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Archive for May, 2006

REVIEW: More to Life Than This by Carole Matthews

By Jane • May 31st, 2006 • Category: D Reviews, Reviews

Dear Ms. Matthews:
Marriage in trouble is a favorite theme of mine. I am always interested in seeing how an author can bring a couple back from the brink of disaster without irreparable harm. But marriage in crises require a delicate balance, particularly if one character is going to embark on an adulterous relationship. [...]



EBuzz June Contest “Winners”

By Jane • May 31st, 2006 • Category: Ebooks, Misc

We’ve tallied up our choices and have gone with the following books and authors. Jayne picked about 10 of them until I reminded her that we were running this contest every month until August and maybe we should just hold some of those over until next month. So if your recommendation didn’t get [...]



REVIEW: The House of God by Dr. Samuel Shem

By Jayne • May 31st, 2006 • Category: B Reviews, Reviews

Dear Dr. Shem,
I read your book, The House of God, years ago when I was still in college majoring in my health care field. Hmmm, make that years and years ago. Anyway, I laughed my ass off then and I just did it again while rereading the (probably only slightly) fictionalized account your internship [...]



REVIEW: Ghost Hunter by Jayne Castle aka Jayne Ann Krentz

By Jane • May 30th, 2006 • Category: C Reviews, Reviews

Dear Ms. Krentz:
I keep buying your books even though I know that it’s the same story that I have read before in your previous publications. Oh, I know that it says “first time in print” but I am sure I have read the same characters, with the same conflicts, with the same resolution [...]



REVIEW: Pirate’s Price by Darlene Marshall

By Jayne • May 30th, 2006 • Category: B Reviews, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Mrs. Marshall,
This is a nice pirate romance with a more capable heroine than most “chick in pants” stories. I think it works better than most because Christine is more a thinking pirate rather than a true swashbuckling one. She tries to outwit her victims thereby making herself and her crew richer than when they [...]



REVIEW: Pot of Gold by Megan Hart

By Jayne • May 29th, 2006 • Category: B Reviews, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Mrs Hart,
I’m finally getting back to Pot of Gold, your first story about Captain Robin Steele and his love, Nora as they search for a hidden leprechaun fortune beneath a Caribbean island. I like it just as much as the sequel, Emerald Isle. It’s fast and humorous and since it’s a fantasy, I [...]



REVIEW: Poison Study by Maria Snyder

By Jane • May 28th, 2006 • Category: B Reviews Category, B+ Reviews, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Ms. Snyder:
I came across this book when I was perusing ebook releases. It had a gorgeous cover and an interesting summary. I did minor research and found it received a starred review from PW. I figured it was worth the risk (it was not an inexpensive book). I am glad that I [...]



REVIEW: Thunderbird Falls by CE Murphy

By Jayne • May 27th, 2006 • Category: B Reviews, Reviews

Dear Ms. Murphy,
I’ve had a copy of your first book “Urban Shaman” lying around the house for a while now but just never had gotten to it. Then I got my hands on a copy of your new Jo Walker series book “Thunderbird Falls” without realizing it was a sequel. Silly me. Well, I [...]



You Show Me Yours and I’ll . . .

By Jane • May 26th, 2006 • Category: Letters of Opinion, Misc

There was quite the dust up last week involving Laura Lee Guhrke and her opinions that Ellora’s Cave is a fringe publisher and the authors for Ellora’s Cave were not making “good money.” When confronted with Ellora’s Cave authors saying that they do make good money, Ms. Guhrke challenged these authors to prove it [...]



Notice to Commenters

By Jane • May 26th, 2006 • Category: Misc

The comment thread for the False Advertising is now closed. Any further comments on this topic can be made here. Please remember that the comment section is for discussion of the review or topic. It is not a place to promote your books. We have specific contests for that. [...]



Misinformation or Affirmation - You be the judge

By Jane • May 26th, 2006 • Category: Letters of Opinion, Misc

Dear Readers:
A couple of days ago, I blogged about Aphrodisia and its attempts to have its Erotica line pimped as romance despite the line editor’s statements in an interview which seems to suggest that no HEA is required for these stories. Kate Douglas came over concerned that we were spreading some misinformation about the [...]



REVIEW: Snobbery with Violence by Marion Chesney

By Jayne • May 26th, 2006 • Category: B- Reviews, Reviews

Dear Ms. Chesney,
Historical mysteries are my favorite type and I’m looking forward to reading more of your Edwardian series featuring the unconventional Lady Rose Summer and Captain Harry Cathcart. Lady Rose’s suffragette sympathies, excellent education and concern for the lower classes is just enough to be considered odd by her social peers without seeming [...]



REVIEW: Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot

By Jane • May 25th, 2006 • Category: C Reviews, Reviews

Dear Ms. Cabot:
I don’t know if you remember me. I met you at the RWA NY convention. You were very cute sitting in your chair but looked quite lonesome. You didn’t have much of a line in front of you. I suspect that it would be much different today and perhaps that [...]



The Threeway

By Jane • May 25th, 2006 • Category: Misc

No, no, no, Gentle Reader, not the Ellora’s Cave Threeway. I’m talking Love Triangles. Some readers love them. Lisa Kleypas gave a synposis of her contemporary due out in 2007 over at AAR. It features a Love Triangle between one woman and two alpha males.
And just as Liberty and [...]



REVIEW: Heavens to Betsy by Beth Pattillo

By Jayne • May 24th, 2006 • Category: B Reviews Category, Reviews

Dear Ms. Pattillo,
I noticed the review for this book while I was watching DVDs of Dawn
French’s British comedy about a female vicar in the Church of England working in a small country village. Some of the obstacles that French faces are also ones that crop up in this book. The heroine, Betsy Blessing, faces opposition [...]



June Ebook Contest

By Jane • May 24th, 2006 • Category: Ebooks, Misc

Dear Readers and Authors:
Edited to add: We often get offers of free books related to this contest but we decided in last month’s contest that we would buy all the books we chose so we could remain objective. We have no problem in receiving books from publishers but at this time feel uncomfortable receiving [...]



REVIEW: Do They Wear High Heels in Heaven by Erica Orloff

By Jane • May 23rd, 2006 • Category: A- Reviews, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Ms. Orloff:
Keishon blogged the other day about books that make you cry and whether they are to be avoided and embraced. We decided that it is all about expectations. The title tells the ultimate conclusion to properly prepare the reader but I definitely wished it turned out different. I was touched [...]



The Changing Face of Romance . . .Or not?

By Jane • May 23rd, 2006 • Category: Letters of Opinion, Misc

Commenter Alau had a much different take on the interview given by the editor from Aphrodisia. To wit:
I think the definition of a HEA is changing and that's what Aphrodisia is responding to: as long as the woman is happy, it doesn't matter if she ends up with the hero or not. As long [...]



REVIEW: Kiss of Heat by Lora Leigh

By Jaili • May 23rd, 2006 • Category: C+ Reviews, Ebooks, Reviews

From the desk of guest reviewer, Jaili.
Dear Ms. Leigh,
When I saw that Kiss of Heat is Book 3 in Feline Breeds series, I assumed that it would be a standalone, anyway, just enough for me to get into the story easily. I mean, how hard could it be to catch up? Pretty easy, I’d say, [...]



Non Sequitur of the Week: The History of Dance

By Jane • May 22nd, 2006 • Category: Misc, Non Sequitur

This one has been traveling around the net this week. The History of Dance.



False Advertising?

By Jane • May 22nd, 2006 • Category: Letters of Opinion, Misc

The comment thread for this post is now closed. Any further comments on this topic can be made here. Please remember that the comment section is for discussion of the review or topic. It is not a place to promote your books. We have specific contests for that. [...]



REVIEW: Incubus by Raine Weaver

By Jane • May 21st, 2006 • Category: B+ Reviews, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Ms. Weaver:
After I had purchased, read, and thoroughly enjoyed Let’s Pretend, I purchased your backlist. Thank goodness it was easy to do so and the prices were right. The second book I read was Incubus. This is a short story or novella length. I’ll try to keep the review commesurate with [...]



REVIEW: Passion, Betrayal, and Killer Highlights by Kyra Davis

By Jane • May 21st, 2006 • Category: B- Reviews, Ebooks, Reviews

Warning: this entire book is a bit of a spoiler for Sex, Murder and a Double Latte. If you intend to read the story, you may want to skip the review. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.
Dear Ms. Davis:
This is the HARDCOVER sequel to Sex, Murder and a Double Latte. Sophie [...]



REVIEW: Out of the Blue by Sally Mandel

By Jayne • May 20th, 2006 • Category: A- Reviews, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Ms. Mandel,
Applause, applause, standing applause. You’re gonna like what I hav to say about your book. Anna Bolles is smart, funny and in love with Joe. Joe Malone is smart, gorgeous, and in love with Anna. They know they have something special, something that everybody looks for. They know this by chapter 2. [...]



REVIEW: Jealous Hearts by Deborah Miles

By Jayne • May 20th, 2006 • Category: B Reviews, Reviews

Dear Ms. Miles:
Update: The author, Ms. Bennett, was kind enough to send us a cover image for her book (Thanks Maili for the suggestion). And gave us an update on her writing endeavors.
I went on to be published in Australian mainstream as Lilly Sommers. I currently write historicals for Avon [...]



Books Jane Is Contemplating for Read/Purchase - June 2006

By Jane • May 19th, 2006 • Category: Misc

Thinking about these books:
Contemporary/Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Bevarly, Elizabeth - Express Male (HQN)
Bird, Sarah - The Flamenco Academy (hardcover–KNOPF) (reserved at library)
Brashares, Ann - The Girl of Lost Things (hardcover–RIVB) (reserved at library)
Civil-Brown, Sue - Hurricane Hannah (HAR)
Dunn, Carola - Styx and Stones (reissue–KENS)
Glass, Julia - The Whole World Over (hardcover–PAN) [...]



REVIEW: Sex, Murder and a Double Latte by Kyra Davis

By Jane • May 19th, 2006 • Category: B+ Reviews, Ebooks, Reviews

Ms. Davis:
I bought this book at Elibron.com. Elibron carries no cover images and no descriptions so my purchase was based solely on a) the name and b) the publisher. I was in the mood for something chick lit and I was buying something else at the time . . . [...]



Summary of the May Ebook Contest

By Jayne • May 19th, 2006 • Category: Ebooks, Misc

Dear Authors and Readers,
Jane and I have finished our first monthy ebook reading contest. We’d like to thank everyone who posted their suggestions for books to read, especially authors. It takes guts to nominate yourself and maybe some of you are cursing your friends for nominating you. We know it’s not easy [...]



REVIEW: The Wife Trap by Tracy Warren

By Jane • May 18th, 2006 • Category: DNF Reviews, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Ms. Warren:
Your stories benefited from a 3 book release one month after the other. The series started with The Husband Trap which featured a twin swap. I don’t like Twin Swaps so I skipped it. The second book, The Wife Trap, featured the villian of The Husband Trap. The villian [...]



What is Art?

By Jane • May 18th, 2006 • Category: Misc

Ms. Kinsale has went on to clarify that her post was more about differentiating books from a service industry. To some degree I agree with her, but the whole discussion raise an interesting point for me as to what is art. Ms. Kinsale’s argues books should not be subject to the whims of [...]



REVIEW: The Beekeeper’s Daughter by Janice Carter

By Jayne • May 18th, 2006 • Category: B Reviews, Reviews

Dear. Ms Carter,
After reading a review of your book I decided to take a chance on it. I’m not usually a category romance book fan (Some of the titles alone are enough to make me gag) but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has two mature leads acting reasonably and a nice background story. [...]



REVIEW: CB - The Other Sea by Marie Treanor

By Jayne • May 17th, 2006 • Category: B Reviews Category, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Mrs. Treanor,
As I started to read The Other Sea, I was all set to brave Triskelion and buy all your backlist at once. Despite the editing problems that I’m coming to associate with that publisher (smiles at Angie), I was prepared to glom. After finishing this book, I’m still willing to try your backlist, [...]



All Books Are Art?

By Jane • May 17th, 2006 • Category: Letters of Opinion, Misc

The SB’s have a letter from Laura Kinsale up at her website. Somehow I doubt she will ever write a letter to us but I felt compelled to respond (don’t I always).
Dear Authors:
If you (and by you, I mean the universal you) are writing in a certain genre, particularly within the romance genre, aren’t [...]



Bonus Non Sequitur of the Week

By Jane • May 16th, 2006 • Category: Misc, Non Sequitur

I think that we reviewers are the HR department (killing the fun) and authors are Michael Scott (hating us for it).



Who Do Ya Like?

By Jayne • May 16th, 2006 • Category: Letters of Opinion, Misc

HelenKay Dimon has posted an interesting article at Access Romance about the publishers that she likes. The ones she’s loyal to because they’ve delivered good books in the past and that she’ll take a second look at just because of who they are. An interesting concept raised by Ms. Dimon’s post is branding, both across [...]



REVIEW: Rules of Marriage by Wilma Counts

By Jayne • May 16th, 2006 • Category: D Reviews, Reviews

Dear Ms. Counts,
I think I’m all Peninsulared out right now. I used to love books using this setting but alas, like aristocratic English spies, it’s been done to death. I had hopes that your book would be different but once past the novelty of how the hero and heroine get together, it sank into [...]



REVIEW: CB-Once in a Blue Moon by Celia Stuart

By Jane • May 15th, 2006 • Category: C- Reviews, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Ms. Stuart:
It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter. I enjoy your blog. I enjoy your comments. Yours was a book that was recommended in the contest by several people so I know you can be reassured that that you have fans of your work. A book that [...]



Just a little housekeeping

By Jayne • May 15th, 2006 • Category: Misc

Jane and I wanted to be sure that eveyone knows which reviews are for books that we’ve chosen in our ebook contests. So, from now on, we will add CB (contest book) at the beginning of reviews for contest books. I’ve also gone back and added this to all the ones we’ve already posted.
Jane’s [...]



The $1.00 Bin

By Jane • May 15th, 2006 • Category: Misc

Dear Ms. MaryJanice Davidson:
So I was at the Half Price Bookstore yesterday and was browsing through the $1.00 bin. There was a romance book there proclaiming to be by New York Times Bestselling Author so and so (see I can’t even remember her name today). I looked at the copyright date: 1980s. [...]



REVIEW: Hot Ticket (Anthology) by Deirdre Martin, Julia London, Annette Blair, Geri Buckley

By Jane • May 14th, 2006 • Category: B Reviews Category, B- Reviews, C Reviews, DNF Reviews, Ebooks, F Reviews, Reviews

Dear Authors:
I love sports. Really love sports. I listen to ESPN at work everyday. We purchase the MLB Ticket, the NFL Ticket, the NBA Ticket. ESPN is on every night. This is itemized to tell you that one of you isn’t going to be real happy with my review because it [...]



REVIEW: Sex as a Second Language by Alisa Kwitney

By Jayne • May 14th, 2006 • Category: B Reviews Category, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Mrs. Kwitney,
Your first book had more of a traditional “romance” style to it and since then, you’ve been moving in more a “chick lit” crossed with “women’s fiction” with some romance direction. I’m fine with that and have enjoyed all your books but it is something I thought I should mention in [...]



Happy Mother’s Day

By Jane • May 13th, 2006 • Category: Misc



REVIEW: CB-Ribbon of Rain by Pam Champagne

By Jayne • May 13th, 2006 • Category: C Reviews Category, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Ms. Champagne,
For a first time effort, you didn’t do a bad job. Since this is a romantic suspense novel, I’m going to end up giving you two individual grades and then a combined final as I find that most books of this type are better in one area than the other.
Kat, your [...]



REVIEW: The Adventures of Alianore Audley by Brian Wainwright

By Jayne • May 13th, 2006 • Category: B Reviews Category, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear Mr Wainwright,
Your debut novel The Adventures of Alianore Audley is a brilliantly funny, subversive spoof that shouldn’t be missed.
Elizabeth Chadwick recommended this book on another list and it was well worth the effort to track down. I try to tell people to imagine a female Blackadder intelligence spy during the War of the [...]



Tsk, tsk Triskelion

By Jayne • May 12th, 2006 • Category: Letters of Opinion, Misc, Reviews

Dear Triskelion,
Earlier I wrote about the bad experience I had buying 2 ebooks from you. Now I’m sorry to say but the reading experience for one of them has been less than wonderful and it’s not due to the author’s voice or style. It’s due to your poor editing.
I was reading the first book on [...]



Authorzilla, Episode 5019 of Authors Behaving Badly

By Jane • May 12th, 2006 • Category: Letters of Opinion, Misc

There aren’t many people happy with the Ashworth novel, Duke of Scandal. I didn’t much like Duke of Sin so I wasn’t shelling out $8.00 for Duke of Scandal particularly after I read Ashworth’s own description of it:
As his feelings for her grow, he's confounded by her honesty, her naiveté coupled with a glamour [...]



REVIEW: Noblesse Oblige by Lynne Connolly

By Jayne • May 12th, 2006 • Category: C Reviews Category, Ebooks, Reviews

Dear. Mrs. Connolly,
I’ve been a Richard and Rose series fan for years now. I’m looking forward to seeing poor Richard suffer while Rose is in labor and I’m really looking forward to poor Rose ending her 2 year pregnancy. So, in the meantime, I thought I’d try Noblesse Oblige and see how you write [...]



The New Us

By Jane • May 12th, 2006 • Category: Misc

When Jayne and Jane first started blogging, Jane had picked out a plain and ordinary theme. Since that time, it was mutually agreed that our site looked boring. We’ve made some changes and added some new code that should make your visit to the blog more fun.

Inline commenting. That allows [...]



REVIEW: Big Trouble by Marianna Jameson

By Jane • May 11th, 2006 • Category: C Reviews Category, Reviews

Dear Ms. Jameson’s Editor:
I am writing this letter to you, the editor, because I think you failed at your job. Isn’t it your job to tell the author that she needs to cut out unnecessary scenes, make sure the characters sound consistent, and keep the pacing timely? Because all of those things seemed [...]



REVIEW: Intent to Seduce by Cara Summers (Blaze 38)

By Jane • May 11th, 2006 • Category: D Reviews, Reviews

Dear Ms. Summers:
There is a reason why I don’t read alot of categories. It is bad for my health. Only a couple chapters in and my blood pressure is already rising. Your heroine, Dr. MacKenzie Lloyd, embodies all the my hot button issues with contemporary romances. She is young, 26 years [...]