Saturday, April 30, 2016

Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz


Trigger Mortis
by Anthony Horowitz
Pages: 310
Date: September 8 2015
Publisher: Harper
Series: James Bond

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: April 29 to 30 2016

This is something like my 51st or 52nd James Bond book I've read. But even so, I was reluctant to read this book. Several reasons - (1) I got the book for free, not normally an obstacle to my enjoyment, but why was this book, a James Bond book of recent vintage, free?; (2) it has been a rather long while since I read a Bond book; (3) the concept of Bond, his place in society, and his vaguely out-dated way with women had finally reached a breaking point years before I read this book. So . . . could I actually read this book here?

Well, attempt to read it I did. *shrugs* I mean, it was free, it was Bond, and I did have a challenge on GoodReads that would accept this book and so, I attempted it.

Unlike many of the non-Fleming Bond books, this one actually took place back in the time of Fleming's Bond - literally moments after the Goldfinger mission. The book actually opens up with him dealing with the aftermath of that mission (which includes having him have Pussy Galore in his apartment in London - because she needed to get away from the US authorities, the criminal element and stuff).

Goldfinger was released in 1959. I do not recall a date appearing in Trigger Mortis, but since the story takes place immediately after Goldfinger, I assume that the events taking place have to have occurred some time around 1959. There is mention of Eisenhower as the president, and mention of the Republicans in power, so 1959 works.

While dealing with the weird situation of actually having a woman in his apartment (he tries to keep his spy life separate from his London life), Bond is contacted by his superiors. Asked about his driving abilities. Apparently the Soviets have built a race car and they are going to be racing at a specific race track. One that has already claimed [insert some high number here] deaths.

All well and good, of course, but . . . SMERSH is involved. And they have apparently targeted the English race driver - the favorite in the race. So, the book turns to having Bond train to drive a race car (actually, retrain since he had apparently had some practice at that in the past). He is going to go undercover as some rich guy buying his way into the race, which apparently happens. He is going to use the lovely cover name of 'James Bond'. As an aside, this is one of the reasons I kind of always assumed Bond itself was a cover name - who the hell goes around and tells everyone asking his name 'Bond, James Bond' unless he's using the name itself as part of his cover? Both in terms of it not actually being his real name, and in terms of that's a name well-known in spy circles, with a rather big elite reputation. But, I'm getting off track here.

The car training/racing scenes were quite fun. Not a large part of the book, but still exciting. Then the story turns to the after-party for the car racers and hangers-on. Some action in a castle, meeting a woman there, stuff happens. Spy stuff, I mean.

The spy stuff there lead to spy stuff taking place in the USA directly connected to the USA space program. And a plan by enemies of the USA to impact the USA space program. Some exciting scenes here as well - in Virginia and New York. Mostly.

I was on edge throughout most of the book, tittering on the edge of 'is he going to do something now? Now? Now? To piss me off with his cave-man 'me-man, you-woman, obviously want to hump me' ways. But there were some surprises along the way. Some of which I doubt would have actually appeared in a book released in 1959/1960 (some elements of it, just not the full bits). Like how a woman Bond was eyeing, dodges his advances, and goes off with another woman. In a Bond book. And he didn't immediately rape her (sorry, overpower her) and show her what she was missing - man-wise (like, say, in most of his encounters with women - there's even a scene, the after party for the car racers, where Bond looks around in disdain. All the women were purring and eager for action. Bond turned his nose up at them - he needs a challenge, to overpower. Which goes along with Bond's character as shown in other works - like that one specific woman in a film who eagerly bounced around him and tried to hump him at every opportunity, and Bond kept kicking her away).

The action was interesting. The characters and events were 'Bond' like. Bond himself . . . hmms. I was thinking at the time that Bond was feeling vaguely off for some reason. As if someone in about 2014 or 2015 had the task of writing a Bond book, set back in the 'bad old days' aka Fleming's macho man days, while also knowing that they were writing a book to be released today. There's this vague vibe of 'need to show him looking macho, but not piss people off' type of vibe. That, actually, made Bond look less Bond like than he should have. But, whatever.

Good book. I enjoyed it.

April 30 2016

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Deep Water by Betsey Odell


Deep Water
by Betsey Odell
Pages: 128
Date: October 15 2015
Publisher: Sapphire Books Publishing
Series: None

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: April 11 to 28 2016

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Sapphire Books Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Earlier this month I found myself looking at various options on Netgalley. Specifically at the books in the ‘Read Now’ section of the LGBT category. I noticed ‘Deep Water’, this book here, and noticed that it was a rerelease (I think). So I checked Amazon to see if there was a sample. And there was. So I started to read a tiny portion, then got dragged along to the end of the sample. Really, I was just going to read a few paragraphs to test the writing. But got pulled to end. So, naturally, I decided to ‘Read Now’.

And . . . something got messed up in the process. I couldn’t get the book to open on my Kindle, despite that being an option, and several attempts to download and send the book along.

Tried a new download last night and it worked. So, read the book today, as in the 28th of April, 2016 – not the today of whenever you are reading this review. Unless you are reading it on the 28th.

Characters
Mattison Burr is an 18 year old high school senior who starts the book on the edge of her senior year at high school in North Carolina. For unclear reasons, though potentially connected to her feelings for another girl and how she’d rather kill herself rather than tell her, the book also opens with Mattison trying to kill herself in a hurricane. She fails (I’m not being joke-y, I’ve read more than one book that involved someone who spent the majority of the book as a ghost). Mattison then proceeds to spend the rest of the book bouncing around kind of insanely, with a huge desire to lose her virginity. She’s unsure who to lose it to; and does not she really care. Just get rid of it already. Also, she’s not really sure if she likes girls, boys, or both.
Of Importance: twin brother Blake; love interest BFF Kym; boyfriend Stanley; new friend Samantha; two parents, one male, one female.

Kym Kascer is a high school senior who has moved a lot in her live. Her father is an ex-actor who may or may not be attempting to start a political career. Her mother may or may not be insane. She’s apparently straight though on the borderline. She’s a popular kid in school.
Of Importance: parents, Mattison.

Stanley is a new student at the school. And a senior. He fancies Mattison. Who fancies Kym. Who fancies Stanley.
Of Importance: unknown.

Blake Burr is a high school senior and Mattison’s twin. Slightly older by six minutes. Has a girlfriend. And is an art major (confused by that, do high schools have ‘degrees’ now?)
Of Importance: parents, twin Mattison, girlfriend Becca.

Samantha new senior at the high school. Makes Mattison wet her panties. Gives Mattison hand-made gifts despite only, apparently, talking to each other once.
Of Importance: parents.

Plot
Mattison’s senior year of high school is just about to start when the book opens. Also, her best friend forever has just moved back to town. So, Mattison tries to kill herself in a hurricane. The reasons are unclear. I’ve a vague feeling that she did that because she was beginning to have feelings of a sexual nature about another girl – and that’s just wrong. And she’d rather kill herself than tell the friend.

Since Mattison’s attempt failed, the book turns to scenes of school, mixed with drunken/drugged scenes of parties. And Mattison wetting her panties over boys and girls at both school and parties.

Mattison is in a kind of bad situation to be figuring out if she’s bisexual, heterosexual, or homosexual. What with living in North Carolina and all. Land of bigots. At least according to current RL news coming out of North Carolina. And according to various people Mattison talks to. Her favorite teacher outright tells Mattison that “you can’t be successful and a dyke at the same time. . . who is going to hire you if you are a dyke?”

Still, Mattison doesn’t know what she is. Or what sex is. Or what two women together do. Or anything. So naturally she decides to hump both boys and girls. At the same time. What, is not spoiler, it’s in the book description. Actually, new paragraph needed.

My comment made me actually look at the book description. ‘Mattison develops an unhealthy girl crush on her best friend and rejects the boy her parents always dreamed she would be with.’ I’ve a feeling it’s more than just favorite teachers, parents, and North Carolina lawmakers who are bigots. ‘Unhealthy’ girl crush? Well, technically it is unhealthy. Not the girl crush, just the situation. Mattison is kind of insane; Kym shows every indication she prefers boys. Using ‘Unhealthy’ and having all these bigots in the book, doesn’t help matters though. Funnily enough that wasn’t the part I wanted to comment on. It was the ‘rejects the boy her parents always dreamed she would be with.’ WTF? The parents always dreamed she would be with Stanley? Always? Really? How? He just now arrived as a new student. How the fuck could the parents have always dreamed of him hooking up with their daughter? (and eww, seriously, eww, parents dreaming of their children’s sex lives? Eww; not the thinking about, but the dreaming about). Since I’m being nitpicky ‘Mattison Burr jumps off a pier’ . . . she did not jump off a pier. She got knocked into the ocean by . . um . . the wind? A runaway piece of wood? Something. She didn’t jump. Though she had planned to do so.

Right, sorry. Plot: girl goes to high school. As a senior. Girl tries to handle and deal with the concept that she might like girls. While she continues to also check out boys. The concept of lesbianism is shown, in the book, to be deeply disgusting to the people of her town; the concept of bisexuality, naturally, is unheard of.

Overall
This is a book that was all over the place. Mattison is kind of a hard person to follow, an odd mix of selfishness (two examples – she instigates a three-way sexcapade because she just needed to be with her BFF, and knew the only real way to bring that to reality was to involve a boy who the BFF wanted (and the boy wanted Mattison); while BFF’s life is imploding, Mattison ‘needs to connect to her now that’s she’s been traumatized and humiliated’ instead of, you know, needing to actually try to help her) and selflessness (she doesn’t like bullying, and when all the gym people are lined up to be weighed, and the mocking begins, Mattison stands up for the mocked one (though the mocked one is then, after Mattison stands up for them, shown to get red with embarrassment).

On one level, as a young woman of 18 who is unsure of her own sexual desires and nature, in a state that is apparently still quite bigoted – the somewhat ‘messed up’ and ‘crazy’ situation that is shown in this book is both somewhat kinda expected and seemed to be written well enough to show someone full of themselves attempting to look smart by using certain words and phrases, even if used incorrectly – a know it all teenager. On another level, and this is my own fault, I do not particularly like reading about messed up confused people – or at least, it isn’t my favorite thing to read. So the book was somewhat difficult to get through.

There were a few things that seemed vaguely odd, though, that occurred in this book. Mattison’s twin brother, Blake, is described as being an art major. When did high schools start having majors? Is that a North Carolina thing? Also, just one more example, Kym’s parents popping over to London for a bit, then popping back was treated as if they’d just moved a state over (as opposed to being in a country across an ocean). I do not know, I’m probably reading into things.

Two last thoughts – on the one hand, I like how Mattison didn’t actually, as I kind of expected to have happen at some point, come out as a lesbian – she came out to her parents, and others, but as someone interested in girls sexually (which is different than coming out as a lesbian, because it leaves the door open to her possibly being bisexual), on the other hand . . . um . . . I do not know why I started that off as ‘on the one hand’. Right, second last thought – people sure are bigoted in North Carolina, eh?

I would tentatively recommend this book, though only if the person understands what they are getting themselves into. They possibly could love the book or hate it. It seems to be that kind of book. Despite saying that, I find myself in the middle. At about 3 stars out of 5.

April 28 2016

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Spread the Love by Fletcher DeLancey, Lois Cloarec Hart, Erzabet Bishop, Sandra Barret, T.M. Croke, Alisha Kelley, J.L. Merrow


Spread the Love
by Fletcher DeLancey, Lois Cloarec Hart, Erzabet Bishop, Sandra Barret, T.M. Croke, Alisha Kelley, J.L. Merrow
Pages: 146
Date: February 2 2014
Publisher: Ylva Publishing
Series: N/A

Review
Rating: 4.147 out of 5.0
Read: April 27 2016
I do not exactly recall, now, the set of circumstances surrounding why and how I got this book, other than that I had seen it being offered for free, and picked it up. I see that it isn’t free at the moment. If I recall correctly, there some limited time deal to get the book for free. I mention all of this because you are, apparently, supposed to say stuff like this if you get a book for free – at least if you get it through a program like Netgalley, or directly from the publisher. And I do think that it was free through the publisher. Heck, now that I think about it, it might still be free on the publisher’s website.

Right – well anyway, this is a short story collection containing seven stories by seven different authors. One of the seven is one of my favorite authors, Fletcher DeLancey, the other seven are people I’m not certain I’ve read/encountered before. Though I know I have at least one other short story collection that contains a story by Erzabet Bishop – though I haven’t read that one yet.

Learning to Ride by Fletcher DeLancey
I’m not really sure what I was expecting when I opened the book, I just know that I was in something of a bind – I needed to read something (that’s me, must always be reading), but the book I’d picked up to read was annoying me. So, a quick look through my Kindle lead to this book – and this first story in the book.

I was hooked immediately – a woman on a bicycle going for a ride. A woman who hadn’t ridden in a great while and was . . . larger than the common bike rider. Hooked me – it did.

I’m not sure how others might view the story. The cover emphasizes ‘Seven Romantic and Erotic Lesbian Stories’ – which is actually why I haven’t even opened the book since I got it in January. I have to be in a ‘mood’ to purposefully go out of my way to read something labeled ‘erotic’, not ‘romance’, but out and out ‘erotic’. This brings us back to my first sentence in this paragraph. I’m not sure how others might view this story, because it is: (1) quite simple, really, in nature; (2) doesn’t have angst/drama/tension/conflict (beyond ‘can I go another mile/can I climb the hill’) except for the first encounter between the two women in the story, when one almost accidentally killed the other (‘On the left does not mean that you go to your left, but that I’m coming from the left’); (3) this story is by no means erotic, graphic, or otherwise have with sex in it. Those who need conflict/angst would probably be annoyed by the romance. Those who saw ‘erotic’ on the cover of the book, would be annoyed by the lack of erotic . . . action in the story.

Me? I loved the story. I actually found myself tear-y eyed while on the train. Long after I’d completed the story. I know, I probably should see someone about that. Heh. Unlike the last time I mentioned teary eyed (or something along those lines), this time it was happiness, joy, positive stuff that caused the mist.

I mentioned that the story was simple – well, it’s basically just a story of a series of bike rides. And a woman that encounters another on these rides. The first time a blur speed past Dana – the blur said something, but Dana couldn’t catch it. She assumed it was something derogatory. The second encounter with the woman almost involved injuries – blur ‘on your left!’ squealing. Dana didn’t realize ‘on your left’ meant someone was coming on your left. She thought that meant the rider wanted Dana to move to her left.

And the story proceeds from there. Brief encounters while on the bike trail. Though the brief encounters build up. Somewhere along the line names are exchanged. Sexual orientations are hinted at. Common interests are mentioned. More encounters on the bike trail.

This story kind of caught me unaware. Sure, I was hooked from the beginning, but I didn’t expect to love it.

Rating: 5.5
Date read: April 27 2016

Spider Lines by Lois Cloarec Hart
I’ve never read anything by this author, and I am fairly certain I hadn’t run across the name before now.

The story made me uncomfortable from beginning to end. I liked being able to read a story involving two women in a long term relationship, but the story both was and wasn’t about them. In that the story barely spent time with the two of them together. Both, though, were working through issues involving the other. Kris was having some depressing feelings involving the state of her relationship with Sandy; Sandy was ducking the needed conversation, then later developed certain feelings of jealousy, and fear.

For Kris had found something to spend her time on, since Sandy was busy all the time with her job. Kris, despite being self-described as having two left feet, decided, on impulse, to take up climbing. The story follows as she climbs a wall, then a mountain; all the while making comments about a third woman to Sandy. ‘Arden thought this helmet was better; Arden this, that, etc.’. Sandy was afraid Kris had found another, but their long-term relationship had frayed the communication lines.

That’s part of why the story made me uncomfortable. I saw Kris appreciating the attention, the comments; and I saw how she was kind of . . . unable to see the impact on Sandy. Sandy complements her on how all that climbing has made her look lately. Kris responds with some comment about how Arden had said something like that earlier. Really? Shesh.

Arden, of course, is the third woman in this story. About 12 years younger than Kris and Sandy. And one who doesn’t see any real advantage to not doing what feels good – in being tied down to relationships.

An interesting enough story – though a lot of the good parts were marred with this vague level of cheating feeling (though cheating didn’t occur). The good parts including climbing a mountain, seeing birds flying below you, seeing out over the tops of trees from high up.

I’ll more than likely try another story by this author – as long as the vaguely unease feeling of borderline cheating isn’t a reoccurring theme.

Eroticism – I brought up that ‘erotic’ part in the prior story, the word being on the book cover, so I’ll note that there is in fact a higher level of erotic tension in this specific story here (compared with the last one), and even some nakedness and touching. But no sex actually occurs.

Rating: 3.77
Date read: April 27 2016

Black and Blue by Erzabet Bishop
Um, what the hell? What’s going on here? Why the fuck is ‘erotic’ on the cover? I assume all the rest of the stories are just filled with erotica, I’m sure. Just to make me look weird for this little bit written here. I mean, this is only the third story in the book that I’ve read. But . . . this is also the only author who has ‘erotic’ listed among the list of ‘genre’ that they write – that and BDSM. And includes in her bio something about how she loves writing naughty stories, or however that was worded.

Erotica is not the same thing as sex, though you tend to find sex in erotic stories. But there wasn’t an ounce of erotic tension in this story here. Or in the first story. The second story had some naked fumbling, but that wasn’t presented very erotically.

Right, so. The story involves a woman named Julie. She works at a bookstore. There’s this hot chick who has been coming by for months, sitting in the café, reading, and eating cake. Julie lusts for her. Eventually Grace introduces herself (yes, Grace did, Julie was content to just keep lusting from a distance). Grace and Julie then begin a vaguely undetermined though apparently longish period of wandering around in a friend like way. Julie continues to lust after Grace. She even uses the word love. To herself.

Then Grace invites Julie over for some food. To met her boyfriend Merle. Oopsie, eh? One thing leads to another and Julie beats up Merle. No, not because her lust just grew so hard to contain that she erupted, beat up Merle and raped Grace. No, Julie beat Merle in reaction to a drunken Merle screaming at his bitch to get him a beer, then slamming his fist into Grace’s face because she wasn’t reacting correctly. As in, getting him a beer. Naturally – well, abuse stories follow a pattern. Naturally Grace stays with Merle. Because . . . reasons.

This pattern continues for another undetermined amount of time. No, not Merle beating Grace, and then Julie beating Merle. No, the part where Merle beat Grace, Grace kicks Merle out, then lets him in again. Then Grace gets beaten again. Repeat infinite plus one. Meanwhile Julie watches on, still lusting after Grace, though calling it love. To herself.

Bah. At one point I had two thoughts: (1) I feel sorry for Grace, she looks for a friend and gets beaten by Merle (not for looking for a friend, I mean – looks for a friend, one beats her (Merle), the other keeps giving off strong vibes of wanting to hump her (Julie)); (2) how the fuck can Julie know she loves Grace? She doesn’t know Grace. She lusts, very hard, for Grace. Mmphs.

Whatever. For what it’s worth, I do not particularly like reading stories like this one here, but it was well written at least (beyond the sense that I had no clue how much time was passing; I mean, at one point there’s a comment that a woman kept coming by (Grace) that Julie liked checking out – for months; then they met – in terms of exchanging names, then a comment like ‘took her months to ask her to get a drink’. So . . months after exchanging names? So it’s been like six months now since Grace first showed up? And then months have gone by in a ‘friendzone’ situation? I’m confused).

I’ll read the other free story by this author before deciding whether or not I’ll actually try anything more. Longer. Course the other free story I have might be the only other lesbian story she’s written (I know it’s lesbian in nature, because it has ‘Lesbian Lust’ as part to the title).

Rating: 3.75
Date Read: April 27 2016

Soft Hands and Hard Hats by JL Merrow
I rather liked this one, though it ended kind of abruptly. Somewhat more of a tease than a short story.

A woman, Han, and ‘her mate’ visit a cave. While there the mate meets a nice lad, while Han meets a nice lassie named Kim (hmms, thought the name Kim in England was used for men – you know, like those traitors Kim Philby and the like).

Oh right - there's a bit of romance, but no eroticism. Unless thinking the word 'breasts' and some kissing counts as eroticism.

Rating: 4.32
Date Read: April 27 2016

Touch of the Traakyn by Sandra Barret
Well, I figured out why the one author who lists Erotica among their genres on their GoodReads profile didn't have erotica in their story (referring here to Bishop not Barrett) - I wasn't on the train. I've mentioned before that I have this odd track record wherein I'll read a book and nothing of a sexual nature will occur, I'll get onto the train and . . . unleash the sex! Shesh.

I mention this because I finally found the erotica in this book. After I got on the train. Started with this story here and continued through the last stories in the book.

This story here is the Science Fiction story of the lot. Stars as its main character a human female who had been in the military before becoming injured. I guess she's technically still in it - the book opens with her in the hospital being examined. Though she knows she's going into forced retirement shortly.

She's lost her foot, right arm, and part of her upper torso. Replaced with synthetic parts. Her girlfriend of the time couldn't stand the concept of seeing her with gold parts (the synthetics) and dumped her. Every human she runs across also reacts badly when they see her. So she hides away as much as possible.

Until one night she's in the hot tub and a voice strikes her ears. She's so used to people talking around her and ignoring her that she doesn't at first realize that she's the person being addressed. She looks up and kind of drools. A gorgeous woman is standing there barely clothed. The woman repeats herself - asking if she can join her in the hot tub. By the way, she has blue skin - the new woman.

One thing leads to another and the two become friendly towards each other. And as would be expected from my opening remarks leading into this story - there is graphic erotic depictions of 'stuff' that occurs.

Odd, for me, I rather enjoyed the story. And the graphic depictions of 'stuff'.

Rating: 4.72
Date Read: April 27 2016

Red Hot Neighbour by T.M. Croke
Two women move in to the same house. The lead character is quite taken with the other woman, and keeps having to stop and watch her walk around. Then there's a flash back to when the two women first meet.

I liked the story. Well written. Though it's mostly an erotic story with graphic sex.

Rating: 4.67
Date Read: April 27 2016

Smoke and Swans by Alisha Kelley
The third story annoyed me from the beginning. I just couldn't stand the main character. Then the story became the third in the book to have graphic sex. And I reverted to what I normally do when I come across that in a book - I started skimming (no, I do not always do that, I just mean . . . I don't know what I mean, I guess I just get easily bored, and will start to skim). Since I didn't like the underlying story/characters, and didn't care about the sex, I kind of ended up giving this specific story less attention that it probably deserved. But still, didn't like it.

Rating: 2.3
Date Read: April 27 2016

OVERALL
Surprisingly good collection of stories. Overall rating - average of all the short story's ratings, is 4.147.

April 27 2016

Clichéd Love: A Satirical Romance by Lynn Galli


Clichéd Love: A Satirical Romance
by Lynn Galli
Pages: 314
Date: March 31 2016
Publisher: Penikila Press
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.5 out of 5.0
Read: April 25 to 26 2016

I was excited and surprised to see a new book appear - as in; I was poking around and happened to notice a book had been published a couple days before I noticed it even existed. I really need to pay more attention to things like that - publication schedules and stuff.

I was not sure what to expect from this book - in July of last year I'd basically read everything by Galli, all in the same month (except for a book here or there). And I had rather enjoyed all of them, mostly. So I was vaguely nervous about trying a new book after a 9 month gap - especially with the way this book was structured - a series of interviews by a journalist who would learn the 'love story' of many couples. Luckily, for my peace of mind, what I vaguely suspected would happen, didn't. This isn't a series of connected short stories - 'connected' by having a 'narrator' move from couple to couple. No, there's a real story here, a real novel with some rather deep characters. Much deeper than some I've seen in a while.

Vega is a 46 year old journalist who has come up with a ‘brilliant’ proposal to write a series of articles based on interviews with long term LGBT relationships (there is a mixture of gay and lesbian couples interviewed, though I am not sure, based on how she seems to set up in lesbian bars, if the gay couples were originally part of the proposal). The point of the series would be to showcase LGBT couples in a ‘good’ light, to ‘humanize’ them, now that that Supreme Court ruling had come out regarding lesbian and gay marriage.

I put brilliant in quotes, because Vega has come to the conclusion that she has found herself a goodish long term project to work on, but she is kind of tired of how clichéd everyone’s stories seem to be.

(ETA: this isn't a spoiler so much as something I left out to cut down on the details, but then, after reading my review a few times, made it seem like I probably should mention this specific factoid: after beginning her series of interviews, Vega hits on a variation of her plan, and proposes it to her editors - they accept this change - now the articles will involve two couples in each article - one LGBT, one straight - with the names changed to make them as unisex as possible; then people would vote on which couple they thought was gay/lesbian; or straight - winner would get a $100,000 wedding, or a really nice vacation).

The book opens with Vega stopping on her tour of interviewing in a bar in Seattle. She plans to be there for a certain amount of time, gather interviews, and then move on. That’s the plan at least.

The point of view, by the way, is purely from Vega’s point of view.

Iris is a woman who Vega spots in the Seattle bar. Vega’s intrigued by the roughly 46 year old woman, though not specifically attracted to her – not really her type. But still intrigued. Many people, oddly, come up to Vega while she’s in the bar to do interviews, to note that Vega should ‘watch out’ for Iris. Iris, apparently, is a one-night stand type woman. Vega doesn’t particularly care, re: ‘not really her type’, but is still intrigued, in a maybe new friend type.

Vega sets up a temporary place of residence close-ish to the bar. Conducts interviews mostly in the bar. Hangs out with people, and over the summer months, develops a friendship with Iris. Playing tennis. Going on stake-outs, etc. Oh, did I not mention that? Iris is a private investigator. Vega initially laughed at Iris, assuming she was pulling her leg.

The book is a rather fun, humorous, neat book – deeper than I expected. Considering I was somewhat hesitant to start the book, I am somewhat surprised by my reaction. The reaction being that this is one of the best books I’ve read in a while.

Oh and there’s at least one rather good sex scene in this here book.

Two last notes: 1) I’m purposely being less detailed than I might normally be so that others would have even less chance to be spoiled by anything I note (like I’m completely leaving out the part about how important a role a third person plays in this book – Lane; and how others – in the bar, and meet elsewhere, have their own deeper roles to play); 2) those who have read prior books by Galli will likely notice a few familiar names here and there – mostly side characters in prior books, though a few ‘name’ (as in main in prior books) characters are mentioned but not seen.

April 26 2016

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Lost Cat by Caroline Paul & Wendy MacNaughton


Lost Cat
by Caroline Paul & Wendy MacNaughton
Pages: 176
Date: April 9 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Series: N/A

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: April 25 2016

The book opens with a woman in a plane crash. An experimental plane. She's all damaged and stuff, and requires crutches, casts, and all that good stuff. Not sure if the relationship is 'newish' or 'just started' or something like that, but the woman, Caroline, had been dating this woman named Wendy.

The point of noting the newness, is the part where both had been, more or less, on their best behavior. Now Caroline can't be. What with being damaged and somewhat out of her mind on pain killers. So . . . I have no idea why I'm starting this book this way. Right, so, Caroline isn't sure if she can count on Wendy, but knows she can count on Tibby and Fibby - the twin cats who have lived with her for the last 13 years.

Except, somewhere along the way, after months of being present in the house (instead of mysteriously disappearing for hours at a time), one of the two cats does a runner. Disappears. A frantic search is conducted. Months go by. And then, Wendy and Caroline are awoken to the sound of a deep mew. The missing cat, Tibby had returned.

Caroline, for various reasons, really wants to know where the cat had been for months. So, she starts doing weird things, like attaching GPS devices to the cat, and cameras, and talking to psychs, pet detectives, and someone who supposedly can teach you to talk with your pets.

An interesting book. I had this vague idea that there was going to be humor involved, at least I had this idea take root based on some of the reviews, or something I'd read. This is not a humor book. On the other hand, I did find myself unexpectedly teary-eyed at one specific point. A deeper less humorous book than I expected.

April 25 2016

Switchblade by Carsen Taite


Switchblade
by Carsen Taite
Pages: 205
Date: May 11 2014
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Luca Bennett Bounty Hunter (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: April 26 2016

The last book in the series (at least as of this date).

I've had something of a running theme in my reviews, barring the one for the short story, about how much having read the short story did or did not impact my ability to read the books that came before it. Since the short story is the last thing, currently, published in the series. Well, things kind of built. First book wasn't that impacted. Sure, things were a lot different than the world the short story lived in, but, for all I knew, the events in the first book occurred years before the short story. So any differences could be pushed aside. Second book? Less easy to push things aside. Especially since the relationship, whatever it might have been would be had been, was a huge question mark in the second book between the two people who were lovey-dovey in the short story (okay, they weren't, but they were a definite couple). Spent most of the second book in a kind of 'get on with it, I know the relationship you two are going to have . . . stop being morons' haze.

Third book? It wasn't the romance, per se, that I had an issue with, it was the mystery/action part. Because I knew what would happen, since it had already happened for me - from having read the short story. 'Come on already . . come on . . . WTF? That's not how it was described in the short story. mmphs.' So - my ability to enjoy the third book was greatly undermined by having read the short story before I'd read anything else.

So. Luca Bennett came from a crap background. A broken home. Without any real desire for the work, she went to the police academy. Meet someone named Jessica Chance there. They both graduated. Were friendly towards each other. They begin their training with two experienced partners - Teresa Perez (with Jessica), and Larry Brewster (with Luca). An incident occurs, both Brewster and Luca are shot. Perez is pissed at Luca. Luca says fuck it and leaves the police force. All of this occurring before the first book in the series. She becomes a bounty hunter, licensed private investigator, and fuck-buddy with Jessica Chance.

First book involves a good mystery. On again, off again fuck buddy status with Jessica Chance. And a relationship between Luca and a lawyer named Veronica 'Ronnie' Moreno.

Second book involves an interesting enough mystery. Weirdness with Jessica Chance. Relationship between Luca and a federal agent named Diamond Collier - who Luca had apparently hooked up with in the past during a case that gets talked about in the series, but never actually detailed fully. Meanwhile Jessica Chance has hooked up with a doctor.

Third book. Ronnie's turned up for Luca's help. Her brother, a cop, is in trouble. The only reason I can fathom Ronnie turning to Luca is because Luca had worked with her in the past (and she can't turn to the police - they are the ones investigating her brother; and she can't turn to . . . apparently anyone else - apparently having grown up in the area gave her access to no other living person in Dallas except her family, and Luca Bennett - and she only meet Luca when Ronnie moved back to Dallas). Otherwise . . . going to a bounty hunter to hunt down a fugitive is one thing. Going to a bounty hunter to help your brother, who isn't missing I remind everyone, is . . . confusing. A conspiracy involving drugs, which may or may not be fake; and really really stupid cops - seriously, no one questions the fact that a newly promoted vice detective lives in a 'good' area of town, in a 'nice' house, and drives a newish corvette? What, do they need the cops to wander around handing out flyers saying 'we are corrupt, heh heh heh' for anyone to notice? (Why yes, I say to myself, people did notice - hence - stupid stupid evil corrupt cops).

So. I ran through the list of the relationships in the series for the important point of now saying - everyone who had popped up at any point in the series and had any type of physical relationship with Luca, turns up in this book. Ronnie's here, Jessica's here, as is Diamond Collier. Luca's been on something of a growing path - one involving forcing herself to recognize her feelings. And yet . . . well, it's hard to break patterns/habits, eh? Oh, and almost forgot - the flirty Nancy Walters is also in this book as well. She does everything short of pouncing onto Luca and humping her. Everyone seems to like making disparaging remarks to Luca, but they all sure want to hump her.

Teresa Perez had kind of been built up in my mind, from the short story and the first book, as being this smart woman who despises Luca. Other than running around with a, figurative, sign on her head in this book, she didn't exactly seem to be as smart as I'd expected/been lead to believe the only reason anyone suspected Perez is because she kept poking her nose into things - she's the one who tipped off the other cops about Ronnie's brother, despite the fact that doing so is kind of suspicious in and of itself (it was a vice matter, Perez had worked in vice, true, but she's in homicide now; plus, it should have been Ronnie's partner who turned him in - since there's this mystery surrounding why that partner wasn't under investigation - or at least suspended). Cops get shot, there's Perez to hassle Luca. The cops in question are the same ones involved in this conspiracy investigation. Perez is a homicide cop - there's less than no reason for her to be butting her head in (less than because all this does is again point fingers back at herself). Perez personally injected herself into the case of Ronnie's brother's partner's domestic violence case . . . again - she works homicide. (yeah, that was a weird sentence, I should have memorized Jorge's partner's name so I'd stop having to refer to him so indirectly.

I distracted myself and I am rambling so I'll boil things down - there's a good chance I would have rated this book at least 4 stars if not for how I screwed myself by reading the short story before the books in this series. At the moment I figure I'd give it 3.5 stars. And probably raise the rating up to 4 at some point relatively soon. Maybe.

April 27 2016

Monday, April 25, 2016

Battle Axe by Carsen Taite


Battle Axe
by Carsen Taite
Pages: 264
Date: May 13 2013
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Luca Bennett Bounty Hunter (2nd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: April 25 2016

My second book by Taite, and third story in this specific series. I just have a few notes to add to this middle of the series book.

1) My prior knowledge, given to me from reading the short story that appeared after the third novel, actually had a deeper impact on my enjoyment of the story this time around, than in the prior book. Mostly because I 'know' how things are supposed to turn out; the first book was relatively 'smooth' and didn't bother me too much with how things evolved; while the second book had me frustrated with the relationships occurring. In a 'come on already, get with it' kind of frustration.
2) I was actually surprised, considering how much time is spent with the side character Teresa Perez in the first book, the short story that occurs after the trilogy, and supposedly in the third book, that Perez does not appear at all in this book. Not even a mention (unless I missed it).
3) There was a mystery, it was interesting, it was not as interesting as in the short story, or in the first book of the series.
4) To a certain extent, a greater bit of time seemed to be spent on romances/relationships/miscommunications/missed communications/etc. than in either the prior book or in the short story.

Luca continues to be a player, and has a new person to play with this time - though that 'new person' is a return of someone from a prior case. Which reminds me - that whole referencing Diamond Collier and Luca's interactions with her in the past, and the undercover case Collier had been working on? Just made me keep thinking that I'd yet again missed a book somewhere along the way. It would probably be a less frustrating experience, and might even have been intriguing, if I hadn't already started the series in reverse order (which, fair enough, is my own fault). Right, as noted, indirectly, the new person Luca played with is Diamond Collier - a government worker.

Oddly, this time around, Jessica Chance also had someone to play with, and it wasn't Luca. That was somewhat unexpected.

April 26 2016

Saturday, April 23, 2016

The Khyber Connection by Simon Hawke


The Khyber Connection
by Simon Hawke
Pages: 170
Date: October 15 2015 (originally 1986)
Publisher: Self (originally Ace)
Series: TimeWars (6th in series)

Review
Rating: 2.8 out of 5.0
Read: April 23 2016

In this sixth book in the series, we see the fight of the British to expand their empire in the Hindu Kush. Well, they are already there, more like we see an uprising that is religiously driven among the natives of the region against the British.

Into this scenario we have an actual parallel time line impose itself on evens, as opposed to past books that seemed to imply that parallel time-lines weren't possible - or at the very least, that if a time line split, 'it'd be the end of everything'. Well, apparently some of the weapons used by the time comandos packed a mighty punch. Most of which got sent along, vaguely magically, to some distant point. At least that's what they thought. Unbeknownst to them, the energy actually was being sent into a parallel time line - and killing millions. Naturally that time line, when it got the opportunity, launched an actual time war upon those knowingly or unknowingly kiling them.

An interesting enough book. Certain points seemed to have had odd moments of info dumps, which were both odd and unneeded. And then there was the case of Col. Priest for some reason being referred to as Major Priest. He was a Colonel in one or more previous books. A light Colonel, but still, not a Major. Makes me wonder if I've somehow drifted into some third time line.

Oh, and one last note - that whole business involving that Dr. Darkness guy? Quite annoying.

April 23 2016

Friday, April 22, 2016

Cat Catcher by Caroline Shaw


Cat Catcher
by Caroline Shaw
Pages: 330
Date: February 24 2000 (originally 1999)
Publisher: Serpent's Tail
Series: Lenny Aaron (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 4.40 out of 5.0
Read: April 19 to 22 2016

‘Cat Catcher’ is my first book by this author.

As I mentioned in my last review, the one for ‘Slingshot’ by Carsen Taite, I’d accidentally left ‘Cat Catcher’ at home one day and had to find something else to read. Which I mention because I then accidentally read another lesbian mystery book. Instead of doing the smart thing and reading something else, like, say, a nonfiction book.

I mention all that because there are similarities between the two situations in the two different books written roughly 13 years apart that will make writing a review more difficult than it should have been. In short – two young women who work in non-traditional areas of private investigation, with L first names, both ex-cops who left the police force after incidents that caused them injury, and when both found police work just too tough, and . . . um, I believe there were other similarities but I forget them now. Just recalled another similarity – both have addictions – Luca to gambling, Lenny to pain killers.

Characters
Helena ‘Lenny’ Aaron: Lenny is 27 and is an ex-cop. The story of why she is an ex-cop unfolds in little snippets throughout the book. Important as that story is to the development of Lenny’s character, it all boils down to: she was on a case to catch someone of some prominence. They couldn’t get him for the illegal crimes he committed (drugs? I forget now), so they were going to get him for tax fraud. They found evidence. People died. Lenny got viciously injured, and lost her nerve. And now she works as a cat detective, sees a shrink weekly (I rather dislike that psychologist, several reasons, but the most important one is one he even admitted – he just says things just to get rid of his patients), and is addicted to pain killers.

Plot/Mystery
Throughout the book, Lenny hunts down various missing cats. Some she finds dead, some alive. Oh, and that’s something I was going to mention – for a book about someone who hunts cats, there sure were a lot of dead cats in this book. Right. Plot/mystery.

A Kimberly Talbot contacts Lenny. Lenny ducks her twice, but eventually Kimberly forces herself inside Lenny’s office. I pause for a moment – Lenny sure is judgmental, throughout the book Lenny makes disparaging remarks about almost everyone she encounters – Kimberly has great legs, great breasts, and horrible bull-dog face, therefore she’s ugly.

Right. Kimberly wants her missing cat found. Oh, and her mother has received some horrible letters threatening to kill her (the mother). Lenny notes that she doesn’t do that kind of investigation, though she’ll look for the cat.

One thing leads to another, and Lenny does in fact do that kind of investigation – she ends up living in the Talbot home to look for the cat, and while there, investigate the threatening letters.

The investigation and mystery are all rather well done.

Romance
There’s something of a lovely romance in this book. Between Lenny and Cleo. They go from being bitchy towards each other, to trying to dump each other, to a growing attachment. Quite nice. *nods*. That relationship between Lenny and Cleo. I might or might not have mentioned this point yet, but Cleo is a Siamese kitty cat.

Oh, between Lenny and other humans? Well, she does have flirtations with a man (the next door porn shop owner – more that man wishing to be with Lenny, and Lenny wishing that man would leave her alone), and several women (both Vivien Talbot and Kimberly Talbot); but flirtations are all that occurs.

Overall
I do not know Australian noir. I’ve seen one or two films that may or may not be in that genre, and are from Australia, but otherwise I do not know Australia’s version of that noir genre. I say this because this book stresses that it is noir. It even has Noir written on the book’s spine.

I’ve a certain awareness of American noir. Having read several of the popular books of the genre, by such authors as Dashiell Hammett (The Thin Man, The Maltese Falcon), Mickey Spillane, and Raymond Chandler. They involve grim private dicks. Who have addictions, mostly to drink and to women. And dames in specific type of dresses. And everyone carries guns all the time. And smoking, lots of smoking. And the lead character, who is a private dick, has a kind of grim depressing view of the world around him (yes, almost always him).

Well, if I was going to label this book a cozy mystery, of which I’ve read a fair number, or a noir, I’d probably lean towards noir. Even with a private dick who hunts cats for a living. Way too much violence, addition, depressing thoughts, and the rest for this to be a cozy.

I do not wish to give a wrong impression here – I rather enjoyed the book. Lenny is somewhat hard to take, but overall an enjoyable experience had by me. Unfortunate that there are only two books in the series, and something like only 8 or so people have read them.

Pressed, I’d probably give the book a rating of roughly 4.35 to 4.45 stars.

April 22, 2016

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Slingshot by Carsen Taite


Slingshot
by Carsen Taite
Pages: 264
Date: August 30 2012
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Luca Bennett Bounty Hunter (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0
Read: April 20 to 21 2016

This review is for the first book I’ve read by this author, though second ‘work’ (since I read a short story by them previously). This is also the first book in the Luca Bennett series.

I have two ‘issues’ that impact my ability to write a proper review for this book: (1) previously read a story in the Bennett series; (2) read this book in the middle of another book that had odd similarities.

(1) At the present time, the Bennett series involves three books, and a short story tacked on at the end. I read the short story before I read anything else, therefore I knew things about the people involved that I would otherwise not known – and yes, it did have an impact on my reading the book. Three of the people I had pinpointed as being possibly important in my review for short story show up in this book. Luca Bennett, Teresa Perez, and Jessica Chance. Teresa is/was an antagonist to Luca in both this first book and in the short story; and Luca & Jessica were quite friendly in both stories I’ve read. Though they have a different relationship in both.

(2) I had been reading a book titled ‘Cat Catcher’ by Caroline Shaw before I dove into ‘Slingshot’. I had been at around 47% completion when I paused to read Slingshot, though paused is somewhat misleading – ‘Cat Catcher’ is one of the few books, and maybe only book this year, that I’ve read the physical non-digital version (it’d be hard to check because I record whatever ISBN Netgalley gives me, and while they give me digital copies of books to review, the ISBN’s are, more often than not, for physical editions). Two days ago I left my house and forgot to bring my book with me. And so . . . I read Slingshot.

‘Slingshot’ involves, as its protagonist, one Luca Bennett. Luca is an ex-cop lesbian with a private investigator’s license who does not normally do PI work. Apparently she needs a PI license to be a bounty hunter in Texas. In other words, Luca uses her investigative skills to trace humans. ‘Slingshot’ is a mystery that includes investigation. ‘Cat Catcher’ involves one Lenny Aaron who is an ex-cop lesbian who works as a private investigator (I’m not clear if she has a license or not), but not the normal type of PI. She also works as something of a tracer. Though she doesn’t trace missing fugitive humans, but instead tracks missing ‘fugitive’ cats. Also both Luca and Lenny left the police force after violent incidents.

I mention all of the above because the first issue, the having read a short story that takes place after the events of this novel, gives me information that I might accidentally convey in this review; while the second issue might make me accidentally convey information from a book from a completely different series. Though, beyond all their similarities, Luca and Lenny are not really that similar in characteristics/personality. And Luca is something of a ‘player’ while Lenny might very well be asexual with a leaning towards women.

Characters
Luca Bennett: Luca’s mother ran off when Luca was young. By the time this story opens, the mother is on the fourth husband. The father? A drunk with an addiction for gambling. He has respect, though, for steady work, and pushed Luca in the direction of the police. Whether or not Luca would have joined the police force without that push, is unclear. But she did, definitely, pick up an addiction to gambling from dear old pops. Luca’s time with the police, though, was short lived – there was an ‘incident’ during which Luca was shot and her partner died (I’d normally leave the partner dying out, but it plays its role in the book, and all of this took place before the book started). Once Luca got out of the hospital, she looked for other work. Which lead her to being a bounty hunter. I know Lenny’s 27, because I recall making a note of that information in passing. I forget if Luca’s age is given.
Of Importance: Pops – Luca’s dad whose name escapes me; Hardin (sp?) the guy who gives Luca people to chase; Jessica Chance – her friend with benefits. Maggie.

Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Moreno: is a lawyer who used to work for a big time firm ‘back east’ in NY. Pulling down the big bucks. But now works in a miniature office with/for her uncle. Defending any and everyone who walks in off the street. There’s a back-story/reason for the relocation and change in job status, but that’s something that has to be teased out over the course of the book. She’s the person who ‘hires’ Luca to find a fugitive named Jed Quitman.
Of Importance: family, including her uncle . . . ..

Maggie: an older woman, at least older than Luca. She feeds Luca and serves her bad beer when Luca doesn’t have the money for anything else. Steak and good beer when she does. As is noted in the book, Luca only eats there like 4 or 5 times a week. There being Maggie’s bar. Maggie is mentioned because she has a ‘favor’ – she wants Luca to track down her brother Billy, who apparently is in worse trouble than normal. Luca takes the case.
Of Importance: Billy.

Jessica Chance: Jessica and Luca entered the police force near/at the same time. One was trained by Teresa Perez (Jessica), while the other was trained by Perez normal partner (Luca). Every once in a while Luca and Jessica ‘hook up’, though they don’t have anything like a romantic relationship.

Plot
Jed Quitman is a huge local businessman with fingers in many pots. Seedy pots – run down apartment buildings, strip clubs, and pay-day-loan places (the kind that charges around 200% to 300% interest). He’s gone and gotten himself missing. Certain people are looking for him. Including one Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Moreno.

When Luca Bennett turns up to get paid for her latest bounty capture, she asks for more work. But her regular supplier of jobs, the bail bondsman Hardin (sp?) has nothing. But he does direct Luca to the Moreno law-firm.

Ronnie gives Luca the job of hunting Jed. Luca spends most of the book investigating Jed’s whereabouts, while at the same time looking for someone named Billy (as a favor to her favorite bar owner, Maggie), and ducking the pursuit of Teresa Perez. Perez would just love to find some form of criminal charges to stick to Luca – she blames Luca for the death of Perez’s partner when Luca was on the police force.

Perez gets something of her chance when Luca keeps stumbling over dead bodies. The first one is iffy to stick to Luca, but Perez tries anyway. The second one? Well, dead body, bloody sledgehammer. Blood and fingerprints on sledgehammer. Second dead body seems harder for Luca to dodge.

Mystery & Romance
This is a mystery, not a romance. Even so, there’s some ‘action’ on the romance front that involves Luca. First when she and Jessica Chance have one of their ‘normal’ flings and certain feelings might suddenly be there. Second there’s something of a pursuit involving Luca pursuing Ronnie. And whether anything could develop there. So something on the edge of romance goes on.

In terms of a mystery – there is an actual mystery story here. And an investigation. Quite well done, really.

Overall
I liked the book and the storyline. A few things here and there tripped me up, caused me certain moments of concern. (1) flirting and sleeping around – fine, she’s not in a steady relationship; (2) constant need to gamble – annoying; (3) making a point of always having at least one, no, multiple guns on hand – some even hidden in her vehicle – then deciding, WTF, let’s, just this once, go outside without being armed (it’s as if the author knew that if Luca stayed in character, the story would not be able to flow the way the author wanted it to flow). But still a good solid book. I’ve already acquired the two sequels and will be reading them shortly.

April 22 2016

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Anyone But You by K.G. MacGregor


Anyone But You
by K.G. MacGregor
Pages: 221
Date: June 16 2014
Publisher: Bella Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 3.40 out of 5.0
Read: April 16 to 19 2016

There is an interesting story here. More in terms of the big business/corruption/oil spill/environmental disaster/cover-up or attempted cover up, and less in terms of romance.

Oddly, the least realistic parts of this book were the 'good' parts, the actions of the 'good people'. Plus the romance was rushed, and not tremondously gripping.

I might think of more to say later, unlikely though.

April 19 2016

Monday, April 18, 2016

Faster Harder by Colleen Masters


Faster Harder (Take Me... #1)
by Colleen Masters
Pages: 308
Date: December 13 2013
Publisher: Hearts Collective
Series: Take Me... (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 3.8 out of 5.0
Read: April 15 2016

This is one of those unfortunate times when a book gets read and finished when I'm not in a position to do anything about the fact that I'd read and finished it. So there's this delay that gets built in - both in terms of getting my thoughts together for a review, and in terms of other works have been examined/read since the completion of this book here. So, let me see what I can put together here.

First off - I'm not actually sure what I'd rate this book. I'd initially put it down on the 3 star level - more so I could mark it read (I was away from my computer, and my phone was giving me issues); though I had the thought that I'd probably rate the book somewhere around 3.5 to 4.2. Realizing that, now, I move it up to the 4 star level.

The book involves Siena Lazio and Forumla 1 racing. And I admit that I read the book largely because I wanted to read another book that involved car racing. They seem oddly hard to find. Oh, and the book was free, so that helped. I mean being offered on Amazon for $0.00, not meaning that it was free to me and only me.

Siena Lazio is an Italian-American woman of roughly 25 years of age who works for her family's car racing team - Team Ferrelli. Technically not actually her family's car team, just they have had a long history with the team, and Siena's pop owns a majority stake. The Lazio family, and Team Ferrelli are, in the book's world, highly regarded in the sport of auto-racing. Siena's pop is majority owner of the team, and an hands on manager; her brother is the lead driver for the team (and the brother is her twin). Siena works public relations for the team, though she is being constantly undermined by her father - who seems to only be able to see her as his daughter; and, is constantly being 'watched' - 'guarded'. Both in terms of what she does reflects on the team, and in terms of 'she's a female family member, therefore, 'obviously' she needs to be watched'. The brother, on the other hand, while required to be the top, and be constantly working on being ready to race, isn't as controlled off the track - in terms of - he is allowed to be a ladies man.

So, the book opens with the start of a new F1 season. The team, and the race, is in Barcelona. Siena feels the need to 'unwind', so she goes to a night club. Followed along by her 'watcher', the son of the team ... manager? I forget what post Gus fills (that's the father, not the son). The son and Siena grew up together, and Siena believes that the son (this would be easier if I'd done the review immediately after I'd read the book - I can't recall the son's name) lusts after her; but she can't see him as anything other than a brother-type.

So - they are in a night club in Barcelona. Siena wants to be herself; that son guy keeps being an uptight ass. Eventually Siena gets that son guy to leave and soon bumps into a man named Harrison. She doesn't say who she is in terms of auto-racing; and he doesn't say who he is. Though both acknowledge that they are somehow involved in F1. They flirt, they dance, they end up in the bathroom together; some fondling begins but they get tossed out before they can get anywhere.

Harrison, which will be eventually learned, is a guy by the name of Harrison Davies. 'Secret weapon' for Team McClain. Which is right in the book's description. heh. He's a driver and will give Enzo some competition for champion of F1 (Enzo being Siena's brother).

There's a 'Romeo & Juliet' vibe going on in this book - in terms of Davis being a member of Team McClain, and Siena being a member of Team Ferrelli.

There are some scenes on the track, though most everything that involves the auto-races are from Siena's perspective watching. This is the first book in a series; maybe additional books shift the POV to someone actually behind the wheel? I might find out some day.

Oh, and the book felt quite complete and then there had to be a cliffhanger ending tacked on at the end. Mind you, that was, to a certain extent, foreshadowed, but still.

April 18 2016

Friday, April 15, 2016

The One That Got Away by Stephanie Motes


The One That Got Away
by Stephanie Motes
Pages: 136
Date: September 30 2013
Publisher: Self
Series: Chris & Liz (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 2.5 out of 5.0
Read: April 14 to 15 2016

‘The One That Got Away’ is the first book that I’ve read by both Stephanie Motes and Grace Moskola. Though it is the third work I’ve read with Motes name on it.

There was an odd kind of vibe to this book. Two immediate issues: the book really felt as if two 17 year olds were having something like a summer fling (though both used words indicating that they didn’t wish to have just a summer fling) in between college semesters (based on how the two acted, how the parents acted, at the time, and then later when they talked back about that summer). There is a huge deal made about how this was a great summer, a summer to have lived for, romance was in the air, etc. etc. But . . . it really felt like, instead of say three months, all the action seemed to have taken place over an extended weekend. That or, we went from, say, June to August in a flash, indicated by ‘summer is over now’ – I do recall that phrase used unexpectedly at one point. Seemed to be ‘summer’s here . . . *three seconds later* summer is over now.’

Tackling the first of the two ‘immediate’ issues – Christina Williams (heh, I didn’t recognize the name when I was looking at the book descriptions to make sure I got the names right – I didn’t recognize because she went mostly by Chris throughout the book) isn’t some 17 year old between college semesters. She’s a college graduate. It is true that she might be one of those people who graduated early, or something, but let’s just assume, for the sake of it, that she is between the ages of 21 and 22. I’m not actually sure how old Elizabeth Baker was supposed to be during that summer, though I guess she was supposed to be about the same age? Though her interactions with Chris seemed to make her seem younger than Chris somehow. Now granted 21/22 isn’t exactly a huge difference between it and 17/18; but one is considered fully adult, while the other isn’t even considered capable of being allowed to drink (depending on the legal jurisdiction).

Now the first ‘issue’ probably is my own fault for seeing them acting younger than I’d expect them to act. The second one . . . maybe I accidentally missed a section or something? I’m fairly sure I read everything, though, so I can’t pin this one on me. This ‘great summer’ fling appears to have occurred over a longish weekend, at least going by the activities that occurred. Which makes their abrupt and somewhat random decision to run away together seem even more bizarre.

Bah. I kind of distracted myself there. I’m not really sure what I’m attempting to write up above so let’s just skip ahead.

The book involves Christina “Chris” Williams and Elizabeth “Liz” Baker.

Chris is the daughter of a Senator, comes from a family with a lot of money, and has money of her own from a trust set up for her. When the book opens, Chris hasn’t really fully grasped the fact that others might have money issues. This comes up here or there. She’s a college graduate, but while there are aspects of her own independence attempting to shine through, she is still mostly under the thumb of her parents – at least at the start of the summer. Chris, her brother, her parents, and the siblings girlfriends are vacationing in a town in Florida. I say that the brother’s girlfriend is there as well, because comments are made about both of them having their girlfriends there. At some point, though, the brother leaves to go to training camp to prepare for the NFL draft, and presumably the girlfriend left as well – though the reader never got to meet that specific girlfriend (unless she is the same one that pops up when the brother returns for some party or other; though that woman isn’t the woman Chris spots going into the brothers room).

Leslie, though, is seen. She’s the long time girlfriend of Chris. There are even some POV scenes from her perspective. She comes from a well-to-do family, and is acceptable to Chris parents. She’s also in love with Chris, while Chris seems to have either never been in love or fallen out of love with Leslie. At some point she is sent packing by Chris. But that’s after Chris fools around with Liz. That’s right – Chris cheated on Leslie with Liz. Chris seems to feel bad about how everything went down, but also that she had the right to do it (though she did weepily explain things after the fact; or was it just Leslie who was weepy?). Numerous times Chris makes comments about what a jerk the brother is turning out to be now-a-days; wonder if Chris happened to ever look in a mirror, eh?

Liz Baker works as a waitress for a horrible horrible man who steals her tips in a somewhat run-down seafood restaurant in the town in Florida that the Williams family is vacationing in. She is a townie, and knows that vacationers look down on her kind. So she normally attempts to avoid vacationers. By vigorously throwing the Frisbee on resort beaches, but whatever. She at least says she normally tries to avoid vacationers. Oh, and to get back to that horrible boss? That’s Liz’s step-dad. Buster.

While Chris is experimenting with the concept of not always obeying every order her parents sent her way, by not going to the brunch, she is literally run into by a presumably bikini clad girl. Hell, for all I know she’s naked. Was her clothing described? Bah, it probably was and I just don’t recall now. No matter – the woman that ran into Chris is Liz. They start to hang out together. Candace, Chris’ mom, attempts to ‘make trouble’ for the pair, since Liz isn’t from a ‘respectable’ family, but the two still date.

Then . . . stuff happens and it’s something like ten years later and neither has seen the other, directly, since then.

Several issues, I have, with how they meet again – beyond the concept that neither went out of their way to push further to try to get to each other after the ‘incident’ occurred, neither were to blame for their separation. Yet, when they get back together, something happens that seems to happen too often in books like this. One’s pissed off, angry, unable to ever again trust the other; the other is apologetic and gives every indication that they were to blame – without ever noting that they also had some issues (Somewhere near the end of summer, Chris somewhat randomly suggests that they run off together. Liz thinks she is joking. Chris shows her bank account balance, and then to show she is serious, adds Liz to her account (which has $20,000 in it). They plan to run off to NY and live together. There’s some long ass break between making these plans and leaving (for whatever the fuck sake; seems to have been there so that there could be both advance notice given to the parents (by third parties), and an intervention by one of the parents). Chris is at the airport. She’s wondering where Liz is. They were going to meet there. She decides to get some money from the ATM. Using her card (as opposed to her parent’s card). Her balance, as shown, is $0. Chris calls the bank. The bank says that Liz Baker had come in and cleaned out the account. Chris now believes Liz was . . . um . . .money hungry?

Meanwhile, Liz and her gay male friend (and, while I don’t plan to discussing him, I need to take a moment that he initially started off in my mind as a cliché gay man; but he actually was rather well constructed) are frantically rushing to the airport to make the plan. Then they run around the airport looking for the correct gate. Find the gate. Do not find Chris. Talk to the ticket person to learn that Chris had already left – on a different flight, and not to NY. Liz now believes Chris was just playing her.

Dejectedly Liz returns to restaurant. Whereupon Candace suddenly appears. Gives the deed to the restaurant to Liz. Notes that Chris has a good heart, but is flighty. And that Chris had seen Liz and wanted to ‘save her’. But then her tiny brain turned to something else to play with. So, here’s the deed to the restaurant. Liz now believes that Chris is flighty and untrustworthy.

Chris? Still thinks that Liz stole her money.

Flash forward 10 years. Liz still feels Chris in her heart, but has trouble reconnecting. Because Chris is untrustworthy and flighty. Chris? Absolutely apologetic about how everything that went down. Mentions that she only just learned of the mother’s intervention. Makes no comment about how she had been lead, by her mother, to believe that Liz stole the money. Does not correct the impression that she is untrustworthy and flighty. WTF?

All that apologetic crap Chris got into? It’s as if she was trying to get back together with Leslie – that’s who she should be apologizing to.
)

Right. So. I don’t like any of the people connected to Liz except for Buddy the gay friend. I mean from the summer part of the story. Joel and Terry from the second half of the story are good enough side characters. I don’t like anyone from Chris side of the story, except possibly Leslie. I’m not 100% sure I like either of the two leads. They appear a little too immature, even at 32 in the second half of the story.

April 15 2016

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Like Jazz by Heather Blackmore


Like Jazz by Heather Blackmore
Pages: 216
Date: December 15 2013
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0
Read: April 13 to 14 2016
This book here is the first one I’ve read by Heather Blackmore. I admit that I initially added the book, if I recall correctly, to my maybe pile because of the cover. From a distance, it kind of looks like a music instrument; and the book itself includes the word ‘Jazz’. With the sitting woman in a black dress looking like that open area on an instrument, and the road looking like the . . . I need to know music instrument terminology to make this work, right? Heh. Mmphs. Oh, heh. That ‘open area’ is called a sound hole. And the road and cars looks like the fingerboard/neck and frets.

I learned fairly quickly, though, that the book has nothing to do with music. Cassidy Warner tells people, at least her friends, to call her Cazz, like jazz (as opposed, I’m sure, to Cass like ass). I guess it’s a good thing that Cazz likes people to call her that instead of Cass or this book would have been titled ‘Like Ass’. I already admit I came to the book by accident because of Jazz, what would I have expected, I wonder, if it had been called ‘Like Ass’, eh? Heh.

Right, so: The book involves Cassidy “Cazz” Warner and Sarah “no nickname” Perkins. The book opens with a prologue set ten years later in time than chapter 1. Well, whenever it is that the school part starts at least, the beginning of the book starts ten years before that.

Cazz’s family moves a lot. And, apparently, without warning and at the drop of a hat. Meaning that she has a lot of experience moving from school to school. And finds that the easiest thing for her to do is to try to hide in the background – her best experiences are the times when it takes six weeks before anyone even realizes she is there. Well, at her new school, everything kind of gets sabotaged for her in two ways. (1) her attempt to hide is ruined by someone calling attention to them in front of the entire class (more than once); (2) one of her classes has something like a pop test, then reads the list of the top 5 grades, along with names – and Cazz was #1 (which pisses off Sarah, who is always first).

The first class in which she meets Sarah starts off with Cazz hiding out with the teacher going on about some assignment people were supposed to have done. Everything seems to be going Cazz’s way, at least in terms of having the teacher not even make an announcement that she is there, and new. Then the door opens and a late student appears, though she has the allowed excuse that she had student-government business (or something like that). The teacher immediately asks if that newly arrived student had done the assignment; student deflects and asks who the newcomer was; deflected, the teacher introduces Cazz to everyone, and then calls upon her to say what she thought of the reading assignment. And so, (1) Cazz wasn’t able to hide; (2) Cazz and Sarah ‘meet’ for the first time; (3) Cazz is instantly, and confusedly, to herself, really really drawn to Sarah in a drooling kind of way.

Sarah, by the way, is super popular, and dating a hot popular guy named Dirk or some D name. So Cazz is in an awkward situation there. What with her feelings, and the popular girl acting alternating friendly with her and annoyed with her.

The school section was rather riveting, well done. I’m fairly certain that if the book had cut the beginning part, and the end part – i.e., cut the ’10 years later’ parts, and just focused on the school (oh, and kept Cazz’s family from moving), that everything would have probably ended up being close to, and maybe actually a 5 star book. It was rather well done – the nervous girl, the shy awkwardness of learning that you like girls, etc. I’m somewhat sad that that book doesn’t exist.

As it is, the book was quite interesting, good – the ‘ten years later’, as in ‘present time’, finds Cazz working as an investigator with the LAPD (in a civilian capacity), while Sarah works for the charity foundation her father started. Cazz and Sarah meet again, after no communication for 10 years, when Cazz is in the charity offices to do some undercover investigations – and the two bump into each other. Cazz didn’t do her homework, and didn’t realize the charity was connected to the Perkins family.

So the book is a coming of age/romance/investigation-mystery/fraud/action-thriller-danger mix of a book. Everything seemed to work well enough. I didn’t particularly like how reluctant Sarah was to express herself/her feelings. She uses an excuse in ‘present time’ for why she is the way she is now, but she was that way back in high school as well.

Cazz and Sarah are relatively well-rounded, and, for the most part, I like both characters. The others in the book aren’t as well-formed, for the most part (again). There is a mystery, and an investigation, and that was handled well enough. The danger part might have been a little over the top (plus, on one level it didn’t really make sense - The killer wanted to kill Cazz because she ‘knew too much’ – but he took so bloody long to get around to it. Also, he was presented as being this professional hit man, getting paid 100K a pop – what was with the rape-y vibe? – (a) took so long to kill Cazz; (b) professional, but brings rape into it? (or the threat of said); (c) I realize Cazz doesn’t want Sarah to be in danger, but to just follow orders and put herself into the killer’s hands without taking any preventive measures . . . weird).

Overall I enjoyed the book. If the book had been limited to the school part – obviously expanded to a full book length, that section was about 30% of the book; then it’s possible I’d have given that book, that doesn’t exist, a possible 5 stars. No reason to assume that adding 70% more material would not alter the rating off of 5 stars. As it is, this is a solid book. Probably something I’d give a rating of 4.4 to 4.5 stars.

ETA:
Mystery
CCazz worked for the SEC working on investigating crimes involving the financial sector. She moved from the SEC to some pilot program being run by the LAPD (it isn't exactly clear how all that works). With the LAPD, Cazz is called a detective and has a badge, but is still considered a civilian. She works for a Commander Ashby.

Cazz's job with the LAPD involves undercover work. She gets placed with companies that may or may not be involved in crimes involving finance, and she investigates. The book opens with Cazz getting an assignment to insert herself into a charity foundation. Apparently a friend of Ashby's, and the managing director of said foundation, has asked for Ashby's help.

As part of her undercover work, Cazz works at the foundation as an accountant - and must perform the job of an accountant at the same time she conducts an investigation into the foundations finances. The financial investigation parts are actually quite interesting.

I mentioned that Cazz is a civilian investigator. That comes up in an important way when the case turns out to include violent crime - something she isn't trained to handle or deal with.

The mystery/investigation is good, solid. The romance, time in school, etc. is all also good solid work. Altogether I'd give the book a rating of 4.5. But then I already said that. In my non-added section part.

April 14 & 15 2016

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Songs Unfinished by Holly Stratimore


Songs Unfinished
by Holly Stratimore
Pages: 264
Date: January 19 2015
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: April 12 2016
This is my first book by this author, and, unless something got misfiled somewhere, this is also the first book by this author.

I've read many stories involving people in the entertainment industry, which includes actors, musicians, dancers, novelists, and others (I could change it to 'creative industry' or some term like that, to include the gallery owners, and artists characters I've read). This book here contains two musicians as the co-leads (and a budding novelist side character).

Most of those books that I've read that involve the entertainment industry involve people who are: (a) comfortably established in their field interacting with people comfortably established in their field (that one book by Selina Rosen that I read, and loved, that others tended to be less enamored with, involved a famous/formerly successful musician and a successful actress (and musician); the 'attempting to restart their career, reluctantly' is something of a sub-genre of this 'entertainment industry' field); (b) comfortably established in their field characters interacting with those just starting out in the entertainment industry (which includes, as my example, Brayden's 'Waiting in the Wings'); (c) two characters who have been in the entertainment industry for a while, and neither have exactly comfortably established themselves yet (strangely, I've never read a book/story in this category, until now. Until this book. While it is true that Jaymi and Shawn are not at the same success point, it is true that neither is 'just starting out' nor 'comfortably established. Jaymi's band is regionally known, and just on the cusp of stardom (though they've been on the cusp before and, for personal family reasons, didn't make the transition to stardom; while Shawn's been in the business for 7 years and is still at the open mic stage of her career); (d) everyone involved is just starting out in the entertainment industry (oddly, while I'm somewhat sure I might have read something like this at some point, I do not specifically recall any story/book that falls into this category).

Characters
Jaymi Del Harmon is a musician and band member of 'Passion Fruit' (I could be wrong about the band name, though I know Passion is in the name). She is a college graduate, and the band itself formed while she was in college. Formed after she meet and set up an arrangement with one Nikki while at college. Nikki would help Jaymi become comfortable on stage, while Jaymi would help Nikki become better with the guitar. The two then went on to form the band that incorporated two further members (Kay being a friend of Nikki's, and . . . Brian? being Jaymi's cousin). All of this back-story occurred before start of the book. The band went west to find their fame and fortune (as in went to California). While there they bumped into Shawn Davies out at open mic gigs. But I'm way far down the plot section now so I'll move on. The band was on the cusp of success when two things happened at once (well, first: Jaymi's mother needed her because the mother had cancer; second: slightly after news of the need of Jaymi's need to return to the east coast, and possibly in reaction to it, Jaymi's long time girlfriend (who actually had been showing signs of distance before the cancer issue came up) was caught cheating (possibly on purpose). Jaymi returned to New Hampshire. The band, not wishing to give up on Jaymi, followed her back east. Jaymi spent time helping her mother. Then the mother died. Eventually, and I think this is two years later, the band started up again and as of the start of the book, are on the cusp of stardom. Again. At the very least, they have some regional celebrity status, and their songs are on regional independent radio stations.
Of Importance: the other band members, Devin (journalist and budding novelist - linked to Sara; friends with Jaymi) & Sara (...; linked to Devin; friends with Jaymi), Alice & Peter (old family friends of Jaymi's mother who allow Jaymi to live in the apartment over their horse barn when Jaymi returned east). Randi - through Nikki, as she's friends with Nikki & is a police officer).

Shawn Davies is a musician who has mostly failed in her attempts to have a live as a musician. Just after high school, Shawn headed west (as in to California). She was somewhat nervous and clumsy on stage, but a musician she bumped into at open mic gigs helped her gain some confidence. This musician being Jaymi. Shawn was out west without any support structure, and with very poor abilities to hold a job. Relatively quickly in the process she descended to a form of homelessness - using one-night stands to find a place to sleep at night; or sleeping in her car - more often using one-night stands. The book opens with Shawn fleeing California to head back home. She's fleeing homelessness, failure, and, the real reason for her flight, fleeing a brutal attack.
Of Importance: the ghost of her dead mother (not literally, figuratively), her basterd father, an old girlfriend from high school named Mel, a dead aunt.

Others: Others are of importance, but through their connections to the lead characters (both of whom have alternating points of view). I've mentioned several up above. There's two entities though, who become significant later in the story-line: Shawn's bitchy boss (once she actually finds a job back east), and Jaymi's stalker.

Plot
Everything I've mentioned above, for the most part, happened before the start of this book. The book opens with a woman fleeing a brutal attack. Grabbing all of her belongings, and heading from California back to New Hampshire. Along the way, for gas money, she basically performs on the street. If the takings are good, she'd stay for a week or so (no more than). If not, she'd hurry along the road. Eventually she arrived back in New Hampshire. Drives up to her aunt’s home. Sees a car in the driveway but can't seem to get a reaction from her aunt. While prowling around looking in the windows, a neighbor yells at Shawn (who I just notice I didn't yet mention in this paragraph as the woman fleeing California). Before he calls the cops, Shawn notes who she is and why she is there. Only to be informed that her aunt died the month before. Her one good connection to home has been severed. And she hadn't been in a good position to learn of this issue until just then.

So. She's hungry and tired and eventually will need to put gas in the gas tank. Reluctantly she turns towards her actual former home. She somewhat timidly knocks on the door. A man answers. Screams at her, asking why she is there. Shawn begs to stay the night. The man screams at her again then slams the door. Shawn dejectedly leaves her father's house, after making some comment about how the man still blames her for Shawn's mother's death. Gets back in her car. Drives. Seriously contemplates parking on some railroad tracks. Turns on the radio. Hears a familiar band on. And learns they are performing nearby. That band being the band Jaymi performs in. Shawn heads in that direction instead of towards the train tracks.

POV shifts to Jaymi. She's exiting the 'gig' and is in the process of attempting to start her truck and go home. But the engine only sputters. She looks around. Sees a car start to head her direction. She's vaguely nervous. Eventually she learns that the young women in the car will help her. And that she knows this woman - it's Shawn. Who she hasn't seen in about 2 years.

One thing leads to another and Jaymi offers the use of her guest room to Shawn until Shawn can find a job and get her own place. They somewhat nervously circle each other but the strings of their earlier friendship rejoin. Romance is not, yet, on either's minds. Jaymi can't have the complications and distractions of a romance right then and there, not right when the band is on the cusp of stardom. Shawn needs to re...um . . revive her life. Reform? Something like that.

Romance
Jaymi has certain feelings for Shawn that she knows she can't do anything about (because of her own need to devote time to her career; and because Shawn isn't in a great place at the moment, is vulnerable). Shawn has fancied Jaymi since she first meet her two years ago. But doesn't want to fall into the trap of 'using' her. She wants something more. But isn't in a good position to ask for more at the moment. So tries to keep things on the friendship level.

So - things are a slow burn. Yes, they become friends first (and/or rekindle the friendship); but both separately, and with a certain amount of awareness of the other's feelings, 'burn' for the other. They kind of fall into a pattern of one being in a vulnerable position, making a pass at the other, the other wanting to lean into this flirtation, this possible love making, but not wishing to take advantage, and pulling/pushing back. And yes, both find themselves in both roles - the vulnerable one making the pass; the one being flirted with who must be strong. First occasion, I think it's the first occasion, involves Jaymi being tipsy from wine and attempting to 'get with' Shawn. Another occasion finds Shawn being the tipsy one.

Overall
There are a lot of complications and 'issues' that pop up, but things flow rather well - nothing seems contrived (well, the stalker subplot bordered on almost falling into annoying territory, though skidded just short of that). Things flowed nicely. I don't mean their lives flowed smoothly, I mean the writing and plot seemed to flow nicely. No, their lives were not smooth. But bumpy.

Overall - a satisfying book by a writer who I had not read before. I'm not actually sure how I'd stumbled upon her - I just know that I had two disappointing books in a role (as in attempted to start reading them, and paused both) and saw this as a sample on my Kindle and read the sample. Then read the book.

Overall, to overuse a word, I'd give the book a rating of something approaching 5 out of 5 stars (maybe 4.75?)

April 12 2016

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

sunfall by Nell Stark & Trinity Tam


sunfall
by Nell Stark & Trinity Tam
Pages: 264
Date: August 1 2012
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Everafter (4th of series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: April 11 2016
And now the final book in the series has been read and completed. Four books by Nell Stark and Trinity Tam. Two for Nell Stark by herself.

This book picks up before the prior one even ends. The prior book ended with a gunshot. This one picks up before that gun was fired. This book opens during the planning stages for a raid that will involve the shifter and vampire alliance against Balthasar Brenner’s group. (A raid that the prior book ended on).

The first 42% follows the point of view of Alexa, the werepanther. After which the book follows Valentine, the vampire. Most of the people from the prior book return, including Solana, Helen, Malcolm, Constantine, Olivia, Karma, both Brenners (Balthasar and his son Sebastian), and of course Alexa and Valentine. New people popped up in this one, but no new major character (well, there’s Tian, but her appearance is like a film that has, say, Sean Connery pop up in an Admirals uniform for three seconds to say something deeply meaningful in a film before poofing. Tian’s role was about on par with that, important, but cameo worthy). Both Olivia had Solana had their largest roles in the prior book, appeared in this one but slightly more than cameos.

The series and the long running fight between Balthasar Brenner against basically everyone has concluded. It was an enjoyable run while it lasted. But now it’s time for something else to occupy the brain.

April 11 2016

Monday, April 11, 2016

nightrise by Nell Stark & Trinity Tam


nightrise
by Nell Stark & Trinity Tam
Pages: 288
Date: August 1 2011
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: everafter (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: April 9 to 11 2016

With the completion of this book here, I’ve now read more books by Nell Stark and Trinity Tam than I’ve read by just Nell Stark. 3 to 2. Not a significant statistic, just something I noted to myself as I was reading.

This book is difficult to actually say anything about without going into spoiler territory. Literally, first thing that happens in the book is a series spoiler. Not specifically a book spoiler, but a series spoiler. So how to write a review that says something while getting around that issue? Note before I continue, a book can ‘spoil’ itself by having a flash forward to open the book, like say flashing forward 3 years, then the rest of the book is set three years before. That did not happen in this instance. I’m not a big fan of flash forwarding.

Val and Alexa return for their third book. The alternating POV continues. Keeping up past tendencies, the book followed a process of focusing on one character for a longish period of time before switching at, roughly, the 49% mark (I might just be remembering when it switched in the prior book, it might have switched earlier this time). And like the previous book, part of the ‘switch’ involved action that took place before where the action ended before the switch. In other words, POV-A followed the storyline time line from point in time A to point in time E before the switch; POV-B followed C until some point after point in time E. Unlike last time, I did not and do not know how much time ‘had to be made up’ before we got back to ‘current’ time.

The action of the book takes place in New York and Argentina. It involves, as noted, Val and Alexa. Also involves Olivia. A new character appears in the form of Solana Carrizo. And the fight with Brenner continues.

And that’s basically what I can say without going into spoiler zone.

Overall I rather liked this addition to the series. A satisfying book. I liked it so much that I diverted from my normal pattern, at least with this series, and dove into the next book immediately.

(there's a longish spoiler section, but I can't seem to figure out how to put spoiler tags on the log - the spoiler section can be found on the version I put on GoodReads. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1604598209)

April 11 2016