 |
| 4 out of 5 stars |
It's late. The phone rings.
The man on the other end says his daughter is missing.
Your daughter.
The baby you gave away over fifteen years ago.
What do you do?
Nora
Watts isn't sure that she wants to get involved. Troubled, messed up,
and with more than enough problems of her own, Nora doesn't want to
revisit the past. But then she sees the photograph. A girl, a teenager,
with her eyes. How can she turn her back on her?
But
going in search of her daughter brings Nora into contact with a past
that she would rather forget, a past that she has worked hard to put
behind her, but which is always there, waiting for her . . .
I’m not sure how this book
even got on my TBR list—but it came in at the public library for me last
week, so I must have seen something along the way that prompted me to
put a hold on it. I’ve obviously had it on hold for some time and now
that it’s published, voila!
A woman with a past. Alcoholism.
Sexual assault. A baby given up for adoption. Homelessness. Indigenous
heritage, making her invisible to the justice system unless it is making
life more difficult for her.
And yet she has talents and has
carved out a very small place in the world for herself. One phone call
shatters all of that progress and plunges Nora Watts back into the world
with a vengeance.
I would definitely read another book about Nora. I hope Ms. Kamal finds another story that Nora could tell.
 |
| 3 out of 5 stars |
Old habits die hard. And I plan on murdering someone before the night is through.
Killing
used to be my regular gig, after all. Gin Blanco, aka the Spider,
assassin-for-hire. And I was very good at it. Now, I’m ready to make the
one hit that truly matters: Mab Monroe, the dangerous Fire
elemental who murdered my family when I was thirteen.
Oh, I
don’t think the mission will be easy, but turns out it’s a bit more
problematic than expected. The bitch knows I’m coming for her. So now
I’m up against the army of lethal bounty hunters she hired to track me
down. She also put a price on my baby sister’s head. Keeping Bria safe
is my first priority. Taking Mab out is a close second.
Good
thing I’ve got my powerful Stone and Ice magic — and my irresistible
lover Owen Grayson — to watch my back. This battle has been years in
the making, and there’s a chance I won’t survive. But if I’m going
down, then Mab’s coming with me...no matter what I have to do to make
that happen.
***2017 Summer Lovin’ Reading List***
I’m
glad this installment actually made some plot progress. The revenge
plot actually went somewhere finally in this 5th (!) installment. And
the romantic sub-plot seems to have firmed up nicely as well. I like the
magic system, I’ve grown accustomed to the environs of Ashland, I like
the secondary characters.
I’m so tired of hearing about Gin being
an assassin (retired or otherwise), where she keeps her knives
(seriously, if you’ve made it this far in the series, you have read that
hundreds of times), how Mab Munroe hurt her, what the inside of the
Pork Pit looks like, what everybody’s various runes look like, or about
Finn & his chicory coffee, just like dear old dad. The obsession
with eye colour is also a bit tiring. Does it really matter?
I
liked that Gin actually made some realistic mistakes, early in the
novel, and has to deal with the fallout. I also appreciated that we
finally got some back-story on the Devereau sisters and we now know why
they help Gin. I’m a little less gung-ho about Finn & Bria’s new
attraction to each other.
The big negative that I can see ahead?
There’s going to be no end of the repetition reminding us of what went
down with Mab. This will last for at least 4 more books by my reckoning,
if not more. Sigh! I like Gin, I like her friends, I like the setting.
This could be such an awesome series if an editor was willing to be
ruthless.
 |
| 4 out of 5 stars |
Nola Leary would
have been content to stay in Kilcairy, Ireland, healing villagers at her
family’s clinic with a mix of magic and modern medicine. But a series
of ill-timed omens and a deathbed promise to her grandmother have sent
her on a quest to Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky, to secure her family’s
magical potency for the next generation. Her supernatural task? To
unearth four artifacts hidden by her grandfather before a rival magical
family beats her to it.
Complication One: Her grandfather was Mr.
Wainwright and the artifacts are lost somewhere in what is now Jane
Jameson's book shop.
Complication Two: her new neighbor, Jed
Trudeau, who keeps turning up half naked at the strangest times, a
distraction Nola doesn't need. And teaming up with a real-life Adonis is
as dangerous as it sounds, especially when he’s got the face of an
angel and the abs of a washboard—can Nola complete her mission before
falling completely under his spell?
***2017 Summer Lovin’ Reading List***
An
Irish witch on a special mission to Half Moon Hollow. It’s a cute, fun
paranormal romance, in Molly Harper’s inimitable style. But it’s the
intersection of this story with the continued adventures of Jane Jameson
and Dick Cheney that truly made this worthwhile for me. I’m always
interested in whatever shenanigans that Dick is enmeshed in and he
features heavily in this book.
Half Nola’s adventures, half the
Dick & Jane show, there is just enough of each to keep the plot
moving along and to keep me smiling. Perhaps a bit predictable, but with
enough humour & snark to keep me reading.
Recommended as light, fluffy summer material.
 |
| 2 out of 5 stars |
A vampire soldier weary of life...
Centuries
ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire—a nightmare in his
mind—against his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees
little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill
him, inadvertently saving him instead.
A valkyrie assassin dispatched to destroy him...
When
Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire
attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow—accidentally
extinguishing all of her emotions. Yet whenever she encounters
Sebastian, her feelings—particularly lust—emerge multiplied. For the
first time, she's unable to complete a kill.
Competitors in a legendary hunt...
The
prize of the month-long contest is powerful enough to change history,
and Kaderin will do anything to win it for her sisters. Wanting only to
win her, forever, Sebastian competes as well, taking every
opportunity—as they travel to ancient tombs and through catacombs,
seeking relics around the world—to use her new feelings to seduce her.
But when forced to choose between the vampire she's falling for and
reuniting her family, how can Kaderin live without either?
***2017 Summer Lovin’ Reading List***
I’m not sure why I did this to myself? I gave Kresley Cole a second chance, after the less-than-stellar A Hunger Like No Other. I did like this one infinitesimally better than that one, but I don’t think she will get a third chance.
I
like the idea of Valkyries as characters—warrior women who kick ass and
take names. The whole world of the Lore has potential. There’s some
humour in these novels too, that I can appreciate. It’s just that the
plots are soooo thin, like tissue paper, just the basics to string
together the sex scenes. And those are hot, but there are so many of
them.
Now if that’s what you are reading the book for, your star
rating will be higher than mine. However, I like a little plot to go
along with my romance.
 |
| 4.5 out of 5 |
Just when Nevada
Baylor has finally come to accept the depths of her magical powers, she
also realizes she’s fallen in love. Connor “Mad” Rogan is in many ways
her equal when it comes to magic, but she’s completely out of her
elements when it comes to her feelings for him. To make matters more
complicated, an old flame comes back into Rogan’s life…
Rogan
knows there’s nothing between him and his ex-fiance, Rynda Sherwood. But
as Nevada begins to learn more about her past, her power, and her
potential future, he knows she will be faced with choices she never
dreamed of and the promise of a life spent without him.
As Nevada
and Rogan race to discover the whereabouts of Rynda’s kidnapped husband
and are forced to confront Nevada’s grandmother, who may or may not
have evil motives, these two people must decide if they can trust in
each other or allow everything to go up in smoke.
Well, I slurped that down in one evening flat! And it was delightful. I will no doubt read it again, savouring it more slowly.
All
the signs point to the Hidden Legacy series consisting of only 3 books.
But there are so many things that just call out for more volumes! Leon
finally has found his magic and started to use it. Arabella and Catalina
have been required to use their talents too. I need to know more about
all of them.
Plus, the big conspiracy theory that has been behind
all three novels hasn’t been fully explored yet. Sure, the conspirators
sustain a lot of damage during the course of Wildfire, but we still don’t know who the criminal mastermind is.
The
whole “becoming a House” process has just begun, and there are bound to
me challenges. I want to know what those issues are! And how do Nevada
& family cope with Evil Grandma?
Not to mention that I just
enjoy Nevada’s family and would be interested in whatever crazy things
they were doing. And although Nevada and Connor may seem like a done
deal, those two will always have challenges and I want to witness those.
Please, Ilona & Gordon, tell me there will be more books in the Hidden Legacy world!!!
 |
| 3 out of 5 stars |
For centuries the
tombs of the Pharaohs were haunted by a deadly curse. And when two
eminent archaeologists have died mysteriously, Judith Osmond was certain
that it was the curse at work. Then, overnight, her life changed.
There
was an unexpected inheritance. Then Tybalt, a young archaeologist and
the man she adored, asked her to marry him. But Tybalt planned a
honeymoon amid the tombs of the Pharaohs, and suddenly it looked as if
the curse of the kings had come to haunt Judith . . .
***2017 Summer Lovin’ Reading List ***
I
really enjoyed Victoria Holt’s books when I was in my teens. Re-reading
them as a mature adult has been a bit disappointing. Having always had a
bit of thing for Ancient Egypt, I recall being enchanted by The Curse of the Kings. Unfortunately, having just recently read The Lord of the Far Island, I can now see far too clearly how formulaic Holt’s romances were.
The
main character is an orphan, she gets her education as a fortunate
extra with the children of the gentry, she’s beautiful & spirited,
and she gets miraculously saved from a desperate life as a lady’s
companion by snagging the man intended for the well-born gal. Still,
there is a slightly older, beautiful woman who seems like she might be
competition for the husband’s interest and there are mysterious
goings-on.
I think my main beef with this book is Judith’s
education. The reader is told repeatedly how she has read ever so many
books on archaeology and Ancient Egypt, and yet there is her new husband
explaining tomb paintings to her, pointing out Anubis and Amun, as if
she has never seen a book before and she acting like it’s all brand new!
And I had never realized before how undemonstrative Tybalt is! I
associate the name Tybalt with fiery passion, so it seems strange to
have this cold man share the name.
Perhaps I should have let
sleeping dogs lie, but I have another of Holt’s books out of the public
library, which I will likely read.
 |
| 2 out of 5 stars |
It's been a
helluva week for Betsy Taylor. First, she loses her job. Then, to top
things off, she's killed in a car accident. But what really bites
(besides waking up in the morgue dressed in a pink suit and cheap shoes
courtesy of her stepmother) is that she can't seem to stay dead. Every
night she rises with a horrible craving for blood. She's not taking too
well to a liquid diet.
Worst of all, her new friends have the
ridiculous idea that Betsy is the prophesied vampire queen, and they
want her help in overthrowing the most obnoxious, power-hungry vampire
in five centuries - a badly dressed Bela Lugosi wannabe, natch. Frankly,
Betsy couldn't care less about vamp politics, but they have a powerful
weapon of persuasion: designer shoes. How can any self-respecting girl
say no? But a collection of Ferragamos isn't the only temptation for
Betsy. It's just a lot safer than the scrumptious Sinclair - a seductive
bloodsucker whose sexy gaze seems as dangerous as a stake through the
heart...
***2017 Summer Lovin’ Reading List ***
Before there was Molly Harper’s Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs there was MaryJanice Davidson’s Undead and unwed.
They feel somewhat related, but although I really enjoy Harper’s
fiction, I think I have had enough of Davidson’s. The difference, for
me, is in the main character. I can relate to Jane Jameson
(Harper)—she’s educated, she’s a librarian/bookstore owner, she’s snarky
and sometimes a bit neurotic, but always basically good-hearted. Betsy
Taylor (Davidson) is another kind of woman entirely—she’s shallow,
uneducated, unfocused, mouthy, selfish, and seemingly completely
motivated by designer shoes. I’m sure there’s a target-market for Betsy
out there somewhere, I’m just not it.
It’s not that she doesn’t
get some good lines, like “I was the Queen who brought all the tribes
together, who ruled them as one. Like the Speaker of the House, only way
more blood thirsty. More Book of the Dead crap, which Tina had been
reading to me all night. It was like attending Bible school in hell.” Or
when she first meets Eric Sinclair, “His shoes were—whoa! Where those
Ferragamos? It was a rare and wonderful thing to see a properly shod man
in an underground mausoleum.”
The “humour” missed its mark for
me as often as it hit. I felt the author was trying too hard. But, as I
have often stated in my reviews, my comprehension of humour in print is
challenged. I had to order this volume via interlibrary loan in order to
read it, making feel that I had to finish the book to justify ordering
it from another part of the province. I shan’t bother with further
volumes.
 |
| 2 out of 5 stars |
Carpathians are an
immortal race of beings with animal instincts. Every Carpathian male is
drawn to his life mate: a Carpathian or human female able to provide the
light to his darkness. Without her, the beast within slowly consumes
the man until turning vampire is the only option.' Raven Whitney is a
psychic who has used her gift to help the police track down a serial
killer. Now she is determined to escape the glare of recent publicity
for the peace and quiet of the Carpathian Mountains. Prince Mikhail
Dubrinsky is the leader of his people but, as his ancient Carpathian
race grows ever closer to extinction, he is close to giving in to the
heavy weight of loneliness and despair. From the moment their minds
touch, Raven and Mikhail form a connection. But there are those who
incorrectly view all Carpathians as vampires, and are determined to give
their extinction a helping hand.
***2017 Summer Lovin' Reading List***
Not
my cuppa tea, your mileage may vary. It does provide a unique spin on
the vampire mythos. There are two forms, the virtuous Carpathian and the
corrupt vampire. When a Carpathian goes bad, he or she becomes a
vampire. Their problem? Hardly any Carpathian females and those who
still exist seem to have only male children. Without a life-mate, the
Carpathian men are eventually reduced to a state where they can't see
colour, can't experience much emotion, and can hardly avoid going vamp.
And
that right there was my biggest issue with the whole book. It is
entirely driven by male sexual needs and women are ultimately
responsible for containing them. There isn't a sympathetic male
character in the whole book! Well, I guess there is the priest who was a
decent man but all the other human men are criminal, abusive, or
teetering on the edge of violence. All the Carpathian men are arrogant
assholes--controlling, condescending, seemingly unable to listen to
anyone, even each other. (And how creepy is it that all these
hundreds-of-years-old men are now standing around staring at Raven's
belly, wondering when she is going to produce a girl child that they can
perhaps claim as a life-mate?)
My other problem? Raven herself.
For someone who thinks she's smart, she does nothing to prove it. She's
smart enough to escape from the "protections" that Mikhail has
constructed for her, but then goes wandering off into the woods,
barefoot and half-naked. Both Raven & Mikhail go on and on about
love and trust, but their behaviour says that there isn't all that much
trust.
I respect the folks who love this series, though. The
whole life-mate concept, while seeming claustrophobic to me, might seems
tempting to those who would like to be sure about their relationships.
We live in a world of 50% divorce rates--how nice would it be for
everything to click magically into place when we meet a magical
life-mate? No doubts, no regrets.
Not every book is for everyone,
and I am done with this series. My TBR list is too long to waste
valuable reading time on books that make me roll my eyes this violently.
 |
| 4 out of 5 stars |
The ruling family of
the Soleri Empire has been in power longer than even the calendars that
stretch back 2,826 years. Those records tell a history of conquest and
domination by a people descended from gods, older than anything in the
known world. No living person has seen them for centuries, yet their
grip on their four subjugate kingdoms remains tighter than ever.
On
the day of the annual eclipse, the Harkan king, Arko-Hark Wadi, sets
off on a hunt and shirks his duty rather than bow to the emperor. Ren,
his son and heir, is a prisoner in the capital, while his daughters
struggle against their own chains. Merit, the eldest, has found a way to
stand against imperial law and marry the man she desires, but needs her
sister’s help, and Kepi has her own ideas.
Meanwhile, Sarra
Amunet, Mother Priestess of the sun god’s cult, holds the keys to the
end of an empire and a past betrayal that could shatter her family.
I am a big fan of anything
Ancient Egyptian and of King Lear, so when I heard this book described
as inspired by both of those things, I knew I had to give it a try. The
environment and the architecture were definitely reminiscent of Ancient
Egypt, as were the names and some of the religious observances, but the
author definitely gave his world its own traditions and quirks.
I
didn’t really see the King Lear comparison—unlike Shakespearean
tragedy, there were survivors! I guess the Harkan king, Arko Hark-Wadi
could have been somewhat equivalent to Lear, but he is not nearly
passionate enough to truly do justice to that monarch. However, that
does not mean that it was a disappointing book.
All the members
of Arko’s family, in fact, seem rather cold and calculating, even when
they are supposedly in love with someone. There are manipulations and
misunderstandings galore! If you enjoy back-stabbing and elaborate plots
to sabotage rivals, this is the book for you.
I suspect there
will be a sequel—there were enough loose ends left hanging to justify
one. Probably sales of this volume will determine whether the sequel
sees the light of day. I, for one, like messy endings, so I am okay with
Soleri’s final pages, but if you need things wrapped up neatly, you may find it frustrating.
 |
| 3 out of 5 stars |
Ever since the Supreme
Court granted the undead equal rights, most people think vampires are
just ordinary folks with fangs. I know better. I’ve seen their victims. I
carry the scars…
But now a serial killer is murdering vampires—and the most powerful bloodsucker in town wants me to find the killer… “
In
a world where vampires, zombies and werewolves have been declared legal
citizens of the United States, Anita Blake is an “animator” – a
profession that involves raising the dead for mourning relatives. But
Anita is also known as a fearsome hunter of criminal vampires, and she’s
often employed to investigate cases that are far too much for
conventional police. But as Anita gains the attention of the vampire
masters of her hometown of St Louis, she also risks revealing an
intriguing secret about herself – the source of her unusual strength and
power.
***2017 Summer Lovin' Reading List***
Another
title in what seems to be morphing into my Summer Vampire Reading List.
I liked this one and will probably read on, at least for another book
or two, in the series.
These are old-school vampires, susceptible
to both crosses and holy water, something fairly uncommon in current
urban fantasy. Anita knows that she is opposing evil, not just being
prejudiced against a new segment of society.
There was also, I
thought, a nod to Anne Rice's vampires, specifically Claudia. The
biggest, baddest vamp in Anita's town is actually a 1000 year old little
girl!
I'm not exactly sure why, but Anita reminds me of Faith
Hunter's Jane Yellowrock. I think it may be a matter of kickass
attitude, but Jane is much more comfortable working for and around the
undead than Anita.
Anita needs a woman friend right away!! She
can't continue to lean on the psychopathic Edward (although I must admit
that he has a treasure-trove of weapons, making him a handy kind of guy
to know. If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least
find you handy). Anita also has an unexplained talent for resisting
vampire glamour which I will be interested to learn more about. Plus its
pretty obvious that Anita is riding for a fall when she declares, "I
don't date vampires, I kill them." I predict she'll be dating one in the
next book.
 |
| 3.5 stars out of 5 |
Since the days of
conquistador Hernán Cortés, rumors have circulated about a lost city of
immense wealth hidden somewhere in the Honduran interior, called the
White City or the Lost City of the Monkey God. Indigenous tribes speak
of ancestors who fled there to escape the Spanish invaders, and they
warn that anyone who enters this sacred city will fall ill and die. In
1940, swashbuckling journalist Theodore Morde returned from the
rainforest with hundreds of artifacts and an electrifying story of
having found the Lost City of the Monkey God-but then committed suicide
without revealing its location.
Three quarters of a century
later, bestselling author Doug Preston joined a team of scientists on a
groundbreaking new quest. In 2012 he climbed aboard a rickety,
single-engine plane carrying the machine that would change everything:
lidar, a highly advanced, classified technology that could map the
terrain under the densest rainforest canopy. In an unexplored valley
ringed by steep mountains, that flight revealed the unmistakable image
of a sprawling metropolis, tantalizing evidence of not just an
undiscovered city but an enigmatic, lost civilization.
My friend Barbara recommended
this book to me, so really how could I refuse? Especially once I found
out that much of the action takes place in Honduras, a country that I
have been interested in visiting for several years. Why? The Lovely
Cotinga, that's why (have a look at http://www.sabrewingtours.com/hondura...
But
I think I may be cured of that desire now. You see, in addition to the
anthropological research and the jungle exploration (poisonous snakes,
hip deep mud, and unremitting rain, anyone?) there ends up being a fair
amount of discussion of insect-bourne disease. A number of the team were
infected with Leishamaniasis by the bites of sand flies. What is easily
done can be difficult to undo and they struggle to find treatment
options. Most of the world's victims of this disease are among the
poorest people on earth--if they had money to spend on drugs, the pharma
companies would be doing the necessary research. But that's not the way
things are.
Now, I am one of those people that biting insects
adore. In fact, I was just at a family reunion and I think I heard
everyone say at some point, "Oh, mosquitoes love me!" So apparently it
is a family trait and as I sat in their attractive midst, I did get only
3-4 mosquito bites. But I am hardly encourages to brave Hondruas, even
for the most beautiful bird. Sorry, Lovely Cotinga!
 |
| 4 out of 5 stars |
A mutilated body in
Crawley. Another killer on the loose. The prime suspect is one Robert
Weil - an associate of the twisted magician known as the Faceless Man?
Or just a common garden serial killer?
Before PC Peter Grant can
get his head round the case, a town planner going under a tube train and
a stolen grimoire are adding to his case-load.
So far so London.
But
then Peter gets word of something very odd happening in Elephant and
Castle, on an housing estate designed by a nutter, built by charlatans
and inhabited by the truly desperate.
Is there a connection?
And if there is, why oh why did it have to be South of the River?
This installment meanders a
bit, as it juggles multiple story lines, plus lessons in architecture.
Thomas "Oh was that your Tiger tank?" Nightingale gets to show why he's
the teacher and Peter & Lesley are the apprentices. I particularly
enjoyed Toby's increased role in this book, being Peter's magic detector
(the yap-o-metre) and camouflage (a man with a dog is virtually
invisible, apparently).
Peter has matured since the first book.
Lesley gives him a hard time, needling him about why he and Beverly
Brook aren't sleeping together yet. In the first couple of books, Peter
would have jumped in first and thought things through later, but he has
learned to think with his big head and is suitably cautious. After all,
if your relationship with a goddess goes pear-shaped, you know who is
going to suffer most (and it won't be Beverly).
I'm still
enjoying the effortless multicultural and inclusive cast of characters,
however don't imagine that I have no criticism! I'm not wild about the
Faceless Man as an antagonist (although I did enjoy Peter's reference to
his lab as the Strip Club of Dr. Moreau). But, having read to the end
of this volume, how can I doubt that I will read the next to see the
next event in the drama?
 |
| 4 out of 5 stars |
Blending the dark
eroticism of the vampire with the suspenseful adventure in history's
most exotic locales, Yarbro's Saint-Germain epic continues in this third
book that takes place in the last chaotic days of Nero's Rome.
***2017 Summer Lovin’ Reading List***
Finally,
I met the enigmatic Olivia who corresponded with Saint-Germain during
the first two books! She is an excellent character and the Ancient Roman
setting was an inspired choice. I can’t imagine all the historical
research that Yarbro must do for each novel—so far, she has skipped
through three entirely different time periods and seems to maintain the
accuracy of each one reasonably well.
Also long awaited was
Saint-Germain actually using his vampire powers a bit more. What is the
point of giving your main character exceptional abilities if you aren’t
going to utilize them? It was also good to see him lose his temper and
make errors. Up to this point, he has been the uber-rational, uber-calm
master mind who never screws up!
I seem to be on a vampire kick
this summer and I’m enjoying the variety of perspectives as I switch
authors. Yarbro’s fiction is from a time before the paranormal craze
that we find ourselves in today and is interesting just for that.
 |
| 2.5 stars out of 5 |
Paranormal private
eye. Grim reaper extraordinaire. Whatever. Charley Davidson is back!
And she's drinking copious amounts of caffeine to stay awake because,
every time she closes her eyes, she sees him: Reyes Farrow, the
part-human, part-supermodel son of Satan. Yes, she did imprison him for
all eternity, but come on. How is she supposed to solve a missing
persons case, deal with an ego-driven doctor, calm her curmudgeonly dad,
and take on a motorcycle gang hellbent on murder when the devil's son
just won't give up?
***2017 Summer Lovin’ Reading List***
Some light-hearted fluff to follow an interesting non-fiction book.
I’m
tiring of Charley & Reyes, since they seem to make very little
progress on their relationship from book to book. In this one, he
kidnaps her at knife-point, but that it somehow okay because she “knows
that he cares about her.” And although I appreciate her friendship with
Cookie, it really seems like both of them are way too focused on
“finding a man” and not paying enough attention to their families, their
careers, and all the myriads of others things that life consists of. I
want to give both of them Penelope Russianoff’s book Why Do I Think I Am Nothing Without A Man?.
Having
little luck with Reyes, Charley is throwing herself at two other guys,
without really considering the consequences and the thought of the
entanglements to come wearies me already. Needless to say, if I continue
reading this series, I will be in no hurry to pick of the next volume.
 |
| 4.5 stars out of 5 |
London 1599, a city on the brink of revolution...
He
is Queen Elizabeth's last, perhaps her greatest, love - Robert
Deveraux, Earl of Essex. Champion jouster, dashing general...and the man
that John Lawley, England's finest swordsman, most wishes to avoid. For
John knows the other earl - the reckless melancholic - and has had to
risk his life for him in battle one time too many.
All John wants
is to be left alone to win back the heart of the woman he loves, be the
kind of father that his son can look up to, and arrange the fight
scenes for the magnificent new theatre, the Globe. To realise these
dreams, John must dodge both Essex and his ruthless adversary for the
queen's affections, Robert Cecil, and remain free to help his oldest
friend Will Shakespeare finish the play that threatens to destroy him:
THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET.
I picked up this novel in
anticipation of a writers & readers conference that I attend in
August of each year, as this author will be participating this year. I
did not know what to expect but got much more than I was bargaining for!
Humphreys
played to his strengths—he has played Hamlet (here in my home town!),
knows his way around a sword, has choreographed fight scenes for
theatre, and has a passion for Shakespeare. All of these interests have
been channeled into this tale of John Lawley. Lawley is a solider, an
actor and an alcoholic—he is rather evenly devoted to all three, but the
third has made it difficult for him to pursue the other two or to
maintain a relationship with his son and the son’s mother.
I love
books in which William Shakespeare himself appears as a character and
he is a good friend of Lawley in this one. Will is struggling with the
writing of Hamlet while Robbie Deveraux and Robert Cecil wrestle for Queen Elizabeth’s affections.
I
would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good historical fiction,
who is interested in the history surrounding Queen Elizabeth I, or who
is a fan of Shakespeare. I am very much looking forward to meeting the
author in August and I will read more of his novels with great pleasure.
 |
| 3 out of 5 stars |
Twelve-year-old
Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius, and, above all, a criminal
mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he
kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't
fairies of bedtime stories; these fairies are armed and dangerous.
Artemis thinks he has them right where he wants them...but then they stop playing by the rules.
Artemis Fowl (or should
that be Foul?) is an interesting mix of Lex Luthor and Encyclopedia
Brown. He’s a boy genius with designs on leprechaun gold and he is
willing to kidnap and deceive his way to his goal. But the fairy world
is not going to just roll over and submit to Artemis’ demands,
especially not Captain Holly Short, who is being held captive in Fowl
Manor.
It’s a quick read, well written. If I was part of the
intended demographic, I would probably be more impressed, but it’s a bit
tame for adult tastes. Very appropriate for the children’s market,
however. I would have no hesitation buying it for a school library.
There are explosions, near-death-experiences, monsters, and evil plans,
but no one loses their life. Colfer gives amusing names to his
characters, like a butler named Butler and a centaur named Foaly.
Looking for summer reading for your 10 year old? Consider Artemis Fowl!
 |
| 4 out of 5 stars |
The study of
sexual physiology - what happens, and why, and how to make it happen
better - has been a paying career or a diverting sideline for scientists
as far-ranging as Leonardo da Vinci and James Watson. The research has
taken place behind the closed doors of laboratories, brothels, MRI
centers, pig farms, sex-toy R&D labs, and Alfred Kinsey's attic.
Mary
Roach, "the funniest science writer in the country" (Burkhard Bilger of
'The New Yorker'), devoted the past two years to stepping behind those
doors. Can a person think herself to orgasm? Can a dead man get an
erection? Is vaginal orgasm a myth? Why doesn't Viagra help women or,
for that matter, pandas?
In 'Bonk', Roach shows us how and why
sexual arousal and orgasm, two of the most complex, delightful, and
amazing scientific phenomena on earth, can be so hard to achieve and
what science is doing to slowly make the bedroom a more satisfying
place.
Mary Roach, as usual, is
drawn to the weird and the wonderful. I love her sense of humour about
whatever her current obsession happens to be. A book about sex research
could be dry and boring, but not with Ms. Roach at the helm.
Male
readers may cringe at several of the chapters regarding surgery on the
family jewels—it made me a little queasy. I am also amazed that she
managed to drag her husband along to participate in research projects
with her. He is obviously a guy with a sense of adventure!
Sex
researchers, both animal and human, were good sports to show off their
work in progress or discuss published results. As stated a couple of
time in the book, publicity can sometimes be a hindrance to obtaining
research money, so they were either very established researchers or
willing to risk the exposure.
We’re all interested in the topic,
but few of us have the time or inclination to track down these great
stories! Thank you, Mary Roach, for being the obsessive researcher for
us.
