Sunday, December 28, 2008

New York Times Bestsellers

Hardcover Fiction

1. The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck with Kevin Balfe and Jason Wright

2. Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell

3. Cross Country by James Patterson

4. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

5. The Host by Stephenie Meyer

6. Just After Sunset by Stephen King

7. The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

8. Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler

9. A Mercy by Toni Morrison

10. The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb

Hardcover Nonfiction

1. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

2. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

3. American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham

4. A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity by Bill O’Reilly

5. Too Fat To Fish by Artie Lange with Anthony Bozza

6. Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving with Twins and Sextuplets by Jon Gosselin, Kate Gosselin and Beth Carson

7. Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution-and How It Can Renew America by Thomas L. Friedman

8. Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid by Dr. Dennis Leary

9. The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder

10. Do the Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America by Mike Huckabee

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Seduce Me At Sunrise (The Hathaways, Book 2)

Seduce Me At Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas (2008)

Pages: 360

ISBN: 9780312949815

Description: Kev Merripen has longed for the beautiful, well-bred Winnifred Hathaway ever since her family rescued him from the brink of death when he was just a boy. But this handsome Gypsy is a man of mysterious origins—and he fears that the darkness of his past could crush delicate, luminous Win. So Kev refuses to submit to temptation…and before long Win is torn from him by a devastating twist of fate.

Then, Win returns to England…only to find that Kev has hardened into a man who will deny love at all costs. Meantime, an attractive, seductive suitor has set his sights on Win. It’s now or never for Kev to make his move. But first, he must confront a dangerous secret about his destiny—or risk losing the only woman he has lived for…

Review: This story begins just after the ending of Mine Till Midnight. Win has left for the clinic to make herself better and Kev is utterly devastated to be without her. Time warp forward two years and Win returns healthy (for the most part) and anxious to hear about Kev who was silent during those years. Kev has turned hard without Win, but when he sees her the old feelings come back. Naturally, there is another love interest involved as Win is a beauty. Secrets are finally told and much drama ensues.

Will they - won't they? That sums up the majority of this book. We learn a bit more about the history between Win and Kev and why there are all of those smoldering looks. Kev wants Win but doesn't think the is good enough for her. However, he has issues with anyone else wanting her. We are left to sift through hundreds of pages in order to find out if they will finally get over it and get together. Once nice thing about this book is that we finally learn some long awaited answers to burning questions began in earlier books. I didn't enjoy it as much as Midnight, but I still enjoy this series and can't wait for the third book.

Score: 3.5 out of 5

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Reckless

Reckless by Amanda Quick (1992)

Pages: 371

ISBN: 9780553293159

Description: Phoebe Layton had always imagined Gabriel Banner a brave and valiant knight, which was why she went to him when she was in desperate need of help. but when she lures her shining knight to a lonely midnight rendezvous, Phoebe finds herself sparring with a dangerously desirable man who is nothing like the hero of her dreams. She fears she's made a dreadful mistake when Gabriel sweeps her into his arms and passionately embraces her. Yet it's a kiss that seals her fate. Now Gabriel must possess her—even if he has to slay a dragon to do it!

Review: Phoebe is on a quest to locate her stolen rare volume of a mideaval story. She enlists the aid of the one man who can help her - Gabriel Banner. However, she doesn't want Gabriel to know who she is as her family was involved in his financial ruin. Gabriel is entranced by this mysterious lady, but when he finally discovers who she is, he begins to plan revenge. After being in Phoebe's compay, his plans for revenge begin to change to more permanent ones.

While the story is something that interests me and I usually like the heroins from Quick's novels, I just did not like Phoebe. I did enjoy the dry humor of Gabriel's character, but it was not enough to save this novel. The plot was somewhat thin and the fact that the main character was unable to use reason was more than annoying. Not one of Quick's better stories.

Score: 2.5 out of 5

Friday, December 5, 2008

The Dragon Earl

The Dragon Earl by Jade Lee (2008)

Pages: 292

ISBN: 9780843960464

Description: A Chinese monk striding down the aisle was the first shock at countess-to-be Evelyn Stanton’s wedding. To watch him dispatch three groomsmen, unarmed, and to learn that he was white and the long-lost heir to the Earldom of Warhaven, was the second. He would be her husband?

After the slaughter of his family in far-off China, Jacob Cato found sanctuary. In a Xi Lin temple he learned to be strong, but now he had a grander goal: to reclaim his English heritage and the woman he’d left behind.

Revenge. It poisoned everything he’d learned, everything he’d done, and yet every fiber of Jacob burned for it—just as he burned for the beautiful but very English Evelyn. Long ago, the conspiracy to kill his family had stranded him, lost Jacob in the exotic East and made him unrecognizable to his countrymen…and women. He had not forgotten that past. It was to make peace that he had returned. The manner was yet to be decided.

Review: This tale begins with a supposed Chinese monk disrupting a wedding... his own. Jacob Cato was left for dead in China and has now returned on the day that was to be his wedding. The girl he was to marry is in the process of getting married to his cousin. He effectively stops the ceremony, but for what purpose. As events draw out, it becomes clear that Jacob is interested in what was to be his future bride, but not in being the earl. There is an obvious attraction between Jacob and Evelyn, but they have their differences. These differences almost cost them everything.

The premise of the story was interesting, but it just seemed to lack something. I really was not induced to read the characters and really didn't care for them much. I just finished the story to find out what happens at the end. The ending was almost too abrupt and many loose ties tied up. A pretty forgettable read.

Score: 2 out of 5