Whitehorse by Katherine Sutcliffe
SOA Listening Challenge 2012: Contemporary 1/4
3.5* rounded up for goodreads
(4.5* narration by Kate Reading-- my first book by this narrator)
This is a difficult book for me to rate. For much of the story, I was uncomfortable with the actions of both lead characters. I was also frustrated by their lack of communication. As the story unfolds, you understand the characters better, and even sympathize, but both Whitehorse and Leah are very flawed and stubborn individuals and not always likeable.
Johnny Whitehorse, as introduced in the beginning of the book, is selfish and opportunistic. His relationship with Delores is self-serving (for both) and put me off. The entire restaurant scene with Delores and Johnny, and Leah and her date is weird and unsettling. And I guess that's the watch-word for the entire book: it's unsettling.
<spoiler>Fairly early in the book Leah tells her son's live-in caretaker about her father the Senator, and how terrible he was to Johnny's father, yet every time Johnny brings up Leah's father, she defends him completely, giving no ground,. This happens even after we see how the Senator treats Leah and her son. This goes on waaaay too long in the book and drove me crazy. Leah was again going to give up Johnny out of misplaced loyalty to a man who treated her like dirt.</spoiler>
Sutcliffe gets on a few soap boxes during the novel, mostly about the plight of Native Americans and the needs of children with cerebral palsy. The monologues are informative and even moving, but feel forced.
My last complain is the abrupt ending of the book. I'm not a big epilogue fan, but there is absolutely no denouement after the final climatic scene.
On the plus side, the writing is excellent, and the author does an marvelous job giving the reader a sense of time and place. The descriptions were detailed without being wordy, drawing the reader into the sights, sounds, smells, and emotions. The main characters, while not always likeable, are very real, flaws and all. Some of the best scenes in the book are between Leah and her son--very beautifully done.
I have a feeling this is a book that will stay with me long after it's over.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
SFR Reading Challenge/ TBR Reading Challenge 2012
Amaryllis by Jayne Castle
3 out of 5 stars
SFR Reading Challenge 2012
TBR Reading Challenge 2012: Personal- on my tbr list since June 2010.
This is a fairly typical Jayne Castle/Krentz book: not too deep, but entertaining. Her heroes are rarely well-developed, and seems to spend a lot of time gnashing teeth over the heroine's actions. Lucien is a fine hero, but a little bland. Amaryllis is more developed, but isn't an inspiring heroine. One character describes her as "a prissy, straight-laced, self-righteous [person] who seemed to think it was her job in life to act as a goddamned conscience for everyone else." And that about sums up Amaryllis. She's about as sexy as a Miss Manners etiquette book, but not as humorous. I didn't dislike her at all, I just wasn't drawn to her and couldn't see any reason Lucien was, either. Plus she pulled one or two TSTL stunts and was way too naive to be believed.
Since Castle has spent time in this book setting up the world, the next two books might have more plot and less backstory. I'll probably read the next one since I own it.
3 out of 5 stars
SFR Reading Challenge 2012
TBR Reading Challenge 2012: Personal- on my tbr list since June 2010.
This is a fairly typical Jayne Castle/Krentz book: not too deep, but entertaining. Her heroes are rarely well-developed, and seems to spend a lot of time gnashing teeth over the heroine's actions. Lucien is a fine hero, but a little bland. Amaryllis is more developed, but isn't an inspiring heroine. One character describes her as "a prissy, straight-laced, self-righteous [person] who seemed to think it was her job in life to act as a goddamned conscience for everyone else." And that about sums up Amaryllis. She's about as sexy as a Miss Manners etiquette book, but not as humorous. I didn't dislike her at all, I just wasn't drawn to her and couldn't see any reason Lucien was, either. Plus she pulled one or two TSTL stunts and was way too naive to be believed.
Since Castle has spent time in this book setting up the world, the next two books might have more plot and less backstory. I'll probably read the next one since I own it.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
SOA Listening Challenge 2012: Paranormal Romance
A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole
SOA Listening Challenge 2012: Paranormal Romance 1/4
4.5 out of 5 Grade A
A Hunger Like No Other is full of imaginative and unique world building. Cole takes some chances and is able to find something new and entertaining in an over-saturated paranormal romance market. She's created a complex world populated with several races of immortals, each with a well-developed back story that is at least hinted at in this book. The secondary characters are well-drawn and very individual, and I imagine that subsequent books will take up their individual stories. Cole added some really fun twists, like the fact that the Valkyrie are acquisitive (they love to acquire expensive things), and that the Lykae have a knack for quick learning and are sensualists.
The sensuality rating is high on this book, so be forewarned. If you are listening to this on audio, you may find yourself blushing while walking the dog or doing the dishes with your headphones on. ;-)
My only real caveats with the book are that I got a little tired of the flippant way Emma spoke to Lccklain at times, and her "hip" slang (which will undoubtedly date the book sooner than it would otherwise). Tied to that, I also got tired of the anger and sniping. I was glad when that finally ended.
SOA Listening Challenge 2012: Paranormal Romance 1/4
4.5 out of 5 Grade A
A Hunger Like No Other is full of imaginative and unique world building. Cole takes some chances and is able to find something new and entertaining in an over-saturated paranormal romance market. She's created a complex world populated with several races of immortals, each with a well-developed back story that is at least hinted at in this book. The secondary characters are well-drawn and very individual, and I imagine that subsequent books will take up their individual stories. Cole added some really fun twists, like the fact that the Valkyrie are acquisitive (they love to acquire expensive things), and that the Lykae have a knack for quick learning and are sensualists.
The sensuality rating is high on this book, so be forewarned. If you are listening to this on audio, you may find yourself blushing while walking the dog or doing the dishes with your headphones on. ;-)
My only real caveats with the book are that I got a little tired of the flippant way Emma spoke to Lccklain at times, and her "hip" slang (which will undoubtedly date the book sooner than it would otherwise). Tied to that, I also got tired of the anger and sniping. I was glad when that finally ended.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
SOA Listening Challenge 2012
Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas
3.5 out of 5 stars
SOA Listening Challenge 2012- Historical #2
I enjoyed the story, but I would have enjoyed it much more with a good narrator. 4* for the story, 2* for Rosalyn Landor's narration.
The plot was intricate and layered, the dialogue was sharp and witty, and the writing overall was quite good. I knew this book had an HEA, but I wasn't certain Kleypas could pull it off. I was pleasantly surprised at the interwoven story lines and the emotions they produced. Not a perfect book, a little too much melodrama at times and some secondary characters who lacked development and were more placeholders than anything, but a very enjoyable historical romance.
3.5 out of 5 stars
SOA Listening Challenge 2012- Historical #2
I enjoyed the story, but I would have enjoyed it much more with a good narrator. 4* for the story, 2* for Rosalyn Landor's narration.
The plot was intricate and layered, the dialogue was sharp and witty, and the writing overall was quite good. I knew this book had an HEA, but I wasn't certain Kleypas could pull it off. I was pleasantly surprised at the interwoven story lines and the emotions they produced. Not a perfect book, a little too much melodrama at times and some secondary characters who lacked development and were more placeholders than anything, but a very enjoyable historical romance.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
TBR Challenge 2012: January Category- Series Romance
The Admiral's Bride by Suzanne Brockmann
3 out of 5 stars
TBR Challenge 2012: January category- Category/Series Romance. The Admiral's Bride has been on my to-read list since May 2010.
Maybe 3.5* Good solid story, with some twists and turns that take it above the "business as usual" for series romance. Brockmann does a great job with Jake's confused feelings. that was the best part of the book. Zoe is a likeable character as well, and although there is some lack of communication between them, it feels right for the story and the characters, so that wasn't a problem for me.
The actual suspense plot is weak, however, and character development for all but Jake is also on the weak side. Still, it was an enjoyable read!
3 out of 5 stars
TBR Challenge 2012: January category- Category/Series Romance. The Admiral's Bride has been on my to-read list since May 2010.
Maybe 3.5* Good solid story, with some twists and turns that take it above the "business as usual" for series romance. Brockmann does a great job with Jake's confused feelings. that was the best part of the book. Zoe is a likeable character as well, and although there is some lack of communication between them, it feels right for the story and the characters, so that wasn't a problem for me.
The actual suspense plot is weak, however, and character development for all but Jake is also on the weak side. Still, it was an enjoyable read!
Monday, January 16, 2012
TBR Challenge 2012- Personal
Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook
4 out of 5 stars
TBR Challenge 2012: Personal Category- books added to the TBR list before 2011. Heart of Steel was added on Dec 23, 2011.
SFR Reading Challenge 2012: Book 1 of 15
Heart of Steel took a a few pages to grab me, and it never quite grabbed me to the extent that The Iron Duke did. In The Iron Duke the world was grittier and more detailed, and the characters were a huge presence. While the story in Heart of Steel can't be called light, it has a lighter feel. Part of that can be attributed to the the fact that so much of the action takes place in relatively civilized towns or on board an airship, but the biggest reason is most likely the character of Archimedes Fox. Fox is, at least on the surface, a dashing, open, and entertaining man. His personality lightens the tone of the story. Yasmeen, in her own way, is also a more open character than the often grim, determined Mina from The Iron Duke.
Yasmeen wasn't my favorite character from the previous book. Having a flippant, almost careless attitude at times, she came across as shallow. That impression continued for a while in this book, but slowly changed. The author does an excellent job of revealing Yasmeen's heart. By the last third of the book, I'd come to admire her strength and integrity.
Fox is always a likeable character, and Brooks succeeds in giving him heart and depth as well. At first I didn't understand the attraction to Yasmeen, but the motives are slowly made clear and both characters gain a lot of emotional depth.
More problematic for me was the politics and history. Keeping all the factions straight, and trying to tweeze out the often complicated political reasoning was a challenge. Someone with a better working memory wouldn't have this issue, but remembering details is a weakness for me. At the end of the book I wasn't quite satisfied that I understood everything that happened and why. It's a plus that Brook treats her readers as adults, and doesn't spoon feed them with info-dumps and idiotic dialogs so she can reveal all her thinking. On the other hand, a few of us might need some of that spoon feeding at times! I'll need a second reading of this book before Riveted is released next fall.
The writing was as excellent as before. Brooks has exceptional timing, a knack for dialog, and knows how to keep her characters in character.
4 out of 5 stars
TBR Challenge 2012: Personal Category- books added to the TBR list before 2011. Heart of Steel was added on Dec 23, 2011.
SFR Reading Challenge 2012: Book 1 of 15
Heart of Steel took a a few pages to grab me, and it never quite grabbed me to the extent that The Iron Duke did. In The Iron Duke the world was grittier and more detailed, and the characters were a huge presence. While the story in Heart of Steel can't be called light, it has a lighter feel. Part of that can be attributed to the the fact that so much of the action takes place in relatively civilized towns or on board an airship, but the biggest reason is most likely the character of Archimedes Fox. Fox is, at least on the surface, a dashing, open, and entertaining man. His personality lightens the tone of the story. Yasmeen, in her own way, is also a more open character than the often grim, determined Mina from The Iron Duke.
Yasmeen wasn't my favorite character from the previous book. Having a flippant, almost careless attitude at times, she came across as shallow. That impression continued for a while in this book, but slowly changed. The author does an excellent job of revealing Yasmeen's heart. By the last third of the book, I'd come to admire her strength and integrity.
Fox is always a likeable character, and Brooks succeeds in giving him heart and depth as well. At first I didn't understand the attraction to Yasmeen, but the motives are slowly made clear and both characters gain a lot of emotional depth.
More problematic for me was the politics and history. Keeping all the factions straight, and trying to tweeze out the often complicated political reasoning was a challenge. Someone with a better working memory wouldn't have this issue, but remembering details is a weakness for me. At the end of the book I wasn't quite satisfied that I understood everything that happened and why. It's a plus that Brook treats her readers as adults, and doesn't spoon feed them with info-dumps and idiotic dialogs so she can reveal all her thinking. On the other hand, a few of us might need some of that spoon feeding at times! I'll need a second reading of this book before Riveted is released next fall.
The writing was as excellent as before. Brooks has exceptional timing, a knack for dialog, and knows how to keep her characters in character.
Friday, January 13, 2012
SOA Listening Challenge 2012
An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer
5 out of 5
2012 SOA Listening Challenge: Historical
2012 TBR Challenge: Personal
Part romance and part history, this is a truly incredible novel. I listened to the entire 15 hours over two days. I couldn't stop. I have put off listening to this book for a couple of years because I was afraid I'd find the details of the battles boring, but I needn't have worried. It's true I was a little overwhelmed at times by the sheer amount of information presented, but I was always fascinated. Even when I was a bit lost with the names and descriptions, I enjoyed the beauty of the language. I took the time to look up a little about the Battle of Waterloo, and seeing some of the people and place names in print helped me keep them somewhat straight. While I listened to the battle, which takes up about the last third of the book, I had several maps of the campaign open on the computer and was able to follow the details tolerably well that way. I paused the narration periodically to figure out the troop movements on the map, and while I'm sure the finer details still escaped me, at least I was not lost. In fact, I was mesmerized, shocked, and moved by the descriptions.
The romance was not typical of romance novels, although in retrospect it makes sense for Heyer to write it. Barbara Childs is the granddaughter of "The Devils Cub" and the great-granddaughter of Justin, the Duke of Avon in "These Old Shades." Neither of those heroes was what one would call a nice person, and neither is Barbara. What I can sometimes accept in a hero I have a little more problem with in a heroine. I disliked her extremely for the first half of the book, but was able to accept the eventual change of heart as real. Charles is a wonderful hero.
I am glad I reread "Regency Buck" right before this. Judith and Worth play a large role in An Infamous Army, and it was good to see more of them. The present Duke of Avon (Dominique of The Devil's Cub) and his wife Mary also make an appearance. Since Heyer tends to end her romances with the confession of love, it's always wonderful to see how the characters from previous books are getting on after marriage.
I recommend reading in this order:
The Black Moth (the villain from this book is very obviously the prototype for the Duke of Avon in These Old Shades. Read this for the backstory, although the names were changed for These Old Shades.)
These Old Shades
The Devil's Cub
Regency Buck
An Infamous Army
5 out of 5
2012 SOA Listening Challenge: Historical
2012 TBR Challenge: Personal
Part romance and part history, this is a truly incredible novel. I listened to the entire 15 hours over two days. I couldn't stop. I have put off listening to this book for a couple of years because I was afraid I'd find the details of the battles boring, but I needn't have worried. It's true I was a little overwhelmed at times by the sheer amount of information presented, but I was always fascinated. Even when I was a bit lost with the names and descriptions, I enjoyed the beauty of the language. I took the time to look up a little about the Battle of Waterloo, and seeing some of the people and place names in print helped me keep them somewhat straight. While I listened to the battle, which takes up about the last third of the book, I had several maps of the campaign open on the computer and was able to follow the details tolerably well that way. I paused the narration periodically to figure out the troop movements on the map, and while I'm sure the finer details still escaped me, at least I was not lost. In fact, I was mesmerized, shocked, and moved by the descriptions.
The romance was not typical of romance novels, although in retrospect it makes sense for Heyer to write it. Barbara Childs is the granddaughter of "The Devils Cub" and the great-granddaughter of Justin, the Duke of Avon in "These Old Shades." Neither of those heroes was what one would call a nice person, and neither is Barbara. What I can sometimes accept in a hero I have a little more problem with in a heroine. I disliked her extremely for the first half of the book, but was able to accept the eventual change of heart as real. Charles is a wonderful hero.
I am glad I reread "Regency Buck" right before this. Judith and Worth play a large role in An Infamous Army, and it was good to see more of them. The present Duke of Avon (Dominique of The Devil's Cub) and his wife Mary also make an appearance. Since Heyer tends to end her romances with the confession of love, it's always wonderful to see how the characters from previous books are getting on after marriage.
I recommend reading in this order:
The Black Moth (the villain from this book is very obviously the prototype for the Duke of Avon in These Old Shades. Read this for the backstory, although the names were changed for These Old Shades.)
These Old Shades
The Devil's Cub
Regency Buck
An Infamous Army
Thursday, January 5, 2012
TBR Challenge 2012: Personal
For some reason the blog will no longer show the book covers and links.
Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews
Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews
Read from January 02 to 04, 2012
TBR Challenge 2012- Personal category: Books on my to-read list prior to 2011. Bayou Moon was put on my to-read list on Sept 28, 2010.
William is one of the best characters I've met in any book. His mix of inexperience in relationships and ruthlessness as a killer is oddly endearing, or at least intriguing. Cerise is an incredibly well-drawn character, as well. Her devotion to family, her strength and will, and her ability to kill without hesitation is interwoven seamlessly with her crisis of self-confidence and vulnerability when her parents are kidnapped and she's thrust into leadership of her clan. William and Cerise circle each other uncertainly for much of the book, but the interactions are believable and even endearing.
The main plot is complicated and convoluted, intertwining William's mission to find what the organization known as The Hand is looking for with Cerise's drive to reclaim part of her land and find her kidnapped parents. As their mission seem to be headed in the same direction, the two form an uneasy alliance. Enter Cerise's large family, full of oddities and magically-gifted people.
The ick-factor in this story is high, much higher than in the previous book of the series. The writing team known as Ilona Andrews seems to have pulled every dusty mutant and monster from their Unused Bad Guys file and threw them into the mix. The sometimes lengthy descriptions of these freaks of magic, along with the sometimes brutal fight scenes, tended to put me off a bit and lessened my enjoyment a little. I was also wasn't thrill to realize The Hand will probably make an appearance in future books. Other than those quibbles, the book was engrossing and very well-written, and the main two characters were marvelous. It was also good to see Declan, Rose and the boys, even briefly.
William is one of the best characters I've met in any book. His mix of inexperience in relationships and ruthlessness as a killer is oddly endearing, or at least intriguing. Cerise is an incredibly well-drawn character, as well. Her devotion to family, her strength and will, and her ability to kill without hesitation is interwoven seamlessly with her crisis of self-confidence and vulnerability when her parents are kidnapped and she's thrust into leadership of her clan. William and Cerise circle each other uncertainly for much of the book, but the interactions are believable and even endearing.
The main plot is complicated and convoluted, intertwining William's mission to find what the organization known as The Hand is looking for with Cerise's drive to reclaim part of her land and find her kidnapped parents. As their mission seem to be headed in the same direction, the two form an uneasy alliance. Enter Cerise's large family, full of oddities and magically-gifted people.
The ick-factor in this story is high, much higher than in the previous book of the series. The writing team known as Ilona Andrews seems to have pulled every dusty mutant and monster from their Unused Bad Guys file and threw them into the mix. The sometimes lengthy descriptions of these freaks of magic, along with the sometimes brutal fight scenes, tended to put me off a bit and lessened my enjoyment a little. I was also wasn't thrill to realize The Hand will probably make an appearance in future books. Other than those quibbles, the book was engrossing and very well-written, and the main two characters were marvelous. It was also good to see Declan, Rose and the boys, even briefly.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
2012 Reading Challenges
In 2012 I plan to do the following reading challenges:
SFR Reading Challenge 2012
I signed up for the Moon Challenge, 15 SFR books in 2012.
(Details at: http://sfrreadingchallenge.blogspot.com/p/2012-sfr-reading-challenge.html)
Speaking of Audiobooks (SOA) Listening Challenge 2012
Categories yet to be posted.
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge:
My goal is 250 books in 2012.
(www.goodreads.com)
TBR Challenge 2012
The categories (optional):
January 18 - Category romance
February 15 - Recommended Read (something recommended by a fellow reader)
March 21 - Series Catch-Up (pick a book from a series you're behind on)
April 18 - New-To-You Author
May 16 - Old School (Publication date prior to 2000 - that's over 10 years ago now! Yikes!)
June 20 - Western (Contemporary or historical)
July 18 - How Did This Get Here? (a book you can't remember how/why you put in your TBR!)
August 15 - Steamy reads (Erotic romance, erotica, something spicy!)
September 19 - Other genre besides romance
October 17 - Paranormal or romantic suspense
November 21 - All About The Hype (a book that created such chatter that it was inescapable).
December 19 - Holiday themes (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, it's all good!)
(Details at: http://wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/p/tbr-challenge-2012.html)
SFR Reading Challenge 2012
I signed up for the Moon Challenge, 15 SFR books in 2012.
(Details at: http://sfrreadingchallenge.blogspot.com/p/2012-sfr-reading-challenge.html)
Speaking of Audiobooks (SOA) Listening Challenge 2012
Categories yet to be posted.
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge:
My goal is 250 books in 2012.
(www.goodreads.com)
TBR Challenge 2012
The categories (optional):
January 18 - Category romance
February 15 - Recommended Read (something recommended by a fellow reader)
March 21 - Series Catch-Up (pick a book from a series you're behind on)
April 18 - New-To-You Author
May 16 - Old School (Publication date prior to 2000 - that's over 10 years ago now! Yikes!)
June 20 - Western (Contemporary or historical)
July 18 - How Did This Get Here? (a book you can't remember how/why you put in your TBR!)
August 15 - Steamy reads (Erotic romance, erotica, something spicy!)
September 19 - Other genre besides romance
October 17 - Paranormal or romantic suspense
November 21 - All About The Hype (a book that created such chatter that it was inescapable).
December 19 - Holiday themes (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, it's all good!)
(Details at: http://wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.com/p/tbr-challenge-2012.html)
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