TBR Challnge 2011- General

Anything for You by Sarah Mayberry

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

TBR Challenge 2011: General category This book has been on my TBR list since Dec. 2010.

3.5*

Sarah Mayberry is an excellent writer and Anything for You is another success. Unfortunately, the plotting suffers because of the emphasis on sex scenes in the Harlequin Blaze line. Mayberry makes plot decisions based on getting the couple in bed multiple times instead of using the space to explore the changing relationship between Sam and Delaney more fully. This makes for a good story with a fairly high steam factor, but gives it less depth than there could have been. This also makes for some implausible situations, such as Delaney and Sam having been friends since they were 12 and him never noticing her in a sexual way. They'd been surfing together for years and he never noticed her figure in a bikini? Really? I'm not buying that. (Small nit-pick: Sam and Delaney are said to have met when they were 12, been friends for 16 years and the author repeatedly states they're both 30. You do the math. It doesn't add up.)


I also had a hard time believing two people who are as close as these two wouldn't talk things out. What did Delaney have to lose by letting him know her feelings?


Anything for You is a good book, but if you want a better book that deal with the friends-to-lovers theme try Her Best Friend by the same author. It's a complex look at a similar situation.

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TBR Challnge 2011- General

Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison



2011 TBR Challenge: General Category- I'm cheating a little with this book since it was technically put on my TBR list in January of 2011, but...close enough.

4.5*

>With bookstores full of dark, brooding PNR novels, it's difficult to find a book that breaks new ground. Dragon Bound manages to contain all the elements that readers love in their PNR novels, but with differences that delight and surprise. Dragos is a typical sexy, alpha male, ancient and powerful, but he's also unique. He gets knocked sideways by his reaction to Pia, and Harrison does a great job blending the warrior with the vulnerable lover.


The story feels fresh, and the secondary characters are well-rounded despite the large cast of characters and relatively few pages devoted to them. What could have been just another intensely serious urban fantasy is lightened by surprisingly well-done humor, which manages to be sharp but not flippant.


My only (minor) caveats are an underdeveloped enemy, which makes that story line feel like an ad-on instead of a main event, and a plot device late in the book that I'd have preferred to see done differently or left out all together.

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TBR Challnge 2011- General

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

TBR Challenge 2011; General category- This book has been on my TBR list since November 2009.

4.5 stars

While possessing the predictability of a Heyer romance, The Masqueraders varied from the expected just enough to make it unique and charming. Not only does this book have the wit and clever plotting I expect from Heyer, it has more than one endearing romance. The scene in which one hero declares his feelings is one of the most moving declarations I've read. Since this scene happened partway through the book instead of in the last paragraphs as so often occurs in Heyer's book, the relationship has time to grow and develop, which was particularly satisfying to read.

The Masqueraders has very clever plotting, many multifaceted secondary characters, and plenty of humorous dialog. Definitely worth reading.

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TBR Challnge 2011- November: Non-romance genre

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


TBR Challenge 2011: November Category- Genre other than romance. (Urban fantasy with romantic elements)

River Marked is the most interesting Mercy Thompson novel since Iron Kissed. The plot was engaging and different and the secondary characters interesting. Adam and Mercy are on their honeymoon at a lovely campsite, which gave a nice change of pace over the more urban setting for most of the books. Also, since it is their honeymoon, Adam and Mercy are working together and interacting throughout the book, which is a definite plus.

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TBR Challnge 2011- General

In a Class By Itself by Sandra Brown

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

TBR Challenge 2011: General category. This book has been on my TBR list for over a year.

I have no idea why this book was on my TBR list, but it was a waste of time. I skimmed the last half.

The heroine is suppose to be a competent woman in her late 20's, but she still can't stand up to her parents and she slinks away from the man she loves like a coward, even though she's just reconnected with him after 10 years. Her reasons for not staying are suppose to be moving and noble, but they make no sense in today's world, making this novel feel very dated.

Not recommended.

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SOA Listening Challege 2011

The final book! Yay!

Rebellious Desire by Julie Garwood

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I bought the abridged Rebellious Desire on audio to complete the Speaking of Audiobooks 2011 Listening Challenge (listen to an abridged book). I thought it was just fine. The narration was decent if not inspired, and the story had no major flaws. As always, I think abridgments leave the reader just a little confused since background info and character motives are often left out, but the book was enjoyable. Getting it on sale for less than $4 was a plus. ;-)


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