"So, read any good books lately?"
"What did you think of...?"
Here's the Quickie answers to those questions. Click on the Links for more info.
J.R. Ward - Lover Enshrined, Black Dagger Brotherhood book 6
See INDEX for previous books.
Video: Ward discusses LE.
Category: Peanut M&Ms - mmmm...devour... sigh... then reach for the next one. My daily dose of Insanity-B-Gone. (A-,B+,B)
Flame Height: 5.5" out of 9"
Yes, OF COURSE, I read this as soon as it was released! But does it really come as a surprise how far behind I am in writing QB's Commentaries? I'm now on a mission to catch up!
I know there was a lot of bitching throughout Romancelandia because the romance between Phury and Cormia was more or less a secondary plot in this one. But people, really... this is CORMIA we’re talking about here. I would have gone into an irreversible coma if I had to read an entire book centered around her! GAK! Is there a word that means more ho-hum than boring? More blah than bland?
Besides, Ward has finally done something in this one that actually makes the Lessers sorta INTERESTING... hooda thunk it?! And maybe, just maybe, she’s also trying to make amends for the Butch/V coitus interruptus. Let’s hope she’s got the balls to run with it this time. Oh, and WOOT! A big ol' bowl of John/Xhex comin’ right up! Fingers crossed that Ward doesn't give Xhex a bland-over. Thumbs-up also for the return of a familiar face, but who the hell is that Lassiter? I read somewhere that he was introduced over on Ward's website, but I hope she remembers that not all of us can be arsed to hang out over there.
Piquant Opines (WHOA! LOTS of Google Reader opines about this one, hope GReader Search didn't miss anyone): Sula, Seneca, DA (Jia), Karen Scott (Azteclady), Book Binge (Casee), Kmont, Kris, SB discussion, Bam, Ciaralira, RipMyBodice, RT
Ilona Andrews - Kate Daniels series
1. Magic Bites (see previous)
2. Magic Burns
Category: Peanut M&Ms - mmmm...devour... sigh... then reach for the next one. My daily dose of Insanity-B-Gone. (A-,B+,B)
Flame Height: 4" out of 9"
Now THIS is how you do a follow-up to a successful first story! Kate is even more snarkity in this one, yet we also get to see more of her humanity and warmth (yes, she DOES have some). The sparks between her and Curan are getting more obvious to everyone around them... even Kate is noticing them now. With much of the world building taken care of in Magic Bites, Andrews was free to use that foundation to create a more complex storyline in this one. Consider this series a must-read for urban fantasy fans.
Piquant Opines (a few of these are dual reviews for books 1 & 2): Ramblings (Katiebabs), Kmont, Ciaralira, Tumperkin, Book Smugglers (Thea), Sarai, Karen Scott (Azteclady), Urban Fantasy Land, DA (Jia), Darque Reviews, RT
Vicki Pettersson - Signs of the Zodiac
1. The Scent of Shadows (see previous)
2. The Taste of Night (see previous)
3. The Touch of Twilight
Category: Peanut M&Ms - mmmm...devour... sigh... then reach for the next one. My daily dose of Insanity-B-Gone. (A-,B+,B)
Flame Height: 5" out of 9"
Mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, the whole doppelganger storyline was riveting, but on the other, its resolution and the storyline involving the kids at the comic store gave me a Woo-Woo headache. Even when Joanna finally gets laid, it’s an excuse for MORE Woo-Woo.
Overall though, this one was just as unputdownable (IS a word, so sez I) as the previous books. But the ending... OMG... I GASPED! And then wanted to bawl my eyes out because my heart ached for her sacrifice.
Piquant Opines: RT, Darque Reviews,SciFiChick
Have you read any of these books? Feel free to review or link to a review in the comments. Even if you don't agree!
The Patchy Peener
12 years ago
8 comments:
I haven't read Lover Enshrined yet.
To be honest, I can't stand Phury. Out of all the brothas he was the most annoying to me. Too wishy washy, weak, and whinny.
And Cormia? Zzzzz... she also got major on my nerves in Lover Unbound. Another whiny character with no redeeming qualities.
So, I wasn't so hot to run out and get this book. I'll still probably read it because, helloooo, it's JR Ward.
The fact that John and Xhex get some time in this a bit is one major reason I'd read this book.
Still though, I'm feeling major apathy about it.
You know, I have to give credit to Ward because she took the unusual step of admitting in LE that Phury was a drug addict and letting him hit bottom.
But more importantly, Phury and Cormia's relationship is only a secondary storyline in LE. The rest of it is pretty good and, if you plan on continuing with the series, you probably should read it so you'll know what's going on.
hokey dokey... read LE a few months ago.. so these aren't fresh impressions... but I think Ward completely jumped the shark... Her worldbuilding and "rules" for her universe have gotten shaky, I cant remember the specifics off the top of my head, but I kept saying WTF? I didn't think they could do that? Ward can still write a page turner, but she lost me with this one... Once my trust in the world building is blown, I have a hard time trusting any other "truths" in a book. Some people can just go with the flow and accept each book as its own 'truth', for them I am sure Ward is still an autobuy..(this was probably my biggest issue with the Anita books, that and Anita becoming a character I wasn't rooting for anymore)..
Love the Illona Andrews books.. She has a really strong grounding in sci fi and fantasy and her worldbuilding (at least so far) is really strong.. That is obviously hugely important to me in a sci fi or fantasy book..
read the first Vicki Petterson book, didnt care for it..
wytherin
LOL, you are absolutely right about Ward, but damned if it isn't book crack anyway. And I can't even tell you why it's so addictive since, if you pick it apart, it's really kind of laughable.
Last year, I hadn't seen or heard one thing about Ilona Andrews, but there was something about that first book, Magic Bites, that kept calling to my Reader Instincts. It wasn't the blurb, because I'm not usually attracted to magic centered stories, so I guess it was something about the cover pic-- Kate wasn't depicted as UF heroines typically are. She looked different enough that I thought it was worth a try. And am I ever glad I did!
As for Pettersson, you are not alone in your opinion. I think she's another one of those "love her or hate her" authors. The Zodiac series is just different and weird enough that I can forgive/ignore its shortcomings for the most part. But I think we've already established with the LKH books that, unless an author hits my hot buttons, I can be very forgiving. ;-p
Speaking of LKH, did you read that first chapter of Swallowing Darkness that's up now? You know, it's weird, but KMM has the first 3 chapters of Faefever up and I won't go near them because I want to savor every word of the book next week. But as soon as I saw that the 1st Merry chapter was up, I clicked the link because I wanted to see where she was going with the book. Go figure.
Speaking of LKH, did you read that first chapter of Swallowing Darkness that's up now? You know, it's weird, but KMM has the first 3 chapters of Faefever up and I won't go near them because I want to savor every word of the book next week. But as soon as I saw that the 1st Merry chapter was up, I clicked the link because I wanted to see where she was going with the book. Go figure.
I havent gone and looked at it (didn't know it was up)... I will go look at it and let you know what I think... The last book was odd, but at least the plot was moving a bit... I will probably read the next Merry book, but I won't buy it... I don't even keep up on the Anitas anymore..
wytherin
ok, went and read the first chapter. I will definately read this book, but I can already see that LKH hasn't dropped that irritating (to me) habit of talking all around a subject to the point I am just screaming " Just tell me!!"
Seriously, its kind of like an ADD kid, who is so distracted they have a hard time getting to the point..
wytherin
LOL! I definitely see your point in that chapter! Even I was thinking "Just say it already, dammit!" and she never really did, did she?
So what's up with the babies? Is their now a third one since Taranis raped her? Are they developing at an unusual rate? Are they conjoined? Do they each have three heads--- one per father? What?
GRRRRR
Hello! I wondered that too... I figured if nothing else, the one that was part Frosts has sprouted little antlers or something... which probably amuses me more than anything LKH can come up with...
I remember the doctor walking out the door, and for as sneaky and smart as Merry is supposed to be I thought. " sheeit girl! she is getting out without telling you."
wytherin
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