Willoughby's Return: A Review

Willoughby's Return: A Tale of Almost Irresistible Temptation by Jane Odiwe
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I was intrigued by this book and while I am a strong Brandon fan, I was interested to see how the author brought back the selfish Willoughby.

Needless to say I wasn't too impressed. For one the author took far too long to get to the point. In a way that is fine for it shows the relationship of Brandon and Marianne better, but if you advertise it to be about Willoughby trying desperately to win Marianne back then the story should, I don't know, be about Marianne and Willoughby a bit more than a party here and a meeting there. It took 3/4 of the book for the author to bring about anything of interest. While I liked seeing Marianne grow up a bit, she wasn't the main character I was absolutely annoyed with.

I don't know what possessed this author to turn Margret into a cookie cutter of her older sister, Marianne, but she did! Margret was one of my favorite supporting characters because she was adventerous and bold. She never understood social niceities and was always honest. Now Margret has grown up and she basically admits she wants a romance with a man like Willoughby. Partly I am to blame for my dislike since I envisioned Margret with a Captain or another adventurer. I had always thought she would be anxious to get out and see the world not caring if it was by marriage or her own way, she would seek out her own adventure out of life. It wouldn't bother me quite so much if the author had stuck true the Margret I knew from the book. Instead this author basically turns her into Marianne and in love with Willoughby 2.0. And what made me crazy was that the guy that I would have thought to be perfect for her freedom loving ways, she dismissed as nothing but a brother like male. Ugh!

If you're going to write Jane Austin Fiction then at least have the respect to not reinvent the characters, but try to stick true to their original backgrounds. Don't like it then write your own blasted story and leave Miss Austin's characters alone!

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One for the Money: A Review

One For The Money by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let me say that I am not a mystery reader. Romance and comedy are my more comfortable genres, but this book had me rolling on the floor laughing. I don't think I have ever laughed that hard when Grandma shot the chicken at dinner. I actually cried. Real tears.

I listened to this on Audiobook and have to say that it was great. Lori Petty did the voice and she was brilliant. She pulled off Jersey and Italian very nicely. And why wasn't she asked to play in the movie. I thought she would have done a great job. K.H. doesn't even have the Jersey accent. I may or may not see the movie. I don't think I'll like it b/c the entire time I'll be envisioning Lori Petty as Stephanie. And while I'm on a casting rant, the woman who played Sophia on the Golden Girls would have made a badass Grandma!



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Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor: A Didn't Even Finish Book Review

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This is the second Kleypas book I've picked up and could not finish. My major complaints are

1. Too short! This I've noticed is a common complaint.
2. Because it is too short there wasn't enough time to get invested in the characters.
3. The characters were bland and dare I say, boring. It was just after the first three to four chapters, I usually fall in love with her characters. That just doesn't happen in this book.

I had just finished reading for the fifth time, Love in the Afternoon. Where the characters are witty and interesting to this where the characters are kind of bland and stale. I hope that the next books in the series had more character development and better, more interesting characters.

I'm kind of hoping that she finishes this series and moves on to something else with better characters.

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It Happened One Autumn: A Review

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I tried this book once before and I couldn't get into it. After reading 'Secrets of a Summer' I found Lillian and Westcliff to be so dynamically hilarious I had to take another look and I'm not sorry I did. I could relate a lot to Lillian. She is one of the few historical female leads I have been able to really get behind due to her unconquerable spirit and sharp wit.

Lillian is the next Wallflower in line and it doesn't start well. From playing Rounders with some service boys to arguing openly with Lord Westcliff, it doesn't appear that anyone else Marcus Westcliff himself would ever propose to her. Thankfully that doesn't get Miss Lillian Bowman down.

Despite Westcliff's apparent charm, his male egotistical 'I'm the Lord and Master' attitude got under my skin. I was tickled pink that Lillian didn't back down or let him get away with it without a thorough tongue lashing. I cheered her on with several 'You go girl!'s. My husband must have thought I was nuts.

All in all I loved this story. Kleypas, once again, shines with colorful characters, humorous scenes, and lovely steamy scenes that I can't seem to get enough of. I am kind of happy that she didn't kill St. Vincent since I adore him in 'Devil in Winter'.

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Lady Sophia's Lover: A Review

Lady Sophia's Lover by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would have enjoyed this book more had I not read 'Worth Any Price' first. I knew what would eventually happen, but that is not to say that the book was completely wasted. I loved Ross' character. He always had such a solid head on his shoulders. Not like other men in historical romances who go off in jealous rages or fall into melodrama. Ross and Sophia's romance was touching and hot!

The story goes like this... Lady Sophia Sydney would do anything to ensnare the unattainable Sir Ross Cannon. Her goal -- to ruin his reputation and cause a scandal that would be the talk of all London. So she insinuates herself into his life by gaining his trust and living in his house.

The story quickly switches gears from her desire to destroy him to her desire to bed him. Her secretiveness is hardly shown and maybe that is because Sophia never had it in her for revenge in the first place. Not my favorite of the Bow Street Runners, but still enjoyable and worth a read. And I would recommend if you don't want the suspense ruined, I'd read this before 'Worth Any Price'.

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Lone Warrior: A Review

Lone Warrior by Bobbi Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Marissa is captured by a Comanche raiding party. Believing everyone including her traveling companion Louise are dead she keeps hope that she can find a way out of this mess. She doesn't understand why she was taken, but she soon finds out. Ten Crows, the chief, has two sons Bear Claw and Wind Ryder who are at war with each other. In a vision Ten Crows believes that Marissa, the Shining Spirit, will make peace between Ten Crows' legitimate son Bear Claw and his white son Wind Ryder, a fellow captive himself.

The only trouble is Wind doesn't want her! He has put his white identity so far behind him seeing her white skin and blond hair shakes him deeply. Both are struck by a curious passion that neither was expecting, but both have to be willing to surrender to.

It was a pretty quick and enjoyable read. I liked Ten Crows for the most part. Bear Claw was the bitter villain who just couldn't let it lie. There was a smooth plot, interesting characters and enjoyable love scenes. Not really worth a re-read, but still an enjoyable read.

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Tempt Me at Twilight: A Review

Tempt Me at Twilight by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is one of lowest ratings I have given a Kleypas book that I have actually finished. It makes me sad to do so, but nothing within me could honestly give more than 2 stars.

The story's synopsis is Poppy Hathaway is the compassionate, almost to a fault, member of her unconventional family. After three seasons in London society, she is still unmarried, but she has a hope that Bayning will propose to her despite his father's objections. That is until Harry Rutledge catches her lurking about his hotel. In that moment the man who got everything he wanted set his sights on the sweet Poppy who wanted nothing more out of life but to be loved and live a life of peace. Ruthless and almost cruelly selfish he manipulates Bayning's father and Bayning himself so that Poppy will fall into his arms. And despite her family's objections, Poppy, for some unknown reason, accepts Harry's proposal.

There are several issues I have with this book. The first is that Harry is so cunning and manipulative he is almost disgusting. As striking and attractive Kleypas tried to make him, nothing can change how he used everything in his power to manipulate and bend her to his will. That kind of submissive/dominant behavior should be reserved for the bedroom only. The second issue I have is that Poppy in a desperate attempt to love her husband, as deeply as she loves her family has to sacrifice EVERYTHING she said she wanted out of life. She hates London, but lives in the hotel with Harry and acts happy about it. She can be shy and awkward, but suddenly after she's married she is popular and socialable. The third issue I have is that while Harry, admirably?, does want her to want intimacy, he arrogantly wants her to just bend to his will. He is such a man. He wants a willing warm woman, but wants her exactly how he wants her to be. That's not love! That's control. He cared very little for her pain, her loss of love, and being detached from her loving, affectionate family. She is so willing to be controlled it made me want to put the book down and not take another look at it. But since I paid money for it, I supposed I should get my couple bucks worth out of it. Bottom line, while I like the Hathaways (a lot), I didn't care for Poppy and Harry's love story. I liked them better in "Married by Morning". There Harry wasn't nearly as controlling and manipulative. Ruthless, yes, but not so selfishly cruel and demeaning.

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Sweetwood Bride: A Review

Sweetwood Bride by Pamela Morsi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Stuck inbetween a rock and a hard place trying to keep her family together after both her parents are gone, Eulie Toby, an innocent optimistic simpleton, concocts a brilliant plan. She leads the town to believe that Moss Collier has knocked her up and will not marry her. So in the first chapter, Moss is wed with a shotgun aimed at his back. Furious, as anyone would be, Moss has other plans. He dreams of Texas and herding cattle, not farming in the Tennessee hills. When her five siblings meet him, Moss quickly realizes why she lied. Determined with as much sunshine happy optimism as she can muster, Eulie is determined to be the wife Moss deserves.

The side characters were given an unusual but enjoyable amount of attention as Eulie learns that while she might have lied with good intentions, trying to control others isn't the way to earn family love. As Moss's dream of Texas is fading into a future with Eulie.

While I have a hard time getting into women (female leads) who lie, Morsi showed the reason for the lie. She does well writing the side characters and their back stories. I liked how the family's conflicts resolved themselves, but I do wish Moss had more closure with his dream of going to Texas. I didn't feel it as resolved as everyone else's conflicts.

It's a decent read. Eulie's character is a sweet simpleton that may annoy some, but I wasn't too bothered by it. What wouldn't some of us do for family.

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Maid to Match: Review

Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of my favorite Christian Historical Fiction writers for her historical accuracy and her light Christian ranting, but this one fell a little flat in the romance department. I really couldn't feel the romance between the two main characters. The side characters were wonderfully funny and light, but the two main ones were a touch half baked. I enjoyed the story but probably wouldn't re-read it. Great if you want a cute little romance with a Christian background and neat historical details.

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Smooth Talking Stranger: A Review

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I find that I love this author. Witty and hot! But this book I had to force myself through the first three chapters because there was no one in the book I liked initially beside the protagonist. The Mother, boyfriend, cousin, and even the sister had me just wanting to put the book down and forget it, but patience paid off as the author moved away from those characters and on to very fun and enjoyable characters that sold me on the book. All in all, pretty good, but I think I will go back to her historical romances. They seem to be more my flavor.

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Suddenly You: A Review

Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I knew deep down I wasn't going to like this book, but thought what hey I'll try and and see if I like it. I found the romance a little bit stale while the action was steamy. I did not like Jack very much at all. I found his character to be manipulative and beyond arrogant. I could only read about 200 pages of it before I set it down and couldn't finish it. I liked Amanda alright. I found her an interesting roll of modern woman (not historically accurate, not by a long shot) and vulnerability. I think this could have been better if it was written in modern times, but I probably still wouldn't have finished it since I didn't care for Jack too much.

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The Admiral's Penniless Bride: A Review

The Admiral's Penniless Bride by Carla Kelly
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book left almost a sawdust taste in my mouth. Not so repugnant that I want to vomit, but it wasn't pleasant to say the least! The beginning had an interesting hook.

Sally Paul is sipping on her last penny when Admiral Sir Charles Bright notices her and hatches a plan. He needs a wife and his first choice has stood him up so when he notices that she is without means he proposes a marriage of convenience. At first she says no, but then realizes it's marriage to the one handed man (the other hand has a hook) or the workhouse.

It starts out sweet, but then kind of turns stale towards the middle. I was a little bit thrown by the book burning scene since I am an avid fan of books no matter how horrible they may seem, but I tried to take it into context. My main beef with this book is the love scenes. I know some authors struggle to write romantic love scenes, but she almost avoided them entirely. I have no problem with a shy writer, but I almost wanted to scream, "Man up! And write a decent love scene!"

The author struggled with the telling of the story. It almost felt as if she was trying to write it as a movie would show. I've read fanfiction writers who can pull this off better than she did! You have to write so the reader knows what the hell is going on. The story didn't start to get good until the last thirty pages. It felt rushed and poorly told at the end. Excellent beginning, but a stale middle and rushed end made it sit uneasy with me and so I gave it a 2 star rating.

It's a quick read so if you want to check it out, go ahead... it's an easy read. And there were some enjoyable bits to it. I think I would have enjoyed it more had the secondary characters been better developed, the story told better with smoother transitions, and not so rushed at the end.

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Star Bright: A Review

Star Bright by Catherine Anderson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wanted to give this more stars, but couldn't. I liked the beginning. It was gripping and interesting. I could feel her panic and anxiety throughout most of the book, but where it feel short with me was it moved too slow. I find with Catherine Anderson books that they are generally way too long for what she writes about.

Faking her own death to escape her murderous husband, Rainie Hall takes refuge in the rural community of Crystal Falls, where she finds work as a bookkeeper on a horse ranch run by dangerously good-looking Parker Harrigan. But as their initial attraction blossoms, Rainie fears she can never escape retribution from the man who has sworn to kill her—and that her mere presence could jeopardize everything the Harrigan family holds dear.

I liked Rainie and Parker. I thought they were sweet, but the characters seemed like they were two dimensional trying to be three dimensional. And not quite pulling it off. Towards the end I kept skipping pages hoping it would just end. I think I'm going to stop reading Catherine Anderson for a while. She seems to do this a lot with her characters.

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Morning Light: A Review

Morning Light by Catherine Anderson
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I couldn't even finish it! It had a great plot and interesting characters, but it didn't need to be 300-400 pages long! Seriously! 200 pages and that would have been it. I liked Loni and thought she was very interesting, but Anderson took WAY too much time getting this guys together while trying to find the boy. Are you trying to find the boy or are you trying to hook up??

The story goes like this... a woman with the second sight has a vision about a boy lost in the woods and believes it is Clint's son. Only Clint tells her, he doesn't have a son. Turns out... maybe he does. Well the boy is lost in the woods with his trusty dog and Loni believes that only Clint can find him with her help.

Sounds it should be gripping and intense, right? But it's not. The beginning is rolling and then half way through I hit a dead end. Nothing was going on. I kept flipping through pages hoping that somewhere it'd pick up and get good again, but it didn't. So I put it down and let it go. I have to say when it comes to Catherine Anderson, she either hits it on the head and it's awesome or it's so horrible I can barely finish it.



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Annie's Song: A Review

Annie's Song by Catherine Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Everyone seems to think that Annie is a moron including the town's meanest drunk. After he rapes her and thinks nothing of it, his older brother steps in to offer his help. With Annie now pregnant and her parents more concerned about scandal than their own daughter's welfare Alex decides to marry her. Only after a few weeks he realizes she isn't an idiot, but deaf.

It was a hard read in the beginning just because there wasn't one character besides Annie and Maddy that I liked. I thought everyone in this book was horribly selfish. After Alex finally realizes that he can help her, things improve and Annie grows to love and trust him.

It was a quick read and one of Catherine Anderson's better books.

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Lily and the Major: A Review

Lily and the Major by Linda Lael Miller
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to like this book, but Lily was kind of a combination of my favorite kind of character and my least favorite character and I just couldn't like it. I did finish it. I was getting literary whiplash from the two of them going Yes-No-Yes-Yes-No and so on and so forth. One minute she is proud and ambitious and then next he is using her. I did not like this male lead whatsoever! He was far too commanding and not in the sexy way.

I hated how everyone was saying "Marry him" when all he was offering was her to be his mistress. For real!!! I wanted to see a stronger female lead and she had all the potential to be one, but she just didn't get there. I had read Emma and the Outlaw before this and thought that was slightly better. I don't mind a touch of indecisive in characters, but it can't be the whole fecking book.

If you need to finish the series then fine read it, but if you want enjoyable characters skip this and go to the other two. I plan on reading Caroline and the Raider and hope that those two are better written than these two.

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Stepping on Roses vol. 4: Every rose has its thorn

From fantastic manga artist, Rinko Ueda comes the story of Sumi Kitamura. From the back of the book, "When Sumi Kitamura's financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition: he'll provide her with the money she so desperatrely need is she agrees to marry him. But is it worth giving up everything for this sham of a marriage?"

After Natsuki, Soichiro's spying and manipulative cousin, sets his sights on destroying Soichiro's position as president and potentially ruin Sumi in the process, he looks to encourage Nozomu obsession and infatuation with Sumi. While Sumi and Soichiro's relationship seems to be become more tender and compassionate, Natsuki sends a spy disguised as a maid, Keiko is determined to find some dirt on Sumi and Soichiro. She practically has the entire household convinced and may ruin the budding romance starting to flower for this couple.

I have been looking forward to this issue for three to four months. I enjoy the budding romance of Soichiro and Sumi. The mystery thickens as Natsuki threatens to destroy all that Soichiro has been plotting and planning for years leaves the reader hopeful yet sullen over the success of Natsuki and Keiko. I anxiously await the next volume which is due out April 5, 2011. It's already pre-order!

Head in the Clouds and reality too

A romantic idealist leaves everything she's ever known including a nice teaching position and hops on a train hoping to surprise her beau in his hometown, but what looks like a picture perfect romance turns horribly embarrassing for Adelaide Proctor. Alone in a strange city she finds an ad for the position of governess over a ward of Mr. Westcott on a sheep ranch. She is chosen to watch over Isabella a five year old mute and is almost instantly infatuated with her employer, Gideon Westcott. As Adelaide slowly or rather quickly, in my opinion, opens up the world to, Isabella's villainous Uncle Reginald reappears to seek the fortune that his late brother and sister-in-law denied him. Reginald's mercenaries attack Gideon leaving him with an abdominal wound. About to die he marries Adelaide in a very unemotional and artificial way.

The romantic appeal is limited at best for her relationship with the rancher is rather forced and not of a natural feel. Her romantic notions seem to carry her away, but the author tries not to let her which feels forced. The only authentic relationship formed throughout the book is the relationship she has with the little girl.

While I don't have a issue Christian writers, she writes over the top God language. Christian historical fiction should have a particular amount of religious speak, but the problem with most Christian writers especially Karen Witemeyer is that they overload the story with spiritual jargon. Historically speaking religion is a part of the everyday American life, but it is not drawn out into an entire page or two of spiritual thoughts. When something is a part of everyday life it isn't drawn out and rehashed fifteen different ways. This will probably overwhelm the readers and take away from the actual story.

With artificial romance and forced spiritual journey of the characters, I say skip this and go read something with real human connection and emotions.

Sh*t My Dad Says Review

Originally I had bought this book for my dad as Christmas present, but before wrapping it I took a peak like the bad kid I am and found this to be highly entertaining. From the first quote to the last, I was rolling on the floor laughing. I was so hooked to what crazy thing this old man was going to say next I even read it while cooking. I don't recommend that. In what started as a Twitter feed quickly became a book and then a TV show. It is not surprising Halpren's immediate success after reading just a few of his dad's now infamous quotes. Halpren's story of his father and their relationship will make you laugh, smile quite possibly tear up.

It is broke up into fairly easy to read chapters with a couple of stories and then after each chapter there is about two pages with humorous side-splitting quotes from his father. It is a quick and light-hearted read which will do nicely after the holiday overload. There is foul language in it, but the foul language will probably remind you of some old man in your life who is set in his way and isn't going to change for the world. We laugh at touching humorous stories such as these, because we see someone we know or ourselves in this one man's quotes. It's refreshing to see a no-name author can achieve all of this with just the start of a Twitter feed.