Switchin' it up!

This blog began as an online book club. We members, however, never got real committed to each other's books. Now, some of us have dropped off or not visited in awhile. So, I feel its time to switch it up.

We'll keep doing reviews - in whatever format the member wants to. We'll also be doing posts that just talk about books in general, reading, publishing, whatever. There will also be an addition of the "what we're reading" monthly post. This may take the place of more lengthy reviews. I've heard from a few people that they keep a list of all the books they read and this seemed like a good idea for me. (Why I've never thought of this I don't know...)

If there are any other ideas of what to include or format changes let me know.

(Also, we'll be utilizing the tag features on the new blogger to help with the searching! Yeah!)

What I'm reading - April

With Easter & work travel, my month has started out quite pathetic!

Shakespeare's Champion by Charlaine Harris
I pulled this off the bookshelf to re-read. I love all the Harris books, but the Shakespeares hold a special place as the series I started with. Lily Bard's taciturn manner is hilarious! This is also the book that introduced Jack. Seriously, if you have not read these books do. Harris has a remarkable way of writing characters. You are interested in them, what is coming next, and they never get old - even if their clothes do.

Shakespeare's Christmas by Charlaine Harris
You can't read just one! This is my favorite of the Shakespeare's. The scene at the wedding rehearsal dinner is the most amazing, romantic 3-4 lines in a single book! I don't know how Harris could write a character like Lily so that we don't pity her, she doesn't annoy us, and she seems to do everything just as her character should.

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
Wow! I did not expect this book to be so good! Andrews has started a great new Fantasy series here. She is slowely creating this mysterious and unique world. I don't completely understand what's going on, but I understand the little elements she is introducing me to and can not wait to learn more! Great character development that does not 'jump the shark' on any issues. Best of all - a female lead who's tough, doesn't jump every guy she meets, and wants to do things on her own. I am SO hooked. Please let the second book come out this year... I can't wait 12 mos!

To Love and To Perish by Laura Durham
The 3rd in the series for wedding planner Annabelle. The story was pretty good. A hilarious scene at the end with Richard. As always, Richard & Ferm made the book. Thankfully, the crazy old lady was reduced in this book. However, there were still about 4 pages too many of Leatrice. She adds nothing to the story and she's not needed, hopefully she will completely fall by the wayside. The actual wedding planning elements were a little lighter than usual, but it was a good idea to explore the backstage of the profession. I'll pick up the next book and hope for continued improvements.

Slay it with Flowers by Kate Collins
I finally dug this series out of my too-read box (I have the next 3!). As I suspected, once I read one I got back into the charcter. Its a rather typical cozy with a short, busty heroine who meddles in things. Excluding cousin Jillian, there aren't any annoying characters - they all seem to support the story in some manner. The mystery is fine, though not surprising. Marco is, of course, the catalyst for continuing on. An ok series if you've read the others and need to fill your Saturday.

Dead Girl's Dance by Rachel Caine
Although her weather warden series gets all the attention, this YA series is really different & interesting.

What's a Ghoul to do? by Victoria Laurie
This will be our April pick to read.

What's a Ghoul to do? by Victoria Laurie

Let's read this for April as we're fans of the author. Pay particular attention to the writing - I had a coworker comment that she thought it was deplorable in the Abbey Cooper bk 1. I hadn't noticed a thing and I usually do....

Trouble with witches, by Shirley Damsgaard

In this 3rd outing of the series, Abbey and her grandmother Ophelia head to Minnesota to help report Rick (from book 1) with a missing girl. What they find is possible cultists who claim to study psychic abilities but may actually be dabbling in magic. I leave you to read the book to find out more about that. While they search for the original missing girl their paths cross with another young girl, not missing but just as lost. While battling the ne'er-do-wells, Abbey also crosses paths with a Native American shaman of sorts. The tale is a pleasant romp for the main characters; mild magic and pyschic elements persist, but not enough to throw one off the story. Its very much a where-is-she/who-done-it. You will probably guess the bad guy(s) right away, but it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of another outing by these to.

What I liked: Abbey's spunk. Her equal parts belief in magic and disbelief of each new magical element that comes along. I like the grandmother - and you know how critical I am of using old people in books. Ophelia is smart, gets tired, and isn't absurd. In short, you could meet her in the street! The new character Walks Quietly could bring interesting elements to future books, so I hope he reappears. There was some resolution with the character Rick, which I always wondered about with book 2.

What I could do without: Tink. This is the girl they meet in Minnesota. She's annoying and I just don't care.

Leave the old people home.

Whether its their home or A Home! If I had no job and no life I'd invest some serious time in finding out which author began this trend in mystery books to include the "zany old person sidekick". Evanovich certainly brought it way into mainstream with Stephanie's grandmother Mazur. It has GOT to stop.

Who exactly are these authors catering to with this nonsense? Is it the young people? Are the young supposed to find shriveled old ladies who dress in multicolored costumes and talk about sex all the time amusing? Or perhaps its to the older crowd itself. All those shriveled old guys who wear their pants up to their armpits and deliver raunchy sexual come ons to the young heroines are heroic symbols to the over 70 crowd. Yeah, I don't think so. The first time this showed up in a book, for a scene, it was funny. Once. For an entire book? Its annoying and I'm skipping those pages. For an entire series? Well, you are going to lose me.

Regular type older person can be just as funny as you think these absurd caricatures are, even more so. Exercise those creative muscles and develop a character that's interesting to read. Please. For the love of Pete.

September Book

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I'm sending it out early.

I'm choosing: Last Whisper, by Carlene Thompson

I've read all her books and find them fun little reads. They're stand alones. They have a little thriller, romance, little mystery. Great vacation reads!

This book comes out on the 29th of August, so you'll either have to buy it or read it in the store. It'll be fun. Splurge.

Here's the back of the book:
Someone is tracking her every move.A killer who knows that true nightmares never end...And that the perfect murder is always worth waiting for...Brooke Yeager's childhood ended the night she crept downstairs to find her beautiful, gentle mother, Anne, lying in a pool of blood. Standing above Anne's shattered body, a gun aimed right at the terrified little girl, was Brooke's stepfather, Zachary Tavell. Luck saved Brooke that night, and in the years since, she's managed to build a good life in Charleston, West Virginia, secure in the knowledge that Zach is behind bars. Until the night another woman is murdered-a woman who looks just like Brooke. Zach Tavell has escaped from prison, and this time, Brooke will need much more than luck to survive. As the police search for Tavell, Brooke is shaken by a string of gruesome deaths and disturbing messages linked to her mother's murder. Everyone she has ever cared about is in danger. And soon it's clear that the nightmare that began fifteen years ago won't be over until Brooke comes face to face with a monstrous evil that's closer, and more cunning, than she ever imagined....

Killer Insight, by Victoria Laurie

Guess what I got to read this weekend??!! I LOVE my local store that puts books out early...

Killer Insight is the fourth installment in the Abbey Cooper Psychic Eye series. This one, as the others before it, are a great read. What's it about? Well, Abbey heads to Colorado for a good friend's wedding (so good I don't believe she was ever mentioned before, but I have to check on that). As a bridesmaid fill in, Abbey's obligated to do all the pre-wedding stuff, which kicks off in an unfortunate way when Abbey looks at a photo and sees that one of the women is dead. The woman she replaced in the wedding party. What follows is Abbey assisting the bride's brother - the local sheriff - with uncovering info about this death, and the many crimes that follow. The psychic stuff Abbey does is good and explained well. The supporting characters all get a little role that ties in with the story. There are new twists to Abbey's love life - which I admit I was not so happy about to begin (The bastard!), but it seemed to work out for the best.

What's good? Abbey's psychic revelations, the overall story - ie murders. Dave. He's a hoot. The scene at the mall where the bystander helps out Abbey - you'll see.

What could be improved? Confusing names that sound similar! Dutch is the usual guy in the books, but in this book there's a Duffy that takes center stage - a little confusing. Fortunately, the author didn't mix them up anywhere - which most authors do at some point, when they have characters with similar names.