Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Pat P. - Reviews

1 to 10 of 10
Beloved Enemy
Beloved Enemy
Author: Jane Feather
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 19
Review Date: 8/9/2010


As well as Ms. Feather writes her Regency novels, this one of an earlier era (Cromwell, etc.) disappointed. The idea that a single young woman could be allowed to act as she does in this story is ludicrous. Women just weren't allowed much freedom in those days and this book falls down because of it. We need to keep a clear focus on how societal actions have changed from the medieval to the modern periods, so we can see how far (or not) we've travelled! Novels like this just muddy the picture.


The Black Swan (Fairy Tale, Bk 2)
The Black Swan (Fairy Tale, Bk 2)
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 203
Review Date: 12/21/2008
Helpful Score: 1


The author of this novel is an accomplished SF writer, but when she constrained herself to a retelling of the "Swan Lake" story, her skills abandoned her. The book is too convoluted and confusing to follow, and consequently, is on my list for swapping.


Come What May (Zebra Splendor Historical Romances)
Come What May (Zebra Splendor Historical Romances)
Author: Jill Limber
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 8
Review Date: 12/21/2008
Helpful Score: 1


This book has a heroine who is a transplanted modern woman in Civil War times. Not literally, just how this author writes. The romance authors who write about non-contemporary times need to be more conscious of the differences in how society worked, especially with the sheltering and isolation of the women. It will make the story much less adventurous, but more accurate, if they would try to be more cogniscent of this. "Gone with the Wind" was written by a contemporary author who managed to capture the societal norms much better. But then, GWTW was a life-long effort, too!


Lisey's Story
Lisey's Story
Author: Stephen King
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 407
Review Date: 12/21/2008
Helpful Score: 1


I guess I just want to read Stephen King and get the gory, scary stuff. This "love" story between the widow and her dead husband, with all the flashbacks and multiple viewpoints was not what I expected. I didn't finish it, since I got bored. So someone else can have it!


The Mark of the Cat
The Mark of the Cat
Author: Andre Norton
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 12
Review Date: 12/21/2008


This is a second copy that I have. I have collected all of her works (except where she is just the editor), and enjoy all of her writings ... even the children's books. This is a nice short story about a young person going through challenges to emerge as a better and strengthened person who is ready to deal with the world on a new level. She uses large panther-like cats as protagonists along with the humans, and being a cat-lover, this appealed to me.
I hope the next person to have this book enjoys it as well.


Marriage Most Scandalous
Marriage Most Scandalous
Author: Johanna Lindsey
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 374
Review Date: 11/13/2009


This is a very contrived story. And Ms. Lindsey's use of "at'all" and other slangs in the characters' dialogue is very distracting. If she wants to be accurate, she should re-read Georgette Heyer's Regency novels, for the correct slang usage. I didn't like this one very much.


Now and Forever
Now and Forever
Author: Elizabeth Doyle
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 1.8/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 12/20/2008


This book was bundled with 7 other novels, and it's obvious why. The characters are unbelievable, the situations where the two protagonists meet are unbelievable, and the love story is totally unbelievable. The only thing slightly believable was the small sample of the life of poverty-stricken people on the streets, but even that was sugar-coated. I got frustrated and bored with it, which is why it's on the list for swapping.


The Prize
The Prize
Author: Martine Berne
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 2/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 12/20/2008


I can see why this book was packaged with 7 other novels. It has poor character definitions and very obvious plot directions. The Scottish accented speech is done well, but the idioms of modern day English keep creeping in. People didn't speak the same as we do today and when someone tries to write about past historical persons, they should realize this and attempt to be more accurate. I wasn't too thrilled with this one, which is why it's on the list to be swapped.


Rainbow's End
Rainbow's End
Author: Florence Moyer
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
 5
Review Date: 12/21/2008


This story takes place during the Old West expansion, specifically in Texas. The author has managed to capture some of the flavor of the societal strictures on women that were present better than most historical romance writers. However, the throwing together of the two protagonists was a bit contrived, although the reason for the marriage was logical for the time period.
This was packaged with 7 other novels, and although the author was somewhat better than most romance writers, it still didn't capture my attention enough to warrant more than one read-through.


The Wicked Lady
The Wicked Lady
Author: Brenda K. Jernigan
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
 9
Review Date: 12/21/2008
Helpful Score: 1


This book has the protagonists meet when the heroine steals from the hero. As a result, he offers her a marriage of convenience to satisfy his grandmother. Not too likely to occur, especially in the stilted society of Regency England. It has a nice touch with the little brother being carried along by his sister. But the improbable situations just were too much for me to keep this for another read-through.


1 to 10 of 10