Michelle
Nice read. Although this is YA, very similar to other books by the authors. The story is centered around the Clovis people and incorporates the science that speculates that a cataclysmic event occurred in North America around 13,000 years ago.
Parents who have an issue with religions other than Christianity might opt not to buy this for the younger suggested ages due to the prevalence of topics like spirit guides and possession, as well as some fairly gruesome descriptions of death and mutilation.
Loved it!
Is there a delicate way to say this is like a Kim Harrison novel, only much better? The Rachel Morgan books are good, but they were never a perfect match for me, not in the way this book pleased me. I'm really stoked about this series – at least the first book in the series.
Sabina Kane is half vampire/half mage, but has only lived in the world of the former, never giving thought to the other half of her heritage. The title refers not just to her red hair, a sign of vampire blood, but also to her second class citizen, never being completely embraced status in community that raised her. It refers to her desire to gain the approval of her grandmother, because it's not freely given to her.
The story concerns Sabina being sent to infiltrate the camp of a half-demon, half-vamp, and how doing this becomes the thing that in many ways frees her.
The author, Jaye Wells, has a knack for secondary characters. My favorite, and I'm going to assume the favorite of anyone with a sense of humor, is “Mr. Giggles” – a demon who becomes her familiar and is occasionally a – well, read it and see.
I found Sabina to be a likable and sympathetic character, even if occasionally she made dumb decisions, which characters in these types of books are contractually obligated to do anyhow.
I look forward to future books.
I couldn't get beyond the plot being constrained by a basic, easily fixed, misunderstanding. Heroine, in a moment of weakness, deceives hero. Hero finds out in about 5 minutes, but doesn't tell heroine he knows. Valuable time spent with her trying to find the courage and him trying to angle her into confessing. Then, when she goes to tell him, he stops her, milking the situation more. I think I could enjoy this writer, but I'd have to try another book.
I liked the first half of the book a lot. Well, not so much the beginning ten percent, but most the time they were “snowbound” made for a good read. It lost some steam once the hero and heroine were separated, and it lost a star because of it. Based on the scenes when they were at the lodge, it would have 4 stars. The snow, alas, had to melt!
PTSD is a serious issue, a moving topic, and I was glad to see it addressed here, and it made the hero's attraction to Fiona, who was sympathetic, very understandable.
5 stars, if you like that sort of thing. :)
This is an awesome book for romance novel fans or readers The Smart Bitches, which would be a huge overlap.
For critics of the genre and people who just don't get it, I imagine it's educational and might make them come away with a better upstanding, but this is – first and foremost – for readers in-the-know.
Why does it make a reader's heart go pitter-patter when a book is mention that she's read? Even more so when the book is praised. Since there are a lot of books mentioned and discussed, there are a lot of palpitations.
It's terrific to read a book that takes the genre seriously and by people who actually read the stuff. The world does not need another smug person talking about books they only know from covers and blurbs. Our beloved bitches lovingly cover the strengths and weaknesses that fans know by heart.
I laughed a lot, nodded in agreement a lot, saw a few things in a new way, contemplated hoo-hoos and wangs and realized that romance readership is a club. We might come from different walks of life, but there are inside jokes, you know? Just like you can walk into a room, work the number 42 into conversation, and count how many Douglas Adams fans are in earshot, there is a lot of shared knowledge and experiences among fans of romance. Allegedly capable heroines who can barely tie their own shoelaces, but we know they're capable ‘cause the writer tells us so, anyone?
Good times!
This was an overall enjoyable, laugh-out-loud funny read. I don't think it was consistent all the way through. The early, “unknown” years in the life of Jesus came across more interesting than when the author put his own spin on the story we all know.
It's interesting how in recent years writers and filmmakers have shifted to making Jesus a more human and understandable character, stressing the humanity rather than the divinity. This book fits really well in that tradition.
For some reason, I spent the whole book picturing Biff as played by Jeff Anderson from the Kevin Smith movies – something about the know-it-all outrageous quippery.
As much as you can only take this book so seriously, there are touching moments that make you really hope that Joshua did have a good (smart-alecy) friend to help teach him patience.
I enjoyed this one, with it's understandable focus on the stem cell issue, as well as an update on how Michael J. Fox is doing.
It shames me that I keep working toward an optimistic nature, only to find myself kinda falling back toward negativity, while people who have it a lot rougher persevere and inspire.
The author is a class act and I share in his hope that PD will be cured in the next few years.
I like the writer quite a bit and this is my second book by her, but Just Like a Dame started out pretty rocky for me. I could try to say I had as issue with the pacing, and that would be true, but even more true is that the beginning butted up against my basic nature.
My basic nature being crazy-assed pet person.
The alleged meet cute involved Angel, the heroine, showing up to her neighbor's house in her nighty. Her neighbor, the veterinarian. Her dog accidentally got into chocolate, and she is seeking help. He things she is confessing to offing her boyfriend or husband.
Now, I know the dog isn't going to die. I know the dog eating chocolate is just a way for DDD to have her hero and heroine meet, but the whole time he's staring at her tits and misunderstanding her, the whole time she is giggling over his dog licking her toes, and the whole time the two of them are sparring, I want to shake them and have them frickin' attend to the dog.
Dog ownership in fiction is often used as a shorthand to get the reader to like a character. So, in theory I should think Angel is pretty swell and probably that the hero is a nice guy for being a vet, and instead I like them less because their hormones, her mood swings, and his temporary denseness is making me think that neither one should have a houseplant. By the time she mentioned that dog had had convulsions and he'd asked her to assist in the treatment, only to have her want to argue about something, I wanted to throw the book across the room.
But it wasn't a book, but my Kindle. And I'm not throwing my Kindle across the room, outraged or not. :)
I continued to read, because I like the author, and because I knew it had to get better. It did, although the heroine's continually flying off the handle was a little tough. Angel was a feminist, and they get a hard enough rap, without her being the worst stereotype of one.
Still, there was fun banter and the author has this quirky sense of humor that tends to liven up sex scenes. A better book by the author, with all of her strengths on display, would be absolutely not, published by Ellora's Cave.
***
I do have to mention that the first time I heard about this book was in a review from one of my favorite blogs. That review was not a complete love letter either, but the best part was the classy and funny response from the author:
http://karenknowsbest.com/2006/05/01/karen-does-daisy-dexter-dobbs/
This was a quick and enjoyable romance. It's also the second book I've read recently with a theme of a tomboy heroine making her best friend from childhood see her in a new way, the other example being One Of The Guys by Kristan Higgins. In both of these case, while I really enjoyed the books, there was a little too little pay-off.
Since childhood – yes, I've been reading romances all my life – I've liked the ending best of all. I've always called it the “You love ME? I love YOU!” scene. (In erotica, it's more like “You're KINKY? I'm KINKY, too!”) When a book is based on the premise that a hero is oblivious to the heroine, when he figures it out I like a little extra of the couple in perfect sync.
The really good, awesome, neat part is I have a new author to enjoy!
his is a nice bullet point read that is more a refresher if you've ever read more than a couple histories on Abe! I was also curious to see what people tend to ask. This is not, by any means, a comprehensive view, but the writer – Gerald Prokopowicz – seems amiable enough. I got it because I was reading my Kindle when a show came on the History Channel about how long it too Lincoln's body to finally be safe and at rest. People wanted to steal the body, he was occasionally hidden on the basement of his tomb under old boards, eventually the structure was no longer stable, and people kept wanting to look in the coffin to make sure he was really there. Anyhow, was in the mood for a Lincoln book that didn't tax me too much – have more brainy, weighty choices in the TBR list.