Bakers Dozen 2013: 5

Secrets of the Ancient Goddess by Brenda Gates Smith

If you have never heard of Brenda Gates Smith or Secrets of the Ancient Goddess well I don't blame you.  This author is pretty much an unknown,  and I think I stumbled upon her first book Secrets of the Ancient Goddess several years ago.  It was published in 1999 but I think I read it a few years later.  I was probably around 15 years-old at the time.  This book does have a sequel, Goddess of the Mountain Harvest.  But I feel that out of the two this was the better book.  In fact I really didn't like the sequel a whole lot.  Now I just found out that this author as released a third book but I don't know if it goes with this one or the sequel or if it is a stand alone.  This was definitely more historical than anything else.  I guess I could say this book is some what similar to Clan of the Cave Bear.  But not quite.  The author took time to study the historical time period to make the setting seem authentic.

The book is set in a prehistoric land which is now Turkey.  And follows two different women.  One is the mate of a high priest of the Goddess, exiled from her people for giving birth to her second deformed son.  To survive she becomes adopted by a group of people who help straighten out her sons leg which was the deformity.  But one of their own was captured by a violent and war-driven clan.  Forced to become one of the many wives for the leader of the tribe, she's subjected to a more brutal way of life which is the opposite of the peaceful life she was brought up with.  The story follows both to where the women who was kidnapped joins back with her tribe.

This was definitely one of those books where the author didn't have to write a sequel, because the sequel didn't do anything for the book.  I wonder if maybe she felt the need to since the Clan of the Cave Bear book is in a series?  But anyway, the first book, Secrets of the ancient Goddess was amazing.  I don't know if they're still printing new copies, but if you look on amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com there are a lot of used copies that you can find cheap.  I definitely suggest picking up this book if you want to read a historical book that doesn't have romance.

Bakers Dozen 2013: 4

Mind Tryst by Robyn Carr

So this is the first and only book that I have read by Robyn Carr.  I have a lot of her other books in my collection, I just haven't had a chance to get to them.  This I believe was a suggestion from someone at the bookstore that I used to work at before I even started working there.  I think I was closer to 16 years-old when I read this.  So during this time I think I was starting to read a lot of historical romance and V.C. Andrews so this was a different type of novel that what I was use to.  This is considered to be part of the psychological/suspense/thriller/mystery genre.  While I do remember there being an intimate scene there wasn't love or romance in the story.

The book follows Jackie Sheppard who has moved to a small town in the Colorado Rockies after the tragic death of her young son.  She works at a small family law firm, meets Tom a local carpenter, but Jackie can't help distrust others.  Which hinders her relationships.  However as she moves on in this little town disturbing things start to happen to Jackie.  Objects are moved, an imprint of a body shows up on her made bed, a bouquet of wildflowers are left by her door.  Soon she find out more about Tom's checkered past and soon finds herself the next target of a sadistic killer.

This was for sure one of those stories that have kept a lasting memory just because at the time I was pretty much stuck in a rut.  I was kind of surprised by the lack of romance at the time but it fit with in the plot.  The back story for the main character was very well written so you understand where the character came from before the bulk of the story starts.  This was an enjoyable book but I have to be honest, I don't pick it up that often like I might others, but I still remember a lot of this book.

Bakers Dozen 2013: 3

Cradle and All by James Patterson

For those of you who have heard of James Patterson probably know him by his popular and successful Alex Cross series.  Well, he has done many more than just that.  He's done young adult with the Maximum Ride series, Nicholas Sparks inspired with books like Sam's Letters to Jennifer and Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas.  But he has also done some stand alone books like Cradle and All.  Now when this book was first released it was called Virgin but at some point the title was changed.  Now I don't know if there was any major editing done to the book when it was renamed or what.  This was another one of those books that my old manager at the book store suggested.  In fact I remember she bought a copy of this book at a major book sale and gave it to me.

The plot of the book is that there are two young women are pregnant, one is in Boston the other Ireland.  the key is that both are virgins.  Anne Fitzgerald, a former nun now private investigator, is hired by the Archdiocese of Boston to investigate the immaculate conceptions.  Once she gets to know the two young women she soon realizes that both are in great danger.  With both the force of good and evil beginning to play, Anne needs to discover the truth and save not just to two young women but to protect the future of all mankind.

This book was good and a quick read.  It had enough detail where I was kept interested and I couldn't put the book down, but it wasn't over saturated with so many details that you lost interest in the book.  The plot of course had a twist and while some may have seen it coming I have to be honest I didn't.  So it made the ending of the book much more enjoyable.  I do have to say that even though this is a stand alone book I wish that there was a sequel.  The ending was left kind of open-ended so I think a sequel would be perfect.  It's been 8 years since I've read this book and I just want to know what happens next.

Bakers Dozen 2013: 2

Envy by Sandra Brown

So I believe this was the first book that I had ever read by Sandra Brown.  While it does have a romantic undertone, there are so many different elements to this book that could make it part of a different genre.  Now Sandra Brown is a New Your Times bestseller author with many of her books making it on the list.  She got her start writing harlequin romance under the pen name Erin St. Claire.  So many of the books that I have read by her have been reprints from from that pen name.  But this isn't one of them.

The book is based around New York publisher Maris Matherly-Reed and author Parker Evans (whom claims to be a new author).  The manuscript catches her attention and she travels down to Georgia to meet the author.  Parker has worked hard to conceal is identity and past, but Maris is drawn to the manuscript of two young friends and betrayal.  Maris's life isn't perfect either.  Going through a divorce the chilling novel seems to be connected to her.

This was definitely one of those slow read stories.  Even though I read it fast I missed a lot of details so ever time I would be able to pick up on details that I had missed previously.  This book was a joy to read, but I do have to warn that there is some vulgar language.  Many of the newer books that Brown has written does have some form vulgarity.  But I don't think that it is added unnecessary, I think the vulgar aspects fits with the story plot pretty well.

Bakers Dozen 2013: 1

Well I hope everyone has had an amazing holiday.  Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope that everyone has taken the time to sit with family and cherish the small things.

Moving on, I'm doing a 2013 bakers dozen edition.  I planned on starting it early December but unfortunately procrastination got the better of me so be prepared for a slew of posts.

Whispers and Lies by Joy Fielding

So I'm going to start this one out with Whispers and Lies by Joy Fielding.  This is the first book that I had ever read from this author and it was a psychological thriller/mystery.  At the time that I read this I was still working at the book store so it has been about 9 years since I last read the book and I don't have this in my possession, but it still one of those book that seems to have left a lasting impression on me.  In fact I remember when I went to a book store with my sister I saw this book in the bargain book section and convinced her to buy it.

The book is about forty-year-old nurse Terry Painter who lives alone in her house after her mother passed away.  A young and vibrant girl Alison Simms rents a cottage from her and the two women become fast friends.  Terry suddenly finds herself going out, having makeovers and even flirting, but soon she becomes paranoid about her new friend.  She soon discovers stuff about Alison which thrusts her paranoia even farther.

In this novel there are so many twists and turns that if you don't pay attention to what's going on you might actually miss some important details.  The first time I read the ending I found it shocking but when I went back and re-read certain parts I picked up on clues that the author cleverly left for readers to pick up on.  And I also had my manager from the book store (who told me I had to read the book) to discuss the book about so it helped me figure out details much quicker.

I remember this book sticking with me so strongly because for one, it was much different from what I normally read (even though I read mostly romance I do actually like reading other genres also), and two I had to read this a little slower than what I normally will read a book, just because there was so many subtle hints about what was going on.

I definitely enjoyed this book and a big part of me wished that I had purchased a copy when I had the chance because I would go back to this book and re-read it when ever the mood would strike me.

Book Review: No Mercy

No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon

No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon is another exciting book that ties both Kenyon's Dark-Hunter and Were-Hunter world.  While in all of her books since she has included the three different types of hunters there is usually a mention or involved in one of the books, but this is the first time that two different types were involved romantically.  Again Kenyon brings her love of history, mythology, humor and suspense with a spice of romance into another one of novels.  This is of course a romance novel but Kenyon has through the years kind of underplayed it and had made it more suspenseful.

The story follows two of Kenyon's characters who have either have had a part of have been mentioned in previous books.  These are characters that we were already familiar with and loved.  The two characters are Dev and Samia.  Dev is a were-hunter who is a bear and Samia is a Dark-Hunter.  These two should never mix in a romantic setting but unfortunately it has happened.  Which is a common theme in the Dark-Hunter series by Kenyon.  Dev is a Were-Hunter who is of mix breeding, his father is an Arcadian and mother is a Katagarian.  He is special because he was chosen by the fates to be a Arcadian sentinel.  Which means he is supposed to hunt the Katagarians.  Because of this knowledge Dev has always been weird and different.  Samia is an ancient Amazonian Queen murdered by her own sister, wishing to take her crown.  As she watched her husband and toddler daughter get murdered she vowed revenge selling her soul to the very goddess Artemis that she served in her mortal life.  Like all Dark-Hunters she was given a gift, but her gift is more her curse than anything else.  She can see a persons past just by touching them.  Because of this her sex life had been seriously lacking.  Dev is special to her because when she touches him she gets nothing making him a safe zone.  With the addition to the romance between Dev and Samia, there are up against what is called a super daimon.  Which is a daimon that has adapted to be able to go into the sunlight, which leaves the Dark-Hunters at a large disadvantage because they aren't allowed to go into the sun still.

Again when it comes to Sherrilyn Kenyon it's hard for me to be objective.  But I do have to say, this book wasn't nearly as memorable as some of her other books.  It was still good and I enjoyed reading it, but almost two months after finishing it and finally writing the review, there really isn't a whole lot of parts that sticks out to me.  One of the few parts that I do remember is in all honestly is the tale of Dev and Samia's pasts.  They are both heartbreaking and you definitely feel their pain, Sherrilyn Kenyon is a very good story teller when it comes to expressing painful experiences.

So in the end, I still enjoyed the book, but like I said, it wasn't as exciting as some of Kenyon's other books, but if you're a fan of the Dark-Hunter Saga by Sherrilyn Kenyon this is a definite must to have to read and to have in your collection.

Rating:
3.5 out of 5

On Deck:
Death at Seaworld by David Kirby
The Warrior by Kinley MacGregor
Keeper of the Crystal Spring by Naomi and Deborah Baltuck

So just as a quick note, I was thinking about doing video reviews to go with my written review.  Tell me what you all think.

Book Review: Grand Avenue

Grand Avenue by Joy Fielding

Grand Avenue by Joy Fielding is a drama/mystery/suspense novel about four women who meet at the block park with their toddlers and form a friendship.  Now I have to be honest, if this book wasn't on my on deck I probably wouldn't have read it.  But this book was recommend to by my old book store supervisor, Kristi, who told me to read this book.  Now this is the second book by Joy Fielding that I have read.  While it isn't as morbid as the other book that I had read, the ending was shocking.

The four main characters of this book are Chris, Barbara, Susan and Vicki, each have different personalities and life styles.  Chris is the shyer of the four women and also has a lot of the focus on her character through out the novel.  Her husband is controlling and abusive and she doesn't know how to leave since she has no means to survive.  Barbara is a former Miss Cincinnati  and is obsessed with her appearance and fears the affects of aging.  She also fears that her husband will turn his affections to one of the young co-eds at the college he is a professor at.  Because of this she gets many plastic surgery procedures.  Susan, is the one who is in the most stable and happy marriage.  She's going to college to get her degree in editing and is trying to juggle school and family.  Vicki is the career woman who is a lawyer.  She is also married to the father of her old high school sweet heart so it was hinted from the beginning that there is a lot of tension in her family.  She's also very open about her numerous affairs and isn't afraid to sacrifice the ones she loves just to get ahead.

Each women went through their own little bit of drama but for the most part of the book, Chris's was highlighted the most.  She finally gets away from her husband but unfortunately she is kept from seeing her children and he stalks and harasses her causing her to lose jobs and move on a regular basis.  Barbara's fears come true and her husband leaves her for one of his students.  She clings to her daughter Tracy for support, affection and also for reassurance that she isn't looking old.  She also becomes slightly vindictive by abusing the settlement that her husband will pay her credit cards for five years after the divorce.  Susan finally gets a job working as an editor for Vicki's husbands magazine, but it isn't as perfect as she had hoped because her supervisor tells her that if she doesn't sleep with him she'll be fired.  She gets Vicki to help and wins a big settlement but unfortunately her marriage is rocky at this point and one of her daughters are rebelling.  Vicki probably has the least amount of drama but she is seen through out the book trying to locate her mother whom abandoned her at a young age.  She is also the final pin that breaks the women's friendship at the end of the book when one of the women is viciously murdered.  The end events shatter the strong bond that these women once held forever changing their lives.

This is one of those books that I didn't expect to enjoy but I did.  I read it in one day because I had to find out what happened next with the characters.  While it did seem like something that would be played out in a soap opera it was nice how the author brought the characters to life and drew me in as a reader.  I think anyone who likes reading dramatic books with a hint of suspense and mystery this would be a great book to pick up.  I know I wasn't disappointed after reading it.

Rating:
5 out of 5

On Deck:
No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Warrior by Kinley MacGregor
Keeper of the Crystal Spring by Naomi and Deborah Baltuck

Book Review: Bubbles A Broad

Bubbles A Broad by Sarah Strohmeyer

Bubbles A Broad by Sarah Strohmeyer is a mystery style book in the genre a la Stephanie Plum.  There is some romance, but it is mostly based on main character Bubbles Yablonsky trying to get a spot in her town's news paper.  So I first picked up this book when I worked at the book store because my manager Kristi said that if I liked Janet Evanovich that I would like Sarah Strohmeyer's Bubbles series.  The book is part of a series, but you don't have to read them in order.  In fact I think this book is in the middle of the series.  There really isn't a whole lot of mention of the previous books and there is enough character description so that recurring characters have enough knowledge.

The main character in this book is Bubbles Yablonsky, who is in her late thirties and a single mother of a teenage daughter.  The setting of the book is somewhere in Pennsylvania and there is some mention of the Amish and also people with Polish, Dutch and German ancestry.  Bubbles physical description is one of busty, blond (bleached) big hair, and her love of animal print clothing and high heels.  Before trying to become journalist reporter for her local newspaper Bubbles was a hair stylist and nail technician at a salon.  After going to a unaccredited college in an old department store she gets her degree in journalism and is trying to get onto the paper.

The overall plot of the book starts when Bubbles is visited by Carol Weaver who has just escaped from prison and has gone to Bubbles to help prove her innocents.  Carol believes that she was framed for her husbands murder because he knew to many secrets about the steel company that supports the small town.  During the investigation, Bubbles uncovers more than what she expected and soon becomes a target for people trying to get rid of her.  There is a lot of action during this book but that doesn't stop Bubbles from finally consummating her relationship with hunky investigative reporter Stiletto.  I have to be honest though, I don't know if Stiletto is a nickname, first or last name.  It wasn't really ever explained, I'm assuming that it was explained in one of the other books, because he is a recurring character.  Along with Stiletto, Bubbles mother, her mothers best friend, Bubbles best friend and boss at the hair salon that she used to work at, her ex-husband, teenage daughter and the daughter's boyfriend.  They are all crazy characters that seem like you have everyone in her family.  The plot was very well thought out, and even though there was something not really resolved it kind of was so you're left not wondering at the end of the book.

This was a good book, and I enjoyed reading every word from front to back cover.  I liked how it was kept very light and airy but with enough action to keep me interested.  There were scenes where I literally laughed out loud and then there were other scene that made me feel concerned for the safety of Bubbles.  If you're in the mood to read a book that has some action, romance and humor then Bubbles A Broad is the book for you.

Rating:
4.5 out of 5

On Deck:
Grand Avenue by Joy Fielding

Book Review: Retribution

Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon is part of her Dark-Hunter series and is in the paranormal romance genre.  I've said this before and I'll say it again I love Sherrilyn Kenyon so I'll pretty much read anything that she'll write.  Even though this book is a part of a series, it is one of those books where you don't need to read them in order.  While this book is part of the Dark-Hunter series, this book was more about Native American mythology than the Greek mythology that the other novels have.  I loved how Kenyon brought back some characters that had their own book, kind of like a little update on how the other dark hunters were doing.

In Retribution the two main characters are William Jessup "Sundown" Brady and Abigail Yager.  Jess was a famous outlaw gunslinger in the late 1800's.  Turing his life around on the day of his wedding he was shot in the back of the head by someone who he thought was his best friend.  Before he dies he promises revenge and becomes a Dark-Hunter.  After his death and rebirth, Jess keeps tabs on his fiance and her descendants.  One of which is Abigail, who is the ancestor of Jess' fiance and Bart the man who murdered him.  Orphaned at a young age Abigail was taken by a family of Apoloites, who trained her into believing that Dark-Hunter's were the root of all evil and that Jess was the one who murdered her family.  Used as a pawn, she kills a person whom she believed was a Dark-Hunter but was actually a Cherokee guardian who is one of four protectors.  Because of his death, it throws everything off balance and the Snake and Coyote try to take advantage of the weakness unleashing the beginning of an Apocalypse.  Despite Abigail trying to kill Jess, he can't let her die and they have to find a way to save the world, well at least the Las Vegas, Nevada area.

In the book, Jess feels a lot of remorse about his human past life and is trying to think of a way to make amends where as Abigail starts off the book wanting retribution before realizing her mistake and then feels a huge amount of guilt.  Almost immediately in the book but Jess and Abigail feel an attraction to each other but both are fighting it because of their past.

This book has a lot of action, so much action and drama that Kenyon wrote the romantic connection on a more emotional level than on a physical one.  I loved how Sherrilyn Kenyon wrote about different mythologies and beliefs.  While the first few books were mostly about Greek mythology Kenyon has slowly been adding different mythologies and pantheons into her books, which have made it exciting to read and has kept the series fresh and interesting.

I also really liked how the book was open ended and was set up for the next book Time Untime, which will mainly have a supporting character from this book Renegade in it.  Also liked how even though Sherrilyn Kenyon decided to branch out with a bit if a different story line, she still kept it her style and also her humor.  This story was different because it wasn't very focused on the physical coupling but more on an emotional level.  Also she tied in the past of Jess's character with the guardians different Native American mythologies.

So in the end I loved this book.  I have to be honest this was a hard review to write because I loved it, and I find that when I like a Sherrilyn Kenyon novel I have a hard time explaining why I liked it.  I just do.  But then this wouldn't be a good review if I just said, "I Loved It!"  Obviously if you're a Kenyon fan you'll love this book, but you'll also like this book and the series if you're a fan of paranormal romance.  Sherrilyn Kenyon has such a distinct writing style that sets her apart from other authors in the genre.  A lot of the past books that were written in this series have been more about the mythology than the romance connection.  While the romance is written clearly and it's there.  Again I loved this story and I can't wait to read the next one.

Rating:
5 out of 5

On Deck:
Bubble's A Broad by Sarah Strohmeyer
Grand Avenue by Joy Fielding.

Book Review: Charmed Thirds

Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty

Charmed Thirds is the third book in a series written by Megan McCafferty.  The first two books are Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings.  Yes I have read both books before this one.  But I did read them quite sometime ago but surprisingly I remembered a lot of important details from the first two books to know what was going on with this one.  This is one of those series where I think it would be more beneficial to read the books in chronological order first, because the novel is written like a diary/journal by the main character. This book is in the young adult genre and is based on real life topics.

The novel and series is based off the life of Jessica Darling.  It is written in a diary/journal style but also with a slight first person point of view.  The book is about her life in college and dealing with her boyfriend going to a Buddhist school in California while she is going to Columbia in New York.  The character of Jessica Darling is your typical college student who is too aware of her surroundings and curses her not so glamorous life in Pineville, New Jersey.  While the first two books in the series is about Jessica in high school.  This book covers her whole college career.  There are a lot of conflicts in this story that shape the the plot but I think the main one were when Jessica cheats on her boyfriend Marcus and her parents decide to cut her off financially.  The whole book seemed very realistic and to a certain extent I think it is very easy to relate with.  The book end with graduation and Jessica going off to try and find her next step beyond college so of course there is a sequel to this book called Fourth Comings. What I liked most about this book and the two before is that Megan McCafferty is really good at adding humor into her stories.  It's almost as if Jessica Darling was a real life person, she would be a stand up comedian.

This was a really quick read and it was kind of hard to put down.  It was very addicting and I constantly wanted to know what would happen next to the character Jessica Darling.  I love the humor and plot in the story.  While it was kind of typical drama plot I think the style of McCafferty's writing kept it fresh.  There are definitely little parts and scenes that are easy to replay in your head and make you chuckle.  While there is sex and relationships in this book, there is no detail of the acts.  You just know that it happened.

I think anyone who is in the mood for a quick read with a little bit of drama and humor this is the book for you.  While there is a little bit of course language it isn't enough to turn me off from the book.  While it is addictive and a quick read, the chapters are broken up in year/semesters/months so it is easy to find a stopping point.  Again I really enjoyed reading the books.  McCafferty has done a good job developing her lead character through out the three books into an easy transition that is realistic.

Rating:
4 out of 5

On Deck:
Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Bubbles A Broad by Sarah Strohmeyer
Grand Avenue by Joy Fielding

Book Review: Secrets VOL. 3

Secrets VOL. 3

This book is an anthology with four short stories from four different authors.  This book and the series that it is a part of is in the erotica genre.  The four authors of this book are Angela Knight, Ann Jacobs, B.J. McCall, Jeanie Cesarini.  I've read books from both Angela Knight and Jeanie Cesarini but I have never heard the other two before.  The one thing that I love about anthologies is that you get a chance to read pieces from different authors that you may never think to read.

'The Spy Who Loved Me' by Jeanie Cesarini is about two FBI agents Paige Ellison and Christopher Sharp sent in a undercover mission to infiltrate Lewis Goddar's compound because he is guilty of murder by making snuff porn films.  The two lead characters have a past and attraction and Cesarini did a really good job of making the reader aware of the history between the two without making the story too long or wordy.  She gave both characters enough description and direction that you really got into the story.

'Love Undercover' by B.J. McCall  is about Police lieutenant Amanda Forbes is in a sting at a strip club to catch a robber.  She is partnered with Detective Wes Cooper who will be the bouncer while she dances.  There is an attraction between the two but if they act on it they could both lose their jobs or their promotions.  This story was pretty well written but the love, but the ending was really rushed.  And the action that could have happened in the story never happened, instead it ended with the two driving to Las Vegas to get married.

' Blood and Kisses' by Angela Knight is a futuristic story plot with a supernatural twist.  A lot of stories that I have read by Knight are vampire based and this one is no exception.  The story starts off where human mercenary Beryl St. Cloud is in need of help.  She's being hunted by ruthless vampire Tagliar who was paid to assassinate her.  She goes to 300 year old Jim Decker for protection.  Because she doesn't have any money she agrees to be his mistress for a year to pay her debt.  During their time they slowly start to fall in love with each other but because Beryl had been hurt and betrayed she tries to stop herself.  Even though this this story is short like the others.  Knight writes a really descriptive plot and follows through with the actions the the story involved.

'The Barbarian' by Ann Jacobs is set in the medieval times and is about Lady Brianna and Giles deVere.  He is the barbarian who is promised Lady Brianna's land.  She refuses to except him but he forces her to be with him.  This story wasn't easy to get through.  Mainly because a lot of it I thought wasn't very believable.

Out of the four stories I like, 'The Spy Who Loved Me' the best.  I liked the plot and the fact that the two main characters had a history and Jeanie Cesarini was able to write in the past without over weighing the 80 page story too much.  The romantic scenes were descriptive but I think it was the least vulgar out of the four.

The one story that I had the hardest time trying to get though though was 'The Barbarian' by Ann Jacobs.  Nothing made sense in this story.  Supposedly Lady Brianna refuses to fall in love with him and give her body.  He kills a lot of her people that she had known since she was a child and in the story that doesn't seem to carry over through the plot.  Also the book hints that Giles deVere was in the holy lands and supposedly brought back customs for pleasing women but for that time frame it doesn't make any sense to me at all.  In the end once this story was finished I felt like the author make the female character very weak and a push over and also glorified rape.  The other three stories I felt the authors made the females very strong and a little independent.

For the most part I did enjoy the short stories.  They were quick reads and easy to follow along for the most part.  There is very descriptive sex scenes and depending on the author different levels of vulgarity in the language.  The Secrets series is all about erotica and the stories are never more than 100 pages long (most of them a lot less between 60 to 80 pages).  Now like I said if you do not like reading anything with any hit of sex this is not the book for you.  Because the stories are so short, sex happens with in the first 15 pages of the story.  But if you're interested in reading erotica and also by authors that you have never heard of before give this book a shot.

Rating:
3.5 out of 5

On Deck:
Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty
Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Bubbles A Broad by Sarah Strohmeyer
Grand Avenue by Joy Fielding

Added some new features!

Hi everybody.  So I just thought that I would do a quick update and let you all know that I added some features.

1) I added a subscribe by email form so all you have to do is enter your email and and you'll get updated when ever I add a new post to Book Candie.

2) I added a ask form.  So if you have any questions and wondered if I had read a book or any thing involving book candie or books (or horrible movies that were made from books.) you can ask there instead of having to comment.

So I thought I just just give a quick update and I'm almost done with another book.

Book Review: Return of the Warrior

Return of the Warrior by Kinley MacGregor

Return of the Warrior by Kinley MacGregor is a historical romance novel.  As I've mentioned before MacGregor is actually Sherrilyn Kenyon's pseudonym.  All of the books written under Kenyon's pseudonym is of a historical romance nature.  As you know I'm a sucker for historical romance so of course I had to read this book.  Return of the Warrior is a part of the Brotherhood of the Sword series where a lot of the characters reoccur in the books, either by written presents or by name.  Even though this book is a part of the series, you do not need to read them in order.  You wont get lost because MacGregor is really good about making the book about the two main characters.

So while there are a huge amount of different characters the two main characters are Queen Adara of Taagaria and Christian of Acre.  Both knew each other in their childhood and were married at a young age.  Through deceit and jealousy, Christian's family started to go after each other and leaving him the only soul survivor for his crown.  After the death of Adara's family she is the only one left to her thrown.  The shady protagonist Selwyn is after her crown and lands and was the advisor to Christian's grandfather wants the power.  He tries to claim that Christian is dead but in reality is that he is alive and well.  Adara not convinced that her husband is dead goes in search of him.  They finally meet up, but Selwyn is after Christian to kill him.  During the time it takes them to go back Christian is fighting his feelings for Adara afraid of falling in love.

This book had so many details and action through out the book that kept me interesting.  The whole journey back they are constantly getting attacked by Selwyn's men trying to kill Christian but there is also a huge conflict with the relationship with Adara.  Because of Christian's parents murder, he is afraid of letting Adara in his heart.  Kinley MacGregor did a wonderful job with balancing all of the conflicts that were happening in the story.

Almost all of MacGregor/Kenyon's books have the same theme where at least one (sometimes both) main characters has had a hard life and gets redemption.  In this story it's about Christian's redemption.  Even though the story was written in third person point of view it's written so well that you understand what is going on with the characters.

I really enjoyed this book and it was a really quick read and it was fun and exciting to read.  I would recommend this book for anyone who loves reading any kind of romance and historical romance.  There are descriptive love making scenes but they aren't vulgar in my opinion.  There is definitely plenty of action in this book if you aren't a huge fan of just straight romance.

buy from amazon
buy from barnes and noble

Rating:
4.5 out of 5

On Deck:
Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty
Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Secrets VOL. 3 - Anthology (various authors)
Bubble's A Broad by Sarah Strohmeyer
Grand Avenue by Joy Fielding

I need your help!

Hey everyone, I need your help.  I've realized that my book reviews are kind of lack-luster and I don't really go into depth with my reviews.  So I need your help so I can make this blog better.  Please comment below on what you would like to see in my reviews, what I should do differently.  If I should go more in depth with different things.  I would really appreciate it if you guys could help me.

Thanks! Ande

Book Review: Invincible

Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Invincible is the second book in the Chronicles of Nick series by Sherrilyn Kenyon.  The book leaves off from where the first book, Infinity, left off.  I do suggest reading the books in order since this series seems to leave off right were the first one ended, but then I also don't think it will be overly confusing if you don't.

Another school year has started for Nick Gautier and after the trouble of before this time seems to multiply.  He's being blackmailed to join his new high school foot ball coach in this scheme to steal students belongings.  But he's more than that he steals souls.  Then add on other demons trying to kill him.  Nick finds out more about himself that terrifies him.

I loved this story.  It was a really quick read and if I wasn't so tired I probably would have read it in one day.  Even though this was a quick read, the book had plenty of details and action to keep you interesting.  This book (and series) is in the young adult genre but I would definitely consider older teens as the appropriate age group for the books.  There is some course language and descriptive fight scenes.

I love Sherrilyn Kenyon's progression of her characters and how she is developing them.  She isn't just developing them for this story but for also future stories.  I definitely can't wait too read the other books.

Rating:
5 out of 5

On Deck:
Return of the Warrior by Kinley MacGregor
Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty
Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Secrets VOL. 3 anthology
Bubble's A Broad by Sarah Strohmeyer
Grand Avenue by Joy Fielding

Book Review: Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber

Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber by Adele Lang

So I started reading this book back in January and it has just taken me this long to read it.  I had a really hard time getting through the book and enjoying because well, the characters weren't likable.  At all.  I kept hoping that this book would turn enjoyable but instead all I wished for was the main character to get hit by a bus.

The basic plot for this book is that Katya Livingston is ordered to keep a financial journal because she got audited and a lot of her business expenses were personal instead.  This book is literally a personal diary from the main character talking about all of her self absorbed personality and all of the nasty things she did to other people (including her own family) to either gain something from it or avoid helping someone else.  At one point in the book Katya looses her job and all of her friends (whom she treated like crap) helped her out, but  instead her selfish behaviour continued.

This book was meant to be funny, but instead I found it really painful.  I honestly can't put into works how hard this book was to read.  I even had to read two book and I reread 7 of my favorite books just so I could enjoy reading again.  I guess I completely missed the irony and humor of this book but when I was reading it I seriously kept hoping that she would get hit by a freaking bus and then the ambulance as it came to help her.

Rating:
1 out of 5

On Deck:
Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Return of the Warrior by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Book VS Movie: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

So I finally watched the movie Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter which it is based off the book.  So I though I would do a book VS movie review.

So if I had never had read the book, I would have thought this movie was good.  But I have to say I was really disappointed that the movie really didn't follow the book at all.  The only thing that the two have in common was that Lincoln hunted and killed vampires.  Not only did the movie not follow any of the key plot changers in the book but it was incredibly historically inaccurate.

While both the movie and book are works of fiction, I just felt the book tied in actual historical facts better than the movie.  Now with that being said, the movie was really good and exciting.  But another thing that was also different was the portrayal of of Lincoln in the movie made him appear supernatural.  Which in the book that was not the case.

When I first started watching the movie I had a notepad that I was jotting down things but once I had two pages filled up I realized that it was useless because there was nothing similar between the two.

All in all, in this VS I have to go hands down with the book.  If the two weren't related and the movie wasn't promoted as based off the novel it would be a different story but the book was so much more.  It had more details, better story lines, and just kept a person interested.

Book Review: Bad Boys to Go

Bad Boys to Go

Bad Boys to Go is an anthology with three different authors: Lori Foster, Janelle Danison and Nancy Warren.  All three stories share the same similarity that the main male characters are considered "bad boys" but really aren't.

Bringing up Baby by Lori Foster is about bad boy Gil Watson who had a wild one night stand that made him a father.  It isn't until his daughter is about 2 years old that he finds out that he is a father.  But the mother is tragically killed and her best friend has been the only mother this little girl knows.

This story was fun and funny.  While it is only about 100 pages there is enough detail to keep you interested. This is different from a lot of the other romance anthologies that I have read because the two main characters have known each other for quite some time.  So their romance is plausible.

The Wilde One by Janelle Denison is about bad boy Adrian Wilde who is an extreme outdoors man and Chayse Douglas who is a photographer who wants him to pose for her hunk calender.  He on the other hand is not enthused about it so she must find a way to persuade him.

This is another fun and funny story that is light with just enough smut and romance to keep me interested.  Again, the two main characters have a history so the story takes place right at the climax of their relationship budding into something more.

Going After Adam by Nancy Warren is a little different than the the other two stories.  Gretchen Wiest's main objective is to go after cheating spouses since she is a private investigator.  But when she is hired to to after Adam Stone she is in for more than what she bargained for.  One: he isn't married, two: he has people after him to kill him.

This also follows the fun and funny story line, but there is immediate romance with out a past between the two main characters.  But I have to say the hilarious funny parts were a lot more than the other two stories.

All three stories have very detailed romantic scenes so if that isn't your thing I wouldn't consider the book.  But it isn't as vulgar as what true erotica is but the language sometimes borders on porno language.  The stories are around 100 pages each and you can easily read each on with in an hour before bed if you would like.  They all have pretty well detailed plots for short stories and they are fun to read.

I originally picked up because I have read a few of Lori Foster's book and liked her writing style and was pleasantly surprised by the other two authors.

Over all, this is a very fun book to read.  The stories were fun and fast with romance and hilarity.  Each held the proper amount of detail but didn't weigh it down to make it seem like you were reading a story more than 100 pages.

Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from Amazon

Rating:
4 out of 5

On Deck:
Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber  by Adele Lang
Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Return of the Warrior by Kinley MacGregor

Book Review: Thristy

Thirsty by M.T. Anderson

So I know I was supposed to be reading a different book, but I'm having a hard time get into so I switched to this book.

Anyway, Thirsty is a young adult novel written by M.T. Anderson.  This is the first book that I've ever read by this author but I got the book from when I worked at the book store.  This book is in the horror genre and is vampire themed, and no they do not sparkle.  The book was published in 1997 and a lot of the language and descriptions are very much set in the late 90's.

The basis of the book is Chris is a high school freshman and all he wants to do is hang out with friends and date Rebecca Schwartz.  Unfortunately life isn't going to be that simple for Chris.  He goes with his brother to a Lynching (which is where the court house executes a vampire) and starts to feel funny.  He feels thirsty.  A few days later he is contacted by a celestial being who needs his help to hold the Vampire Lord Tch'muchgar in his prison and he needs Chris to do it.  With the promise that Chet the celestial being will reverse the vampirism Chris helps him.

Now I have to say I also had a hard time getting into this book because I had a really hard time following the lingo that was used in the dialogue.  Plus the main character Chris is your stereotypical whiny teenage so I had a hard time liking the character.  But about halfway through the book the plot twists and that got my attention.  You find out that Chet the celestial being isn't a good guy and Chris was tricked.  In fact it was hilarious how Chris get getting fooled.  And in the end, he is still a vampire who is heading towards a lynching of his own.

One thing that did put me off though is that there was really no explanation about what was really going on with the vampire vs human aspect.  You pretty much read the book not knowing whats going on and how things came to be.  The author concentrated mainly on Chris and his want to be human and his need to "help" the world but in the end he was tricked and even though he did essentially save the world by killing Tch'muchgar it was what Tch'muchgar paid Chet to do.  So in the end there is really no resolve to the book, it just is.  This book doesn't have a sequel so you're left to assume that Chris will eventually be lynched.

Thirsty was a pretty quick read but I was also hard to get into because a lot of the pages consist of Chris's whining and that got on my nerves.  But I do have to say that it was nice to read a book where the main character isn't really a hero so that was a bit different.  It was an all right book but it isn't something that will be going into any future bakers dozen's anytime soon.

Rating:
2 out of 5

On Deck:
Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber by Adele Lang
Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Bad Boys to Go (anthology)
Return of the Warrior by Kinley MacGregor

Book Review: Jennifer Government

Jennifer Government by Max Barry

Imagine living in a society where instead of being an independent person you're essentially owned by a corporation.  Government is non-existent.  While this book isn't set in a time period, meaning it could be now , the soon future, or distant future, it does seem like a plausible scenario if we choose to live life like this.

Jennifer Government is based around an incident involving Jennifer Government (she works for the government now and in the society your last name is the company work for.  Like if you're working at Target you'd be Jane Target or Jane Home Depot).  Jennifer now works for the government as an agent and she's on the case of investigating the murders of a dozen or so kids because Hack Nike put a hit out on them, by going to the police (crazy scenario, I know).  But this goes deeper, because one power hungry maniac John Nike wishes to take over what little government that is left.  Now with this story there is a lot of off shoots that go with the main plot and are all tied to Jennifer one way or another.

Now I have to be honest, I finished this book before the new year, but it has been really hard to write a review for it, not because it was an epic failure, no, just the opposite, IT WAS AWESOME!  Seriously, if you liked future scenarios like Hunger Games (not saying that this book is anything like The Hunger Games I was just trying to find something to help you get an idea of the type of plot), this will blow you out of the freaking water.  Max Barry wrote this in a way where you can see your self living in a society like this and wanting out, but you just don't know how.  In this book there are people who are OK with living like this, people who are uncomfortable, people who take advantage, and people who are setting out to change how things are.

Jennifer Government is a fun read but it is also a thinker.  You get everything you need about the society quickly and you're not loaded down with a bunch of information but it definitely makes you think.  In a good way of course.

I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I couldn't put it down once I started to read and I wasn't really in a reading mood either.  This book will make you laugh, think, feel for the characters, and also question what is happening now.

Again, thanks for another book suggestion Kristi!

Rating:
5 out of 5

On Deck:
Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber by Adele Lang