Friday, October 28, 2011

Manhunting by Jennifer Crusie

Book: Manhunting

Author: Jennifer Crusie

Bookshelves: 2011, fiction, golf, Kentucky, romance

Begun: October 10, 2011

Finished: October 12, 2011

Media Type: Book on CD (downloaded to iPod touch) (library copy)

Setting: Kentucky, USA

Characters: Kate Svenson, Jake Templeton, Will Templeton

Review: Kate Svenson is a modern woman. She’s a powerful player in the financial world, having joined her father’s company after leaving a low paying job (which she loved and found fulfilling) bring businesses from just adequate to money making juggernauts. At her friend’s prompting, Kate decides to go to a resort in Kentucky, where she can find a new fiancée who meets all of her boring requirements.

After dumping three fiancées in three years, Kate needs love. Real love, she is hesitant but thinks it might be a good idea to at least star looking again. Because with her list of “must haves in a fiancée, Kate knows just what she wants.

Jake and Will Templeton run the resort in Kentucky. A former tax attorney, Jake knows success. Jake left that life behind to run the resort as a silent partner and as the head of grounds and maintenance on the golf course. Jake’s become the king of guy who watches the sunrise, fishes without a hook, and enjoys a good game of pool.

Trying to escape the pushy social director, Kate ends up taking an early morning boat ride out on the secluded lake with Jake. First, she sees him as a brother that she never had and, then, overtime, he becomes a very good friend and confidant.

All the while, Kate has been going on dates with successful and respected men that she meets at the resort. Each guy seems to be perfect and all of them fit the requirements on Kate’s list but none of them have the spark to keep Kate’s attention. And, fate seem to be thrown in her opinion too, causing Kate to injure all of them!!!

Slowly, her opinion of Jake changes but will she scare away Jake too or just maim him?

Jennifer Crusie’s first book is a great novel. A quick and entertaining read, Crusie’s writing is definitely not as polished as her later books but you can see all that raw Crusie talent in there!

Awards: none

Recommended by: no one

Recommend to: Crusie fans, Nora Roberts fans, romance novel fans

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts

Book: Chasing Fire

Author: Nora Roberts

Bookshelves: 2011, action, America, fiction, Montana, romance

Begun: October 8, 2011

Finished: October 10, 2011

Media Type: book on CD (copied onto iPod Touch) (library copy)

Setting: Missoula, Montana (USA)

Characters: Rowan Tripp, Gulliver (Gull) Curry, Lucas (Ironman) Tripp, Dolly

Review: The book opens six months after the death of Rowan’s jump partner, Jim. Jim was caught in the wind during a fire jump and was pulled into a forest fire that Jim and Rowan were flown into “jump” and fight.

Still haunted by nightmares, Rowan is uncertain that she will be able to handle the new fire season. New recruits and old vets come together in Montana to make up the “Zulies” who are elite firefighters who jump from plans into the middle of fires.

But, trouble stats when a former lover of Jim’s shows up asking for her job back as a cook on the line. Dolly, comes back to camp with a baby, who she claims is Jim’s, and a vendetta against Rowan, who she tells anyone who will listen that Rowan is a slut, was sleeping with Jim, and who she blames for Rowan’s death.

Gulliver (Gull) is a rookie jumper but is already known for his skills and prowess as a former Hot Shot in California and as the man who broke the base’s running record for speed. Gull is taken with Rowan (known as the Swede) with her ice princess beauty and jumper skills. As the daughter of Ironman (a base legend), Rowan is a tough cookie.

Gull gets through the tough exterior and into the Rowan that Rowan is hiding.

Attacks around the base begin with Rowan walking in on Dolly splashing pig’s blood on her bed, clothes, and walls. Then, Dolly disappears and her body is found in the woods, burned after a forest fire is extinguished. A second body in the woods and a sharp shooter trying to take down Gull and Rowan on base are just icing on the cake.

A killer is on the loose at the height of the dangerous summer months where fire rages in the forrest and in the bedroom. Who will get burned?

Saturday, October 1, 2011

You Suck (A Love Story series #2) by Christopher Moore

Book: You Suck (A Love Story series #2)

Author: Christopher Moore

Bookshelves: 2011, California, fiction, paranormal romance, romance, San Francisco, vampires

Begun: August 8, 2011

Finished: August 13, 2011

Media Type: book on CD (copied onto iPod Touch) (library copy)

Setting: San Francisco, California (present day)

Characters: Jody Stroud, C. Thomas Flood, The Emperor of San Francisco, Bummer (a dog), Lazarus (a dog), Abby Normal, and the Animals (a group of Tommy’s coworkers at the Safeway)

Review: Tommy and Jody are back after their first adventure with the living dead. After having her turned into a metal plated statue (along with her maker), Tommy “releases” Jody from her prison and she turns him into a vampire too. Now, to be able to function during the daytime hours, the pair has to find a minion.

Into their lives walks Abby. Abby Normal. Well, that’s not her real name but she’s decided to change it because she likes it better. Slightly nutty … ok bat-frickin’-crazy, Abby helps Jody and Tommy move from their loft to a new apartment, which isn’t too far from the first one.

Then, the Animals show up. In the weekend since they defeated Jody’s maker and then fenced all his artwork, they have spent their share of close to $1 million they earned. Of course, they spent it all on liquor, drugs and a blue hooker.

Blue, the hooker, wants more money so she can retire from the oldest profession on earth. Her eyes set on Tommy, she takes him prisoner and starts to “torture” him. As a new vampire, Tommy gets pissed at this impromptu session and kills Blue, who, the gang later finds out, becomes a vampire after the attack.

Now Blue’s going around changing and/or killing the Animals and Jody and Tommy are still dealing with Jody’s maker. What’s a vampire to do?

I don’t think You Suck was as good as Blood Sucking Fiends but it wasn’t bad. This series is more urban fantasy than paranormal romance.

Awards: none

Recommended by: Milli

Recommend to: Fans of Christopher Moore, paranormal romance fans, urban fantasy fans