with a review of Full Moon by Mari Carr.
See what I thought here.
Category: B reviews (Page 51 of 74)
Why I listened to it: I have enjoyed all of the Jane Jameson/Half Moon Hollow books on audio and picked this one up at Audible when it was released.
What it’s about: (from Goodreads): Nola Leary would have been content to stay in Kilcairy, Ireland, healing villagers at her family’s clinic with a mix of magic and modern medicine. But a series of ill-timed omens and a deathbed promise to her grandmother have sent her on a quest to Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky, to secure her family’s magical potency for the next generation. Her supernatural task? To unearth four artifacts hidden by her grandfather before a rival magical family beats her to it.Complication One: Her grandfather was Mr. Wainwright and the artifacts are lost somewhere in what is now Jane Jameson’s book shop.Complication Two: her new neighbor, Jed Trudeau, who keeps turning up half naked at the strangest times, a distraction Nola doesn’t need. And teaming up with a real-life Adonis is as dangerous as it sounds, especially when he’s got the face of an angel and the abs of a washboard—can Nola complete her mission before falling completely under his spell?
What worked for me (and what didn’t): To be honest, I nearly quit this one about 10 minutes in. I usually enjoy Amanda Ronconi’s narration but her accent for the narrator and main character, Nola, was putting me off. I persisted, in the hope I’d get used to it. Fortunately, by the middle of Chapter 3, it was explained that Nola’s accent was a horrid mashup of Boston and Ireland and maybe something else. And you know what? That’s exactly what Nola’s accent sounded like. I thought it was Ms. Ronconi doing a really bad Irish accent. But I did her a disservice when I thought that – she actually voiced the character as written – it’s just that it’s not written right at the beginning of the story so it was a little hard to understand at first. When there were Irish characters, Ms. Ronconi did a fine Irish accent. I can’t say I’m sorry that the Boston dropped out of Nola’s accent for the most part by the latter part of the story. It did sound a bit like Ms. Ronconi’s teeth were clenched and that can’t have been comfortable.
with an audiobook review of Laura Kinsale‘s The Dream Hunter narrated superbly by Nicholas Boulton.
Go here to check it out.
Why I read it: I have been eagerly awaiting Dylan’s book since the straight boy BJ scene in Feeling Hot (which was my introduction to the series) so I bought this one on release day.What it’s about: (from Goodreads) When you land in hot water, swim for safety—or let the fire burn. An Out of Uniform StoryClaire McKinley has just experienced every bride’s nightmare. The groom is a no-show, and now she must face five hundred guests alone. Furious and humiliated, Claire seeks help from the most unlikely candidate—her almost-brother-in-law, who promptly whisks her away to his apartment in San Diego, where she can recover her pride in peace and quiet.Dylan Wade is no fan of Claire’s, but no way can he leave the jilted bride in her time of need. Bringing her home seems like a good idea—until he remembers his new roommate. Dylan’s relationship with Aidan is…complicated. And with Claire thrown into the mix, life becomes even more…complicated.Claire is blindsided by her attraction not only to Dylan, but also to Aidan, a man she’s just met. Soon they’re caught up in an all-consuming sexual storm they can’t fight even if they wanted to. Yet Claire wonders if it can last, or if she’s just setting herself up for more heartache.
What worked for me (and what didn’t): I enjoyed this story and it certainly lived up to its title (oh mama! *fans self*), but the ending came too abruptly for me and there were some things glossed over or not mentioned which meant that the book didn’t end quite as well as it started. Still, I was a lot of fun and overall, another great addition to the series.
Both Dylan and Aidan are bisexual. I’m not sure how realistic a depiction of bisexuals it is to suggest that they cannot be content with just one person. Both Aidan and Dylan feel that way – they care deeply about each other and are wildly sexually attracted to each other but they can’t “go a week without a woman”. However, in this book, it works because, it makes the addition of Claire to the relationship feel like it is what stabilises everything – like a stool with a wonky leg maybe. (In menage type relationships I always wonder if one of the trio will feel left out or threatened – here, it was not a consideration.) I have come to accept that most of the menage type stories I read are not terribly grounded in reality. While I enjoyed this aspect of the story, for the record, I don’t think if one is a bisexual that one necessarily has to feel he/she is always missing out, no matter the gender of their partner and I don’t think that all bisexuals are cheating cheatypants’.
Why I read it: I read a review of Safeword (the sequel to this book) recently at SmexyBooks and it reminded me I had this one on my TBR. I’ve already bought Safeword too.
What it’s about (from Goodreads): From the moment Detective Gavin DeGrassi steps into the world of BDSM to solve the brutal slaying of Dom George Kaiser, his course is not his own. Mesmerized by the context in which the victim lived and the images of the lifestyle seared into his soul, Gavin must find a way to navigate these unknown waters. With his personal life in upheaval due to marital trouble, and his professional life uncertain with the assignment of a new partner, Gavin needs all the help he can get understanding the case.Enter Ben Haverson, a psychologist and a well known Dom. With Ben’s help as a consultant and attention to Gavin’s own murky truths, Gavin delves deeper than he ever thought he would into the world of restraints and paddles. Forced to scrutinize his true nature and his innermost desires, Gavin has a choice: keep the fear of submitting at bay, or dive in and solve the case with the knowledge he gains. When another victim is discovered, Gavin’s choice is made for him, and he’s pulled headlong into the deepest, most emotional journey of his life.
Unfortunately for him and Ben, a killer has noticed, has taken stock, and has set his sights on the D/s pair. Can Gavin outwit him, or will his first exchange of power be his last?
Warning: Some readers may find this book triggering and will wish to avoid it. There is off page and on page (male) rape as well as some fairly graphic violence (all on the part of the villain).
What worked for me (and what didn’t): I had heard nothing but good things about this book and it turned out to be just what I was in the mood for. I stayed up way too late the other night finishing it. It’s not without flaws, but overall, it was a great read and I’m excited to read the second book in the series and see where the author takes these characters next.Gavin DeGrassi is a cop from a family of cops. His father is a retired cop. His three brothers are all in law enforcement too. He feels, keenly, the weight of expectation on him. At the start of the story, he and his partner attend the scene of a violent homocide where a man was whipped, beaten, raped and strangled while bound to a St. Andrew’s Cross. The investigation quickly turns to the local BDSM scene and Gavin requests assistance as he is a bit out of his depth with such matters. Dr. Ben Haverson is a Dominant and therapist and is assigned to consult Gavin and his detective partner. The sparks fly between Ben and Gavin when they meet but Gavin is not only deeply closeted, he’s married so it’s not going anywhere.
Why I read it: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
What it’s about: (from author’s website) “Bono met his wife in high school,” Park says.
“So did Jerry Lee Lewis,” Eleanor answers.
“I’m not kidding,” he says.
“You should be,” she says, “we’re 16.”
“What about Romeo and Juliet?”
“Shallow, confused, then dead.”
“I love you,” Park says.
“Wherefore art thou,” Eleanor answers.
“I’m not kidding,” he says.
“You should be.”
Set over the course of one school year in 1986, Eleanor & Park is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.
What worked for me (and what didn’t): I didn’t know a lot about this book going in. I knew it was YA, I wasn’t entirely sure how much romance would be there and whether it would have a traditional HEA (it did not, but romance readers, don’t be scared – it doesn’t end badly and Eleanor and Park are only 16/17 in the story). When I started reading, as much as I was engaged when I was reading, I found myself sometimes reluctant to pick it up again. Not because it wasn’t good. That’s not the case at all. The writing is lovely and the characters are drawn so well. No, it was because there was an aspect to this book which was painful to read. Eleanor’s story in particular is sad. I was worried for a lot of the book that things would not end well for her. I had a deep sense of foreboding throughout the story which made me increasingly reluctant to keep going. Perversely, the further I got into the story, the faster I read and the last third of the book took one day whereas the first two thirds took a week.
NetGalley Reviewer
Currently Reading
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
