Dear Author » Nocturne Bites

REVIEW: Wolf Bait by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Jia — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:00:43 +0000

Dear Ms. Thomas-Sundstrom,

I read your offering for last month’s offering of Nocturne Bites. Although I was disappointed by what I felt was an unresolved plot thread, I later discovered that it had been intended to be the first of a series, in which the various installments were connected by the mystery of an unidentified werewolf attacking and subsequently infecting innocent humans with his bite. While this doesn’t give you a pass when it comes the abrupt ending of the plotline in question, it did clarify some things for me. I’m not going to debate the pros and cons of writing a paranormal continuity that switches back and forth from novellas to novels (although I hear there are plans for novels in the future, this installment is once again a novella), I did want to mention this fact for other readers who might be interested in your stories since I know there are some who dislike this particular trend.

Jenna James is a psychiatrist with a problem. Her latest female patient is exhibiting strange behavior and symptoms, and she has no explanation for it. So she calls Detective Matt Wilson to come have a look and give her some insight. The complication? She and Matt are lovers — or were until he abruptly cut off all contact with her three months ago.

Matt knows exactly what’s wrong with the patient. She’s a werewolf going through her first transformation. He knows the signs. After all, he’s a werewolf himself and has been for the past three months. Now his problem is to find a way to help the patient while dealing with Jenna, who wants to know why he left her without a word.

While the first novella in this series had some flaws, I thought it showed promise so I approached this installment with the expectation that we’d see more advancement in the plotline regarding the mystery werewolf who’s taken it upon himself to randomly infect humans. I was sorely disappointed. There was nothing of the sort here. I wasn’t expecting major revelations or anything, but a hint or two would have been nice.

More importantly, however, I thought the main plot was contrived. If I had been reading this in print form and not on my Sony Reader, I absolutely would have thrown this against the wall the minute I read the ending. It’s difficult to talk about without spoiling every detail, but I thought what Jenna did was absolutely cruel and inhumane towards the patient. Her desire to see Matt again did not outweigh the unnecessary pain and anguish she inflicted upon that poor woman just to sort out her relationship troubles.

Secondly, Jenna’s big reveal made me feel cheated because it was inconsistent with what information we’d been given throughout the story previously. If what we learned in the final pages had been true all along, why in the world was there that scene where she googled the classic symptoms of a werewolf? Never mind the fact that I have a very hard time believing anyone wouldn’t associate transformations, hair growth, howling, and full moons with werewolf lore. It’s like that one episode of Supernatural where the Winchester brothers pondered why people in horror movies never know basic supernatural lore. Answer: Because they’re in a horror movie and if they already did know, there’d be no suspense or plot. So in that sense alone, the scene failed for me. But in combination with the ending, my reaction can only be summed up with WTF just happened here?

Now don’t get me wrong. Misdirection can be a powerful narrative technique. For example, this can be done extremely well in first person point-of-view, in which you can have an unreliable narrator. Dracula, after all, is a classic example of unreliable narrators left and right. But this story was written in third person of view, and we do see from Jenna’s perspective and get insight into her thoughts. There was absolutely no reason for things like the aforementioned computer search scene and some of her reactions if the ending’s big reveal was true from the very beginning.

I was actually going to give this novella a D but explaining how the ending made every single thing that happened before it a lie, as well as made the heroine completely unlikeable in my eyes, ticked me off all over again, so I’m afraid it’s an F. And to think all I wanted was just a little more advancement in the mystery werewolf plotline.

My regards,
Jia

This book can be purchased in ebook format from the Sony Store and other etailers. (digital format only)

REVIEW: Silhouette Nocturne Bite Quickies

Jia — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:52:05 +0000

For readers not familiar with Harlequin/Silhouette’s various imprints (completely understandable because I confuse them myself), the Nocturne Bites are the paranormal novella line. Often times, they’re related to full-length Nocturne novels released around the same time. That’s not always the case, but it’s something to keep in mind if you peruse what’s on sale.

Blackout by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Despite some weak worldbuilding and questionable set-up, I found myself liking this. I think it’s because of the relationship dynamics between the couple. Dylan Landau is a Deputy D.A. who comes from a family of werewolves. Don’t you hate it when that happens? Anyway, I’m not quite sure how the werewolf thing works in this world because there are hereditary ones like Dylan, but there are also made ones too.

Dylan had hoped he’d escape the family curse but he discovered six months ago that wouldn’t be the case. Ever since he’s wandered the streets, trying to hide the fact that he’s become a werewolf. I’m still not sure how walking Miami’s busy streets at night equals hiding but I guess if he didn’t, he would never have met the heroine, Dana Delmonico. Dana is a police officer and she’s out on her nightly patrol when she’s overcome by the Blackout, a werewolf’s first transformation. They meet when she basically staggers out of her police car and strips in front of him in a daze.

Like I said, the set-up is a little questionable. The rest of the story is devoted to Dylan trying to help her through her first transformation while trying to hide his identity which is well known to law enforcement given the fact that he’s a Deputy D.A. Of course, his good intentions are tossed aside when his beast is attracted to hers. Anyone who’s read a shapeshifter romance can probably guess what happens from there.

While I did like the way the overwhelming attraction was presented, I was distracted by the unclear worldbuilding. In addition to my confusion about the difference between hereditary and made shapeshifters, I wondered about their hidden community. There’s point in the narrative where it’s implied that while their existence is officially a secret, some people know. Are all those people shapeshifters? Or are others in on it too? And the plot thread involving who made Dana into a werewolf and why was also left unresolved. I have no problems with open endings but it seemed like the story ran out of space so that plotline just stopped. That’s entirely possible since this is a novella but it weakened what otherwise started out as an entertaining read. C+

This book can be purchased in ebook format only.

Claws of the Lynx by Linda O. Johnston

Another shapeshifter romance but one that didn’t work for me quite as well. The heroine, Nella Reyes, and hero, Alec Landerson, were once in a serious relationship during college. Unfortunately, when Nella revealed to him that she can transform into a lynx, he freaks out and pretends the hallucinated the whole thing so she dumped him after that. Nella is now a member of Alpha Force, a military organization made up of shapeshifters, and Alec is a congressional aide.

The two are reunited when Nella is sent to retrieve a stolen jump drive containing classified information about Alpha Force from a tabloid reporter with Alec as backup. The story then proceeds as expected with no surprises — the two immediately fall into bed and then head off to get the back the jump drive. I didn’t find there to be much chemistry between the hero and heroine, and it annoyed me that the main reason for their breakup was a misunderstanding that could have been resolved if they’d actually talked to each other.

I also thought that Nella’s choice involving a certain potion in the middle of the mission came out of left field. I get that there need to be complications during a mission because that’s what makes it exciting to read about, but I think a couple hints would have helped alleviate the sense this was pulled out of thin air. Of course, this story is an example of a Nocturne Bite that’s related to a full-length novel and having not read the book(s?), something might have just gone straight over my head. D

~Jia

This book can be purchased in ebook format only.

REVIEW: Wilderness by Barbara J. Hancock

Jia — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:00:12 +0000

Dear Ms. Hancock,

If I recall correctly from the email Harlequin/Silhouette sent Dear Author, you’re a new author they discovered via email submission. I always look forward to reading new authors in the hope of finding someone I’ll love. And at these short fiction lengths, it’s a minimal time commitment, which means less risk for me. (For the readers out there, I call Nocturne eBites novellas but they’re actually novelettes by SFWA standards.)

When a pandemic swept across the world, supernaturals (werewolves, psychics, etc.) were inadvertantly outed. Because their immune systems were stronger than the average human, their continued health drew suspicion, which led to the government later capturing them for study and experimentation. Ever since, supernaturals have fled into hiding and organizations like Humans Against the Exploitation of Supernaturals (HAES) have come into being.

Tess Haverty suffers from survivor’s guilt. Her twin sister, Lily, was a powerful psychic who was kidnapped by the government. Although Lily was freed, the experience proved too much for her and she committed suicide. Because their parents died when they were teenagers, Tess is lost without the presence of her stronger, vivacious sister. The only reason Tess escaped government notice is because she fell deathly ill when the pandemic struck, eliminating her as a supernatural. Unlike Lily, Tess’s psychic gifts are erratic at best and extremely unreliable at worst.

After Lily died, Tess joined HAES and her first job is freeing Colin Masterson, an Alpha werewolf who’s being taken to the same lab that studied Lily. She successfully does so but soon after, the government discovers their HAES cell and dismantles it. Before they can capture Tess, however, Colin takes her away to his pack that hides deep in the forests of southwestern Virginia. There she learns the pack is looking for one of their own who’s also been captured by the government and the only way to find him is by using Tess’s undependable psychic talent.

I really liked the activist angle to this story and the original way supernaturals were outed to the world. No dramatic announcements or brutal murders here. It was just a simple disease that changed everything. I liked that bit a lot because it’s very true to life — how the rise of a new disease can change an entire society’s perspective, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Tess’s emotional arc was also strong, watching how she moves past Lily’s suicide and looks towards the future. It was wonderful watching her accept her gift. She might never be as strong as Lily but it’s still a tool to use and dismissing it for its lack of strength is foolish. It still lends an advantage.

I also enjoyed the interactions in Colin’s pack. They’re very much a family, albeit one that’s shrinking due to the government’s current policies. These aren’t violent, dangerous creatures. They just want to live happily and be left in peace. I can sympathize with that desire. And Tess and Colin’s HEA was one I could buy — Colin helps her find the confidence to move on while Tess helps with his loneliness. These are two people who complete each other and even with things like psychics and werewolves and government conspiracies, that’s what romance is all about. B-

My regards,
Jia

This book is an e only publication by Harlequin. It can be purchased at Harlequin or any other e-retailer that sells Harlequin books.

REVIEW: Mahina’s Storm by Vivi Anna

Jia — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:00:50 +0000

Dear Ms. Anna,

While I’ve heard of you before, this is the first story of yours I’ve read. I know some of my fellow Dear Author reviewers don’t care for shorter fiction. The compressed length doesn’t allow for as much development as you’d find in a full-length novel and as a result, something (plot, characterization, worldbuilding) has to give. But I find that I like short stories because they give me a sample of an untried author’s work and help me decide if I want to look up more of their work. In this way, I really enjoy the Silhouette Nocturne Bites program.

Werewolf Mahina Garner is also the tough captain of the Necropolis Police Department. Fiercely independent and self-reliant, at 37, she has yet to take a mate, something that irks her pack alpha and her father. During a drug bust, Mahina is nearly killed by a gunshot. The only reason why she didn’t die was because she was saved by Ren Calder, a police detective she’s worked with in the past, who pushed her out of the way and was scratched by the bullet himself.

A werewolf like Mahina, Ren has been attracted to her for a very long time. They once shared a passionate kiss but Mahina chalked it up to Ren being drunk and assumes he doesn’t remember that night. Mahina couldn’t be more wrong. Scared that he almost lost Mahina, Ren decides to act on his desires and shaken by the fact that she almost died, Mahina is receptive to his advances for the first time.

As I said before, you can’t expect the development you’d find in a novel in a short story. While I found the characterization and motivations of Mahina and Ren to be well-done, I thought the plot was merely serviceable (its sole purpose was to push Mahina and Ren together) and the worldbuilding very basic. I did like the set-up for the bust and the explanation behind the vampire date rape drug. I thought that was something I’ve not often encountered before. I think that might be why I found the plot only serviceable because this was such a dangerous drug with some shady characters involved in its distribution but once Mahina was nearly killed, that whole plot thread was dropped. I realize you can’t expect an intricate plotline but I would have liked to see a little more continuity than that. But other than that, the worldbuilding was very basic. The werewolves in this world are nearly interchangeable with other werewolves from any number of urban fantasy series. Some people like that since it’s familiar, but I think the similarities make it that much more difficult to stand out.

I didn’t completely buy the HEA. At best I felt it was a HFN, simply because I wasn’t convinced Mahina and Ren’s relationship wasn’t founded on lust, not love. But since they’re werewolves, maybe we were supposed to attribute their HEA to werewolf mating? Since I have a difficult time believing that convention in the first place, that might be why it didn’t work as well for me as I’d hoped.

I have a feeling that like many Nocturne Bites, this story is an introduction to an established, or soon-to-be-established, series for the Nocturne line. If that’s the case, this is one of the better eBites I’ve read because it doesn’t assume I know anything about the world and it doesn’t rely on anything that has occurred before in previous books. At the same time, I think it might have squandered an opportunity to show new readers how new and exciting the world’s setting might be. I think that’s what short stories like these are really for. Many authors use them to satisfy current readers in between books but I think they provide a great opportunity to snag new readers and that’s why I wish more authors would take advantage of that. Overall, a C+ for me.

My regards,
Jia

This is ebook only content and available at eHarlequin until October 1, 2008, when it should be available wherever you can buy Harlequin ebooks.

Heredity Enemy Poll

Jane — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:39:01 +0000

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Here’s the blurb:

Mortal Enemy, Immortal Lover, Throne of Judar and The Castaldini Crown author Olivia Gates’s A NOCTURNE BITE, featuring a half-vampire, half-demon hero and a heroine who belongs to a group of super-powered humans pledged to eradicate all inhuman monsters and the explosive encounter when they discover they’ve fallen in love with their hereditary enemy, to Natashya Wilson at Silhouette Nocturne, for publication in December 2008.

So, is the half-vamp, half-demon hero the hereditary enemy of the heroine? Is the heroine a hereditary enemy of the hero? What half of the hero is the hereditary enemy? Or is it both? Or is there a third and this is a Nocturne Bites meets Spice Bites?

REVIEW: Son of the Sea by Nancy Holder

Jia — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:00:13 +0000

Dear Ms. Holder,

/>I’m afraid the merfolk romance is not for me. I’ve never been enchanted by merpeople and honestly, the thought of getting up close and personal with someone who has a fishtail weirds me out. It also makes me crave sushi, which weirds me out even more. I love sushi but not in the context of merfolk cannibal romances. There’s a good reason that market doesn’t exist.

Nia Diakros struggles to run a restaurant while raising her younger sister. Having lost their parents several years before, Nia is surprised when she’s contacted by a woman claiming to be her aunt. Unaware they even had an extended family, Nia’s skeptical at first but eventually decides to speak with the woman. Unfortunately, before that can happen, masked men attack their restaurant and kidnap her sister. Not long after, another group of masked men kidnap Nia herself.

It turns out that Nia comes from a family of guardians who’ve been charged with protecting a magical artifact. In her family’s case, it’s a jar. Two opposing groups want the artifact — the one Nia has been taken by and the one that’s taken her sister captive — and each one hopes to find it before the other. The group Nia is with is led by Erik, a bitter merman Viking chieftain who has lived alone for over a century, ever since his beloved decided she didn’t want to pay the price for his love. As expected, sparks fly between Nia and Erik from the moment they meet.

I fear the story lost me the second Nia and her sister get kidnapped. I can’t help but feel that we’re suddenly tossed into the middle of a plot that’s already halfway over. There’s some mystical war going on that involves guardian families, magical artifacts, and soulmates but for the life of me, I could not figure out what was going on and who were all these people everyone was talking about. I originally thought this was a prequel launching a new series for Silhouette Nocturne but further investigation on the eHarlequin website shows that books were already written in this setting and published through the Silhouette Bombshell line. (New books in the setting will be published through the Nocturne line starting this month.) That would have been helpful to know beforehand. No wonder I was so confused.

The romance between Nia and Erik also failed to work for me, but a large part of that is due to my ambivalence towards merfolk as romantic figures. I also had a few misgivings about Erik’s psychic coercion of Nia in various situations — most notably, during the sex scene. While the fate of the world did rest in the balance, or so the story’s narrative told me, it did make me uncomfortable.

This story illustrates the dangers of writing in an established setting. Authors have to balance keeping their loyal readers entertained while introducing new readers to their world. And in that regard, I think “Son of the Sea” failed. Even after finishing the story, I’m still not sure what the war is about, other than random people fighting over MacGuffins, whose significance remain a mystery. D

My regards,
Jia

This book can be purchased in ebook format only from various online resources including Harlequin.

Nocturne Bites Debuts Today: Get 1 Free Nocturne Bite Today

Jane — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:52:22 +0000

Harlequin is the leader, in my opinion, in major publisher e-initiatives. They are the first to put out their entire front list in digital format every month. They allow readers to buy series books one month in advance of the book’s in store release dates which means if you went to e-harlequin right now, you could buy June Harlequin Presents. I just visited and there is a new Helen Brooks. Eee! I am so excited.

I know we’ve converted some of you readers into category readers, right?

In any event, in celebration of the release of Nocturne Bites which are ebook only original short stories, Harlequin has given me 5 coupon codes for a free download of Michele Hauf’s Racing the Moon. Another Nocturne Bite is the prequel to Gena Showalter’s new Underworld series (you know the one with the tattoo that keeps roaming around the covers that made me think it was a symptom of Underworld VD?).

Leave a comment and by 11:00 PM CST, I’ll pick five winners and email the codes to you.