My First

I've heard folks complaining about info dumps and author voice, but I never really understood until I bought the Karen Chance bundle.

I'd been looking for some paranormal reads to hold me until the new Edge book comes out, and chanced across what I thought was a good deal: four books for $7.35. I'd had such a great experience with the Lady Julia Grey bundle, that I jumped at it.

Y'all, I couldn't get through the first book, titled Touch the Dark.

I don't want to seem mean spirited, but WTF??

All the reviews on the bundle were 5 stars. Should have given me a hint - ain't hindsight wonderful? I should have checked the reviews for each individual book, because there were many reviews that expressed the same problems I had.

This book should win the award for How To Infodump. Doesn't matter when, doesn't matter where. In the middle of a fight we are suddenly treated to paragraphs and pages of backstory, or the history of wards, or some such. In the middle of what should be a sexually tense seduction scene, the characters are using their mouths for talking instead of the usual occupation at such times. And I mean talking! Paragraphs of dialogue, all infodump and the conversation goes on for pages and pages.

This is where I finally asked: Why are you subjecting yourself to this? You've skimmed most of it anyway and you're having trouble keeping up with all the damn characters that keep popping up. Just let it go, Carolyn, let it go.

So now I have my first major DNF and three books I'm scared to try. Oh, I've been unable to get into some of the freebies and some of the indies, but this thing was published by Penquin. I mean, it had an editor and everything! 0_o And I've read some books with infodumps, of course I have, we all have at some time. But never in my whole life (and remember I'm an old fart soon to ignore that momentous old fart birthday) have I seen anything like this.

Booooring.

Just ... boring.

Check Out a Chapter

*sneaks in*

http://clmccullough.yolasite.com/excerpt-of-trials-and-tribulations-etc.php

*sneaks out*

The Trials and Tribulations of a West Coast Southern Belle

T.L. Everly.

Rafe McBride.

One is a west coast southern belle. One is part owner of a Las Vegas casino. One wears feathers and little else. One is hawt.

They're both available on Monday.

It's my birthday

so buy my book.

On All Romance ebooks:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html

On Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/90000

On Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Hex-Chaotic-Coven-ebook/dp/B005NWRI1O/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1

On Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/miss-hex-mex-lori-green/1105795273

A Twofer!!

I hate to put up a post the same day Lori did, but one must strike while the iron's hot (or before one forgets what one was going to post).

Enough with the 'ones'!

Just finished Fatal Destinyy by Marie Force. My impression was WTF??

This is the book that her fans helped with, planning wedding stuff and such. I have to say it was a pretty good wedding, but what happened to the rest of the book?

Everything sort of petered out.

****SPOILERS****



The guy who was scary and evil enough to force a federal prosecutor to lie and dismiss the case against him was suddenly apprehended because he was stupid enough to fire a shot at cops. All handled in less than a chapter. Sam's obsessed ex - who never succeeded in convincing me he was dangerous despite his activites - also did something stupid that landed his ass back in jail. So there goes that plot line.

What was left? Well, the wedding and the sechs before the wedding and of course the sechs after the wedding and I was sort of skimming by then and all of a sudden it was over. Book done.

Silly me, I expected ... not quite sure what I expected, but whatever it was, it wasn't there. Perhaps more PLOT? As in police stuff? Everyone's relationships are more or less hunky dory now, so maybe this is the last book.

****END SPOILER***




Btw, what is it with these titles? I can't keep the damn things straight, much less assign a storyline to them. 'Fatal' this and that - I don't know which is which. Have the same problem with the Magic books, much as it grieves me to say it. I hate this trend.

Ah well, I'm sure younger minds and better memories than mine have no problem. It's just sort of embarrassing to have to go to Amazon to find out which book you've read and which book you want to read.

*Sigh*

What I've Read

Carolyn is doing a lot of reading and she makes me feel like a really slow, slodgy reader sometimes. That woman reads like its air and she needs it to survive. I used to read like that but its been a long time since I've been so compelled.

Recently I've had the pleasure of reading some good books. The first one was Angel's Blood by Nalini Singh. It's the first of the Guardian series and it was damned good. She can write a fast paced book and I enjoyed the characters and situations a lot.

The one problem I had with the book was that I didn't understand the attraction between the H/h at all. It was such a power/survival struggle between them that I couldn't completely accept the attraction. Maybe its just me but if there was another being that annoyed me, scared me and pissed me off that much (while threatening the safety of everyone I loved), I just don't think I'd be motivated to get nekkid with him.

I plan to read the rest of the series but I'm not crazy about it. The writing was good enough that I want to read more, not the coupling.

The other book I just finished was Betting Hearts by Dee Tonorio. I saw it on Karen Knows Best and she just loved it. I decided to try it thinking that it was erotic romance which is not one of my favorites.

It wasn't erotica, I'm happy to say and it was a good read. I enjoyed the heroine a lot and really loved the hero because he was a neurotic mess. Only someone who knew him as well as the heroine could love him. I really enjoyed that. And I like the Cinderella aspect of the story.

Next? I'm going to be reading something paranormal and humorous. I have some HP Mallory books to try.

What are you reading?

An Attractive Woman is a Danger to a Christian Man?

I am a Survivor fanatic. Nay, a Survivor freak. And I am so amazed and pissed and amazed at what I saw tonight.

So there's this little weasel on the blue team who happens to be Russell's nephew. If you're a Survivor fan then you know Russell was the most manipulative, evil and interesting player to ever be on the show. The nephew is just a good ol' boy who's hiding his relationship to Russell and praying (amen bruddah!) and being a general uninteresting guy.

Interestingly, the women on this team are not the usual hot babes except for one. And the one there is a good athlete and gets along well with the rest and has no issues. But when tribe has to vote out a player, nephew wants her voted out because she's attractive and she looks like she's slept with a lot of men.

Wait. Let me repeat that.

She looks like she slept with a lot of men.

Yeah, that's what he said.

Then he goes on to say that he's married and she's pretty and therefore she's a temptation he doesn't want to even have in his view. Like she'd even give the nephew troll the time of day. Oh no, he has a boner and therefore she's a freaking Jezebel. And she must be voted out because he can't deal with an attractive woman who looks like she slept with a lot of men.

I'm gobsmacked. Amazed. Pissed off.

So an attractive woman by virtue of being pretty must therefore also have lots of sexual experience. And a troll with an ugly tattoo and an uglier heart is more virtuous because he'd rid the iediate vicinity of the supposed whore. And he calls himself a devout Christian.

This really got to me. I hope the weasel gets voted out quickly. And I hope the pretty woman tells him that she'd never give him the time of day.

And who she has and hasn't slept with is not important to the game. Or to anyone except her.

What a freaking asshole. He makes his uncle look good.