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Ronda - - Reviews

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The Admiral's Bride (Tall, Dark & Dangerous, Bk 7) (Silhouette Intimate Moments, No 962)
Review Date: 7/5/2007
Helpful Score: 1


I love this book so much, I ended up with two copies. Great May-December romance. Great charachters. Brockmann is wonderful with dialoge.


After the Night
After the Night
Author: Linda Howard
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 114
Review Date: 12/2/2006


THis is one of Howard's better early books. The story is a bit unique and the characters are hot.


Almost a Gentleman
Almost a Gentleman
Author: Pam Rosenthal
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 46
Review Date: 4/21/2009
Helpful Score: 1


I read a good review of this author's most recent book (this title is her first book) and thought I'd give her a try.

I did not like the device she used in the first few pages to quickly and awkwardly explain the backstory of how Phoebe becomes Phizz. What I don't think is ever really mentioned in depth until very late in the book is the WHY of the matter. At times I warmed up to the story only to be set back by some misstep in the setting or dialog, or the direction of the plot. And, I liked the Earl much better than Phoebe, and never did understand what he saw in her.

Parts of this story just did not fit with other parts and that threw me off. Also I've heard this author's writings termed "erotica" but I didn't find them in any way erotic. There was goodly amount of sex and the scenes were nicely done, but just using certain graphic words does not make a book "erotica".

All in all, I thought it was a nicely done first effort and am going to read more of this author.


The American Indian Experience: A Profile, 1524 to the Present
The American Indian Experience: A Profile, 1524 to the Present
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.5/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 12/2/2006


This book was required reading in my Penn State Native Cultures of NA class. I highly recommend.


An Architect's Paris
An Architect's Paris
Author: Thomas Carlson-Reddig
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 7/19/2006


This book is lavishly illustrated with etchings and watercolors of Paris. Lovely book.


The Anatomist's Apprentice (Dr. Thomas Silkstone, Bk 1)
The Anatomist's Apprentice (Dr. Thomas Silkstone, Bk 1)
Author: Tessa Harris
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 30
Review Date: 7/2/2012
Helpful Score: 1


How disapppointing. This book reads like an old fashioned penny dreadful-too many characters, poor dialog, overly dramatic court scenes, simplistic structure...I could go on. Trite is the first word that comes to mind. Sorry I wasted a wish-list space on this one.


The Ballad of Frankie Silver (Ballad, Bk 5)
The Ballad of Frankie Silver (Ballad, Bk 5)
Author: Sharyn McCrumb
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 117
Review Date: 7/5/2007
Helpful Score: 6


Sharyn McCrumb is one of my favorite authors. Both her "Elizabeth McPherson" series and her "Applachain foklore" series are wonderful. McCrumb takes a (true) story from the past and weaves it seamlessly with a story from today. Her charachters are detailed and interesting and the settings are haunting and real. If you like a wonderful story, history, folklore and a little bit of mystisism, try out one of her books. The stories contain recurring charachters but you do not need to read them in order. This story is one of my top three of hers.


Bare Witness (Liberty Investigations, Bk 2)
Bare Witness (Liberty Investigations, Bk 2)
Author: Katherine Garbera
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 28
Review Date: 3/30/2012
Helpful Score: 1


Another book with cardboard cutout characters, tepid plot, unsexy sex scenes and a predictable ending.

Justine is a hot shot bodyguard, but Nigel would have been dead had someone really been after him, and quickly-too many silly lapses in security. Her female comrades in arms are not any better. Apparently this is the 2nd of 3 books-have no desire to read the other two.


Basilica: The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter's
Basilica: The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter's
Author: R. A. Scotti
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 7
Review Date: 12/4/2011
Helpful Score: 1


I love history and architecture and this book got great reviews so I had every expectation of enjoying it. Alas, it is unbelievably boring. I struggled through a litte more than half before giving up. After looking at what else the author has written, I understood why-she wrote another book that I assumed I would like-Sudden Sea-the Great Hurricane of 1938-but did not finish. Basilica would have been much improved had she spent more time on the first 1000 years of St. Peters church, and less time on Julius II, to whom she devoted 10 of the first 11 chapters-(there are only 33 chapters in this book). I did enjoy the Michaelanglo/Leanardo/Raphael connections, but those also could have been expanded. One of her annoying habits is to go into detail about some aspect of the builders plans, then chapters later reveal, in an off hand way while writing about something else, that this part of the plan was never built. Several times I had to go back and pick up threads dropped. I just gave up. If you've read and enjoyed this author, this book might be for you.


Battle Prize (Silhouette Desire, No 97)
Battle Prize (Silhouette Desire, No 97)
Author: Stephanie James
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
 11
Review Date: 1/19/2008


Another early one from James (Jayne Ann Krentz, Jayne Castle, Amanda Quick) that can be skipped. All of James' books are the "taming of the shrew" variety, but here she is still working out the formula and its not quite working yet. Pick up one of her later works (Raven's Prey is a good one).


The Beach Alibi  (SG-5, Bk 4)
The Beach Alibi (SG-5, Bk 4)
Author: Alison Kent
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 75
Review Date: 1/10/2008
Helpful Score: 3


This book is annoyingly stupid. The premise involves a spy needing an alibi so his boss asks his secretary to pretend to have sex with the spy on film and also be seen in public together. The male lead is boring and the female lead is silly. Ex: When Kelly (the hero) tells Emma (the heroine) he's going to kiss her, she asks if he wants to her to kiss him back. Excuse me, wasn't the purpose of the charade to get others to believe they are having an affair? Then I'd think he'd want her to kiss him back. But then again, he is also an idiot--they are in a cab, having suspicions the cab driver is on the other side, so what do they do? They discuss their charade, out loud. Umm, loose lips?
I don't know what the author was thinking but this book is a mess.


A Beautiful Blue Death (Charles Lenox, Bk 1)
A Beautiful Blue Death (Charles Lenox, Bk 1)
Author: Charles Finch
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 122
Review Date: 11/30/2008
Helpful Score: 4


I've been looking for a good English mystery and was hoping this was the beginning of a worthy series. I'll keep looking.

The setting was done very well and was the best part of the book. The characters seemed one dimensional, none had any real deapth, or a compelling back story to interest the reader. The dialog was confusing at times, and did not make sense to me. At first I thought it was the way of speaking in that time period, but I've read historicals many times and this just seemed off. And finally, the author seemed to have a hard time keeping focused; there were too many digressions. But I think my main objection is the lack of connection I felt to any of the characters.

I understand this is Mr. Finch's first book, and am more than willing to read the next one or even two in the hopes he progresses as an author.


The Best American Mystery Stories 2001
The Best American Mystery Stories 2001
Author: Lawrence Block (Editor)
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.2/5 Stars.
 9
Review Date: 12/2/2006
Helpful Score: 1


lots of great little gems in this volume.


The Best of Jaid Black: Tremors / The Obsession / Vanished
The Best of Jaid Black: Tremors / The Obsession / Vanished
Author: Jaid Black
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 57
Review Date: 7/5/2007
Helpful Score: 3


Three stories by Ellora's Cave founder and author. "Tremors"-poor plot, weak characters, dumb ending; "The Obsession"-cute story, nice people, hot sex and fun ending. Best one of the three;"Vanished"-improbable beginning and ending but the middle is good. I've not read a lot of erotica so I can't compare to others in the genre.


Big Girls Don't Cry (Girls Do or Don't, Bk 3)
Big Girls Don't Cry (Girls Do or Don't, Bk 3)
Author: Cathie Linz
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 96
Review Date: 1/2/2008
Helpful Score: 1


Very light romance, not a lot of sex. Cute and charming.


Black Ice (Ice, Bk 1)
Black Ice (Ice, Bk 1)
Author: Anne Stuart
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 377
Review Date: 2/18/2008
Helpful Score: 1


The first I've read this author and I was impressed. Good story, action packed with romance. A much harder edged "romance" than most-I wasn't sure there was going to be a happy ending. I look forward to reading more by this author.


Black Jack (Elite Ops, Bk 4)
Black Jack (Elite Ops, Bk 4)
Author: Lora Leigh
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 294
Review Date: 12/14/2011


There is such a thing as a sexy, fast paced, smart and romantic spy story, and this ain't it, folks. The plot is so convoluted I lost track as to who was after whom and why, and really who cares? It's very obvious who the bad guys are, and who the main killer is. All the characters are cliche's. None of the situations make the least bit of logical sense. The sex scenes weren't half bad, but I still gave up in the middle of the book and skipped to the end. No surprises there. Out of curiosity I went back and skimmed the middle-nothing there either. Unless you have already invested time into this series, skip it and try a real hot thriller-one from Anne Stuart's Ice series perhaps.


Bodyguard
Bodyguard
Author: Beverly Havlir
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 24
Review Date: 4/8/2007
Helpful Score: 4


this is actually a pretty good book for erotica. although the plot is an old one, the story flows along logically and the leads are both well drawn. the sex scenes are explicit and thank goodness they don't start on page two but take awhile to develop. enjoyable.


Borrower of the Night (Vicky Bliss, Bk 1)
Borrower of the Night (Vicky Bliss, Bk 1)
Author: Elizabeth Peters
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 82
Review Date: 4/21/2007
Helpful Score: 3


Mme. Peters' "Amelia Peabody" stories are better known, but i just lover her "Vicky Bliss" stories, about a sassy, beautiful art historial. This is the first Vicky Bliss mystery.


The Boss's Demand (Silhouette Desire, No 1812)
The Boss's Demand (Silhouette Desire, No 1812)
Author: Jennifer Lewis
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
  • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
 27
Review Date: 7/9/2007
Helpful Score: 2


boring, boring, boring. stilted dialouge, stiff characters. yawn.


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