Monday, September 28, 2009

The Gatecrasher [Wickham]

Book: The Gatecrasher
Author: Madeline Wickham [Sophie Kinsella's pen name]
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Chick-Lit

Review: Fleur has lofty financial goals and she'll do whatever it takes to increase her bank account. Her speciality is picking up grieving widows, taking them for thousands of pounds, and moving on to the next victim. However, when she meets Richard and his family, she finds herself enjoying his company and thinking about making her situation with him permanent.

Written by Sophie Kinsella (under a pen name) this book lacked the humor and wit of her other works. There was nothing redeeming about Fleur and she was difficult to root for as the heroine.

Book Junkie's Grade: C

Sudden Pleasure [Small]

Book: Sudden Pleasure
Author: Bertrice Small
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Romance - Erotica

Review: Finding themselves on the brink of financial disaster, Ashley and Ryan enter a marriage of convenience to save their respective fortunes. What starts out as a business arrangement quickly turns into a heated affair between husband and wife. The newlyweds must also deal with a colorful cast of secondary characters and past indiscretions. Small does a nice job balancing out the book with romance, fantasy and back story. An engaging, sexy read!

Recommend: Yes (mature, open-minded readers only)

Book Junkie's Grade: B

Hot Spot [Johnson]

Book: Hot Spot
Author: Susan Johnson
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Romance - Erotica

Review: Comic book store owner and artist, Stella, doesn't date customers until she meets Danny. A computer programmer who normally plays the field, Danny isn't looking for something serious. When their affair turns red hot and they find they have more in common than just the physical, they have to decide what they really want out of life.

A surprisingly fun read, this was a couple that actually seemed like they could date in real life. Yes, there are many unrealstic situations in the book and the ending was ridiculous, but overall Johnson succeeding in creating an enteratining love story.

Recommend: Yes (sexiness level, R rated)

Book Junkie's Grade: B

Play With Me [Maynard]

Book: Play With Me [Maynard]
Author: Janice Maynard
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Romance

Review: Boring and utterly predictable, 'Play With Me' follows three girlfriends on a quest to shake up their love lives before they turn thirty. Each woman chooses a man to seduce, only to discover the guy was already in love with her. As you can imagine, none of them had to try too hard and within a short period of time, each is either engaged or married.

Recommend: No

Book Junkie's Grade: C

Monday, September 21, 2009

Lolita [Nabokov]

Book: Lolita
Author: Vladimir Nabokov
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Fiction

Review: At its root, 'Lolita' is a tale of love and obsession. This disturbing story stars Humbert Humbert, a forty something man who falls in love with 12 year old Doloris (Dolly, Lo, Lolita, L) Haze.

Nabokov writes beautifully and succeeds in making the reader feel like you are in Humbert's head throughout the novel. A modern classic, I had chills reading this and was constantly reminded that people actually exist like this in the world. Although 'Lolita' is written from the perspective of Humbert, a pedophile who knows he is stealing Lolita's childhood, this is more of a story about obsession and how one can lose all sense of reality in the face of love. Sick and twisted-absolutely. A classic read for everyone-definitely not. While there are no graphic scenes in this book, situations are easy to extrapolate and this is perhaps the most shocking book I've ever read.

Recommend: yes, but not for everyone, the subject matter is uncomfortable

Book Junkie's Grade: A+

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society [Shaffer]

Book: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Author: Mary Ann Shaffer
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Fiction

Review: Told through letters, 'The Guernsey...' is a beautiful story post-WWII. Blending historical fiction with a hint of mystery and romance, Shaffer succeeds in creating characters the reader falls in love with. Our main heroine is witty British writer Juliet Ashton, who corresponds with residents of Guernsey, a Channel Island occupied by German soldiers during the war, as well as her best friend from school and her literary agent. Written with a unique style, I was pleasantly surprised that a novel with such an odd name would be such a treasure.

Recommend: Yes

Book Junkie's Grade: A-

Tall, Dark & Fangsome [Rowen]

Book: Tall, Dark & Fangsome [Immortality Bites Book 5]
Author: Michelle Rowen
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review: Three short months as a vampire has certainly made life interesting for Sarah Dearly. She's survived vampire hunters, earned a reputation as the 'Slayer of Slayers' and still makes time for her friends and 600-year old boyfriend. But her current situation is a dozy. After being cursed at her high school reunion, Sarah is a night walker with blood thirst tendencies. Now Gideon Chase, former leader of the hunters, is threatening to harm her loved ones unless she breaks up with Thierry and turns him (Gideon) into a vampire.

As the charm she is wearing to ward off the nightwalker symptoms starts to loose its effectiveness, Sarah starts developing feelings for Gideon. While readers of the series know how it will end, it is still a fun, lighthearted journey that will keep you laughing along the way.

Recommend: Yes

Book Junkie's Grade: B+

Stakes & Stilettos [Rowen]

Book: Stakes & Stilettos [Immortality Bites Book 4]
Author: Michelle Rowen
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review: Toronto's favorite vampire, Sarah Dearly, is back in Rowan's 4th installment of the Immortality Bites series. Things are looking up when the jobless vamp has an interview for a great opportunity, and her married boyfriend is seeking an annulment from his estranged wife.However, her life quickly takes a downward turn when she is hexed by an old classmate (and witch) at her high school reunion and she is forced to embrace her inner vampire.

Smart and witty-I laughed out loud throughout this book and loved every minute of it. A fun and entertaining read.

Recommend? Yes

Book Junkie's Grade: B+

Forbidden Pleasure [Leigh]

Book: Forbidden Pleasure
Author: Lora Leigh
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Romance - Erotica

Review: After getting married, retired FBI agent resigns from the elusive Club and moves to the country with his new wife Keiley. Three years into their marriage, Mac realizes that his secret desires still exist. Unable to resist anymore, he invites his best friend and fellow agent, Jethro Briggs to their farm. What ensues is a story of love, lust, domination and gossip, with the mystery of a stalker thrown in.

Like Leigh's previous books, this is a XXX rated and not for the delicate reader. While the love scenes were steamy, the mystery was not well constructed and none of the main characters were likable.

Recommend: no

Book Junkie's Grade: C-

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Cash: The Autobiogphy [Cash]

Book: Cash: The Autobiography
Author: Johnny Cash
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Nonfiction

Review: Johnny Cash has worn many hats in his life: farmer, airman, husband, father, drug addict, grandfather, songwriter, singer, performer, Christian. In 'Cash: The Autobiography' he writes a down home history of his life that is all encompassing but not overly detailed. The book is organized between present day and past memories, while stories about his friends and colleagues dominate almost half the book.

Prior to this book, my only Cash experience was the movie 'Walk the Line' (which I watched on an airline with shoddy volume and a screen half blacked out due to glare). While this book was too general for me to really understand him, it was a good introduction to his life, struggles and successes. He seems like a genuinely nice man who makes no excuses for his behavior (although I have to question the judgment of someone who believes Bill and Hilary Clinton were really in love after meeting them).

Recommend: if you are a Cash fan, you'll probably love this

Book Junkie's Grade: B

Lady & the Vamp [Rowen]

Book: Lady & The Vamp [Immortality Bites Book 3]
Author: Michelle Rowen
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review: New vampire and ex-vampire hunter, Michael Quinn, wants nothing more than to be human again. He sets off on a road trip to Arizona to locate The Eye, a magical object that can grant a wish once every thousand years. On his journey he meets up with an old childhood friend Jamie, who is also after the eye, but for different reasons. Attractions fly but with conflicting motivations, Quinn and Jamie have a road trip to remember.

Quick and light hearted like the previous installments in the series, the main characters are not as endearing as Sarah Dearly and the humor was not as sharp.

If you read and enjoyed books 1 and 2, books 4 and 5 also focus on Sarah and this one can be skipped all together.

Recommend: no

Book Junkie's Grade: C

Fanged & Fabulous [Rowen]

Book: Fanged & Fabulous [Immortality Bites Book 2]
Author: Michelle Rowen
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review: Funny and light hearted, 'Fanged and Fabulous' picks up right where 'Bitten & Smitten' left off. Back from Mexico with her boyfriend Thierry, newly minted vampire Sarah Dearly realizes they are having some communication problems. Meanwhile, she's developed a reputation as 'The Slayer of Slayers' after killing a vampire hunter which has attracted the attention of hunters and vampires everywhere. Now, she's flanked by bodyguards, taking self defense lessons from her cute friend Quinn who wants to take their relationship to the next level and trying to keep her best friend's surprise birthday party a secret.

Quick and fun, this is a good read for the beach or subway ride.

Recommend: yes

Book Junkie's Grade: B+

Broken [Armstrong]

Book: Broken
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Reason for Reading: for fun
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review: Elena Michaels, a female werewolf and part of her pack travel to Toronto to steal a letter supposedly written by Jack the Ripper. After successfully stealing the letter. Elena inadvertently opens a portal to Victorian times and seems to be stalked by zombies wanting to kill her. Armstrong throws in a vampire, necromancer (person that talks to spirits) a witch and a pregnancy to further complicate matters.

This is a boring, non captivating tale that is drawn out. The presence of other werewolves throughout the book (including Elena's intriguing partner, Clay) were not used to their potential.

Recommend: no

Book Junkie's Grade: C