Sacred Heart Diaries
historical erotica
http://samhainpublishing.com/books/sacred-hearts-diaries
4 stars
I once considered teaching French Revolution era history, so when this book crossed my path, I was very interested. I am only sorry that it took this long for me to get this review composed.
Ms. Vremont paints a very realistic picture of the times, showing the nobility at its best and worst, sometimes even in he same story. These portraits are not excessively romanticized, leaving the reader with an intriguing set of character studies and a whole lot of sex. The emotional development of the characters, both in positive and negative ways, brought a unique bent to these tales.
The theme of these stories are the women, and Beatrice, Gabrielle, Lucille, Veronique, and Candacis explore themes of forbidden love, homosexuality, and menage in a time where part of women's power lay in their art of seduction.
Ms. Vremont's skill at characterization brings the reader's emotions and interest in the characters to a higher level. I found myself speeding along to find out what happened to the characters I'd bonded with.
This erotic novel does not sugarcoat the times, and gives us a remarkable collection of short stories that will stay with me for a long time. Thanks for such a great read, Ms. Vremont!
Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Blood Will Tell by December Quinn-4 stars
Blood Will Tell
Vampire erotic romance
http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419911965
4 stars
I simply love vampire romance and this blurb took my attention, so I bought and read it the day of sale.
Cecelia Barnes is a researcher focusing on blood disorders. She comes to the attention of both good and bad vampires. Thus starts her journey of a lifetime (or several)!
I have seen Ms. Quinn around the romance world, but this is the first time I've read any of her books. To say that I am impressed is an understatement. She is a bright shining new talent in the erotic romance realm.
Julian is a complex character with many layers. He starts out the story with some clearly defined goals that aren't in Cecelia's best interests. Very soon, he realizes her worth both as a doctor and a potential romantic partner.
Cecelia is a heroine worthy of the title. She is resourceful and keeps her head througout. It was refreshing to see how Ms. Quinn invested in Cecelia's character.
The secondary cast of characters were quite well portrayed and added a great deal to the plot rather than just being scene dressing. The plot and romantic development were top notch and I was happy to be able to read this book front to back in one sitting. I often get bored with vampire stories that seem to be too similar, but this one was unique.
December Quinn, I'll be eagerly awaiting your next book!
Vampire erotic romance
http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419911965
4 stars
I simply love vampire romance and this blurb took my attention, so I bought and read it the day of sale.
Cecelia Barnes is a researcher focusing on blood disorders. She comes to the attention of both good and bad vampires. Thus starts her journey of a lifetime (or several)!
I have seen Ms. Quinn around the romance world, but this is the first time I've read any of her books. To say that I am impressed is an understatement. She is a bright shining new talent in the erotic romance realm.
Julian is a complex character with many layers. He starts out the story with some clearly defined goals that aren't in Cecelia's best interests. Very soon, he realizes her worth both as a doctor and a potential romantic partner.
Cecelia is a heroine worthy of the title. She is resourceful and keeps her head througout. It was refreshing to see how Ms. Quinn invested in Cecelia's character.
The secondary cast of characters were quite well portrayed and added a great deal to the plot rather than just being scene dressing. The plot and romantic development were top notch and I was happy to be able to read this book front to back in one sitting. I often get bored with vampire stories that seem to be too similar, but this one was unique.
December Quinn, I'll be eagerly awaiting your next book!
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Prom Nights from Hell by Meg Cabot, Kim Harrison, Michele Jaffe, Stephenie Meyer, and Lauren Myracle-4 stars
Prom Nights from Hell
YA
http://www.harperteen.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=006125309X
4 stars
I am an unabashed YA fan, and when I saw that Kim Harrison wrote a story for this anthology, I had to get it. As with most anthologies, the stories were a mixed bag, but there was only one that I didn't care for as much as the others.
The Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot
My second favorite story in this anthology. Mary is the daughter of a turned vampire, and makes her way as a vampire hunter. She is very protective when her friend dumps her long-time boyfriend and hooks up with someone very alluring and not quite human.
Mary's story is readable and wonderfully paced. Meg Cabot is a natural writer and I'd love to see more paranormal YA from her.
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle
Frankie and her friends go to a fortuneteller and end up getting a magical corsage. Frankie just wants her best friend to ask her to the prom, but she sets into motion terrible things instead.
This story is twisted and the most classical horror story of the lot, but I found it a bit unsatisfying in the end. The story has great technical merits, but it wasn't the right story for me.
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison
Madisonis humiliated at her prom and impulsively takes off with a msterious boy and gets a great deal more than she bargained for, with life-long complications.
This story was a surprise. I did enjoy it, but it was quite different from what I expected. This story twisted in different ways fom Ms. Myracle's but the twist worked very well for me,
Kiss and Tell by Michelle Jaffe
Hands down, this is my favorite story in the anthology. I am new to Ms. Jaffe's work, and this story is enough to make me a fan.
Miranda is "special" in ways that make her stand out from the rest of her class. She manages to hide most of her abilities. One day, she meets up with Sibby, who is also much more than she appears. Miranda will have to use every one of her extra abilities to help Sibby.
The author's writing style and voice, the characters, the plotting, were all just great. I hope we'll see much more of Miranda and Sibby as well. The dialogue in particular was witty and snappy without being overly cutesy or trendy.
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer
A prom is supposed to be a happy occassion, but for Gabe, misery surrounds him. Can that amazing looking girl be part of the problem or a solution?
A wonderful fresh voice in Ya, Stephenie Meyer delivers with this short story that packs a tremendous punch. I have been hearing about this author for quite some time and now I understand her appeal.
These stories are all bound by the prom theme, but it is so interesting to see where the various authors went with their entries. I have discovered some new authors and my fandom has been reaffirmed for others. Though I liked some stories more than others, none disappointed me.
YA
http://www.harperteen.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=006125309X
4 stars
I am an unabashed YA fan, and when I saw that Kim Harrison wrote a story for this anthology, I had to get it. As with most anthologies, the stories were a mixed bag, but there was only one that I didn't care for as much as the others.
The Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot
My second favorite story in this anthology. Mary is the daughter of a turned vampire, and makes her way as a vampire hunter. She is very protective when her friend dumps her long-time boyfriend and hooks up with someone very alluring and not quite human.
Mary's story is readable and wonderfully paced. Meg Cabot is a natural writer and I'd love to see more paranormal YA from her.
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle
Frankie and her friends go to a fortuneteller and end up getting a magical corsage. Frankie just wants her best friend to ask her to the prom, but she sets into motion terrible things instead.
This story is twisted and the most classical horror story of the lot, but I found it a bit unsatisfying in the end. The story has great technical merits, but it wasn't the right story for me.
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison
Madisonis humiliated at her prom and impulsively takes off with a msterious boy and gets a great deal more than she bargained for, with life-long complications.
This story was a surprise. I did enjoy it, but it was quite different from what I expected. This story twisted in different ways fom Ms. Myracle's but the twist worked very well for me,
Kiss and Tell by Michelle Jaffe
Hands down, this is my favorite story in the anthology. I am new to Ms. Jaffe's work, and this story is enough to make me a fan.
Miranda is "special" in ways that make her stand out from the rest of her class. She manages to hide most of her abilities. One day, she meets up with Sibby, who is also much more than she appears. Miranda will have to use every one of her extra abilities to help Sibby.
The author's writing style and voice, the characters, the plotting, were all just great. I hope we'll see much more of Miranda and Sibby as well. The dialogue in particular was witty and snappy without being overly cutesy or trendy.
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer
A prom is supposed to be a happy occassion, but for Gabe, misery surrounds him. Can that amazing looking girl be part of the problem or a solution?
A wonderful fresh voice in Ya, Stephenie Meyer delivers with this short story that packs a tremendous punch. I have been hearing about this author for quite some time and now I understand her appeal.
These stories are all bound by the prom theme, but it is so interesting to see where the various authors went with their entries. I have discovered some new authors and my fandom has been reaffirmed for others. Though I liked some stories more than others, none disappointed me.
Chain Reaction by Dee Davis 4 stars
HQN books
http://eharlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=14881&cid=330
Romantic Suspense
WHen this book released, I rushed out to buy it. It seemed just what I was looking for, seeing that I love Rachel Lee's Mira Books. This book wasn't quite what I expecte,d and while it was good, I was mildly disappointed.
Mia Kearney lives in a small town in Idaho, where, to quite "Cheers", everyone knows everyone else's names. She is quite close to some friends who own the town's cafe/diner and we see their worry and protectiveness about this artist who gets so caught up in her work that she doesn't take many breaks.
Mia goes off on her merry way then diaster strikes. She awakens days later in a facility, learning the horrific news that the entire town has been obliterated and that she is the only survivor. Mia quickly becomes ewmbroiled in a turf war between the CIA and Homeland Security. Handsome Nicholas from Homeland Security seems to be her only ally.
The idea for this book is fantastic but the follow through was lacking. There were a lot of nagging questions I had, such as why Mia was at first a valued scientific experiment and then totally expendable, how the "Bad guys" found Mia and Nick after their tracking device was destroyed. The story also wrapped up way too quickly for me, the author cramming in what amounted to a summary for the HEA.
I loved Mia's kick ass ways and Nick's character was wonderfully complex. The romantic tension between them was palpable and the way they were wrenched apart by their circumstances added to the buildup.
This was a good book which could have been great if it was five pages longer. I will read more Dee Davis and I hope Matt will get his own story.
http://eharlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=14881&cid=330
Romantic Suspense
WHen this book released, I rushed out to buy it. It seemed just what I was looking for, seeing that I love Rachel Lee's Mira Books. This book wasn't quite what I expecte,d and while it was good, I was mildly disappointed.
Mia Kearney lives in a small town in Idaho, where, to quite "Cheers", everyone knows everyone else's names. She is quite close to some friends who own the town's cafe/diner and we see their worry and protectiveness about this artist who gets so caught up in her work that she doesn't take many breaks.
Mia goes off on her merry way then diaster strikes. She awakens days later in a facility, learning the horrific news that the entire town has been obliterated and that she is the only survivor. Mia quickly becomes ewmbroiled in a turf war between the CIA and Homeland Security. Handsome Nicholas from Homeland Security seems to be her only ally.
The idea for this book is fantastic but the follow through was lacking. There were a lot of nagging questions I had, such as why Mia was at first a valued scientific experiment and then totally expendable, how the "Bad guys" found Mia and Nick after their tracking device was destroyed. The story also wrapped up way too quickly for me, the author cramming in what amounted to a summary for the HEA.
I loved Mia's kick ass ways and Nick's character was wonderfully complex. The romantic tension between them was palpable and the way they were wrenched apart by their circumstances added to the buildup.
This was a good book which could have been great if it was five pages longer. I will read more Dee Davis and I hope Matt will get his own story.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)