Between the Covers - Book Review #1

On the advice of my business advisor, who also happens to be my charming husband, I've changed my book review title again. 

I devoured three books in less than a week. Two of them were great and one should win an awful book award.

1) I'm the type of person that just rips off the Band-Aid without thinking first, so we'll get the painful one out of the way. Then we can all enjoy ourselves. Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur beckoned, full of promise. The main character is a vampire/wolf hybrid -- a refreshing idea in a supernatural world overpopulated by horny, love struck vamps and lusty werewolves, but this supe fell short for me. Riley Jenson started out beloved in my eyes and by the end of the book, I wanted to smack her in the face. There were so many problems with this plot, which appeared a good one -- someone creating their own supernatural creatures in a laboratory. Let me count the ways I loathed this book. One -- she's supposedly a smart detective, but for two years she slept with one of the were characters and somehow missed he was wearing a necklace that shielded his thoughts all the time, until the very end of the book. Two -- the author chose to have Riley Jenson raped by one of her former lovers; instead of being disgusted and afraid, which would be a NORMAL reaction, Keri Arthur decided Riley would enjoy the sex. She had an orgasm with her attacker and then, instead of having emotional issues and feeling violated, Riley still lusts after the one man she wants to have a relationship and cannot. She even has sex shortly after being raped and enjoys it. This is NOT natural. Three -- What kind of role model is Riley for young women? Most of her sexual encounters in the book make her out to be at the mercy of a virile, stronger male. She's even raped while wearing handcuffs, for Satan's sake! Why are most of the sex scenes misogynistic in this book? And four -- I got really tired of constantly being banged over the head with the fact that Riley's main love interest in the book did NOT want a relationship. I got it! I didn't need to read it umpteen zillion times.

2) Now onto something more pleasant. Love me some China Bayles mysteries! Susan Wittig Albert hit another homerun with Bleeding Hearts. China Bayles, the retired lawyer turned herbal shop owner, sets off sleuthing to solve the mystery of a young girl's suicide. If you haven't read a China Bayle's mystery, you should try one. I particularly enjoy the herbal lore included at the beginning of each chapter and the recipes included at the end of the book. I haven't tried any of them, but they are being photocopied shortly. This is a recommended read, but don't expect it to be as involved as Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. It's more along the lines of Patricia Cornwell, just with an herbal gardener's charm. *grins*

3) I ended on a high note this week with Kelley Armstrong's YA novel, The Summoning. It's the first book in the Darkest Powers series and quite lovely. Once a teenager, though my stepson finds that hard to believe, I could relate to the issues the kids were facing at the Lyle House, a home for troubled teens. However, I quickly learned that the teens weren't really trouble -- just gifted with supernatural powers. Chloe Saunders is a well-written, believable character, and the other teens she meets at Lyle House are too. I think young adults will relate well to this series. I'm rooting for them to be successful in their escape from the house and to discover what is happening to all the teenagers who supposedly have "left" Lyle House for other hospitals or home. Can't wait to read the next one.

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!