Book Review -- Darkfever

Title: Darkfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Paranormal romance, urban fantasy
Pages: Hardback, 304
Published: 2006
Opening Lines: "My philosophy is pretty simple -- any day nobody's trying to kill me is a good day in my book."

"McKayla Lane's life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she's your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman.

"Or so she thinks . . . until something extraordinary happens.

"When she sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death -- a cryptic message on Mac's cell phone -- mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister's killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed -- a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae."

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts: A friend of mind suggested this series to me quite some time ago. To be honest, I picked up the book several times, but never really did much more. However, last week, my father informed me that he had just finished the wholes series and loved it. I was intrigued (Honestly, I'm still wondering why he enjoyed it . . . *scratches head*). Luckily, being poor and out of work, the library had it! Score!

I felt that Moning did a good job researching faery lore. Seriously considering getting advanced degrees in Medieval Studies, I have taken some heavy-duty mythology courses, Arthurian legends, etc., so I am extremely familiar with this subject matter. It was refreshing to see that she actually put the time into her book. I also appreciated that she checked the pronunciation sidhe. I admit, I am a stickler with a stick up my ass *^_^* Anyways, I also appreciated that she was careful not to label the Seelie court as "good". However, the concept of the Fae being aliens was rather strange and a bit different.

Aside from that, I really didn't like the characters. Mac was downright annoying! My mother says, "Honey, she's a Southern Bell." I think that is letting her get off easily and an insult to Southern Bells. Yes, Mac has not been out in the world, but common sense shouldn't be that hard to come by. To be honest, I really cannot stand that in characters. It makes it impossible for me to feel any connection to them.

And don't get me started on Jericho Barrons! He is the typical hero in romance: devilish good looks, closed-off, out for number one, older, wiser, teacher, mysterious back story, exotic, aloof, and a complete asshole! All he has going for him is the mysterious back story. I kept wondering when something might crop up that would give some hint as to his identity, but it never happened. Even though he seems to understand what is occurring in Mac's changing world, I don't understand why she runs to him. After the encounter where she is staying, she should have written him off. This isn't even touching how he treats her through the rest of the book.

Now the sex. Um, yeah . . . Getting masturbated by a "death-by-sex" Fae in a public museum with a pearl bracelet/necklace is a little much for me. I understand this extremely sexual turn-on these Fae possess, but it was a little too gratuitous for me. And the whole museum scene was in bad taste. (This right here is why I wonder why my dad enjoyed this series.)

The premise behind the plot was good. It has a LOT of potential, and I really like the concept. I think she could have done a lot with it, but I felt that it really flopped. It is possible I am reading this wrong. More of the story could be about Mac coming to terms with her new life, but it still felt "bleh".

All that being said, I have read several poor reviews of this book that are prefaced as saying the rest of the series is good. And, since I enjoy the concept, I am planning on finishing it. So, even though I am not impressed by the first book, I am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆
Currently: Matched by Ally Condie
Pages: 9604
Horror/Urban Fantasy Challenge: 16/24
Current Progress:

28/50 books

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the Title & Author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's me teaser:

I'm a bottom-line girl. I barely managed Cs in my college philosophy courses. When I read Jean-Paul Sartre's Being and Nothingness, I developed an unshakable case of narcolepsy that attacked every two to three paragraphs, resulting in deep, coma-like fits of sleep.

~ Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning, 148

Extremely Off Topic, But . . .

This is extremely off topic, but this is my puppy!

Book Review -- Hush, Hush

Title: Hush, Hush
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Genre: YA supernatural
Pages: Hardback, 391
Published: 2009
Opening Lines: "Chauncey was with a farmer's daughter on the grassy banks of the Loire River when the storm rolled in, and having let his gelding wander in the meadow, was left to his own two feet to carry him back to the chateau. He tore a silver buckle off his shoe, place it in the girl's palm, and watched her scurry away, mud slinging on her skirts."

"Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

"But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

"For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those who have fallen -- and, when it some to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life."

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts: When I first saw this book on the shelf, it caught my attention. In fact, I think it is sitting on my Amazon wishlist ^_~ The concept seemed like it could be interesting. Imagine my surprise when the library actually had it sitting on the shelves!! But, after all the hype, this book has really fallen short. In some ways, looking at a lot of the books coming out that are geared toward teenage girls, I'm not too surprised. And that saddens me.

First, lets address Nora. Does this girl have an ounce of self-preservation in her body? After her dad is shot in a dark alley, you would think she would be far more paranoid and careful about things. Not only does she not think, but she completely goes against any rational thought that might cross through her mind. Knowing full well what happened to her father, she decides it is a good idea to head into a bad neighborhood and then charge down a dark alley. Does this make sense? And then there is her attraction to Patch. Okay, I understand being drawn to the bad guy, but this goes above and beyond that. At several points, she is convinced he is stalking her, she is afraid for her life around him, he makes her feel very uncomfortable, etc. Yet, through all of this, she can't leave him alone! There is stupid and then there is Nora.

Now, I have to wonder about her mother. Okay, your husband gets shot in a dark alley one night. Yes, being a stay at home mom, you're going to need to secure an income to support your daughter. However, does it makes sense to get a job that has you out of town several weeks a month? I understand wanting to keep the family home, but I would be extremely reluctant to leave my teenage daughter home alone after an incident like that. It seems very out of character for a parent to behave that way.

What is it with girls in YA books being attracted to lecherous, creepy old men? I don't get it! What message are we trying to send to our teenage girls?

Fitzpatrick spent more time trying to be mysterious in the book and less time developing the story/plot. It took too long for you to finally know to some extent what was going on. Granted, if you payed attention, you could probably put all the pieces together. However, the build up was too big for the puny, anti-climatic ending. On top of that, the characters were not well developed and were unbelievable. And here's a note to the author: Becca, GET A DECENT EDITOR!! I'm not sure how many times "eying" was spelled differently! Also, it is a pool CUE!

*sigh* I'm a fast reader and it took awhile to get through this book. I felt the concept was really interesting and a lot could have been done with it. However, I feel that it has fallen into the Twilight-trap. Admittedly, I will end up reading Crescendo. But, yeah, this novel really did not impress me too much.

Rating: ☆ ☆
Currently: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Current Pages: 9300
Current Progress:

27/50 books

In other news, Happy Easter!!!!

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the Title & Author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser:

"I know I promised you a ride, but I'm stuck at my office." I heard her shuffling papers in the background, and I imagine she had the phone cradled under her chin and the phone cord wrapped around her body several times. "Is it too much to ask you to walk?"

~ Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, 211

Book Review -- Water for Elephants

Title: Water for Elephants
Author: Sara Gruen
Genre: Fiction
Pages: Oversize paperback, 331
Published: 2006
Opening Lines: "Only three people were left under the red and white awning of the grease joint: Grady, me, and the fry cook. Grady and I sat at a battered wooden table, each facing a burger on a dented tin plate."

"Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.

"Jacob was there because his luck had run out - orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive 'ship of fools'. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act - in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival."

~ From Goodreads

Thoughts: The Depression-era train circus has always caught my attention. Since first seeing the old pictures and watching the pilot episode of Carnivale, something about it captured my attention. So, when I heard about Water for Elephants, I immediately ran down to the local Hastings and bought a copy. Unfortunately, it ended taking up space on my bookcase and made it through two moves before I finally pulled it back out. Since I finally got our paperbacks unpacked and on the shelves, I've had this book sitting in my TBR pile. I admit, seeing the ads for the movie brought it fully back to my attention. Even though I have three library books waiting to be read, this little treasure kept calling my name every time I would pass the bookcase containing the TBR pile. I finally gave in and picked it up late Sunday night. And I just finished it.

What can I say? I'm not sure why I waited so long to finally read this book. From the prologue, this book held my attention. Gruen's writing style and attention to detail is simply amazing! At several points, I felt as though I was actually watching the show or walking beside Jacob while working in the menagerie. It felt real. And the perverse, morbid sense of humor she gives Jacob as an elderly gentleman is laugh-out-loud hilarious! Although, I must admit, I found myself fuming over the treatment of our senior citizens. That, however, is a rant for another time!

The characters in this book are so rich and deep. It was hard not to form some sort of fondness for them. In addition, I found it amazing that Gruen was able to turn Rosie into a full character without completely humanizing her. Even though I have a strong bond to animals, I still felt a close connection to Rosie.

From a lot of her terminology, knowledge of trains, animals, freaks, etc., I really think that Gruen did a lot of research before writing this book. It makes it a lot more authoritative and realistic. While the story itself is fiction, it makes it that much more believable and credible to be interspersed with fact.

I will say that the happy ending, Jacob's extreme sensitivity, etc. might be seen as extremely campy. However, I felt that Gruen was trying to find something positive during the Depression. I feel that she did try to capture that, even though there was food a shelter, life on a train circus was not good either. The Depression was hard on everyone, and no one was left unaffected. So, while there was romanticizing occurring in the novel, it felt as though she was trying to make a fairytale in an unlikely setting. To me, that makes it even more endearing and tender. Many reviews I have read complain that she is trying to push an agenda with some of the issues she tackles, but, to me, this was just a romantic love story of two people finding each other against all odds. I do, however, have to laugh a little at the ending. That part might have been a bit over the top ^_~

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Currently: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Pages: 8909
Current Progress:

26/50 books

Book Review -- Purple Panties

Title: Purple Panties: An Eroticanoir.com Anthology
Editor: Zane
Genre: Lesbian Erotic Anthology
Edition: Kindle
Published: 2008

"Zane, the New York Times bestselling author and Queen of Erotic Fiction, brings a new collection of lesbian erotica that will blow the sheets off beds everywhere.

What happens when "The Finest Man" you have ever laid eyes on is a woman? What happens when a woman comes home to her man after a hard day's work with "Lipstick on Her Collar?" What happens when a married woman runs across the love of her life -- another woman -- who insists that "It's All or Nothing?" Is there such a thing as playing too "Hard to Get?" What happens when "Mom's Night Out" turns into group sex? What happens when you discover your true sexuality "At Last?" All of these questions and more are answered within the pages of Purple Panties.

Written by women from all over the world, here is a new level of lesbian erotica, compiled by Zane, that promises the most exciting and steamy reading experience possible. These stories move beyond race, age, and all walks of life, including long-hidden passions, secret rendezvous with strangers, and May-December romances.

With Zane's ever-growing popularity, and the need for increasingly quality erotica, Purple Panties will satisfy a long-standing demand for African-American lesbian literature.

In the tradition of such successful erotica anthologies as Chocolate Flava and Caramel Flava, Purple Panties uncovers a new world of evocative risk-taking that has never been explored before from a lesbian perspective. The adventures in these stories are beyond everyone's wildest imaginations." ~Amazon.com Product Description

Thoughts: There was as much variety in this book as there were authors. Variety in every way. Some authors went into intimate detail about the sex, so crisp you could feel it, some left the details to the imagination and just led you there. Some stories took you to climax, some just teased. Some girls were black, some white. Some rich, some poor. Some femme, some butch. But all of the stories were steamy and all of the girls were hot.

There were some very elegant parts, and some kind of cheesy. I enjoyed them all, though some turned me on more than others. Also, all the erotica, and most fiction, I had read before this were only white girls, not because that was the erotica I had chosen, but because I had never actually encountered erotica with black girls in them. Many but not all of the girls in these stories were black, and some of the slang was unfamiliar to me, living my whole life in almost completely white towns in the Western United States. Some of the descriptions on skin colours and nipple colours were so poetic. The descriptions were very lovely.

I wouldn't say I was completely satisfied with every story, but by and large I enjoyed the book. It was definitely worth reading, and I'd recommend it. It has something for everyone, I think.

Reviewed by:
~Raven