780425267042
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Category: Adult Erotica/Romance
Keywords: Erotica, romance, contemporary
Format: Paperback, eBook
Source: Library

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Gabe, Jace, and Ash: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Gabe, it’s making one particular fantasy come true with a woman who was forbidden fruit. Now she’s ripe for the picking...

When Gabe Hamilton saw Mia Crestwell walk into the ballroom for his hotel’s grand opening, he knew he was going to hell for what he had planned. After all, Mia is his best friend’s little sister. Except she’s not so little anymore. And Gabe has waited a long time to act on his desires.

Gabe has starred in Mia’s fantasies more than once, ever since she was a teenager with a huge crush on her brother’s best friend. So what if Gabe’s fourteen years older? Mia knows he’s way out of her league, but her attraction has only grown stronger with time. She’s an adult now, and there’s no reason not to act on her most secret desires.

As Gabe pulls her into his provocative world, she realizes there’s a lot she doesn’t know about him or how exacting his demands can be. Their relationship is intense and obsessive, but as they cross the line from secret sexual odyssey to something deeper, their affair runs the risk of being exposed—and vulnerable to a betrayal far more intimate than either expected.

Review:

There seem to be a slew of romance/erotica books hitting the market lately that all have similar premises. An extremely wealthy, ruthless and domineering playboy becomes involved with a much younger woman, usually working for him in some capacity. The young woman may or may not be a virgin but is usually less sexually experienced than the male and the male may dabble in BDSM. The relationship usually escalates to a point where both parties are obsessed or addicted to the other and they both have to learn to cope with these new, intense feelings. I tend to think of this as the 50 Shades Effect. And I am not knocking 50 Shades. I've read excerpts and it's just not for me. I know many people loved it. I like to call 50 Shades of Grey the gateway smutand if it get more people to read romance and erotica, then I am all for it. However, I've read several books in a similar vein now and, while the characters constantly talk about the depth of their emotions for each other, I have a hard time believing it.

Such was the case with Gabe and Mia. Mia's always been Gabe's best friend's little sister of Gabe's best friend until one day he notices that she's not so little anymore. Mia's always had a crush on Gabe but tells herself that she'll never have him. Until one day, Gabe decides to act on his attraction and pulls out a contract, asking Mia to enter into a relationship with him.

So here's my first problem. I had a really hard time believing that an intelligent woman like Mia would sign a contract basically saying that she would become a sexual submissive to Gabe. I know he's hot and she's really attracted to him, but it felt contrived. I also got tired of the words "addiction," "obsession," and "like a drug" constantly being used to describe their feelings for one another. I get it - you're hot for each other.

I had mixed feelings about Gabe. Sometimes he was really sweet and kind to Mia, and other times he was a complete ass. He was overprotective and possessive, which I can enjoy in an alpha male, but Gabe takes it too far. He doesn't allow Mia to get to work on the subway or take cabs. I definitely think Mia is old enough and smart enough to take the subway to work once in a while. I am glad Mia didn't let him push her around completely though and wanted to give her a high five when she called him out on his bullshit near the end of the book.

There was one scene that I really had a problem with in the book. It's the scene that takes place in Paris. Now I am not any kind of authority in BDSM and what little I know of it, I learned from Tiffany Reisz. However, even to my layman eyes, this scene was just wrong. I really don't understand how Gabe could do something so stupid and dangerous. For a man who is so paranoid about being betrayed that he makes women sign a contract before getting involved with him, it makes no sense that he would go through with the scene in Paris, involving potential business partners. Not only is is dangerous for business, it's also dangerous to Mia. BDSM is all about trust. A Sub needs to trust her partner to take care of her and not put her in dangerous situations. So either Gabe is really dumb, or a supreme asshole. Neither reflects well on him.

As you can see, this book just wasn't for me. I have no doubt that Ms. Banks is a talented writer but the two main characters did not do it for me. I have heard good things about her other books though and plan to read them. The sex scenes were smoking hot. I also liked the fact that this is a standalone book. Yes, it's part of a series but Gabe and Mia's story ends here and the next book goes to Jace. I am actually a little curious about Jace's book but may wait a while to give it a try.

 

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Visit the author online at mayabanks.com, Facebook and follow her on Twitter @maya_banks


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Shades of Milk and Honey - Review

Shades of Milk and Honey (Glamourist Histories #1) 
by Mary Robinette Kowal

Publication date: 03 Aug 2010 by Tor

ISBN 10/13: 076532556X | 9780765325563
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Category: Adult Historical Fiction
Keywords: Historical, romance, Austen, magic
Format: Paperback, eBook
Source: library

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Shades of Milk and Honey is an intimate portrait of Jane Ellsworth, a woman ahead of her time in a version of Regency England where the manipulation of glamour is considered an essential skill for a lady of quality. But despite the prevalence of magic in everyday life, other aspects of Dorchester’s society are not that different: Jane and her sister Melody’s lives still revolve around vying for the attentions of eligible men.

Jane resists this fate, and rightly so: while her skill with glamour is remarkable, it is her sister who is fair of face, and therefore wins the lion’s share of the attention. At the ripe old age of twenty-eight, Jane has resigned herself to being invisible forever. But when her family’s honor is threatened, she finds that she must push her skills to the limit in order to set things right–and, in the process, accidentally wanders into a love story of her own.

Review:

Shades of Milk and Honey is a charming and imaginative read that fans of Jane Austen and light historical fare will enjoy. Set in Regency England, Shades of Milk and Honey is the story of Jane Ellsworth, the oldest daughter in a well to do family. Jane is an extremely talented "glamourist." This means that she has a talent for magic and is able to manipulate what they eye sees. In Jane's society, glamourists are artists, using their skills to create lifelike images and scenes that enhance every day life. But Jane's talents are often overlooked by the physical beauty of her sister.

The back cover jacket makes this book sound much more like a mystery than it is. This is very much a slice of life, a peek into the every day world of Regency England mixed with a little magic. The pacing of the story reminded me very much of an Austen novel. It's a little slow and is mostly filled with the actions of every day life. Some might find this boring, but I really enjoyed meandering through this world with Jane and learning it through her eyes. I liked the concept of magic as an art form and really liked the way that Kowal seamlessly integrated it into the world. Though the book touches a little on issues of class, it really doesn't probe too much and the social commentary is left to a minimum.

I really liked Jane's character. I always relate more to the long suffering sister in these stories than the fresh, young ingenue. I felt bad for Jane living in a household in which she always seemed to be overlooked. Part of this is her own fault though and I wish she had stood up for herself more.  Melody treated her especially bad and I really wanted Jane to just smack her. Despite her lack of a backbone most of the time, I found Jane to be smart and generous, and I truly liked her.

Of course, as a romance lover, I also enjoyed the romantic elements of this book. It's a Regency novel, so nothing too scandalous goes on but there are plenty of misunderstandings and meetings in dark corners and walks in the garden to keep it interesting.  The love interest (who I will keep a secret) is also quite swoon-worthy.

This would be a great summer beach read or a book to pick up when you're looking for something lighthearted and fun. A wonderful blend or Regency romance and magic combine to create a unique and enchanting world that you won't want to leave. I, for one, cannot wait to read the sequel and see where Jane's adventures take her next.

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Visit the author online at www.maryrobinettekowal.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryRobinette


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The Madman's Daughter - Review

The Madman's Daughter (The Madman's Daughter #1) 
by Megan Shepherd

Publication date: 29 Jan 2013 by Balzer + Bray

ISBN 10/13: 0062128027 | 9780062128027
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Category: Young Adult Historical Fiction
Keywords: Historical, romance, re-telling, science
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Source: Library

My Synopsis:

The Madman's Daughter is a re-telling/alternate view of the H.G. Wells classic The Island of Dr. Moreau told from the point of view of Moreau's daughter, Juliet. Accused of performing inhumane and ungodly experiments, Dr. Moreau abandons Juliet and her mother when she is 10 years old. Believed to be dead, Juliet's life is flipped upside down though when she finds out that he is alive and well off on an island in Australia, possibly continuing the work that made him flee England. With no prospects and poverty imminent in London, Juliet takes the treacherous journey to the island to confront her father and learn the truth about the rumors herself.

Review:

Guys, I was so impressed with this book. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, having never read the Island of Dr. Moreau (though I did see that bad Marlon Brando movie in the 90's). I also heard that there was a dreaded love triangle (which we will get to later), which made me a little skeptical. But I was really surprised by how much I liked it. If you like dark, gothic novels and don't mind (or like) a bit of blood, then you will like this book.

The Madman's Daughter throws you into the thick of things right from the start, giving you a taste of the grisly experiments that Dr. Moreau has been accused of. If you're squeamish or don't like descriptions of animal cruelty, do not read this. It's definitely not for the faint of heart and the book does not shy away from the dirt and the dark side of life.

I thought Juliet was a really great character. She's had to take care of herself from a very young age but she doesn't feel sorry for herself. I understood the anger she felt towards her father but also her naive hope that life will be better once she finds him. She's really smart and isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in and I really admired her. Dr. Moreau is cold and arrogant and I hated him for how he treated Juliet, Montgomery, and the islanders. His moods were so mercurial, changing from fatherly affection one minute to rage the next.

There is also a love triangle in this book. I don't know about you, but I am pretty sick of love triangles. How is it that every girl has two men fighting over her? I digress. Juliet had two very different people vying for her affections in The Madman's Daughter. Montgomery is her childhood friend who knows all her secrets and still loves her. But Montgomery has been living on the island with her father for years and Juliet isn't sure that she can trust him or her feelings towards him. Edward Prince, the handsome survivor of a ship wreck, is Juliet's equal in society and shares her horror of her father's experiments. She's drawn to both men but, for me, Montgomery was a much more compelling character. He's not perfect by any means but I felt like they had much more of a connection with their shared past. Edward was too mysterious and I thought he was a bit bland. While I was rolling my eyes at the love triangle throughout the book, it is somewhat justified in the end.

And that ending - wow! What a twist! I knew something big was going to be revealed but I didn't see that coming.

What impressed me the most about this book though was that every page was so rich with atmosphere. I really felt like I was in Gothic London and on the mysterious island. Chilling and intense, The Madman's Daughter is fraught with tension and I could not shake the feeling of impending doom while reading it. If you like dark, disturbing stories with rich characters and surprising plot twists, don't hesitate to pick up The Madman's Daughter. I can't wait to read the next book coming out in Jan 2014.

 

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Visit the author online at meganshepherd.com and follow her on Twitter @megan_shepherd


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Grave Peril - Audiobook Review

Grave Peril (The Dresden Files #3) 
by Jim Butcher, ready by James Marsters

Publication date: 01 September 2001 by Roc/audio by Buzzy Multimedia

ISBN 10/13: 0979074975 | 9780979074974
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Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, warlocks, ghosts, revenge, vampires
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook, audibook
Source: Library

Synopsis:

*This review may contain spoilers for previous books in the series.*

Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden has had a rough couple of weeks. As the only openly practicing professional wizard in the Chicago area, he has squared off against a multitude of supernatural bad guys. Harry has won the day against demons, poltergeists, sorcerers, trolls, vampires, werewolves, and even an evil faerie godmother. You might think nothing could spook him. You would be wrong.

Something is stirring up angry apparitions all over town. Something that can break all the laws of supernatural physics. Something that doesnt like Harry.

His closest friends are being targeted. The net is closing in. Harry must find a solution soon or find this is one Nightmare from which he will never waken.

Review:

The Dresden Files is one of those series that everyone seems to love and I feel like I should love it, too. I diligently listened to the first two books and, while I found them entertaining, they didn’t wow me. I never wanted to rush out and read the next book and I always felt like something was missing. But I kept seeing the reviews and people said that it just took a little bit of time for the series to hit its stride and then you’d be hooked. With that in mind, I decided to give the third book in The Dresden Files a chance in the hopes that it would be the book that would convince me of this series’ awesomeness.

The book starts off well enough with Harry and Michael, a new character, fighting off an angry ghost wreaking havoc in the maternity ward of the hospital. Looks like someone powerful is going around and pissing off a bunch of ghosts, causing them to act out destructively. The mastermind of these attacks is more powerful than other demon Harry has ever encountered and he has a grudge against Harry.

At this point, I am on board and it seems like this story could be pretty fun and interesting. Then a girl, Lydia, appears and Harry loses all his common sense. This is a reoccurring theme for Harry and there seems to be an endless queue of damsels in distress just waiting to take advantage of him. Then Harry gets a call that Johnnie Marcone has been attacked. Then some vampires come and threaten Harry and invite him to a ball. And then Murphy is also attacked in the same manner as Marcone. Oh and did I forget to mention that Harry’s evil fairy stepmother is after him as well?

Sounds like a lot of crazy stuff, right? Well it was too much for me. I felt like there were 3 or 4 storylines going on at once and I didn’t care about any of them. The plot just kept getting more convoluted and ridiculous. Seriously, why is everyone trying to kill Harry and how does he manage to survive? I don’t think it’s by his awesome detective skills because he missed a lot of things that were staring him right in the face. And while I normally enjoy Harry’s somewhat martyred air, he comes off as pretty whiny in this one.

The one bright spot was Michael, whom I really liked and wouldn’t mind seeing more of. I also really liked his wife Charity. She had a razor sharp tongue and wasn’t afraid to use it.

As you can see, Grave Peril was not the book to put me on the Dresden Files train. While I like most of the characters and many elements of the books, they just don’t wow me enough to continue on with the series. This last book especially was very tedious for me. Even James Marsters’s wonderful voice is not enough incentive to continue.

 

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Visit the author online at www.jim-butcher.com and his blog.

Birdsong: A Novel Of Love And War - Review

Birdsong: A Novel Of Love And War 
by Sebastian Faulks

Publication date: 02 June 1997 by Vintage

ISBN 10/13: 0679776818 | 9780679776819
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indieboud

Category: Adult Historical Fiction
Keywords: Historical, love, war, WWI
Format: Paperback, eBook
Source: Library

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Published to international critical and popular acclaim, this intensely romantic yet stunningly realistic novel spans three generations and the unimaginable gulf between the First World War and the present. As the young Englishman Stephen Wraysford passes through a tempestuous love affair with Isabelle Azaire in France and enters the dark, surreal world beneath the trenches of No Man's Land, Sebastian Faulks creates a world of fiction that is as tragic as A Farewell to Arms and as sensuous as The English Patient. Crafted from the ruins of war and the indestructibility of love, Birdsong is a novel that will be read and marveled at for years to come.

Review:

Birdsong is the story of two people, Stephen and Isabelle, who fall in love against the backdrop of a lush French landscape. Their affair is brief but intense, with deep repercussions for both. The book is divided into several parts, with the main sections being set 6 years before WWI, during WWI, and much later in 1978.

Birdsong was a somewhat difficult read for me. It was very, very slow and the writing, while beautiful, was overly descriptive and repetitive at times.  Surprisingly, the first part of the book was my least favorite. I am normally a huge fan of romance but Stephen and Isabelle's left me cold. Here are two people who are supposed to be passionately in love with each other but I just didn't feel it. There was attraction and certainly lust, but I wasn't sure about love.

I also had a hard time relating to and caring about any of the characters in the book. I found Isabelle to be especially annoying and I could not figure out how such a cold character could elicit passion in anyone. I liked Stephen marginally better. We stay with him through large parts of the book and he grew on my by the end of the book.  My two favorite characters were Jack Firebrace and Jeanne. To me, those two were the real heart and soul of the novel and I cared more about them than the two main characters.

Surprisingly, my favorite part of the book was the section during the way.  Faulks's writing made me feel like I was right there in the trenches with Stephen and the other soldiers.  I felt their fear, joy, and pain. The descriptions of the tunnels and digging were especially harrowing and I got nervous each time they went underground. I liked the way that Faulks showed the different effects the fighting had on soldiers. Some, like Stephen, became detached and weary while others, like Weir, fell into drink and madness.  It really brought to life the horrors of war.

I didn't love this book, but it did have some redeeming qualities.  While I did not enjoy the plodding narrative or most of the characters, I did find the descriptions of life in the trenches to be utterly compelling and gripping. I would actually get slightly annoyed when it switched from the war to more contemporary part of the novel. I am not usually a big fan of war novels, and this just wasn't my cup of tea. If you're a fan of the genre, you might want to give this one a try.  Hopefully you will find it more enjoyable than I did.

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You can visit the author at his website www.sebastianfaulks.com.