Review: A Portrait of Our Marriage

Portrait of Our Marriage by Martha Emms

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I finished this book yesterday and had to let myself sit and think about it before writing this review, mainly because it stirred up so many emotions in me that I had to wait for them to settle before I could approach this.

My background is in psychology, and I found Brett's years-long descent into porn addiction to be accurate in how it changes behavior, sexual performance, and how it slowly encroaches and erodes the trust and emotional connection within a relationship. The metamorphosis from charming, open, loving husband to secretive, defensive addict was painful to read, but so true. His emotional manipulation of Nicky was another thing that was painful to read about but so prevalent in certain dysfunctional relationships.

The way he villainized her whenever she confronted him, and how he would compare his severe transgressions to her healthy behavior based on minimal similarity is so typical of this behavior. The reasonable party, who is only trying to find common ground, often falls into the trap of admitting to the addict's accusations, the way Nicky does time and again, and is a phenomenal example of how there is no reasoning with a dysfunctional addict or emotional manipulator. They don't operate with any logic or reason, and anyone who engages with them is set up for failure. Nicky learned this time and again, and her resolve to continue believing in her husband for the sake of their marriage and the years of foundation they built together made me ache.

I don't understand the reviews criticizing the ending. Sometimes a happy ending isn't them living happily ever after. Not when one of them is blind to their own addiction and actively demolishing the relationship. Even if Brett had gone to therapy, I think it would have been too little, too late. Nicky fought for her marriage for too long, tried to be forgiving, understanding, tried to only focus on the positives, and lived with shame. The moment she came to the decision that she did, she started living again. Truly living.

THAT is the best happily-ever-after!

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review



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It's time for another "Good Idea, Bad Idea"

How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot:

What do you do when someone leaves you a bad review on Amazon, or Goodreads, or any other number of product review book websites out there?

Do you:
A.) Ignore all reviews
B.) Cry, throw things, scream into a pillow, and then eat a tub of ice cream while wallowing for a day or so in self-doubt
C.) Take a deep breath and learn from it, since you know bad reviews are part of the business
D.) Call people who took the time to leave an honest review names like "fucktard"

I'm going to assume that most of you answered a combination of B and C. When I first started down the publishing journey, I had always thought I would do A. Reading a lot of authors' blogs and newsletters, I knew reviews were those bad train wrecks of the published world; they're generally awful to look at, are tragic, and the watching of such serves no purpose.

But I also had this macabre fascination. So I read my reviews. I have two that greatly upset me not because they're bad reviews, per say, but because there is no logic behind them that I can see. But did I go on my public Facebook fan page and call them fucktards? Hell no. Did I vent my frustration privately to my friends? You bet I did. They just made no sense to me!!!

Well you know what, me? Tough shit!

Seriously.

The thing is, they made sense to the people who wrote the reviews, and since it's their review, not mine, I have absolutely no say in what someone writes about my books. All I have is my writing ability standing there all alone with nothing but its own merit keeping it company. I've been writing for my entire life; I've been writing seriously since at least 1998. I've only been published with NNP since April of last year.

However, in that time I have put out two books, as well as had shorts in the exclusive Campus Sexploits anthologies as well as a Duo with the lovely Rachel Carling. And let me tell you, my editor is absolutely grueling, but I adore her. I love having someone that I can talk to late at night about the virtues of a clarifying comma in front of a non-independent clause because of a vague qualifier.

But that's the geek side of my Grammar Queen self coming out.

Anyway.

So I stumbled across this author on Amazon and the story blurb sounded kinda interesting. I was in-between books so I thought sure, I'll give it a shot.

It was awful.

Little to no character development. Verb tenses were inconsistent, and not just occasionally, but enough that it actually started to get offensive. There was no research on the smallest of details. It read like fanfic, like the author had a fantasy and was writing about herself, just ten years younger and with a different name.

But her passion for writing was really very clear in the book. At least, in what I read of it. In no way did I read the entire thing. It was just awful. I left an honest review in which I rated it 1 star, but I also offered to help her, to give her a list of resources I had found invaluable, and also offered to introduce her to editors I know. I could respect the passion, so I went to follow her Facebook fan page.

She said "fuck you" to the people who left bad reviews, and called them fucktards.

Really? I mean, really?

You're going to publish your book, and then go publicly throw a tantrum and call people vulgar names simply because they didn't kiss your ass? These were honest reviews. This is not how you behave in public. Crappy author or not, you're calling yourself an author and alienating your readers by calling them horrible names is not how to behave when your reputation is on the line.

Because as an author, your reputation is all you have.

The internet is forever, so be damn careful how you
treat the people who make royalties possible.
This is not rocket science.

But what really upset me, on a professional level, was how obvious it was that somewhere in this author's mind there was an utter refusal to hire an editor. That's kind of like in triage, with your femoral artery spurting everywhere, you refuse to hire a surgeon.

Why are you self-publishing if you don't have the ability to do everything for your book that a traditional publisher would? That's why you're self-publishing, right? Because --for whatever reason-- you've foregone the traditional route and have elected instead to be your own publisher, right? Well, that means having an editor on hand.

And if you can't afford an editor, you shouldn't be publishing. Seriously. It's like the great Elle Woods said:

Why let someone else do for you what you can do for
yourself? Except in the case of eyebrow maintenance.

I might add "editing" to Elle's very short list of "eyebrow maintenance" on things you should let someone else do for you.

Yes, I love Legally Blonde. Don't judge me.

After a while, you've looked at your manuscript for so long, read the same passages so many times, that you begin to see what you expect to see and not what's really there. You edit at 2am when your eyeballs are popping out of their sockets and the backs of your eyelids are covered in steel wool. You type "there" instead of "their," and you have two versions of one sentence in your head and don't realize that you've mashed them together so now your verb tenses are screwed up and you've inadvertently conceived a new word. Except it's a horrible word and should never be allowed to come to term.

Hire.

An.

Editor.

If you have any respect for the written word, for books, for published authors, hire an editor.

If you want to skip the traditional publishing route and opt to self-publish, hire an editor. Self-publishing does not somehow lift you above the quality necessary to call yourself published. If anything, you have a higher bar to meet because of the unwashed masses self-pubbing simply because they suck so hard no publisher will touch them, and they don't want to pay their dues and learn how to write before becoming published. You want the instant gratification. You want everyone to kiss your ass because they wrote a book. You're rubbing elbows with them, and there is nothing to set you apart from the worst that can be dredged from the Riverbed of Wannabes except the quality of your writing.

Without an editor, you are every bit like the worst quality of wannabe hitting "publish" on KDP.

Lowest. Common. Denominator. I don't care what your excuses are. If you cut corners and crap out a shitty book that you then publish and expect to be called great, this is you.

If you attack your readers who actually went out of their way to donate time and write a review, this is you.

Be mature, suck it up, find the lesson in the feedback, and move on. In other words, be a real author instead of pretending to be one.

Stop fricking' giving us a bad name.

An editor is there to watch your ass so you don't make the kinds of writing mistakes that scream amateur like someone wrote it across your forehead when you passed out drunk at that massive frat party that you knew was a bad idea but went anyway.

Learn from Jacqueline Howett about why the internet is forever, and why bad grammar and a bad attitude make you look like a toddler who needs a nap, and out you for the hobbyist and delusional impostor you are. (You can read the disaster at ground zero here, and even though Ms. Howett has removed all of her replies, you can still tell a lot of what she said from the replies in the comments as well as a few quotes in the articles.)

Or learn from Kendall Grey. Because some of us take screen shots and let our fellow authors and readers know what you are.

And just in case you missed it before, I take screen shots, too. Because my fellow authors and readers deserve to know you call people "fucktard" and tell them "fuck you too" for leaving an honest review in which I even offered you help, resources, and access to my connections (meager as they are at the beginning of my career).

The interwebz. It's not just for porn anymore.

And if you're taking any of this personally and getting
upset, now might be a good time to ask yourself why.

Ciao.

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Spotlight and Review | Alpha Me Not by Jianne Carlo

Alpha Me Not by Jianne Carlo

Susie White wants no picket fences, no alpha, and no cubs. White wolf woman she may be, but no pack for her, no sireee. Alpha me not, that’s her motto. In all caps.

Mercenary and half-breed wolf Joe Huroq’s not looking for a mate. Stop and go screwing, that’s his motto. Hot and heavy between missions. Then he glimpses his new neighbor tanning nude and the situation explodes.

Literally. Susie’s house is consumed by fire. What’s Joe to do but offer Susie his hospitality?

Susie can’t resist the temptation of big, bad, mercenary, so she suggests a friends with benefits arrangement which he accepts with an amazing alacrity. The sex is frantic, hot, and frequent. Neither one can keep their hands off the other.

Then children go missing. The fire’s deemed arson. Bodies pile up. Susie refuses to accept Joe’s mate claim. Can he keep her safe when she won’t obey a single order?

Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains explicit sex scenes and/or situations and adult language, and may be considered offensive to some readers.

Available at

Amazon | ARe | B&N | Loose ID

-=[~]=-

I must say, while in some respects I had mixed feelings about this book, for the most part, I enjoyed it.

The main thing I liked about it was the different take on shifters. Usually what makes them special is that, well, they shift. But not Susie and Joe. I really liked that new spin on things. They still identified as wolf, but their outlook was still a little different. It was refreshing!

Susie's whole take on virginity was a little hard to swallow. I can usually support a virgin --particularly one who's reached her age or older-- with a really good reason. There wasn't one with Susie, and her transition from virgin to minx was just...I dunno. Maybe I could blame it on the wolf, and that they recognized they were perfect for each other on an instinctive level, but I would've liked to see more substance there.

There was a particular element that I did really enjoy how Ms. Carlo handled, dealing with loss. Without giving away spoilers, I'll just say that was done very well.

All in all, it's an enjoyable story. I understand it's in the middle of a series, which I haven't read, but as a stand alone it does pretty well. Normally for books, I have extremely exacting standards, but if you're looking for a change of pace in your shifter stories, enjoy a little mystery, this one will fit the bill!

-=[~]=-

Available at

Amazon | ARe | B&N | Loose ID

About the Author

My motto is simple: Alpha Me Please. While strong heroines, exotic locations, and cultural differences are my forte, I go weak in the knees for warriors of any type, rebels, SEAls, Vikings, and bad-ass mercenaries.

Send me a man with an attitude and I'll find the right woman to tame him. My writing career began in 2008, and since then I've been lucky enough to have over twenty books published. Most of my books are TOP PICKs and several have been nominated for and won awards and prizes.

Nothing makes my day more than an email from someone who’s read one of my books. So far, I've received emails from almost every continent on the planet. Almost…

Connect with Jianne Carlo
Email: Jianne@jiannecarlo.com
Website: www.jiannecarlo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jianne.carlo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jiannecarlo
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004D8XOLM
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2508742.Jianne_Carlo
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jiannecarlo/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/jiannecarlo
Manic Readers: http://www.manicreaders.com/JianneCarlo/
The Romance Studio: http://theromancestudio.com/fm/jcarlo.htm
The Romance Reviews: http://erotic.theromancereviews.com...Jianne

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Spotlight and Review: Sunspots by Karen S Bell

Sunspots by Karen S Bell

“One can never be, and should never be, smug about life,” says Aurora Goldberg. An aspiring New York actress who has never realized her dreams, Aurora keeps herself afloat by doing odd temp jobs where her rich fantasy life helps her get through the day. Aurora sees the world through the lens of characters in literature and film and these fictionalizations are woven into her interpretation of reality.

On one of her temp assignments she meets Jake Stein, a man who could “charm the skin off a snake” and she decides to follow her destiny as his wife in Austin, Texas. But Jake's sudden death after two short years disintegrates her world and Aurora must reevaluate her life and let go of a love that has become an obsession.

With the help of friends, family, and the ghost of Viola Parker (her home's original owner), Aurora accepts her fate and the secrets revealed about Jake's true character. She realizes that in this life she will finally break the cycle of pain caused by her love for this man, Jake Stein, through the centuries.

Available at

Amazon Kindle | Amazon Print

-=[~]=-

Although I had started to speak, I immediately fell speechless creating another awkward moment as his dark flame-throwing eyes studied my face. He was smiling and I could see dimples forming on either side of his mouth. We just stood there, apart, in silence, yet there was an unmistakable sexual tension gluing us together like Kelly McGillis and Harrison Ford in Witness or Omar Shariff’s Dr. Yuri Zhivago and Julie Christie’s Lara Antipova. When he finally spoke, he asked me if I could recommend a good restaurant nearby elongating his vowels in a cute Southern accent that I would later learn was peculiar to Texans.

“If you like French cuisine, there is a wonderful place right around the corner, La Grenouille. I believe it’s quite popular with some of the executives here,” I said no longer mute, and handed him a business card that was kept in a stack on the desk.

“Would it be too much trouble, ma’am, for you to call and make a reservation?” he asked in a faux subservient manner. “I can’t understand French accents, especially over the phone.”

“Of course… sir,” I said returning his request with sugary sarcasm. I was, after all, nobody’s secretary and certainly not of the vintage that brought forth ma’am from the lips of a virile stranger. When I got the restaurant on the phone, I looked up and asked casually, “For what time, sir?”

And then he paused, looked at me with a gleam in his eye and said quite softly, “Well, let’s see. What time is good for you?”

Shocked but not rattled, I responded without any hesitation, “Now,” I said steadfastly meeting his gaze, “Now is perfect.”

And that’s how I met Jake Stein and sealed a future that fate ordained. Life-changing events seem to come when you’re ready even if you’re not aware of their import. Intuition can

nudge feelings into your conscious space making a seemingly ordinary encounter, like a dropped  book, one of great significance. Somehow, I understood that then and I understand that now. Meeting Jake Stein was my dance with destiny.

We instantly harmonized, interacting on two levels. The overt reality of the commonplace chitchat, sexually charged banter, and frothy intellect contrasted with a covert reality, a place where everything had deeper meaning, connection, and familiarity. In some cosmic way, our unspoken language was far more important than the spoken. Scientists might describe our attraction as the interaction of airborne pheromones—chemical messages emitted through our skin conveying our primal sexuality. Indeed, we seemed to be enchanted at the deepest levels of our instincts. Two realties happening at once—the outer and the inner—one a slick manifestation of the intelligentsia, the other a calming and gentle journey afloat a timeless river.

Throughout our initial encounter, playing faintly in my mind was the music from the sappy but tender, A Man and a Woman, my mother’s favorite movie when she was a teenager and strangely at odds with her penchant for a counter-culture way of life. She played the album all through my childhood—sealing my connection with whispery French sounds to all things romantic. And so that haunting melody was my personal soundtrack as we walked to La Grenouille.

My prudent study of this man, this Jake Stein, as we nonchalantly strolled along, was intentionally unintentional—I absorbed him as if he were liquid. My senses were on high alert, a spy observing my target in secret. Now, wafting about my face and filling the air around me was a hint of soap and expensive cologne. Now, smooth fingertips lightly touched and guided my arm bringing an explosion of sensuality but also feeling like a safe harbor. Now, upon my ear, the pleasant cadence and timbre of his voice sounded like a sweet symphony. My darting eyes savored his honey-tanned and smooth complexion and nose of quality, straight and sharp (but not too sharp). Luxurious thick, jet black, wavy hair fell casually over intense brown eyes. There was strength, a physical strength to his tall, elegant, Jeremy Irons frame. A noble grace to this huckster businessman. And his sensuous lips with just a hint of fullness, lips that I could almost taste—wanted to taste—formed words so provocatively. Later, in the privacy of my own thoughts, I would relive, with a slow and deliberate progression, these mesmerizing details that stirred me to my core.

-=[~]=-

I was actually surprised how much I really did enjoy this book. There was enough from the blurb to let me know what to expect, and I had guessed at Viola Parker's identity (I was close), but what I really loved was the psychological affirmation that we do, indeed, contribute to our own situations much more than we realize.

We have the power to be as happy or as miserable as we choose to make ourselves, even when that choice is subconscious. I see this studying psychology more and more, but seeing it in a romance was probably one of the best examples of putting that concept into action. Ms. Bell did a superb job there.

My heart absolutely ached for Aurora Goldberg. Her pain was so sharp, and even when it struck me as obsessive, it was still really hard to watch her be that much in pain. The obsession made me wonder, at first. But as I learned more about her, I realized it was her defining characteristic and the light bulb came on. "Aha! This is why she chooses her pain! Because she chooses the clingy kind of love." It made my heart hurt even more for her, because I was able to understand her.

She lost so much of herself in her relationship with Jake. It was as if she had become merely an extension of him. Aurora had so many people to help her, and there were times my eyes got a little misty. I've had moments like those, and Ms. Bell captured the feelings --all of them!-- so poignantly.

Definitely  recommended if you're looking for something a little deeper, with painful truth and aching wisdom, yet still enjoyable with characters that you can grow to love.

Available at

Amazon Kindle | Amazon Print

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About the Author

Walking with Elephants was my first novel, although I am not new to writing. I was a theater critic and celebrity interviewer for a weekly tabloid in Jacksonville, Fl and I earned a Master’s in Mass Communication from Oklahoma State University. For 15 years I worked in Corporate America as a technical editor/editor/writer. I experienced first hand the politics and intrigue that goes with that territory and the balancing act that comes with being a working mother. I salute all those mothers who are the glue that holds their families together while pursuing the nine to five brass ring. And that is what inspired me to write that novel.

With my second novel, Sunspots, I continue to be in awe of the magical and wondrous phenomenon called life. As an observer and obvious participant in feminine values and approach to our human challenges, I bring this perspective to my work. Fascinated by the mysteries of the unseen forces that perhaps play a role in guiding our choices, I search for answers in the mundane as well as in the cosmic forces that surround us.

Connect with Karen S. Bell
Email: karen.bell@yahoo.com
Website: http://karensbell.com/KSB_PRESS/WELCOME.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenSueBell

Side note: We have a lot of fun discussions on my Facebook fan page. I also sometimes use it to crowdsource future posts.
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Spotlight and Review: Gone by Barb Han

Gone by Barb Han

How far would you go to find a child that never existed?

Elizabeth Walker awakens in a mental institution, the aftermath of a nightmare in her veins. All she can think of is saving a little boy—her son. But the orderlies who rush in and jab her with needles assure her she has no son. So does her mother, who demands her doctors keep her calm and prevent her from these troubling delusions. But Elizabeth’s nightmares are so real, and her arms still feel the memory of holding her son. And her instincts tell her to trust no one. Her child is gone. Her memories are gone. Everything is just…gone.

Ex-military medic David Kerrigan will never stop blaming himself for the childhood tragedy that took his younger sister’s life. Working on assignment at the facility, he’s drawn to Elizabeth, and he’s not sure that everything about her case is on the up and up. David knows full well he can’t change the past, but what if he can save this one person? And maybe helping Elizabeth might just save them both…

Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains adult sexual situations and/or adult language, and may be considered offensive to some readers.

Available at
Amazon | ARe | B&N

View the trailer

-=[~]=-
If memories were liquids, then Elizabeth Walker’s would be blood. Not warm, life-giving, tissue-bathing blood, but cold, coagulated, dried up, and stepped-over-on-the-sidewalk blood.

Memories weren’t liquids.

They were more like fireflies blinking in the dark, daring to be caught, disappearing a moment before they could be reached. And the only liquid left in Elizabeth’s body was a few unshed tears. They hardly ever fell now. Even they seemed to be drying up on her.

Nightmare or not, she would claw her way through any level of consciousness to save the boy. The last ounce of breath she drew from her lungs burst out as a scream, leaving her choking and gasping for air.

The sense of urgency to save him, to do something, burned frustrated holes through the bottoms of her feet—feet that did not touch pavement no matter how fast she moved.

She had to do something. But what?

She calculated the likelihood of reaching him and came up short. He was far. No way could she reach him in time. Yet waiting, doing nothing, wasn’t an option either. Protective instinct propelled her legs forward, and damn the odds.

“Somebody. Help.” She pushed herself from the dream.

She dug her fingers into her mattress, discharging a crush of bleach into her hyperventilated nostrils.

A drowning sensation filled her lungs. She clenched her chest muscles. She gasped, struggling for oxygen.

A door slamming against a wall made her sit bolt upright. Two bulky men in blue scrubs burst into the room.

-=[~]=-
I must admit, it's been a very long time since a book grabbed me, held me prisoner, and had me emotionally invested on the first page. Gone by Barb Han did just that. I was incensed at the way Elizabeth was treated, and almost comically frustrated by the universal refusal she met when she asked anyone but David Kerrigan for help.

Barb Han's writing is gripping, and beautifully executed. There were a few times when I just had to re-read a sentence because it was so perfect, or poignant. Elizabeth is so genuine, and so determined! It's so enjoyable to read female characters that listen to and trust their intuition. Marry that with a mother's infinite drive to protect her child no matter the cost, and you have a strong, kickass woman who pulls herself out of the drug-induced fog she's been forced to endure and fights back.

David Kerrigan is just lovely. I know that sounds trite, but bear with me. He's a gorgeous male, a bit tormented, a medic recently out of the military, and trying to figure out where he fits. Or even if he fits anywhere. With everything stacked against him in the situation regarding helping Elizabeth, he does what just about any of us could do, but the difference? He takes responsibility for it! Even when he really didn't have any sane choice, he still accepts it was his choice, and he makes up for it.

June Walker. Holy moly. Talk about guano loco! She was written just as wonderfully as all the others, but what I really would have wanted to know was what she had that gave her so much power over people. Without giving any spoilers, I want to know what was it about her? Particularly regarding one character, who had every bit as much influence and resources as June did, if not more, why did June instill such fear? And Elizabeth's doctor, Dr. Madrigano. Why was June allowed to call all the shots to the point of Madrigano risking her career? What was it about June Walker that she could do this?

I must admit, if you're easily frustrated, you might find yourself dying to flip ahead and find out what happens. But I admit, I'm one of those that flips to the last chapter in a mystery. I will definitely be reading this one again, if only to enjoy the experience of reading it! The first time around, I was so into this book that I was reading as fast as I could to find out what happens next. Ms. Han definitely does tension and suspense well! And I don't handle it so well, lol.

Five stars, and a must-read!

Available at
Amazon | ARe | B&N

  View the trailer   -=[~]=-

 About the Author

Barb Han lives in North Texas with her husband, has three beautiful children, a spunky Golden Retriever/Standard Poodle mix, and too many books to count.

When she's not writing, researching, or otherwise getting lost in a story, she volunteers at her children's school, is in the kitchen 'creating' dinner, or can be found on or around a basketball court.

Writing contemporary romance and romantic suspense has been a dream come true for Barb--something she's wanted to do for as long as she can remember. She left her corporate job, at her husband's urging, and has been happily playing with imaginary friends ever since.

Learn more about her latest releases at http://www.barbhan.com and don't forget to say hi. She loves hearing from readers.

Available at
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Connect with Barb Han
Website: http://www.barbhan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarbHan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbHanAuthor
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/barbhan

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Review: Better Off Without Him

Better Off Without Him by Dee Ernst

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I can't remember the last time I've said, "I effing love this character!" at the 25% mark of a book. I knew at that point I was going to love this book.

Mona is classic, and even though in the beginning it seems she's getting shafted, her husband leaving is the best thing to happen to her. Naturally.

I think what made this book so great for me were the characters. Patricia was awesome. Every woman needs a friend like her. Mona's assistant Anthony was the one that made me literally laugh out loud at times, and I loved all of his names for people. I tend to do that, too, so it cracked me up. Aunt Lily was a gem!

The writing was pretty solid. There was only the occasional typo, omitted article, or punctuation mistake. The story was predictable, and there were entire conversations the characters had which told you exactly what was going to happen and in what order, but it was still extremely satisfying from beginning to end. Mona's romances ran the gamut from FWB to the HEA (though only she was surprised during the "surprise reveal"), but at no point did she seem stupid, or silly. Just oblivious, but that was her entire problem from the beginning, so I can see it continuing to get her up to her eyeballs in hijinks until she learned how to pay a bit more attention.

Pick this book up for a light, fun read while on vacation, or after the kids go to bed. It's definitely worth it.

And now I totally want to try a vodka martini.



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Review: Be Still, My Love

Be Still, My Love by Deborah J. Hughes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm surprised at how much I actually enjoyed this book. It took me a little while to get interested in the beginning, and I thought this was going to be another unremarkable book to add to my Kindle regrets, but just the opposite happened. It grew on me.

I loved finding out more about Tess and her ability. I loved her worldview and how she approached her own life as well as the afterlife. She applied those same rules and philosophies to her own troubles, unlike so many heroines in fiction these days who believe double-standards can reasonably apply to them. Tess was definitely one of the rare, intelligent ones.

There was always something interesting going on at the resort, new twists and small signs that let me figure out the mystery along with Tess and the others, which I appreciated. The plot and mystery itself were well-planned and I appreciated the foreshadowing. The Sixth Sense-like twist on the end with the groundskeeper was a nice touch. I kept wondering what was up with him, and what he was hiding.

I had hoped to find out more about the connection between Abigail and the characters in Tess' own story. I can assume it is the same story, only played out with different names, but she writes in it several times...and then nothing more is ever mentioned about it. Also, the character Modesta was a little insulting. She states towards the beginning she was born in America, yet speaks with the type of broken English common with Mexican immigrants. If she were native-born, wouldn't she be fluent? My parents were first-generation Mexican-Americans, as well as most of my cousins, and their English is perfect. The misrepresentation of a Mexican woman, born in America, yet unable to speak basic English fluently is just a tad on the ignorant side. If she were an immigrant in America only a few years, she would have been a perfect character.

Yet, on the whole, I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this book.



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Review: Call Me, Maybe: Sexual Caresses at an Airport

Call Me, Maybe: Sexual Caresses at an Airport by Liz Adams

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Call Me, Maybe: Sexual Caresses at an Airport is a fabulous read. To use a quaint cliche, it's short but sweet. Definitely a fun bit to have when you just want to kick up your feet and relax with something clever and lighthearted.

I loved reading from Jonathan's point of view. He's curious, honest, creative, and still idealistic enough to chase his dreams, whether it's his writing or a love connection in another country. His thought process throughout the entire thing made sense, and even as the new twists came up (like Aliza challenging him, realizing they were both finding their sexual limits) he was honest about all of it while still maintaining the integrity of his experiment AND even as he knew that what was happening between them went much deeper than his theory.

And he made me laugh! Liz's writing got me genuinely enthusiastic at times, both the creativity and technical aspects, which I admit doesn't happen often. I loved this story because the writing was solid, the formatting and editing was great (which means there was nothing to distract me from the story), the characters were genuine, and the characters were mature and true to their natures. And Liz really did her research on what it's like to be a Psych student on a mission! Definitely impressive. It might say "sexual caresses at an airport," but it's about so much more! Definitely worth picking up.



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Review: The Wolf in the Neighborhood

The Wolf in the Neighborhood by Phoenix Johnson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Phoenix Johnson's "The Wolf in the Neighborhood" was well-executed and charming. I loved her take on the wolf, Derek. It wasn't your typical "guy gets bit, guy grows fur, guy starts chasing the mailman and lifting his leg along the fence line" werewolf story. How Derek became the wolf was sad, but had a nice spin on it.

I also particularly loved Krissy and Derek's "love at first sight" and how they handled it. Both were comfortable with themselves, caught up in the thrill of their new relationship, but without all of the typical angst and romanticizing. As a couple and as individuals, they were still very realistic about the whole thing, which I appreciated. It ended on a bit of a cliffhanger with a new element introduced right on the last page (darn it all!) so I'll definitely be looking forward to the next installment.

The only complaint I had was during the big rescue scene, the character playing the hero did a little too much explaining with a little too much detail. In the heat of the moment in the eagerness to escape, I'm not sure everyone would be happy hanging around listening to a long, detailed story (even with as enjoyable as I found that particular character). That could have come in much shorter snippets without as much detail and I would've been just fine. However, it wasn't enough to lower my rating.

Definitely worth picking up!



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Go get your copy now over at NaughtyNightsPress.com!

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Review: Ascent

Ascent by Amy Kinzer

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Had this been given to a good editor as a manuscript, it might have been considerably better. There were a ton of typos and grammatical errors that an editor would have corrected, and that seriously detracted from the reading. The characters all read the same, even using the exact same descriptions (sometimes the exact same phrases!) to describe certain things. There was no depth to them at all. In fact, if I didn't read the character's name whose POV marks each chapter, I was never able to tell whose head I was in until they started whining about their particular trauma.

The entire thing was so repetitive I just started skimming at about the 35% mark. So many of those chapters could have been cut completely because they added nothing to the story except more of the same whining and reinforcing --yet again-- why they joined the Party.

This book had an over-inflated sense of its own specialness as a story. It is not worth spreading out over multiple books. If Ascent had been tightened into four well-written, cohesive chapters with good pacing, it would have been a fantastic lead-in for the real story. Instead, it was boring and juvenile.

I won't be reading the sequel.



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The above review is what I submitted to Goodreads. I think I'll start posting my book reviews as another part of this blog. Sometimes it's good to see what's out there. Sometimes I regret even looking.

As a writer, one of the reasons I'm supposed to be reading new material is to see what's out there, what's trending, and use what's available to help improve my own writing. What really pisses me off is that most of what's out there now is absolute drivel and does nothing but threaten to give me an overinflated sense of my own talent.

Great. Now I'll have to read Loretta Chase or Herman Melville to remind me of my place.

It reminds me a lot of those poor people on American Idol who absolutely suck, but none of their family or friends had the decency to tell them they sucked before they could humiliate themselves on national television. That's what so many of these new (mainly self-pubbed via Amazon) authors remind me of, and it irritates me. No evidence of an editor in sight, no real grasp of the English language, and storytelling which faceplants across broken glass and rusty scrap metal.

If you're going to write, at the very least have a firm grasp of the rules of the language in which you are writing. And if you don't, then why the hell are you writing? Seriously? Okay, not everyone can sound like Chaucer. At least have basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation under your belt. The rest, trust to an experienced editor who knows the language better than you do and has a proven track record. Join a critique group with a reputation for possessing actual critical thinking skills. Put on your big author panties and don't get so butt-hurt when people don't gush over your crappy structure and logistic nightmares.

Writing like I found in Ascent pisses me off because it has now become an example of acceptable standards when, instead, the author either didn't care about the work needed to produce a good book with quality writing, or didn't want to do it. Either way, she does not deserve to have this book out. It's an example of another wannabe rushing towards the dream without earning it.

The rest of us work our asses off, and it shows.






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