The Basics:
She Walks in Darkness by Evangeline Walton
Tachyon Publications
Mystery/Thriller, Romance
Published September 30, 2013
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Blurb:
Beneath the beautiful estates of Tuscany lies another world, twisting labyrinths of catacombs, temples, and tombs filled with lost wonders of the ancient world. Treasures of ancient royal lines lie untouched, watched over by the unblinking eyes of pitiless Etruscan deities. Caught up in a gothic saga of passion, madness, honor, and revenge, a resourceful young woman must rely on her wits, or be lost to the tender mercies of a brutal goddess. This first publication of a newly discovered jewel of a period thriller is sure to please fans of all genres.
Note that I think this book should be labeled gothic and be done with it. There's no real romance component and the book is so steeped in the gothic style that there's really no other appropriate genre. That said, NetGalley doesn't have a 'gothic' option, so I understand the categorization as it was given to me.
What worked for me:
This is a skillfully written gothic novel. It calls to mind the work of Lovecraft in style if not content. The setting and atmosphere are pitch perfect, conveying the panic and terror of our narrator even as she explicitly describes her fear. The overall reading experience is sublime.
This book is heavy on style, on the slow turns of the screw. It was so different from my usual reads - either breezy and light like so much contemporary romance or New Adult or that dark sensuality that tends to be so popular in erotica right now. I really enjoyed the slow, creeping realization that everything was not as it seemed. It was delicious!
What didn't work for me:
This is an old-school, slowly paced story. I had to read it over multiple sittings due to other obligations and that meant I didn't get the full impact of all the atmosphere and tension.
The only thing that really bugged me about the writing was the attraction between our heroine and Floriano. That he was a beautiful male specimen is fair, and her attraction to him at that superficial level was fine, but that her *new* husband could be laying unconscious from an injury, while a murderer was on the loose, and she could be tempted at all... that really irked me.
Bottom line:
If you have the time to read through this in one sitting, perhaps late one evening, curled up fireside with a cup of tea and a blanket, then this could be quite a good read. It's certainly not for everyone, written in a style that recalls those gothic stories of the late nineteenth century. If you want a breezy read, then bypass this one. But if you like to enjoy the journey of the book as much as the destination, this book is for you.
It's written beautifully, with rich, atmospheric detail that's so often missing in contemporary stories.
4 stars
For fans of the gothic novel, of elegant writing, of that skin-crawling feeling you get as the terror slowly builds....
The Basics:
The Pleasure Dial by Jeremy Edwards
1001 Nights Press
Erotica, Romance
Published Oct 21, 2013
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Blurb:
The year is 1934, and amiable New York gag writer Artie Plask has taken the West Coast plunge. His first day on staff with a top radio show introduces him to the irresistible Mariel Fenton, a wit among wits who immediately takes an interest in all aspects of Artie's life--especially his private life.
As Artie finds his feet in a world of blustering comedians, pansexual sex goddesses, timid screen legends, exhibitionistic scriptwriters, and self-infatuated geniuses, Mariel leads him on a zany journey up and down the pleasure dial--a giddy romp through Hollywood that's chock-full of airwaves showdowns, writing-room counterplots, devious impersonations, naked meetings, and a sensuality-drenched assortment of erotic escapades.
What worked for me:
When I picked this book up, I was intrigued by the combination of humor and eroticism that the blurb suggested. I also like to pick up romance and erotica by male authors because these tend to be female dominated genres. I appreciate different perspectives, and I was *not* disappointed by this read.
Zany is definitely the word for The Pleasure Dial. From Artie Plask's first up-skirt conversation with Trixie - a mannequin - to the final climax of the story, I thought it was so cleverly written. I was worried when I started the book that it would be silly and low brow, but it was never that, and the comedy never turned demeaning either, which was important for my enjoyment.
Edwards maintains quick paced, intelligent dialogue that often turns to innuendo and word play. Having radio play writers as main characters might have been a challenge for a lesser author, but Edwards pulls off believable conversations that emphasize the characters' love of words.
Nearly all the characters in this book are sexual, active and pretty free-spirited. The sex is not without kinks - shockingly (and refreshingly) the BDSM and bondage themes so popular in erotica are not well represented here. Edwards manages to write sex that is funny and titillating and intriguing. His women know what they want and go for it and his men are happy to oblige. This is a world that I want to spend more time in!
Beyond this, the plot moves so quickly - there's crosses and double-crosses, characters in disguise, plans that seem completely out of left field and yet also oddly perfect for the problems they're intended to resolve. It's so well packaged and put together, all I could do was hang on for the wild ride.
What didn't work for me:
There's nothing overtly 'con' about this book. I guess if you're looking for something really sexy and serious, then this is a poor choice? All I know is that I really enjoyed it, far more than I expected!
Bottom Line:
If you've got a sense of humour about sex, and a love of words, then you've got to check this book out. It's entertaining, well-written and within my experience, entirely refreshing.
5 stars
For fans of comedy & erotica, people with a sense of humour, lovers of words and irreverent humour.
The Basics:
Definitely, Maybe in Love by Ophelia London
Entangled Publishing LLC
New Adult, Romance
Published October 28th, 2013
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Blurb:
Her theory of attraction is about to get a new angle
Spring Honeycutt wants two things: to ace her sustainable living thesis and to save the environment. Both seem hopelessly unobtainable until her college professor suggests that with a new angle, her paper could be published. Spring swears she’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that happens.
"Whatever it takes," however, means forming a partnership with the very hot, very privileged, very conceited Henry Knightly.
Henry is Spring's only hope at publication, but he's also the über-rich son of a land developer and cash-strapped Spring’s polar opposite—though she can't help being attracted to the way he pushes her buttons, both politically and physically. Spring finds there's more to Henry than his old money and argyle sweaters…but can she drop the loud-and-proud act long enough to let him in? Suddenly, choosing between what she wants and what she needs puts Spring at odds with everything she believes in.
Definitely, Maybe in Love is a modern take on Pride and Prejudice that proves true love is worth risking a little pride.
What worked for me:
As previously established, I'm a sucker for a good Pride and Prejudice update. Maybe it's that the Darcy character has to swallow all that formidable pride to apologize and make good with the Lizzie character. Yes, Lizzie has her own pride and prejudices to overcome, but there's something about a sexy, arrogant man humbling himself for love that gets me. Every. Single. Time.
So, how does London handle Austen's tale? Really well. This version is reasonably faithful to the original text. We've got stand-ins for most of the main characters, with some doing double duty (as in the case of Julia acting as both Jane and Lydia). There's lots of updates for the original plot - I wasn't feeling the lack of anything (though there are elements that have been dropped entirely).
Perhaps most importantly, Henry makes an excellent Darcy. Henry's got the upper-class thing going for him in terms of a wealthy family and loads of opportunities that are foreign to us normal people. He's hot, he's initially really stand-offish and he's gradually revealed as both an all-around nice guy AND a sucker for our heroine, Spring.
Spring's a bit more complicated. She's big on her issues revolving around the environment. It's hard to see past her complete commitment to her cause, which has involved making herself over in the image of what she thinks the ideal environmental warrior should be. Even her two best friends comment on how aggressive she's become on this front, and how off-putting that might be for someone who doesn't know her very well.
Without being too spoilery, I did like the moment when Spring is forced to confront one of her hot button issues face on, and her willingness to acknowledge she may not have had all the facts. I think this is an important step towards softening her stance a little, and making her that much more likeable.
Possibly my favorite part of this book - okay, no, Henry was my favorite part - definitely my *second* favorite part of this book is that Spring struggles with her own identity throughout this novel. She's recently undergone this self-imposed make-over to make herself appear more committed to her causes, but she's still floundering with her thesis, and I think she's struggling to make a bold statement about who she is within the context of a movement that is so characterized by stereotypes. This development of identity/finding oneself is a critical part of the New Adult genre - for me, at least - and I really appreciated the way that London incorporated it.
What didn't work for me:
I think seeing Spring interact with characters who shared her passion for the environment and sustainability might have emphasized her identity issues. I do realize that this would have veered away from the original Pride and Prejudice story but perhaps there might have been a clever way to tease that out a little bit?
For all the intellectual/academic basis for Spring and Henry to come together, I really couldn't believe that he was the *only* student at Stanford who understood Spring's sustainability thesis. It was a bit of unnecessary contrivance to bring together the two characters - the attraction combined with convenience of being neighbours (and willingness to help!) could have been enough to make Henry Spring's best choice instead of only choice?
I also didn't think it was necessary for Spring to be noted as a virgin mid-way through the book. First, it set my expectations regarding how far her relationship with Henry would advance. Second, when there was a later discussion about her using random guys to satisfy her needs, it read a little strange. That said, I felt like her experience or lack thereof was a non-issue for me - it didn't bother me that she *was* a virgin, it just seemed like a strange detail to include at the time it was shared in the book.
Bottom Line:
If you love a good Pride and Prejudice adaptation, you're going to enjoy Definitely, Maybe in Love. London adeptly puts a modern spin on the tale, giving us a sexy hero to root for, a modern heroine trying to find herself and a cast of supporting characters that complicate everything!
I definitely recommend this book.
4.5 stars
For fans of Pride and Prejudice adaptations, of the New Adult genre, of young love and sexy heroes.
The Basics:
Fall for You and When I'm With you by Cecilia Gray
Gray Life, LLC
Books 1 and 3 in the Jane Austen Academy series
YA
Published November 6, 2013
Blurbs:
Dive into the fabulous, fun lives of six Academy girls as their friendships are tested, torn and ultimately triumph.
Fall for You:
It’s obvious that Dante thinks he’s way too good for Lizzie. And Lizzie knows Dante is a snob with a gift for pressing her buttons. But things are changing fast this year at the Academy. And when Lizzie’s quest to stop those changes blows up in her face, taking her oldest friendship with it, she has nowhere else to turn but to Dante, with his killer blue eyes, his crazy-sexy smile, and his secrets… Secrets Lizzie can’t seem to leave alone, no matter how hard she tries…
When I'm With You:
Kat is destined to be a star and her big break has arrived at last! As the assistant to a celebrity classmate on the set of a feature film, she's going to show everyone she has what it takes. That is, until she discovers pursuing her dreams may mean forfeiting her heart. Unless she can find a way to have both…
* * *
The last thing that the girls at the elite Jane Austen Academy need is hot guys to flirt with. But over the summer the school has been sold, and like it or not, the guys are coming. And it’s about to turn the Academy—and the lives of its students—totally upside down…
The Jane Austen Academy series are modern retellings of Jane Austen classics set at a beachside California boarding school.
My Thoughts:
I read these two books back-to-back to get a stronger sense for the series. I love Pride and Prejudice (Fall For You) and have read several adaptations of it, but Northanger Abbey (When I'm With You) was not familiar to me. I was excited to read them because I do love modern adaptations of the classics.
So, I think that When I'm With You (WIWY) benefited from my lack of familiarity with Northanger Abbey. I found it to be a much stronger book. Because I wasn't distracted by the ways in which the story deviated from the source material, I could enjoy it for what it was: a short and sweet tale about a young woman learning to form and trust her own opinions. The romance with a hot, young actor didn't hurt either! I liked Kat's earnestness, her willingness to dive into work regardless of how glamourous it was or was not. I appreciated her observations about the world, and that things didn't always go her way in the moment. Though there are some too-neatly tied up issues in WIWY, overall, it was a cute teen novel that I really enjoyed reading.
Now, Fall for You (FFY) establishes the world of Jane Austen Academy and this might be why it wasn't as enjoyable as WIWY. It has to set the foundation for more than just a Pride and Prejudice adaptation, and that leaves less time and space for the story that we (should) all know and love.
Lizzie is a delight - she's got a full range of strengths and flaws (prejudice! pride!) and I would happily have read more about her romance with Dante. The problem is that so much of the Pride and Prejudice story is dropped. Lizzie doesn't have sisters - instead a friend stands in for Jane, but this friend is also the star of her own book in the series (an adaptation of Persuasion), so she can't follow through to the conclusion of Jane's story.
There were a lot of other elements missing, and the one I missed the most was the mess with Lydia and Wickham. The embarrassment for Lizzie and the emotional turmoil it puts her through were really lacking in this version. I also felt like the relationship with Dante didn't follow the expected ups and downs. It needed to be teased out a little more to get the full dramatic effect. I didn't have that heartmelting moment when Lizzie realizes Darcy is, in fact, a great guy and one she'd like to marry (or date, in the case of Dante).
What FFY did do well, other than the character of Lizzie and establishing the setting, was working with the themes of pride and prejudice. First and lasting impressions are tested as Lizzie realizes that she has to look deeper not only when investigating her newspaper articles but when it comes to people as well. Possibly a little unrealistic that such an eager journalist would accept her impressions of people at face value, but it didn't really feel like a mismatch with her personality while I was reading the book.
Bottom Line:
I liked these books, but I don't think they're strong adaptations of Jane Austen's work. The heroines were well developed and engaging. Henry of When I'm With You was pretty dreamy, and this was the superior book.
Each novel also comes with a discussion section at the end, which seems useful to get the target age group (teens) thinking about different components of the book.
3.5 stars for Fall for You
4 stars for When I'm With You
The Basics:
Loving Lucas by AnnMarie Oakes
eXcessica Publishing
Book One in the Ladies of Cascade Creek
Western Romance
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Blurb:
Audra Canton's suitors have an odd way of making their case: they keep shooting at her. The Colorado Territory of the 1870s is tough on women alone; the two Canton sisters have no one but each other after the death of their father. All the locals want to marry Audra for the Canton homestead, and they're not above scaring her into it. Audra needs help learning to protect herself and her sister.
That's when Lucas Blake drifts into Audra's life. She takes him on as a hired hand, though he's anything but. He's a lawman hot on the trail of a hardened criminal, and working the Canton homestead is the perfect cover.
But just when Audra thinks she's out of the line of fire, Lucas accidentally puts her straight into the sights of a new, more deadly gun that makes her drunken suitors look like toy soldiers. Now Lucas and Audra must fight for their lives—and each other.
What worked for me:
This was a workable western romance. I haven't read a western romance in a while, so it was nice to dip a toe into that subgenre.
The romance here is plausible, and there's some seeds of interesting things - two sisters trying to live alone while being harassed by local men who want access to their land (and them!) and the manly man who swoops in to help them.
I did like the way that Lilah was written in terms of her flirtatiousness, and going after what she wanted. She was believable as a young adult trying to figure out her place in the world. She was the most interesting character in the book for me.
What didn't work for me:
Possibly because this is a short romance, there are some really abrupt shifts from chapter to chapter. The most jarring changes happen when the new chapter starts with a romantic scene.
Audra comes across as pretty hypocritical as she lectures Lilah against falling for Lucas, while at the same time sneaking away to kiss him herself.
I also didn't quite understand why Lucas had to lie about his last name to Audra and her sister. Not announcing his intentions to hunt down the outlaws made sense, but the women were so isolated that hiding his identity so carefully with them was really strange.
Overall, it felt as though this was selected/edited from a longer novel, and I think it would have benefited from another 20-30 pages to flesh out the development of Audra and Lucas' romance and to give some more meat to Lucas' hunt for the outlaws.
Bottom Line:
A short read that passes the time, but doesn't leave a lasting impression. It read a little flat and workmanlike, but I didn't dislike it. My problem was that nothing developed at a pace to really draw me into the story.
2.5 stars
For fans of (short) western romances.
The Basics:
Awakening by Elene Sallinger
SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca
Erotica
Published: Nov 5, 2013
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Back Copy:
Claire Ryan is finally coming out of her shell after a devastating breakup. What better way to rejoin the world than through a romance book club. But she never expects to find love for herself... Bookshop owner Evan Lang still harbors deep grief for the death of his wife. He’d introduced her to a world of domination she’d never before known. He thinks he’ll never be able to find someone that open, that responsive again. Until Claire walks through his door...
What worked for me:
Claire and Evan are both compelling, broken individuals. They both need to come to terms with their pasts before they can build anything meaningful together. I like that they weren't perfect people: they each have made and/or make pretty poor choices.
I liked that Evan was very conscious (at least at the start of each encounter) about how careful he needed to be with Claire. This book would not have worked at all if we hadn't seen his thought process - but because we did, we get some really great insight into some of the things that a good Dominant should consider.
The sex in this book is really hot - maybe it's elevated by the exploration of emotional and psychological issues? Maybe it's just really well written. I thought that the author did a great job of incorporating encounters that *made sense* for someone being introduced to BDSM, and I found *that* sexy. There's no rushing Claire into the deep end; instead Evan eases her into the lifestyle, only pushing when she's overthinking things.
What didn't work for me:
I'm starting to burn out on the dominant/alpha male erotic novel.
That said, this book was so much more than just a dominant running the show, pushing a submissive past her limits/raising her up to his standards. It was an emotional journey through some serious issues with some sexy play incorporated. If you're looking for fluff, this is *not* that book.
Still, because of my saturation on this particular subgenre, I didn't enjoy this quite as much as I think someone who isn't burned out might. I found some of Evan's controlling behaviour a little annoying, to be honest. Appropriate, sure, but I wanted to tell him to back off more than once.
I felt the same about the leader of the Book Club, who put Claire on the spot several times. Granted, it helped Claire come out of her shell, but I felt uncomfortable on her behalf.
Bottom Line:
This is probably the best BDSM book I've read in recent memory - and that's because it's about more than just sex and control. The book explores the emotions involved in BDSM, impact play (a term I learned from this book!) and exploring boundaries.
4 stars
For fans of BDSM erotica, of erotica with plot/emotion, of impact play
The Basics:
Isn't She Lovely by Lauren Layne
Random House Publishing Group - Flirt
New Adult, Romance
Published Date: October 28, 2013
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In a modern, New Adult take on Pygmalion, Stephanie is a Goth film student paired with Ethan, a preppy business student to work on a screenplay for their summer class. When her sublet apartment falls through, Ethan offers her a deal - fake her way through a few parties and events as his girlfriend, and she can stay in his apartment. The catch? She'll have to undergo a makeover to fit in with his upper-class social set, and they decide to use the experience as the inspiration for their screenplay. As their attraction to each other grows, Ethan begins to wonder if Stephanie really can fit into his world, while Stephanie's concerned Ethan may be attracted to the fake version of herself rather than who she really is.
What Worked for me:
Frankly, I'm a fan of Pygmalion inspired stories. Something about the tension between before and after the makeover, and the discovery of identity beneath image, the development of self-confidence... there's just a lot of material there that I enjoy.
Isn't She Lovely was a delight. I lost a few hours of precious sleep (I'm a new mom!) racing to finish the book, and I didn't regret it. It was my first New Adult book, and I quite liked it. While I enjoy the freshness and teenage drama of Young Adult novels, there's a maturity in that New Adult period that I was happy to embrace. I can also see how this genre will explode in the next few years as all those teenagers devouring Young Adult books move to this genre. Can we start calling Young Adult books Teen books now?
On the characters front, both Stephanie and Ethan face personal issues apart from the tension developing between them. Ethan was particularly convincing as he faced his problems - I won't be more specific to avoid spoiling the book for anyone. Let's just say that I felt like he was very genuine.
My favourite moment is late in the book when Stephanie is caught in a conversation about whether or not being Goth is a phase for her - there's a line about how life is full of phases, one after another. The idea of this really resonated with me. I'm not a fan of romances about couples who reclaim or renew their relationship, but this conversation really piqued my interest in reading one that embraces the idea of phases of life and renewing a relationship as the individuals enter new phases in their own lives, and new phases together as a couple.
What didn't work for me:
There wasn't anything that stands out as being a low point for me. Obviously the Pygmalion/opposites attract-makeover plot has been done before, but I liked Layne's spin on it, and I found her resolution satisfying.
Bottom Line:
I highly recommended this book. It was fun, with great pacing. It made me think about modern prejudices based on clothing and class, which so often fails to account for backgrounds and attitudes. I'm already looking for more New Adult books to read, and I'll add Lauren Layne to my list of authors to watch for in the future!
5 stars
For fans of She's All That, My Fair Lady, Grease and any other Pygmalion-inspired movie, fans of new adult romance, fans of Sarah Dessen.
