A Game of Chance (Mackenzie Family #5) by Linda Howard
TBR Challenge 2012: Personal Challenge-- books on my list prior to 2011.
A Game of Chance has been on my to-read list since August 2010.
3.5* rounded up to 4*
Grade B
A Game of Chance is a book I didn't expect to like as much
as I did. All the Mackenzie family books have been enjoyable, but none
have been great. A Game of Chance isn't great either, but it's a
whole lotta fun! Even when I tell myself it's over-the-top and
unbelievable, I still like it. Chance has just enough edge to be a great
Linda Howard hero, but with some truly good-guy qualities that insure
the reader respects him. Sunny was a well-written character with enough
believability to make her a sympathetic heroine.
There was failure to communicate between the characters, but that is
integral to the plot, so it made sense instead of being annoying. Good
book!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
SFR Reading and SOA Listening Challenges
After Dark: Ghost Hunter #1 by Jayne Castle
SFR Reading Challenge 2012: 3/15
SOA Listening Challenge 2012: Paranormal/SFR 3/4
Grade B-/C+
Narration by Joyce Bean 3.5* Grade B
A Krentz/Castle/Quick is generally an enjoyable read for me. After Dark is no exception, although it isn't nearly her best sci-fi/futuristic romance. There was decent world-building and the suspense plot was entertaining, but the character development was weak. Every time I thought I could like Lydia, she acted like a self-righteous prig again. Her pettiness toward Ethan got old, and didn't resolve to my satisfaction since the ending was abrupt. I'm interested enough to try the next in the series, however.
The narration was solid and the narrator did a decent job with the male voices.
SFR Reading Challenge 2012: 3/15
SOA Listening Challenge 2012: Paranormal/SFR 3/4
Grade B-/C+
Narration by Joyce Bean 3.5* Grade B
A Krentz/Castle/Quick is generally an enjoyable read for me. After Dark is no exception, although it isn't nearly her best sci-fi/futuristic romance. There was decent world-building and the suspense plot was entertaining, but the character development was weak. Every time I thought I could like Lydia, she acted like a self-righteous prig again. Her pettiness toward Ethan got old, and didn't resolve to my satisfaction since the ending was abrupt. I'm interested enough to try the next in the series, however.
The narration was solid and the narrator did a decent job with the male voices.
SFR and TBR Reading Challenges 2012
In Enemy Hands by K.S. Augustin
3 of 5 stars
Grade B-/C+
SFR Reading Challenge 2012 4/15
TBR Reading Challenge 2012: Personal Challenge--this book has been on my to-read list since June 2010.
The story concept here is fascinating, and I thought Augustin's portrayal of Srin was excellent. Unfortunately, the book suffers from uneven pacing and an abrupt ending. I enjoyed the sci-fi aspect of the book, and was gratified that this author actually had a sci-fi plot and wasn't just using a spaceship setting for a romance novel. The problem was that her descriptive passages dragged at times, and took the reader out of the story. Just when the tension surrounding Srin or Moon was getting high, the author inadvertently diffuses it with "shop-talk."
I want to point out another strong point in the book were the conversations. The author does an excellent job with character development, for Srin, Moon, and Captain Jeen especially, drawing their personalities out in conversations.
Parts of this book deserve 4*, and parts deserve 2*. I'm going with an average. I'm interested enough to want to know what happens next, so I hope there is a sequel.
3 of 5 stars
Grade B-/C+
SFR Reading Challenge 2012 4/15
TBR Reading Challenge 2012: Personal Challenge--this book has been on my to-read list since June 2010.
The story concept here is fascinating, and I thought Augustin's portrayal of Srin was excellent. Unfortunately, the book suffers from uneven pacing and an abrupt ending. I enjoyed the sci-fi aspect of the book, and was gratified that this author actually had a sci-fi plot and wasn't just using a spaceship setting for a romance novel. The problem was that her descriptive passages dragged at times, and took the reader out of the story. Just when the tension surrounding Srin or Moon was getting high, the author inadvertently diffuses it with "shop-talk."
I want to point out another strong point in the book were the conversations. The author does an excellent job with character development, for Srin, Moon, and Captain Jeen especially, drawing their personalities out in conversations.
Parts of this book deserve 4*, and parts deserve 2*. I'm going with an average. I'm interested enough to want to know what happens next, so I hope there is a sequel.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
SOA Listening Challenge 2012
Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changeling #1) by Nalini Singh
4/5 stars Grade A-
SOA Listening Challenge 2012- Spread Your Listening: Paranormal 2/4
Slave to Sensation is one of the few books I've read recently that I knew nothing about other than the author and category. I hadn't read a summary of the plot or read any reviews so I had no preconceived ideas about the characters or story. I should do that more often, because I found the story felt fresh.
The world-building was interesting and well done for the most part. After finishing the book I do have some questions about the psy-net, but overall the descriptions and explanations for the world were excellent. Lucas and Sascha were likeable, well-drawn characters who grew and developed as the story moves forward.
I had a few, albeit minor, problems with the story and the writing. For one, the author tends to be repetitive. The reader endures Sascha thinking about her brokenness and the possibilities of death or rehabilitation a couple of dozen times, for example. Of more import was the conclusion of the suspense plot toward the end. Without giving spoilers, I can only say it was less than satisfying for the majority of the action to take place "off camera." The summary of events felt like an afterthought. I'm assuming the fall-out from that event will be part of the successive stories of this series.
The narrator, Angela Dawe, has a curious lack of tonal inflection in her delivery (she rarely drops her voice at the end of sentences) which took some getting used to. However, her character voices are excellent and I never thought "Oh, that's a woman reading a man's part." Overall 4 star narration.
4/5 stars Grade A-
SOA Listening Challenge 2012- Spread Your Listening: Paranormal 2/4
Slave to Sensation is one of the few books I've read recently that I knew nothing about other than the author and category. I hadn't read a summary of the plot or read any reviews so I had no preconceived ideas about the characters or story. I should do that more often, because I found the story felt fresh.
The world-building was interesting and well done for the most part. After finishing the book I do have some questions about the psy-net, but overall the descriptions and explanations for the world were excellent. Lucas and Sascha were likeable, well-drawn characters who grew and developed as the story moves forward.
I had a few, albeit minor, problems with the story and the writing. For one, the author tends to be repetitive. The reader endures Sascha thinking about her brokenness and the possibilities of death or rehabilitation a couple of dozen times, for example. Of more import was the conclusion of the suspense plot toward the end. Without giving spoilers, I can only say it was less than satisfying for the majority of the action to take place "off camera." The summary of events felt like an afterthought. I'm assuming the fall-out from that event will be part of the successive stories of this series.
The narrator, Angela Dawe, has a curious lack of tonal inflection in her delivery (she rarely drops her voice at the end of sentences) which took some getting used to. However, her character voices are excellent and I never thought "Oh, that's a woman reading a man's part." Overall 4 star narration.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
TBR Challenge 2012: Personal Challenge
Breakpoint by JoAnn Ross
3 /5 stars B-/C+
TBR Challenge 2012- Personal Challenge: Read books posted on my to-read list before 2011. <i>Breakpoint</i> was #1 on my to-read list, added October 1, 2009.
A solid romantic suspense book by a consistent author. <i>Breakpoint</i> was a fast, easy read with enjoyable characters and a decent mystery plot. However, there was nothing unique or surprising about the story or the characters.
The author had obviously done her research, but wasn't as adept at blending her knowledge smoothly into the story. Every pause to tell the reader what each word or acronym meant was disruptive, and for the most part unnecessary. The paragraphs detailing the structure and operation of the aircraft carrier, and other parts of military life, were interesting but broke the flow of the story. It would be much preferable to add this information in the form of a glossary of terms and a short afterword with the details.
Overall an enjoyable day of reading, but something I'm likely to forget quickly.
3 /5 stars B-/C+
TBR Challenge 2012- Personal Challenge: Read books posted on my to-read list before 2011. <i>Breakpoint</i> was #1 on my to-read list, added October 1, 2009.
A solid romantic suspense book by a consistent author. <i>Breakpoint</i> was a fast, easy read with enjoyable characters and a decent mystery plot. However, there was nothing unique or surprising about the story or the characters.
The author had obviously done her research, but wasn't as adept at blending her knowledge smoothly into the story. Every pause to tell the reader what each word or acronym meant was disruptive, and for the most part unnecessary. The paragraphs detailing the structure and operation of the aircraft carrier, and other parts of military life, were interesting but broke the flow of the story. It would be much preferable to add this information in the form of a glossary of terms and a short afterword with the details.
Overall an enjoyable day of reading, but something I'm likely to forget quickly.
Monday, February 13, 2012
TBR Reading Challenge 2012- Personal Challenge
Where There's Smoke by M.J. Fredrick
TBR Challenge 2012- Personal challenge (books on my list before 2011): This has been on my to-read list since June 2010.
3.5/5 Grade B
After reading Hot Shot, I was expecting this book to be another firefighter romantic suspense. I should've read the description more carefully. This involves a firefighter, but it isn't a romantic suspense, it's straight contemporary romance with a friends-to-lovers theme. That's not necessarily bad, but it wasn't what I was expecting.
This is a compelling book on several levels, and I'm glad I read it. But it wasn't all fun. The characters in this book are something of a train-wreck. There is a lot of emotional angst going on, so don't expect a light-and-fluffy story. Far from light, this story delves painfully deep into emotions such as trust, betrayal, keeping secrets, guilt, and anger.
I appreciate that the author didn't look for unrealistically easy answers to the problems her characters and their families are experiencing. Not much is tied up in neat bows at the end of the book, and some of the more despicable characters don't get the smack-down a reader may feel they deserve. On the other hand, the author lets Seth, the male lead of the story, off way too easy in my opinion. For much of the book he comes across as a thoughtless, selfish character, too weak to handle his relationship with Lauren in a mature way. To believe in any happy-ever-after for the couple I would need to see Seth really grapple with his weakness and make some conscious choices to grow up.
And can I say one more thing about the friends-to-lovers story line? Why is it always about a drop-dead-gorgeous guy who sleep with everything that moves and the pretty but not all that experienced girl-next-door? In these stories she's always figuring she's not good enough for the guy, and how he's had all these dozens of beautiful babes while she dated the boring accountant or something. Give it a rest, authors. Give us a normal guy and a normal girl and let's watch them fall in love.
TBR Challenge 2012- Personal challenge (books on my list before 2011): This has been on my to-read list since June 2010.
3.5/5 Grade B
After reading Hot Shot, I was expecting this book to be another firefighter romantic suspense. I should've read the description more carefully. This involves a firefighter, but it isn't a romantic suspense, it's straight contemporary romance with a friends-to-lovers theme. That's not necessarily bad, but it wasn't what I was expecting.
This is a compelling book on several levels, and I'm glad I read it. But it wasn't all fun. The characters in this book are something of a train-wreck. There is a lot of emotional angst going on, so don't expect a light-and-fluffy story. Far from light, this story delves painfully deep into emotions such as trust, betrayal, keeping secrets, guilt, and anger.
I appreciate that the author didn't look for unrealistically easy answers to the problems her characters and their families are experiencing. Not much is tied up in neat bows at the end of the book, and some of the more despicable characters don't get the smack-down a reader may feel they deserve. On the other hand, the author lets Seth, the male lead of the story, off way too easy in my opinion. For much of the book he comes across as a thoughtless, selfish character, too weak to handle his relationship with Lauren in a mature way. To believe in any happy-ever-after for the couple I would need to see Seth really grapple with his weakness and make some conscious choices to grow up.
And can I say one more thing about the friends-to-lovers story line? Why is it always about a drop-dead-gorgeous guy who sleep with everything that moves and the pretty but not all that experienced girl-next-door? In these stories she's always figuring she's not good enough for the guy, and how he's had all these dozens of beautiful babes while she dated the boring accountant or something. Give it a rest, authors. Give us a normal guy and a normal girl and let's watch them fall in love.
TBR Challenge 2012: February Category
Slightly Shady by Amanda Quick
TBR Challenge 2012- February category: Recommended by another reader. this was recommended by my daughter Hannah. Added Feb 2011.
3.5/5 Grade B
Slightly Shady is a solid effort by Amanda Quick. The dialog, between all the characters not just the leads, was smart and witty. Tobias is a wonderfully grouchy hero. Lavinia is a fairly typical Quick/Krentz heroine, which is to say a somewhat unconventional bluestocking who is matter-of-fact and independent-minded. The secondary characters Emiline and Anthony were a pleasant addition to the book instead of a distraction. And the little unanswered question about the suspense plot at the end was a great hook for the next book in the trilogy.
There is little sexual tension in the novel and the love scenes inspire more smiles than sighs. The real treat in this relationship is watching the grudging respect and admiration grow between the leads.
I already have the next one, Don't Look Back, on hold at the library!
TBR Challenge 2012- February category: Recommended by another reader. this was recommended by my daughter Hannah. Added Feb 2011.
3.5/5 Grade B
Slightly Shady is a solid effort by Amanda Quick. The dialog, between all the characters not just the leads, was smart and witty. Tobias is a wonderfully grouchy hero. Lavinia is a fairly typical Quick/Krentz heroine, which is to say a somewhat unconventional bluestocking who is matter-of-fact and independent-minded. The secondary characters Emiline and Anthony were a pleasant addition to the book instead of a distraction. And the little unanswered question about the suspense plot at the end was a great hook for the next book in the trilogy.
There is little sexual tension in the novel and the love scenes inspire more smiles than sighs. The real treat in this relationship is watching the grudging respect and admiration grow between the leads.
I already have the next one, Don't Look Back, on hold at the library!
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