Month: October 2013

Review: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

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RoadThis book was an audible deal of the day recently, so I’ve heard it mentioned quite a bit in the last few days, so I decided to revisit it and post my review….I just read it for the first time a month or so ago…and it really left me feeling a bit hopeless…

Okay, let us all travel down “The Road” for just a moment…it’s a dark and dreary road to be sure, but it is a road that I did, in fact, travel down with Mr McCarthy…This might be a book I need to come back and revisit and perhaps re-rate as well (I don’t usually post my star ratings, but this one received a 3). The writing style was hard to catch on to at first. I hated the dialogue formatting. It was something that I could follow, but at the same time, in my mind I always took a moment to be annoyed with it!! Very distracting. Depressing books don’t bother me. I actually enjoy them most of the time…I know….depressing, eh? Bwhahahahahahahahaha. But seriously, where was the hope in this one? Where was the light at the end suppose to shine? I seriously hate Hollywood endings, but as depressing as Water World & Mad Max were, at least in the end you were able to see a glimpse of what the world might become….here? I saw not even a flicker of light….I saw nothing as to what the world might become….I suppose as much as this book left me with unanswered questions (let me just point out, I freaking love books without a pretty bow wrapped ending, my favorite books are those that give the reader just enough for the reader to imagine the ending….or in many cases, the start of the rest of the story that will go on and on) the main question I am left with is this….which McCarthy book shall I read next? I need to know if all of his books are written such as this…….SEE!!!!!!!!! I told you I was into depression…..bwhahahahahahahahaha….Seriously, I have heard some great things about Cormac McCarthy….there are a few books of his that I REALLY want to read…and I want to read them soon….”Blood Meridian” and “No Country for Old Men” are two books that I think about often and really want to make the time to read…..Has anyone reading this read either of them? Have you read “The Road”? How do they compare? Who dares to help me out here?

Be sure to watch for my upcoming review of “The Cuckoo’s Calling” by Robert Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling

~ Urania xx

Buy It Now The Road

Review: Just One Song, by Stacey Lynn

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Silly as it sounds, I bought this book after seeing the cover. I never read what it was about. All I knew was it was a romance, and that was good enough for me. But I loved it!!

Nicole Parsons’ life tragically changed over one year ago. And since then, she has stopped living. Her friend, Mia, challenges her to go out on a limb. And while she’s out there, she meets mega star, Zach Walters. She doesn’t wanna get involved with someone who reminds her of her past. It’s too hard.

Zach has never found anyone who likes him for him. Until he meets Nicole. He is thrown for a loop, over this girl who keeps to herself and who always looks sad. He wants to find a way to make her happy.

Nicole is shocked she feels anything for Zach. She is so used to being lost and sad. But she listens to Mia and goes out on that limb. She does some life changing things, but she needs to do them, in order to move on.

Zach helps her succeed in moving forward, without forgetting the past. It’s far from easy. But he doesn’t give up, and neither does she.

“Tell me that when you’re this close to me, when you feel my heart beating in my chest and feel my arms wrapped around you that you don’t want me; that you’re not falling in love with me. Because I am, Nicole. I’m completely falling head over heels in love with you.”

My favorite parts were all of the music scenes. I’m suck a sucker for musicians.

There is another book, about Mia, coming out at the end of this month. It’s called Just One Week. I can’t wait!!

~Melpomene

But it now Just One Song

New Releases for October 8, 2013

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This week doesn’t seem to have nearly as many new releases as last week. But there are a few I’m waiting for.

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The Heroes of Olympus, Book Four: The House of Hades
I now many kids who are anxiously waiting for this book. This is book four, in the Heroes of Olympus series, by Rick Riordan

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Convicted (Consequences)
This is the third book in the Consequences series, by Aleatha Romig. I have the first two books, but I was waiting till they were all out before I attempted to read these. I don’t do well with series like these. 🙂

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Just One Year
This comes out on October 10. I really enjoyed this book. But you must read Just One Day, first. Here is the link to my review.

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I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
This one looks REALLY good. I think one of us will be reading this soon.

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White Trash Damaged
This is the second in the White Trash trilogy. The first book has been on my tbr list for a while. Some day……

I hope today brings you many new books. Or maybe at least many pre orders. 😉

~Melpomene

Musings: The problem with Romance Critics

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books-20167_640If you read any of my reviews here (and I hope you do!) you should notice I read a variety of genres. I read Young Adult, New Adult, Dystopian, Romance, Sci Fi, Literature, Horror, LGBT and the list actually does go on from there. I don’t review everything I read because not everything is worthy of a review. I read a lot of 3 star books and in general those reviews would be pretty boring so I try to stick to the 4 and up or the 2 and below. So if it seems I read only a certain genre on here that would be why!

But one genre that I do read a ton in is romance. I love romance books. Which is why I get so incredibly annoyed and quite honestly pissed off when I hear over and over about how dumb romance books are or how predictable and fluffy they can be. I assume those people have never read the romance books that I am reading because I don’t read predictable or dumb romance books – those would be the ones I pick up and put down immediately.

I love romance books because they are so all encompassing. They can include literally every genre there is, so you have paranormal romance, the urban fantasy romance, contemporary romance, historical romance, sci-fi romance, inspirational romance, Christian romance and the list seriously goes on and on and on from there. A ton of young adult books can be considered romance because most of them are centered around a romantic triangle of sorts, even while other dramatic events are taking place.

What I hear over and over again is – oh romance is fluff. REALLY? Not the stuff I read. I read Nalini Singh’s captivating Psy/Changeling series with it’s great world building and a build up over 12 books as of now with 3 different races – the Psys, the Changelings, and the Humans trying to coexist. I read Singh’s Guild Hunter series with it’s insanely complex mythology, and a gritty world where archangels guard over their cities. I read Sarah Mayberry’s and Shannon Stacey’s contemporary books with real life settings and real life problems that are so incredibly well written, laced with humor and with intense feeling that I don’t see how it’s any different from any other “normal” book.

I read Ruthie Knox and Tessa Dare. Jill Mansell, Mary Balogh, Jeaniene Frost. I was super excited to read new author Mary Ann Rivers and fall in love with her writing. I just discovered Elyssa Patrick and Sabrina Elkins and absolutely loved their recent releases. Ruthie Knox and Nalini Singh both recommended Laura Florand and off I went to discover yet another author I loved with a totally new twist. I discovered the New Adult genre by reading romance and fell in love with Colleen Hoover, Jessica Park, K.A. Tucker, Tammara Webber.

That’s the other thing I’ve discovered about the romance genre – the people. I was lucky enough to stumble upon a group of book lovers online and then even more lucky to discover a small group of romance lovers within that group. I love having friends who read some of the same books I do. They suggest great books for me to read and we have excellent book discussions on who to read next. We band together because when people get asked what genre they read what we hear most often is anything BUT ROMANCE or I don’t read fluff. We have long discussions about how our favorite books are so not fluffy, they’re emotional and intense, hilarious and suspenseful. I love my romance book friends – they are ridiculously awesome!

But I’ve found that the authors are also just really amazing. Maybe that’s true with all genres, I don’t know. But I find that these authors are kind and funny on Facebook and Twitter. They interact with their fans, give recommendations and get them. Quite honestly, it makes me like some of them even more than I did before.

So the problem with romance critics is that they don’t get it. These books definitely have romance in them obviously. But there is SO much more to them. There is humor, suspense, action, mystery and so much more. But you know what? If you don’t want to read romance that’s totally fine with me. I’m cool with that, I’m not a huge fan of sci-fi either. So don’t read it.

But please do me a favor. Shut up about how stupid or vapid Romance books are unless you read them and want to review them – because obviously if you do so that’s your prerogative to not like something you’ve read. But if you don’t read them then just shut up already. Say you don’t read romance. Leave it at that.

And stop using the word fluff. My books are not fluffy, my cats are fluffy. Get it straight.

~Clio

Review: Five Days at Memorial

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Where were you at the end of August, 2005?  Chances are, most people couldn’t say with any degree of accuracy.  But for those in the path of one of the worst natural disasters of all time, that date is indelibly etched in their psyche just as surely as other notable dates in history.  For those involved, time can be divided into two eras:  before Katrina and after Katrina.

Five Days at Memorial delves into the unimaginable conditions immediately before and after the tragedy at one of New Orleans’ largest hospitals that ultimately led to the deaths of a larger than expected number of patients.  Rumors began to circulate that certain patients deemed “disposable” had been purposely euthanized by medical professionals to avoid the trouble of moving them when rescue finally arrived.

Sheri Fink walks us through attempts by authorities to charge and convict those deemed to be in charge of the situation.  But really, was anybody in charge at that time?  Certainly not the state or federal government whose blunders are clearly documented in this book.  Miscommunication by all involved, lack of planning, bureaucratic red tape, and plausible corporate deniability  all led to a chain of events that had lasting repercussions for everyone regardless of the legal outcomes.

The author poses both medical and ethical questions regarding “humane intervention” when someone is critically ill.  If we can provide humane and compassionate end of life decisions for our pets then why not human beings? However, the bigger question for me as the reader was, who gets to make this decision? How much of a life is worth saving? I’m not sure if there is a black and white answer to this.  New Orleans was basically cut off from America for several days during that period.  Most of us cannot even begin to imagine the conditions inside that hospital and throughout the region. As I read this book I felt the panic and heartbreak of all involved as they tried to simply survive.

Seven years after Hurricane Katrina the region is still recovering.  On the outside everything looks shiny and new.  Memorial Medical Center narrowly escaped demolition and was sold a few years after the disaster after undergoing extensive renovations and was reopened under a new name.  Many of the people involved in the euthanasia controversy have moved on while others have not for various reasons.  If anything positive resulted from this horrible situation, I would hope that lessons were learned to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.  Only time will tell.

~Thalia

Review: Lock, Stock, and Over a Barrel (a Dear Daphne novel) by Melody Carlson

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20131005-230242.jpgThis is a charming novel set in the fictional small town of Appleton. Daphne grew up there, and after more than a decade in New York City, she moves back to Appleton due to a death in the family.

Daphne doesn’t expect to fall in love with her hometown, nor does she expect to fall in love with a man. But Daphne does realize she is surrounded by loyal friends and family — as well as several potential suitors. While Daphne negotiates the terms of her aunt’s will, she begins to appreciate old friends, fresh faces in town, and the start of a new career. She meets more than a handful of attractive men – and has to decide just how much flirting she’s going to do!

Lock, Stock, and Over a Barrel is a straightforward, quaint story of a contemporary 30-ish woman’s life. Carlson shows us broken hearts, jealousy, discontent, the need to refocus as life throws curveballs, and finally, the benefits of simple living.

Lock, Stock is the first in a series. I want to read the next one to find out who Daphne falls in like with, how Daphne’s writing career takes off, and how the little town of Appleton continues to grow.

If you’re a Melody Carlson fan, liked the “Green” series by Judy Christie, or the Aggie’s Inheritance books by Chautona Havig, you’ll enjoy this!

–Calliope

Buy it now Lock, Stock, and Over a Barrel

Review: A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

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Oh. My. Goodness. A Hundred Summers was so good and so substantial that I had to stop every few chapters to reflect on and digest what I just read. I consumed this novel, and it consumed me. I was smiling as I read. Grinning from ear to ear. I’m happy even thinking about it now. A Hundred Summers is a conventional love story with unconventional twists and characters who made my eyes bug out of my head. There were several mouth-agape, palm-over-mouth gasping moments as well as full chapters that got my shoulders a-tense.

It’s the writing that makes this book a winner. Williams’ cleverness impressed me. She used metaphor and symbolism expertly: a football game, a snowstorm, a hurricane. What you see isn’t what you get; you get something even better.

Reading A Hundred Summers, I was surprised at every turn. I could not predict a thing (well, until the end, and even then I was afraid I was wrong). The characters surprised me, their circumstances shocked me. Their behavior — for the 1930s, especially! — entertained me.

Nick and Lily were an item six years ago. They had even planned on getting married. But family issues, misunderstandings, and Lily’s friend Budgie interfered. Budgie ended up with Nick. Budgie’s old flame Graham wanted Lily. No one’s intentions were pure … Jealousy, ego, anger, hurt and vengeance all played a part.

The plot explains how Nick and Lily untangle themselves from the scandal that was built around each of their families, but it isn’t a straight and narrow road. The twists and turns will pull you in, and drag you around the beach for a hundred glorious summers.

A Hundred Summers is going into my Favorites collection, along with Hosseini’s And The Mountains Echoed and Conroy’s The Prince of Tides.

-Calliope

Buy it now A Hundred Summers

Review: Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

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5982474Oh how very angry this book made me. And it did so in varying shades, slowly at first and then by the end I was basically running to my computer to write this review so there was no lag in my reaction time. I basically went from a slow simmer in the beginning to a burning rage at the end. Which really rarely happens to me with books because I almost never finish books I don’t like. I’ve been making a better effort to finish these kinds of books so I can review them for this blog. Because I would never review a book I didn’t read fully. So I am glad I finished this book so I could fully express my distaste!!

Logan Witherspoon was recently dumped by his girlfriend Brenda of 3 years. He found out she cheated on him and she then dumped him. Logan spends the first portion of the book lamenting this loss, but not really lamenting the loss of Brenda, much more so the loss of the possibility of getting laid. While he was angry at being dumped he seems much more angry at the idea that Brenda never allowed him to get past “second base” but cheated on him fully with another guy. Logan is extremely bitter about this. Which starts my slow simmer.  Being angry at being cheated on is completely understandable but Logan goes on and on and on about what a wonderful, amazing guy he was for not pushing Brenda to have sex with him.  When in reality that’s what a decent human being is supposed to be like.

Logan meets Sage Hendricks when she moves to his school that year and is in his lab with his friend Tim. Which brings me to point 2 of my anger level rising. Logan describes TIm as this disgusting slob. Every single time Tim is mentioned he is talked about as eating more food, as being grossly huge and just fat. At first I figured he was going to turn into a bad guy in the book and that was the reason for the description but nope, Tim is nothing but a good guy and a great friend. So basically Logan is an ass that describes his friends in very negative terms for no reason even though they’re good people.

Sage, meanwhile, is a cute girl that Logan is attracted to but who is not allowed to date. Logan finds this odd and they get closer and closer. Sage finally discloses her biggest secret – she is actually a boy. Her parents hate that she dresses like a girl and this is the first year she has been allowed to go to school in a very long time. She sneaks hormone pills in order to grow breasts and is hoping to get a sex change operation in the future.

This obviously gives Logan a completely good reason to freak out. They had kissed right before this revelation and he was understandably freaked out. I totally got this part of Logan, and his reactions in this part of the book made sense to me. However, as the book goes on Logan’s reactions no longer made sense to me at all. He knows this about Sage from a relatively early point in the book yet things still progress between the two so it felt like a yo yo for most of the book.  Which led to more of my hatred of Logan. I really wanted to smack him. His reactions for most of the book were extremely superficial and felt like we never got to go much past that. When for the briefest of moments we would get there he would pull back immediately.

I was left frustrated by this book. I thought Sage was believable, as was Logan and unfortunately the whole book probably was too.  I, however, did not enjoy it. Logan was an ass an not someone I want to read about.

2 Stars

~Clio

Almost Perfect

Review: The Truth is in the Wine by Curtis Bunn

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This novel has a good premise but many flaws. The story is about a husband and wife with a rocky marriage. Since they both enjoy fine wine, Ginger and Paul decide to take the vacation they’ve always wanted – to Napa Valley.

The book could be great, but the writing is amateurish and long-winded.

  1. Instead of dialogue, Bunn uses stream of consciousness much of the time. While this is okay in theory, it’s difficult to read a whole novel written in this way. In addition, the thoughts are repetitive and circular. While this may mimic a person’s thoughts in real life, it doesn’t work In a novel.
  2. The writing is uneven. A well written page might be abruptly punctuated with an amateur “it didn’t feel good.” If the description is precise, the reader doesn’t need to be told that something didn’t feel good.
  3. The sex scenes are abrupt and vulgar. Perhaps college boys would appreciate them, but a (mumblemumble)-ty year old muse…. Not so much. Perhaps I am not the intended audience. But then, who IS the audience for a book about marriage with unappealing and unromantic sex scenes?
  4. The author uses so much real estate to describe and explain things instead of showing the reader something succinctly. Describing four people’s meals in detail — when the menu isn’t relevant — doesn’t move the plot forward.
  5. Implausible subplots: The 40-yr old wife who couldn’t get pregnant for 20 years gets pregnant, has an abortion without telling anyone, then 2 months later gets pregnant again. The two pregnancies are a result of having sex three times over the course of four months. Really?
    Another far fetched subplot was a double date 3000 miles away where one woman and the other woman’s date are long lost lovers from 40 years ago.

There’s more if you can stand it.

Curtis Bunn uses incorrect vocabulary and confusing descriptions. Examples:
-One passage states “to determine if they had stuffed contraband up the cracks of their anuses”. Anuses don’t have cracks.
– Putting lips to a wineglass is described as akin to putting lips on the wife’s breast. How exactly is a wineglass like a breast?
-God and His blessings are mentioned frequently… And even more frequently, the use of “Goddamn.”
-The author includes in the double date conversation a joke-y allusion to jerry Sandusky “who molested all those boys” – and “the ladies laughed.” Not funny.

The book was all over the place. Curtis Bunn employs frat boy humor, pretentious mentions of numerous specific wines, wannabe-marriage-counseling through a thin veil of fiction, and totally unbelievable subplots to create a confusing, uneven novel that I struggled to finish.

One star for unique ideas. The book needs heavy editing.

-Calliope

I don’t recommend The Truth is in the Wine. But I DO recommend this wonderful, witty, clever, well-written book about a marriage on the rocks:

The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank

Review: Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

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16130549The day this book came out I heard a BBC Radio review of it. The reviewer ended her review stating that they believed that this book would hurt Stephen King’s reputation….well talk about a ruined day! I am always scared to read a new book from an author I love. What if it’s a complete dud and I hate it? It’s harder to remember a great passionate love for a book when you read a few that are total rubbish from the same author. Should it matter? No. Maybe not. But it does. Think about it…how many times have you said, “well, I used to love xxxxxx but I hate their later works, so I don’t even bother any more….Do you ever spend sleepless nights pondering all the great reads you might have missed just because of one bad book? Aw, co’mon….I’m the ONLY one??????? Psssffftttttttt……

So, anyway, I was hesitant now to start a book that I had *really* been looking forward to….all because I happened to hear a random stranger on the radio piss and moan about how boring this book was at parts….SERIOUSLY?????? I’ve been a Stephen King fan for over 25 years!!!! Yet, this random stranger made me doubt that love! This is why I avoid reviews (well, except for Muse Reviews….we offer only the BEST and most honest reviews EVER…no! REALLY we do!!!!)

Well, let me tell you, Doctor Sleep grabbed me from the very first paragraph and I tell you now….it had me by my throat and it did not let go until the very last….and I tell you now….I am still a bit breathless from the whole experience…..

However, that crazy woman from BBC Radio stayed close to my mind. As I read this book, I had to stop and think about Stephen King as well. Sure, there are one or two authors I follow because I have learned that I love just about everything they write….blog posts, reviews, epic novels, whatever…..but it’s not often that I am wondering what the hell is going on in their mind as they are writing the book I am reading…..I don’t mean, wondering how they ever came up with the story, or the wonderful characters….I was wondering what actual thoughts of failure or success SK was pondering. How was he able to put his own thoughts of what this book would mean to his readers and his career to the side and actually write this novel. What sort of discipline that must have taken!

With all the hoopla over this book, I know that SK has been a bit anxious about how it would be received. Any one of the dozens of interviews with him leading up to this novel will tell you he’s been nervous. Especially since “The Shining” is so well known……Why wouldn’t he be? Think about it……take a moment out of your busy day….go on then…..close your eyes……turn off that telly…..and think of one single word…just one…

~ REDRUM ~

What do you see? What do you feel? What do you know?

Stephen King did that! With a single word! How f**king brilliant is that? Seriously…..How many people in this life time get one word that instantly brings such a strong memory to you? ONE. SINGLE. WORD!!!!

So how do you top that? How many of King’s works have been pure and magical brilliance? How many have been…errrrr….rubbish? How does he handle that? Is he able to shut that off? At the end of this novel he puts the date of May 1, 2011 – July 17, 2012 as the dates this one was written….of course there is probably no way to measure just how many minutes, hours, days, even years that little Danny Torrance played in and out of King’s mind.

If you think “The Shining” scared you, well how do you reckon it has scared SK all these years? Who haunts him the most? Jack with his alcoholism that AA was not readily available to help him though. Especially knowing SK’s own battle with the disease…..Was it little Danny, aka “Doc”, whom was a victim by no fault of his own. Or is the complete success of “The Shining” itself that haunts him the most?

The fact that this book was so wonderful, well it’s just amazing. It wasn’t overdone. It wasn’t a rehash of the first book. Most importantly, it was so NOT a disappointment. It’s been a few days since I finished it and I am still thinking about it! I am still savoring bits and pieces in my mind. I wish I was STILL reading it!!!

SK did little Doc proud in this novel. He also makes amends to any wrong he might have inadvertently caused Jack Torrance in “The Shining”. Most importantly, for me, SK also manages to do what I love the very most from any author….he ends it in such a way that the reader can walk away with a smile on their face…or the story can be revisited years later….he leaves you, the reader, completely happy with a closure yet leaves a huge, elaborately carved thick wooden door there….it’s closed at the moment….there’s no way we can see beyond it….we don’t have the key to enter….and really…. it’s lovely to just look at….but….if by some chance…..SK decides to open it at a future date, we, the readers, will be thrilled to once again let him hold our hand and guide us through that magic that is contained within his mind that he sometimes shares with us…..just please….Someone! Anyone! Don’t forget the bloody torch! It can get scary sometimes where he leads us….and no way am I riding in a RV to get there either….just saying….

~Urania

Buy it now Doctor Sleep