dbolahood's 50 Book Challenge

Hi Everyone,

This is my first time publicly keeping track of my challenge. I try to read 50 books a year but can never quite make it. Maybe this way I'll be more motivated to read those books.




The Official List

1. A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court - Marianne Mancusi 340 pages
2. After All - Jill Marie Landis 336 pages
3. Through a Dark Mist - Marsha Canham 480 pages
4. Summer Knight - Jim Butcher 371 pages
5. Too Deep for Tears - Kathryn Lynn Davis 720 pages Review in Post #3
6. Baby Love - Catherine Anderson 420 pages post #4
7. Bitten - Kelley Armstrong 352 pages post #5
8. Don't Look Down - Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer 349 pages post #6
9. The Final Confession of Mabel Stark - Robert Hough 442 pages - review post #11
10. Absolute Fear - Lisa Jackson 496 pages - review post #13
11. By Arrangement - Madeline Hunter - 417 pages - review post #14
12. The Penguin who knew too much - Donna Andrews - 328 pages - review post #15
13. The Golden Leopard - Lynn Kerstan 370 pages - review post #16
14. She Walks These Hills - Sharyn McCrumb 448 pages - review post #18
15. The Deep Blue Alibi - Paul Levine 467 pages - review post #19
16. Hard Evidence - Pamela Clare 352 pages - review post #20
17. Death Masks - Jim Butcher 374 pages - review post #21
18. Sebastian - Anne Bishop 464 pages - review post #23
19. Sealed with a Kiss Pamela Morsi - 372 pages - review post #24
20. Thunder and Roses Mary Jo Putney - 384 pages - review post #27
21. To Die For - Linda Howard - 251 pages - review post #28
22. Club Life - Rob the Bouncer 272 pages - no review yet
23. Pure Dynamite - Lauren Bach - 352 pages - no review yet
24. Stolen - Kelley Armstrong - 480 pages - no review yet
25. Virgin River - Robyn Carr
26. Girls in Pants - Ann Brasheres
27. Katherine - Anya Seton
28. Str8te Boys - Evangeline Anderson
29. Kill all the Lawyers - Paul Levine
30. Knight of A Trillion Stars - Dara Joy
31. One Sinful Night - Kaitlin O'Riley
32. Shelter Mountain - Robyn Carr
33. The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
34. Agnes and the Hitman - Jennifer Crusie
35. Night Pleasures - Sherrilyn Kenyon
36. Last Chance - Jill Marie Landis
37. Rules of Prey - John Sandford
38. The Raven Prince - Elizabeth Hoyt
39. Prairie Moon - Maggie Osborne
40. Reliquary - Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
41. Wish Upon a Cowboy - Kathleen Kane
42. Almost Heaven - Judith McNaught
43. Force of Nature - Suzanne Brockmann
44. A Reason to Live - Maureen McKade
45. Phantom - Susan Kay
46. Dark Obsession - Allison Chase

Hi, dbolahood!
You are off to a great start! Good luck with your reading challenge. :)
--BJ

#5 Too Deep for Tears - Kathryn Lynn Davis

Too Deep for Tears is one of those big meaty historical novels you can really sink your teeth into. It seems to have been marketed as a historical romance but this is somewhat misleading. Although there are love stories within the book it is not a traditional romance novel. It is historical fiction with romantic subplots.

The book is the story of Charles Kittredge's three daughters. Charles was a British diplomat who traveled the world and was forced for different reasons to abandon all three of his daughters. The novel is divided up into 4 separate smaller books. One book for each of the daughters and a fourth when they all return to Scotland to meet one another and their father.

Since the book was set up as four small novels I'm going to review each separately as I felt differently about each one.

The first book is about Ailsa the daughter of Charles and Mairi - Charles was married to Mairi but there relationship ended soon after as Mairi could not bring herself to leave the glen in Scotland and travel with Charles. This book was by far my favourite. It was longer then the the other three books and part of that may be why since I spent so much more time with Ailsa. Ailsa story starts out with her in Scotland and has her leave the man she has loved all her life to marry an English man who promises to show her the world. Ailsa and Williams story is very bittersweet it is obvious he is head over heels in love with her and although Ailsa cares very much for him her heart is still with Ian in the glen. This story was so well written I felt everything Ailsa felt and the ending of this story was one of the most perfect endings I've ever read.

Li-an is Charles second daughter who he had to leave behind in China when the government - fed up with all the foreigners taking advantage of them tried to have him killed. In order to escape with his life he was forced to leave Li-an and her mother and never come back. This was very hard on Li-an as her and her mother were always under suspicion after that - also Li-an's blue eyes gave her away as a foreigner and she was forced to always hide who she was. I found it very hard to connect with Li-an and this was my least favourite story of the four. Li-an's hatred of her father and her heritage are a large part of what makes her who she is and it makes her hard to like. Li-an's story is also very tragic but I found I was not all that much affected by it. The relationship between Li-an and Chau was developed over a fairly short period of time and I couldn't believe their relationship.

The third book was about Genevra whose mother had an affair with Charles which resulted in Genevra. Genevra lives in India as part of the British colony. Charles was present in Genevra's life until he was once again forced to leave the country as he was needed elsewhere. After he left Genevra's mother who suffered with depression hit her breaking point and confessed to her husband. Her husband threw both her and Genevra out of his home and Genevra was eventually abandoned with her unloving Aunt and Uncle. Genevra life was always difficult as she battled many of the same demons her mother did and was ostracized by the british community living in India and found herself relating more to the indians which only isolated her further. Although Genevra was filled with alot of the same bitterness as Li-an she didn't allow it to completely change who she was and I was able to sympathize with her.

The fourth book has all three sisters traveling to Scotland to see their father before he dies. This part of the book I found sort of anti-climatic as Charles is very ill and isn't able to really work things out with his daughters as he should.

Although I had a few minor quibbles (Li-ans story and the fourth book were only so so for me). As a whole I really enjoyed this book. All three sisters have the gift of second sight and throughout all the stories when they were in desperate need of comforting they would visit one another in their dreams. The way the abandonment by their father has shaped each sister was also done very well and you could see how it shaped the women they became.

If you like really in depth long historical novels I highly recommend this one.

#6 Baby Love - Catherine Anderson

When she climbs into the box car with her new born baby Maggie Stanley is out of options. She is running away from her abusive step father with no clothes, money or even a place to go.

Since Rafe Kendrick lost his wife and children two years ago he has been riding the rails trying to drown his troubles in a whiskey bottle.

When Rafe steps in to save Maggie from a group of vagrants intent on raping her he realizes how much she needs someone and decides that he has to take care of her - much to Maggies dismay as she has decided to never trust another man again...

This wasn't my favourite Catherine Anderson book but it was still well done. The plot kept things moving and I found myself turning pages well into the night. Rafe was a little too perfect for me. Especially when orginally he had no interest in getting involved and tried to fall asleep agian so he wouldn't have to deal with her rape. The fact that he all the sudden wasn't just going to step in and protect her from the other men in the car but he was going to look after her permenantly seemed a little far fetched. But hey I can live with that it was just very fairytale-esque.

For all of Rafe's perfection I found Maggie very refreshing she was tough and not quite so perfect. She had been through alot in her life and like Rafe had a habit of saying "she had a backbone of steel". However, she still needed Rafe and was willing to accept that without too much fuss.

Overall I liked the characters and the story - the villian was exteremely evil and was a bit over the top but it served to drive the plot along and kept things exciting right to the end. I'm looking forward to reading Ryan's book but not for awhile - Anderson's books tend to be a bit too similar to read too close together - seperated out though they are very enjoyable love stories.

Bitten - Kelly Armstrong

Blurb from Amazon

With rights already sold in seven countries, Bitten is a daring literary suspense novel that is causing an international sensation. Ever since her parents were killed in a car accident when she was five, Elena Michaels has longed for a normal family life. Smart, beautiful, and engaged to be married, Elena hopes to fulfill that dream when disaster strikes. Not only has her fiancé lied about his secret life as a werewolf, but he's made her one, too. She has no choice but to join him at Stonehaven, the upstate New York home of an elite pack of werewolves.

In an attempt to break away, she moves to Toronto to lead a normal life. Working as a journalist, Elena now lives with her new architect boyfriend, works out in the basement gym of their high-rise apartment, lunches with girlfriends from the office, and—once a week, at four in the morning—runs naked and furred through a downtown Toronto ravine, ripping out the throats of her animal prey. But when a band of outlaw werewolves threatens the Stonehaven pack, Elena's feral instincts drive her back there to join the defense. What follows is a war for territory, for pride, and ultimately for Elena herself.

My Review

When I first started this book I wasn't sure I was going to like. The first few chapters are actually very boring. Although I debated putting it aside and starting it later I persevered and wow was it ever worth it.

This was a very intense book. The sexual tension between Clay and Elena sizzles and the plot keeps you at the edge of your seat. These villains were some seriously nasty creatures but not overdone and cheesy. For the majority of the book my heart was in my throat as I worried if the good guys would get away, survive etc. The action scenes were well done and quick moving.

I don’t know if this book is marketed as a romance but it definitely has a love story as a main part of the book. However, Elena is in a relationship with another man throughout the book which can be a hot button for some people. The way it was done in this book it was understandable why Elena was cheating on Phillip but your heart still broke for him. I appreciated that the author did not make him a total a-hole just to make the adultery acceptable. I loved Clay although it was hard to see his good points at first since all of his actions are filtered through Elena’s point of view – it eventually became obvious how much Clay loved Elena and that there would never be anyone else for him.

Overall I have to say I really enjoyed this book and although when I finished it I only gave it 4 stars as I think back on it I feel like it should have 5. It’s always bizarre for me when that happens…

edited to add the rest of my review - my boss came back from work early and I had to close the window :)

Don't Look Down - Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

Blurb from Amazon
It sounded simple. Go to Savannah. Finish directing an action-adventure film. Earn some quick money. Get a chance to see sister Daisy and niece Pepper. Instead, as soon as Lucy Armstrong arrives on the set of Don't Look Down, she discovers that nothing about her current job is simple. The cast is lackluster. What she has seen of the script is, even by Hollywood standards, unbelievably incoherent. The stunt coordinator is none other than her annoying ex-husband, Connor Nash, and her sister seems to have become a zombie. Bryce McKay, the movie's leading man, turns up with Captain J. T. Wilder, whom Bryce has personally hired to be his stunt double and military consultant. The last thing Lucy needs is a taciturn, too-sexy-for-his-own-good male like J. T. on her set, but once the going gets tough, someone like J. T. turns out to be exactly the kind of person Lucy decides she wants in her life. This first collaboration between best-selling romance writer Crusie and adventure-thriller writer Mayer is a rare delight. Mayer's delectably dry sense of humor perfectly complements Crusie's brand of sharp wit, and together the two have cooked up a sexy, sassy, and smart combination of romance and suspense that is simply irresistible.

My Review

I went into this book not expecting to like it very much. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself greatly enjoying it. Maybe because I'm not a hardcore Crusie fan I was able to accept the change in writing style easier than most.

The plot was fast moving and kept me interested and J.T. was so wonderfully realistic. I imagine that was Meyers doing and I really appreciated having the male point of view so very.... male. The romance didn't really work all that well for me and I would have been happy if the book just ended with the two being together. I didn't need the declaration of love and spending the rest of their lives together after three days - that's just creepy.

I don't always enjoy kids in the books I'm reading but I really enjoyed Pepper. She was a spoiled brat and hilarious. I don't think I would have enjoyed the book nearly as much without her.

I'm looking forward to their next collaboration "Agnes and the Hitman" which I think will be even better. I actually read the preview in the back of Don't look down and that is something I never do.

I'm enjoying your reviews. :)
--BJ

billiejean - Thanks :)

I find it helps me to move on to my next book when I write down my thoughts on the book I just finished. Particularly when it was a really good book. I find it hard to let the last book go and settle in to my new book. Writing my thoughts down gives a bit of closure so that I can start my next book without thinking about the previous one.

Danielle

"Writing my thoughts down gives a bit of closure so that I can start my next book without thinking about the previous one."

That's mostly the reason I enjoy writing reviews as well Danielle, I couldn't have put it better. Especially with books I really loved and have trouble letting go of, it's very comforting to write a glowing review so that maybe someone else will become interested and read the book too. That way in a way I'm holding on to the book, because it doesn't stop with me but it continues to live through someone else :)

girlunderglass - I always find it difficult to write reviews of books I loved because it's always hard for me to put down exactly why the book was a keeper. Most books I love have a certain something that I can't pinpoint some books just have it others don't however, like you said once I've written it down and passed it on.

I looked through your reviews hoping that one of your favs would be able to live on through me but unfortunately although we have similar philosophies we appear to have very different tastes in books :)

I'll keep an eye out for something that grabs my attention though... it wouldn't hurt for me to expand my horizons and try something different.

#9 The Final Confession of Mabel Stark - Robert Hough

Blurb from Amazon

In the 1910s and '20s, during the golden age of the big top, Mabel Stark was the superstar of the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus, and one of America's most eccentric celebrities. A tiny, curvaceous Kentucky blonde in a white leather bodysuit, Mabel was brazen, sexually adventurous, and suicidally courageous. The Final Confession of Mabel Stark is Robert Hough's brilliant, highly acclaimed novelization of her fantastic life. It is 1968 — Mabel is just turning eighty and is about to lose her job at Jungleland, a Southern California game park. Devastated by the loss of her cats, she looks back on her life and her five husbands: the fifth would one day be tragically mauled by her one true love, her ferocious yet amorous 550-pound Bengal tiger Rajah. Starting with her escape from a mental institution to begin her circus career as a burlesque dancer, Mabel's exquisitely voiced confession is a live wire of dark secrets, broken dreams, and comic escapades. It is a brilliant, exhilarating story of an America before television and movies, when the spectacle of the circus reigned and an unlikely woman captured the public imagination with her singular charm and audacity.

My Review

Well... it was different...

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say I'd enjoyed this book but it has stayed with me for two days now since I finished reading it. I had to wait to write this review because I wasn't sure how I felt about and needed to let it sink in for a few days.

First off I didn't have the same experience I find most people had while reading this book. Some of the words I saw in reference to this book were fascinating, ribald, fun, humorous and compelling... huh. It's times like these when I wonder if I'm missing something. Personally, I had a few problems with the book that kept me from really enjoying it. First off it was Mabel. I just plan didn't like her. I realize the grit it must have taken to be a woman in a typically male driven profession in those days but she was really abrasive and when I wasn't out and out disliking her I was feeling sorry for her. To me she lead a very lonely and sad life. Everytime things were starting to look up for her if something didn't come along and ruin it for her she'd make sure she ruined it for herself. Which I think was part of the reason I disliked her so much.

I also found the book got bogged down quite a bit in the middle and would drag on with paragraph after paragraph of Mabel listing which city she went to next and when she went there and maybe a sentence or two about something that may have happened with her act. I didn't find any part of the book fun although certain parts were interesting I don't even know if I'd go so far as to call it fascinating mostly I just found it frustrating.

However, I do find that anytime I read a book that is based on a true story or a real person quite often that book stays with me for a long time. This book is no exception the author did a fabulous job of creating a voice for Mabel and I kept forgetting that a man had actually written this book and not Mabel herself. Over the last couple of days I've had a hard time getting Mabels voice out of my head and I've even been rather melancholy at times when I think about Mabel and everything she went through in her life. Which is why it's hard for me to give a grade to this book - I didn't like Mabel and didn't really get any fun out of this book but it's been staying with me day in and day out not to mention I finished it so I must have been enjoying it on some level but at the same time I don't want to go near this book ever again...

I received Bitten as an ER book last year and also loved it. (I know its not new but who am I to argue with Abby and free books!) I think of it as an adult Twilight, only much better written.

I peeked at your profile and just want to say hi! to a fellow Torontonian, (well, Thornhill for me).

#10 - Absolute Fear Lisa Jackson

Blurb from Lisa Jacksons Website
For the past three months, Eve Renner has struggled to remember the night she was nearly killed and her lover was tried for murder. She remembers getting the anxious call from a friend from her past: “Meet me at the cabin. I’ve got evidence.” She remembers seeing that friend lying in a pool of blood. And she remembers a horrifying glimpse of her lover Cole Dennis’s face as a gunshot plunged her into darkness. Now, her memory and emotions scarred, Eve has returned to New Orleans to forget the past. But the past will not be forgotten. Eve’s shattered memory has helped Cole walk on murder charges just as a new series of killings begins.

The latest murders are bizarre and baffling. The victims are killed in ritual fashion, a series of numbers tattooed into their bodies. 212. 101. 111. 323. There is no clue to their meaning, no connection to the victims except one: Our Lady of Virtues Hospital, the crumbling old asylum that was once the scene of unspeakable madness. For Eve, it was a second home as a child. Her father was a doctor there and she spent hours exploring its secret chambers, hidden rooms, and forbidden passageways. Somewhere in its decaying rooms lies the key to a terrible crime, a betrayal beyond imagining whose echoes are now being felt with vengeance--a crime that seems to lead to Eve herself. And the only man she can trust with the search is Cole, her former lover and, just possibly, a cold-blooded killer.

As forgotten memories begin to surface, bodies are found and each twist leads to another terrifying piece of the puzzle. Someone is watching, planning, luring her back to the ruins of Our Lady and the shocking truths hidden there—someone who has been waiting for this moment to strike. He is deadlier than she could ever have imagined and closer than she knows. For the sins of the past must be revealed, the crimes brought to justice, and the price paid—in blood.

My review

This book was kinda meh for me. The story was entertaining enough but there was nothing that really grabbed me about it. Part of my problem may have been that this was the fifth book in a series and a sequel to the previous book. I hate when that happens and I found it really jerked me out of the book everytime something that happened in a previous book was mentioned. The main characters were okay although there wasn't a lot of focus on the relationship but it might have been previously built up in one of the other books I don't know. Also, there was a twist at the end of the book that I didn't quite get and seemed unnecessary so that kind of ruined the end of the book for me. It was really just an okay book for me there were somethings I liked (the scary parts were definitely creepy) but the story just didn't grab me. It was most likely because it's the middle of a series which will ruin a book for me anyways if I haven't read the previous books. I will be picking up the first book in the series the next time I'm at the bookstore.

#11 By Arrangement - Madeline Hunter

Back Cover Blurb
The lady and the commoner...

Lady Christiana Fitzwaryn was not opposed to marriage. But she demanded to be married on her own terms, not as punishment for a romantic indiscretion, and especially not to a common merchant. Yet she was in for a shock when she met David de Abyndon. For she was confronted by no ordinary merchant but a man of extraordinary poise and virility. He was unaffected by their difference in social status. And even less affected by her well-thought-out arguments against their upcoming betrothal. Instead, it was Christiana who felt uneasy in the presence of this naturally lordly man behind whose cool blue eyes she sensed the most uncompromising of passions.

David de Abyndon understood Christiana's dilemma, for he too harbored a secret pain. How could he tell her that there was more to this arrangement than met the eye? How could he tell her about his deal with the king-a deal that meant he had all but bought Christiana sight unseen?

What's more, now that he had seen this beautiful, spirited woman, how could he convince her that the love she sought was not in the callow knight she had romanticized but in the flesh-and-blood arms of the man who may have bought her body-but in the bargain lost both his heart and soul?

My Review

Wow. This book completely blew me away. I've read one other Madeline Hunter book and that was By Possession which I enjoyed but never really connected with the characters. I went into By Arrangements with similar expectations and was pleasantly surprised.

First off the characters. Christiana and David are definitely up there in my top 10 couples. At first I was worried that Christiana was going to ruin the book for me since she was so incredibly naive and girlish at the beginning but part of what makes this book so great is the character growth you see from Christiana by the end of the book she has turned into a woman who is totally deserving of David. As for David, I think he will be a hard hero for some people to love. He has a definite dark streak and can be ruthless at times but with the exception of one incident he is gentle and kind with Christiana and it really shows what a good person he truly is on the inside. I love complex heros and angsty books so David worked for me on so many levels.

This was also one of those "butterflies in the stomach" love stories. Watching these two fall in love with one another against their own will was romantic and the love scenes were well written and passionate although they could be a little "purple" at times.

The other thing I should point out that may turn some people off is that this book does have a "Big Misunderstanding" in it. This isn't a plot device that bothers me though because I find the scenes where the characters get back together some of the most emotional. This book is no exception the last scenes in this book had tears welling up in my eyes.

All in all this book is definitely a keeper for me and for anyone out there looking for a solid Medieval Romance I would highly suggest you pick this one up.

The Penguin who knew too Much - Donna Andrews

Blurb from Amazon

Meg Langslow and her fiancé, Michael, are finally moving into their newly renovated house, assisted by numerous members of Meg's extended family. Unfortunately, Meg's father finds a body in her basement while he is digging a hole for a pool for some penguins he is fostering. The body is identified as that of Patrick Lanahan, owner of Caerphilly's bankrupt zoo. More chaos follows—and the Langslow menagerie quickly grows—after Meg's father's tells all those fostering the zoo animals to drop them off at Meg's place if fostering gets to be too much for them. Soon llamas, wolves, and hyenas are frolicking in the backyard. Meg investigates the murder and tries to save the zoo (so her many house guests can return home), all while planning her secret wedding. The levelheaded, unflappable Meg takes it all in stride: the parade of wild animals, her quirky relatives, an irate police chief, and a father who loves a mystery. This eighth cozy in the series makes the most of humorous situations, zany relatives, and lovable characters.

My Review

I'm feeling lazy today and I always find it difficult to review books that are in the middle of a series. So let me just say this was another enjoyable quick read. It wasn't quite as funny as some of the others in the series but it was still quite good. Fans of the series I'm sure won't be disappointed.

The Golden Leopard

Back cover blurb

In every adventure, there must be passion....

Lady Jessica Carville wants nothing to do with men after having her heart betrayed. Despite society's disapproval, she has found fulfillment and success as a dealer of rare antiquities for Christie's auction house in London. The last thing she needs is for the scoundrel who once cast her aside to rear his handsome head.

Despite her best efforts, Lord Hugo Duran's sudden return from India piques Jessica's curiosity--as does his tempting offer. He needs her expertise on a quest to locate a priceless artifact that is rumored to have been smuggled into England--a quest full of daring adventure, dangerous intrigue, and unbridled passion.

My Review

3.5/5 stars seems to low a score for this book 4/5 is definitely too high I guess 3.75 stars would be the right amount or 7.5/10 which sounds less convoluted.

This book was very hard to get into a first I found the first 150 pages to be relatively boring but well written enough that I didn't put the book aside. In addition to that I was not able to warm up to the heroine Jessica until the book was almost over. The hero Duran I found quite likable but he is far from being a favourite. If my first impressions of this book had continued I probably would have only given this book 3 stars but as it was the second half of the book improved tremendously. Jessica quit being such a harpy, the romance picked up and the plot moved along at a fairly nice suspenseful pace.

Some people may have an issue with the plot if they are sticklers for plausibility. For myself I'm willing to suspend my disbelief as long as it doesn't get ridiculous and even then in a well written book it still may not bother me. As such I found the plot well done and quick moving but there were a number of instances that would probably jerk someone else right out of the story.

One thing that did bother me was how quickly the heroine went from wanting nothing to do with the hero to jumping into bed with him - there was sufficient sexual tension prior to this to explain why she wanted to jump into bed with him. However, it would have been nice to be inside Jessica's head at that moment rather than Duran's to see the thought process that lead from her previous stance to the one that had her jumping him like a wildcat.

All in all aside from the less than compelling first half of the book I quite enjoyed the read and I'm looking forward to picking up the next book in the series.

I am enjoying your reviews!
--BJ

She Walks These Hills - Sharyn McCrumb

Summary from Sharyn McCrumb's web site

She Walks These Hills: An Introduction

She Walks These Hills is the story of mountain journeys, both literal and figurative. Charlotte Pentland's passion is the first Appalachian journey: that of the mountains themselves. Through a vein of the mineral serpentine that runs from the hills of Georgia up to Nova Scotia, she hopes to trace the mountains' kinship back across the ocean following the serpentine chain to its beginning, in the mountains of western Scotland. Scholarly research in a good place to hide from an unpleasant reality: that Charlotte's father is the escaped convict, even now wandering in the Appalachians.

Historian Jeremy Cobb is backpacking on the Appalachian Trail, attempting to retrace the tragic journey of Katie Wyler, who was kidnapped by the Shawnee in 1789, and who escaped, making her way home through hundreds of miles of wilderness. Jeremy has no trail experience, but he is determined to complete his scholarly quest or die trying. He doesn't know that the spirit of Katie Wyler is still seen wandering the hills, trying to get home. Mountain wise woman Nora Bonesteel sees her every autumn "when the air is crisp, and the light is slanted, and the birds are still."

Sheriff Spencer Arrowood feels sorry for Harm, imprisoned for life for killing a hated local bureaucrat. There is even some doubt about Harm's guilt. Besides, the elderly convict has Korsakov's syndrome, a side effect of chronic alcoholism that robs its sufferers of their recent memories. To Harm, it is always 1967. As the psychiatrist tells a deputy: "You may get this fellow out of the hills, but you'll never get him out of the past. He's got nowhere to go." Harm doesn't even remember the crime. He doesn't know he's an escaped convict. For Martha Ayers, who wants the job of deputy, catching Harm Sorely would be the best way to prove her fitness for the position.

Harm, an Appalachian Don Quixote on the edge of reality, meets both Jeremy and the still-wandering Katie Wyler on his journey back to a home that isn't there any more. He is the "last moonshiner," holding the dream of an unspoiled wilderness in the fragile web of his delusions. When he goes, it will be lost forever.

My Review

I had no idea what to expect going in to the this book. Was it a mystery? historical fiction? literary fiction? ghost story? I'm still not sure how exactly you would class this book but I do know it was a great story no matter where you shelve it.

The multiple story lines and characters made it difficult to really connect with any of the characters but that really didn't matter. The writing style is very lyrical which I sometimes find distracting but it really worked with this book.

The author had a habit of leaving cliffhangers everytime the character point of view changed making this a very difficult book to put down and a very quick read.

This is a difficult review to write because it's hard to summarize exactly why I liked this book. There was so much going on and the way all the plot lines ended up tying in together was really well done. All I can say is to just try the book and you'll see what I mean.

The Deep Blue Alibi - Paul Levine

Back Cover Blurb
They are Florida’s most mismatched legal duo–one a glamorous Miami blue blood, the other a Coconut Grove beach bum. And when they get together, you can throw every law right out the window….

What do you get when you mix beautiful people, family secrets, and a yacht washed up on Sunset Key with a hundred grand in cash and a dying man? If you’re Steve Solomon, you see a case that can get Solomon & Lord off the ground. If you’re Victoria Lord, you see a golden opportunity to go out on your own. With her uncle a murder suspect and her hunky ex-boyfriend back in the picture, Victoria is pushing to take control as Solomon struggles to keep from losing it.

As an explosive trial looms, they’re fighting against time, the law, and each other–to expose a killer who came to paradise…and hasn’t left.

My Review

This is going to be a quick review. I finished this book two weeks ago, unfortunatly my computer was being held hostage by a 5 day house guest who turned into a 14 day house guest. As such, this book isn't very fresh in my mind any more so I will just quickly sum up what I liked and what I didn't.

What I liked.

1. Steve Solomon - I'm in love with him he's definitely one of my favourite characters ever.

2. The Plot - The plot was quick paced and fascinating. Most books about lawyers bore me but I love to see how what kind of unorthodox methods Steve is going to use to get his client off the hook.

3. Steve Solomon - I want to marry him. Oops, did I mention him already??

What I didn't like.

1. Victoria - what the hell does Steve see in this woman?? I can't stand to be around up tight people in real life and I don't want to read about them as a heroine in my books. I would much prefer if Victoria had remained a prosecution lawyer or even a partner but the two had never got into an actual relationship. She is uptight, bitchy and totally takes Steve for granted. I don't understand why she is always holding the upper card in the relationship she should be thanking her lucky stars that she found such a decent guy but no she's constantly whining about everything he does and questioning if she should even be with him while fantasizing about her ex and resenting Steve.

Gah - obviously she's touched a nerve. Either way the book was great I love Steve Solomon and I hate Victoria Lord.

Hard Evidence

After the murder of a teenage girl, a mysterious man in a black leather jacket was seen lurking near the crime scene. Investigative reporter Tessa Novak has him in her sights as the culprit…

That man was Julian Darcangelo—an undercover FBI agent working with the Denver police. He’s closing in on the trail of a human trafficker and killer. Tessa’s accusations could blow his cover—and he wants her off the investigation.

But just as Tessa has made Julian a target of interest, she is now a target—of the killer. And as they are forced to trust each other, their physical attraction escalates as intensely as the threat from a ruthless murderer who wants to see both of them dead…

My Review

Okay, before I launch into the problems I had with Ms. Tessa Novak let me just say I did enjoy this book. It was fast paced and kept me turning the pages. Julian was a great tortured anti-hero and I will be picking up the other books in this series however...

I hope to God none of the other heroines are going to be as dumb as Tessa Novak. How this girl is not dead or horribly maimed still remains a mystery to me. Why Julian would even waste his time trying to protect her is also beyond me.

Just to clarify Tessa witnessed the murder in gas station and promptly went to work and wrote up a front page article detailing every single detail of the crime. I don't work with the police on a daily basis like say... an investigative reporter would and even I understand why police withhold certain details from the public to help them catch the killer. Tessa however, can't really grasp the concept of police catching the bad guys and reporters reporting. I'm supposed to believe that Tessa is only out to help get these guys off the streets, protect all the other girls like the one who was murdered and it's not all about getting her big headlines but honestly, her headlines are driving the bad guys further underground and potentially exposing the identity of an undercover agent who is thisclose to catching them. How is that helping Tessa??? Please explain it to me.

On top of all that this girl is dumb. Let me just list the bajillion stupid things she's done.

1. Writing a first person account of an unsolved murder for a major newspaper in Denver announcing to the bad guys that she Tessa Novak witnessed everything.

2. Assuming the murder was gang related and after writing in the paper that she Tessa Novak witnessed the murder and is going to track down the killers herself to see that they are arrested goes waltzing into gang territory and starts asking around to talk to the head of the local Crips chapter.

3. After starting a media frenzy to get the cops to start cracking down on gang activity Tessa slips her protective cover and goes back into gang territory to finish her interview with the Crips.

4. Even after she finds out that the killers are worse than gang member, has a man break into her apartment and molest her while she is in the bathtub, a cop gets shot by said man after trying to break into her apartment for a second time she still insists on doing things on her own and evading the protective custody the police have on her. Oh and perhaps I should mention her best friend ( a fellow reporter) was almost killed for trying to take a story too far in a previous book.

There are just too many issues with Tessa for me to write about them all. It's enough to say that she was a complete airhead for the majority of the book and by the time reality actually hit her in the face and she started exercising common sense it was too little too late.

Death Masks - Jim Butcher

Blurb from the Back of the Book

Harry Dresden, Chicago's only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But now he's getting more than he bargained for.

A duel with the Red Court of Vampires' champion, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards...

Professional hit men using Harry for target practice...

The missing Shroud of Turin...

A handless and headless corpse the Chicago police need identified...

Not to mention the return of Harry's ex-girlfriend Susan, who's still struggling with her semivampiric nature. And who seems to have a new man in her life.

Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you're charging.

My Review

I'm feeling lazy again and I always find it hard to review a book in the middle of the series so here is my mini review.

Another awesome book in the Dresden Files. This is the strongest book so far in my opinion and brings Susan back which I really liked. Harry was his usual sarcastic self and there was plenty of humorous one liners. The action was good everything else was good. Just awesome.

Sounds like a pretty good series.
--BJ

Sebastian - Anne Bishop

Blurb from the back cover

Her worlds have been described as “vividly painted” (Lynn Flewelling) and “lavishly sensual” (Library Journal). Now, award–winning, bestselling author Anne Bishop invites you into a new realm, one that is ever–changing, caught between the Light and Dark forces of the heart...

“Let your heart travel lightly. Because what you bring with you becomes part of the landscape.”

Long ago, to stop the onslaught of the Eater of the World, Ephemera was split into a dizzying number of strange and magical lands connected only by bridges—which may take you where you truly belong, rather than where you had intended to go.

Now, with the Eater contained and virtually forgotten, the shifting worlds of Ephemera have been kept stable by the magic of the Landscapers. In one such land, where night reigns and demons dwell, the half–incubus Sebastian revels in dark delights. But then in dreams she calls to him: a woman who wants only to be safe and loved—a woman he hungers for while knowing he may destroy her.

But a more devastating destiny awaits Sebastian, for in the quiet gardens of the Landscapers' school, evil is stirring. The prison of the Eater of the World has weakened—and Sebastian's realm may be the first to fall...

Intoxicating, erotic, and intensely romantic, Sebastian is for those who know on which side of the heart—Light or Dark—their passions lie.

My Review

Before I picked this book up the most common thing I heard about it was that is was good but no where near as good as the Black Jewels Trilogy. I didn't want to be constantly comparing this book to the Jewels book so I read it like it was the first book I'd ever read by Anne Bishop.

As a fantasy novel it worked for me the plot was quick moving and kept me turning the pages. As a romantic fantasy it didn't really work. The right balance of romance/fantasy just wasn't reached in this book and because of that the romance seemed rushed and wasn't really believable and I felt like it was constantly stealing time that could have been spent on the fantasy part of the story. As characters I liked both Sebastian and Lynnea I just didn't by them as a couple and thought their relationship actually took away from the story.

I was also a little disappointed in the sexiness of the book. I mean come on Sebastian is an incubus and the review blurb on the front calls it "erotic and romantic" but all in all this book was pretty tame. Aside from kisses all of the action happens behind closed doors which is fine but why bother to make your character and his best friend an incubus when sex has almost no part in the story...

Otherwise it was a good fantasy novel very different from anything else I've read in the fantasy genre and an interesting world. Similar to the Black Jewels the author doesn't bother explaining the world to you she just lets you figure it out as you go along and jumps right into the story.

All in all it was a pretty decent book but I would have liked to see the relationship more solidly developed.

Sealed with a Kiss - Pamela Morsi

Back Cover Blurb
From the first moment she met her new Texas neighbor, Prudence Belmont was in love. When she was old enough for marriage Gidry Chavis promptly presented her with an engagement ring, and all her dreams seemed to have come true. But the hellraising Gidry disappeared before the wedding, leaving only a brief note in explanation.

My dear Miss Prudence,
I have determined that it is best that we do not wed. Please forgive me and recall me with fondness.

Now Chavistown's notorious favorite son is back, wiser, remorseful, sunbrowned ans manly. Everyone in town has accepted his transformation to a hardworking town leader-----all except Pru. After all, only a man with wicked thoughts could believe that she, the president of the Ladies' Rose and Garden Society, would mail out racy postcards, and only a cad would demand bribes of kisses to keep quiet. If he thinks he can win her love again, he's wrong. Or is he?

My only lover,
I am ready to fulfill your every desire, if you will agree to grant my dearest wish...
Yours soon to be...

My Review

I have a terrible habit of not reading books that I'm pretty sure I'm going to like. Whether it's because I've heard so many good things about or because it's an author who I know I love. I search high and low for these books then I put them on the shelf and that's where they stay. I haven't decided if it's because I'm afraid they won't live up to my expectations or because I want to save them so I'll always have good books to read either way it's a stupid habit. Anyways, I digress.

This was one of those books for me. This book has been languishing in my TBR pile for almost 5 years and I've picked it up over a dozen times and always put it back again. Well let me tell you - I can be a real dummy sometimes. This book was wonderful and I'm super excited since it's opened up a huge backlist for me to start to buy up.

This was an unusual storyline and conflict for me so the plot was very refreshing. Pru is a very strong heroine and puts Gidry in his place when he tries to come back and pick up where they started. Gidry is a tall, dark and handsome cowboy and although he's made some bad choices and lived a rough and lonely life after he left Chavistown he isn't broody and doesn't mop around feeling sorry for himself.

The secondary characters were all very well developed and Morsi does a fabulous job of showing the sense of community there was in the small texas town of Chavistown.

This book also had a great ending which had me grinning ear to ear while I read on my lunch break and my only quibble is that they had to tack on an epilogue. One of these days I'm going to stop reading them and just close the book but for some reason I'm just compelled to keep reading. I don't know why epilogues don't work for me but they never do.

Anyways, this was a wonderful american historical novel and I'm heading out to scoop up Pamela Morsi's backlist.

Wonderful review! You make this book sound so inviting! Onto the wishlist it goes!
--BJ

Hi billiejean,

It may be a little work to track it down but it's a lovely story. I hope you enjoy it :)

Thunder and Roses - Mary Jo Putney

Back Cover Blurb

They called him the Demon Earl. They said he could do anything. Son of a rogue and a gypsy, Nicholas Davies was a notorious rake until a shattering betrayal left him alone and embittered in the Welsh countryside.

Desperation drives quiet schoolteacher Clare Morgan to ask the Demon Earl to help save her village. Unwilling to involve himself in the problems of others, Nicholas sets an impossible price on his aid --- only if Clare agrees to live with him for three months, letting the world think the worst, will he intervene.

Furiously, Clare accepts his outrageous challenge, and finds herself drawn into a glittering Regency world of danger and desire. As allies, she and Nicholas fight to save her community. As adversaries, they explore the hazardous terrain of power and sensuality. And as lovers, they surrender to passion that threatens the very foundations of their lives….

My Review

As much as I've loved the previous books I read by Putney I've been avoiding starting this series for a few years because I was tired of reading European Historicals set in the regency period. After finishing this book I was reminded that in the hands of a great writer it doesn't matter what the subject matter is.

I was sucked into this book almost immediately and barely came up for air all weekend. Clare is a wonderful heroine. Although she was conflicted about her feelings for Nicholas and her religon she never came across as whiney or annoying. Nicholas definitely had baggage but he wasn't going to let that totally drag him down which made him come across as troubled but not tortured. It was obvious from the get go that he needed Clare even if he didn't know it yet and Clare and Nicholas's story was one of the most romantic I've read in a long time. Oh and I should mention the sexual tension between the two was sizzling and the loves scenes were all integral to the plot and although not explicit when you finished reading them you felt like they were.

The suspense in the book also had something to do with me not putting the book down. Throughout the first half you couldn't help but sense that something bad was going to happen in the mine if they didn't hurry up and improve conditions and the threat to Nicholas life in the second half had my stomach in knots until I finished the book.

I am definitely looking forward to reading the rest of this series and I believe Putney is returning to writing European historicals which I am thrilled about.

To Die For - Linda Howard

Back Cover Blurb
Blair Mallory lives the good life. She’s pretty, confident, and the owner of a thriving up-scale fitness center. But in the shadow of success, a troubled member of the club develops a strange fixation on Blair, imitating her style and dress. Matters take a darker turn when the look-alike is shot dead–and Blair witnesses the horror.

As the media speculates on the tawdry details of the homicide and pushes Blair into the harsh spotlight, she locks horns with police lieutenant Wyatt Bloodsworth. He wants to lead an investigation without interference, while Blair is determined to probe the dead woman’s life on her own. But when someone begins to menace Blair with mounting threats, Wyatt takes notice: Was this murder indeed a lethal case of mistaken identity–and was Blair the intended victim?

My Review

Okay, let me sum this up quickly for you.

Blair Mallory our heroine is annoying, snarky, self-delusional and pathetic. The worst part - you are stuck in this girls head for the entire book and have to listen to her constantly tell her self that she isn't going to sleep with Wyatt again because you know the Mallory girls are made of better stuff then that only to roll over and sleep with him again the next time he kisses her neck which is alot.

Wyatt Bloodsworth - our hero is a total jackass in every sense of the word. Don't get me wrong I like alpha heros but they have to have a redeeming quality among there many resemblance's to neanderthals. Not this guy.

The relationship - considering there isn't too much to like about either character do I actually believe in the relationship? Umm well they are both like totally hot so I guess considering the integrity of these two already is enough to build a relationship on. Maybe I'd have a better idea if the relationship actually grew or evolved through out this book but no - I'm supposed to believe that these two fell in love on three dates two years ago and when they get together again they are already in love with one another and just don't want to admit it.

The suspense plot - this was the only ok part of the book for me. I've read a thousand better plots but this one was okay enough to compel me to finish the book despite the irritating characters.

Over all it was not worth the aggravation those two caused me to get to the end of the book. I've read one other Howard and I hope most of her books are more like that one and not To Die For. Yeesh.

Wow, I've been very lax in posting my reviews. Please see the mini reviews posted below.



22. Club Life - Rob the Bouncer

This was okay but I was dissappointed. I expected a lot more fun interesting bouncer stories and not quite so much navel gazing from the author. It was still entertaining just not what I'd expected.



23. Pure Dynamite - Lauren Bach -
This was very good. The heroine was strong and likeable and I loved the hero. This is the first book I've read where the hero was an undercover officer and the heroine thought he was a bad guy and I'm definitely looking for more with this story lines.



24. Stolen - Kelley Armstrong

This wasn't as good as bitten but I still throughly enjoyed it. Elena remains one of my favourite female characters.



25. Virgin River - Robyn Carr

I liked this book but never really connected with the hero. He just didn't do it for me. I liked the heroine well enough and the story was a very good quick read.



26. Girls in Pants - Ann Brasheres
Not as good as the first two in the series but still enjoyable.



27. Katherine - Anya Seton
I loved the first half of it but the second half really dragged for me. I didn't really feel the romance between Katherine and John either.



28. Str8te Boys - Evangeline Anderson
Very hot, quick read.

29. Kill all the Lawyers - Paul Levine
A quick read and lots of fun but I still hate Victoria Lord.



30. Knight of A Trillion Stars - Dara Joy

Apparently I'm in the minority as far as this book is concerned but it was a definite wallbanger for me.

I think Blair Mallory from Linda Howard's To Die For has forever turned me against "I know what's best for you" Alpha Heros and "I don't want to but I can't resist your kisses" doormat heroines. Although not as bad as Blair and what's his face these two grated on my last nerve.

It's especially frustrating because when I started the book I was sure I was going to enjoy it. The beginning few pages with Lorgin on earth were laugh out loud hilarious and his extreme control issues weren't really taken seriously. However, the whole thing went downhill for me after Lorgin tricked Deanna into marrying him, whisked her off to another planet without telling her what he was doing not to mention he has no intention of ever bringing her back, keeps her in the dark about everything, forces her to have a medical procedure done that she does not want etc. etc. And what does or strong, independent 20th century heroine do?? Well if we go by her inner dialogue she's not going to put up with it no alien is going to boss her around - what does she do in real life? Sulks like a child until Lorgin decides that it's time to have sex then she turns into a pile of jelly after a few sultry looks and a little finger nibbling - Oh please.

But hey it's great for Lorgin now every time Deanna disagrees with him he'll just have sex with her and she'll do whatever he wants.

Gah - I'm babbling it's just irritating that these two imbeciles ruined what otherwise could have been a great read. Not to mention everytime the author described Lorgin I kept picturing Fabio - yuck.



31. One Sinful Night - Kaitlin O'Riley
Loved, loved, loved this book - I can't say enough good things about it. I thought I was sick of all european historicals but apparently not. It was just lovely, great story, sexual tension was sizzling, loved the characters everything about it worked for me.



32. Shelter Mountain - Robyn Carr
I liked this better than Virgin River but I still wouldn't give it five stars. Loved Preacher. It got kind of annoying though how obsessed the male characters are with pregnant women.

33. The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett

This was a very entertaining book and I'm surprised I was able to read it in under two weeks because it's huge! I can't see myself reading it again though. It's one of the most frustrating books I've ever read - the bad guys are just sooooooooo evil and it almost always seems like they are winning during the book. It did keep me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. The end started to drag a bit but otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

34. Agnes and the Hitman - Jennifer Crusie

This is my most favourite Crusie novel to date. I loved Agnes and her anger management problem. Shane was a super yummy bad but really good guy and was perfect for Agnes. All the supporting characters were well drawn and the book was laugh out loud funny. I read it in less than two days and it's definitely up there as one of my favourites.

35. Night Pleasures - Sherrilyn Kenyon

I like this book alot more than I thought I would. I enjoyed Fantasy Lover which was the prequel to the Dark Hunter series but if I hadn't already purchased Night Pleasures I don't think I would have gone out and bought it after reading Fantasy Lover. Night Pleasures was darker than Fantasy Lover and I do love me those tortured heros and Kyrian is most definitely tortured. I didn't really get that attached to the heroine whose name I can't actually remember but she wasn't nearly as well drawn as Kyrian - but that was okay I still greatly enjoyed the book and I'm looking forward to reading about the rest of the dark hunters now.

36. After All

37. Rules of Prey - John SandfordThis is the second John Sandford book I’ve read. I read Chosen Prey sometime in 2004 and although I remember nothing about it I must have liked it well enough since I went out a picked up Rules of Prey – the first book in the series. To me this seemed like a pretty standard suspense novel. Lucas Davenport is a cop who doesn’t particularly care for following the rules. If someone’s guilty Lucas will do whatever it takes to bring them to justice. The local police force have given Davenport his own unit and pretty much allowed him free run to work the local vice cases. Now a madman has started killing local dark haired young women and the chief wants Davenport on the case.
The best part of the book for me was Lucas Davenport. He is tough guy who will do whatever it takes to see justice served even if it means bending the rules a bit – or a lot. Add to that the fact that he’s a womanizer who geniunely cares about the women who share his bed and the fact that he creates video games in his spare time and you have a very well developed and interesting character. By the time you get to the end of the book you’re practically in love with him until you realize that you still no almost nothing about him.
The story moved along at pretty good pace. I found it slowed down in a few places but all in all I finished this book rather quickly. I didn’t find it particularly scary or suspenseful but I kept turning the pages because I wanted to find out how Davenport was finally going to catch this guy.
The weakest part of the book for me was the serial killer – considering how three dimensional Davenport is I was disappointed to find that the serial killer fell flat. He was just your standard run of the mill serial killer that you could find in any number of thriller novels.
All in all I really did enjoy this book. I will continue to read the series if only to find out more about Lucas Davenport.