Review: Halfway to the Grave (audio) by Jeaniene Frost

Because I started with the second book in this series, this book was more like a prequel to me than the first book in a series. And since Blackstone Audio just released this first book in audio format, I decided to see how well the series translated to that format. The answer is: perfectly.

The narrator, Tavia Gilbert, brings to life Bones's accent and attitude. Cat is a bit more subdued than she was in the later books, but I think part of that comes from the relative immaturity she has in this book.

For those unfamiliar with the series, here's the "blurb."


Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father - the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unlikely partnership.

In exchange for help finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner...are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon, Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side...and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.


The only bummer is that the rest of the series will not be available for download or on CD until NOVEMBER.

I didn't love this book as much as book #2 in the series, but that could just because I read them out of order. I like Cat much better in later books--after she grows up just a little. She feels just a little too young for me here. But this is a fun book, nonetheless.

My Grade: B+

You can find the download version on audible or buy directly through Blackstone Audio on MP3CD.

Trade Paperback books: My least favorite format

I admit it. I'm a format snob. I'll buy mass markets without a thought. I'll pay hardcover prices for a book I don't want to wait for. But I rarely, if ever, even LOOK at trade paperbacks.

Why?

Part of it is the price vs. value proposition for me. Trade paperbacks are still paperbacks. They are not made sturdier (in general) than a mass market paperback. They are simply bigger. And are, in some cases, double the cover price of a mass market. There's no additional value for the increased price.

The size is also a factor. Trade paperbacks are uncomfortable for me to hold. Hardcovers can generally be rested on my lap. They stay open easier. (Not to mention that they do not suffer the insta-damage of spine creasing that paperbacks do.) Trade paperbacks must be held open. And I have small hands.

The biggest reason, though, is that I tend to mentally equate trade paperback books with literary fiction. It's most likely a leftover reaction to all of those Oprah books I had to shelve when I worked for B&N, but I don't think of genre fiction when I see a book in trade paperback.

Review: Crazy for Love by Victoria Dahl

If you're looking for a relaxing beach read, this is it. Taking a break from her usual locale in the Rocky Mountains, Victoria Dahl sets Crazy for Love in and around Virginia during the summer.

Her trademark humor is definitely present. But instead of our heroine having some self esteem or psychological issues, our hero is the one who needs help. Max is a dive supervisor for a treasure hunting crew. And he has a deep, dark secret. He only pretends to be charming to manipulate people into doing what he wants. Not for his own nefarious purposes, really, but out of a never-ending need to protect them from physical injury. In short, he's a pathological worry wart. And yes, it really is as funny and annoying as it sounds.

Our heroine, Chloe, is trying to enjoy a weekend away from the mess that her life has become. Besieged by the paparazzi due to the actions of her ex-fiance, she and her friend, Jenn, decide to take a vacation to an island that has limited connections to the outside world in hopes that the gossip rags won't find her.

Pseudonyms: Fair to Compare?

It's a common practice to compare a new book by an author to their previous work. But what about when the book in question is written under a pseudonym? Presumably, the new pseudonym is being used to prevent precisely that kind of comparison, but with the "open secret" pseudonyms these days (ie JD Robb/Nora Roberts or Castle/Krentz/Quick) or even the 'writing as' designations on covers, is it fair game to judge a new book written under a new pseudonym by the backlist of another name?

My own feelings on this are mixed. Clearly, if the books are in different genres, then different expectations and conventions exist. But if my concern is with the quality of writing, I think the writer's experience and past success should play a factor in how harshly I critique. Something that bugs me from a newbie author would probably be treated with more leniency than the same thing by a veteran author. I'm not sure if that's fair, but it's how I think. Writing is a learned skill for most. It's not all just sheer untutored talent.

What do you think? Is it okay to judge a new pseudonym's work by the backlist of another name? Does it make a difference if the pseudonym is an open secret? Am I the only one who does this?

Hump Day Summer Movie: Point Break (1991)

In honor of summer, Hump Day is now Summer Movie Day. And what better way to start than with a beach movie? There are all kinds of beach movies, but when I think of surfer movies, my mind instantly goes to Point Break. This film (now *gasp* 19 years old) features Patrick Swayze in one of my favorite roles and Keanu Reeves in a part that fits him like a glove.

Contrary to the set up, setting, and characters, though, this movie has a surprising bit of depth to it. Quite a bit of heart. And staying power. I enjoy watching it just as much today as I did back in 1991.

Review: McKettricks of Texas: Austin by Linda Lael Miller

FTC Disclaimer: Digital galley obtained from publisher via Netgalley

The final book in the McKettricks of Texas trilogy left me deciding that I'm pretty well done reading anything by Linda Lael Miller. Which is a shame. So, this'll be a short and not so sweet review.

As with the first book in the series, Tate, infidelity plays a large role in the plot of this book. It's one of the few tropes that I despise. With a passion. And this book had perhaps the lamest excuse I've ever heard for cheating. Ever.

Austin, our hero, broke his then-girlfriend, Paige's, heart because he was scared by what he was feeling and wanted her to break up with him. So, instead of saying "Hey let's break up," He cheats on her with her high school nemisis and makes sure she finds out about it--sadly by seeing them together.

I'm sorry, but that's a character trait time cannot fix. It's lame. It's weak. It's cruel. And, at least for me, it's unforgivable. Which makes me think the heroine is TSTL to forgive him. And kills the romance completely for me. I'm all for second chances, but sometimes the hero is irredeemable. Austin remains immature, reckless, and pretty well concerned only about himself. Which in my estimation makes him a poor choice for redemption.

As for the suspense part of the plot...it wasn't suspenseful. At all. And the resolution was horribly unsatisfying. 

My Grade: C-/D+

Review: Instant Gratification by Jill Shalvis

This is the second installment in the Wilder Brothers trilogy by Jill Shalvis. And I loved it. I read it in one day, shooing the children outside to play so mommy could finish her book.

As with the previous book in the series, Instant Attraction, Instant Gratification is set in the high Sierras near Lake Tahoe. And, once again, the setting, Wishful, is spot on. But in true Shalvis style, the best part of this book was the characters. They are just so believable. So darn real. Every single character feels like someone I know. And that is nothing short of amazing.

Stone Wilder is the middle brother. The steady one. The glue that holds the family together. And while he does take an active role in leading some of the trips arranged by the Wilder Adventures company, he generally is the one doing the nuts and bolts running of the company. But lately he's been a bit restless and dissatisfied with being tied to just the company.

Emma Sinclair is a NYC doctor born in Wishful, but raised by her city girl mother in New York. She arrives in Wishful filled with disdain for the area, and for her father, whose practice she is overseeing while he recovers from a heart attack. When Stone Wilder comes into the clinic, injured and looking like a beach bum, she feels an instant attraction that annoys and confounds her.

Hump Day Classic Movie(s):The Blob (1958) and THEM (1954)

Nothing says summer to me like really cheesy 1950s monster movies.  And nothing says monster movie like The Blob and Them!

What could be sillier than a rampaging piece of jello? Perhaps giant ants! Both movies are classics. They each have star power: The Blob stars Steve McQueen and Them! has both James Arness and James Whitmore. And they each have a somewhat silly monster.

One of the reasons I loved the Dreamworks film, Monsters vs. Aliens, is because of the tongue in cheek references to all of the classic horror films I grew up with. My mom watched them at the drive in when she was little; I watched them at home on VHS. These may seem stupid to younger viewers who have grown up with digital special effects, but there's a charm to these movies that just isn't there in more modern CGI extravaganzas.
 

In Defense of Genre Fiction

There’s a pervasive feeling of insecurity for me as a genre fiction reader. Despite knowing that I’m in the majority when it comes to my reading choices, I still get flashes of embarrassment when someone asks me what I’m reading. I have to force myself not to be uncomfortable because I like to read romances and mysteries.

As if reading something light-hearted and conversationally written is somehow “bad.”

Why do we have this double standard with books? It’s okay to like popular music. It’s okay to like popcorn movies. Romantic comedy movies are not denigrated or made fun of except by the most snobby film critics. There’s no sneer in the voices of movie goers when they say romantic comedy. Sure, popular movies rarely win an Oscar, but most aren’t treated as garbage, either. I don’t feel silly telling someone how much I enjoyed a murder mystery or romantic comedy that I watched in the theater.

Yet when someone is reading a book, it suddenly becomes an object of ridicule. "Trashy" is probably the most common adjective I hear for romances from non-romance readers.

Review: The Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick

While definitely not one of Quick's better novels, this one did keep me moving fairly briskly through the pages--and did serve up a surprise or two.

I have several complaints about the novel, but primarily, my complaint rests with the characters. I just didn't enjoy either the heroine or hero as much as I usually do with Quick's books. Normally, the plot is secondary to the characters. The heroine is usually quite well developed. The hero is almost always a broody sort. But in this, I felt like I didn't really know that much about either character. They felt shallow to me. Almost overwhelmed by the paranormal and suspense parts of the book. And that disappointed me.

Lover Mine by JR Ward

 This is going to be a short, sweet review because I don't want to try to write a detailed review that avoids spoilers. I'm just too lazy.

This is absolutely not a book to read as a stand-alone. Too much back story is needed to explain what happened to Xhex as well as the current state of multiple relationships. So, if you have not read the rest of the series, do not start with this one.

Ward has always been big on the melodrama. She has an almost cinematic style of writing, where actions often speak louder than words. And, given John Matthew is mute, that writing style is even more apparent here. In fact, the lack of extensive dialogue adds to the charm.

John Matthew definitely feels years older in this book. Which is both weird and necessary. We first meet John Matthew as a skinny pretrans in Lover Eternal (#2 in the series). We watch him develop from a lonely, but almost adolescent, vampire to one who has experienced trauma, seen violence, and been forced to grow up emotionally way too early. Who is still incredibly lonely.

I could have done without all of the subplots and story archs. It just felt like too much. And, although they do tie with the main plot at the end, I didn't feel like they added any real depth, except for the Qhuinn and Blay scenes. Midway through, I began skimming those side stories.

Without those scenes, this would probably have been one of my favorite Black Dagger Brotherhood books. I was amazed by how Ward was able to show Xhex as both strong and vulnerable. And the interactions between John and Xhex, their conversations, are probably the most romantic I've read in a long, long time. Bordering on the sappy, perhaps, but while you're reading them, they seriously tug the heart strings.

My Grade: B+

Jeaniene Frost: Book Watch

I am officially a Jeaniene Frost fangirl. I blasted through all of the Night Huntress books in one gluttonous rush. I've read the first Night Huntress world spin-off and even downloaded the first Cat and Bones book in audio format from audible. So, of course, I am now impatiently waiting for any new books set in that world.

Here's what's coming:

July 27, 2010
Eternal Kiss of Darkness
ISBN: 978-0061783166
Format: Mass Market Paperback
List Price: $7.99
(Currently 10% off at BN for preorders and 25% off at Book Depository!)
#2 in the Night Huntress World spin-offs. This one is about Mencheres.

It's also available at Borders, Powells, and Booksamillion.

August 3, 2010

Death's Excellent Vacation (anthology) ed. by Charlaine Harris and Toni Kelner.
Contains a Cat and Bones short story. Oh, and there's a few stories by other authors also. *g*
ISBN: 978-0441018680
Format: Hardcover
List Price: $24.95
(Currently 45% off at Amazon and Barnes and Noble via Preorder)
More buying choices: Book Depository,  Borders, Booksamillion, Powells



February 22, 2011
Cat and Bones #5

*sniffle* Yeah, it's really 2011!

Also, there's a novella set outside the NH world. It's in an anthology called Haunted by Your Touch, which has a release date of October 26th, 2010.

Disclosure: other than the Amazon links, I do not earn any commission for the book links provided. I just thought I'd include as many choices as possible for those interested. :)

My Husband's Birthday Present

Ok. I try not to do any product recs here, although I do post a cookbook review or two. But I just had to post something about the newest BBQ gadget I bought for my husband's birthday. It has a really long name: The ProQ™ Cold Smoke Generator. A fancy, technical name for what has to be the coolest, low tech BBQ gadget ever. Seriously.

My husband is the chef in the family. His spareribs are famous among our family and friends. He has a smoker, a grill, and just about every gadget known to man. But what he didn't have was a way to cold smoke effectively. Until now.

I ordered a Cold Smoke Generator directly from the UK for him. And by the end of the day I gave him his present,  I had enough smoked cheese for our house and most of the family. There's no learning curve. It is so simple to use. My husband could not be happier. And I get him to cook for me, which makes me happy, too. [ In fact, he asked me to post a blog review, he was so happy. The only time he's ever asked me to do so.]

You can find the ProQ Cold Smoker Generator at MacsBBQ. It uses a really fine sawdust that I was unable to find locally, though, so I ordered some from a site called Smokinlicious. If I hadn't already bought this for his birthday, it would be a great Father's Day present.

Note: It took about 3 weeks for delivery from the UK, but I have a feeling the delay was due to the Icelandic volcano, which disrupted air travel and airmail worldwide.

Smart Bitch Sarah's Summer Bookclub

Okay. I'm not much of a joiner [everyone who knows me is now gasping in fake surprise]. But here's a book club idea I can get excited about.

Smart Bitch Sarah, of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books is hosting a romance book club all summer long. And, yea for me, I've already purchased the first book she's picked, One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare.

To find out more about the club, and the way cool partner Allromanceebooks.com, please click on the banner below.

Dark Lover by JR Ward [audiobook]

I've already read Dark Lover in print format, but the great thing about audiobooks is that you often get an entirely different experience listening to them--as if they are a completely different book.  I don't often listen to male narrators. I'm not sure why, but I tend to prefer women as narrators because too often the men employ an annoying falsetto for the female characters. Luckily, Jim Frangione does not do this. But he does have an understated style that takes a bit of getting used to. And an almost William Shatner-esque cadence to his speech that--once I got used to it--I found quite charming.

Dark Lover is the first of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books. And, as most BDB fans will tell you, it's not the best of the series. But, surprisingly, I enjoyed this book more on audio than I did in print. There's just something about the format that helped me focus on the words instead of the sometimes annoying extra H's in the names or the over-the-top product placement that the series is known for.

Before deciding to purchase (or rent) this, I highly suggest going to audible.com and listening to a preview. It will help you decide if the narrator will work for you.

Dark Lover is available in CD and cassette format direct from Recorded Books. You can also find a much more economical digital download on Audible.

Hump Day Classic Movie: Summer School (1987)

Viewer warning: Summer School really is quite a silly movie. But!! You should still watch it because of the following:

The cast.

This film stars Mark Harmon at the height of his 1980s popularity. It also stars Kirstie Alley. But the reason I have a twinge of nostalgia here is the presence of Patrick Labyorteaux as a teenager. I loved him in JAG as Bud Roberts, and he was just as adorable here. Mark and Patrick definitely look quite different from the few NCIS/JAG crossover episodes.

Also making an appearance is Courtney Thorne-Smith from Ally McBeal.

Plus, the fake attacking bunny scene is a classic. This film falls into the 'so awful it's funny' category, but I love it anyway.

Review: Love in the Time of Dragons by Katie MacAlister

Disclosure: This book was purchased by me, so the FTC can't say anything about my ethics. *raspberry* The book was read and reviewed while under the influence of serious cold medication, though, so be on the lookout for more than the usual ramblings.

Katie MacAlister's Dragon series is one of my absolute favorite paranormal series. And while I loved the Aisling Grey, Guardian series (featuring the green dragons), the Silver Dragons trilogy just didn't have the same spark. I picked up Love in the Time of Dragons anyway (Look at that cover, YUM) and was surprised to see it was a novel of the "Light Dragons."

Who?

Granted, it's been several months since I've read (or listened to the audio versions of) any of the Dragon series, but I could not remember a Light Dragon. So either I'd missed a major something or I'd just lost my mind.

Turns out I wasn't crazy after all *whew* The Light Dragon sept makes an appearance in this novel and feature two characters that we see but never really get to know in the Silver Dragon trilogy: Baltic and Ysolde.

Cookbook Review: Absolutely Chocolate: Irresistible Excuses to Indulge

From the editors of Fine Cooking magazine comes Absolutely Chocolate: Irresistible Excuses to Indulge. And that is a good description of this book: indulgent.

Although there is not a photograph of every recipe ( my preference) the photographs that are there are gorgeous. Whoever did the art direction for this book played up chocolate's inherent sensuality because--DAMN.

This isn't a book to be taken lightly. Everything is pretty much from scratch and the recipes are, for the most part, at least a medium skill level. Also, most of the recipes call for expensive ingredients--the amount of chocolate alone for each recipe is sometimes more than $10. But for when you want to  pamper yourself with a big, gooey, sticky chocolatey...something...this is your book.

There are some unusual takes on the classics as well as some great standard chocolate favorites.

My Grade: B

Digital galley provided by the publisher via Netgalley

BN.com changes shipping promo

I admit it. I was a bit peeved to find out that Barnes and Noble had stopped offering their "Fast and Free" shipping service for orders over $25. Living where I do, fast delivery was the primary reason I chose Barnes and Noble over the plethora of other online book vendors.

They still offer "standard" free shipping with a $25 minimum, but so does everyone else.

So, why did they change? They moved that 'fast' delivery as a member benefit to their Membership card program. The one with the $25 fee.

It seems they are taking a page out of Amazon's playbook with this move. And it doesn't make me happy.

I don't believe in paying a fee for a loyalty card. Ever. Either the store offers deals and service that I like or they don't. I don't want to be strong-armed into paying for a card that then requires me to be "loyal" to that company in order to make my investment pay off.

Which is why I'm not an Amazon Prime member either.

Initially, I expect to see an increase in BN Membership sales. (Formerly Readers' Advantage). Then I expect BN to increase the cost of the card.

Yeah, I'm an optimist.

That's not to say there aren't advantages to BN Members. In addition to the tiny discount members are given(for in store purchases ONLY), they are now getting free 3 BUSINESS day shipping from BN.com. With no order minimums. That's a good thing for existing cardholders. And much cheaper than Amazon's nearly $80 membership. But BN's fast delivery is not 2 day delivery. Or really 3 day delivery since it is only business days and itoften takes them 2 days to ship. Which means it could take up to a week to receive your books--even with the faster options.


B&N Membership Information

Review: The Vampire and the Virgin by Kerrelyn Sparks

Kerrelyn Sparks is usually a go-to author for quirky, sometimes hilarious vampire novels. They always have substance and serious issues, too, but the books are usually so filled with charm that they end up feeling lighter than they really are. I'm not quite sure what happened with this book, but it is clearly NOT light, not funny, and ultimately not as good as the rest of the series.

The book opens with Robby MacKay, a character from several previous novels in the series, intent on revenge for the torture he endured at the hands of the Malcontents (bad vampires). Also a vampire, Robby is just now recovering from his wounds and, due to lingering anger issues, is sent by his boss (and great, great grandfather) Angus to a remote Greek island for four months of physical rehabilitation and mental healing. While there, he meets Olivia Sotiris, an FBI agent with a paranormal ability of her own, who is also recovering from emotional trauma on the island.

Review: A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior

It's not often that I am both entranced and repulsed by a heroine in a romance novel. Usually I either love them or hate them. Theresa (Tess) Weller is a heroine that I think might rub some readers the wrong way, but a character I both loved and wanted to smack upside the head.

Our hero, Colonel Bartholomew (Tolly) James is much more evenly appealing. The book opens with him--wounded quite badly and the sole survivor of a massacre-- hiding out in the Adventurers' Club, away from the sympathy and pity of his family. His family's persistent requests for his presence, though, force him back home where he encounters Tess Weller at a dinner party. Despite being rude and provoking a mild argument, he seems to capture the attention of Tess--someone who is never rude, always proper, and is somewhat obsessed with remaining a paragon of unexceptional behavior.

Review: the Darkest Passion by Gena Showalter

I really wanted to like this book. I've heard great things about the author. Great things about this series. But unfortunately, The Darkest Passion failed to connect with me.

My main problem was with the angel, Olivia. Her naivete came across as blond bimbo-ish instead of unworldly. And her abrupt transition into a sexual being didn't help that impression. Aeron's character was better, but still lacked the emotional depth I was expecting.

 It could very well be that this book was not one to read out of order. It is not a stand-alone story but part of the Lords of the Underworld series. There was such an excess of back story here that the main characters got lost. The romance got lost. And I got lost as well. There was simply too much going on and very little emotion involved in any of it. At least between Aeron and Olivia.

The book did improve, but it wasn't until the last 1/4 that I felt at all connected to the characters. And, for the most part, the characters I connected with *weren't* the main characters, but those on the edges of the story.

Considering the number of people who love this author and series, I'm thinking it's just me. This didn't work for me at all.

My Grade: C-

Hump Day Classic Movie: Encino Man

Ok, I'm stretching the definition of classic quite a bit here. Encino Man came out in 1992 which means it is a mere 18 years old. But what makes this  a classic for me is the number of film quotes I have in my personal lexicon that came from this movie.


A few caveats for those who haven't seen this movie yet.

1. It is a teen comedy. Meaning it lacks a lot of emotional depth and the plot (as always) seems to revolve around girls and being popular.

2. It has Pauly Shore in it.

3. It is not politically correct. Not even a little bit.

4. The plot is sheer farce and incredibly silly.


On the plus side, though, this is one of Brendan Fraser's first films. It also stars Sean Astin and Michael DeLuise. And although I usually dislike Pauly Shore, this is a part tailor-made for him.  The movie as a whole is charming, funny, and very memorable. Not something I often say of a teen movie.

The European version of the film was called California Man.

Review: First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

Spoiler Warning: Do not read this review or this book unless you've read At Grave's End. Or you don't care about having a significant plot point spoiled.

I was a little reluctant to read this book after I finished my Cat and Bones marathon read. I'd read the reviews posted by admitted Frost fangirls and was almost regretting the fact that I'd already purchased the book. Most of the reviews were less than stellar. They spoke of disappointment and annoyance. Of being let down. Of sub-standardness.

Again, it's probably because I haven't been waiting for months on end for this book that I think I might have a different perspective here. This is not and was never meant to be a Cat and Bones book. For one thing, the Night Huntress books are written from Cat's first person POV. This book is written in the 3rd person. So you're not going to get the same connection from it that you do from the NH books--because you're not hearing Cat's snarky one liners.

Review: Dangerous by Diana Palmer

FTC disclaimer: Digital review copy received from publisher through Netgalley

I don't think I've read a worse contemporary book in years. I'm stunned that publishers considered Dangerous worthy of a hardcover release. It's clear that Diana Palmer has zero familiarity with gaming. Equally clear that she's not all that familiar with law enforcement. In fact, based on her writing, I'm wondering if she's familiar with 21st century life at all.

Our hero, Kilraven, is a fed working undercover. He's still haunted by the murder of his wife and three year old daughter 7 years before. And while he's aware that Winnie, our young heroine, has a crush on him, he's content to ignore her in the hopes that her feelings will fade with time.

Winnie has watched and loved Kilraven from afar for a long time. She keeps a frail hope alive that he will one day return her feelings. Her work as a 9-1-1 dispatcher keeps her in at least peripheral contact with him--even resulting her saving his life once due to her somewhat supernatural intuition.

Review: McKettricks of Texas: Garrett by Linda Lael Miller

FTC disclaimer: Digital galley provided by the publisher through Netgalley

Spoiler Alert: this review will probably contain some minor spoilers

It's been months since I read the first in this trilogy. I really didn't like the first installment in the series, Tate, but fortunately, this one was much, much better.

Linda Lael Miller continues with her hit-you-over-the-head lecturing about animal welfare as well as the obvious McKettrick/Remington pairings. But at least this one didn't contain a history of infidelity--something that is on my short list of plot elements that turn my stomach.

It could be I enjoyed this book more because the characters were less self-involved. Julie is a high school drama teacher and Garrett is a senator's aide. At the beginning of the novel, they each have their own careers--their own lives. There is no deep, dark, tortured history between the two--although they are familiar with each other through the previous (failed) romances of their two respective siblings.

Review: Pride Mates by Jennifer Ashley

I just finished this novel, and I have to admit: I still don't know how I feel about it. The writing is  fine--not distinctive enough to rave about but compelling enough to keep the reader moving along.My problems with this book are entirely theme related. Ashley touches on some very sensitive themes here. Some that cause an almost instinctive revulsion in me. Spectres of injustices past reared their collective heads throughout this book so often and so clearly that I had to pause and regroup in order to keep reading.

Ashley's Shifter population evokes the complexities of Japanese internment camps, Jim Crowe discrimination, Jewish persecution by the Nazis, slavery. 

I still find myself struggling to come to terms with the realities expressed in this book. Wondering just what Ashley was trying to convey by putting such hot button themes so obviously out there. And whether the ability to stir such strong and conflicting emotions is a sign of a good writer or just a ballsy one.

Hump Day Classic Movie: The Dark Crystal 1982

Although best known for the lighthearted Muppets and Sesame Street, Jim Henson had a bit of a dark side as well. The Dark Crystal features the art design of Brian Froud--now a renowned fantasy artist.

This is unlike any other work by Henson. It's dark; it's creepy; it's violent. And it's proof that movies made for children can have depth as well as imagination.

Review: Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Unlike early fans of the series, I'm a late arrival. Which means I didn't have to wait for each book to be released and read #2-4 back to back. Which might have influenced my reviews just a little bit.

I can honestly say that this is my least favorite of the Night Huntress books so far. I really didn't enjoy it as much. It's not terrible by any means, but it did come across as melodramatic and repetitive.

Cat and Bones are settling into their lives as husband and wife: vampire style. That is until a vampire named Gregor interrupts their honeymoon in Paris by invading Cat's dreams and insisting she is married to him and not Bones. And that Mencheres stole those memories from her. Added to that is the fact that Gregor is capable of abducting people while they are dreaming and it causes Cat to have some serious doubts about who she really is and what she wants.

Review: A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters

I fully admit to being an Amelia Peabody fan girl. I started the series in college and have dutifully picked up each yearly book as soon as it was published--in hardcover. I mourned the conclusion of the series when Tomb of the Golden Bird was released and was ecstatic when Peters began publishing 'lost journal' books that filled in the gaps left by the original series.

The series as a whole is studiously researched and written with  a sly sense of humor through the tart, often abrasive voice of Amelia Peabody Emerson. Part of the charm is due to the characters. Part of it is due to the atmosphere created by Elizabeth Peters's expertise in the field.

Unfortunately, though, A River in the Sky was missing something. Something big. Two somethings actually. And those were a compelling mystery and archaeology.

Review: Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis

I'm a sucker for stories set in the Sierras because, quite frankly, there really aren't that many of them. Rockies, yes. Sierras, no. So I was delighted to hear about Jill Shalvis's Instant Attraction which is set in the fictional town of Wishful, located somewhere in the general area of South Lake Tahoe.  Once I started reading, though, it wasn't the setting that captured me. It was the writing.

I haven't read  many contemporaries that have appealed to me lately. They're either romantic suspense, paranormal, or so filled with sex scenes that the romance gets lost. No so with this book! The romance takes center stage as we watch two people recovering from life-altering tragedy muddle their way through a relationship while struggling to redefine themselves and their altered reality.

Hump Day Classic Movie: Clash of the Titans

I grew up watching the original Clash of the Titans made in 1981. It's a classic. It's campy. And has typical Ray Harryhausen special effects that are charming in their simplicity. You won't get motion sickness watching this one.

Starring Harry Hamlin, Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, and Burgess Meredith

Review: At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost

I can now say I know what the fuss is about. Frost's Night Huntress series is probably the most consistently good series I've read in a long time. At Grave's End finds Cat and Bones newly married in vampire fashion and planning a human wedding.

Further complicating the plans is Mencheres' offer to bind Bones' line to his, strengthening them both. But, as we soon learn, Mencheres is anything but altruistic. He has a reason for everything. And that becomes apparent as a female vamp named Patra launches a terrorist attack in the midst of the binding ceremony--starting a vampire war.

I admit I was a bit annoyed with Frost's wholesale slaughter of Egyptian history, but because this is *fantasy* I gave it a pass.


The tone of this book is sad. Very sad. To the point of being depressing. But the emotional depth of the series is part of what I love about it.  Emotional pain can show reveal hidden depths about characters, and I think we see that here with both Cat and Mencheres. And Vlad--oddly enough. Sure, the beginning shows plenty of Cat's snarky humor, but midway through the book that levity disappears.

The pacing is a bit funky, which could be a turn off for some readers. The narrative either plods along in depressing emotional wallowing or is filled with an overwhelming, frantic urgency during the action sequences. There's very little consistency here, and I think that hurts an otherwise excellent book.

This book sets up not only the next installment of the Night Huntress series but the spin-offs being released this year. I thought it an excellent story that focused far more on the relationship between Cat and Bones than previous installments.


My Grade: B+

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Review: Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery

FTC Disclaimer: Digital galley provided by the publisher through Net Galley
**May contain plot spoilers**


   Chasing Perfect is another of the hearth and home style romances that are supposed to be the new up and coming trend in romance publishing. Fortunately, though, Mallery's style lacks the sickly sweet tone so many of those novels have  and delivers a thoughtful and funny small town romance.

   Yes, there are the obligatory plot elements: move from the city to small town life, the traumatized dowdy woman seeking to settle down and have a family, the local playboy... But there's enough genuine emotion and characterization to overcome those conventions.

Hump Day Classic Movie: The Creeping Flesh (1973)

Okay, this one is just campy. It's biggest *ahem* recommendation is that it might provide some unintentional laughs. I know it did for me.

The Creeping Flesh stars Christopher Lee and features an oversized skeleton that can regrow tissue. Ewww.

Still, for dirty minds like mine, there's a memorable scene where a dismembered finger starts to grow...and um...it sort of doesn't look like a finger.

I love Christopher Lee. Modern audiences might recognize him from the Lord of the Rings or the newer Star Wars films, but he's a giant in the horror industry. He's been making films for what seems like forever. Don't believe me? Check out his filmography!

This title is out of production at the moment. You can find used copies from Amazon, though.

Authors With an Agenda

I've noticed a trend among certain authors lately that has me more than a little bit irritated. As far as I can tell, it's mainly restricted to well established authors with a high number of dedicated readers. And while this trend isn't new by any stretch of the imagination, it seems to be taking over the romance genre with increasing speed.

I'm talking about author activism.

Now, to be clear, I'm not talking about when an author takes a public stance about a particular social or political issue in their day to day lives. I'm talking about when those beliefs make their way into their stories in book after book with all of the subtelty of a sledgehammer. Where readers are subjected to mini-lectures over and over every time they pick up a book by a particular author.

For me, it's beginning to be a huge turn-off. Even if I, too, believe in the cause. Even if I, too, think these issues could use some publicity. Because I honestly don't think fiction should be used to preach an agenda. Even if that agenda is worthwhile.

Pot Stickers Recipe

For those of you who asked for the recipe. It was a little too long to send!

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
1/2 cup very finely chopped napa cabbage
8 ounces lean ground pork
2 tablespoons finely chopped water chestnuts
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2/3 cup chicken broth, divided

Dipping Sauce
Soy sauce and sweet red chili sauce (ratio depends on your taste preference)

1. Place flour in large bowl and make a well in center. Pour in boiling water; stir with a wooden spoon until dough begins to hold together. Knead dough until smooth and satiny on lightly floured surface, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.
(You can substitute prepared wrappers for this, but they do have a different texture!)

2. For filling, squeeze cabbage to remove as much moisture as possible; place in a large bowl. Add pork, water chestnuts, onion, soy sauce, sherry, ginger, cornstarch, sesame oil and sugar; mix well.

3. Divide dough into 2 equal portions; cover 1 portion while you work with other portion. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut out 3 inch circles with round cookie cutter or clean can. Place 1 rounded teaspoon of filling in center of each dough circle.

4. To shape each pot sticker, lightly moisten edges of dough circle with water; fold in half. Starting at one end, pinch curled edges together making 4 pleats along edge. Set dumpling down firmly seam-side up. Cover finished pot stickers while you make remaining dumplings. (Cook immediately, refrigerate for up to 4 hours , OR freeze in a resealable plastic bag.

5. To cook, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat (I've used pans that weren't nonstick and they turned out fine as well). Set 1/2 of pot stickers in pan seam-side up. ) If cooking frozen dumplings, do not thaw.) Cook until bottoms are golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Pour in 1/3 cup of the chicken broth. Cover tightly, reduce heat, and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes (15 if frozen). Repeat with remaining oil, pot stickers, and broth.

Recipe yield is supposed to be around 32 pot stickers, but I always come up short. :) My cutter is a little bigger than 3 inches.

** Note: The filling also works terrific for wontons! If you have leftover filling (or cannot find ground pork in 8 ounce packages) you can easily double the filling recipe and do pot stickers one night and wonton soup the next.