Calliope

Review: Last Chance Knit & Stitch by Hope Ramsay

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20131218-221825.jpg Molly and Simon were acquainted as children, when Molly was a tomboy and Simon played football for Molly’s dad. Twenty-five years later, Molly is still a tomboy, fixing cars and avoiding domesticity. Simon is a famous artist, dropping back into town for his father’s funeral, besieged by bad memories and childhood trauma. Though they seem an unlikely couple in their own eyes and those all over Last Chance, fate steps in and shows Simon and Molly that sometimes love is enough to overcome the past.

This book is #6 in a series, but it’s the first I’ve read of the Last Chance books. I enjoyed the South Carolina setting, the descriptions of the southern heat, and Miriam the soothsayer. And because I totally dig accents, I was pretty happy hearing Simon talk with all his I-reckons and Yes-sirs, not to mention his fishing down at the river. I thought the Purly Girls widows knitting group was fun — and a little sad, too. Good writing made that juxtaposition possible.

From a yankee’s perspective, I thought the southern charm was believable and integrated well. There were no grits or biscuits mentioned, but there were camellias, bourbon, gardening, “well-shoot”s, and a guy named Bubba!

The subplots were a nice diversion from the usual — a Spanish guy from the west coast falls in love with this small Carolina town and breaks up with his boyfriend to move there; a newly widowed woman has had dementia for years and her son needs to help; businesses changing hands mean job insecurity for many in town; new puppies and new babies give new mommies a run for their money; two May-December romances work out to happily-ever-afters.

The best part of the Molly and Simon story was their ability to stay true to themselves while shedding their fears and insecurities. By loving each other, Molly and Simon became better, brighter, and happier. I was uplifted.

–Calliope

Buy it now Last Chance Knit & Stitch

Review: Crazy for You by Juliet Rosetti

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20131215-124140.jpgWhat a caper! I didn’t read number one in this series, but I didn’t have to in order to laugh out loud and appreciate Mazie Maguire’s ex-con predicaments. Mazie gets herself into lots of trouble by accidentally getting mixed up in a murder investigation. And not unlike Stephanie Plum, she has a handsome hero to help her out of the tough spots.

What makes this novel especially good is that Mazie doesn’t actually need a hero to rescue her, he just happens to make things a little more interesting. She appreciates Ben’s affections and his willingness to walk beside her as she weaves her way through new jobs, bad guys, and insecurities about her looks. She also appreciates Ben’s good looks!

Sometimes cozy mysteries or caper-ridden novels depend on the dumbness of the characters. Not here. I like that Mazie and Ben are smart. The trouble that meets them doesn’t result from any mistakes or idiocy on their part…. And they intelligently put their heads together to keep each other safe.

I laughed hilariously throughout this book, loved the romantic element, and will be on the lookout for book 3. Juliet Rosetti, you’re a find!

— Calliope

Buy it now Crazy for You

Muses’ Favorite Books of 2013

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The six of us chose our favorite books reviewed by Random Book Muses this year. And we want to give away copies to YOU!

***Comment on this post (Facebook, blog or twitter) with the title you want to win, and the name of YOUR favorite book of 2013 and you’ll be entered into the giveaway.***

Contest ends December 20.

Melpomene: Left Drowning by Jessica Park
20131210-215516.jpg I fell in love with Jessica Park’s writing when I read Flat-Out Love. I knew I’d read whatever she wrote afterwards. But I wasn’t nearly prepared for the devastation I felt when reading Left Drowning. This story is about loss and love and learning to move on from both. The characters were so real, that I felt like I was sitting right with them, laughing when they laughed and crying when they cried. And when their hearts broke, mine did as well. I may never get over this book. This book totally killed me and I hope it kills you too.
You can read the full review here.

Thalia: My Name is Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
20131210-215528.jpg What a challenge, to pick just ONE favorite book from this past year. How in the world am I supposed to do that? Almost every book I’ve read has been a favorite in some way. Otherwise I wouldn’t have finished it. That being said…the book that has touched me the most and still resonates with me is “My Name is Malala.” When I first heard about this young lady and the tragedy that befell her, I was shocked like most other people were. But I couldn’t truly comprehend exactly what she went through up to the point when she was shot. Her book received a lot of publicity before it was released, and I was excited to read it. I don’t often buy books the day that they come out but this one was an exception. I have even more respect for Malala and her entire family after reading her story. What strength and courage it takes to stand up for what you believe in under the pressure of such danger. This family,and Malala in particular, is truly an inspiration!
You can read the full review here.

Pegasus: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach
20131211-230709.jpg As you can see from many of my reviews, comedy isn’t a genre that I read a lot of.  With that in mind, I was a bit skeptical when I first picked up the book.  How wrong was I?!   A story with elements of comedy, mixed up with drama, family dynamics, cultural clashes, and prejudices that are dispelled as freely as they are assumed, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a refreshing, hilarious, poignant, and stark look on our lives and how we choose to live them.
You can read the full review here.

Urania: NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
20131210-215537.jpgWith 2013 coming to an end, as I look back at all of my reads of the year, I realize just how lucky I am! There were so many great books! It’s almost impossible to pick my very favorite, so instead, I shall pick out the one that surprised me the most….This book is NOS4A2. This is a book that I went into not expecting very much. I put it off for months. I believed that Joe was published and popular because of his famous father. Wow! While it may be true that the apple does not fall very far from the tree…I suddenly know that sometimes, the old apple tree is surpassed by the fruit it has born…After reading this long novel that had a writing style that made it feel fast and quick, I look forward to reading many more by JH…and I think in the years to come he might be every bit as famous as his father….and not because of his father…but because he absolutely deserves it!
You can read the full review here.

Clio: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
20131211-230656.jpg Picking my favorite book out of the ones I’ve reviewed for the blog was difficult. So I chose the one that surprised me the most. The Coldest Girl in Cold Town surprised me in so many ways – and all of them are good! This was a 5 star book from start to finish. The world is dark, creepy and complex. The complexity is woven into the hopelessness, the technology, and even into the romance that this amazingly well written novel contains. Loved every bit of it!
You can read the full review here.

Calliope: A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams
20131211-230722.jpg I love all the reading I’ve done this year, but I loved reading A Hundred Summers best. Beatriz Williams wrote my favroite genre – romance – into literary fiction with such substance and chutzpah, I was astonished at every turn. My shoulders are tensing just thinking about it. And even though I have hundreds of unread books waiting for me, A Hundred Summers compels me to re-read it. I know I’ll hear myself gasp, laugh, and blush all over again on the beach with Nick, Budgie, Graham and Lily. 
You can read the full review here.

Review: Married for Christmas by Noelle Adams

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20131211-235749.jpg Married for Christmas is Christmassy and sweet … The characters are young and quirky … I enjoyed it as a cute, unique novella. But the dialogue is uneven – natural in some places, out of place in others. And as sweet and charming as the story was, the whole time I was reading, I felt like I was watching an awkward, nerdy first date.

Jessica and Daniel marry out of convenience – or so they tell each other. They have quite a few misunderstandings and silent sulks because of their insecurities. Any feelings they have for each other are slowly and painfully revealed until they are finally honest with themselves and each other. A happily-ever-after on Christmas Day endeared me to the book, and yes I did sigh dreamily. 🙂

I enjoyed the Christmas aspect of the story, which was emotional and uplifting. I also thought the secret fears of a young couple were written very realistically. My favorite part of the book was the honesty Jessica persisted with, no matter the potential rejection or hurt. Her honesty was the catalyst for her marriage to move forward – what a gift!

This is a good read for someone in a new relationship.

-Calliope

Buy it now (99¢!!!) Married for Christmas

Review: Delicious by Adrianne Lee

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20131208-225450.jpg If I could live in a bakery and read books all day, I would. But since I can’t, I do enjoy reading books about food. And love. And loving food.

Delicious deserves 4 big, yummy, juicy stars for those reasons and more. Adrianne Lee gives her readers mesmerizing descriptions of baking pies, wonderful characters, and a fresh take on love.

Nick and Jane run into each other in their 30s… years after having met and hated each other as teenagers. They realize they have to work together — and help each other sort out some personal problems along the way. The details around their past (read for yourself, no spoilers here) were a first for me – and I’m a romance junkie!

The plot is fun: advertising agent falls in love with head pastry chef…. who works at the bakery he’s doing a huge campaign for. Their friends and family are positive influences, their problems are real but can be overcome, and there’s quite a bit of flirting going on. Delicious made me happy!

I loved that Delicious showed a career-oriented female protagonist and a ready-to-settle-down-but-still-macho hero. I lapped up the excellent dialogue: Nick and his friends talked just like the guys I know. I thought that every character was developed precisely. I got the right amount of backstory for the main characters and secondary characters, enough so I felt like I knew them, but without extraneous details. Most importantly, I loved that Nick and Jane’s heartbreak touched me without being angsty, and their love warmed my heart without being smarmy.

The à la mode was a happy-ever-after that was simply perfect for Nick and Jane… and for me.

–Calliope

Buy it now Delicious

Delicious is Book 2 in Adrianne Lee’s Big Sky Pie series, but can be read as a standalone. Book 1, Delectable, was enjoyable as well, as you can see from the review here.

Review: Secondhand Stiff by Sue Ann Jaffarian

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20131204-095936.jpg Just released December 1!

This cozy mystery is the most recent in Sue Ann Jaffarian’s Odelia Grey Mysteries series, and I’ve read them all. Yes, I love a good cozy mystery with a female protagonist who pals around with cops, but there’s something about the characters that makes this series stand out. Odelia isn’t too perfect or too quirky… She seems real. She and her husband Greg clearly love each other but have regular arguments, too. Their extended family annoys them – hey, just like real life! Odelia’s nosiness gets her mixed up with the wrong crowd more than occasionally, but she manages to solve mysteries and save herself – from death, but not always from harm – with the help of Greg and their friends.

This particular book explores the world of storage unit auctions, secondhand stores, and illusions of grandeur. Odelia and Greg’s commitment to their family means this mystery is personal – and they’ll stop at nothing to prove their relative’s innocence.

When I read this book, I felt like I was watching it happen in real life. Jaffarian describes places and events so well that reading it became a movie in my mind. She controls her writing so tightly: a grilled cheese sandwich is written in with precision – just enough mention to picture yourself at the table with the characters, hearing the crunch and licking buttery fingers (she doesn’t say that, but I imagined it!), but not so much that it interrupts the flow of the story. That’s good writing.

Secondhand Stiff is a solid, funny, caper-ridden novel with well-developed characters and awesome writing. Sue Ann Jaffarian is one of the few writers I regularly seek out for new releases, which I’ll pay top dollar for. I recommend the whole series, but they can be read as standalone books or out of order.

-Calliope

Buy it now Secondhand Stiff

Review: Kentucky Christmas by Sarah Title

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20131206-230315.jpg New Release!

Kentucky Christmas is an upbeat, festive, romantic novella with pretty cool characters. Billie works in her dad’s vet office, and Andrew is a traveling salesman selling… yes, vet supplies. Only he’s a horrible salesperson. And he’s completely smitten with Billie. She returns the sentiments, and boom, romance ensues.

What I love about Kentucky Christmas is Billie’s insouciance and Andrew’s seriousness. Billie is up for anything, likes to party a little bit, and amps up Christmas with more kitsch than you can shake a leg at. Andrew appreciates Billie’s fun-loving attitude, just as she appreciates his way with electronics, his Clark Kent glasses and the way his trousers fit. 🙂

This isn’t a serious book. Sometimes you need a pick-me-up, and Kentucky Christmas did that for me, with tinsel.

-Calliope

Buy it now Kentucky Christmas

Review: Honeymoon in Paris by Juliette Sobanet

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20131206-001838.jpg New Release!

Honeymoon in Paris is a mystery wrapped in chick-lit, with a little romance thrown in. Charlotte and Luc begin their marriage in a small apartment in Lyon, France, where Luc romances the heck out of his wife ….
Until he starts keeping secrets.

For most of the book, Charlotte tries to unravel Luc’s mysterious past, while she herself unwittingly wades into the mystery. I liked Charlotte’s amateur sleuthing. I identified with her need to know what was going on, and also her obliviousness to some of the danger around her. (Call me nosy and naïve!)

I also liked Charlotte’s friendship with Lexi and Fiona. Their knowing glances, quick-catch-ups over pastry or texts, and occasional nights out seemed authentic. The girls are young, adventuresome, and pretty fearless. The book skewed a little young for my personal taste, but it brought me back to my 20s, and it was a pretty fun trip.

The supporting cast was a treat – sleazy Vincent, Devil-Loves-Prada-Glenn-Close Mireille, and spoiled Brigitte. Sometimes foils are just as fun as protagonists, and that was certainly the case here!

The only thing that bothered me about Honeymoon in Paris is the subtitle (A Paris Romance). This book wasn’t much of a romance. It was mostly chick lit and mystery, with a few lovey dovey scenes between the newly married couple. Because of the subtitle, I expected a romance and was disappointed. If the subtitle read A Paris Adventure, I would have been ready for the capers that ensued. The other Paris books in Sobanet’s repertoire skew more toward romance.

If you’re up for suspenseful chick lit and you’ve got your sleuthing hat on, you’ll enjoy Honeymoon in Paris.

-Calliope

Buy it now Honeymoon in Paris

Review: Death Comes to the Village by Catherine Lloyd

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20131202-090141.jpg This cozy historical mystery, set in England, has a little bit of a Regency romance feel.

Lucy, the rector’s daughter, and Robert, a magistrate and wounded soldier, notice some thievery and strange goings-on in the village. With a young woman disappearing, and the men of the village not quite acting themselves, Lucy and Robert put their heads together to investigate. That’s the main plot. The subplots include Lucy’s resistance to spinsterhood and wanting to find a husband, Robert’s difficulty coming to terms with his leg injury, and the strong friendship that grows between Lucy and Robert. I enjoyed the various threads and thought they were developed appropriately for a light mystery novel.

I also liked the characters’ efforts to maintain propriety and appearances, and Lucy’s subtle rebelling against all of it. The whole regency feel made Lucy’s visits to Robert seem almost taboo. It was fun to see Lucy doing a lot of things that other young women wouldn’t dare do in this setting.

Death Comes to the Village was a light read, with a slow and deliberate start. I totally loved it, from Lucy and Robert’s banter to the mental illness and morbidity. I read this book at night, and when I finished it, I was scared to go to sleep! The ending was somewhat of a cliffhanger, and I am eager to know if and when a Book 2 will be released.

–Calliope

Buy it now Death Comes to the Village

Review: Secrets on Cedar Key by Terri DuLong

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20131128-001716.jpg Especially around the holidays, I love a good, sweet, easy romance with family values and a cozy theme – like knitting. Terri DuLong’s Secrets on Cedar Key had it all – except it wasn’t very good. Maybe I couldn’t handle the dozens of characters because I haven’t read the earlier books in the series. Or maybe I didn’t relate well to the main character (she’s a little older than I am). I think the main problem was that the book was disjointed, wordy, and didn’t flow well at times.

DuLong used a lot of pages describing things that didn’t move the plot forward. And even if I forgave that, sometimes I was left hanging after a plot point wasn’t followed through: We hear about Marin planning and making a cassoulet for her beau… but then we don’t hear about the actual dinner where they eat it. We hear about numerous other dinners that are irrelevant, but not the cassoulet dinner, even though its preparation was described, and then described some more. Another example is when Marin’s stepdaughter is having a baby. The nurse comes in with dialogue, including saying that the doctor will give an epidural. Well, the labor and delivery is described, and no epidural was given. So why mention the epidural in the first place?

Secrets of Cedar Key drove me crazy with so much description of irrelevant people, places and things. If the story was told in half the words, I could have enjoyed Marin’s new romantic relationship, the expansion of the yarn shop, the changes in her family, and the quirkiness of the other Cedar Key residents. As it stands, I can’t recommend it.

–Calliope

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