Reading Fanatic Reviews
Romantic FantasyA Touch of Necromancy by Laura Greenwood
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Bol.de
A Touch of Necromancy*
A Good Sampling of Writer’s Work
I have read a variety of this author’s books, and I thought I would check out this particular collection because I was intrigued by the idea that the overall theme binding this collection was necromancy. It is such an offbeat topic for paranormal romance that I was wondering how the author would keep the stories distinct. Knowing what I know of her other writing, I should not have been worried. Each story is unique, with different setups, mysteries, and action. Even the romance aspect was different because some of the books are reverse harem—with different dynamics between the harems—while others were not. The only book I wasn’t wild about was Fae Blessed, which is one I had to read before as a part of the Blessed series; that series as a whole just didn’t jibe with me. I enjoyed reading more about the Paranormal Council universe, though. All in all, this was an enjoyable collection of books. If you haven’t read this author before, this is a good sampling of her writing.
The Haunting of Hattie Hastings by Audrey Davis
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
The Haunting of Hattie Hastings*
Unique, Compelling Read
What are unique read! I’m not quite sure what I was expecting after reading the blurb, but the book was different than I imagined. I would definitely still call it British chick lit, but it is very different from the typical of that genre. While it has the paranormal aspect of Hattie’s dead husband’s ghost coming back because he needs her help, it reads pretty much like a straight-up, well-done contemporary story. Everything but the ghost is an accurate reflection of what life could be, like Hattie’s problematic relationship with her son, her dissatisfaction with her job, and some other issues with other friends and family that I won’t spoil for you. The author was even able to make the paranormal aspect of the ghost feel like it could happen in real life. It is surprising how well done this book is with all these seemingly disparate things going on. It has humorous aspects to it, too, but much of it has to do with dealing with loss and grief. Not an easy balance to achieve, as at times it seems that these are diametrically opposed. The book made me laugh out loud on occasion and also made me a little sniffly at times. An engaging and very different read.
Reforming Harriet by Eileen Putman
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Google Play, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Smashwords, and Bol.de
Reforming Harriet*
Stilted Language and Extreme Characters
I am a great lover of Regency romance, sometimes reading several in a day. I found this book to be off-putting right away. Within the first chapter, the author used several words completely wrong, and beyond that, the language was exceedingly stilted, as if she were trying to affect a heightened level of historical speech (as we like to see in historical romance) but missing the mark and sounding not remotely like true human speech. I thought the characterization was just odd. Both the hero and the heroine seem to be extreme people, like no one you would ever meet. Characters have to be relatable and believable, and these were neither. There were some bizarre hijinks throughout the book as well. It didn’t feel cohesive, like there was a master plot or plan. I just didn’t like it.
Global Career by Michael T. Swigunski
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Global Career*
Be a Global Citizen
If you’ve ever thought about studying or working abroad, this book is jam-packed full of personal experiences, information, and tips about how to do so. The author has lived and worked all over the globe, and this book is a distillation of all that he has learned. He does give some straight-up facts as well as share his personal experiences. I think this book would be particularly helpful for people under 30, as there are far more options for younger people to live and work abroad. The United States has reciprocal agreements with several countries for working holiday visas. But the author does give some other pointers that could apply for people who are north of 30, including how to work for an American company remotely. The book is laid out well. The first chapters deal with studying, interning, and working abroad. Further chapters explore working abroad in more depth, like the visas needed, their requirements and costs. The book ends with chapters on how to live as an expat and traveling tips. All in all, if this is something you are considering, this book will make the possibilities seem more real and point you in the right directions if it is something that truly interests you.
Dominating with Content Marketing by Michele Da Silva
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Dominating with Content Marketing*
Some Information, No Dominance
I have been marketing various businesses for over 20 years, so I’m always interested in different books that come out about marketing. I know that content marketing is a buzz phrase that is used a lot right now, so I wanted to delve more deeply into the topic. I’m a big nonfiction reader, and I will admit that I hold nonfiction writers to a rather high standard. I believe that a nonfiction book needs to deliver on the promise of its title and subtitle. The author has given herself a rather large task with both, as the titular idea of dominating a particular field requires a very high level of expertise and work; the subtitle, too, promises a lot: that you will gather more leads and sales for less money.
Setting such a high bar for herself, the author did miss the mark with this book. You will definitely learn about content marketing as well as more specific information about six particular types. But I don’t get the sense from this book of how one can dominate with content marketing, or you can how you can actually get better results, leads, or make more sales. That connection wasn’t truly drawn in the book. I thought that some of the examples given of fictional people went on for too long and didn’t really add much to the information provided. The book is good with definitions and descriptions, but the tasks given in the chapters fall short of truly aiding the reader to create these pieces of content marketing because the details are too sketchy for someone who has never made them. In the introductory chapter on content marketing, the author talks about quite a few different types that she doesn’t address, some of which could have at least been explained briefly, with perhaps resources given if that interests you. The author also missed several different types of content marketing. At best, this book will whet your appetite to learn more about marketing-based content creation, but it won’t truly help you create it. Therefore, you cannot dominate your niche with the knowledge that you will glean from the contents of this book.
A Life without Water by Marci Bolden
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Bol.de
A Life without Water*
Another Breathtaking Book by Marci Bolden
I have been a fan of Marci Bolden since I read the first book of her Stonehill series. I love how she usually highlights a middle-aged couple and conveys some broader themes that make up real life in an emotionally resonant way. She really knows how to make her character’s real and relatable, and in doing so, makes both the characters and plot tug on our heartstrings with their very true-to-life tragedies or problems. Part of what I like about her books is that the situations she writes about are so ordinary or universal (like death, divorce, sudden tragedy), but they are written in an extraordinary fashion as she delves into the psyches of her characters, looking at their histories, motivations, and patterns of being as they confront new realities.
So, I knew going into this that it would most likely be an emotional and compelling read. I was not wrong. This book has so much emotional depth and is a testament to the human spirit. Some themes that make up this incredible book include love, forgiveness, death in several forms, and how we choose to make a life. While this is definitely a tearjerker, it doesn’t feel dark or depressing. There is an element of hope. In this book, the author peels back the layers of the protagonists’ relationship and lives, so we slowly understand the full ramifications of what has gone on before the book (which illuminates what is currently happening). Again, this is simply an amazing emotional ride, and it gives a believable glimpse into the human heart and soul.
Smooth by Tracy Ewens
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and Kobo
Smooth*
Getting to Know Characters a Little More Deeply
I am enjoying this series so much for several reasons. First, I do have a personal connection to the town of Petaluma where this fictional Foghorn Brewery is. My dad grew up in Petaluma, and I spent many childhood days there visiting my grandparents and aunts. I think the author has given the reader a good taste of what life is like in this small town that has turned medium-sized city.
I was familiar with the hero and heroine from the previous book in the series, and I was curious to see what the author would do with the hero. I didn’t really like him in the previous book as he seemed to be a bit of a jerk, but it’s amazing what good authors can do when they rehabilitate so-so characters by showing more backstory as well as providing more depth with the character’s current thoughts, actions, and emotions so we can truly peel back the layers of character. I absolutely adored that this was not one of those one-night-stand kinds of romances, where the hero or heroine (or both!) don’t see their potential for a true relationship. In this one, Patrick has a deeper interest in Aspen right from the start and is looking at the long term; I love that in this book it was the guy who felt that way first. Again, too many contemporary romances especially seem to start the book with the hero being somewhat shallow and not caring about forming deeper relationships. I like Aspen as well; she’s a competent and smart self-made woman. The book has some serious moments… but also some ones that are surprisingly funny and sometimes a little zany. A delightful read, and I am looking forward to the next one in the series.
Mummy Issues by Paula Lester
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Mummy Issues*
Not Easy to Keep Mum
I have read every book in this series about Zoey and the zany characters at the paranormal retirement community where she works. Something in Zoey’s past is coming back to haunt her, literally and figuratively! I absolutely love the way this series mixes Zoey’s life with those of her residents. The community members add such color. In this book, Zoey is facing parental issues. Her crew with her retirement community has her back, but oh, my! I love that the magical aspect of these books is written with such humor. If you’ve read and enjoyed the other books in this series, you will thoroughly enjoy this latest addition.
She’s Got Game by Laura Heffernan
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Google Play, Scribd, and 24 Symbols
She's Got Game*
Viewpoint Jarring, Telling Not Showing
I have been reading some books lately that did an outstanding job of deep first- or third-person viewpoint. This particular book is written in the first-person. I’m not really a fan of first-person perspective because I actually think it is distancing and prone to navel-gazing prose; I don’t like that it does really narrow what we see happening in a story. Personally, I don’t find it to be intimate, which is what I think authors are going for. Because I had just read some well-done first-person deep-viewpoint novels, I found this book jarring because the author didn’t quite manage the viewpoint as well as the others; she told more than showed. At times, it felt like the main character was outside of her body viewing herself. To give a brief example, here is one phrase from the book: “My expression softened.” Now, others can see a person’s expression softening, but the person herself cannot see this. I would rather have had the author show us how the character experienced this within her own body and/or mind. Did her jaw unclench? Did her cheeks go slack? Did she let go of a breath she had been holding? This is just one such example, but it happens all throughout the book and is distracting and distancing. I thought this book had a fun premise, but I would have enjoyed it more if it was either written in the third person or the author had taken us deeper into the mind of the gamer.
Ladies and Their Secrets by Joyce Alec
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Ladies and Their Secrets*
Uneven Set of Historical Romance Novellas
This is a set of five novellas from different series by the author which are supposed to be set in the Regency era (1811 to 1820), but at least one is set in the pre-Victorian, post-Regency year of 1836; the Victorian era started in 1837. The novels are generally well written, but the length seems too short for much character development, especially for certain characters like the villains. I have read other novels by this author, and she most almost always includes an element of suspense. I didn’t feel like that was really going on in these particular stories; they were more straight-up romances. These are quick and easy reads, though.
Here are my thoughts about the first two books.
The Earl’s Agreement: In this story, Lucy’s parents have given up on their wallflower daughter and are poised to force her to marry an odious man who’s old enough to be her father. At a ball, when she is despairing her fate in a garden, Edward comes across her, and they discuss her situation. He comes up with what he believes is the perfect solution: they will fake a betrothal, keeping her away from Lord Hutton and pleasing his mother, who has been bothering him to settle down. What actually happens, of course, is that they start to fall for each other during their fake courtship. I thought Edward was sweet and a perfect hero; he was funny and appreciated the heroine for her mind and bluestocking ways. I didn’t like the way Lucy’s parents treated her at first, but the author managed in the short novella to show change in the relationship between Lucy and her parents. The couple fell for each other a little too fast. The heroine’s actions at the end, while necessary, didn’t seem wholly within her character that we had seen before. The villain was drawn without much depth; he is just purely evil, and we are not giving much in the way of motivation for his actions. Still, for the sweetness of the hero, I did find myself enjoying this book.
Heart of a Marquess: Charlotte’s mother has just married an earl in a love match, and the happy couple is off on their honeymoon, leaving their marriage-age daughters together, chaperoned by the earl’s sister. The earl’s daughter hates that these two women have come into their lives, as she sees it is encroaching on her father’s love and time for her. Lady Emma is simply ghastly towards Charlotte on all accounts; she is the villain in this story, and she has been painted in very broad strokes. Nothing appears to be good about her whatsoever. Charlotte wishes that Lady Emma would be a true sister to her, but she is realistic about her step-sister. Charlotte comes to know a marquess after Emma locks her in a room at a ball. Emma is most displeased that Charlotte has caught his eye and is determined to ruin it all for her. The marquess himself has been reluctant to find a wife because one young has tried to provoke a compromise before. The hero in this book isn’t quite as swoon-worthy as the one in the previous book. I didn’t like how he believed Lady Emma’s lies about Charlotte at first even though he did know her somewhat. I felt like this book did lack because of the stick-figure villain and a somewhat lackluster hero.
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