Monday, 16 September 2013

Musing Mondays #6: Same Story Different POV

Musing Mondays

Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading, Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.

• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).

• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!

• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!

• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

My musing this week is ... a rant!

The Lost Duke of Wyndham (Two Dukes of Wyndham, #1)Mr. Cavendish, I Presume (Two Dukes of Wyndham, #2)

A phenomenon that has recently come to my attention involves authors who write a book from one perspective and the book is so successful that they decide to write a sequel. However, instead of creating an original story or developing and advancing an existing storyline, the author takes the easy, and dare I say it, the lazy way out to cash in on their success and rewrite the SAME story from a different point of view.

One of the better known examples of this phenomenon is Beautiful Disaster by Jamie MacGuire and its sequel Walking Disaster. As I have not read either of these books, I don't feel qualified to express an opinion on their quality, however, another more established author who has done the same is Julia Quinn in her Two Dukes of Wyndham duology - The Lost Duke of Wyndham and Mr. Cavendish, I Presume, two books which tell the exact same story from two points of view.

The first book is well written and charming while the second is boring and repetitive, and the question arises as to whether it is fair, and even ethical, for authors to ask their readers to fork out their hard earned money to basically re-read the same book with the same plot? It isn't as if the author announces or advertises that it is the same story.

What do you think of this trend?



River Marked by Patricia Briggs

River Marked (Mercy Thompson, #6) Title: River Marked
Author: Patricia Briggs
Rating: 4 Stars
 
Synopsis: Away from the pack on their honeymoon, Adam and Mercy encounter their most dangerous foe yet and Mercy may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Review: To begin with, River Marked is a departure from the other books in the series and ardent fans may be disappointed as the familiar cast of secondary characters is set aside in favor of a completely different group. While Stefan, Warren, Ben and the rest of the gang are missed, the introduction of new characters and concepts related to Mercy's Native American heritage and her role as a Walker is particularly interesting and adds another layer to her characterization, which has been missing up till now.

The book starts off slowly with Mercy and Adam's rather abrupt wedding, which is cute but also kind of cheesy and saccharine. Nevertheless, the story becomes more exciting once the action starts and the plot revolving around an ancient river monster feeding off humans is intense and compelling. 

Mercy and Adam are growing closer as couple and their interactions are a highlight of the book, especially their arguments and Mercy's letter at the end. Unfortunately, Ms. Briggs is still halting their relationship at the bedroom door and aside for one or two hints at intimacy, everything happens off page. If Briggs is uncomfortable with these scenes then why include a romance in the story at all - it does nothing but build up readers' expectations only to leave them unfulfilled.

The focus on Native American folklore is fascinating and the revelations regarding the identity of Mercy's father and the origins of her abilities is very intriguing although Coyote's character is a little too mysterious and enigmatic at times.

Overall, a solid addition to the series but not everyone will be pleased with the new direction.

Sunday, 15 September 2013

Body Heat by Brenda Novak

Body Heat  (Dept 6 Hired Guns, #2) Title: Body Heat
Author: Brenda Novak
Rating: 4.5 Stars
 
Synopsis: A serial killer is on the loose in the Arizona Desert and is targeting Illegal Immigrants. New Bordertown police chief, Sophia St. Claire fears that she is in over her head but help soon arrives in the form of Roderick Guerrero, Ex-Navy SEAL and bastard son of one of the town's wealthiest ranchers. Can Sophia and Rod get past their animosity for one another in order to catch a malicious killer?

Review: Intense and exciting from the very first page.

The characterization in this book is exceptional. Each and every person in the small town from the hero and heroine to the lowliest deputy and the town prostitute are well written and no one is superfluous. 


The balance between the romance and the suspense is excellent. Rod and Sophie have incredible chemistry and their lively banter is highly entertaining. Despite her inexperience with law enforcement, Sophie is always in control and never falls into the TSTL category. Rod, an Ex-Navy SEAL, is smokin' and his protective streak is so endearing.

The mystery is a compelling amalgamation of subplots that are cleverly interwoven. While they do have the potential to become confusing, they, nevertheless, come together quite seamlessly and it is easy to keep track of the twists and turns.

Overall, a very enjoyable romantic suspense read and I look forward to reading the final installment in the trilogy.

Friday, 13 September 2013

Midnight Lies by Ella Grace (ARC)

Midnight Lies (Wildefire, #2) Title: Midnight Lies
Author: Ella Grace
Rating: 4 Stars
 
Synopsis: Exonerated following the murder of his ex-wife, Quinn Braddock travels to Midnight, Alabama to win back the heart of the woman who means everything to him. Yet, a killer is waiting in the wings to destroy all that Quinn holds dear, including his love, Samantha Wilde.

Review: Similar to the first book in the series, Midnight Lies is more of a contemporary romance than a romantic suspense novel despite the inclusion of a murder mystery.

Unlike the first book in which there are virtually no clues as to the killer's identity, the villain in this one is painfully obvious as there are no other suspects to be had, and the motive is completely transparent. Nevertheless, the build up to the climax is steady and the tension ratchets up a notch or two toward the end with an intense and thrilling resolution.

In terms of the romance Quinn and Sam have palpable chemistry, however, their inability to trust each other or even hold a single conversation without holding themselves in check begins to grate on the nerves. Their lack of communication leads to a tedious on/off relationship and, unfortunately, this makes it difficult to completely enjoy their story.

That said, Quinn is a scrumptious hero and his past family and marital history more than explain his reticence. The same cannot be said of Sam. Yes, she has trust issues with men, however, by acknowledging that Quinn seems too perfect to be true, she sets him up to fail and when Quinn is under suspicion for murder, the inevitable happens, and Sam allows her distrust to manifest itself. Consequently, Sam's betrayal sets the tone for her character throughout the book and she never manages to be as likable as her sister Savvy.

In terms of the setting and secondary characters, the small town nosiness and gossip mongering contributes greatly to the Southern atmosphere and characterization. We get to catch up on Zach and Savvy, as well as Logan and Brody, who are developing into potential heroes for their own books, and Bri's character is particularly intriguing. Looking forward to her book next.

Midnight Lies is scheduled for release on September 24, 2013. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com

Feature & Follow #6: Kickstarter Campaign


Feature & Follow

Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop aimed at providing exposure for new bloggers and at expanding blog followers. The hop is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read and is a wonderful opportunity for making new friends and sharing your love for books and reading.
This week's featured blogs are: Fiction in Fiction in Fiction.
Q: It is up to you to do a Kickstarter campaign for your favorite book!!! Who are you casting for the main characters?
My favorite series right now is Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews and it would be absolutely fabulous if the powers that be decided to make it into a TV show (not a movie, 2 hours could never do it justice!)

So, who would I cast?
Curran is a no-brainer - Chris Hemsworth is the only actor I could possible imagine as his Furry Majesty:

 

Kate is a little more difficult. It needs to be an actress with a kick-ass, take no prisoners attitude but also someone who has a softer side. I think that Jessica Biel would fit the bill:

Who would you cast as your favorite characters?