Book Review: Blood and Fire (The Talbot Trilogy) by Tori L. Ridgewood

I reviewed the first of this trilogy, Wind and Shadow, earlier this year and was delighted to be able to review the second book.

Here is the syopsis:

What chance does one witch have against five vampires? Alone, not much. But Rayvin’s allies are gathering… 

The battle between good and evil supernatural forces heats up in the long, cold November nights of the former mining town. But how will Rayvin’s motley crew of spellcasters and shapeshifters cope when they discover the threat they face is even greater than they imagined? 

In between reading the first and second books, I finally read The Twilight Saga.  Mainly because I kind of knew that all of these vampire books I was reading were making references to it, and I wanted in on the secrets.

 So now I’m going to allude to this series as a more realistic Twilight in which vampires actually do kill people and consenting adults do actually have sex.

So there you have it.  As an adult female with a healthy libido, it makes this series much more enjoyable.

I absolutely love Rayvin.  She has her flaws, but she is a very strong character.  She is fiery, she is alive, and that is probably why de Sade is so taken with her.  I have to admire the strength of anyone who does what she does to get out of his grips.

I’m not entirely sure about Charlotte yet.  I don’t know enough about her.

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the characters of Marcy and Siobhan.  I have read many, many, many paranormal romance books, most I don’t blog about because its my guilty pleasure, but I can’t remember a duo quite like them.  They are worthy of their own series.

Ms. Ridgewood evokes my rage as a rape survivor.  She accurately captures the smug arrogance that many rapists possess.  In the character of Jason Lucas and to an extent Malcom de Sade, she embodies these despicable qualities and makes me want to scream at my poor, innocent Kindle screen.

Yes, this series is dark.  It is not for teenagers.  Definitely not YA.  It is for adults who like the paranormal romance genre and like an added adult aspect to it. As I said in my review of the first book, even without all the magic, vampires, etc, it would be a wonderful story just because of the relationship issues that are explored.  The entire “going back to your roots” the “dealing with your past”.

But that is what makes it more realistic for me.  Vampires of classic literature don’t sparkle.  They are cursed.  They aren’t beautiful, they are parasites.  I love how Ms. Ridgewood brings this element of vampirism back to these types of novels.

Overall, I loved this book, can’t wait for the next one.

Book Review: The Nun’s Dragon (with bonus novella Lilith) by Christine Emmert

 

If you have read this blog with any regularity, you know I am a HUGE HUGE HUGE fan of Stant Litore and his Zombie Bible series.  So when he asked me to review a book written by a friend, I gladly obliged.

I didn’t exactly know what to expect, a nun and a dragon?  But it is the “Eclectic” bookworm, so I gave it a shot.  And I was pleasantly surprised.

Here is the synopsis:

A friendship between a dragon and a nun? 

It’s certainly one unwelcomed by the Church. And when Sister Agnes Dei is found dead, crushed beneath the convent’s water wheel, those who knew her are left with troubling questions. Why did Agnes Dei die? Why does a great wyvern grieve at her grave site? What is holy and what is not? 

Soon the nun’s dragon will return to the convent, and the secrets that stir at his coming will shake everything this convent believes. 

This book includes two thrilling works of fiction by Christine Emmert, author of ISMENE. In the novella LILITH, an artist must defend her infant son against the darkest of predators. In the novel THE NUN’S DRAGON, one sister’s love for a wyvern changes the shape of her world. 

With an afterword by Stant Litore, author of The Zombie Bible.

Lilith is up first.  And as a mom, it truly freaked me out.  Even though my child is seven, and isn’t in danger of being scooped up by a barn owl any time soon.  While reading this book, my daughter was learning about eagles and owls in school and would run up and down the halls screeching and pretending to swoop down and snatch her prey.  Freaky.

I know absolutely nothing about Genesis or the story of Lilith.  Like Mr. Litore’s novels, I am now propelled to find out more about this mythical creature:

Lilith was the first woman, wife to the fallen Adam.  She did not cause his fall.  Before he could tumble from Paradise, she rejected it.  All of it.  The wifely submission even in lovemaking.  She had  a hunger for angel babies.  Flying up to heaven she devoured the infant cherubs while God was busy finishing off the last touches of the Universe.  In denying Adam his spousal rights she became a renegade.  For a time she stayed close to Lucifer, but she lacked his audacity.  She was on her own.

Ms. Emmert builds the suspense, the near hysteria of the main character’s obsession with Lilith.  And abruptly it crashes down.  An amazing skill of writing.  And with that memory of Lilith and the garden in your mind the reader moves on to The Nun’s Dragon.

I grew up Catholic.  But I know absolutely nothing of the church prior to Vatican II.  I know nothing of cloistered nuns, their lifestyle, their beliefs.  Even less about this lifestyle during the middle ages.  And my knowledge of dragons stems from Smaug in The Hobbit (the movie, not the books, I know it makes a difference because my husband says so).

The author employs a very different writing timeline.  She starts with the present, with the death of Sister Agnes Dei, and then hops back and forth.  In some novels, the only thing this does is create confusion.  But it works with this book.  The reader gets to know the young woman who became Agnes Dei.  You find out first person how she came across her dragon and how their relationship developed.  It is enough information at the right time to successfully build and keep interest in the story.

Again with Lilith, the themes about the role of women in the world are forefront.  Agnes Dei is beautiful.  She is cloistered in the nunnery because she is beautiful.  It is said of her, by the priest that visits them “Her face is sin itself…like that of Eve”.

I had a very hard time with the different characters in the nunnery.  Especially Sister Clare.  My image of nuns growing up were of little old ladies who prayed a lot and looked like penguins.  Very different from that of my mother’s, when nuns were allowed to beat children for misbehavior.  I don’t know why I was shocked at the cruelty of Sister Clare.

Even without all the mythology and dragons, it would be an amazing story.  Christine Emmert makes the drama in the nunnery interesting.  Something that I never thought possible.  She injects intrigue, ulterior motives, questioning loyalties, and a little bit of romance into a place where none of the above are said to exist.

The writing is also exquisite.  Extremely well written.  Almost lyrical like the author of the afterword, Stant Litore.

I’m not sure what I expected, but I didn’t expect this.  Very well written, wonderful story, excellent drama and emotions.  And Lilith scared the hell out of me.

Book Review: Edna in the Desert by Maddy Lederman

 

The author kindly sent me a physical copy of this book to review.

Here is the synopsis:

Edna is a precocious trouble-maker wreaking havoc at her Beverly Hills school. Her therapist advocates medication, but her parents come up with an alternative cure: Edna will spend the summer in the desert with her grandparents. Their remote cabin is cut off from cell phone service, Internet and television. Edna naturally finds this arrangement unacceptable. She’s determined to rebel until she meets an older local boy and falls in love for the first time. How can she get to know him from the edge of nowhere?

I readily identified with Edna.  I still have my old journals from when I was a teenager and Ms. Lederman accurately captures the mindset of an adolescent female.

This book is very well written as well.  The author beautifully describes an environment that I have never been to.  I really want to go now.  From the physical attributes to the heat to the wildlife, Ms. Lederman captures it all.  I really appreciate when the author removes you from your world and places you into theirs.

Ms. Lederman also accurately portrays that first crush.  That first person you couldn’t stop thinking about.  The fantasies you created in your head about what you would say when you would see them again, what they would say, so forth and so on.  Definitely provided some nostalgia for me.

This book also provides interesting commentary on the state of today’s youth.  I honestly can’t imagine going through adolescence in the age of social media.  The internet was in it’s infancy when I was a teenager (AOL anyone?) and the drama that tiny bit of electronic communication caused in my life was nothing compared to what these kids endure today.  But I met my husband online when I was 15, so it all worked out in the end.

I started out hating Edna.  But by the end I actually kind of admire her.  Ms. Lederman demonstrated Edna’s emotional growth during her exile in the desert.

I’m saving this book for my daughter.

I gave in and read the “Twilight Saga”

I was trying to avoid this.  Really, I was.  I am usually a big supporter of self published and small press authors.  I try to avoid anything on the best sellers list.  But discovering new genres over the past few years has brought me to this point, namely romance and paranormal romance.

Also due to a very profound “vampire aversion” developed in high school, I have ardently tried to avoid anything vampire in order to prevent flashbacks.  But after reading zombies, werewolves and witchcraft books, starting to read vampire books was inevitable.

Actually, a self published author of zombie books asked me to read her vampire series.  So I blame her completely.

I was able to download the entire “Twilight Saga” via my local library.  I read it all in four days.  I think that’s over 2000 pages.  It helps that I’ve been in bed most of the time due to my health.

I wasn’t in high school when this entire phenomenon went down about 10 years ago.  I vaguely knew about the movies, the books etc just from not living under a rock.  But I had never seen the movies.

I was very surprised that these were good books.  And I don’t know why.

Sometimes I read these paranormal romance books and they are just awful.  I usually don’t blog about those ones.  They are sappy, way too superficial, and cliche.  So it was very refreshing to read these books and realize that there are much, much deeper themes than a vampire love story.

Aside from the romance, there is the issue of female self confidence, a hint of “race relations” and the undercurrent of the definition of family.

The writing is fantastic.  Absolutely fantastic.  When a writer can move me to tears, I am greatly impressed.  Last night I was finishing “Breaking Dawn”, and the entire thing with Renesemee and the final climax of the book had me sobbing.  I actually went to hold my daughter for a bit while she was sleeping. Stephanie Meyers struck the motherhood chord and describes it so completely, I was speechless.

I do see the other themes, i.e. the “no sex before marriage”, but I really don’t see the abortion debate.  I see it more as a pro-choice debate than anything else.  Even though her baby could (and did) kill her, Bella couldn’t stand the thought of destroying anything that she and Edward created.  Even though I created a baby with a man who didn’t love me (I thought he did at the time), I can’t ever imagine not having my daughter.  She is my entire world.  If you are interested reading more about her, check out my other blog .

I am also impressed with the depth of the characters.  You absolutely KNOW these characters, inside and out.  Their motivations, their desires, their points of view.  Even the secondary characters are brilliantly fleshed out and made real. Many of the paranormal romance books do not go to these levels of description.

And I can see how these books greatly influenced the entire genre of paranormal romance (and now erotic romance) after they were published.  Throughout the book, I found elements that following books “borrowed”.  I can’t count how many werewolf and vampire books have used very similar elements.  Except for the sparkles.

I knew that “Fifty Shades of Grey” was originally a fan fiction based on “Twilight”.  I was intrigued to see how an all powerful, strikingly beautiful man with a BDSM fetish could possibly be inspired by a teenage vampire story.  But it’s all there.  Just in different contexts.  The big difference being that it is completely X rated.

So now on to the movies.  And while I’m on a “very successful books turned into movies” kick, I may read Harry Potter.

Don’t judge me 🙂

 

 

Book Review: Always and Forever (Secrets of Shadow Hill) by S.P. Cervantes

Yet another paranormal romance.  I love these books.  Here is the synopsis:

Twin sisters Ava and Hannah were ripped from their peaceful seeming lives into a whirlwind of attacks and war only to learn the real truth about their existence. 
Nothing was as it seemed anymore and may never be again. They had already lost their father in childhood now they have to cope with their mother’s kidnapping as they watch those sworn to protect them risk their lives.

This book is very sweet, very romantic, and a bit of a page turner.

It is definitely written for YA, no explicit sex of any kind.

The author completely sucked me into the world of Shadow Hill, the people, the history.  I love the descriptions of different parts of the world, the structure of their society and the relationships between those in the coven.

I loved reading about the relationship between Ava and Dalton, as well as Ava and her twin.  I even enjoyed the “love triangle”.  I can still remember those emerging late adolescent feelings for my husband.  The author captures these feelings very well and uses a unique way to convey them.

The book is written from the point of view of Ava and Dalton in alternating chapters.  This is very refreshing and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

In terms of the “magic”, it isn’t as dark as some other books in the genre, and the magic is actually based in Christianity.  The action is very well organized and explained, even when it is very heated and everything is going on at once.

I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to reviewing the second book in this series.

 

Book Review: The Twilight Swimmer by A.C. Kavich

This book intrigued me because it is another one of my favorite type of mashups:  romance, young adult and sci-fi with an added twist of adrenaline at the end.

I was a little skeptical at first, come on, fish people?  But it is so well written and sounds entirely plausible.

Here is the synopsis:

One year after her beloved sister drowned while swimming in cold New England waters, sixteen-year-old Brandi Vine is still struggling to understand what happened. As she mourns on the rocky beach where her sister’s lifeless body washed ashore, she is unaware that a pair of haunting gray eyes is watching her from beneath rolling ocean waves.

When Brandi attends a party that goes horribly awry, the mysterious owner of the gray eyes emerges from the ocean depths and comes to her rescue. She only sees him for a few brief moments, but that’s all it takes to turn Brandi’s world upside down. What were the strange markings on his neck that seemed to flutter with every breath? How did he possess such inhuman strength and grace? And why did he look at Brandi with such longing?

Brandi’s fascination with the Swimmer grows. She makes it her mission to find him again and learn who – and what – he is. Meanwhile, the Swimmer’s fascination with Brandi compels him to leave the safety of the ocean behind, to be with her at all costs. They are from two different worlds, but neither of the star-crossed romantics can resist the pull of the other.

Ultimately, as her feelings for the Swimmer swell beyond her control, Brandi comes to realize that the strange young man from the sea can unlock the secret of her sister’s final swim.

This isn’t typical sci-fi fare.  The way the author describes the Swimmer, his abilities, his experiences is extremely scientifically based and entirely believable.  But I still can’t figure out what he eats.

Brandi’s adolescent experience is entirely authentic.  As is her family dynamics that were more than disrupted with the death of her sister.

The author also paints a vivid picture of a shrinking costal small town.  I have never been to that region of the country.  But throughout the book, I felt like I was actually there.  I can actually picture these places, the sights, the smells.  Amazing.

I loved the entire sequence with Brandi trying to teach the Swimmer about her world.  I kept on singing songs from “The Little Mermaid” in my head while I was reading.  Very light, comical, but not too campy.

I definitely did not expect the dramatic twist events during the last part of the book.  That is where it turned from an interesting sci-fi romance to a page turner.  Fantastic.

The ending is very satisfying and complete.  I don’t want to spoil the ending, but I was very grateful for the shot of reality injected at the end.

Overall, this book is extremely fascinating, very well written, with very good plotlines and themes.  I can see most young adult romance lovers liking this even if they usually avoid anything sci-fi.  Well done.

Book Review: Rise From the Ashes Part One: Lena’s Story

 

I was sent this book from the author for review.  I am a huge fan of post-apocalypse tales, so I was eager to jump into this one. Here is the synopsis: The Taliban have bombed the US with a chemical agent. It wiped out over half of the population and left the country in shambles. Those who are left find unexplained things happening like premonitions in their dreams and enhanced senses. Lena, a young woman from Vermont, and Mick, a young man in the US Army, grow close and become leaders as they trudge north to meet up with a military camp at Lake Champlain. Their dreams continue to get more peculiar and have even synced up in a historical setting. With the power out and gasoline a scarce resource; motorcycles, horses and bicycles have become the new mode of transport. In another group that is trying to survive, a priest leads discouraged parishioners north and is faced with tough decisions as he has to put the well-being of the group ahead of individuals. They have to band together to make it through this new chaotic situation, relying on their intuition and basic survival skills. This motley crew must reorganize the country just as was done after the revolutionary war. The clock is ticking as the persisting threats of the Taliban, drug lords from south of the border and rival gangs across the country put US freedoms in jeopardy. Unlike many books in this genre, the author uses something that is very real in this world, the threat of terrorists from the Middle East.  Instead of imagining some enemy, she draws on reality to provide the basic backdrop for the action. And that is where the similarities end. I might be arrogant when I say this, but I really don’t feel that the Taliban would have the resources to pull off such a wide spread attack across the globe.  Their biggest hit to date (with Al Queda) was 9/11, and that was over a decade ago. When I read stories like this that use realistic elements, my mind immediately goes to the probability of such an action.  I have explained this before in my review of “Zomblog”, how the author just bypassed this step for me altogether and took my analytic brain out of the equation and allowed me to just read the story and not compare it to real life. This author removes that when she bases the apocalypse in reality. The story itself is interesting with people from different segments of society banding together for the common.  The characters are strong and memorable. For the YA audience, this would include the relationship between Mick and Lena. I love their relationship and the way they treat each other.  Apparently they are connected in a past life, which completely came out of left field.  But the way their story is woven throughout the book is unique. There is some confusion with more minor characters.  I understand what the author was trying to do by linking the actions of different groups of people in the same area, but it wasn’t as clear as it could have been. I also do not feel that the issues of “superpowers” and similar dreams were fully explained.  It is intriguing, especially with the element that links them all, but it was very vague. I did like reading about the ways they try to rebuild society, and I look forward to reading more about the story of Mick and Lena in the future.  I just feel the story idea could have been executed in a better way.

Book Review: Rebels Divided by Lance Erlick

This is a second part of a review for The Rebels series.  I published my review for “The Rebel Within” yesterday.  Here is the review of the second book “Rebels Divided”:

I loved this book as much as the first, despite some issues I had with the ending.  Here is the synopsis from amazon.com:

After the Second American Civil War, a nation divided. The Federal Union
controls most of the country enforcing harmony and an all-female society with
the help of EggFusion Fertilization and Female Mechanized Warriors based near
Knoxville. The male-dominated Appalachian Outland promotes rugged
individualism, but Thane Edwards has a monopoly of power, church, and the
economy. He enforces this with his Rangers, loosely modeled on the legendary
Texas Rangers. The governor of Tenn-tucky and the Outland warlord conclude a
secret deal that each believes will enhance their power.

Geo is a Daniel Boone type frontiersman who hungers to see more of the
world than the tiny impoverished Outland glen where he and his pa hide from
local Rangers. Geo fights Union mechs and Outland Rangers to protect friends,
neighbors, and refugees fleeing the Federal Union and Ranger brutality.

Annabelle is a tough yet fragile tomboy who
lost her parents at age three and was raised by Geo’s estranged Mom. Annabelle develops a
rebellious streak in her conformist society (Federal Union). She becomes a mech
warrior to see the forbidden Outland. When she refuses a politically arranged
marriage to the Outland warlord, he kidnaps her and her adopted sister.

Pursued by Union mechs and Outland Rangers,
Geo and Annabelle must come together to rescue her sister and gain justice for
his pa’s murder. While trying to survive, can they trust growing feelings for
each other despite being sworn enemies?

Again with the names!!  My high school boyfriend went by the nickname “Geo”.  And like the character in the book, he is very protective and loyal.  As I mentioned in the first post, my daughter is Annabelle.  Go figure.

This book takes place three years after the end of the first book.  Annabelle is a mech, an elite female warrior who is charged with protecting the border, rounding up boys and enforcing regulations.

This book also lends more insight into the “Second American Civil War”.  As with the first book, this absolutely fascinates me.  “When the Progressive Reunion seized power, men got suckered into supporting the Patriots; they saw no alternative.  After war broke out, they learned that entrepreneur Adrianne Picard secretly provided the Progressive Reunion with mech gear and drones.  The war ended quickly.  Radical Patriots clung to Appalachia and limited government”.

The way this is conveyed throughout the book is in a simple manner that is plausible in light of today’s political issues.  I live in the great state of Texas, which would probably be at the forefront of any “Patriot” party movement.

In this book, Mr. Erlick further examines the problems that usually plague any sort of “utopian” society.  In the Progressive Reunion stronghold, known as the Federal Union, Annabelle learns that the rules don’t apply to all.  She sees things in her capacity as a soldier that further questions the confines of her society “we’re all equal, except the elite.  She tried to remember where she had read that.  Some banned book her mom kept hidden?  Animal Farm maybe.”

Also in her capacity as a mech, Annabelle can help the unfortunate boys that are discovered living within the borders of the Federal Union.  She becomes part of the Underground Railroad that leads boys and men to safety in the Outland.  In this activity, she regularly meets with her adoptive mother’s banished husband.  And in a fateful turn of events, meets Geo, her adoptive brother that she has never met.

They both have to collaborate to survive as well as bring peace to their prospective homes.

Again, I love the character of Annabelle for many reasons.  Her humanity and her compassion only deepen in this book.  She also pieces together many parts of a complex puzzle and is able to avert disaster.

I also fell in love with the character of Geo.  He is strong, loyal, very intelligent and also works for what is right.  I loved reading about his conflicting feelings for Annabelle.

I also loved reading about the gadgets and techniques Geo and his father came up with while living in the Outland.  They have electricity.  They have saferooms.  They have homemade weapons and other ways to ensure their safety (for the most part).

The problem I have with the ending is that it essentially abruptly ends.  Also too many loose ends are tied up at once in a nice pretty package.  As much as I love happy endings, things just seemed a little too convenient by the end.

I would have liked an epilogue that sketches out Annabelle’s new life or a hint that everything is alright beyond the last pages of the book.

But overall, a very satisfying conclusion to the adventure Annabelle began in the first book.

Book Review: It Never Was You by William E. Thomas

This is another book I reviewed for I Read a Book Once.com.

This is book number 2 in the Cypress Branches Trilogy, following  Pegasus Falling.  As before, this author does an excellent job in hijacking emotions.  Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

Harry Williamson is an ex-merchant seaman, a successful businessman and a loving family man. When he disappears from a ferry in the middle of the Irish Sea, his grieving family are left with more questions than answers. 

Who on earth is Mary Robinson? 
Why did Harry leave her a small fortune in his will? 
Had he been unfaithful to his beloved late wife, Lesley?

As they delve into his past, they discover he’s been harbouring a secret which threatens to tear apart the very 
fabric of their family history. 

What unfolds is the heartbreaking story of a quiet, middle class merchant seaman and his unexpected, tragic relationship with a beautiful and exuberant waitress from the Liverpool docks as they struggle to reconcile their feelings for each other with the ever changing attitudes of post-war Britain. 

The follow up to the acclaimed Pegasus Falling, It Never Was You continues Thomas’s epic and panoramic saga of how ordinary people coped with some of the most extraordinary and devastating events of the 20th century.

I read the first book, Pegasus Falling in a few days.  The characters, the writing and the emotion packed into that book absolutely enthralled me.  Here is the link for the review of Pegasus Falling.

As it was billed as a “trilogy”, I expected book two to pick up where book one ended.

Not so.  This book starts in modern day as Harry’s children are attempting to figure out what led to the death of their father and why he bequeathed part of his estate to a woman they have never heard of before.

Then there is a jump to the past.  Harry is a merchant seaman during WWII.  Harry rescues three other seamen before collapsing and nearly dying in the frigid water.  You learn just enough about two of the rescued seamen to hate them.

Then the character of Mary is introduced.  Her ordeal is tragic.  I had always heard about the class divisions in the U.K., but this book illustrates it perfectly.

Mary meets Harry, and the love story begins.

But can their passion for one another survive the class differences so prevalent during this time period?

Hampering their efforts to maintain a solid relationship, Harry is scheduled to be out at sea for a long period of time.

During one particularly long voyage, Harry meets Lesley, who was prominently featured in book one of the trilogy.  They seem perfect for each other.  Of the same class and education, they get along famously and begin an affair.  But when their ship docks, they agree to part as friends.

Reuniting with Mary, they both visit the hometowns of the other party and their class differences stand out starkly.

And here is where the emotion comes in.

While visiting Harry’s parents, Mary learns of a particular harrowing ordeal in her fiance’s past.  This ordeal also featured someone prominent in her past as well.  Up until this time, she had no idea that this person was known to the both of them.

This information sets in motion complete chaos in their relationship.

Mary and Harry don’t effectively discuss the common piece to both of their pasts.  Harry makes assumptions and ends up hurting Mary very deeply.  Mary makes assumptions as to Harry’s desires and makes the decision to effectively cut off ties.

The end of the book leaves more questions unanswered.

The way this book was written, you already know some pieces to the puzzle.  You know that one of the prominent characters from the first book eventually met and married Harry but it is unknown how their relationship evolved.  Hopefully this mystery is answered in the next book.

The strong emotion that featured prominently in the first book is back.  Again, Mr. Thomas had me crying toward the end of this book.

My only criticisms are again with the language.  As an America, I am not accustomed to reading dialogue that features English accents.  Mary’s “scuse” vernacular was very difficult to follow at times.  I could decipher most of the slang and the idioms used, but it was difficult at first.

I enjoyed learning about a place in the world that I don’t know much about.  I knew there were class differences that plague virtually every society since the dawn of time, including my own family, but I didn’t know how dramatic the differences were until I started reading about Mary and Harry.

It is unlike any other “historical fiction” type novels out there as it weaves in elements from the first book without it being a continuation of the story featured in the first.  I love how known characters from the first book pop up in the second.  I also loved seeing another dimension to a featured character from the first book.

You do not have to read Pegasus Falling to enjoy this book.  It can stand alone as a novel.  But I do recommend reading it in order to get familiar with the writing style of Mr. Harris, and to understand fully the characters that show up in the second installment.

Again, I will be eagerly awaiting the final installment.

Book Review: Sharp Edges by Kristen Middleton

This book is the first foray by Kristen Middleton into the thriller/romantic genre.  I am a huge fan of her zombie books and vampire books.

In this book, Middleton tackles the subjects of child abuse, domestic violence, infidelity and the consequences therein.

Lindsey is a stay-at-home mom.  Her husband, Scott, prefers that she does not work out of the home, even though her kids are ‘tween age and above.  By accident, she discovers her husband is being unfaithful.  On their anniversary.  This development shakes her very foundation.  She suddenly questions everything:  her body, her self-worth.  She asks her husband to leave so they can figure out what is going to happen.

I like the new cover

Lindsey has a new neighbor, Jake, who is very good looking.  Lindsey and Jake become friends, and more, as the book progresses. Jake is a bit mysterious, and although he is in law enforcement, Lindsey understandably has issues with trust.

At the park one day, Lindsey meets a new neighbor.  Her suspicions are aroused when she notices the very pregnant neighbor and her child have ugly bruises.  Her involvement in this situation will have dire consequences.

Although I really enjoy the way the author writes, her sense of humor, her style, I felt that this book wasn’t very strong plot wise.  There is some confusion as to who is who (stemming from the prologue), and events seem unlikely.

Personally, I could identify with this book on many levels.  I appreciate the author’s choice to bring infidelity and domestic violence to the forefront.   The passages in which these topics are discussed are spot on and very powerful.  I truly understand Lindsey’s reluctance to trust men again, the notion of “who the hell did I marry?” (and I think there is a TV show with a title that is similar).

People who have had no experience with these topics can have a difficulty understanding them.  When you have been married to a person for a number of years, when you have had children with them, and they betray you, it is very hard to trust anyone. Ever.  The introspection, the critical eye that is now cast toward the self can be brutal:  “what is wrong with me?” “what does she have that I don’t have?” “how dare he (or she) do this to me after all these years”.  I feel this book can help those people who do not understand.

I also like the portrayal of friendship between Lindsey and her friend Darcy.  I feel that every woman should have close friends that are always there and are always fiercely supportive.

I also liked the relationship between Lindsey and her kids.  Adults often do not give children much credibility with understanding such situations.  But kids are resilient, and often know way more about a situation than they let on.

And I liked the way Lindsey and Scott handled the situation.  They didn’t disparage the other party, they didn’t play head games with the kids.  That happens far too often in society, and it is refreshing to see these types of situation portrayed in a positive light.

I do recommend this book for women (and men) who are fortunate to have led a life free of violence.  It is a wonderful tool for empathy.

And I always look forward to anything this author produces (I am waiting impatiently for the next installment of Blur and Zombie Games).