Author Archives: Sadie

Book Review: Karma in Camo, by J.D. Wylde

Leave a reply

karma in cAMO COVER

About the book:

Can lives based on lies lead to love?
Joe DeMarco of Nowhere, West Virginia, believes in love at first sight. From the first moment he sets eyes on the gorgeous, long-legged beauty stranded on the side of the road outside his town, he knows. She’s the one. Even if she’s standing in front of him, brandishing a bottle, threatening to blind him with hand sanitizer. He likes her idea of foreplay. He likes everything about her. Even when she’s maligning his character, calling him a terrorist — and he, the chief of police. He should tell her who he is. And what he does. And he would… soon.

Julia Stockton of New York City is having a bad day. Bad year, actually, now that Karma has it out for her. Or maybe it’s because of Karma. More likely, it’s because of the rat bastard of a man she’d loved. The one who lied to her, betrayed her and carved out her heart, taking her savings account and apartment as a departing gift. She’s done with lying men! So why has Karma dropped her on the side of the road in god-forsaken West Virginia? Taunting her with a handsome, blond-haired, broad-shouldered god? The kind of man she harbors secret fantasies about? The kind of man she could so easily love, if she was looking for it. Which she isn’t.

But Joe is very persuasive. And Julia willingly gives him a weekend. One she’s sure she’ll never forget. And then she gives him so much more. She gives him her fragile heart. And for a while, Joe is everything she wants. Until she finds out he isn’t what she thought. Or who. So, is it Karmo in Camo? Or is it love?

Review:

Oh God, I wish I hadn’t read that. Historically I’ve not been a fan of contemporary romances. I often find the female leads weak-willed, and the plots too sappy for me. I know that’s what some people like most about the genre, but me not so much. Despite my hesitations about the genre, I was tempted by the sarcastic tone of the book’s description, and this same tone runs throughout the story. It is just as funny as the description led me to believe, which was good. But I can’t say I much liked the story. Honestly, I’m not even saying it’s not a good book and everything that women who like mushy love stories and frail save me from myself heroines appreciate about the genre. I’m just not one of those women.

At 27% through the book, I posted this status update here on Goodreads,

I’m ~25% in and I know things are going to change, but as of this moment I’ve decided that a more satisfying rewrite of this story would be: Julia was having a bad day, week, month year. Stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire she doesn’t know how to change, Joe stops to help. She is then such a bitch to him that he gets back in his van, drives away and leaves her there like she deserves. Seriously!

The problem is that it didn’t change. Julia remained a completely bipolar, possibly psychotic witch who did NOTHING to deserve Joe–who was, of course, wonderful in every tall, blond, muscled, 8-inch, committed, loving way. I loved Joe, but despite my best efforts I couldn’t like Julia, outside of whether I generally like this sort of story or not. I just found her selfish and flat-out mean.

To top it all off, I don’t get the ‘he lied about being a cop’ theme that the plot hinges on. First off, so what? He a cop, big deal. Second, he DID TELL HER he’s the chief of police. The fact that she didn’t believe him doesn’t negate the fact that he told her. Plus, even if he hadn’t told her, he told her enough of what he does for a simpleton to figure it out. It’s not his fault if she’s just too stupid to read the large, neon, flashing, heroic sign he painted for her. It all left me groaning.

Wylde’s writing is perfectly readable, and, like I said, it is funny. But This was definitely not a good match for me.

Book Review: Jenala, by Cynthia Woolf

Leave a reply

jenala cover

Jenala Delasa is alone and in trouble. Someone wants her kalcion mine. They’ll stop at nothing, even murder. Jenala needs help.

Santro Baltin is just what the beautiful red-head needs. He’s huge, a master swordsman, and has a heart big enough to give her the room she needs to heal. When it comes to Jenala’s enemy however, he has his own agenda.

To defeat the notorious Zlaten Vandalar, they have to work together, mind to mind, shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart.

Review:

This was alright, I suppose. The story was pretty interesting, but I would have liked it more if it had been a little more fleshed out. Everything felt very rushed, and there was very little world-building or backstory. As a result, I was left with questions. What happened to the contract (or whatever it was) that Zlaten had that claimed Jenala would have to marry him if not paid? How did he get it in the first place? What is the difference between a claim and a marriage? This seemed important to the characters, but I couldn’t figure it out. Etc.

The book also tended to repeat itself a lot, with the narrative stating something and then a character saying the same thing and then later telling someone else about it. I think the reader is told three times in the first 10% of the book that Zlaten killed Jenala’s father, wants to steal her mine, and claim her through rape, for example. The narrative says it, then Jenala mentions it, and then the vet tells Santros about it. Once really would have been enough. This happened more than once.

I liked Jenala’s strong, upfront personality and Santro’s gentle, honourable way. I really did. But I also thought a lot of their dialogue was quite stiff. I honestly think Lottie was my favourite character. For a quick read (little more than a short story, really), it was entertaining enough, though. Plus, it was a freebie, so I can’t really complain. I have the sequel, The Swords of Gregara – Riza, which I’ll probably read at some point.

Book Review: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, by Nagaru Tanigawa

Leave a reply

The Melancholy of Haruhi SuzumiyaDescription from Goodreads:

Haruhi holds the fate of the universe in her hands; lucky for you she doesn’t know it!

Meet Haruhi—a cute, determined girl, starting high school in a city where nothing exciting happens and absolutely no one understands her.

Meet Kyon—the sarcastic guy who sits behind Haruhi in homeroom and the only boy Haruhi has ever opened up to. His fate is now tied to hers.

Meet the S.O.S. Brigade—an after-school club organized by Haruhi with a mission to seek out the extraordinary. Oh, and their second mission? Keeping Haruhi happy—because even though she doesn’t know it, Haruhi has the power to destroy the universe. Seriously.

Review:

I’m pretty sure this is the first Japanese Light Novel I’ve ever read. Heck, I wasn’t even sure what qualified as a Light Novel before yesterday. I do now. I’m probably a bit old for it, but having seen the anime and read a few of the manga volumes, I snapped up the chance to read the novel that sparked the revolution when given the chance. The plot is almost identical to the anime, so if you’ve seen it, you’ll know what to expect. But it’s still worth reading the book so that you can experience Kyon’s sarcastic narrative. He is wickedly funny, as well as all the hormonally charged things you would expect a normal (albeit polite) 16-year-old Japanese boy to be. I did think Suzumiya came across a little crueler here than in the anime or manga, but still a lot of crazy fun.

It was occasionally difficult to tell who was speaking, and sometimes it was hard to decide what was meant to have been spoken out loud and what was just Kyon’s internal dialogue. (Is it a monologue if you’re talking to yourself?). All-in-all, though, the narrative style was easy and made for a quick, fun read. I’d be up for more.