Review | Wicked Appetite

Wicked Appetite (Lizzy & Diesel #1)
by Janet Evanovich

I listened to the audio version, and I can't tell if I would've liked it more or less had I read the book. A couple of the character voices grated me. (No thank you, Glo and Carl.) But had I read this in print, I probably would've quit the book entirely.

The two biggest downfalls is that the plot was much too fluffy and the characters were so shallow. The problem of fluffy plot is due mainly to my tastes. I don't expect all novels have the same level of grit and detail, and even I need a fast-read for diversion once in a while. The problem of shallow characters is why this was not a FUN diversion for me. Turns out, the main characters have roots in Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. It sounds like Lizzy is a blonde copy of Stephanie, and Diesel already appeared in the previous series with very little background revealed in this - his own - series. I think I would've been more satisfied with the Plum series. I not planning to continue the Wicked series. Back to Evanovich's original series I go!

Review: Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

What a chore. I've enjoyed the movie adaptations. I've seen of several of Jane Austen's works. Maybe that's why I thought I'd enjoy reading this book. The main characters were interesting, so I can't quite but my finger on why I didn't like it. Maybe it's my current state-of-mind, but I won't read Austen for pleasure again. Normally, I the sort of person who prefers the book to the movie, but not in this case. I wouldn't have made it past the first 100 pages had I not rented the 1995 BBC / A&E mini-series. It's an excellent adaptation and the movie kept me engaged enough to finish the book. (Originally posted as SquareSpot on PaperBackSwap.com.)

Review: The Sweet Trade

The Sweet Trade

by Elizabeth Garrett

An enjoyable, romanticized read about pirating in the West Indies. The characters are historical figures - Anne Bonney, Mary Read, and Calico Jack Rackham. Plus, the Caribbean locale has got to be counted as a main character as well! But, I'm on the fence about the story. I liked it but did not love it... probably because I identified with Captain Jack too closely - burnt-out and panicky. The book has a little bit of everything and that may be its downfall. It's has lots of action, but probably not enough minute historical detail about daily life to make HF-buffs satisfied. There's romance and sex, but again, not saucy enough to make Romantic / Erotica fans swoon. I loved that there were two female protagonists - both different from one another but not at odds. Their relationship had ups and downs throughout. Much like the book itself. (Originally posted as SquareSpot on PaperBackSwap.com.)

Review: The Summerhouse

The Summerhouse (Summerhouse, Bk 1)
by Jude Deveraux

A fluff read about 3 women who want to rewrite their pasts. An enjoyably read, but not solid enough to be a keeper. Though I love this quote...

"Still smiling she carried the TV through the doorway; then she gave it the strongest heave she could manage... When it hit Alan's oversized brick barbecue and the glass front of the TV smashed, Leslie didn't think she'd ever heard a more satisfying sound." (Originally posted as SquareSpot on PaperBackSwap.com.)

Review: A Reliable Wife

A Reliable Wife

by Robert Goolrick

Two words: erotic and morose. A book that is popular to recommend but definitely not for everyone. The sexuality is overwhelming - maybe that's your thing and maybe it isn't. The story is about the tension of revenge vs. reconciliation, and a woman-with-a-past is caught between those two forces. At times, I could predict where the plot was going, but overall, a complex enough style to keep me riveted. Kept me up late into the night to finish it and left me dwelling on the characters. (Originally posted as SquareSpot on PaperBackSwap.com.)

Review: One Thousand White Women

One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd 

by Jim Fergus

A so-so, alternative-history book. Three things fell flat for me... 1) The way the accents (Irish and Southern) were written made me gloss over their dialogue. 2) Too many characters to fully flesh out any one woman. 3) The low points in this story's plot (torture, rape, battle, etc.) far outweigh any moments of tenderness or happiness. With that said, I did find it good enough to add Fergus' other fiction, The Wild Girl, to my TBR pile. (Originally posted as SquareSpot on PaperBackSoup.com.)