Monthly Archives: September 2013

Craved

Book Review of Stephanie Nelson’s Craved (Gwen Sparks #1)

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CravedI downloaded a copy of Craved, by Stephanie Nelson, from the Amazon KDP list.

Description from Goodreads:
Gwen Sparks just wants to live a peaceful life in the supernatural town of Flora, but from the moment she read about the first murdered witch, all hope of peace was abandoned. Possessing the rare ability to read the memories of dead, she volunteers to help catch the culprit behind the string of drained witches. Gwen has to team up with the one man who broke her heart, deal with a ghost who pulls her into the deathly realm at will, and a fight off the advances of sexy but frustrating vampire who not only craves what runs through her veins—he wants her heart.

Review:
I think the most I can say for this one is ‘Meh.’ I didn’t hate it, but I wasn’t really all that impressed either. I was expecting to like it too, since it has so many great reviews. But I found myself irritated and confused more often than not.

To begin with, Gwen got on my nerves from the very first page. Her whole ‘he broke my heart’ spiel was like a broken record. Then when it came out that this relationship that ended, broke her heart and left her so bereft she was unable/unwilling to open herself and love again had only lasted 8 months, I just pretty much said a mental ‘pishaw.’ Overreaction anyone?

Then there was the fact that Nelson set up magical rules, but didn’t seem to follow them. Why don’t Gwen and Aiden have a blood bond if Gwen’s same interactions with Ian resulted in one? How did removing Gwen’s magic from Aiden break his addiction if he was addicted before he encountered her magic to begin with? If Gwen had certain magical abilities, how come she occasionally managed to do things she shouldn’t have been able to do? I realise some of this was the development of a new talent, but why was it suddenly popping up?

Then there was the whole premise of witches’ blood being addictive. I have a really, really hard time figuring out how this small fact has remained unknown for all eternity. Seems to me that at some point some vampire would have gotten his/her hand on a witch and gone ‘oh yeah, that’s some good stuff right there.’ So the whole plot of this ‘new drug’ seemed implausible at best.

Then there were the pitiful sex scenes. They were all really, really rushed–some no more than two or three paragraphs and there was very little detail…or for-play. Which was apparently OK because Gwen can, enviably, orgasm at the drop of a hat. (Not to mention the characters odd tendency to hop to it while in otherwise dangerous situations.)

I noticed a few editorial errors and the book was in first person, which I generally dislike. But I admit that the writing was pretty good. And though Aiden often appeared weak, I did really like how much he loved Gwen. Many of the issues I’ve highlighted as annoyances for me might not irk other readers. So, this might just be a case of the right reader for the book.

Book Review of The Vampire Next Door, by Charity Santiago & Evan Hale

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The Vampire Next DoorI grabbed a copy of The Vampire Next Door by Charity Santiago & Evan Hale from the Amazon KDP list.

Description from Goodreads:
Since the vampire pandemic jumped the Mexican border eight months ago, twenty-five-year-old Kennedy has been holed up in small-town Arizona, fighting for survival among hungry undead and hostile human survivors. Unsure if her missing husband is still alive, Kennedy has no interest in starting a new relationship- until she meets Reeve, the gorgeous vampire next door who can melt Kennedy into a quivering puddle of lust with a single, smoldering glance.

Between ignoring her growing feelings for Reeve and fending off nightly murder attempts from her husband’s undead ex-wife, Kennedy’s got her hands full. She knows that eventually, she’ll have to make a choice: either stay put and wait for rescue that might never happen, or set out on her own in hopes of finding her family.

Review:

I grabbed this when it was free on Amazon and ended up reading it almost immediately. My young daughter caught sight of the cover and said, “Read that one.” Well, who am I to ignore the dictates of a three-year-old?

In some respects, I really enjoyed this story. Kennedy has an interesting personality. She’s a recovering doormat if you will. The vampire apocalypse has really put her life and the people who had been in it in perspective for her. A lot of the book is dedicated to this introspection. And, while I respect the personal growth that resulted from it, she had the same thoughts and mental epiphanies over and over. So, I found much of it repetitive. It also severely cut into the action.

Enter Reeve. Oh, wonderful, wonderful Reeve. He is fabulous. Maybe just a little too fabulous, since the reader never learns what makes him different than other vampires. I also struggled with the fact that Kennedy appreciates his behaviour so very, very much when it is just basic courtesy.

Kennedy had been treated poorly by men. She’d let them control her and treat her as less than an equal. She is subsequently amazed to meet a man who doesn’t treat her this way. That’s great. It really is. But should we really be surprised and praise men for doing nothing more than treating a woman as a mental equal? I got the message being relayed. I did. But that’s kind of a low standard to hold romantic partners to and getting excited over it feels a lot like making it something special (as opposed to the expected norm). Kennedy’s previous behaviour and the demeaning behaviour of both Cole and Eddie are made out to be the norm, what any normal woman should expect from a normal man. But really it’s Reeve’s thoughts and actions that should be the standard by which all other relationships aim to best, as opposed to crow about.

Again, while I appreciate that Kennedy did grow past this juvenile mindset,  a lot of the book takes place before that’s accomplished. I found this really hard to read. I wanted to slap her and then turn to whoever was closest at the time and inform them that she should be expecting more, damn it. She deserves it.

Though not a huge fan of first-person narratives, I thought the book was well written. The dialogue was fresh and flowed well, and the whole situation with The Ex was a fun addition. If there is ever a second book, I’d be thrilled to read it.

Decoy

Book Review of Decoy, by Michaela Debelius

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DecoyI grabbed a copy of Michaela Debelius‘ book, Decoy (Noel Casey, #1), from the KDP free list.

Description from Goodreads:
Lieutenant Noel Casey is taken aback by her newest military assignment. Her usual routine of vaccine development is interrupted when she’s assigned to analyze Killian, a genetically engineered soldier designed for exceptional strength and intelligence. She’s not accustomed to working with human subjects, especially a person created for warfare, and Killian’s indifference is making it difficult to see past his robotic demeanor.

When Noel is attacked outside Killian’s containment quarters, he is forced to intervene. The altruistic act instantly transforms their relationship, though neither will admit to the shift in sentiment. The predator is now the protector in Noel’s eyes, and she’s thrown off by her growing captivation.

As if her infatuation with a virtual stranger isn’t enough of a distraction, she begins having terrifying nightmares. Her cryptic dreams appear to harbor an elusive warning as she watches them materialize into existence, proving the nightly visions foretelling. She begins to suspect the military base is concealing far more than an experimental soldier, and she can’t shake the feeling Killian is the axis of the chaos. Noel must decide whether she’ll accept the unconvincing explanations offered by her peers, or reject her comfortable environment for an unimaginable truth. With her premonitions pointing towards a violent outcome and her irrational draw to Killian becoming impossible to ignore, she realizes the choice has already been made for her. Noel’s understanding of science is about to be shattered

Review:
This book was not at all what I expected from reading the blurb. That’s not always a bad thing, but I wanted to read the story described. The one I got wasn’t a bad story; it just wasn’t the one I set out to read. Having said that I did like quite a few aspects of it.

I liked that even when frightened, confused, lied to, exhausted and overwhelmed Noel still held her own. Yes, she got pushed around by the men a bit, but she was still strong willed and determined. I liked Killian as the intimidating super-soldier. I also liked him as the gentle lover and considerate brother. I liked Taylor and his relationship with the rest of the guys. I liked the basic writing style and the occasional vocabulary that forced me to utilise my Kindle’s dictionary capabilities. And I am amused to have encountered what must have been the most ethereal sex scene ever. Heck, I’m not sure that first one ever even happened.

What I didn’t like were the things left unexplained. What was up with the tickers? How exactly did people live right there among them, since they have an obvious tendency to attack people at random? (Unless it wasn’t supposed to be random, but that’s never addressed so I’m left to assume it was.) Why did everyone keep the deception up even after they had verified Noel’s identity and why, for god’s sake, why didn’t they call in any help once it was apparent Quinn was homicidal. If she’s supposed to be so darned important you would think people would help the group out a little. Half the base was supposed to be Eneathian after all. (I’m not swearing I spelled that right.)

There were also simply a few aspects of the story that irked me. How was I not supposed to get tired of the attempted rapes? I swear every time Noel turned around someone was trying to rape her. How am I not supposed to feel bad for poor Taylor? I was actually hoping this would turn into a ménage à trois just so he wouldn’t be left out. Lastly, while it was lovely that the Russo’s took her into their home, having so many men about made it feel very much like she was living in a co-ed dorm. Being essentially newlyweds didn’t they deserve their own space?

All-in-all not a bad read, just one that wasn’t what I expected and then left me with a few questions. I’m hoping book two comes up on the free list. I’d be glad to give it a read…even if it does start out with a tentacle monster. Seriously, I read the preview. It begins with the quintessential cheesy, late night sic-fi movie cliché, the tentacle monster. LOL