Tag Archives: mermaids

Book Review: Queenie & the Krakens, by Aleera Anaya Ceres

I received a copy of Aleera Anaya Ceres‘ Queenie & the Krakens in my November Supernatural Book Crate this month. While I don’t dislike this cover, I really do wish they would just leave the original covers on the monthly book selection. I almost always like them better. I don’t know if it’s a cost thing or a ‘special edition’ thing, but I think I say this every time I post a Supernatural Book Crate book, and I probably will continue to.

Naomi Queen swore to herself she’d never get involved with criminals. She didn’t want any part of the world that raised her because she knew the trouble the malicious underground could bring. But all that changes when she witnesses a murder between a gang of mermen shifters.

Swept into the maelstrom of the paranormal criminal underbelly wasn’t exactly high on her to-do list. Neither was being hunted by the murderous gang that called themselves the Rogue Waves.

With her life in danger, Naomi has no other choice but to accept protection from the deadly MC’s rivals. But hiding at the Kraken Motorcycle Club’s compound was the last thing she wanted. These mermen are dangerous, violent, and sexy. Everything she’s tried to avoid. They’ll chew her up and spit her out like the vicious sharks that they are… or they’ll try to.

Naomi has a few tricks of her own up her sleeve, and if the Krakens thought she’d be a meek little witness, they have another thing coming. She can be as ruthless as the monster whose name they carry, and by the time she wreaks havoc upon their lives—and their hearts—they won’t even know what hit them.

This has absolute chaos gremlin energy to it, and I’m here for it. Now, I didn’t like every aspect of it. It hit on some of my personal icks. But for the most part, I thought this was a lot of crazy, absurd fun.

Let’s just talk language for a minute. I curse like a sailor. So, the fact that these mermen motorcycle gang members do, too, didn’t bother me at all. However, I just can’t with the way women are always referred to so derogatorily. (This is in a lot of MC books, not just this one. But it really seemed to stand out here.) Bitch, for example, is used as an insult, a neutral description or identifier (i.e. not a man), and endearment in this book. And Old Lady is something to aspire to (separating you from the club whores). And I just can’t with it. I’m not saying anything general. It’s just one of my personal icks when women are talked about this way by the love interest(s), and it kept me from liking the book more than I did.

I loved the idea of the mermen motorcycle gang. But, honestly, the shifter aspect of the book was minimal, which was disappointing. Also, the book needs an editor. The prefix “pre–” means before (as in prefix). Just learning this one piece of grammar would correct about half a dozen misuses of the word precedes alone, for example. The book isn’t bad about typo-type editing mistakes. But there are a lot of misused words.

Having said all of that, while the reader doesn’t get to know the men well (it’s erotica, after all), they are a lot of fun. Box and Slug, especially. And I love that there weren’t immovable gender dynamics. Swords cross. Dominant men flex unexpectedly. Queenie tops, etc. And I appreciate that she had a backbone of steel and saves herself over and over again.

All in all. I didn’t love-love this. But I enjoyed the ride enough to want to check out more of Ceres’ books.

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@authoralynichole Queenie and the Krakens by Aleera Anaya Ceres #whychooseromance #whychose #kindleromance #bookrecommendations #review ♬ original sound – Aly Nichole

Book Review: A Trail of Pearls, by D.M. George

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I won a copy of A Trail of Pearls in an Instagram giveaway run by the author, D. M. George.

It was actually kind of perfect. My mom had a total knee replacement and I’d spent the week at her house helping her post-surgery. Her house is on a bit of a bay in Florida. She doesn’t live ‘on the water’ as in ocean views and million dollar price tags. But she does live on water. So, I’d spent a week smelling salty air and feeling sea breezes. Then I got home to a mermaid themed book and prize pack.

Fifty-five, frumpy, and flung to the curb like an old floral sofa…

Losing her Silicon Valley job to a younger woman was bad enough. Catching her husband in the arms of one is the final straw. Something’s gotta give, like the last threads of Perla Palazzo’s sanity.

Then, a plan so wild and reckless it’s just an inch to the left of self-destruction.

With a bank foreclosure hanging over her head and staring at the last of her savings, Perla books a trip to the Amalfi Coast in the hope of fulfilling her dreams to become a travel writer. But Capri’s deep azure waters are home to more than old wrecks and lost sailors, like Parthenope, an embittered, hard-drinking mermaid who believes the only way to enjoy men is crudo, with a sprinkle of salt and a generous squeeze of lemon.

When Parthenope gives Perla an enchanted cameo just days before she meets a dashing Italian tour guide, it seems the divorcée’s fortunes have turned. Timeless beauty, self-confidence—perhaps even love—are suddenly within tantalizing reach. But the siren’s song is both seductive and deadly, and a moment of weakness will leave Perla facing unthinkable consequences.

I really wanted to liked this book and really expected to. A frumpy 55yo is someone I thought I could relate to. But it became evident very early on that this wasn’t going to be the case. Which disappointed me, because the author sent me a copy along with a really lovely prize package. Look, I’m even using the coaster that came with it as I sit her writing this. And I hate to repay that with a shitty review. But, the honest truth is that I had to finish this by gritting my teeth. Though a lot of the reasons might not irritate others as much as me.

When I started writing this review, I was composing in my head and thought, “I could have liked it, except for one big issue.” Then I thought, “Well, two issues…um, maybe three…” This reluctant realization is what finally made me admit that I didn’t find a lot to actually like.

That first big issue to come to mind was that I simply did not like Perla. She’s self-absorbed, whiny, and shallow. And while I know this is the area she was meant to have personal growth in, she is like this all the way until almost the end. And, if I’m honest, I don’t see that she would have made the self improvements if not forced to. For most of the book she just feels like someone with…pretensions of Karen, I think is how I want to phrase it.

I was also annoyed that she was constantly moaning about being broke, but flew to Italy, booked a hotel, eats out, travels and shops constantly. If that’s what it feels like to be broke, maybe sign me up.

The second big thing for me (which could honestly top the first, except that it did tapper off past the halfway mark) is how often men are presented as predators. When I was on page 80 I made this comment on Goodreads:

I’m not sure I’ll b able to finish this.

I try hard to avoid abuse of women in my books. I’m on page 80 and already there has been an attempted rape, encounter with two men who were inferred to be potentially sexually violent, a groping, a woman murdered, reference to multiple child rapes, and a 14yo forced into fellatio followed by probable murder.

I’m constantly having to read braced for the next indignity.

This easy use of rape and the pervasive idea that women are constantly in danger as mere plot devices is one of my biggest pet peeves. And once I’d encountered references to it several times before even the 100 page mark I literally read the whole rest of the book tensed for the next slap in the face. It gets hard to enjoy anything around that.

Third, there are some heavy themes addressed in this book. But in the end George solved everyone’s problem with a boyfriend. So, you have this book ostensibly about finding your own self-confidence and being strong older women, but the solution is to….*checks notes* find a man. Talk about taking the easy, cliched out. And that without addressing how fast these guarded, jaded people fell in love.

The writing is on the pedestrian side , but there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s quite readable and the editing is clean. Plus, look at that cover; it’s gorgeous! I also appreciate the moral of the story and really liked the descriptions of Sorrento. I’ve been there, it felt very true to my memory. So, I think this is a serious case of ‘you’re mileage may vary.’ Give it a try instead of just taking my word for it.