RIP, Jennifer Rardin

For those of you who have been a fan of the Jaz Parks series, you'll be saddened to know that author Jennifer Rardin has passed away. I don't have any information as to how this happened, just that it happened very suddenly & unexpectedly. Jennifer had already completed her series, so the remaining books will still be released.

If you want to do something great in her name, you can donate to the Riley Children's Foundation. We should all try to recommend her books to at least 2-3 other people just so Jennifer's name can live on & still delight audiences for generations to come.

Book Review: Moonstone by Marilee Brothers

Title: Moonstone (Book 1 in the Unbidden Magic series)
Author: Marilee Brothers
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Release Date: 08/01/2008
ISBN: 0980245346





As a long time fan of YA fiction, I'm always ready to discover something new regardless of genre. I'll admit though that at heart I'll always be a fantasy & urban fantasy type of girl- there's just something about having a "Sweep" type series that just captures the audience's wish fulfillment needs.

Allie's never really known "the good life". The only life she's known has been one where she's lived in a trailer behind her uncle Sid's house with her mother, a woman trying to gain disability for an ailment she may or may not have. When a fall onto an electric fence jump starts her psychic abilities, Allie discovers that not only is she the proud owner of a slew of powers but also the inheritor of a moonstone necklace capable of great- or terrible- feats. Unfortunately there's more than one person interested in this necklace & their intentions aren't very good...

Brothers manages to create a very readable & enjoyable first entry into her "Unbidden Magic" series. Readers will love the spunky Allie & thrill as they see her stumble into her magic powers & use them for the first time. She's a great character & one that you just can't help but root for- especially when she starts noticing certain handsome young men that are close to her. Many will find this a nice short book that'll be great for a quick read inbetween other series.

The book isn't without its flaws, though. There's a lack of detail to the relationship between Allie & her mother Faye. It just takes a while to really see why Allie would put up with her mother's antics because there's not a lot of emotion (negative or positive) shown between the pair of them. Allie states her mother's actions with a sense of ennui that did show her well on the way to becoming world weary but without enough "oomph" behind it. This isn't the only relationship or element that could've been fleshed out a little more. Parts of the story stream by at an incredibly fast pace & while it did make for a nice fast read, many will wish that Brothers had taken just a little while longer to describe everything- especially Allie's strange otherworldly guide Trilby.

Overall though this is a great read & one that I'd recommend to a great many readers. It's just that I wish that there was a little more to it at times. I'm already planning to get the other two books in the series (both of which are already out), so hopefully the pacing & character info will improve as the series progresses.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

The Diva Ate Her & Laurell K Hamilton

If you're aware of the inner circle of Laurell K Hamilton, then you've probably heard of Darla Cook. Up until a few years ago, Darla worked for Hamilton as a personal assistant & helped maintain various parts of the website, fanclub, & storefront. Neither party has really given out a lot of information as to why Darla no longer works for Ma Petite Enterprises.

A few months after she'd posted about her newly unemployed status, Darla started posting excerpts of a then untitled book she'd been working on. The book was to be about a beleaguered employee of a best selling author who was well on her way to becoming queen of the divas. While Darla has since removed the posts from her myspace account, excerpts can still be seen on the internet.

When the blog posts were up, Darla claimed that the book was not based upon her time with Hamilton & was instead based on a mashup of various author diva antics, with only one part of the book being based on an actual Hamilton event. (The event in question was an overreaction to a floral delivery.)

Even so, certain sites are still abuzz about how much of the book is based on Hamilton & how much of it isn't. (I'll admit, I started one of the various threads about said book.) I have to admit that when I'd read the book I couldn't help but mentally compare the character of Miriam (the diva author) to Hamilton.

Is the book based off of Hamilton? I can't entirely say because quite obviously, neither side is talking & all I have to go on are rumors that can't really be verified. Either way, the speculation is sure to fuel more than a few sales for Darla's new book.

The Diva Ate Her is available for purchase on Amazon via the Kindle.

Book Review: The Pinchbeck Bride by Stephen Anable

Title: A Pinchbeck Bride
Author: Stephen Anable
Publishing House: Poisoned Pen Press
Release Date: 03/04/2011
ISBN: 1590588584




If you like mystery then it's often troublesome to find books that actually have mystery in them rather than having a hero or heroine just walking through a mystery & having everything unfold for them with little to no footwork. It's incredibly frustrating because sometimes that takes the guesswork out of everything. Luckily for you, this book actually has it's main character do some actual sleuthing & footwork.

Mark Winslow's in over his head. Not only does he have to work on his standup routine but he also has to worry about being a trustee at a local museum dedicated to the Victorian era. Mingo House is well known for it's collection of curios... as well as for it's unsavory past of seances, stolen royal goods, & blood money. When Mark discovers a murdered young woman (in Victorian clothing no less) in the museum, he just can't help but investigate the murder. Is this the work of a calculated murderer or is Mingo House really cursed?

Readers will thrill at this latest entry in the Mark Winslow series, especially since there's so much here to like. Not only does Anable create a series with a gay lead, but he also manages to keep from making him the one note stereotype that can be seen in many mainstream mystery series. Mark is gay, proud of it, & isn't going to conform to anyone else's ideals. It's incredibly refreshing, to be honest.

Many will also like the rich atmosphere that Anable weaves for the audience as he also delivers a page turning mystery that will keep you guessing until the last few pages. (I know I didn't predict the ending until the very last part of the book!) You'll find yourself not only reading for those few more minutes longer, but you'll also enjoy the great interactions between the characters. Another great thing for potential readers is that while this is the second book in the series, it is incredibly easy to pick up & follow along with. (Which is how most series books should be.) No worries about not being able to keep up with previously mentioned story lines.

The only flaws of this book are that the book is a little dry to start off with & that the ending is a little rushed. Some might find that while the ending is very plausible, that they just wanted a little bit more to the story to expand & flesh out the conclusion a little. This doesn't mar the overall enjoyment of it all, though.

This is one book that is worth the read & I heartily recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries & page turners.

(ARC provided by Netgalley)

Book Review: Desperate Choices by Kathy Ivan

Title: Desperate Choices
Author: Kathy Ivan
Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: 09/27/2010
Format: E-book only





Once in a while you get that book that you find hard to review. It isn't because it is bad or overly strange, just hard to put your finger on what exactly you want to say about it. Desperate Choices was one of those books for me & I found myself really having to think hard about what I wanted to put in the review.

A boy is missing, presumed a runaway by everyone except those who knew him. When his godfather Max needs help, he knows that there's one person he absolutely must go to- psychic Theresa Crawford. However it isn't as simple as asking for her help- there's a lot of tension between the two of them that is begging to be resolved ever since they last parted months ago. With time not being a luxury, the two of them must overcome their past issues in order to focus on rescuing Max's godson as well as a future that involves the two of them together.

Like I said above, this was a hard book to review because I had to really think about what it was about the book that bugged me. This isn't a bad book & there are some strong features to it that readers will really enjoy, such as the wonderful passion that unfolds between Theresa & Max. Their love scenes were one of the best parts of the book. Theresa's psychic abilities were also very intriguing to read about, as was her past.

But where the book fell short was ultimately due to its length. This is a short book, only being about 190 pages long. There's just too much story here for a novella & I felt like the story was a bit too condensed for this length & as a result, things happened just a little too fast. I wanted more detail about the characters, their past, as well as the villain's past & I couldn't help but feel that another 40-60 pages would have helped flesh everything out just that little bit more. I kept getting the feeling that I was missing out on some back story & wanting to see that little something more.

Overall though, this was a decent book & I really do think that this will entice many readers of paranormal romance.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: Manifest by Artist Arthur

Title: Manifest (Mystyx #1)
Author: Artist Arthur
Publisher: Kimani
Release Date: 09/01/2010
ISBN: 037383196X

When fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley moves to Lincoln, Connecticut, her mom's hometown, she assumes her biggest drama will be adjusting to the burbs after living in New York City.

But Lincoln is nothing like Krystal imagined. The weirdness begins when Ricky Watson starts confiding in her. He's cute, funny, a good listener—and everything she'd ever want—except that he was killed nearly a year ago. Krystal's ghost-whispering talents soon lead other "freaks" to her door—Sasha, a rich girl who can literally disappear, and Jake, who moves objects with his mind. All three share a distinctive birthmark in the shape of an M and, fittingly, call themselves the Mystyx. They set out to learn what really happened to Ricky, only to realize that they aren't the only ones with mysterious powers. But if Krystal succeeds in finding out the truth about Ricky's death, will she lose him for good?

If you're one of the people who are wondering where all of the black heroines are in the YA supernatural genre, then you'll be glad to know that Arthur gives you just that. You'll be even more glad to know that she has managed to write an interesting tale full of strange powers as well as ominous threats as well. Arthur has a very real talent for not only penning a good phrase, but also making us care about her characters' feelings. Krystal's anguish over her parents' divorce as well as being uprooted to a new area is one of the strongest themes of the book.

However where the story falls short is in character definition. While readers are sure to identify with her characters in at least some regard, many will long for a little more information & background on not only her main characters, but to her secondary characters as well. Since this is an ongoing series, hopefully this will change over time but some readers will still wish for a little more to start off with.

Overall this is a decent tale that is sure to entertain & while it doesn't stand out as much as series such as "SoulScreamers", it is one that I would recommend for any fan of YA UF.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: Always the Baker, Never the Bride by Sandra Bicker

Title: Always the Baker, Never the Bride
Author: Sandra Bicker
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Release Date: 09/01/2010
ISBN: 1426707622

Maybe it was the timing (just came out from a surgery & had to abstain from many foods), but I couldn't help but relate to Emma Rae. Maybe it's just the type of books that I'm reading, but I've not really ran into that many books where the heroine had diabetes. It's nice to see a heroine with an actual flaw that isn't something along the lines of "everyone hates me" & isn't something crippling.

Emma Rae is an awesome award winning cook. However for her, the term "death by chocolate" is a little too close for comfort. Why? Because Emma has diabetes- but hasn't allowed that to stop her from following her dreams to become one of the top bakers out there. When her best friend urges her to apply at a promising new wedding hotel, Emma can't help but feel excited at the possibility to get away from her un-appreciative boss & start cooking up dream cakes for glowing bridal couples. What she doesn't plan on is falling in love with the widower owner of the hotel. The path to happiness isn't an easy one & Emma soon finds that not only does she have her hands full with assisting with the hotel but also with getting this man to open his heart to not only her but also to God.

People who are new to Christian fiction but fans of chick-lit will adore this book. Fans of Christian chick-lit? They'll positively love it. Bricker mixed one part fun, two parts love, & one part God, resulting in a book that is incredibly sweet & touching. With characters that will thrill & infuriate the readers, there's a lot to love in this book. Not only will readers find a well written story & a great plot, but they'll also find several mouthwatering recipies & bridal tips interspersed between the chapters.

The strongest part of this book is that Bricker chooses to avoid romantic cliches (rivals, misunderstandings blown out of proportion, etc) & readers will love this refreshing story. It's something that would be a great story to curl up with & read on a rainy day or to give to that recently engaged friend!

(ARC provided by NetGalley)