AAR

[Tee]

The other thread had enough posts that it's probably time to start a new one on this topic. So this thread should take us thru the rest of the year.

Abandoned by Cody McFadyen

I haven't finished it, but I'm in the process of reading Abandoned by Cody McFadyen. It's his fourth book and I'm enjoying it a lot. His first was Shadow Man and that was fantastic. It revolves around an FBI female agent, Smoky Barrett, who was disfigured in a kidnapping episode herself. Each subsequent book has featured her and I have never seen a man write a female character as well as he does. He's got her emotions down pat. If I didn't know better, I would think this was written by a female author. When I finally finish this one, I'll give a more complete report.
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Just because a path is well beaten is no proof it's the right one.

[library addict]

Is there any romance in them, Tee, or just straight mystery?

I went to Cody McFayden's website and his blog entry for today (Once Upon A Time) made me think he's not into HEA

[Tee]

[iluvarake]

I just finished Wicked All Day and I must say what a disappointment this book was. It's my least favorite Carlyle ever. This is a repost of my comments in the WAD thread. I would give this book a grade of C- only because Carlyle's writing style is pretty fluid and easy to read. I'm trying not to be spoiler-y. I don't think I'm revealing anything important that isn't given away in the back cover copy but if you hate spoilers of any kind don't read further.

First off, the knowing each other since childhood aspect is never my favorite storyline and with this one is was like the worst of both worlds. Not only did we not get that electric first meeting, but they didn't even express the sweetness of a long friendship. In fact they were mostly like resentful family members who had merely tolerated each other for years. They didn't really know or understand each other.

Also from reading other reviews I thought this would be a lighter less angsty book for Carlyle, but for me it was a very uncomfortable read. It was unpleasant from the beginning. What with Zoe being involved with both brothers, not to mention the shabby way Robin behaved toward Maria and the sordid nature of Mercer's entanglement with his ex-mistress (and Mercer's mom knowing way too much about that relationship IMHO) - honestly, I was wriggling with vicarious shame and embarrassment for all of them for the whole book. There was practically no joy in this story whatsoever. Nobody besides Maria behaved well or honorably. And they all just kept feeling sorry for themselves instead of just sitting down and talking it all through like adults.

And finally, in EVERY single sex scene in the book someone was being cheated on and betrayed. So distasteful.

All of these elements might be perfectly acceptable to me in a novel, but certainly not in a romance. It would have been a DNF for me but I just kept hoping Carlyle would pull it off somehow because I've so enjoyed most of her other books, but this one is just a trainwreck.

(Also this is not Carlyle's fault but there were so many typos in this book it was annoying! Is no one copy editing these books anymore?)
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I am a dragon. If I put my foot down, it will shake the world.

[maggie b.]

Sayonora
James Michener
IDK--definitely not feel good


I had seen the movie based on this book about 20 yrs. ago and remember finding it wonderfully romantic. I can still remember Marlon Brando and James Garner looking wonderfully young and romantic in their uniforms.

The book is the story of Maj. Lloyd "Ace" Gruver who hates most Asians on principle. "Ace", the son of a mult-star general, is experiencing burn out after fighting a long war in Korea and is transferred to Japan for an easy assignment. Gen. Webster, the father of Ace's current girlfriend, is the one who arranged for the transfer and has also prepared a bit of a surprise for Ace in the form of his daughter also "just happening" to be in Japan right while Ace is there.

Things go wrong almost right away. Eileen Webster, the daughter, is not the only one visiting her dear old Dad. Mom is also there and Mom is hell on wheels, very disapproving of the way many air force men are dating local girls and actually bringing natives into the officer's club. She begins having her husband posting orders to keep it all from happening and also leaning on Ace and Eileen to make their relationship more official. Meantime, Ace is serving as best man for an Airman from his unit and finds himself strangely befriending the enlisted man and his native wife. As Ace comes to know Japan through their eyes he finds himself in love with Hana-ogi, a famous and respected dancer and realizing that love transcends all nationalities.

The sentiment of tolerance for other cultures and the anti-bigotry stance certainly was wonderful and I admired the author for putting these feelings on paper. But the romance aspect of the book really rubbed me horribly wrong. Be warned, some spoilers do follow! Ace talks a great deal about the bossiness of American women. In thinking about his relationship with Eileen he realizes that he was going to propose to her the summer before the war started and then didn't because of his encounter with a mother of the bride of a friend of his. The friend (groom) and all his groomsmen had shown up late to the wedding from having partied too hard the night before and the evil American matron had raked them over the coals for upsetting her wedding plans. Now Ace is having trouble with Eileen because her mother is bossy. He realizes that Japanese women put up with a great deal more from their men. He also describes how Hana-ogi would work all day, pick up the groceries, fall into bed with him, get up from bed and get cooking right away as he relaxed from his admittedly nothing of a job. I was so distressed! It wasn't just his view of American women as bossy and pushy but the idea that this new woman should work while he sat after she too had worked all day was just so depressing to me. At one point Ace talks about how Airman Kelly's wife, after he has had a difficult day, takes him into the bath and scrubs his back and then feeds him up and makes the whole focus of the night about him and then says he could never see an American wife doing that. They were much more likely to try and solve the problems that were giving Joe such a hard time but not just to sit and tell him how great he was. Seriously, helping solve a problem wasn't enough? They had to build the loser's ego up to?

Every once in awhile a bone would be thrown out with Ace saying there had to be some American women like the Japanese one's he was meeting but that just distressed me more. To add to that, Ace and Hana-ogi could barely communicate. It did not strike me as the sweeping love Ace pictured himself having but simply a lot of sex and ease of life style. I did not get the sense that he understood Hana-ogi at all. In fact, many of her opinions and actions confused him simply because he did not know her.

This book just saddened me greatly. My heart bled for Hana-ogi and Kastomi, who I thought would be loved only as long as they never required kind treatment (and is that loved??). I hurt for Ace, who would never know what love was because he was blinded by his spoiled attitude that having a sex slave was love. But I hurt most of all for myself and Eileen -- who were not valued for how strong and capable we were but denigrated, along with all American women-- for having the nerve to want our men to treat us like humans.

maggie b.

[maggie b.]

Remnant of Grace
Korean War/Inspirational Romance
Susan K Downs

Historical Research: A
Plot: A
Characterization: C
Romance: D

Overall: B-/C+

It's really hard to give this little gem of a book less than an A but if you are reading for the romance the grade of A is far from deserved.

Eun-Me is the house servant of a missionary family, the Woods. Their son Phillip has recently returned from California with a medical degree -- and a lovely American fiancee. Eun-Me is determined not to let Phillip know how hard it is for her to see her childhood crush with another woman. But things pretty quickly go wrong between Phillip and his fiancee, Jennifer. Phillip had neglected to tell Jennifer he planned to go into the mission field, not take the lucrative job her physician father had offered her in his practice. And he wants to serve in Asia. Even though Jennifer has only been in Asia for two days it is clear she hates it there -- she won't eat the food, all she wants to talk about is the wedding and she is hot and sleepy constantly. Then war breaks out and the family has to make a dangerous trek with other Americans to reach safety. Will Phillip figure out who his true love is on this journey? Or is Eun-Me destined to always love someone out of her reach?

The setting of this book is unique and intriguing. We learn much about the food and culture of the region, although it is never given to us as a lecture but incorporated smoothly into the story. The trek to reach safety was fabulous, you really got a feel for what it was like for American nationals and for Koreans when the war broke out. It also emphasizes the difference between being "home" during the war and "over there". A sense of urgency and concern for their vulnerable position -- not belonging there but it being their home was really emphasized. The book is short -- only 168 pages -- but so much was packed into it that I was thoroughly impressed with the authors skill.

I liked the fact that she gave a taste for the beginning of a war. The confusion, the scramble to deal with the unexpected, the sense of urgency and raw danger really lent themselves to a different look at things than I had seen in other war novels. This isn't a weariness with the horror all around you but that fresh feeling of just waking up to it.

The one glitch in this book was Phillip. He was a jerk to both Eun-Me and Jennifer and didn't deserve either of these lovely young women. I don't want to give too much plot away but even in the first chapter he starts with being rude and dissatisfied with his fiancee. While Jennifer is made to seem spoiled you also get a hint of the charming and generous person she is when she is in familiar territory. It is clear Asia is a shock to her but no one, least of all Phillip, gives her a moment to adapt. Continuing on, his lack of patience and compassion as things go from bad to worse for her emphasized his character flaws to me. The fact that he did not discuss major life changing plans with his fiancee till far after the engagement and then dumped them on her while she was so clearly struggling to adapt to a strange place just emphasized his nasty nature.
That he tried to hide behind God and piety made him even less likable.

Eun-Me is a wonderful character. Very caring and compassionate. I was a bit upset at how the family whip lashed between treating her as friend (hugs and kisses and talks of family history) and then treats her as a servant, playing games while she cleans or having her rise early to get special breakfast foods. It was no wonder Jennifer didn't quite get their relationship with her and I couldn't help but wonder if things would actually change if she joined the family.

The book is an inspirational but it is not preachy at all. God is mentioned frequently and we do get a look --often--at the family's faith in the midst of this turmoil.

The courtship is essentially non-existent but really what ruined it all was a man who wasn't really for fit to be anyone's romantic hero.

maggie b.

[KayWebbHarrison]

Nalini Singh - Blaze of Memory; grade = A

This entry in the Psy/Changeling series returns to the Forgotten, the Psy who left the PsyNet when Silence was imposed. The hero is Devraj Santos, the director of Shine, the organization that seeks to find and protect the descendents of the Forgotten who have lost contact with their heritage. The heroine is a minor character from Talin and Ashaya's books, a Psy who at first suffers from amnesia. Conflict arises as Dev finds himself attracted to her in spite of the possibility that she may be a spy/assassin from the Psy Council.

I enjoyed the interaction of the two central characters, learning more about Shine, and visiting with characters from previous books who also play important roles in this one. Singh is very good at recycling characters as major players, not just as cameo ones.

If you are already invested in Singh's alternate universe, don't miss this episode. If you haven't tried Singh before, don't start here; go to the first book, Slave to Sensation, and read each book in order. Part of the goodness of the series is participating in the revelation and evolution of Singh's world.

Kay

[Tee]

Abandoned by Cody McFadyen

Finished it and thought it was very good. There was a point near the end when it seem to unravel a bit, but I think he pulled it together quite well. I gave a slight synopsis of the book in the very first post of this thread. It looks as though he's planning to continue the character of Smoky Barrett into his next book and so far I'm okay with that. She's enough of a complex person that it should work, along with all her challenges.

The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber

I like Macomber's writing, although at times the stories can be a bit too simple. This one was simple, alright, but it was also too unbelievable and farfetched. I cannot believe she actually thought this one would fly, even during the Christmas season. A lab technician hires a male matchmaker, who's come highly recommended, to find her a man to marry, preferably by Christmas Day. Okay, pushing it a bit here, but I was okay with it to this point (one chapter in). Now, because of his rep, he charges $30,000 (non-refundable) to do this matchup. Whoa, aren't we stretching it a little much with that figure for just a regular individual with a regular job and in this economic climate? Even if you could go to the bank and withdraw $30,000, who would really want to for such a reason? That's where she lost me, but I continued on just to see where and how she wanted the story to go. Not a good one and it's a small hardcover, which if bought, costs $17, containing 230 pages and it looks to be tradebook size. Thank goodness for libraries!

As I said before, I enjoy Macomber's books and am following a couple of her series even now. It's so hard to believe that a story such as this is one she's proud to put out these days.
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Just because a path is well beaten is no proof it's the right one.

[maggie b.]

[Tee]

[veasleyd1]

Owing to arrivals on my Kindle yesterday, I didn't get sufficient sleep last night.

C.S. Harris, What Remains of Heaven (Sebastian St. Cyr mystery). A for the mystery plot and how she wraps it up; for the romance, she still leaves the reader with a cliffhanger.

J.D. Robb, Kindred in Death (Eve Dallas and Roarke); also excellent for the mystery; not a lot of romance in this one, though one secondary couple moves along.

A Regency Christmas. Three stories. Lyn Stone's was okay but not memorable; Carla Kelly's is delightful and I adored the characters; the one by Gail Ranstrom was utterly appalling (the hero "read law at Cambridge" with a clear implication that she thinks the university had a law school) and full of historical clunkers. My recommendation is that the Kelly story is worth the price of buying the book.

[Mingqi]

Sweet Talking Man by Betina Krahn (B)
A for atmosphere! You could feel the restless energy of NYC during the 1890s and the burst of political activity and the women's rights movement. I actually felt like I was in the story walking down the same streets as Beatrice and Connor. And the characters were likable (though Beatrice was a bit shrill in the beginning). Humor was excellent. However, I was a bit put-off by the kidnapped and thrown into a brothel part- it seemed so cliche to me. And the chemistry I felt between Beatrice and Connor when they were arguing sort of disappeared when they WEREN'T arguing. I thought the relationship could have been better developed because it seemed like they were arguing one moment and then throwing themselves at each other the next. The book needs to be about 50 pages longer.

[Susan/DC]

[maggie b.]

Dead Witch Walking
Kim Harrison
Fantasy/Paranormal
B

Rachel Morgan has taken her last crap assignment from I.S. She is determined to strike out on her own, convinced her boss can't stand her and would just as soon be rid of her. This is good and very important since the I.S. have a tendency to put a "burn notice" out on you when you leave against their will.

But Rachel's plans run amok and soon she finds herself with a price on her head, partners in a business she had no intention of opening and herself tangling with a super that neither of her partners -- Ivy, a vampire and Jenks, a pixy-- even know what it is.

Rachel is likable right from the start and the world Kim Harrison has created is wonderful. She has just the right touch of whimsy in it (tomatoes have brought down civilization as we know it) with a good degree of taking her world building seriously. She brings some new twists to the vampire myth which keep it fresh without rewriting mythology. I loved her look at the complicated world of super natural policing, it was a great way to give us a fresh take on an overworked genre.

Jenks is quite frankly wonderful. Snarky but loyal and darned useful. I loved meeting his family and being introduced to a type of character I simply hadn't really seen much of in this genre. Ivy is of course mysterious, sexy, useful to have in a fight and did I mention mysterious? Trent was a wonderful villain with an aura that encompasses intrigue and evil in just the right amounts to keep me wondering.

The rest of the supporting cast, especially the gentleman added mid book in the rat fight were present in the right amounts without being overbearing or overly convenient.

What kept the book from being a perfect A was the clear knowledge that it wasn't complete in itself. I still have a lot of books to read to find out the secret to Ivy and just what Trent is. I also didn't think it had the power to convert a non=paranormal fan to the genre like say Twilight or even Undead and Unwed or the Sookie book's would. But I would definitely recommend this to fans of paranormals. It's a good, even excellent book, if you already love the genre.

It will be interesting to see where this series goes.

maggie b.

[Tee]

First Lady by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

I read this book when it first came out in 2000 and absolutely loved it. With all the slight offerings these last couple of months with books, I've resorted occasionally to re-reading. The library had it so I picked it up. I'm only about half way thru, but I'm enjoying it a lot--I think even more than I did the first time. It involves a couple of kids so maybe it's not for everyone; but it's typical sassy SEP humor and dialog, along with a scenario that probably wouldn't happen. It's okay; she's made it believable to me and I can suspend disbelief with the best of them if it looks as though everything else is falling into place.

I'm actually reading it sentence to sentence and page to page, not skimming at all. What a wonderful talent SEP has. I really wish I liked more of her books than the three or four that I do.

The original AAR review can be linked below--

http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookReview.pl?BookReviewId=4188
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Just because a path is well beaten is no proof it's the right one.