Impolite Company

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started to read this anthology, but I was hooked fast! The first thing that got me was the brevity. These are super short stories - most are only 2-5 pages- but what fascinated me was how much was packed into each one. This anthology is a powerhouse of sleek, inventive, edgy tales. The stories included are incredibly diverse with different points-of-view, varying locations, alternating time-frames, richly divergent characters and situations. There were more than 40 stories, and not once did I get the feeling of monotony that sometimes accompanies single-author anthologies. This was a roller coaster ride, a snap-bang reading experience that I couldn't put down until I'd read it all.
I'm having a hard time picking out my favories. There was 'The End' which was really freaky, and 'A Doctor's lament' that left me disturbed and 'A Meeting in Olde Towne' which was classic horror. Really, just too many good ones to list.
Some of these stories were paranormal, some a bit gruesome, and most were the kind of cerebral horror that leaves you with a splinter in your brain for a while. A really good collection from a talented author, definitely recommended, five stars! Oh! And don't pass up the author's Afterword!

Loved this novella about an American that moves to the Serengeti to embrace a simpler life and, it seems, to also run from his problems. He encounters a lioness who is living apart from her pack, and the two develop a 'friendship' that is absolutely lovely.
The story was very visual, and read much like a memoir. I became lost in the narration and the author's interesting use of language. Some of the lines made me laugh, other times I was shaking my head in amazement at the way words were combined.
A well-written and beautiful novella that I'm thrilled to have read!

I've blocked this for what might be very mild spoilers. Better to be safe than sorry!
I was very impressed with Farsighted. I saw the buzz on the Facebook and Twitter groups, and watched the trailer, and knew I was going to be reading this book just as soon as I got a chance I love the cover; it sums up the entire story in a single picture (though I 'saw' Alex as being younger)
This is the story of a teenager, born blind, but with powerful second sight. He stars to gets visions of the future. one of them that appare to herald a horrible death for Simmi, his first real friend, and someone he would like to have a deeper relationship with.
I enjoyed Alex very much. I have not read a lot of male POV books, so this was unique, simply in that regard. Couple tat with the character being blind, it was an altogether interesting plot.

Alex wasn't always on my 'good side' throughout the book. He had some very typical teenage anger, resentment, a chip on his shoulder in regards to his father and sometimes his lot in life, being an 'outsider' wherever he went. All understandable.

Alex also had a violent streak, and he tended to lash out, physically, at classmates and even at women a few times. During these times, I got upset - since Alex is well over six feet tall and should known his strength and not to hit females - but then, I found my second reaction to justify his anger, even blow off his actions because of his disability. Both of these responses were wrong, taken what going on with him in the story. But I really enjoy a character that can elicit strong and new instincts in me while I'm reading.

Simmi and Sharpi were great as the two friends with their own 'gifts'. One pf them accept her skills, the other fights it at every turn - but, we found out, it's for good reason. I enjoyed their friendship, and there was the slightest bit of a love triangle - something I'm more than used to in traditional YA, but with a male character front and center, the dynamics played differently, and I enjoyed it.

I also appreciated the way the mom and dad were portrayed. Often relegated to cardboard characters in YA, Alex's parents not only had vibrant personalities, but their own issues to deal with, as well. Dad, in particular, had some secrets up his sleeves that gave his actions earlier in the story a base of understanding.

The end was a build up to the final showdown between what Alex feels is the 'bag guy' in his vision, the one to harm Simmi. Won't give away any spoilers on this subject, except to say there is far more too Dax that Alex could see.

Finally, since I know some friends that are blind, and going blind, this story appealed to me on that level. There were many little details tossed it that rang true, and I imagine it took a great deal of concentration to write a book where the main character must describe his world through things other than visions. The author did a phenomenal job here.
Farsight was a page turner (clicker, as I read it on my kindle app for phone) and each time I had to put it aside to deal with life, I was thrilled to come back to the characters I'd grown to love.
Very well done, highly recommended, five stars!

Birthright, by Willow Cross, was a book I chose due to lots of buzz on the paranormal Facebook groups I peruse. Plus, being a fan of the author's page, I found her to be a funny, honest person that interacts with her followers. Another plus!
The cover is lovely, I adore the blue eyes and the expression on the girl on the front. She's appears very young, but her eyes hold a hint of something more, both intense and open. I like it!
The first several chapters mastered the art of suspense. I kept clicking the pages, growing ever more curous as to why this young woman, Liz, was standing trial, and how the vampire Michael had broken laws in turning her.
In a series of flashbacks pulled from Liz's mind from the powerful vampire council, we start to understand. According the laws of this vampire world, a human must be bitten three time to turn, but Liz only received one bite.
She turned into a vampire alone, and I found her initial time, trying on her own to understand what had happened, both humorous and emotional. She consdered herself a monster, and had the presence of mind to understand she was not safe to be around family. Finally, her creator, Micahael, finds her and she begins a journey of self-discovery, becomes embroiled in ancient power-struggles and find out she has a place dead in the middle of it all.

The supporting characters were vibrant and unique. I enjoyed the Druid very much, especially his speach patterns, that reminded me of an old time cowboy, the kind that might be found panning for gold. But, as with others, he is far more than he apears. We are introduced to witches, as well. Minerva was a remarkable woman, and then there was a young human child, Jenna, raised by a human father, Dan, and a powerful vampire adoptive mother, Cass.
The dynamics between Cass and her husband proved immemsely rewarding, especialy after he was changed be necessity. No longer a normal husband and wife relationship, Cass was - and must be - in control of the man she loves. And Dan's new nature proves a danger to his own daughter, an intense scene that sent chills up my spine.

The Twists kept coming, too many to list, and most were a complete suprise! The writing and language choices were wonderful, giving the ancient vampires a sound all their own. Liz was kept as a young, secular girl, and I was impressed with the way young Jenna's dialogue was handled. Very hard to write for a child that age, and I wondered if the athor was a mother.

Now, I have to take off my fan-girl cap and slip on the (much much) smaller critique hat. There were several grammatical problems that I think would be caught easily on re-edit. Punctuation in dialogue was a continuous problem. For example: "I just wont let you have it." Michael said. The period before the quotation mars should be a comma. Good news, this is a very easy fix. These small things do not ruin a story for me, but it does 'pull me away' from the story flow when it happens too much.
Also, there were several long pages of monolougue, giving the reader what I call 'info dumps'. These stories were ineresting, but I felt breaking them up would have helped the story read a little smoother.
A few places felt rushed, In Chapter 8, there was a huge reveal, in regards to Liz's family, and I expected more. It fell a little flat for me, especially after the excellent chapers leding up.

In the end, I was torn beween 4 and 5 stars and wish I had the option for 4.5. I highly reccommend this book, and hope to pick up the sequel! Willow Cross has a fan for life with me! Thank you for taking me on such a fantastic, wonderful journey! brilliant work, four 1/2 stars! Highly Reccommened!

This was a really wonderful story, of Abby and Ben, two people that found a conection, overcame some difficult - and sometimes humorous - obstacles on their path to love. They are both good characters, and I mean good in the sense that they are kind and decent people. I liked reading about their relationship and watching it develop. It was a beautiful story, well written and I thoroughly enjoyed every page! Five stars, recommended for any time you need a break to relax and involve yourself in a real romance!

Remembering Zane is a novella about two High School friends that went seperate ways and reconnect years later under heart-breaking circumstances. What follows is a wonderful, emotional love story that demonstrates how fate can lead two people together, even in tragedy. It's very well written, and the author does a particularly good job at giving a real feel to the characters and their fluctuating feelings as the relationship grows. A tear-jerker with a hapy ending, loved it. Five stars, recommended!

Wow. I haven't read a lot of erotica, but chose this one because I love the writing style of the suthor. I was not disappointed! The story starts fast, kicks into gear and gives us what we want and expect right away (though not too soon that we don't have some knowledge of the characters personalities and motivations.)
If all horrible dates ended up like this...well, there would be a lot more excitement for horrible dates! And speeding, ha!
The sex was hot, with elements of lite BDSM. I'd say this is good for those of us that enjoy pushing the edge in our reading, but maybe aren't ready for the full fall. There was romance here, not just a sexual attraction. Both characters complemented and needed one another for different reasons.
Assume the Position was an amazing ride that left me red in the face, for several reason. I'll be reading it again! Highly recommended, five stars!

I bought this book many years ago when I heard Christopher West speak. I found it again and re-read some of it, and remembered why I liked it so much. It's in a question/answer format, which I enjoyed. Most of the questions posed are remarkably frank, as were the explanations. Christopher does an impressive job at delving deep into the subjects of sex, and church views on such things as birth control, abortion, the purpose of marriage, while also keeping a 'real world' approach. He doesn't get crazy with bible quotes, or become preachy or judgemenal. I'd recommend this book for anyone that has an interest in Catholic teachings on the subjects.

I found this final installment of the series a terrible disappointment. I thought it was the weakest of the series, with a huge build-up to nothing. Bella didn't experience the bloodlust she'd been fearing, there was no final battle with the Volturi, and while it was nice to see Jacob have some resolution, it was all too obvious.

The one interesting thing in this book was the author's attempt at writing a different point of view. But it seemed to me she was using Jacob's POV to simply glorify Bella. I groaned aloud many times, which was frusttrating because I always liked the Jacob character.
I also didn't like Reneesme and her super-fast aging, which was never explained. Bella seemed to have little regard for the child she risked her own life to save, and more interest in breaking down the house with Edward.
After Eclipse, which was my personal favorite in the series, Breaking Dawn was almost heartbreaking in it's disappointment. I expected much more from this, the finale of the series.

I finished Crossloads last night and found that I was enjoying the contented, satisfied feeling I always get after reading a good book. I'm not great at reviews, as I have a hard time picking out the negatives, as I tend to recall the parts I liked. And I liked quite a bit!
I adore angels, and this book had some interesting ones. The Crossroads, the mysterious place between life and dead, was unique, and I always appreciate when an author takes the road less traveled, rather than rehashing a story of traditional angel lore that's been done hundreds of times.
I liked Caudia, though I would've enjoyed seeing her fight her battles herself, rather than become the protected. I know it's unfair, but I stil feel the Twilight saga has gotten it's claws into some otherwise amazing books.
Michael was fun, as the guaradian angel who, at first, didn't want the job. Needles to say, they resolved a few things and romance blossomed for them.
The end was wrapped up nicely for a first book, with questions still left to be answered in the future.

The only reason I didn't give Crossroads a 5 star was because there were times I felt as though the author was really doing the reader 'hand holding' thing. Not every detail needs to be stated, or repeated, most of us can catch one fine. We're smart, lol

Overall, It was a wonderful book. Though I actually won this book in a contest, I'm sure I would've picked it up anyway, as the themes are among my personal favorites. Looking forward to the next one! Brava for Ms. Ting! Thank you for a lovely book I'm proud to have on my shelf! ~ Dawn
*edited for copious typos*

My favorite of Shakespeare's plays! The witty exchanges between Benedick and Beatrice are hysterical! There is a lot of comedy, as in most of his plays, but this one takes it up a notch. There's ruse, romance and betrayal. Highly recommended reading!

Fantasy is my go-to genre when I want to get lost in another world. Cambria is a beautiful story that weaves so many of the fantastic fantasy themes together and produces a page-turning book I didn't want to put down!

Seth is a young man going to visit his Uncle Herman one summer and discovers he and his family are much more than he ever dreamed. He finds himself in the world Cambria, a mystical place where honor and loyalty are more than just words, where knights, Kings, dragons and magic are more than just legends lost to history. Seth embarks on a true Hero's Journey. struggling to find his identity and purpose, battling darkness and evil, and finding romance in the arms of the lovely Brianna. But don't be misled into thinking this is a story that has been told countless times, because it's not! It has wonderful classic elements, but it's wholly unique with unexpected twists and suprises.

The characters were easy to connect with, and I found myself invested in them very early on. Seth, coming from a modern day realm, and Brianna and her friends existing in Cambria, creates a lovely blend; a fairy-tale world that keeps a grip on the present. The dialogue and descriptions are stirring and the author has an excellent grasp on language. Several times I was shaking my head in awe because I could so easily visualize what was being described, and I was able to do so not because of lengthy, tedious, paragraphs but rather through eloquent, well-chosen word combinations. The world building was very good and when I cicked the last page, I found myself saddened that I was going to have to leave this world behind. I hope there will be another book, and if so I will snatch it up immediately!

Five stars from me, highly recommended!

I am not a romance reader, never have been. In fact, usually when I see a book tagged with 'romance' or 'love' I make a little gagging sound and click away like my fingers are on fire. It takes something special to make me buy a pure romance book, and in this case the something special is the author, J.S. Wilsoncroft. I've read some of her other work and she has a way with characters like few others, and The Unfaithful Widow did not disappoint!

Tess is a woman that is working through the death of her husband and is thrust into a situation in which she is forced to confront the fact that the man she married had been leading a double life. It's a jolt, it's painful and she feels betrayed and angry. The double-life wasn't what I expected, which made the situation even more powerful. The emotions were real, and I could relate to Tess.

She ends up in New York with her best friend, Dawn, who is the kind of BFF we all want to have. She's understanding but not about to let Tess curl up and whine. They go out for a night on the town and enter Greg Thomas. And oh my, does Greg make an entrance:

"You don't know Greg? There he is!" Both girls began squealing as they looked straight across the giant room. In a blink of an eye, they were both up and running toward him. There was already a mob of girls swarming around the center of the room. It reminded me of a bunch of football players piling onto each other to get to the ball.

We all know those kind of guys, right? The super popular ones that always have a posse of females, that seem to be living the dream and Tess does exactly what most of us would do. She's mildly interested, a little mistrustful, and sure as heck isn't going to throw herself at him like the other insane women. Tess is not one to swoon over a man, and at this point in her life she's not even looking for a man at all. she's vulnreable and dealing with her own stuff, but still has a strong center. I love that about her. So Greg has to bring his A-game to get Tess's attention.

What ensues is a romance that is a fairy-tale in some ways and all-too-real in others. There are complications, raw emotions, problems to work through. It was a nice blend of fantasy and reality and as always, the characters are believable, layered, well-rounded. Oh! I adored Greg's father, Bart! He's one of my favories and he turns out to be quite something special, too :) The ending is nothing short of specacular!

If you enjoy a character driven romance with some great twists and a lot of fun and a big dose of sexy, this book is for you! Recommended, five stars!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read with a fun storyline. There are a lot of Wiccan things included that I didn't really undertand, but that didn't matter at all. It was interesting and what needed to be explained WAS explained.
I hate giving away any spoilers in reviews, but I want to mention that I love the spin placed on certain supernatural creatures. The common folklore is switched up in some unique ways. Lexi and her circle of family and friends (some new, some old, all with their own problems and talents) were well developed. Lots of humor (okay...leave it to a GUY to want to talk about the cool factor of CARS, even while being chased, ha!)
My only complaint is that this story wasn't longer. I want to hear more about the characters, delve into their history and personality. I'm pleased this will be a series because I'm very interested in how things will shake out now that family secrets have been revelaed and Lexi has understanding of her very cool heritage and ability!
Five stars from me, recommended!

I'm one of those middle aged women that love the Twilight series.:) I was given the first book by a friend at work (the entire office was talking about Edward and Jascob and tents and meadows and I felt like I was out of some important loop!)
The first night, I put the book down after just one chapter. I didn't understand the fascination. It was heavy on the teen agnst and I get enough of that with my own kids! But after some not-so-subtle prompting, I delved in again the next night....and didn't stop. I was hooked. ANd any book that can lure me away from my bed until three a.m. gets my attention!
I don't rate books based on perfection, rather than on a feeling I get while reading. This book stirred up emotions, some good, some a little perverse, some angry, but it was a fun ride!
If you are hesitant to read this because of all the Twilight jokes....don't be. You might not find a perfect story, but you may find enjoyment, just as I did!

I read this book many years ago. I adored the story. It's written in first person, which is not usually my prference, but I was drawn in by the character's (Sookie Stackhouse)wit and easy humor. Part supernatural romance, part comedy, part mystery, I found the story light and engaging. I was happy there were already a few more books in the series available for purchase when I finished the first book. I went out and bought the other immediately! And I lamented the long wait in between the rest of them.
If you've watched True Blood, you might have a few pre-conceived ideas of how these books will play out. I'd recommend going into this series with an open mind and as much of a blank slate on characters and storylines as possible. (Not easy after watching a TV show or movie, I know!)
I recommend this series to all my friends that enjoy the vampire genre. There are a bunch of books out that have taken vampires to similar places, so even though this book was written long before those, it can still feel like a re-tread at times if you've already delved into many others.
Charlaine Harris is a master at layering her world. She introduces creatures and characters one at a time, allowing the reader ample opportunity to become familiar with the personality and abilities of each one before moving ahead. You won't be bombarded with information or overwhelmed with details and this is something I appreciate. I've resorted to notetaking in a few series that gave me too much, too fast. (Guess I'm getting too old for such things, ha!) A great, fun book!