Thanks for the Memories by Cecilia Ahern

   Okay. I think I have a definite read on Ms. Ahern. A little too precious, obvious conclusion, takes way too long to get there.

Favorite Quote:

"Finally words start spilling out of his mouth, as though they'd been queuing up impatiently."

Overall Opinion:

This is one instance where the movie version is definitely an improvement. Having to release the audience in 90 minutes limits the triteness and brings the inevitable to a more rapid conclusion.

Rating:

6

Meet Me in Venice by Elizabeth Adler

  I originally thought the book would be long on romance and short on story. It was a little longer on story than I expected and about as long on romance as I thought. Ms. Adler's book isn't strictly a romance only novel. It is, more correctly, a romantic thriller. A mediocre romantic thriller. 

Overall Opinion:

Readable at least. Once only at most.

Rating:

Readable At Least. Once Only At Most.

In a Heartbeat by Elizabeth Adler

  I originally thought the book would be long on romance and short on story. It was a little longer on story than I expected and about as long on romance as I thought. Ms. Adler's book isn't strictly a romance only novel. It is, more correctly, a romantic thriller. A mediocre romantic thriller. 

Overall Opinion:

Readable at least. Once only at most.

Rating:

Readable At Least. Once Only At Most.

Invitation to Provence by Elizabeth Adler

   I originally thought the book would be long on romance and short on story. It was a little longer on story than I expected and about as long on romance as I thought. Ms. Adler's book isn't strictly a romance only novel. It is, more correctly, a romantic thriller. A mediocre romantic thriller. 

Overall Opinion:

Readable at least. Once only at most.

Rating:

Readable At Least. Once Only At Most.

Worth a Thousand Words by Stacy Hawkins Adams

   I looked at the cover when I picked it up to read it and I thought to myself that it looked a lot like some of the Christian romance I've been known to read. And you know what? It was. And at the right time too! Not so much the romance, but the Christian.
   Sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed by the "adult" language and situations that I come across every day, everywhere. It's nice to turn some of that off and indulge in just the story.
   Worth a Thousand Words features Indigo Burns who is at the beginning of her career. She has just graduated with her bachelor's and is a summer away from beginning her master degree as a photographer. Her boyfriend Brian, soon to leave for Officer Candidate School with the Navy, has proposed and she has hesitatingly said yes. On top of her own personal dilemma, her family encounters crises that must be met with courage and grace.
   Ms. Adams infuses her novel with a faith that is practical and beautiful. Her characters realistically approach their problems and, though it is a light book (it is a romance, after all) she does an excellent of not dismissing her character's problems in fluffy protestations of faith.


Favorite Quote:

"God can bind anyone in sisterhood, you know."


Overall Opinion:

This is a novel that knows what it is. It tackles romance, life and faith and does justice to all three.


Rating:

8

The Dream Thief by Shana Abe

   Second in Shana Abe's Drakon series is The Dream Thief. The Dream Thief follows Amalia, youngest daughter of Rue and Kit Langford, and Zane, erstwhile apprentice to Rue. Zane is sent by the Langfords to locate and return Draumr, the drakons legendary diamond. Unexpectedly and unhappily, to Zane, Amalia appears on the same trail.
   Amalia sees the future in her dreams, a secret she has kept from everyone. Another secret? She dreams of Zane, and her dreams bode naught but ill for her kith and kin.
   I liked the first and third book in the series. The first, The Smoke Thief, was new and there was just enough to keep me interested. The third, Queen of Dragons, well, the gap in between the two had me interested because I had to work to figure out what I was missing. There just wasn't enough in The Dream Thief to keep me hooked.
   Reading this book after its following title left me with more questions than I originally had reading the third before the second. I think that's one of the reasons I struggled so much with it. I was reading for answers and seemed to come up short. Odd.


Favorite Quotes:

??? (That is a direct quote; it just so happens to be mine and not the author's.)


Overall Opinion:

Definitely read the books in order. You avoid confusion and will probably enjoy it more.


Rating:

Eh.


P.S. Look for this one in the large print section. :)

The Lost Diary of Don Juan by Douglas Carlton Abrams

   Hmm...Where to begin...Historical fiction, check. Character development, check check. Love story, check check check. Better than I anticipated? Check.
   I have to say that I was not particularly interested in reading The Lost Diary of Don Juan for no real reason other than to say it just didn't quite call to me. As a matter of fact I believe that I purposely placed it back on the shelfat the bookstore during a previous perusal before my Venture began. To be fair in my review, I wouldn't purchase the book now, but it was not a bad read.
   ...Hmm...Hmm...Hmm...
   How should I review this title. I am feeling, strangely, more ambiguous now that the book is done and I must needs place my thoughts in keyboarding. If I were writing, I think there would be lots of crossing out and revisions (I prefer pen to pencil and eraser; if you change your mind about something you wrote it's still there in pen for the plucking).
   Okay. The historical portion of the book, i.e., the Inquisition, the Indies trade, the laws governing behavior for prostitutes vs. courtesans, the general daily life, were all intriguing (here's to finding nonfiction books on Spain and the Inquisition in general). The portion of the book that is pure fiction I found to be less grab you by the seat of your pants. That being said, Douglas Abrams did a good job developing Don Juan from a carefree libertine, though one who held to a certain personal standard, to a more introspective human being. Mr. Abrams characterization of Don Juan's personal beliefs allowed him to make that jump believable.
   To the story. This is wherein lies the conundrum. I found the story portion to be just okay. I'm thinking (I can hear The Thinker, as portrayed in Night at the Museum 2, in my head as I type) that the reason I feel so conflicted about this particular book is because I really enjoyed the mechanics and details used to make the time real, but was only mildly interested in the story itself. The tale just seemed to be one that has been told, repeatedly.
   Well, if anyone reads this and walks away confused as to whether or not they should actually give the book a try, the fault is clearly mine. I cannot think this rambling review would do any less.


Favorite Quotes:

"My heart was pounding as if someone were knocking urgently at a door that would not open."

In reference to a mirror:
"Such vanities were forbidden in the convent, and I had never seen my reflection. I glanced both ways and then looked upon my own face. I was surprised by how much older I was than in my reflection."

"His stringy mustache descended over the corners of his mouth like the tail of a mouse that seemed to be twitching..."

"The hip of the prostitutes vibrated like a bell that had been rung frantically to announce a fire in the city."


Overall Opinion:

Give it a shot. Let me know why it's good, bad or indifferent.


Rating:

I Think it's a So-So

Intimate Enemies by Shana Abe

   Here is an example of a junk food, almost a complete waste of time and intellect, romance novel (Hailey Abbott, take note). It was engaging enough to make up for being in the romance genre. The back story was developed sufficiently and it did not waste any time by trying to accomplish too much in the telling. I would say that Intimate Enemies was more romance than Abe's Drakon series books reviewed last week.

Favorite Quotes:

None


Overall Opinion:

If you're reading through the library, you won't be completely upset that this is the next book on the shelf.


Rating: 5

Queen of Dragons by Shana Abe

   This is the third in Shana Abe's Drakon series (the first was Smoke Thief, reviewed earlier). It picks up nicely and reads well even without having read the second book. Queen of Dragons follows Kimber Langford, Darkfrith's sitting Alpha and first son of Rue and Christoff of book one, and Maricara, the princess from Carpathia, as they face the threat of the sanf inimicus, or drakon killers.
   As in the first book, there is a first person tale interspersed throughout the book that embellishes the story as it's told. I like the addition.

Favorite Quote:

Huh. Just realized I didn't find one.

Overall Opinion:

Shape shifting dragons, love scenes, mysterious disappearances; an easy read for the afternoon.

Rating:

Why not? Go ahead and give it a whirl.

The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe

   Succintly put, I liked the book. The Smoke Thief is fantasy fiction that tells the story of a tribe of drakon living in England in the 1700's. It is a romantic novel that has a predictable ending, but has enough backstory to be enjoyable. This is the first Abe book I've read and was good enough to keep me from not feeling dread at having two more of her books to read.
   Huh...I'm not sure what else to say. I think succintly put, was sufficiently put. Oh, one last thing. Abe does a great job of writing a love scene.  ;)

Favorite Quote:

"Society must be far, far more beef-witted than I even thought."

Overall Opinion:

In case you missed it; I liked the book.

Rating:

Good Beach Read

Wife for Hire by Janet Evanovich

   Prior to Wife for Hire my experience with Janet Evanovich was limited to her Stephanie Plum series (two thumbs up). This book falls in the dreaded romance category. I say dreaded because it is almost the only genre that I am not familiar with and have always felt a bit leary of. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not opposed to a well-written, ably described L'amour scène, but I like at least a little meat with my dessert.
   Back to the actual book. Succinctly put, Maggie, eager to escape the close confines of her mother, aunt and neighborhood takes a job as a fake wife for six months. The job provides her pay and time to write a book based on her Aunt Kitty's diary. Hank, an apple farmer who needs a bank loan, hires Maggie as a wife to make him look like a better loan risk. Drop curtain. End scene.
   In all fairness to Ms. Evanovich her writing lacks none of the charm that I have come to expect from her other writing (see series reference above). The familiar eye twitch, quick repartee and zany characters are all present. I think the story development leaves something to be desired, but not being familiar with the genre, it could just be par for the course. I rather think the latter is the case, in which case, there wouldn't be much wrong with the book developmentally speaking.

Favorite Quotes:

Linda Sue's eyes got wide. "Holy cow, she said to Maggie, "you aren't a face rearranger like your grandfather, are you?"

"Dang, I got excited and shot too soon," Elsie said. "He wasn't even halfway through the window. I probably only shot him in the heart."

"That's some smile you got on your face. Shame on you. You two hardly know each other. I tell you, in my day we didn't go around smiling like that until after we were really married."

Overall Opinion:

It wasn't a complete waste of time; for what I found wrong with it, it was still better than Panic (see/revisit earlier review).

Rating:

(Either which way, I think it would remain a) 1 Time Read