Damage

Damage
Josephine Hart
180 pgs
Open Road
E-ARC











Amazon Blurb -

The unnamed narrator of this chilling, uncomfortable first novel lives a life many men work vainly all their lives to attain: wealth, successful political career, beautiful wife, two attractive children. At the age of 50, however, the narrator has yet to feel passionately about anything--or anyone--in his life. Then his son brings home the woman he plans to marry, the enigmatic Anna Barton, and he recognizes in Anna the passion for which he will eagerly lay to waste everything and everyone in his life. Anna, tragedy ever-present in her life, warns, "Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive." Unheeding, he does not veer from a path which can lead only to damage for everyone except, ultimately, perhaps Anna herself. Compulsively readable enough to be devoured in a single sitting, this novel is brilliant, but unsettling. Obsession and its aftermath can be fascinating, but never comfortable, reading.
*****

This is a very disturbing story.  The unnamed protagonist opens the book with a background of his life.  You immediately get the sense that he is just existing, in spite of his success-fullness.  Grew up wealthy, marries Ingrid who is smart beautiful and also wealthy, a doctor, two children, Martyn and Sally, and is a Member of Parliament.  Not high up there like one of our Senators, but in none the less.

Martyn is a very handsome man.  The book goes to great pains to make that clear. He is also a bit of a Casanova till he meets Anna Barton.  Ingrid does NOT like Anna.  She is eight years older than him and something just seems off about her.  Having been out each time Anna was at the house he hasn't met her, till, while at a Christmas party on his own, he hears her being introduced behind him.  He doesn’t move a muscle to acknowledge her, but hearing her voice suddenly opens his whole universe and that’s all she wrote, no pun intended.  He was instantly done and from there on it goes from bad to worse.  They start an affair that consumes his very being.  How he does this is beyond me.   Set aside his wife and her hurt for one minute.  He is carrying on with his son’s, his own flesh and blood’s love of their life.  Martyn is so taken with Anna, as much as the father.

This girl is off, she is way off, Mama was very correct in her assumption.  Everyone she has been involved with comes out damaged, and she admits this to him herself.  Her mother, stepfather and father try to subtly warn the family, the stepfather one on one to him after seeing how he watches Anna, to no avail. Her thought process is as long as he leaves her be as his son does, all will be fine.   It gets to be excruciating for him, almost screaming at his son to stop touching her at a family gathering.

To see how this ends was just shocking and so very sad.  It made me want to club her more than him, to be honest.  Cool, calculating, and twisted in her own way, the story weaves through and just makes you feel heartbroken.   I don’t know if saying it was a good book are the right words, it grabs you, you feel very strong emotions, it keeps you interested, so in that respect yes it qualifies for a good book.  This was also a movie with Jeremy Irons and was just released in e-book form on net-galley, which is why I read it.  If you can handle emotional wringers like this, go for it.

3 ½ cannolis

A Fistful Of Charms

A Fistful Of Charms
Kim Harrison
496 pgs.
Eos













Amazon Blurb -

This strong entry in Harrison's intricate Hollows series (after Every Which Way but Dead) plunges headlong into the action as Rachel Morgan, a sexy Cincinnati witch, finishes up her latest bounty hunting mission by taking down an alpha Were (werewolf). The book swings into gear when she returns home to find that her ne'er-do-well ex, Nick, has recruited her partner Jenks's son in a criminal enterprise—and gotten them both imprisoned by Weres in Michigan, apparently for stealing a priceless Were artifact. With the help of some borderline black magic, Jenks—a pixie—is given human proportions in order to accompany Rachel on a mission to rescue his son. Finding the jailed pixie ends up the easiest task in an operation that quickly spirals out of control after Rachel decides she must also rescue the errant Nick. Harrison provides conflict aplenty as Rachel debates how far into the black arts she'll venture to accomplish a good end; past and present boyfriends vie for her attention; and Weres battle vampires for supremacy.
**********

Rachel decides she needs to go and rescue ex-boyfriend Nick.  Darling Nick has stolen and ancient artifact that could blow open a war with the vamps and weres.  To compound matters he has enlisted pixie Jenk’s son Jax to help him.  In Miss Harrison’s world, weres can only be born, so the vamps are the stronger of the supes, since they can bite and make more vamps.  Well this statue he’s stolen can change all that.

Nick is being held by the weres and Rachel to the rescue!!  With a magically tweaked people sized Jenks at her side, some black magic to give her an extra boost Rachel gets busy.  Of course nothing goes smooth and she has to fight weres to get him back.  Ivy can’t come since it’s out of Ohio and she can’t leave Piscary’s influence, and neither can Kisten.  She gets to shift into a wolf and do some damage, nice twist in the story.

Ivy and her relationship goes to a different level.  I won’t go into detail here, and it didn’t jazz me enough to do a spoiler box, but suffice it to say that the two need to come to terms with the fact that Ivy does love her.  I still get ticked that she gets afraid at times when she’s alone with Ivy.  I really think she’s at a point fighting wise that this “fear” really is stretching it a bit.  For heaven’s sake she had a knock down drag it out fight with Piscary a book or two ago and this “Ooo Ivy’s eyes have gone black I’m scared” is dumb.  Nick is a douche, hands down, what a moron.  I love Jenks, he is the best, and having him full grown in this one was a great perspective!  He loves Rachel and will do anything to protect her.  What an awesome friend.  Not too much Kisten here, and no Big Al.

This one was pretty good.  I am likin the series.  Next up – For A Few Demons More


3 1/2 cannolis

Thrilled To Death

Thrilled To Death
L.J. Sellars
298 pgs
Spellbinder Press
ARC review












Amazon Blurb -

Monday morning, a young mother disappears after a doctor's appointment. Monday evening, a young socialite leaves a risqué lounge and never makes it home. Detective Jackson lands both cases, but at first he can't find signs of foul play. When the socialite turns up dead, his investigation uncovers her dirty secrets, which complicates everything. The case runs into even bigger trouble with a suspect who hasn't left his house in a year. Jackson must push all the boundaries to find the connection and answer the question: Where is the other missing woman? 

*****

This was book # 3 in the Detective Jackson series by L.J. Sellers.  I didn’t read the others, which bothers me some, but it wasn’t necessary to follow either.

Two young woman are missing.  One, Elle, a wealthy wild child of the town’s well to do families, the other, Danette, a struggling single mom, who also is the mother of Det. Jackson’s girlfriend’s grandson.  Lucky break for her since her case is pushed aside for the other girl.  Jackson is the sole pursuer of clues along with his girlfriend Kera.

Det. Jackson finds out that Elle has hired a company to kidnap her for kicks.  When he learns both girls shared the same psychologist, and that Danette has taken Elle’s canceled appointment, he thinks mistaken identity and foul play is involved.  In the middle of this, he is dealing with a serious medical issue that requires surgery and he wants this case solved before he has to leave.

Kera has been taking care of her grandson while Danette is missing.  Her son, the baby's father, died in Iraq.  Jackson has sole custody of 13 year old daughter, Katie, and he is feeling guilty for her having to spend time with her mom.  Evan’s and Shack make up his detective team and I liked them.  All the characters were quite good.  I actually liked the chemistry between Jackson and Evans better than with Kera.    No one character jumped out at me though.  The book was ok.   Suspense wise, I wasn’t on the edge of my seat and while who did it shocked the crumbs outta me, I didn’t feel that heart racing thrill of the who done it.  3 cannolis for the crazy curve ball at the end.


3 cannolis

Authors By The Alphabet Re-Do and Tweaked

Ok ladies, I know a lot of you were asking about starting this again.  I really loved the idea and didn't want to drop it altogether, but couldn't carry it all on my own due to time constraints.  Marce from Tea Time With Marce had a great idea of guest hosts and I know Christine from The Happily Ever-After had said something similar as well. Whoever picks that month's book choice will host the Q-n-A at the end of the month as well.  I'll post reminders on my blog and the book choices, but each person will get a chance to host.  I think the New Year for this will be a good start, and I'll host last, also, do we start with A again?  Me personally, I think yes.

So ladies, what say you?  Chime in, and I'll get a re-post going like the 2nd week of December for kick off on 1/1/11 and lets see if we can get at least 10 of us, I love book clubs and the opportunity to read things you normally wouldn't, even if it is a stinker : )

Blog Hop

Wow I haven't hopped in weeks!!


This Hop is hosted by Jennifer from Crazy-For-Books, and it runs through the weekend, so if you can't today, hop on tomorrow!  Just remember, go to her site, follow the rules, visit some of the blogs and get to know em, if you start to follow tell em you met them through the hop!

This weeks ?-

"If you find a book that looks interesting but is part of a series, do you always start with the first title?"

Yes, for the most part.  I am very anal like that.  My sil's book club is reading Stephanie plum this month and while I'll never get through all 16 I've read 1 and 2 and will get through 3 before I read Sizzling Sixteen.  I can't help it, it's how I roll.  I just find it easier for me to know the characters, and the different plot turns the stories take.  Though most authors are very thorough in filling in the back story in each book.

Allegra Fairweather: Paranormal Investigator

Allegra Fairweather: Paranormal Investigator
Janni Nell
Carina Press
Kindle Edition
ARC










Amazon Blurb -
Allegra Fairweather here. Paranormal investigator. Got problems with specters? Shapeshifters? I'm the woman to call. Just don't call me a Ghostbuster. The last guy who did that ended up flat on his back with my boot at his throat.
With my 99.5% success rate, solving the mystery of a bleeding rose that has sprung up on the shores of Loch Furness should have been an easy gig. But already I've heard the shriek of the local banshee, discovered two bodies (and then lost two bodies), and had a near-death encounter with a three-hundred-year-old ghost. And perhaps most dangerous of all, the hot pub owner who hired me now wants to show me exactly what's under his kilt.
Luckily, I'm ably assisted by my very own guardian angel. I'm grateful for his help-but he's also drop-dead gorgeous. A bit distracting when I've got a mystery to solve, and the clock is ticking...
********
Allegra is a paranormal invesitgator.  She lives in San Diego Ca, and travels where ever her sevices are needed.  Today that's Lock Furness Scotland.  Douglas MacGragor has asked for her help.  The Dedfield Rose is growing on the shores of Loch Furness and legend has it that when the Dedfield Rose is growing, disaster will take place.

Arriving in Loch Furness, Allegra goes looking for Douglas.  She's in for a pleasant surprise when she finds this hunky Scottish Highlander.  He owns and runs the town's inn, Mac's and all he can offer her for payment is free bed and board.  She agrees and it doesn't take long for the townsfolk to start turning up dead.   Banshee's, witches, selkies, ghosts all abound as Allegra tries to solve the case.  She also has a special helper, or watcher as he prefers to be thought of, her handsome hot and hunky guardian angel Casper.  She's called him Casper since the first time she met him at six years old and he saved her life then disappeared like Casper the ghost.  He only comes when her life is on the line and can't really help her per-say, he can beat around the bush a bit to give her hints and that's what he does, but only if he thinks she's going into a life threatening situation, or when she's already in one.  She often yells at him, saying you sure took your time!

Douglas is crushing on Allegra big time, but she doesn't feel the same.  She loves Casper, which doesn't work at all, they can never be together.  As an angel, he is serving penance for his sins on earth till he can enter Heaven and loving Allegra is a major no-no.  He is always there right at the moment she needs him most.

Will she solve this mystery before the town turns on her?  Will Douglas ever get to kiss her?  Will she ever get to kiss Casper?  Hhhhmmmm....you'll have to read and see : )

I enjoyed this book.  Very light, yet not too simplistic.  Allegra is a really good character,and this has great series potential.  I love the chemistry between she and Casper and hope Ms. Nell will continue with these books.  Absolutely recommend it!

3 1/2 cannolis

Hollows Anyone?

 

















I am really liking the Hollow’s series by Kim Harrison.  The characters are rich and vibrant.  Each has a wonderfully different personality.  Some are just so-so, Nick just doesn't do it for me and Ivy is a conundrum.  That storyline just aggravates the crumbs outta me.  My thing is, sometimes Rachel can be so darn tough, but with Ivy, her demeanor changes completely.  It’s like a totally different character.  I understand Ivy is her friend, but the interaction with the two is just too weird.  Ivy wants Rachel to be her scion, which is sorta like an assistant with perks.  That would come with Ivy biting Rach.  The problem is that Ivy has a mad hankering for Rachel and not just for her blood.  Rachel equates biting with sex and wants no part of it.  How this storyline will pan out has me curious though mildly turned off.  Kinda sounds like an oxymoron, but it's like a train wreck you can't quite look away.  It doesn't have the same affect as the whole Butch/Vichous Black Dagger Brotherhood does, that storyline was very touching, and V is with Doc Jane now anyhow and Butch with whats her face, but that's a different post...

I really like Kisten.  Spoiler talk so here’s the box for those who don't wanna know –

Spoiler:

The fact that Harrison kills him off took major stones.  He’s a much loved character and that an author would do this takes guts.  I am anticipating his demise with much trepidation since I have read other Hollow lovers write how that part made them cry their eyes out.  Some even hold out hope that he is brought back somehow.

I also like Trent.  Yes bad guy, but still like him.  That whole part is quite intriguing and I want to know more!  I have to laugh at how Rachel almost drools over Trent, yet then quickly thinks “oh bad guy, no no.”  She does tend to have a bit of a wandering eye when it comes to the men of the story.  Ceri is a wonderful addition, and David the were as well.  I like how he’s asked Rachel to be in his pack.  Now this may sound weird, but I REALLY like Algariept.  Yes  he’s a bastard, he is a demon after all, but his character is fantastic.  I am dying to watch this relationship develop as the series progresses.  Jenks cracks me up, that little pixie is one tough cookie.  I’m curious as to how Rachel will mend the fence with him.  All the characters work well off each other.  Even Trent’s sidekicks Jonathan and Quen round the picture out nicely.

Obviously Rachel is a very powerful witch.  More so than she herself even realizes.  I look forward to reading how she progresses and learns more about her own powers and her relationships.

Every Which Way But Dead

Every Which Way But Dead
Kim Harrison
501 pgs
Eos













Amazon Blurb -

Even those who aren't born-and-bled fans of the horror genre should enjoy Harrison's third Rachel Morgan adventure, especially if they like lots of hot sex spiced with humor. Marguerite Gavin, who performed strongly in the earlier audio versions of Harrison's bestsellers, is the ideal choice to keep the pot bubbling: she merrily mixes charming urbanity with knowing wisdom about how real people behave. Rachel, of course, is still the toughest witch and bounty hunter in Cincinnati, Ohio—and as usual is up to her very short leather skirt in trouble. She's been abandoned by her lover, treated badly by a business partner (never trust a pixie!), and an old debt is about to be called in by an extremely irate and powerful demon known as Big Al. Add to this some frightening truths about the real powers behind the city's politicians and what really killed Rachel's father, and you've got a cross between The Sopranos and Dracula with lots of Sex in the City on the side.
**********

Rachel has survived another serious butt kicking, has gotten a really nice car outta the deal, but has some problems resulting from the fiasco.  Even though Piscary is locked away, she made a deal with Algalriept to be his familiar in exchange for his testimony against Piscary.  Nick is afraid of her since she pulled that ley line through him while battling Piscary and has been distant for the past three months.  Then to top it off, he is leaving town indefinitely and tells her where he’s going is really none of her business.  She is hurt real bad.

Unfortunately her rough times aren’t over yet.  No sooner does she recover from her last beating, that she gets another, this time from Demon Al.   New characters come into play here.  Ceri, Al’s former familiar, and werewolf insurance adjuster from the koi fish fiasco David, as well as neighbor Keasly come to her aid.  Sadly, she has hurt Jenks badly since she let slip during drugged haze as a result of said beating, about knowing what Trent is.  That she didn’t trust him breaks his heart.

She has landed two decent jobs,  one with pop singer Takata and the other body-guarding Trent.  Quen, Trent’s body-guard cannot watch over him during this important meeting with Cincinnati’s other baddie Saladan since getting bit by a vamp.  He’s concerned he won’t be able to resist being whammied by any vamps Saladan might have with him.  He offers Rachel $10000.00 for the job.  She begrudgingly takes it so that her secret as to why her summers were spent at Trent’s father’s camp stay just that.

To lick her wounds she goes on a date with Kisten.  I love Kisten : )  Of course mayhem ensues, but a relationship actually starts between the two and you can see Kisten really has feelings for Rachel.  As always Ivy is the problem.  Most assume that Ivy and Rachel are “together” and Rachel keeps wigging out about this.  I really have to wonder if the friendship is worth all this crap.  While watching over Trent, all hell breaks loose, and Rachel out right saves his life.  He actually seems to have some feelings for her.   Not to be forgotten, Big Al keeps her on her toes and she has to wheel and deal to stay out of the ever-after.


I liked this book, I enjoyed the plot, and the storyline is getting exciting.  I’m anxious to see how she mends things with Jenks and where he relationship goes with Kisten.

3 ½ cannolis

Tome's 500 Page Challenge & Montly Wrap Up

This months choice -



A Fistful Of Charms
Kim Harrison
496 pgs
Eos

















Amazon Blurb -

This strong entry in Harrison's intricate Hollows series (after Every Which Way but Dead) plunges headlong into the action as Rachel Morgan, a sexy Cincinnati witch, finishes up her latest bounty hunting mission by taking down an alpha Were (werewolf). The book swings into gear when she returns home to find that her ne'er-do-well ex, Nick, has recruited her partner Jenks's son in a criminal enterprise—and gotten them both imprisoned by Weres in Michigan, apparently for stealing a priceless Were artifact. With the help of some borderline black magic, Jenks—a pixie—is given human proportions in order to accompany Rachel on a mission to rescue his son. Finding the jailed pixie ends up the easiest task in an operation that quickly spirals out of control after Rachel decides she must also rescue the errant Nick. Harrison provides conflict aplenty as Rachel debates how far into the black arts she'll venture to accomplish a good end; past and present boyfriends vie for her attention; and Weres battle vampires for supremacy. 
*********


Yes I know this one falls 4 pages shy, but hey, lets have fun here.  I find myself reading at least two over 4 - 5 hundred pgs a month lately any way ; )  I am really liking this series, the characters are great. I'll talk more in another post, I have thoughts and ?'s : )
*****

October was a great reading month for me also.  I read some fantastic suspense novels, some scary ones, I had a blast.  I "met" Stephanie Plum and just LOVE Evanovich's series!  I'm on # 2 now and find Grandma Mazur a frickin hoot!!!  I read Tess Gerritsen for the first time and loved her too.  Nice discoveries.

Lemon Cake was a real downer, I don't like books with that tone.  Not that reading sad books turns me off.  It was the whole dam tone of that book.  I didn't include it in my pg count since for the most part I listened to it on my iPod.  My sil gave it to me, and I wasted 9 bucks on the kindle since I read maybe a 1/4 of it.  I'd have in it on in the kitchen while I cooked and such and the kids were like "Mom!! Her voice is terrible!" and it was, so monotonous, just horrid.  I haven't done an audio book in about 20 years, the last one being a Grisham novel, whom I haven't read in ages either....hhhmmm, maybe a challenge?  Any out there? 

Well the busy time is fast approaching, I don't know how much I'll read since I love the holidays and decorating, cooking, and baking so much.  My other blog will have pics of what I'll have done these next few months starting with a slide show of this years pumpkins.  You can see my kid's talent *HERE* .  There are past pumpkins on the blog as well. 

There are several books I do want to get to, some are arcs that I need to read some are challenges I'm in, here a few -





Happy Reading!!

The Particular Sadness Of Lemom Cake

The Particular Sadness Of Lemon Cake
Aimee Bender
304 pgs
Doubleday













Amazon Blurb-

Taking her very personal brand of pessimistic magical realism to new heights (or depths), Bender's second novel (following An Invisible Sign of My Own) careens splendidly through an obstacle course of pathological, fantastical neuroses. Bender's narrator is young, needy Rose Edelstein, who can literally taste the emotions of whoever prepares her food, giving her unwanted insight into other people's secret emotional lives—including her mother's, whose lemon cake betrays a deep dissatisfaction. Rose's father and brother also possess odd gifts, the implications of which Bender explores with a loving and detailed eye while following Rose from third grade through adulthood. Bender has been called a fabulist, but emerges as more a spelunker of the human soul; carefully burrowing through her characters' layered disorders and abilities, Bender plumbs an emotionally crippled family with power and authenticity. Though Rose's gift can seem superfluous at times, and Bender's gustative insights don't have the sensual potency readers might crave, this coming-of-age story makes a bittersweet dish, brimming with a zesty, beguiling talent.
*********

Rose is a 9 year old girl, quite ordinary healthy fun loving girl....till one day she can "taste" her mother's unhappiness in the lemon cake she has made for Rose's birthday.  And so it begins.  Rose can taste all the info about whatever food she is eating.  Sad chickens, tire orange pickers, butter from France.  Processed junk food becomes her best friend.  Sometimes she gets lucky and can eat a meal without pain or anger, sorrow or hurt.  Her mother doesn't understand, her father is clueless, her older by three years, brother, well he is a n introverted oddball to say the least.  Her mother is a bit of a whack too, but oh well.  The sun rises and sets on brother Joe, in the mom's eyes.  He has one friend, George, who is very very smart, smarter than Joe the genius.  George tries to help Rose with her problem, Joe just gets annoyed.  George views it scientifically and quiet cool.

One night, Joe is relegated to babysitter while their parents attend the dad's law firm party.  Rose is doing her own thing when she goes looking for him.  He has disappeared.  About twenty minutes later he comes out of his room.  "Where were you?"  Rose yells, almost in a panic.  "I was in your room looking for a pink Pegasus pen." he replies.  This sets off giggling hysterics between the two that they have never shared before and never happens again.  It is also the beginning of Joe's disappearing.

I read this book for my sis-in-laws book club.  On the whole it was a very sad story.  The problem was the monotonous tone of the book.  There was no emotion, as a matter of fact, the book didn't contain one single quotation mark.  Run on sentences galore was the the norm.  It was all told by Rose and I was waiting to read - See Spot run, see Jane run.  The idea of the story itself was very good, I just felt Bender could have expounded more and detailed more. for that reason it missed it's mark.  It also took a turn that pissed me off royally!!!  For that I have my spoiler box for those who choose to read it or have read this book.

Spoiler:

Joe's talent was STUPID!!!  The fact that he could become a chair?  It would have been so much better if he could touch or sit on the object and know about the owner, but becoming it?  Boy that just burned my bum!!!  Then when Rose witnesses the event of him becoming the freaking chair, she is 17 and can't get the damn words out to George!  Are you stupid?  It was like pulling effing teeth.  This part was down right dumb, and if I was Rose, I would have slapped my brother and said a chair really you rocket scientist!  I also was ticked at her talent being put to good use with at risk kids coming at the end.  What  a waste!

2 1/2 cannolis