Book Reviews

Whew there I go again..getting behind on my book reviews.  The other day I actually went back to the list of what I have read since Matt left in January and I am up to 83 books.  83 books. Good Lord...perhaps I have too much time on my hands.

The SBC Fighters Series:  I've been slowly working my way through the four books of this series by Lori Foster, suffering through being at the whim of the library's time schedule. Previously,  I reviewed Hard to Handle and My Man Michael.   I accidentally started with book four of this series--not realizing it was not a stand alone novel before it was too late. Luckily, it was written that way though-it was written as a stand alone novel.  I am saying it now, reading My Man Michael by itself will not affect the series for you.  It was completely unlike the others in the series and I see why, now, it received such harsh reviews from followers of the previous books eventhough I found it to be enjoyable.  However, do not read books #1-3 out of order. I did. I went in reverse order and I shouldn't have.  I should have been more patient.  The series would have been more enjoyable and been more impactful if I had gone in order because characters from books one and two are brought up in later books so you can get updates on their lives.  You know, who is married, who is knocked up, etc.  I followed along fine because Foster recaps in the later books but it would have just meant more if I had an interest in the characters first.  All in all though, I would actually recommend the series if you are looking for quick, fast paced reads.  It has good ole possessive hotties and amazing love scenes with just enough mention of professional fighting to possibly hold a guy reader's interest.  I actually went ahead and ordered them on half.com if that says anything. Not everyone will dig them but I found them pretty darn entertaining.  Real people, real life situations, writing that doesn't require too many firing brain cells and yummy romance scenes. Can't ask for much more.

Anita Blake #9 and #10:  I'm still plugging along in my quest to read the entire Anita Blake series (which is up to #17 and still counting).  Last week I tackled Obsidian Butterfly and Narcissus in Chains.  Obsidian Butterfly has no love scenes. There, I said it outright.  Did I chuck it against the wall in disgust?  Oddly enough, no, I didn't.  It was so well written and so heart poundingly good that I couldn't put it down. It was a rather long novel and had nothing at all to do with Anita's love life and yet I plowed through it in two days.  It centers mostly around Anita's buddy--cold blooded assassin Edward.  And oddly enough, Edward's new love life-with a single mother of two small children.  It has twists and turns and good ole horror, gore and suspense, and I fully understand why that one received rave reviews online. It was fantastically done.  As soon as I finished the last page and closed the book, I reached over and grabbed the next book and cracked open to chapter one.  Narcissus in Chains makes up for lost time. Holy hell, Hamilton-good to see you come out of your good little girl shell.  I'll sum it up in one word--orgies.  Lordie I hope our daughter isn't reading this entry but there ya go. It is what it is. Anita finds herself one step closer to completing her bond with Master Vampire of the City Jean Claude and with that bond comes an almost uncontrollable lust--a curse if you will. And no man, shape shifter or vamp is safe when it kicks in. This leads to some really rather yummy situations.  And what the heck? Let's throw in a few more potential love interests and one serious, suitably perfect match for Anita and it's just downright enthralling.  Some other readers and lovers of Anita Blake thinks she should get out of bed and get back to work, but I personally adored this book. It was my favorite thus far. What that says about me..well let's not go there.  My family reads this thing.

Heartbreakers:  Since the next two Anita's wouldn't be ready for a few days at the library, I needed a quick read to hold me over.  I was in Lori Foster's section when I saw the book Heartbreakers which is actually two of her novellas put into one book.  The cover was mouth watering and the little write up said, "Men out of uniform never looked so good."  I figured, "Yeah that'll work" and threw it into my bag.  It looked borderline cheesy but hey, it's not as bad as the one book I saw called Real Men Last All Night. Ok, even I'm not reading that one.  If the title makes me snort in laughter, it does not make it into my library tote bag.

The first story in this book is based around single, widowed dad and yummy paramedic Zack.  It starts right off with Zack meeting his large, obnoxious and somehow amazingly sexy neighbor Wynn.  I wasn't that far into the book before the two of them were tumbling around in the lawn at midnight.  The second story, centered around hunky firefighter Josh and the prissy, conservative Amanada was much the same.  What can I say? These books won't challenge your intellect.  In the very least, you might learn a new word or two because Foster tends to throw in a thesaurus word once in a while but that's about the extent of that.  They are meant to be fast, easy and fun reads. There are no thick plots or actually anything that makes you go, "Wow, I would have never thought of that!"  Actually you read these and think, "Eh, I could have written that" but it doesn't mean they weren't enjoyable in their own way. They served their purpose of entertaining me while waiting for my other books.  

I will, however, say a few things about Foster now that I've read 6 of her books.  One, she's very real life and I love that about her.  She has to be one of the first authors I've read that actually goes to great lengths to have her characters step back long enough during the heat of passion to make sure the sex they are having is safe.  And she even addresses the sometimes less than pleasant aftermath of being protected.  Not only that, but she actually went one step further and one of her main characters suffered through a week of PMS and her monthly cycle.  I can't remember the last time I read something so real life in a romance novel.  Usually it seems these beautiful main character chicks never deal with their very inconveniently timed monthlies.    It was refreshing.  It was also refreshing to have one of the characters be less than perfect physically. FInally..finally a chick that was built like a plank and self conscious about being less than an A cup.  Finally a chick that wasn't perfectly "stacked".  And not only that but that chick found herself the object of obsession of a massively huge, tattooed professional fighter. Thank you, Foster...I highly enjoyed that lil twist.

But the one negative I will say is this...Foster is not a young spring chicken. I mean no disrespect by saying that because well let's face it, we'll all find ourselves aging against our wills at some point.  But Foster writes about characters anywhere from 21 to about 32--the age group I find myself falling into--and yet there have been numerous scences or particular lines where I just snorted and said, "PLEASE! We would not talk like that!"  It wasn't necessarily the vocabulary that you know would never be used in daily life but rather was just the phrasing of certain things--the dialogue at times.  I became very aware, at times, of her 50+ years of age.  I feel almost mean saying that, but if you're writing about people 20 to 30 years your junior, you have to step aside from your life and try to write like they would act or speak. And at times, she just wasn't fooling anyone.

What's up next?  I was told that my Anita's #11 and #12 are ready to pick up at the library.  Wahoo!  After that, I am not real sure.  I have a few potential books I am looking into.  Whatever it is, it'll be something borderline trashy I am sure. Sorry, guys, there's no early 19th century famous literature in my furture of reviews and the most complicated plot you'll read about is a good gory murder mystery.