Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead - A Guest Review

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Publisher: Zebra

Release Date: March 1, 2011

More Info: Amazon

Series: #3 in the Dark Swan series

Book Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Richelle Mead takes readers back to the Otherworld, an embattled realm mystically entwined with our world--and ruled by one woman's dangerous choice. . . 

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land's queen, she's fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear. . . 

Who Eugenie can trust is the hardest part. Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda for aiding her search. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her along the way. To control the Crown's ever-consuming powers, Eugenie will have to confront an unimaginable temptation--one that will put her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal peril. . .

Today, we have another guest reviewer, Hurog_Kate.. She was talking about Iron Crowned after she read it and I asked if she'd mind typing that up for me into a review. :D Hurog_Kate is an aspiring writer who works in education to pay the bills. (Okay, she actually really likes her day job but would quit in a heartbeat if she had an actual paying career as a writer.) She's an incessant fiction reader, primarily in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, and Mystery genres. She's also stupidly opinionated (her words, not mine, lol) about what she's read... but will likely not argue with you about it if your opinion differs. :)

Contains Spoilers for Books 1 and 2 in the series

My Thoughts:

I’ve never been particularly driven to review books in any sort of professional/public capacity. I’ve got lots of reasons for this. For one, I’m an aspiring writer myself, which means that I fear the “lemme tell y’all how it’s done” syndrome. Plus, well, I’m afraid of ticking off any potential future employers or avenues to publication. (And yes, I know that sounds kind of silly… but there you go.) Secondly, I spent several years in graduate school for writing, which meant I analyzed every word I read or wrote ad nauseum. It started to impinge on my actual enjoyment of reading for pleasure. These days, I’m quite happy with my informal review process: Loved it! Hated it! Didn’t finish. Heroine TSTL (too stupid to live). Meh. It was fine. I got it for free. And so on. 

This long-winded opening is to explain why I quite happily classify this as an UN-professional, highly subjective reaction to reading Iron Crowned, the third book in the Eugenie  Markham Dark Swan series by Richelle Mead. Not a review. 

Additionally, it’s very important to me to point out that I stand in awe of anyone who can finish a coherent novel, let alone the number that Ms. Mead has. 

I loved the first book in the series, Storm Born. It introduced the heroine, Eugenie Markham—aka Dark Swan—a half fey/half human shaman who works to banish spirits and fey who illegally cross over into our world. In fairly classic Fantasy series fashion, a startling prophecy is revealed: in this case, that her firstborn son will conquer the human world for the fey. She spends the rest of this book and the next navigating between the human and fey worlds trying to stop this prophecy from coming true. Of course, there are two gorgeous love interests: the Human kitsune (fox-shifter) Kiyo and the scary/sexy fey King Dorian who seeks to train Eugenie in her fey powers of controlling storms. Of course, Dorian is quite honest about how happy he would be to put a bun in Eug’s oven, but he does help her in his own Machiavellan way throughout the series. 

By the time we get to this third book (SPOILERS for books 1 and 2), Eugenie has been repeatedly attacked, taken over an entire kingdom and remade it in the image of her beloved Arizona desert, discovered an unknown half-sister who also may fulfill the prophecy, discovered that her boyfriend Kiyo knocked up one of the few (apparently) friendly fey monarchs (awkward)… oh, and gotten kidnapped by the lunatic son of a rival monarch and repeatedly raped in his attempt to impregnate her and bring about the prophecy. That ends badly for him when she ends up being rescued by a contingent including Kiyo and Dorian, who ends up running the douchebag kidnapper/rapist through with his sword. Which I was pretty much “right on!” about but Kiyo refused to do because it wasn’t moral or something, and it turns out he might have been kind of right because it puts Eugenie and Dorian at war in the fey world against his mother, whom I will now refer to as “Rape-Mommy” because she encouraged all of these shenanigans. By the end of the second book, she’s broken up with Kiyo and is firmly in a relationship with Dorian. Oh, and her step-father, the shaman who trained her, is not speaking to her because he’s super mad that she has a kingdom in Otherworld.

As I said, I loved the first book. I found the second book a little frustrating with Eug continuing to juggle her commitments in the human world (her shaman/exorcism business) with those in the fey world, with somewhat limited success. But I was still really looking forward to the third book. Let’s start with the positives for the book: as always, Mead’s characters leap off of the page. Her dialogue is fun and the world that she has built (both human and fey) are alive and real within the confines of the book. In terms of world-building, she is almost always consistent (which is harder than you might think). There is one pretty big inconsistency very late in the book, but it honestly could be explained away at some point… which doesn’t mean it didn’t bug me. I’m just not sure it should have. LOL I can honestly say that I would not have had such a negative reaction to the book if it wasn’t written so vividly. 

 I can sum up my annoyance without MASSIVE spoilers by looking at two factors: One, Eugenie generally doesn't take any responsibility for her own actions through pretty much the whole book. These actions include: cheating on Dorian (while convincing herself that she didn't cheat); running back to Kiyo; taking over a whole other kingdom; ignoring the concerns of her stepfather and mom; and then when Kiyo suddenly and almost inexplicably becomes horrible, running back to Dorian. Sigh. It’s like this very adult series suddenly took a left turn from a great blend of high and urban fantasy to Young Adult Soap Opera land. 

The second factor is that I think the only major character who acts consistently with everything we've been told about him for the two previous books is Dorian. But I'm pretty sure we're supposed to think he's a lying, manipulative scumbag and it's okay that Eugenie gets it on with Kiyo before actually breaking up with Dorian. The big reveal that drove Eugenie away from Dorian was not a small thing. It’s definitely a HUGE “we gotta talk” moment among two adults in a relationship. That talk might be nothing more than, “screw you, I’m out.”  But there should be a meeting of the minds. 

In fact, almost everyone careens through this book from action to reaction back to action with no thought and the thinnest of rationalizations. I found myself with that extreme WTF look on my face so often, my husband asked me what the heck I was reading that made me look like that. There's a reason I don't read YA books anymore. I like my characters to act like adults, not whiny teenagers who only think about what the world and other people owe them, rather than how their actions affect the world as a whole.

Now, below is my really unprofessional rant about the plot that I sent to a few friends. It is almost completely unedited so it contains major spoilers and a complete description of why I really was pretty irritated by almost the entire book. Also, there is a lot of raving and many, many sentence fragments. DON'T SCROLL DOWN if you don't want to know almost everything that happens in the book.  

Review of Dead Man's Debt by Grace Elliot

Publisher:Solstice Publishing

Release: October 10, 2010

More info: goodreads


Book Blurb:  A Dead Man's Debt - a story of blackmail, duty and an unexpected love.

After publically humiliating a suitor, Miss Celeste Armitage is sent from the Ton in disgrace and resolves never to marry. But when she finds a sketch book of nude studies and discovers the artist is her hostess's eldest son, Lord Ranulf Charing, she finds herself dangerously attracted to exactly the sort of rogue she is sworn to avoid.
Nothing is as it seems. Lord Ranulf's life is a facade and he is being blackmailed over his late brother's debts. But just as the darkly restless Ranulf unexpectedly learns to love, the vengeful fury of his nemesis unleashed. In order to protect Celeste, Lord Ranulf faces a stark choice between duty and true love...

However Ranulf has underestimated Miss Armitage's stubborn resolve to clear his name, and in so doing places the woman he loves in mortal danger.

My Thoughts: Grace Elliot has a gift for telling a story though she sometimes has trouble with language. Her descriptions and her story progression are not cliched or expected. The love story itself is sweet, and both Ranulf and Celeste are intriguing characters. Celeste sees herself as a fiercely independent woman. She prefers being a governess to being married, and beingcontrolled by a man she doesn’t love. That is until she meets Lord Ranulf Charing, seemingly a rogue, with the worst of reputations. Ranulf is handsome, sexy, a rake, in some ways a cold man. Yet, he believes in familial duty,even though he also believes his mother does not love him, and that his recently deceased older brother was his mother's favorite. He has no interest in marriage either and is content to let the title pass to another relative.


What follows is full of twists and turns as Celeste and Ranulf grow closer while Ranulf deals with being blackmailed over his late brother's debts. Elliot shows us Celeste's and Ranulf's growing feelings for each other and their internal struggles to reconcile that with their respective desires to stay single and their individual dreams. We see Celeste and Ranulf, but especially Ranulf, change and grow. Elliot takes her time, building events carefully.

However,other characters don't stay true to themselves: Ranulf's mother, Lady Cadnum, and a soldier, Captain Harry Engerfield, who's part of the blackmail scheme. They are portrayed as one way, then abruptly change midway through the story. Engerfield's was particularly frustrating as his personality change plays a major role in the latter part of the story, and the ending. After so carefully showing us Ranulf and Celeste's emotional changes, it was so disappointing that she failed to do so with Engerfield and Lady Cadnum.

What really killed the story for me was the actual writing. I seriously questioned, at one point, if English was her native language (according to her website she was born and raised in the UK so presumably it is). I could have forgiven a lot if that were the case. The writing quality veers wildly from descriptive and emotive to WTF? There are numerous wrong word choices, including this one: "With a horrible sinking sensation, she caste around the room." Or "He caste a disapproving glance at dishevelled Ranulf." Yet, there are times when she uses the correct word, cast, appropriately. (and yes, that is the spelling she used for disheveled, not a typo on my part.) That is not the only wrong word choice, there are others. There are also numerous run on sentences and sentence fragments. My favorite sentence fragment would have to be this one: "Indeed, there were sparse bookshelves, furnished mainly with arm chairs, sofas and card tables." Now that's quite an image. Are we talking about dollhouse furniture? Or did she forget (I'm assuming "yes") the correct antecedent and she really meant that the library mentioned in the preceding (correctly formed) sentence was sparsely furnished?

There are too many examples, I could give many more. There were so many in fact, that I found myself proofreading and copy-editing as I read, instead of reading the story. I was tempted to email her and offer my services as copy-editor and proofreader for her next book. I did actually email her and ask if perhaps she had sent me the wrong PDF, a draft instead of the final product. She responded that it was possible but didn't offer to send me the correct PDF. Therefore, based on what I received and read, I give the actual love story 3.5 stars but the writing only 1 star. BTW, I looked on Amazon and goodreads, and none of the reviews I skimmed mentioned the typos, misspellings, etc so perhaps it was the copy that I received.

Overall, the story itself is good but the writing has tremendous room for improvement.

Review of Westward, Yo! by J.A. Campbell

Publisher: Echelon Press

Release Date: March 8, 2011

More Info: Amazon

Series: #1 of Into The West; also part of Echelon's Electric Shorts Series

Book Blurb:

Tina Harker is a typical teenager. She loves hanging with her friends at the malls, shoes, and manicures. More than that, she loves horses. Life is everything she wants it to be, until her father packs their family up and drags them across the world to Arizona. Does he really think she'll be happy living in a ghost town in the middle of the desert? It's a million miles to the nearest shopping center, not even a real mall. Her only hope for survival is finding a new horse.

Trying to make the best of her horrible situation, Tina agrees to go on her first cattle drive. When one of the calves wanders off, Tina, in true cowgirl fashion and looking for excitement, rides off to rescue the poor little thing and gets a lot more adventure than she ever expected. A cowboy she's never met accuses her of stealing cows, bandits kidnap her, and that's not even the exciting part.

My Thoughts:


JA Campbell was a guest here on her release day for this story, talking about the new series. I was intrigued by the concept of the digital short stories to lure in new readers and wanted to give her story a try. And I am a sucker for horses. My sister and I had a horse when we were teens and I grew up reading horse stories. 
 
This was a quick, enjoyable read that kept me engaged. I'm looking forward to the rest of her shorts (#2, Range Feud, is already on my Kindle) that will be released (and she has a novel later this summer).  I was a bit skeptical about the wild-wild-west theme, mainly because it's not what I typically read, but I was happily surprised.I grew up in a smallish town so I could still feel for Tina's predicament as she adjusted.

 It's not a long read, but there's lots going on and it's a nice mix of  the predictable and the unpredictable. Campbell blends teen angst (but not too much!), western life and a hint of the supernatural and successfully pulls the reader into the story and keeps the momentum going. She doesn't forget the characters though and I look forward to seeing more of them.


Will teens and young readers enjoy this story? I think so. Tina and her BFF Jessica feel real, Campbell is respectful and doesn't talk down to her readers and the story is fun and interesting.

Review of The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry

Publisher: Gallery

Release Date: April 12, 2011

More Info: Amazon

Book Blurb:

After the unexpected death of her parents, painfully shy and sheltered 26-year-old Ginny Selvaggio seeks comfort in cooking from family recipes. But the rich, peppery scent of her Nonna’s soup draws an unexpected visitor into the kitchen: the ghost of Nonna herself, dead for twenty years, who appears with a cryptic warning (“do no let her…”) before vanishing like steam from a cooling dish.

A haunted kitchen isn’t Ginny’s only challenge. Her domineering sister, Amanda, (aka “Demanda”) insists on selling their parents’ house, the only home Ginny has ever known. As she packs up her parents’ belongings, Ginny finds evidence of family secrets she isn’t sure how to unravel. She knows how to turn milk into cheese and cream into butter, but she doesn’t know why her mother hid a letter in the bedroom chimney, or the identity of the woman in her father’s photographs. The more she learns, the more she realizes the keys to these riddles lie with the dead, and there’s only one way to get answers: cook from dead people’s recipes, raise their ghosts, and ask them.

My Thoughts:

After her parents' sudden death, Ginny is on her own for the first time in her life. She's always been quirky and different, to the frustration of her quite dominating sister, Amanda. Ginny, though she doesn't know it when the story begins, has Aspergers, a chronic cognitive condition of the autism spectrum. Amanda insists on selling their parents house, where Ginny has always lived, and having Ginny move in with her, even though Ginny prefers staying in the only home that she's ever known. Amanda doesn't believe that Ginny can function on her own and often treats her as lesser and imcompetent. She doesn't ask Ginny when making decisiosn about her life,  nor does she listen when Ginny talks, but just assumes that Ginny will do what she wants. Frustrated with the fact that Amanda won't listen to her, Ginny cooks, almost obsessively. During one cooking binge, she receives a ghostly visitation from her late grandmother, whom she called Nonna. Nonna imparts a vague message and dissappears.

Struggling with her new life and full of questions after Nonna's mysterious visit, Ginny continues cooking, using recipes from her mother and father, which allow her to speak with their ghosts. As she cooks, and summons ghosts, she also begins making changes in her life, making connections as best she's able, and learning more about herself and her family in the process. She and her sister even develop a better understanding of each other and make some progress in healing the hurts they've inflicted on each other.

McHenry did an excellent job of capturing the essence of Asperger's Syndrome, including the reality that it's a spectrum and it manifests differently in peoples in  (that's also one of the challenges in diagnosing it). Ginny knows she's different, and has developed coping mechanisms, some more successful than others. Since the story was told from her point of view, we spend time in her head and get to see how the world looks to someone who's not "normal". It was an eye opener at times. In her eyes, she was normal, her quirks are just part of her personality. She didn't think that she needed fixing and it makes you think about our view of people who are different, in any fashion. What is normal? What is different? Who decides? Does it truly matter? Is it easier to label someone than to put the effort in and help them function to the best of their ability? What do we lose by insisting that people conform to a societal norm? Do we gain anything by doing that? As a preschool teacher who has taught children with autism and with Asperger's, as well as dealing with parents on the autism spectrum, it's something that  I think about often. More and more people have autism and it's a challenge, both cognitively and socially. It can be disabling but doesn't have to be. Ginny had difficulty functioning at times; not all of her coping mechanisms were successful, but she didn't think of herself as "different" or defective, she was simply Ginny.

I have recently read a slew of books about people who are different, including several with autistic characters, and this was by far the best. McHenry writes respectfully of what it's like to be autistic while spinning a tale that captures you and holds you until the end. It's a book that, I believe, you will find something new to ponder everytime you read it. "The Kitchen Daughter" is a fascinating and engaging story and one that I expect will stay with me for a long time.
This hardcover was received from the publisher for review.

Guest Review of Glimpses by Lynn Flewelling

Publisher: CreateSpace and Morrigan Press

Release Date: September 19, 2010

Series: A stand alone anthology within the Nightrunner series.

Today we have a guest review. This has been on my TBR pile for a while so when Line expressed interest in the story, I offered her my review copy in exchange for a review. I've known her for several years, we met at Kelley Armstrong's board and then I lured her to Patricia Briggs's board. :)

Line:


Who am I and how did I come to write this at Bea's Book Nook? To answer the last one first: she asked, and she is good at asking.

Who am I? I am a woman approaching my fourth decade, I live in Norway and I have a passion for reading. I read all kinds of fiction but fantasy and speculative fiction takes up most of my reading time. I work in geriatrics and reading is entertainment and escape and sometimes a tool for dealing with the difficult questions in life.

LineJ


Book Blurb:

Lynn Flewelling's Glimpses explores “lost” moments from her popular Nightrunner Series, events alluded to or passed over – Alec's parents and childhood, Seregil's early liaisons in Skala, Seregil and Alec's first night as lovers, how Seregil and Micum Cavish met. Each story offers a new perspective on events readers have speculated about for years.

For new readers, it offers an introduction to the characters Romantic Times calls "two of the
most memorable heroes in fantasy." Professional and amateur art provided by Flewelling's fans accompany Glimpses' stories, as she honors the dedication and devotion her fans have given her over the years.

My Thoughts: 

This is truly a collection for the fans and lovers of this series. I really liked the idea of illustrating
with works of fan art and I was not disappointed. Some of the artwork was absolutely stunning and
the illustrations really enhanced the reading experience, despite the fact that the first time I read this
I had only a review PDF that Bea was kind enough to let me have (NOTE: After I badgered her she agreed to review it for me) after I whined about not being able to get the book here, and the pictures in that was naturally not full size files.(I have since acquired the book)

Although I liked all the stories and enjoyed myself reading them, I am not so sure this would be the
case for someone not familiar with he characters and the world, there is a lot of presupposed
knowledge needed to follow most of the stories I think. I feel that without having read the
Nightrunner Series I would not really be able to follow all of the stories very well, and some of the
episodes would not make any real sense. By The River for instance, without knowing of the later
relationship between Micum and Seregil this would seem like a very strange somewhat unfinished
kind of story to put into an anthology but having read the novels it was a fun bit of background.

Of the four short stories,the one I liked best was The Wild, this tells a complete story and could
stand alone very well without the background from the previous novels, even if knowing what happens later to Alec gives an extra dimension to it.

Over all I enjoyed this very much but I would not recommend it as a starting point for the series.
This is treats and goodies for the fans and readers. If you haven't read the series before I think the
best starting point is absolutely the first book in the series: "Luck In the Shadows".

This PDF was received from the publisher for review

Author Discussion Boards - the Good and the Ugly: Do they affect readers opinions?

NOTE: This is the first in what will be a random, occasional series on author boards, author websites and the extras that authors do and don't do for their readers.

JAX:  How into your authors do you get? Do you just enjoy the books, and that's enough for you? Do you look up everything they've ever written, and see if perhaps their websites offer little extra tidbits? And are you more likely to follow an author if they have extras on their sites?

I do all of the above. Some books just don't inspire me to track down everything. But others...they draw me in. The characters become friends, and I love to get every last detail I can about them. It's fun to go to an author's site and see what sweet treats they leave for their readers. Snippets, and slices of life that wouldn't quite fit in a novel, but are so great to read anyway. It's not something I expect every author to do, writing takes time and these freebies are special gifts to be treasured.

Another thing I love to see is a thriving discussion group on an author's board. One where you can discuss what were your favorite parts of the book, what didn't quite tickle your fancy, and what you outright didn't like. Now, I publish little things here and there - nothing nearly as complicated as a novel - so I have a very tiny understanding of how nerve-wracking it is to get bad feedback. It kicks up every childish instinct to stamp my foot and take my toys and go home. So I do understand that authors don't exactly want to run a message board that is filled with criticism of their work.

Unfortunately, I'm seeing and hearing of more and more boards where it is unacceptable to express anything but utter adoration and support for the author in question. Plot holes, timeline issues, changing a character's history mid-series...don't point it out! That's mean spirited. Don't like a character? A particular scene strike you as improbable or offensive? Zip it, or you'll be labelled a troublemaker. Or banned.  *blink* Really? Now when someone comes on the board with an attitude and is obviously being mean by pointing these things out, that's one thing. But I've seen people post perfectly reasonable objections, or even just ask for clarification, stating that they still like a book and admire the author, but some detail or another had caught their attention. Then be verbally pummeled by the masses. The only ones the mods take to task are those who didn't like something. Now, I take pains to be tactful on the boards, so I haven't been banned, and the only warning I've ever gotten was from a mod who vehemently disagrees with me, and seems to dislike that I'll look up and quote passages to support my views. (I'm kind of a brat that way.) But I've seen some articulate, elegantly written posts be deleted because there isn't some element of ass-kissing to them.

I hate to say it, but this can affect how I see a series, especially if it's one I already see as struggling. And it will make me think twice about picking up anything else written by that author. Some may see this as unfair, but let's look at the situation: The mods run a board in an author's name, and as such are an author's representatives. They need to be aware of that when they stand by or take part in belittling a reader, even if the reader expresses a view they dislike, that the author's reputation suffers.

I'm a member of several boards that are very even handed. The mods don't just keep the members in line, they keep an eye on each other, especially when one mod is a little more involved or passionate about a topic. Other boards seem to let mods run wild: edited, deleting and handing out warnings to any who dare to disagree with them. I do understand that as an author's work becomes more popular, it is harder to keep in touch on a board. I am grateful for the extra time any author will spend to address questions and comments. I know that moderating a board is an act of love for an author's work, and as a mod, I do feel protective of the author and her work. But there is a big difference between defending against "your work sucks" and shutting down someone who says "this didn't make sense to me." Being firm with the former is warranted. Being rude to the latter means making yourself and the author look bad.

BEA: I love author boards, even more than author websites. Why? Because author discussion boards allow me to discuss the characters, story lines, books and genres that I love. Before joining my first one almost 6 years ago, I had no one in my real life to discuss my fantasy, sci fi or romance books with. The majority of my family and friends looked down on them (and still do).  

Both author websites and author boards will have freebies and extras for visitors and members.  Some authors opt to do it on one or the other while some opt for both, others for neither (no online freebies or extras) and there are still some authors who don't have an online presence. I will read an author regardless of their online presence but what they say and do online, just like in other media, will and does affect my perception of them. I love the extras and freebies that are sometimes available, I love the boards that I hang out on, but they don't make or break an author for me. As long as I like the books, AND the author doesn't piss me off, I'll keep buying and/or reading. 

So, what pisses me off?  Mostly, it's attitude. If the author gets overly snarky, is frequently rude, or starts acting as if they are a deity's gift to the world, I start withdrawing. I may still read but I'm less likely to  talk up the books. Now, I don't boycott or threaten the author (you know, like those charming readers who go "You need to write X or I'll stop reading your books!"). I just stop talking up the books or author or maybe stop reading their books. Generally, I keep buying and reading as long as I enjoy the books. Will an author's board affect my reading habits and enjoyment? For better or worse, yes.

I belong to some of same boards as Jax, both the good ones and the not so good ones, okay, the ugly ones. Now, one of those I joined because I'd heard such awful things about the board. I just couldn't believe it could be as atrocious as I'd heard. It wasn't.

It was worse.  The rules were 10 miles long and had subsections which had subsections. It seemed as if you needed permission just to breathe. There was even an area of the board that was exclusively for happy, positive comments on the authors works. Say what? Mild, VERY mild constructive criticism was tolerated but barely. This same board has had to shut down and re-open on several occasions because matters got so out of hand. Frankly, the mods and admins struck me as tyrants, and they were speaking on the author's behalf! Quite literally; according to the board rules and FAQ's, we were to treat their statements as the authors own. 

After reading some of the mod statements and wandering about the board on different occasions, I decided that we were not meant for each other. I don't want to be treated like I'm an idiot nor be told what to think. Right or wrong, it left a bad taste in my mouth and I had less respect for the author. (I've since stopped reading that author's books, in part due to the board and in part due to my dissatisfaction with the books)

Another board I went to also had rules similar to the board I just talked about. I joined that one because I liked, though I didn't love, the books and a friend suggested I join. Sadly, I found it be even worse than the first. Jax later joined that same board and it's the one she mentions up above in her area.What really caused me to leave was a post I read. I don't recall which book it was or the particular character that the poster was referring to, but apparently s/he referred to a character by a nickname that was not board sanctioned BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN THE POST WAS INTERRUPTED BY A MOD READING THE POSTER THE RIOT ACT FOR USING THEIR OWN NICKNAME FOR A CHARACTER FROM THE AUTHOR'S BOOK. And yes, the mod typed it just like that, bold red caps and all, smack in the middle of the post. I didn't, and still don't, know why the mod didn't simply edit the post and then PM the member. For that matter, I don't understand the whole nickname issue. But as soon as I read that, I knew that was the wrong board for me. Again, it gave me a bad impression of the author as well as the board. That she would allow such rude, tyrannical behavior leaves me less than impressed.

Now, I've had some good experiences on various author boards - made friends (like Jax), discovered new-to-me authors, even traveled to another country and across my own  country to meet other board members and the authors. I've gotten previews of new books, snippets of info, etc before non-board members, etc. All of which are great, and lots of fun. I've joined author boards that I have no quarrel with; I don't visit daily or even weekly, but I go when I can and I enjoy myself when I'm there.

But authors and board administrators, please remember that your board is both an opportunity to enhance your reputation and attract new readers, and an opportunity to anger and annoy your readers and members and earn a bad reputation, whether or not you deserve it. 

 **An FYI Note: Jax and I are both mods on discussion boards as well as members so we are very well aware of what's involved in running a board. Jax and I both mod at Kelley Armstrong's board (that's where we met); I mod at Patricia Briggs's board, and Jax is a mod at a board that I admin. Possibly, this results in our standards being higher than they might otherwise be.** 

Review of The Baby Planner by Josie Brown

Publisher: Gallery Books

Release Date: April 5th, 2011

More Info: Amazon

Book Blurb:

The Nanny Diaries meets The Wedding Planner in this smart, dishy novel from the author of Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives—featuring a woman who runs San Francisco’s premier baby planning company and the mommies-to-be who seek out her services. 

Katie Johnson may make her living consulting with new moms on the latest greatest baby gadgets no parent should be without, or which mommy meet-ups are the most socially desirable, or whether melon truly is the new black, but the success of her marriage to her husband, Alex, depends on controlling her own urges toward motherhood.

He's adamant that they stay childless. Sure, Katie understands that he's upset over the fact that his out-of-town ex-wife rarely lets him see their ten-year-old son, Peter. But living vicariously through her anxious clients and her twin sisters' precocious children only makes Katie resent his stance more deeply.

While helping a new client—Seth Harris, a high tech entrepreneur who must raise Sadie, his newborn daughter, as a single parent after the tragic death of his wife in childbirth—maneuver the bittersweet journey from mourning husband and reticent father to loving dad, Katie’s own ideals about love, marriage, and motherhood are put to the test as she learns ones very important lesson about family: How we nurture is the true nature of love.

This review contains spoilers!

My Thoughts:

I have mixed feelings about this book. Parts of it I enjoyed. The book has humor yet tackles some weighty subjects - family, motherhood, health, the environment, decisions and their consequences, etc. It never gets preachy, and the characters are mostly likable. It's that latter part that is giving me problems, and where the spoilers come in. I couldn't think how to explain my dislike and my qualms without giving away some important plot lines.

Katie and  Alex have been married for about 10 years. Alex was married once before and has a son, Peter, that he hasn't seen or had contact with in 10 years. He doesn't want another child, saying it would be too painful. The implication is that having a child with Katie would be an intolerably painful reminder of his son but also implied is his belief that he and Katie would break up and he would lose yet another child. Alex is mostly portrayed as unlikable - arrogant, condescending, selfish, etc. We are not meant to like him.

Katie is funny, sweet, naive, and desperate for a baby. This is where it gets tricky. Alex has alternated between flat out refusing to have a child and implying that maybe someday they could. Understandably, this waffling frustrates Katie. She decides to take matters into her own hands (no, not like THAT, climb out of the gutter :D) Whenever they have sex, Alex wears a condom; additionally Katie is on a birth control pill.

Without telling him or talking to him, she goes off the pill. She also sets out to seduce him at every opportunity, preferably getting him drunk first so he will forget about wearing a condom. Alex is seemingly oblivious to her sudden seemingly insatiable sexual appetite. When getting him drunk enough to forget about condoms doesn't work, she sabotages his condom supply, poking holes in them all. Meanwhile,she tells herself that when she gets pregnant he will be so excited and happy that he won't be angry. That's all we see of Katie considering the consequences of having a child that she knows her husband does not want. Ever. Her conscience seemingly takes a vacation. She feels little guilt and when, later in the story, she finds out about betrayals that both Alex and her parents have committed she gets all self-righteous and holier than thou. Her own moral failing and betrayal of Alex don't even cross her mind.

As obnoxious as Alex is made out to be, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him re Katie's behavior. He is no angel, but neither is Katie. Her desire for a baby consumes her, blinding her to her behavior and the possible consequences. Now, I'm not a mother and am not likely to become one but I know that for women who want to have a child biologically their own and can't for some reason, that it can sometimes become a consuming passion. It's a ton of heartbreak and something difficult for others to understand.

However, Brown can't seem to decide whether the novel is a serious look at motherhood, families and consumerism (more on that in a minute) or a light-hearted, humorous look at motherhood, families, and consumerism. The tone vacillates wildly. On the other hand, she has a sharp-eye for the way that people interact, what motherhood does to women (both good and bad) and gently pokes fun at the inherent materialism and consumerism involved in the concept of a baby-planner. Katie is exceedingly thorough in her research for her clients and initially, quite honest, and honestly, a bit prim. After she and Alex break up (what? I said this review had spoilers) she goes all uber-bitchy and throws her principles out the window. I was happy to see that reverse course a bit later on.

Overall, it's not a bad book. I wish Brown had gone more in-depth with the morals and consequences of Katie's obsession. At no time does Katie acknowledge her deceitful behavior but she sure doesn't hesitate to excoriate Alex or her parents for their betrayals or perceived betrayals. Parts of the story are predictable but overall, it was engaging, thought-provoking and interesting.

This paperback was received from the publisher for review.

Review of Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm? by Perry Romanowski

Publisher: Harlequin


Release Date: February 15th, 2011

More info: Amazon

Book Blurb:

Why does my shampoo stop working? 
Are my cosmetics poisoning me?
What does hypoallergenic mean?
Are organic products better?

Every day thousands of people turn to the scientists at the popular blog TheBeautyBrains.com for answers to their most pressing beauty questions. In Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm?* you'll learn how cosmetic products work, what advertising claims actually mean, and how to make smarter buying decisions.

You'll discover that:

• Salon products are not necessarily better than products you can buy in the store.
• Some of the most expensive cosmetics are made by the same companies that make the less expensive       brands, and often the same formulas are used in both.
• You do not need to spend hundreds of dollars to look and feel good.

You'll also find:

• 4 ways to tell if your cosmetic has expired
• 5 home beauty gadgets that really work
• 4 easy tips to longer, stronger nails
• and much, much more!

*You can! See chapter 6.

My Thoughts:

Here in the US, we use many, many personal care and body care products on a regular, even daily, basis. They have chemicals, some are practically nothing but chemicals. Companies have marketed all sorts of products: to stop sweat, to lessen wrinkles or dark spots, to clean our teeth, and to improve our appearance, or at least, our perception of our appearance. Most of us have contemplated whether those products will deliver what they promise or imply, and whether the more costly products are worth the extra expense.

"Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm?" is an easy to read book that analyses and compares the ingredients in some of the currently popular beauty and hygiene products, comparing high-end products with their lower budget counterparts.You might actually be surprised by the results. The lower priced are often, but not always, as good as or better than the higher end items, and the book explains why, and what to look for in the labels. It also talks a bit about safety, in addition to value.

Some of the information does get a little technical, usually when Romanowski is answering a question (the book is written in a question and answer format, with the questions being taken from her website, "TheBeautyBrains.com") . Most of the book is written in an easy to understand style, but it’s not dumbed down. There’s also some myth-busting, including fragrances in skin products, getting rid of pimples and brushing your hair for 100 strokes.
 
If you’re looking for a book that tells you which brand or product to buy, this not the book for you; this gives you the information that you need so you can make informed decisions, but it also says, repeatedly, that if you like it, and can afford it, buy what you want. Romanowski doesn't tell us what to do, she presumes that we are intelligent enough to make our own decisions.

This book is a trendy, dated book in that it looks at popular products in use at the time it was written. It also addresses labeling laws and other regulatory matters pertaining to beauty and hygiene products here in the US. In a year or so, much of the book will be outdated. The chemistry likely won't change much but the products and ingredients probably will, at least somewhat, and the regulatory aspects probably will also.

I found the book to be an easy, fun to read (there were a few dry spots when it got extra-technical) that was informative and useful. The tone is that of a friend speaking to another friend, it never gets pompous or presumptuous. It was definitely worth reading.

This eARC was received from NetGalley.