So I wasn't expecting much from this book, but the price was right (.99) and the premise sounded somewhat interesting (a homely woman answers an ad seeking a mail order bride; upon seeing her, the man who placed the ad refuses to marry her, so she ends up marrying another man in the same town). Author Ruth Ann Nordin seems to polarize her readers, based on the many 5-star reviews balanced by a few 1-stars, so I thought I'd see what all the fuss was about.
It turns out that Nordin hits on the single most important key to successful writing: it's the story, stupid! Her writing is plain. I mean vanilla would seem spicy next to Nordin's prose. As her critics point out, her historical characters speak as if they were alive today, using modern idioms with wild abandon. And there are certain places where we're asked to suspend disbelief more than one rightly should. However--and this is a big however--she has crafted a sweet, original story that appeals to many romance fans. I can see why she's earned all those five-star reviews and a sizable fan base.
For me, the distractions (like the aforementioned dialogue and sometimes wooden prose) do make the book suffer a bit, but I was left with an overwhelmingly favorable impression of the book due to the sweet story that Nordin created. If you're looking for a fun clean read, this could be just the book for you. Four stars.
LJ
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
The eBook on eBooks by Aaron Patterson
Nutshell: Kindle bestselling author Aaron Patterson cashes in on his success with this crappy little waste of three bucks. One star.
Review: This exceedingly slim volume contains absolutely nothing you can't glean from any succesful indie writer's blog. Konrath's, for example. If you're serious about indie publishing, then you've already learned everything in this ridiculous excuse for a book. Patterson had the opportunity to really write an interesting--perhaps even inspiring--story, but instead whipped this paper-thin thing off in an afternoon, apparently. A couple of things stick out: do you really need a book that defines an e-book for you (meaning literally points out that an e-book is an electronic book, not a book in print) not once, but twice?! If you haven't figured that out, then you probably are going to have a pretty short career as an indie author. Second, despite the exhortation to get your books professionally converted so that they look good, you would think that Patterson's own book would have page breaks in the proper places and wouldn't have the odd "Table of Contents" fragment at the end. Or is it just me who would think that?
Rating: One star. Seems like a cynical way to make money off the hopes of indie authors, and really a waste of money. It would be a waste of time too, but it only took ten minutes to read, so I can't complain about that too much.
Review: This exceedingly slim volume contains absolutely nothing you can't glean from any succesful indie writer's blog. Konrath's, for example. If you're serious about indie publishing, then you've already learned everything in this ridiculous excuse for a book. Patterson had the opportunity to really write an interesting--perhaps even inspiring--story, but instead whipped this paper-thin thing off in an afternoon, apparently. A couple of things stick out: do you really need a book that defines an e-book for you (meaning literally points out that an e-book is an electronic book, not a book in print) not once, but twice?! If you haven't figured that out, then you probably are going to have a pretty short career as an indie author. Second, despite the exhortation to get your books professionally converted so that they look good, you would think that Patterson's own book would have page breaks in the proper places and wouldn't have the odd "Table of Contents" fragment at the end. Or is it just me who would think that?
Rating: One star. Seems like a cynical way to make money off the hopes of indie authors, and really a waste of money. It would be a waste of time too, but it only took ten minutes to read, so I can't complain about that too much.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Venice Vampyr by Tina Folsom
Hi everybody, LJ here. For some reason Will decided to pass on the review of the vampire romance book. Big surprise! J OK, anyway, here’s the scoop: This is an older book in indie terms—things move pretty fast for some self-publishers, and apparently Tina Folsom kicks them out pretty fast. Venice Vampyr was apparently published only back in December 2010 and she’s already on number three in the series. So is this erotic paranormal romance for you? And what does that mean anyway?
Well, more than anything else, it means hair-raising language. I’m talking the most explicit, down and dirty language you can imagine. Or even stronger than that!
But let’s start things with the story. We don’t do spoilers here at BHBR, but it’s not much of a reveal to say that the story gets started when a human woman saves a vampire from drowning. How does he want to thank her? With sweet, sweet lovin’, and here’s where that naughty language comes in. The author doesn’t hold back at all with her descriptions or language, and you’ll feel like you’re watching a porn film when reading this book. Strangely, although I understand why Folsom’s books have been selling if they’re all like this one, I found the language really jarring. I’m no prude, believe me [Note from Will: I can attest to that; LJ is not a prude], but with the elegant backdrop of Venice for this book, it’s a bit much to hear dialogue that could have been lifted from the script of “MILF Gang Bang Vol. 4”.
Even that could have been overcome if the book were just better. But outside of the undeniably arousing sex scenes, the rest of the book is just boring. Folsom tried to spice it up—so to speak—by inserting photos of Venice that she took herself, but it only showed that she should stick to writing and avoid photography.
In the end, I’ll put it like this—I guess I don’t mind having read it, but I found it disappointing both as a romance as well as erotica. I don’t recommend Venice Vampyr for most readers and I’m going to give it two stars.
LJ
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Virtue by Amanda Hocking
Nutshell: Amanda Hocking's "fairy tale" follows Lux and Lily as they try to safely navigate a world in which good and evil are literally battling around them. Some problems with the text may make adults less enthusiastic, but this book will undoubtedly be devoured by her fans. Four stars.
Review: Hocking seems to have successfully walked the fine line between literature which appeals to girls and that which appeals to boys, creating in Virtue a book which should captivate both.
In line with our no spoilers policy, I'm not going into much detail about the plot, but this tale of the struggle of good versus evil nicely balances romantic elements with magic, action and adventure. The world Hocking has created is nicely detailed with small touches that are sometimes reminiscent of the work of J.K. Rowling and which help the reader easily envision the goings-on. Although the characterization of Lux and Lily at first seemed flat, once the reader learns more about who the characters are--or rather, who they represent--you could argue that the characterization is sufficient.
Hocking's writing is clear and simple--almost curiously simple sometimes--and appropriate for the age group she's aiming for with this work (Virtue is recommended for readers 14 and up, according to the product description.
An adult reader, however, may find it difficult to remain engaged with the plot given the many errors scattered throughout the work. Most of them involve wrong words flying under the radar of the spell check function, but which should have been caught by whoever assisted Hocking with the editing--things like the use of aide instead of aid, illicit instead of elicit, and so on. I was amused, however, by one particular slip. Note to Hocking's editors: decanter and cantor don't mean the same thing. Once a cantor is full of wine, you don't want it back.
Still, these are minor problems overall, and considering the intended age group, many of them won't be noticed at all. In the end, I suspect that Virtue will please Hocking's fans and may earn her some new ones.
Rating: Four stars. In spite of the problems with the text, this is an entertaining book that will appeal to both boys and girls. Virtue is a recommended buy.
Review: Hocking seems to have successfully walked the fine line between literature which appeals to girls and that which appeals to boys, creating in Virtue a book which should captivate both.
In line with our no spoilers policy, I'm not going into much detail about the plot, but this tale of the struggle of good versus evil nicely balances romantic elements with magic, action and adventure. The world Hocking has created is nicely detailed with small touches that are sometimes reminiscent of the work of J.K. Rowling and which help the reader easily envision the goings-on. Although the characterization of Lux and Lily at first seemed flat, once the reader learns more about who the characters are--or rather, who they represent--you could argue that the characterization is sufficient.
Hocking's writing is clear and simple--almost curiously simple sometimes--and appropriate for the age group she's aiming for with this work (Virtue is recommended for readers 14 and up, according to the product description.
An adult reader, however, may find it difficult to remain engaged with the plot given the many errors scattered throughout the work. Most of them involve wrong words flying under the radar of the spell check function, but which should have been caught by whoever assisted Hocking with the editing--things like the use of aide instead of aid, illicit instead of elicit, and so on. I was amused, however, by one particular slip. Note to Hocking's editors: decanter and cantor don't mean the same thing. Once a cantor is full of wine, you don't want it back.
Still, these are minor problems overall, and considering the intended age group, many of them won't be noticed at all. In the end, I suspect that Virtue will please Hocking's fans and may earn her some new ones.
Rating: Four stars. In spite of the problems with the text, this is an entertaining book that will appeal to both boys and girls. Virtue is a recommended buy.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Anathema by Megg Jensen
Nutshell: When Reychel, a lifelong slave, is rescued from her life of servitude on her fifteenth birthday, it's the start of a journey that will eventually reveal the important role that she'll play in the future of her people. Megg Jensen has created an engaging, richly detailed read. 4 stars.
Review: With Anathema, Megg Jensen has created a richly detailed, interesting world that drew me in almost immediately (the whole business with the coin didn't really work for me, so it was a bit wobbly at the start, but that's probably just me). As I've written before, I'm a sucker for fantasy to begin with, so the bar is set pretty low. However, Jensen has just done such a nice job with her book that I think she'll win over lots of fans regardless of their literary preferences. The story is engaging, the details allow you to easily imagine the world the characters inhabit, and although some aspects feel a bit familiar, the twists and turns in the story are interesting and unexpected. This is one of those books that will leave you thinking about the characters well after you finish reading.
Is this a perfect book? No. I have some minor issues with a few things--there are some small typographical and continuity errors scattered throughout that should have been caught by her beta readers, the language is sometimes jarringly modern and several scenes seem underdeveloped. However, overall those are small problems, and they didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the book.
Rating: 4 stars and a recommended buy. This is well worth your time and money, and keep your eyes open for more from Megg Jensen in the future!
Review: With Anathema, Megg Jensen has created a richly detailed, interesting world that drew me in almost immediately (the whole business with the coin didn't really work for me, so it was a bit wobbly at the start, but that's probably just me). As I've written before, I'm a sucker for fantasy to begin with, so the bar is set pretty low. However, Jensen has just done such a nice job with her book that I think she'll win over lots of fans regardless of their literary preferences. The story is engaging, the details allow you to easily imagine the world the characters inhabit, and although some aspects feel a bit familiar, the twists and turns in the story are interesting and unexpected. This is one of those books that will leave you thinking about the characters well after you finish reading.
Is this a perfect book? No. I have some minor issues with a few things--there are some small typographical and continuity errors scattered throughout that should have been caught by her beta readers, the language is sometimes jarringly modern and several scenes seem underdeveloped. However, overall those are small problems, and they didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the book.
Rating: 4 stars and a recommended buy. This is well worth your time and money, and keep your eyes open for more from Megg Jensen in the future!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Saving Rachel by John Locke
Nutshell: A computer whiz who specializes in hiding other people's money finds himself targeted and two women--his mistress and his wife--are used as leverage to get him to cough up the codes the bad guys need to access billions of dollars. This is a really crappy book. One star.
Review: I do admire John Locke. He has repeatedly said that his aim was to dominate the 99-cent ebook market, and he appears to have hit his goal repeatedly. As he has proclaimed in various places, every seven seconds of every day, a John Locke book is bought. However, if his other books are of the same caliber as Saving Rachel, then I'm stumped as to how that happened since he appears to have nearly no ability as a writer.
The entire book seems to have been written in shorthand: instead of characterization, we get brand names thrown around. Exposition is provided in long stretches of dialogue, as if Locke were too lazy to develop a story and instead just had the characters explain how reasonable the book's multiple implausibilities really are. We're somehow supposed to care about the main character, who is having an affair with a beautiful blonde (as he claims, "I just banged Karen Vogel") yet somehow also really loves his wife Rachel. Or maybe we're not supposed to care, in which case Locke succeeded.
I would never denigrate anybody for getting people to read, and I still admire Locke for that. It's just too bad that he's not a better writer. If you're tired of the intellectual effort required by Mack Bolan books, then this is for you. Otherwise, go to Taco Bell and spend your 99 cents on a bean burrito. The guy who squirts refried beans into a tortilla, sprinkles cheese on it and wraps it up will display greater craftsmanship than Locke does here, and trust me, you'll feel better after the burrito.
Rating: A solid one star. This is not a book for serious readers.
Review: I do admire John Locke. He has repeatedly said that his aim was to dominate the 99-cent ebook market, and he appears to have hit his goal repeatedly. As he has proclaimed in various places, every seven seconds of every day, a John Locke book is bought. However, if his other books are of the same caliber as Saving Rachel, then I'm stumped as to how that happened since he appears to have nearly no ability as a writer.
The entire book seems to have been written in shorthand: instead of characterization, we get brand names thrown around. Exposition is provided in long stretches of dialogue, as if Locke were too lazy to develop a story and instead just had the characters explain how reasonable the book's multiple implausibilities really are. We're somehow supposed to care about the main character, who is having an affair with a beautiful blonde (as he claims, "I just banged Karen Vogel") yet somehow also really loves his wife Rachel. Or maybe we're not supposed to care, in which case Locke succeeded.
I would never denigrate anybody for getting people to read, and I still admire Locke for that. It's just too bad that he's not a better writer. If you're tired of the intellectual effort required by Mack Bolan books, then this is for you. Otherwise, go to Taco Bell and spend your 99 cents on a bean burrito. The guy who squirts refried beans into a tortilla, sprinkles cheese on it and wraps it up will display greater craftsmanship than Locke does here, and trust me, you'll feel better after the burrito.
Rating: A solid one star. This is not a book for serious readers.
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