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If you have yet to read any of The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, the name may seem like just a name. Once you've read the books however...that name turns into liquid gold.
I was turned on to Jim Butcher as part of my new move toward listening to books in the car instead of mind numbing commercials on the radio. I'd never read this author before so I didn't know what to expect. I did, however, respect the advice of my bookish friend, so I gave it a try.
My first opinion of this audiobook was that I was never going to be able to get through the story. The reader, James Marsters, spoke too fast and didn't articulate quite well enough for me to understand easily. He mumbled under his breath and sounded more like a person sitting in the seat next to me than a person carefully reading every word off the page for me to understand.
I pushed through and decided that I would give the book a half hour. If I couldn't get into it by then, I'd just run out and buy the actual paperback.
About 30 seconds later I was so engrossed in the book that I probably could have driven across the country and not realized it.
There are two fantastic elements that make STORM FRONT by Jim Butcher a great read. Since I have already rambled on about the reader, Marsters, we'll start there.
If you have to or want to listen to an audiobook, listen to James Marsters. This man is a complete genius (as is Renee Raudman of the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews). When you listen to the books that he reads, you're not just listening to someone telling you a story. Masters' voice combined with the writing style of Jim Butcher make for a complete experience. Marsters becomes Dresden and no longer are we simply watching Dresden; we're listening to him speak to us and following him along through his various adventures.
Mr. Marsters, I bow to you. You truly are an expert at making an audiobook come to life.
If Marsters isn't enough to hook a reader, the story certainly will be. In Harry Dresden, Butcher has created a character that you just can't help but want to know. He's kind of like that abandoned teddy bear sitting in the corner that you feel compelled to dust off and cuddle. Of course, this teddy bear can capture demons and perform some wildly powerful magic - but that doesn't stop you from wanting to be his friend.
Harry Dresden is a good guy that always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's full of virtue but isn't above noticing the plunging neckline of a woman's dress or feeling the temptation of a large pile of money tossed at him. He fights evil as best he can and saves innocents when at all possible. He has a killer personality with a wry sense of humor that often leaves me giggling.
Not only is the plot of STORM FRONT full of enough twists and turns to keep the reader entertained throughout the entire book, but this writing is the kind that makes you laugh out loud or clutch your stomach when times get stressful. Butcher knows how to bring emotion out in the reader and he does it wonderfully.
If you're looking for a good Urban Fantasy with a strong and hilarious male lead, I highly suggest STORM FRONT by Jim Butcher. I'm really not a fan of reading male characters and yet Dresden has quickly become one of my all time favorite characters. I can't wait to see what Butcher has in store next!
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I tend to read a lot of Fantasy and Urban Fantasy books. The more paranormal it has in it, the better. There are times, however, when I really just want something down to earth that brings with it a sense of hope and happiness. THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE: A NOVEL by Jennifer Ross is exactly that kind of book.
Ansley is the kind of character that you just can't help but fall in love with. Her mission has been to get married and just when it looks like everything is going to fall into place, her dreams are dashed when her fiance cancels the wedding and boots her out the door. Heartbroken, Ansley does what many would do and flees town.
THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE is a story about recreating yourself and making new hopes and dreams. This story wouldn't have been complete if the aspect of family wasn't thrown in there. With nowhere to go, Ansley moves in with her grandmother and does what the women in her family do best - she bakes.
Surprisingly, there is actually quite a bit of anticipation as we watch Ansley try to open up her own cupcake shop. Ms. Ross doesn't just give us a good story - she fills it with suspense too. Something keeps happening to Ansley's shop and part of this adventure is figuring out what is going on. Will Ansley be able to successfully run her shop? Will her heart be able to find love again? Can baking cure all the evils in the world?
Aside from a great and hilarious story, we also get quite a few delicious recipes in THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE. A while ago cakes became the new black and it seems that now, cupcakes are following that trend. Becoming more and more popular, strange and phenomenal cupcake flavors are popping up everywhere. If there's one thing I can say about the cupcake recipes in THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE it's this: yum!
Now I just have to figure out if I'm going to shelve this one with my cookbooks or my fiction books. The dilemma!
If you're looking for a book that is at times lighthearted and at times emotional, I would definitely take a look at THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE. This is great for the beach or curling up on a rainy day. One warning though: I highly suggest having a snack nearby when reading this. If you're anything like me, Ms. Ross will definitely make you hungry!
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(5 of 9 readers found this comment helpful)
Yasmine Galenorn created another fabulous story and a wonderful set of characters. NIGHT MYST is the first book in the new Indigo Court series, which promises to be just as action packed and magical as her Sisters of the Moon series. Following Cicely Waters, an elemental witch as she struggles to discover herself while uncovering a dark force that has taken over her hometown, NIGHT MYST combines magic and mysticism with a fair amount of drama and adventure.
The one thing that I really love about Ms. Galenorn's books is her character development. The main plot of NIGHT MYST involves Cicely discovering the vampiric fae queen, MYST of the Indigo court. More dangerous than either vampires or fae, this deadly combination is definitely a force to be reckoned with. As we journey through the story and learn more about the dangers here, Ms. Galenorn gives us some good glimpses into Cicely and the troubled romance she has with the dark Grieve. Rather than just spouting out a quick backstory for Cicely, Ms. Galenorn weaves this into the book, allowing us to learn about Cicely just as she learns about herself. I found this method of pulling the reader into the story to be quite effective; it really helped bring the characters and story to life.
Speaking of characters - did I already mention that I love Cicely as a character? The fact that she can control the wind just makes her that much more awesome to me. Her "sidekick" is her air elemental and this added dimension to the story is like the icing on the cake.
As with her other books, Ms. Galenorn's writing style in NIGHT MYST is very clear and easy to read. She uses fairly realistic language and it is pretty easy to imagine someone sitting on the side of the road using the same dialogue that she gives her characters. Well, okay, perhaps minus the vampiric bloodsucking bit. At least I hope so anyway.
I believe that fans of the Urban Fantasy or Paranormal genres will definitely find something to love in NIGHT MYST. This is a robust story that keeps the reader guessing and anticipating from page one all the way through to the end. Also, previous fans of Ms. Galenorn's will be happy to note that this new series looks to be just as good as her others. I highly recommend it and am anxious to see where the story is going to go in future books.
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(4 of 9 readers found this comment helpful)
Max is tall, dark, and handsome with a wolfish grin - literally. He also just so happens to serve as the muscle for mob boss, Jimmy Legere. Charlotte is your typical "good" cop out to discover her father's killer while ridding the streets of evil one creep at a time. Under any other circumstance, we probably wouldn't see these two having much to do with one another unless one was trying to kill the other. In Nancy Gideon's MASKED BY MOONLIGHT, however, we get to see them in an action packed story full of mystery and passion.
Charlotte and Max are a fun couple to read about. Charlotte is fairly relatable to your average female reader and I found following her to be pretty entertaining. Max is super attractive and definitely a guy we wouldn't mind getting to stare at over coffee. Put the two together and it's like Ms. Gideon created an explosion of romance on the pages. The chemistry between these two is definitely one of the highpoints to me, although I will say that at times it almost felt forced. The relationship between Max and Charlotte was thrown impossible curve balls and yet still they manage to overcome them. I'll be excited to see where Ms. Gideon takes these characters in the second book in the Moonlight Trilogy, Chased by Moonlight.
Aside from the romance, passion, and the never-ending question of what will happen in Max and Charlotte's relationship, the underlying mystery and drama of the book makes for a fantastic read. The story is complex, holding multiple layers of depth, without being overly so. It is very easy to follow, but not so simple that your mind gets lazy and sleepy. Max and Charlotte both have questions from their past and it seems that the answers converge. Is there more to the story than either of them know? Ms. Gideon leads us through the book, easily hooking us with dynamic characters and her development of the plot. She throws questions at us, gives us a few answers and then tosses more questions our way. There really isn't a single moment in MASKED BY MOONLIGHT that leaves the reader feeling bored and ready to jump ahead.
I recommend this to any Paranormal and Romance fans out there. The passion in MASKED BY MOONLIGHT is intense and beautifully written, while the paranormal aspect of it gives it that feeling of "other" that readers find so compelling nowadays. Ms. Gideon appears to have a great series in the works here and there's no telling what she has up her sleeve for us next.
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(5 of 10 readers found this comment helpful)
Robyn DeHart's latest installment in The Legend Hunters series fully lives up to the great start the first book, Seduce Me brought. Full of passion, intrigue, and a good deal of suspense, DESIRE ME, is a great pick for anyone looking for a great romance.
This book begins in 1873 with our hero, Maxwell Barrett in his teenage years. Determined to prove himself and his theories, he sets out to find the fabled map of Atlantis. If he can prove the existence of this mysterious city, he will be able to prove that he's not just some crazy loon, but rather a person worthy of recognition.
I have to say that the prologue, with young Max, was one of my favorite aspects of the book. This is a fairly simple section of the book, only spanning a few hours in Max's life. Still, it is so packed with action and suspense that by the end of it there was no question that I would be reading the rest of the book. Ms. DeHart is not an author that strings you along for a while, making you sit and wait for the action to pick up. No, rather, she gives it to you right from the beginning. She hooks the reader and quickly gets our adrenaline pumping as we wait to see if our hero of the book is going to live or die. Seriously - the prologue was fabulous.
I'm sure we've all read a book before where the prologue or first chapter totally hook the reader. It's full of action or mystery and there is just no question that you'd read the rest of the book. Then you turn to the next chapter...and it all just falls flat. So much energy was put into perfecting that first hook that the rest of the story seems to suffer. Well, I'm thrilled to tell you that DESIRE ME is not one of these books. Ms. DeHart pulls us into the action from the start and continues the wild pace of her adventure through to the last page.
As the story progresses, we learn more about Max and get to meet the heroine of our book. There is a bit of mysticism surrounding Sabine as she discovers that she is a descendant of Atlantis. Along with her aunts, she is charged with protecting its secrets, but when a prophecy and a darker evil arises that threatens to destroy all they've worked for, Sabine has to fight to discover the city first. Teaming up with Max in a sometimes uneasy alliance, the two race to find Atlantis before the force that is leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake.
Max and Sabine's relationship was wonderfully passionate and created a good deal of food for thought. While the two have an obvious spark between them, what will happen if they find Atlantis? Will their growing romance get in the way of unraveling the mysteries of Max's map? Will they both end up dead before either their mission or romance come to fruition?
DESIRE ME is perfect for any reader looking for a hint of magic combined with a beautiful romance and spine tingling suspense. My only suggestion would be to make sure that you're sitting in a comfortable spot because, as I learned, you'll most likely end up sitting on the edge of your seat throughout the book and that can have dire consequences for your tailbone.
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(4 of 7 readers found this comment helpful)
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Storm Front: Dresden Files #1 by Jim Butcher
Cinnamon, August 19, 2010
Harry Dresden.If you have yet to read any of The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, the name may seem like just a name. Once you've read the books however...that name turns into liquid gold.
I was turned on to Jim Butcher as part of my new move toward listening to books in the car instead of mind numbing commercials on the radio. I'd never read this author before so I didn't know what to expect. I did, however, respect the advice of my bookish friend, so I gave it a try.
My first opinion of this audiobook was that I was never going to be able to get through the story. The reader, James Marsters, spoke too fast and didn't articulate quite well enough for me to understand easily. He mumbled under his breath and sounded more like a person sitting in the seat next to me than a person carefully reading every word off the page for me to understand.
I pushed through and decided that I would give the book a half hour. If I couldn't get into it by then, I'd just run out and buy the actual paperback.
About 30 seconds later I was so engrossed in the book that I probably could have driven across the country and not realized it.
There are two fantastic elements that make STORM FRONT by Jim Butcher a great read. Since I have already rambled on about the reader, Marsters, we'll start there.
If you have to or want to listen to an audiobook, listen to James Marsters. This man is a complete genius (as is Renee Raudman of the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews). When you listen to the books that he reads, you're not just listening to someone telling you a story. Masters' voice combined with the writing style of Jim Butcher make for a complete experience. Marsters becomes Dresden and no longer are we simply watching Dresden; we're listening to him speak to us and following him along through his various adventures.
Mr. Marsters, I bow to you. You truly are an expert at making an audiobook come to life.
If Marsters isn't enough to hook a reader, the story certainly will be. In Harry Dresden, Butcher has created a character that you just can't help but want to know. He's kind of like that abandoned teddy bear sitting in the corner that you feel compelled to dust off and cuddle. Of course, this teddy bear can capture demons and perform some wildly powerful magic - but that doesn't stop you from wanting to be his friend.
Harry Dresden is a good guy that always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's full of virtue but isn't above noticing the plunging neckline of a woman's dress or feeling the temptation of a large pile of money tossed at him. He fights evil as best he can and saves innocents when at all possible. He has a killer personality with a wry sense of humor that often leaves me giggling.
Not only is the plot of STORM FRONT full of enough twists and turns to keep the reader entertained throughout the entire book, but this writing is the kind that makes you laugh out loud or clutch your stomach when times get stressful. Butcher knows how to bring emotion out in the reader and he does it wonderfully.
If you're looking for a good Urban Fantasy with a strong and hilarious male lead, I highly suggest STORM FRONT by Jim Butcher. I'm really not a fan of reading male characters and yet Dresden has quickly become one of my all time favorite characters. I can't wait to see what Butcher has in store next!
(4 of 8 readers found this comment helpful)
The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
Cinnamon, July 19, 2010
I tend to read a lot of Fantasy and Urban Fantasy books. The more paranormal it has in it, the better. There are times, however, when I really just want something down to earth that brings with it a sense of hope and happiness. THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE: A NOVEL by Jennifer Ross is exactly that kind of book.Ansley is the kind of character that you just can't help but fall in love with. Her mission has been to get married and just when it looks like everything is going to fall into place, her dreams are dashed when her fiance cancels the wedding and boots her out the door. Heartbroken, Ansley does what many would do and flees town.
THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE is a story about recreating yourself and making new hopes and dreams. This story wouldn't have been complete if the aspect of family wasn't thrown in there. With nowhere to go, Ansley moves in with her grandmother and does what the women in her family do best - she bakes.
Surprisingly, there is actually quite a bit of anticipation as we watch Ansley try to open up her own cupcake shop. Ms. Ross doesn't just give us a good story - she fills it with suspense too. Something keeps happening to Ansley's shop and part of this adventure is figuring out what is going on. Will Ansley be able to successfully run her shop? Will her heart be able to find love again? Can baking cure all the evils in the world?
Aside from a great and hilarious story, we also get quite a few delicious recipes in THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE. A while ago cakes became the new black and it seems that now, cupcakes are following that trend. Becoming more and more popular, strange and phenomenal cupcake flavors are popping up everywhere. If there's one thing I can say about the cupcake recipes in THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE it's this: yum!
Now I just have to figure out if I'm going to shelve this one with my cookbooks or my fiction books. The dilemma!
If you're looking for a book that is at times lighthearted and at times emotional, I would definitely take a look at THE ICING ON THE CUPCAKE. This is great for the beach or curling up on a rainy day. One warning though: I highly suggest having a snack nearby when reading this. If you're anything like me, Ms. Ross will definitely make you hungry!
(5 of 9 readers found this comment helpful)
Indigo Court #1: Night Myst by Yasmine Galenorn
Cinnamon, June 29, 2010
Yasmine Galenorn created another fabulous story and a wonderful set of characters. NIGHT MYST is the first book in the new Indigo Court series, which promises to be just as action packed and magical as her Sisters of the Moon series. Following Cicely Waters, an elemental witch as she struggles to discover herself while uncovering a dark force that has taken over her hometown, NIGHT MYST combines magic and mysticism with a fair amount of drama and adventure.The one thing that I really love about Ms. Galenorn's books is her character development. The main plot of NIGHT MYST involves Cicely discovering the vampiric fae queen, MYST of the Indigo court. More dangerous than either vampires or fae, this deadly combination is definitely a force to be reckoned with. As we journey through the story and learn more about the dangers here, Ms. Galenorn gives us some good glimpses into Cicely and the troubled romance she has with the dark Grieve. Rather than just spouting out a quick backstory for Cicely, Ms. Galenorn weaves this into the book, allowing us to learn about Cicely just as she learns about herself. I found this method of pulling the reader into the story to be quite effective; it really helped bring the characters and story to life.
Speaking of characters - did I already mention that I love Cicely as a character? The fact that she can control the wind just makes her that much more awesome to me. Her "sidekick" is her air elemental and this added dimension to the story is like the icing on the cake.
As with her other books, Ms. Galenorn's writing style in NIGHT MYST is very clear and easy to read. She uses fairly realistic language and it is pretty easy to imagine someone sitting on the side of the road using the same dialogue that she gives her characters. Well, okay, perhaps minus the vampiric bloodsucking bit. At least I hope so anyway.
I believe that fans of the Urban Fantasy or Paranormal genres will definitely find something to love in NIGHT MYST. This is a robust story that keeps the reader guessing and anticipating from page one all the way through to the end. Also, previous fans of Ms. Galenorn's will be happy to note that this new series looks to be just as good as her others. I highly recommend it and am anxious to see where the story is going to go in future books.
(4 of 9 readers found this comment helpful)
Masked by Moonlight by Nancy Gideon
Cinnamon, June 17, 2010
Max is tall, dark, and handsome with a wolfish grin - literally. He also just so happens to serve as the muscle for mob boss, Jimmy Legere. Charlotte is your typical "good" cop out to discover her father's killer while ridding the streets of evil one creep at a time. Under any other circumstance, we probably wouldn't see these two having much to do with one another unless one was trying to kill the other. In Nancy Gideon's MASKED BY MOONLIGHT, however, we get to see them in an action packed story full of mystery and passion.Charlotte and Max are a fun couple to read about. Charlotte is fairly relatable to your average female reader and I found following her to be pretty entertaining. Max is super attractive and definitely a guy we wouldn't mind getting to stare at over coffee. Put the two together and it's like Ms. Gideon created an explosion of romance on the pages. The chemistry between these two is definitely one of the highpoints to me, although I will say that at times it almost felt forced. The relationship between Max and Charlotte was thrown impossible curve balls and yet still they manage to overcome them. I'll be excited to see where Ms. Gideon takes these characters in the second book in the Moonlight Trilogy, Chased by Moonlight.
Aside from the romance, passion, and the never-ending question of what will happen in Max and Charlotte's relationship, the underlying mystery and drama of the book makes for a fantastic read. The story is complex, holding multiple layers of depth, without being overly so. It is very easy to follow, but not so simple that your mind gets lazy and sleepy. Max and Charlotte both have questions from their past and it seems that the answers converge. Is there more to the story than either of them know? Ms. Gideon leads us through the book, easily hooking us with dynamic characters and her development of the plot. She throws questions at us, gives us a few answers and then tosses more questions our way. There really isn't a single moment in MASKED BY MOONLIGHT that leaves the reader feeling bored and ready to jump ahead.
I recommend this to any Paranormal and Romance fans out there. The passion in MASKED BY MOONLIGHT is intense and beautifully written, while the paranormal aspect of it gives it that feeling of "other" that readers find so compelling nowadays. Ms. Gideon appears to have a great series in the works here and there's no telling what she has up her sleeve for us next.
(5 of 10 readers found this comment helpful)
Desire Me (Legend Hunters) by Robyn Dehart
Cinnamon, June 9, 2010
Robyn DeHart's latest installment in The Legend Hunters series fully lives up to the great start the first book, Seduce Me brought. Full of passion, intrigue, and a good deal of suspense, DESIRE ME, is a great pick for anyone looking for a great romance.This book begins in 1873 with our hero, Maxwell Barrett in his teenage years. Determined to prove himself and his theories, he sets out to find the fabled map of Atlantis. If he can prove the existence of this mysterious city, he will be able to prove that he's not just some crazy loon, but rather a person worthy of recognition.
I have to say that the prologue, with young Max, was one of my favorite aspects of the book. This is a fairly simple section of the book, only spanning a few hours in Max's life. Still, it is so packed with action and suspense that by the end of it there was no question that I would be reading the rest of the book. Ms. DeHart is not an author that strings you along for a while, making you sit and wait for the action to pick up. No, rather, she gives it to you right from the beginning. She hooks the reader and quickly gets our adrenaline pumping as we wait to see if our hero of the book is going to live or die. Seriously - the prologue was fabulous.
I'm sure we've all read a book before where the prologue or first chapter totally hook the reader. It's full of action or mystery and there is just no question that you'd read the rest of the book. Then you turn to the next chapter...and it all just falls flat. So much energy was put into perfecting that first hook that the rest of the story seems to suffer. Well, I'm thrilled to tell you that DESIRE ME is not one of these books. Ms. DeHart pulls us into the action from the start and continues the wild pace of her adventure through to the last page.
As the story progresses, we learn more about Max and get to meet the heroine of our book. There is a bit of mysticism surrounding Sabine as she discovers that she is a descendant of Atlantis. Along with her aunts, she is charged with protecting its secrets, but when a prophecy and a darker evil arises that threatens to destroy all they've worked for, Sabine has to fight to discover the city first. Teaming up with Max in a sometimes uneasy alliance, the two race to find Atlantis before the force that is leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake.
Max and Sabine's relationship was wonderfully passionate and created a good deal of food for thought. While the two have an obvious spark between them, what will happen if they find Atlantis? Will their growing romance get in the way of unraveling the mysteries of Max's map? Will they both end up dead before either their mission or romance come to fruition?
DESIRE ME is perfect for any reader looking for a hint of magic combined with a beautiful romance and spine tingling suspense. My only suggestion would be to make sure that you're sitting in a comfortable spot because, as I learned, you'll most likely end up sitting on the edge of your seat throughout the book and that can have dire consequences for your tailbone.
(4 of 7 readers found this comment helpful)
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