"IMMORTAL" BY GENE DOUCETTE (REVIEW BY TRACY) « Result #1 on Apr 27, 2012, 10:31pm »
“Immortal” by Gene Doucette
5 Stars
A Bestselling Author for sure!
This book, “Immortal” was one of the best fantasy/non-fantasy novels I have read to date. From the very beginning I was pulled into the story and could not let it go.
“Adam,” one of the Immortals many aliases, was a super amazing character that had me on the edge of my seat as I followed along through the stories of his amazing life. In the midst of his past experiences was a fantastic present-day tale of survival and rescue that seemed too real to not believe. Adding the constant presence of several fantasy characters, including Pixies, Vampires, Demons, & Iffrits (?), was as exciting as Adam’s personal history of the world review. Over all, this is a definite good read and I recommend it to all readers. The best news is that there is another book on the “Immortal” coming soon.
Imperfect Bliss by Susan-Fales Hall « Result #2 on Apr 26, 2012, 9:56pm »
Meet Bliss Harcourt, a recently divorced mother forced to move back into her parent’s dysfunctional home. While Bliss finishes her PHD and works on raising four year old Bella, reality television comes to the Harcourt’s home. Bliss’s sister Diana becomes reality television star of “The Virgin”. Sister Charlotte reveals herself as a promiscuous teen and Victoria has broken yet another engagement. Combine the sisters antics with a highly status focused Jamaican mother, an absent minded British father and mix in three possible love interests for Bliss and you have the basis for a humorous, page turning story.
In Imperfect Bliss Susan Fales-Hill creates endearing characters, builds romantic drama and finishes the story on a happy ending. I’d highly recommend this on anyone’s summer reading list.
Imperfect Bliss by Susan Fales-Hill 4* « Result #3 on Apr 24, 2012, 10:47am »
Bliss is a single mum, driven to return to the parental home. Four girls, a voluble mother and a taciturn father who can't live up to his responsibilities form a family that Austen fans will find strangely familiar. There's a saturnine man who apparently disdains her and a much more superficially attractive fellow who woos her. So here we have a Darcy and someone who could pass themselves off as George Wickham.
If the characters may have snuck out of the 18th-century, the plot is very much of our time. Bliss's sister, Diana, has the starring role in a reality TV series called The Virgin, in which a string of appalling young men take turns to vie for the hand of the chaste Diana. The book has a lot of fun with details of this TV programme, a concept so tacky that it can only be a matter of time before it turns up on television for real.
In addition to its satirical sideswipes at reality TV, the story also tries to address some issues about race in the USA. From over here in Britain, some of the nuances of race and class in the States were as opaque to me as the British class system seems to be to the average American, but most of the issues are addressed with broad enough brush strokes for me still to enjoy the plot.
The story does get rather cluttered with assorted subplots. Bliss is a postgraduate student, desperate for a fellowship to study in Europe. She secretly (and unsuitably) lusts after her professor, whilst still holding a torch for her ex-husband. She has a daughter who is adorably sweet but who has some unspecified handicap that has left her with poor vision and callipers on one leg. I found the daughter's disability a bit of a problem. Every so often, it is raised as being something quite significant, but then it seems to vanish as an issue for quite extended periods. I suspect there has been some rewriting which is made the disability irrelevant, and the plot would be less cluttered if the girl was just left to be the adorable moppet which is clearly her primary role.
Despite the clutter, the basic plot is simple and, though conventional for its type, satisfying. Bliss is torn between two men with different charms, one of whom is the sensible long-term choice and, after dallying with the other for a while, Elizabeth (yes, that's Bliss's real name) and her Darcy are united. It worked for Jane Austen and it works well enough for Susan Fales-Hill.
The prose is crisp and clear, often witty, and sometimes laugh out loud funny. The characters are well drawn and sympathetic, even when their behaviour is appalling. (One minor character is presented as a complete bitch, but when we see her desperately trying, and failing, to cope as a working mother, we can't help but have a twinge of sympathy for her.) The plot calls for a fairly substantial suspension of disbelief here and there, but that's surely the nature of fairytale romance. In the end, Susan Fales-Hill is going to give us a happy ending come what may. If you're reading this book, a happy ending is what you wanted and you can hardly complain when reality is bent a little here and there to ensure that you get one.
Jane Austen's ghost is unlikely to feel threatened by the competition and even Bridget Jones's Diary leaves this trailing pretty definitely in its wake, but as a solid rom com, this ticks all the right boxes. Open the Chianti, tuck into the ice cream and enjoy.
« Last Edit: Apr 24, 2012, 10:49am by tomwilliams »
Joined: Mar 2011 Gender: Female Posts: 146 Location: Washington Karma: 53
Childe Molestation Stories:Voices of survivors « Result #5 on Apr 23, 2012, 3:15am »
Book Title: Child Molestation Stories: Voices of Survivors
Author: Lynn Daugherty
Published By:
Genre: Non Fiction
Recommended Age: +14
Reviewed By: Emily Tuley / AngelsCryHavoc
Blog Reviewed For: Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community
Rating: 5 Ravens
It’s horrible to think that bad things happen to children everyday. Some of us may even want to close ourselves off and not listen to people. Ignore the signs and the problems that may be right in front of our faces. Tell ourselves no this couldn’t happen, He/She wouldn’t do that to a child. The harsh reality is that they would and could or worse have. These are the stories of children who have suffered these fates. Be it from family , friends or fellow children it’s the glimpse into these unfortunate times and how these people have learned to cope with what happened and moved on.
A wonderful collection of accounts and the out comes even the way that some of the children/ no adults have come to cope with the fate that had befallen them and get a better grasp on themselves. It’s not a easy thing to hear especially if you are someone like me but now I know that I would not keep my mouth shut or allow such things to go on if I have seen them or at least offer help where help might be needed for a child that is crying out for one.
Joined: Mar 2011 Gender: Female Posts: 146 Location: Washington Karma: 53
Pride and Popularity by Jenni James « Result #6 on Apr 23, 2012, 3:14am »
Book Title: Pride and Popularity
Author: Jenni James
Published By: Brigham Distributing
Genre: Young Adult
Recommended Age: 13+
Reviewed By: Emily Tuley / AngelsCryHavoc
Blog Reviewed For: Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community
Rating: 5 Ravens
I’m a sucker for Jane Austen I always have been, Not many girls I know aren’t. She when I saw that this was a modern version of one of her classics I had to peek in and take a look. I found it very humorous and enlightening with snippets to the book of Pride and Prejudice that is aptly known. The characters are funny even the witty banter between the two students kept me chuckling the whole time while they fussed with each other. Chloe and Taylor were two peas in a pod that didn’t seem to know it. I kept looking for all the similarities of the book to Jane Austen’s and was pleased when I saw them cleverly tucked in here and there not only did the author take this story and make it her own in a little way she also saw to make sure to pay tribute to the original book. I loved it so much is taught in this book and I think it’s definitely one that a young girl will read and love.
Chloe had showed up as the new girl and with one little incident and claiming she was now a member of the Taylor Anderson Fanclub she swore not to become just another girl hanging onto Taylor’s every word action and praying for the moment she might get her chance to become the next Taylor Anderson with every unfortunate brake up he had. Now that it was her senior year and she was immune to all that Taylor said or did , at least that’s what she thought.
Taylor is the school Jock, all around good guy and loved by all. He’s not use to having people not do what he says, fall over themselves to help him or just give him the attention he needs. So when he first sees Chloe he thinks he’s got it in the bag. Secretly he loves her from the moment he sees her but so much happens that in the end he believes she truly can’t stand him. Doing anything he can in the hopes to make her like him he doesn’t see that Chloe thinks he’s just being the typical jock popular guy.
The two end up with some crazy antics and moments of clarity that leave you excited about the ending and eagerly looking for the next book in this series from the author.
Joined: Mar 2011 Gender: Female Posts: 146 Location: Washington Karma: 53
Love Transylvania Style by Stephanie Williams « Result #7 on Apr 23, 2012, 3:13am »
Book Title: Love Transylvania Style
Author: Stephanie Williams
Published By: Decadent Publishing Company
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age: 18+
Reviewed By: Emily Tuley / AngelsCryHavoc
Blog Reviewed For: Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community
Rating: 4 Ravens
Lately paranormal romance has all been the same for me. The stories start out strong then slip into nothing but page after page of sex causing the book to lean more towards erotica than the normal paranormal romance. Things just seem to change like watching everything in the world loose more and more of the intense emotion I feel some of the writers thing there is nothing but the rush to get to the climax. However, with this book I was please to find that even though it was short and one of the first in it’s series the author took the time to develop the characters and give a story worth turning the page. The romance scenes were nice and slow not feeling like I read something that was being rushed to get to what it was. We all know as ladies it’s nice to have that one rushed get together with the one we make love to but sometimes it’s the little things that make it that much more special. I feel that Stephanie captures that feeling and makes it worthy of the book she has written.
The story is of a Vampire Thaddeus Dumas who has went through his life unable to find one that will spend eternity with him. So many Mrs Wrongs that he had given up thinking there ever might be a Mrs Right thinking it better to just have a plethora of one night stands at least that would keep him from feeling alone at night or when he rested he joined the dating service of One night stand and soon find out that Madame Eve had found someone for him that he never expected.
Donna Kent, Vivacious, fiesty, Smart and strong willed woman had been through her life to busy to worry about anything but her work and school. Leaving her with no happiness in the dating world as all the men she dated just were not as extraordinary as she felt they should be. Each date was the same each night and any moment of lovemaking was almost a bore to her now. So joining one night stand to find a night with that one man never had her know she would be showing up to find that not only had Madame Eve found her that extraordinary man but a vampire and Thaddeus Dumas was never going to want to let her go.
The pages practically turn themselves in this book and leave you hungry for more!
Joined: Mar 2011 Gender: Female Posts: 146 Location: Washington Karma: 53
Glazed by Ranae Rose « Result #8 on Apr 23, 2012, 3:11am »
Book Title: Glazed
Author: Ranae Rose
Published By: Amazon Digital Services
Genre: Romance
Recommended Age: 18+
Reviewed By: Emily Tuley / AngelsCryHavoc
Blog Reviewed For: Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community
Rating: 4 Ravens
My only complaint on this was it was short and fast BUT my compliment was it was short and fast. Yes it’s rare I’m a little torn part of me wanted the book to be longer a little more detail further drama and some drawn out yearnings for the two involved but the other half of me also feels that it couldn’t have been better written and published just as it is. So with that having been said I have to agree with most other reviews it’s a spicy and rather sweet read giving tantalizing tidbits that keep you turning the pages for more and even may give most other men or women depending on whom is reading it a few ideas for the bed room themselves.
Kelly is a very modern woman striving to be more than what she’s stuck in a dead end waitress job that has her aspiring and dreaming of owning her own coffee shop one day. A late night stop at a store on her way home from work one night delivers her a rather mysterious yet tantalizing view of a hunky man darting naked down the street. Catching a picture that is worth later more than a thousand words. What happens with that said mystery man and does Kelly get all her dreams , hopes and desires you have to read it to find out for if I tell anymore I will give to much of the book away.
Try it devour it today and let the sweet temptation take you away.
Joined: Mar 2011 Gender: Female Posts: 146 Location: Washington Karma: 53
Ghost of a Chance by Deena Remiel « Result #9 on Apr 23, 2012, 3:10am »
Book Title: Ghost of a Chance
Author: Deena Remiel
Published By: Decadent Publishing Company
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age: +18
Reviewed By: Emily Tuley / AngelsCryHavoc
Blog Reviewed For: Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community
Rating: 5 Ravens
When it comes to Romance novels or novellas of any kind I am not usually one of the first to volunteer and pick up the choice to read them for the much needed reviews. I tend to lean more towards the full horror or paranormal and yes I’m know to be an avid read of Zombie books. Love them. But I digress. I find myself the more I read of the 1 night stand romance series the more I love them a little they hold a very nice mix of not only back story an filling in for the characters, but as well the tantalizing temptations of romance, sexual tension and even a fairytale ending at times. Giving everyone the just what they need in that short bit of time. I have often found myself even wishing that some of the stories with the couples would progress more and see more that happens in saying Ghost of a chance was in no way any less than the others that I have read.
Susannah is a young widow, lost in her career and living life as if she herself was the one that had died or so it seemed by her family and friends for the past six years since her husbands death from cancer. She still finds herself waking from the nightmares that seem to consume her each night and the more they torture her the more she realizes she needs to get away. After finishing her final proposal and closing the deal with her company she books herself on a getaway thinking nothing would be better than if she had someone to spend it with . Calling her friend who hooks her up with the information to Madam Evangeline’s 1 Night stand Dating service Susannah is whisked off on her trip with the promise of one very magical night.
Remy was the aspiring Millionaire man married to a woman that felt he was nothing more than a Ghost of a Husband she divorced him but divorcing him and taking a substantial amount of money from him was not enough no. She wanted more revenge so she and her best friend as well as voodoo priestess put a curse upon poor Remy turning him quite literally into what she felt he was a Ghost. Now after ten years of his curse Remy , going back to his ex wife showing he has learned his lesson and hoping she would change him back he has given up hope of ever returning. Her friend taking pity upon him is not able to undo the curse but secretly has divulged the way that Remy can become human again. Susannah may be his one and only last chance at redemption and a life of love.
Can the two save each other from their endless lonely fate? Well if your curious I suggest you pick up this novella and read allow yourself to fall in love with them and enjoy each page as you turn it just as I have.
Joined: Mar 2011 Gender: Female Posts: 146 Location: Washington Karma: 53
Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik « Result #10 on Apr 23, 2012, 3:09am »
Book Title: Epic Fail
Author: Claire LaZebnik
Published By: Harper Teen
Genre: Young Adult
Recommended Age: +13
Reviewed By: Emily Tuley / AngelsCryHavoc
Blog Reviewed For: Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community
Rating: 3 Ravens
Once again this was a book I found on my little journey to step outside my norm and get a little break from the requests I have been filling for reviews with the literary community. I like to venture out and see what I find and a lot of times I’m pleased to say that I am not disappointed. This book, had only one flaw in my eyes It wasn’t long enough! Hah! Thought it might actually be something bad huh? No, Adorable, cute, funny, witty and pick me up comedy that I think any young adult will love once they pick it up and read it. I know already several young girls I have suggested it to already asking me where they can find more from Claire and if there might be a return visit to Derek and Elise. It’s adorable.
I loved the touch on pride and prejudice in the story, it’s hard to take a modern spin on things like that since Jane Austin herself is crafty and her stories are epic in themselves but the setting and the execution of this was perfect. So much so like I said I wish it had been longer but, it definitely goes on my shelf as a great story and book to read for a day you need something to pick you up and make you smile. I almost wish my daughter was old enough now to read it herself but, soon I will share this like many of my other finds so that she can add it to her collection as well.
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