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