No, this site was a place to experiment with the internet and social networking, a place to comment periodically on my journey to become a published author. At the time, I was new to the online romance community, still trying to figure out what and who and where romance-fiction-minded folk participated, and how I –severe introvert that I am –could lurk. And maybe participate. But mostly I wanted to learn from you wonderful folk.

I found some very entertaining and educational sites here in RomanceLand. And, to my surprise, I discovered that I wasn’t so very usual after all. My family likely still thinks that I am, but that’s a blog for another day.

Then I went to my first RWA conference last summer in Washington, DC. And the publishers and authors there gave me some wonderful new books. A LOT of wonderful new books. Since I’d been submersed in the writing world, I learned first and foremost how very important the marketing aspect of this business is. A surprising amount is driven by word of mouth. And online review.

So, I wanted to do my part to help authors promote their books. I like to read –a lot. And I now had all of these shiny new books. And a blog I didn’t post to often. After thirty years (shhh! I began reading as an infant, of course!) of reading romance, I had an opinion about what I read.  I frequently use the reviews of others to try new authors, so why not pay in forward, so to speak?

OK, so I decided to begin reviewing.  What, exactly, was the best way to review a book?  I could write an opinion piece, sure (I better be able to, if I think I’m a writer!) but how does one go about scoring books from a reader’s perspective?  Some blogs use a 5-star scale, others use a 100-point scale, and still others use the ole’ A-B-C-etc grading scale I remember form school. I considered each of them, and struggled with how to objectively rate a book using these scales. They seem so very… subjective.  Yes, yes, I realize all reviews are subjective, but who am I to judge a book an ‘A’  or a ‘C+’.  What makes it a ‘+’ and not a straight ‘C’? What makes a book a 3-star instead of a 4-star?

Then it dawned on me that what I’m really doing is simply sharing a recommendation about a book. And I realized that I could treat a book review on this blog just the way I would treat a book recommendation to a friend. I either recommended it or I didn’t. Easy-peasy!

So, when you read reviews on this site, you’ll find a pretty simple system of ratings:

Highly Recommended = I think folks really need to read this book.

Recommended = I liked it pretty well and would loan it to a friend.

Not For Me = I would not recommend the book to others.

That’s it.  I hope other readers find the reviews helpful!

What Isabella Desires

by Anne Mallory

Avon Books, 2007

Historical Romance

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Lady Isabella Willoughby has always been patient and proper. But secretly, scandalously, she longs to be wild—to wear daring gowns while dancing the night away. Above all, she craves one thing:  to be more than merely a “friend” to Marcus, the dashing, sinfully handsome Lord Roth.

Marcus has everything—power, prestige, wealth . . . enemies. He thrives on danger and lives life to the fullest knowing each day might be his last, for he carries a dark family secret which precipitates one simple rule—never fall in love. Especially not with dear Bella, who has, of late, transformed herself into a siren, bewitching every male she encounters with her newly unfettered sensuality. Marcus must not allow himself to be tempted—but his resolve is weakening by the minute.

For what Isabella desires, she is determined to get . . .

Isabella Willoughby has been in love with Lord Roth for a decade or longer, but he has always treated her as a dear friend. Now, a widow, Isabella is determined to change her demure ways and make a play for Marcus. She’s determined to catch his eye and turn their relationship to something more than friends –friends with benefits, to be precise, since she knows that Marcus isn’t interested in marrying. It seems charming and daring that this woman is going to take charge of her life and go for what she really wants.

Then there’s the focus of her affection. For his part, Marcus is willing to play along, once he becomes aware of Isabella’s interest. Not because he’s got any deep, long-suppressed feelings for Isabella, beyond friendly fondness. Nor because he’s discovered new feelings for her. Nope.  He decides to accept her offer to deepen their relationship, at first because he wants to pacify her, seeing as she’s lonely and just looking for a lover or something. When she proves she’s serious about her interest in him and begins to get irritated that he’s simply humoring her with mild courtesy and an occasional dance, he thinks about stepping up his game, if only to keep her from just looking elsewhere to satisfy an itch. When the evhil villhin (who’s pretty easy to figure out, cardboard character that he is) targets poor Isabella to get back at Marcus, well, he’s finally spurred into action and takes her to the seaside where things get physical. Does he tell her why they have to leave town so abruptly? Of course not. Don’t want her knowing what’s really going on, when he can just play on her feelings.

Sadly, things never seem to develop more emotionally between them. Marcus breaks things off with Isabella for personal reasons, that are never really resolved. Instead, he just changes his mind at the end because…. well, he just decides to.

I really wanted to like this story. I did like Isabella and her motivations. She came across as a realistic and motivated. And I felt by the end of the story that she deserved someone better than Marcus, someone who actually would grow and care deeply for her. Marcus never really seems to feel anything unique or to even long for Isabella, at least no more at the end than he did at the beginning.

Assessment: Not for me.

Notice: To comply FTC Guidelines, please be aware that this book was provided by the publisher as a promotional giveaway at the 2009 RWA National Convention.

Bride of the Wolf

by Susan Krinard

HQN Books, 2010

Historical Paranormal

Release date: March 1, 2010

Rachel Lyndon yearns to escape her scandalous past, but her dreams for a better life seem ruined after she buries her fiancé on the Texas plains.

Heath Renier has been evading the law by the skin of his teeth for years. Now he’s found a new identity as Holden Renshaw, foreman of Dog Creek Ranch. But the arrival of his boss’s mail-order bride, now a widow, upsets his fragile peace and threatens to expose his deadly secrets.

Rachel knows that the mysterious and savagely handsome Holden is the last man she should trust–especially once she’s seen glimpses of his true nature. When he’s suspected of killing his employer, she has a terrible choice to make. But the heat of his gaze ignites something seductive and irresistible within her. No matter how dangerous the road ahead, she’s determined to give him the one thing he’s never truly believed he deserves: her undying love.

As a mail-order bride, Rachel Lyndon feels she can forge a new life with respectable, sincere Jed MacCarrick who’s looking for a helpmate. She travels from Ohio with nothing but determination, only to find her fiance missing and a stranger trying to buy her off. Rachel heads for the ranch to get some answers. What she finds are two contrary men –Sean MacCarrick and Holden Renshaw –who are not only at odds with each other, but also put out by her appearance on the rance. Unwilling to be run off easily, Rachel declares she’s already married, so she can wait for Jed’s return and explanation.

Holden Renshaw is a man without a home, even at Dog Creek Ranch, though his work as a foreman there is valued and impeccable. Jed certainly trusts him more than he does his no-account nephew, Sean, but he also knows the truth about Holden’s past, which means Holden’s time at Dog Creek Ranch is limited. After Holden discovers Jed’s dead body, he suspects foul play and keeps the knowledge to himself. Afterall, he’s got a newborn son with no mother, and he’s gotta figure out how he’s going to see the boy settled. Thankfully, Rachel, who he suspects is lying about the marriage, is willing to care for the baby till he figures out what to do next.

Sean McCarrick’s determined to get rid of both of them so he can claim his uncle’s ranch and become the big-shot he believes himself to be. And he’s willing to do whatever is necessary to have his way. When a bounty hunter comes to town, looking for Heath Renier, Sean discovers that the best way to handle Holden is to reveal his true identity and watch him hang.

This story is a classic western with a twist –Holden Renshaw is a werewolf, so this story is also a paranormal. At first, I was afraid that would prove to be a bit gimmicky, but I was quite surprised by how the author handled this dynamic. The central story isn’t about a werewolf. Rather, the story is about a man who’s struggled to come to terms with and find a place in the world for himself because he is so very different from everyone else.  Holden grew up knowing he was abandoned by his mother, and he was abused by the people who fostered him.  Somehow, he managed to survive by thieving, killing when necessary, and generally carving out a solitary life for himself. The wolf is just one aspect of who this tough man is.

Rachel isn’t a meek woman, either, though she’s determined to find a place at Dog Creek Ranch. She’s lived a rough life of her own, made real-world mistakes and overcome some serious adversity. And she’s a survivor, too, who keeps her focus on her goals. No silly nonsensical antics like so many historical heroines offer. Even the romance is a steady build and development.

This is a refreshing historical romance with a strong plot and realistic characters. The paranormal story aspect flavors the story without running away with it . It also looks like we may see some future Renier-family werewolf stories.

Assessment: Recommended

Notice: To comply FTC Guidelines, please be aware that this book was provided by the publisher as an ARC (advance reader’s copy) via NetGalley.

by Rachel Vincent

Mira, 2010, ISBN #978-0778327608

Urban Fantasy

Release date: March 1, 2010

Being the first female werecat enforcer isn’t easy. Scars accumulate, but I’m stronger in so many ways.

As for my personal life? It’s complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother’s death and my father’s impeachment, it’s all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of an old foe.

With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option….

Faythe Saunders is a werecat and an enforcer who’s tasked with protecting a new young female tabby, Kaci, who has joined their Pride. That protection is put to the test when thunderbirds swoop out of no where and attempt to abscond with Kaci. What at first appears to be a simple abduction turns into a full out attack by thunderbirds upon the werecats. The thunderbirds are out for vengeance for the recent murder of a young thunderbird, and they are convinced that this Pride of werecats is responsible.

As it turns out, the evil Alpha of a neighboring Pride has deliberately misled the thunderbirds, using the Flight as an unsuspecting tool to wipe out the Saunders Pride –with the exception of the females, of course, who are rare and coveted.

When the thunderbirds manage to seize both Faythe and Kaci, Faythe is able to negotiate a temporary cease-fire. All she has to do it make it from New Mexico to Kentucky and back with compelling proof of who really did kill the young thunderbird, and the attacks will stop.

When I began to read Shift, I didn’t at first realize that this was a later book in a series. After several cryptic references to things that had recently happened, it became apparent that I had started somewhere in the middle. For about 40 pages or so, I floundered in what was/what did happen without as much backstory as I would have liked, coupled with a bazillion characters. Since the attacks take place right in the middle of a big meeting, there are some 30 or more characters stomping in and out of scenes to add to the confusion. Some of the characters had too similar names, adding to the fun (for example: Kaci and Kai, Jake and Jace, etc).

After that, though, things settled in to a strong pace, with the author ratcheting up the tension scene after scene. There are some interesting things the author has to deal with in this story, including the differing social mores between the werecats and the thunderbirds.

Throughout the story, there is also a romantic triangle sub-plot between Faythe, her boyfriend Marc and another enforcer named Jace. Apparently in the last book, Faythe and Jace slept together, but at the beginning of Shift, neither has told Marc about the infidelity. So, we get to watch Faythe twist on the guilt-pike of her own making, trying to decide what to do about her conflicted feelings and how to break the news to Marc. Of course, Marc finds out at the wrong possible time and not from the person who should have told him. Faythe’s betrayal and lack of character in this sub-plot really disappointed me, especially when I’m told repeatedly throughout the book that Faythe is supposed to become the next Alpha of the Pride.

Which leads me to wonder –why, precisely, is Faythe supposed to be the next Alpha? Why would Faythe, a young and clearly reckless young woman, be identified and trained to be the Pride’s next leader? This is never explained and, frankly, the only thing that would make sense is if it’s a hereditary role. But since we know Faythe has brothers, and women are apparently very scarce in this society (it’s not a matriarchal society by any stretch of the imagination), why would they be ‘training’ her to be the next Alpha? I’m still wondering. Hopefully, this is explained in earlier books of the series, but it would have been nice to understand why during this reading.

All in all, once I got past what felt like an insufficient amount of backstory and mild disappointment in the main character, this was an enjoyable read. The author is talented and imaginative, and she has crafted a well-paced, tension-filled story.  This is a classic ‘race against the clock’ storyline, with a mostly satisfactory ending and strong set up for the 6th and, presumably, final book in the series called Alpha.

Assessment: Recommended

Notice: To comply FTC Guidelines, please be aware that this book was provided by the publisher as an ARC (advance reader’s copy) via NetGalley.

Click images to go to Amazon page.

Happy reading!

One of the most horrifying things that can happen to a writer is the loss of their work. And with the advent of easy and inexpensive electronic technology, it’s all too common to experience a major electronic failure, be it a computer hard drive, flash drive, USB drive or backup drive, the writer’s work is vulnerable if they haven’t taken adequate steps to protect their work.

I was reminded in one of the writer’s forums about how devastating and irreversible this type of loss can be. And amazed when many of the responses were along the lines of ‘a good writer will back up their work eleventy-times, just in case’. It’s good advice, but it’s useless because all it takes is a single time to skip the backup or forget to do it, and tragedy can strike. Life can, and does, get in the way.

So, how’s a writer to protect their work? On hopes and a dream? Hardly. Save that for your WIP!

I came across a lovely computer backup program the other day that can offer the data file backup assurance, along with ease of use. It’s called Dropbox. And, best of all, it’s FREE.

Dropbox works by backing up your computer files into the cloud (that great, mysterious new computing term that basically means it’s being saved remotely, on someone else’s server). It creates a new folder called ‘My Dropbox’ on your computer (Windows, Linux, Mac and even iPhone compatible!) and everything that you place in My Dropbox is automatically saved as a copy in the cloud. Think that’s neat?  You can also access those files in the cloud, from any other computer, anywhere in the world. How cool is that?

If you work on your stories on multiple computers, you can also install the software, so that any update made to the file on one is automatically synched with the files on your other computer.

No more remembering to back it up! No more keeping up with USB drives! No more worrying about hard drive failure. It’s all in the cloud!

Stop worrying about remembering to think about backing up your files. Safeguard them and know they’ll always be there waiting for you. Give Dropbox a try –the first 2GB are completely FREE. That’s a whole lot of novel backups!

If you decide to give it a try, please use the referral link below. Every referral earns users an extra 250MB of space on their Dropbox account!

https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTQ3MDQ5NzQ5

First drafts are such a bear… but still making progress on this Nano2009 manuscript!

This week, Apple announced the iPad.  At first glance, the iPad seems to be just a shiny, new Apple gadget for the tekkie geeks (I’ll cop to being one myself!). But Apple is positioning the iPad to compete directly with the netbook and ebook markets. And we’ve learned this past week about negotiations that Apple has had with several major publishers, leading up to the launch of the iPad. The app for these ebooks is called iBook.

As publishers have been wrestling with this rapidly changing facet of the industry, one of the biggest points of discussion has been centered around the price point of a new ebook, especially hardcover new releases from major authors. Amazon.com has a policy of marking any NY Times best seller at $9.99, a price point that is considered exceptionally low by the major publishers.

Initially, the Apple ebook content was reported to be ‘enhanced’ digital content, and the results of early negotiations with publishers sounded like this content would be priced higher, say in the $15 neighborhood. Does video enhancement, author interviews and social media content appeal to you? It certainly sounds like an interesting approach, and one that the ebook purchasing market seems poised to decide. It just remains to be seen where the sales would fall: standard content or enhanced?

But today a new wrinkle in the world of ebooks is taking shape. Apparently Macmillan, one of the publishers who has signed on to the Apple iBookstore, and Amazon are at such odds over the price point of ebooks that Amazon has started removing Macmillan books from their site (see screen prints Jane posted at Dear Author). And not just ebooks, folks. Amazon has pulled the Kindle files AND pulled down the ‘Buy It Now’ links for paperback editions. The only way to purchase is used through a 3rd party.

Sure sounds to me like the first shot across the bow between publishers and Amazon.

Will the publishers win and get Amazon to raise the price point? Will Amazon dig in and stick with their $9.99 point or, heaven forbid, resort to even more bizarre tactics like removing ebook files already purchased? Will the rift remain and ebook readers be forced to manage separate reading devices or shopping portals to read the authors they love?

As an avid Kindle ebook reader, I can’t help feeling like I’m caught in the middle on this and will be the one penalized in the end.  The beauty of my Kindle is the ease and selection, and this has all of the signs of becoming convoluted and difficult very quickly.

Whatever you do, guys, don’t forget about us. You know: the book buying public.

I just want to read great books by my favorite authors on the reading platform of my choice.

Pocket, 2006, ebook

Paranormal Romance

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Eden Black walks among humans, protecting them from the murderous evil of other-worlders who abduct and enslave. And though she appears to be human herself, Eden is an alien, a Raka, distinguished by her golden hair and skin, and gifted with the ominous ability to kill without remorse — and with total accuracy. That is, until the fateful night she has one shot to eliminate her target, a human slaver — and misses.”Failure” is not in Eden’s vocabulary. Neither is “partner” — but that’s what she is forcibly assigned after recovering from her disastrous mission. A sexy, steely-nerved human agent, Lucius Adaire enjoys nothing more than sparking the fury — and rousing the desire — of the fiery female assassin too proud to admit defeat. Locked in an assignment they cannot afford to lose, Lucius and Eden find themselves bound in two high-stakes, heart-pounding games: the sensual web of kill or be killed, and the erotic dance of seduction.

Eden Black is a government sanctioned killer, trained by her father. She tracks and exterminates aliens that are a detriment to humans on Earth. Nevermind that she’s an alien herself –well, her DNA might be, but she was Earth-born and feels it’s her duty to protect her homeland.

When she misses on a particularly important assignment and suffers significant wounds as a result, her father pairs her with a partner, a buff and gruff human named Lucious Adaire. Lucius is very capable and also very infuriating. He’s not about to let her injuries keep her from training with him. Instead, he tests her carefully and mercilessly in the training room. They both end up  very turned on and bruised as a result.

It’s one challenge after another as Eden and Lucius try to one-up each other. The dares and bets and repartee is quite amusing, as is the blunt talk.  There’s no guessing where either one stands as this relationship evolves. For example, when rolling around in her bedroom, the thought of having sex hanging heavily and unspoken between them, Lucius declares

Talk later. Now we fuck.

Cave-manesque, yes. But fun and true to character.

This story is action-packed as Eden & Lucius try to find and punish this alien slaver, without getting caught or worse.

Assessment: Highly recommended.

This is the 2nd book in Gena’s Alien Huntress series.

Notice: To comply with FTC Guidelines, please be aware that I purchased this ebook.

Blue Diablo

Penguin, 2009, ISBN #978-0-451-46264-0

Paranormal Romance

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Eighteen months ago, Corine Solomon crossed the border and wound up in Mexico City, fleeing her past, her lover, and her ‘gift’. Corine, a handler, can touch something and know its history –and sometimes, its future. Using her ability, she can find missing persons –and that’s why people never stop trying to find her. People like her ex, Chance.

Chance, whose uncanny luck has led him to her doorstep, needs her help. Someone dear to them both has gone missing in Laredo, Texas, and the only hope of finding her is through Corine’s gift. But their search may prove dangerous as the trail leads them into a strange, dark world of demons and sorcerers, ghosts and witchcraft, zombies –and black magic….

Corine is used to starting over, and eighteen months ago she did just that and traded her high-risk career (using her ‘gift’ to find bad guys) for a rustic second hand shop and anonymity.  And to make it a clean break, she slipped away from her boyfriend, Chance, without a word, while he slept.

Now Chance has tracked her down in Mexico. Not to try to entice her back, but to get her help to find his mother, who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Corine agrees only because she was once so close to his mother, and she is worried something dire has happened.

This story is a fast-paced, high-stakes race to find the missing woman, taking Corine and Chance to Laredo and into the seedy underworld of retired gun dealers, wizards, zombies and even the ‘Hand of God’. Along the way, Corine and Chance explore whether or not they are really ‘over’ and discover that they may not have known each other as well as they had once thought –there’s a whole lot more to the other than they’d realized. And there’s definitely still interest and –dare they think it?  –love, between them.

This novel is not a romance. While Corine and Chance explore their feelings, they are not satisfactorily involved by the end of the novel. In fact, the final line of the novel leaves their relationship very much in doubt.  There’s more time spent to creating a love triangle, with Jesse, another ‘gifted’ person and local police investigator, than in developing things between Corine and Chance.  The love triangle was somewhat reminiscent of Evanovich’s Plum series (between Stephanie, Joe and Ranger), with the heroine bouncing back and forth between point of interest. Clearly, the author is setting up a series here.

Overall a fun read. This is the 1st book in the Corine Soloman series.

Assessment: Highly recommended, though not a romance.  I did pre-order the next in the series from the author, which is due out later in 2010.

Notice: To comply with FTC Guidelines, please be aware that this book was a publisher giveaway to participants of the RWA 2009 National Conference.