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Review: Bare Essentials by Jill Shalvis and Leslie Kelly

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20140222-230439.jpg Bare Essentials is two 2002 novellas put together under one cover. The first one — Naughty but Nice by Jill Shalvis — is about Cassie, much-maligned daughter of the town vixen. Cassie returns to her hometown to start a racy “women’s shop” to spite all the gossips. I loved that she was up for fun with Tag, the new sheriff, while keeping her heart safe. Shalvis wrote some very steamy scenes here, running the gamut from a fling-y diversion all the way to making love because Cassie was falling in love. The plot is simple, the secondary characters pretty flat, and the sex toy conversations a little over the top, but the romance won me over. I rooted for Cassie and Tag all the way to the happily ever after.

The second novella — Naturally Naughty by Leslie Kelly — parallels Cassie’s story but tells it from Kate’s point of view. Because again the secondary characters play such small roles, there is no repetition or redundancy. The story seems new, with a touch of familiarity. The flirting and the sex are graphic and steamy, matching Kate’s outspokenness and sense of fun. Kate and Jack were happy living the single life… until they found each other. They enjoyed each other’s, ahem, company so much that they didn’t even realize they were falling in love. While I found it hard to relate to Kate, and her friendships with the other female characters were awkward, I enjoyed watching her grow as she learned about her family history.

Shalvis and Kelly did a bang-up job writing novellas from the viewpoints of two best friends. They succeeded in creating sexy romances with strong female characters. And with the help of hot heroes, they let Cassie and Kate develop from sullen victims of hometown gossip to women who had something to contribute to Pleasantville. The girls finally realize that how they thought the people of Pleasantville perceived them was really only how they had perceived themselves.

–Calliope

Buy Bare Essentials

Review – The Good German by Joseph Kanon

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147326There have been thousands of books written about WWII, but not as many focus on the immediate aftermath, let alone set in immediate post-war Berlin. In The Good German, Joseph Kanon explores the many different facets of war, the intricacies of motive, and the ethical dilemmas one can be faced with when carrying out actions in the name of love and war.

The plot follows Jake, an American reporter that is on his way to Berlin to write an article on the post-war efforts to re-build the city. Once in Berlin, Jake stumbles upon the body of an American soldier and finds evidence that all may not be what it seems. Along the way, Jake encounters a host of characters that he will later reunite with further in the story. The plot essentially is split up between a love story and a mystery; Jake has a secondary reason for going to Berlin, which is to seek out his former Girlfriend, Lena, who he had met on a previous trip. Rest assured though, there are many plot twists and diversions in order to save it from becoming a two dimensional experience.

What I loved most about this book, apart from the entertaining plot, was that it really made you question your already strongly held morals. It presents both sides of an argument and doesn’t necessarily side with either argument. What you once thought hypocritical, might actually make sense. What you once found acceptable might now be unacceptable. What you once found abhorrent might now be not so abhorrent. There is no right or wrong answer set in stone. If you want a book that will question and challenge your views/morals and not a cozy mystery that will sit you around a camp fire, with you signing kumbyah, and present you with a box of answers with a nice bow tie on it (I don’t knock any that type of book – sometimes we need that!), then do yourself a favour and pick up The Good German.
Hope to see you next week for another review!
~ Pegasus.
The Good German

Review: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

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RebeccaUffda….where to start….I found myself at times so aggravated with this book that I wished nothing more to give it a hard throw against a solid brick wall….whilst at the same time, I really found myself enjoying the writing style of du Maurier. I had no problem walking away from the book for a day or two at a time…yet whilst reading it, I really did enjoy it. I’m not at all sure I’ve experienced this feeling before…I usually love and obsess about a book, hate it and am angered by it, or am bored and can’t be bothered by it….never before have I felt all of these things at once….

I can’t even begin to express my disbelief in how someone as spineless as the current Mrs. de Winter can exist in the *real* world. I understand she was young…I understand she was shy…..I understand she felt outclassed…I understand she lacked confidence….but damnit….she also lacked a fracking brain!!!! I can’t think of a single literary character (or a real live person for that matter) that I wished to take by the shoulders and shake until some resemblance of sense came upon her….

Here’s the thing…it was a great story….it was full of surprises (although throughout the entire novel I kept having feelings of deja vu…perhaps I read this as a teenager?)…although nothing that happened was a huge surprise, I did not guess all of the plot twists…and I surely did enjoy all of the twists….the last twenty percent of the novel had me where I simply could not put the book down….I was racing to get to the end to find out how it would all come together….

****Somewhat Spoiler*****

My discomfort came only with the *evil* housekeeper….I just felt the current Mrs de Winter took too much from her….It’s not that I wished the character was any nicer….or that Mrs de Winter was any less naive…I just thought the housekeeper could have been more…errrrrr…covert in her doings and still had the same effect…at times I found it almost comical that she was able to bully in such an open way with no repercussions….if she had been more sneaky in her ways, I would have found the current Mrs de Winter a more believable character….obviously, as often happens, I stand on a lone island with my views….as it’s very obvious that other’s did not have this same problem with the current Mrs. personality….

I will only add-on that the way this book ended was frightening….not because I was shocked…or wished it had ended any other way….but the ending….again….uffda!!!!! Mr de Winters talks of his wife growing up and loosing that youthful look of innocence….later, it is noted that she looks like she has grown up years in a space of hours….but by the end of this novel, I think perhaps she is no braver, more confident or has any more of spine that she showed at the beginning of the novel….in fact, I am more disappointed in her than ever….without giving too much away, there is simply no way to go into this…but damn, girl….get some gumption…..for all of her talk of no longer being intimidated or afraid…well…..screw that….she was no better at the end than the beginning….perhaps she was even worse…

Should you read this book? By all means, yes….there is a reason why this book has never been out of print….This book is over 70 years old, but it could have been written today….I’ve read classics before of course….but this might well go down as one of my favourites….regardless of my dismay for the current Mrs. de Winters….Daphne du Maurier sure can spin a tale….romance, suspense, mystery and more….UFFDA!!!!

Until next time…

Urania xx

Buy it now Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Review: The Bat (Harry Hole #1) by Jo Nesbø

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The BatThe Harry Hole series by Nesbo has gotten a lot of attention in the last few years. I’ve been meaning to try it out for quite some time….as it goes with so many of my OMGIWANTOREADTHISSOFREAKINGBAD books, the series just kept getting bumped for one reason or another. Lucky for me a friend gifted me the first of the series (thanks Art…xx). Also, lucky for me, I waited long enough for the first two book to actually get published and didn’t have to start the series in the middle….

As I marked this book “to read” I noticed that a couple of friends had read it and weren’t that impressed with it….however, I believe that they read the later books first, as those were the first ones published in English….after seeing the ratings, as anyone that has thousands of books on their TBR list, I was apprehensive of wasting time on a book that I might not like…but since this was a gifted book..and since I’ve been wanting to try the series for a few years, I went ahead.

All I can say is I am very glad I did. No….it is not a perfect book. I’m not sure all the clues added up correctly. I am not sure if everything was laid out properly….but I am very sure that I seriously like Harry Hole. I am sure I was entertained by this book as well. This book has just the type of flawed hero I really enjoy. This read made me remember why mysteries/thrillers/crime novels were just about the only type of books I read for over a decade. I so enjoyed loosing myself in the world that Nesbo painted…Sure, lots of people wish to lose themselves in a world of romance, chocolate, roses and true love….but screw that…give me the smell of gun powder, addict’s stale sweat, the metallic scent of blood, and the tension from cops racing against the clock any day of the week…

I’m seriously excited about the lower ratings from all of my friends now. If they didn’t much care for this novel, but loved the others….well well well, I might just be reader’s ecstasy once I give them a shot….There’s so much in Harry to build on. So many ghosts in his past. So many demons he must fight daily….oh hell yea….I’m seriously excited now…bring it….

Until next time….

Urania xx

Buy it now The Bat (Harry Hole #1)

Review: Just What Kind of Mother Are You? By Paula Daly

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20140208-185133.jpgThis is one of those books that I can’t, for the life of me, remember just where I heard about it from. Likely it came to me from a link to a link to a link…you get the idea. Regardless, it’s been on my list for a couple of months and the title recently caught my eye once again when I was searching for my next read.

Moms everywhere, and parents in general, will be able to relate to Lisa Kallisto. A mother of three who also runs a successful animal rescue shelter, she’s overworked and stretched too thin. Husband Joe is an involved father and husband as much as his job as a taxi driver will allow him to be. Still, Lisa holds it together most of the time and her family is basically happy and well-adjusted. Her carefully constructed balancing act begins to fall apart when the teenage daughter of a close friend goes missing while supposedly under Lisa’s care. To add to the sense of urgency, a serial rapist appears to be on the loose. Plagued by guilt, Lisa does her best to help find the girl. The dynamics of family and friendship play a huge part in this story as long -buried secrets on all sides begin to come to light.

I thought this was a good, solid story. It was definitely a page turner and held my attention all the way through. Lisa was incredibly likeable to me, in no small part because of her passion for the animals she rescues. It’s also easy to see how something like this could happen-wires get crossed, messages aren’t relayed, and so on. One thing did bother me, and still does. The lead detective, Josephine, is given a lot of page time to explore her personal life and background. Of notable mention is her desire to have a breast reduction. This comes up several times during the book but isn’t resolved by the end of the story. My only thought is that Josephine may be a recurring character in future books by this author. Just a little quirk of the story but something that bugged me. I also felt that some parts of the ending were a bit too far-fetched, especially after most of the book being so believable and relatable. Still, a good read for me!

~Thalia

Buy it Now: Just What Kind of Mother Are You?

Review ~ Labor Day by Joyce Manard.

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20140202-111551.jpgHmmm,…. Where to even begin? Ok, let’s start with the basic premise, before I go into detail why I did not like this book. The reader is introduced to 13 year old Joe (the narrator) and his mother, Adele. Living on their own in rural New Hampshire, we are told that Adele is not exactly all there. On one of their rare trips out of the house to get Joe some school supplies, they get held hostage and told to drive back home with Frank, a newly escaped prisoner.

This is where it goes to pieces.

I’m going to split this up into three sections: plot, writing and general absurdities.

Plot: without giving too much away, let’s just say that the way this plot fleshes out is extremely trite and unrealistic. I get that we need to suspend disbelief in a fiction novel, but really, don’t insult me by trying to pass off something that is utter shite. Maybe it is because I’m only in my late twenties, but really, I feel like I’ve had enough experience in life to know the basics of a relationship!

Writing:
Now, the writing isn’t terrible , but it isn’t exactly good either. The narrator is that of a hormonal, wet behind the ears, 13 year old. Not exactly reliable. For a book that’s not even 250 pages, Maynard spends way too long on Joe and his experiences throughout this time.
I’ve got no problem with coming of age novels, but in this instance, there were two strong elements to this story and not enough pages to fully explore one, let alone two. We’ve seen many plots explore young teenagers dealing with their sexual awakening, learning new things about the world and themselves, etc… However, Adele’s story is very different and had real potential to be fleshed out and had it been expanded further, it might have made me give it more credence.

General absurdities: this is going to be short as I don’t want to give too much away. Some of the tropes used in this novel were so cliche and old that throughout, I found myself audibly saying “really?”. I also didn’t like how the author coupled a certain act with punishment.

As you can probably tell, I really didn’t think much of this novel. It had real potential, and a few parts were good, but it just didn’t connect with me. However, the great thing about fiction is that it appeals to different people in different ways, so give it a go, and you might well love it.
Anyway, must dash, I have to stay in the air as a certain muse has threatened to remove my hooves!

~ Pegasus.

Labor Day Movie Tie- In Edition: A Novel (P.S.)

Review: The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley

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20140131-203205.jpgFor a self-proclaimed bookworm such as myself, there is no greater joy than finding a story that pulls you in from the first page. It calls to you late at night when you know you should be sleeping. You find yourself rushing through the pages to find out what happens while at the same time slowing down the pace because you don’t want it to end. This new release by Carla Buckley was that and so much more for me.

Fourteen-year-old Tyler is living with a rare medical condition. He’s confined to his house during daylight hours as exposure to UV light can be deadly. Of course, his serious illness wreaks havoc on the family dynamics. Mom Eve is his protector. Her life revolves around keeping Tyler safe. Monitoring the household UV levels, petitioning the neighbors to keep them from using halogen light bulbs, planning nighttime family excursions…she does it all, often at the expense of the rest of the family. Dad David commutes to work in part to support the family but also to avoid the stress and responsibility at home. Sixteen year old sister Melissa is dealing with normal teenage drama along with feelings of being neglected. Tyler’s only contact with the outside world happens after the sun goes down. During the night he secretly explores his neighborhood, gaining glimpses into his neighbors’ lives unseen by others. He realizes that we don’t truly know what goes on behind closed doors. When tragedy strikes the neighborhood in the form of a missing child, there’s no shortage of suspects.

This is a deeply disturbing book on many levels. There’s so much going on in this family, but it never detracts from the main story. It makes you question your values and ask yourself exactly how far you would go to protect those you love. This was my first book by Carla Buckley, and I absolutely loved it. Her writing style reminds me very much of Jodi Picoult, which is a high compliment. She’s a relative newcomer on the literary scene with three published books to her name. I will definitely be reading more by this author!

~ Thalia

Buy it Now: The Deepest Secret: A Novel

Review: Minding Molly by Leslie Gould

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20140203-073458.jpg Molly Zook deals with life challenges like a bull in a china shop. Her mother and sister appreciate Molly’s hard work and organization, but not so much her bossiness and exasperation. Mervin, the neighbor whom Mrs. Zook hopes will marry Molly, is too yielding to be Molly’s perfect mate. But Leon, the horse trainer from Montana, has possibilities.

I identified with Molly’s need to control petty things when the big deals in life spiral out of control. I know I’ve made a big deal about dirty dishes when the real issue was grief. Or yelled about spilled milk when the real issue was anxiety about something else entirely. Well, when the people around Molly have had quite enough, Leon sticks by Molly with gentle words and firm nudges, helping Molly see herself how others see her.

Because I’m so similar to Molly, it was easy for me to get engrossed in the book. The cast of characters were varied in personality and depth, they were likeable, they were more “real” than the usual, predictable Amish characters. There was a good balance in the plot development: Molly’s emotional growth, her search for love, her mother’s illness, her relationship with her best friend.

The two unique things that stood out for me in Minding Molly were (1) the adolescents were in Rumspringhe and had a lot of time amongst themselves, being adventuresome and forming their own identities; and (2) even though this is third in a series, Leslie Gould used the characters in such a way that I wasn’t confused about who was who and who was related to whom! Brava!

Minding Molly is an excellent example of Amish “new adult” romantic fiction. Gould did a spectacular job exploring the theme of self-identity and self-esteem while moving the plot forward toward a nice, neat, happy ending.

-Calliope

New Release February 4!

Preorder/Buy Minding Molly

Review: Before We Met by Lucie Whitehouse

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aaaThis book was a fast suspenseful read. It takes place in England and has links to the East Coast in The States as well. After a short romance Hannah Reilly and Mark Reilly marry. Hannah has always had trust issues, but Mark sweeps her off her feet and soon she has left The States to live her happily ever after with Mark in London. Everything seems to be going well. Hannah believes she has found true happiness and is learning how to lean on someone else and trust them to provide for her. However, all of that changes when Mark misses a flight home from New York. Hannah means to surprise him at the airport but he never shows up. Once she hears from Mark, her unease starts to ease up….but left alone, Hannah starts to question what she has been told….after talking to others, things start to really have her questioning Mark and her entire relationship. Just how well does she know the man she loves and married? One question leads to another…and Hannah is forced to question her own feelings and psyche! Is she looking for things that don’t exist? Is she letting her past insecurities question her current relationship?

Whitehouse does a brilliant job not only making Hannah question herself, but also having the reader question themselves. As a reader, I felt I had it figured out…I knew who the bad guy was…but Whitehouse puts just enough of twisted characters in the story that you often find yourself changing your mind as to whom you should trust….At points, you wanted to scream at Hannah for being so trusting…and at other times you wanted to scream at her to let go of her trust issues from the past….I found myself standing up for Mark and trying to justify his actions, every bit as much as Hannah did in the story….I almost felt like Hannah and I were volleying back and forth…She would find a reason not to trust Mark and I would justify his actions in my mind….she would justify his actions and find a valid excuse and I would point out why he could not be trusted…

This is a quick easy read that is sure to have readers wanting to discuss it with others….

ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review

Until next time….

Urania xx

Buy it now Before We Met

Review: The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher

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20140120-145038.jpg If you’re a fan of Amish fiction, then you’re probably already familiar with Suzanne Woods Fisher. She’s an excellent writer – her narratives are smooth, easy to read, organized, and precise with regards to vocabulary. Her characters are well-thought out, and I haven’t ever found an error on one of her books — they’re professionally done.

This particular title, The Calling, met all my expectations for a Woods Fisher novel. I loved Bethany, the strong heroine, and the people she held close to her. I enjoyed seeing her beau mature and his mother find common ground with Bethany.

I had difficulty with the number of characters – so many! Maybe I’m too accustomed to novels with fewer than a dozen, but my brain simply couldn’t keep track of all the families and in-laws and grandparents. There were quite a few mentions of people that had died in the past, and that complicated things further for me. Besides that, I appreciated the various subplots — the grass roots soup kitchen, the elderly sisters, mental illness’ effect on families, a few budding romances, securities fraud, and Geena, the non-Amish woman who finds the path she’s looking for among the Amish. So many well-developed themes and subplots in one story – the fine writing definitely supported them all. I was impressed.

Now that I know the characters a little better, I’ll more easily enjoy the next in the Eagle Hill series, I’m sure.

-Calliope

Buy it now The Calling