Tag Archive | fiction

Breaking Bailey’s Rules #bailey #netgalley @AuthorBJackson

I received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Breaking Bailey’s Rules (The Westmorelands)

Synopsis

Bailey is the baby of the Denver Westmorelands. They are a close-knit family who discovered that they could be related to a family in Alaska.

Walker comes to visit the Denver Westmorelands as a favor to his best friend (the family that might be related to them). Bailey is sent to the airport to pick him up from the airport.

There are rules that Bailey lives by, but Walker might have her breaking all of them.

Opinion

First, I must say that I think Brenda Jackson is one of my favorite romance authors and that is not just because she writes African-American romance novels. Of all of her different series (she has SEVERAL), the Westmoreland series is the best. She had a plan when she developed this family because there are so many siblings and cousins and everyone gets their story. Just when you think the series is over, the family finds another branch of Westmorelands to keep it going. Seriously, if you have not read any of the Westmoreland series, there are enough books to fill a couple of months’ worth of weekends. It more of a saga than a series 😀

Okay now I got that out-of-the-way. Back to the story.

I like Bailey. She may be a little spoiled but that is because she is the youngest of a very tight family where the brothers try to seem chill but are overprotective.

Walker is doing his friend a favor and really likes the Denver Westmoreland guys. He sees the attraction to Bailey as unexpected. Plus his adherence to the “bro code” will not allow him to get physical with their little sister.

Good thing that Bailey knows what she wants and is going to do her best to get it.

Even after reading so many of Jackson’s books, you would think that I would not be surprised by her plot twists. But one of the things that Bailey did in Alaska really surprised me. It had me seeing her with a newfound respect. I went from ambivalent to “This chick is cool!” and “She needs a happy ending!”

While I decided early how much I liked Bailey, I could tell that Walker was being hardheaded. He has a lot of making up to do when he finally realizes that Bailey is the one for him. He does it in grand style. All I can say is that it is good to have friends in high places.

Overall, I loved this book because Bailey’s multi-faceted character added so much the story. If you like the Westmoreland series, this book should definitely be on your list. If you are new to Brenda Jackson, this is a great author and book to add to your list.

Book Details from Amazon

Print Length: 256 pages

Publisher: Harlequin Desire (November 1, 2015)

Publication Date: November 1, 2015

Sold by: Harlequin Digital Sales Corp.

Girl on the Train #thriller #suspense

Jul25

The Girl on the Train

Synopsis

Set in one of the towns outside of London, Rachel has lost her job but she still takes the train into the city every day as if she were still working. As she passes one particular house, she makes up a story about the couple who lives there and their idyllic life together. In her mind, this couple is happily married in stark contrast to her own failed marriage.

When Rachel sees something that she thinks is relevant to the disappearance of the wife of the couple she has been watching from the train, she tries to help in the only way she knows how.

Opinion

This is a thriller to the max. Some of the themes dealt with in this book: alcoholism, marital infidelity, domestic violence, and voyeurism. The story is told from 3 points of view: Rachel, Megan, and Anna.

None are particularly likable. Nor can they be trusted because they have warped views of reality.

In Rachel’s case, she is an alcoholic.

“It is as if people can see damage written all over me, can see it on my face.”

Megan and Anna are so self-absorbed and self-serving. They both liked being the center of attention.

“I miss being a mistress…I never felt guilty” – Anna

While I can say that I did not like Rachel, I did feel sorry for her. I think that Rachel inserts herself in the mystery of Megan’s disappearance because she wants to do something positive as if to prove her worth.

“Women are still only valued for 2 things – their looks and their role as mothers.”

Unfortunately, she is no Nancy Drew. When stressed, she drinks to dull the pain and ends up feeling worse than before. Oh Rachel! Let’s stay sober and focus!

This was a funny quote from the book –

“How much better life must have been for jealous drunks before email and texts and mobile phones.”

When I thought I figured out who did it, I had to read the last chapter to be sure I had it right. I need to do that for my sanity.

I did have some questions at the end that I thought were not fully explained.

I wish I knew why Anna was the way she was. Also, I would have liked to understand why Rachel was so obsessively in love with Tom.

Overall, I enjoyed Girl on the Train. Other reviewers said this book was similar to Gone Girl. If it has not been for my book club’s choice for the month, I would not have read it. If you liked Gone Girl, but HATED the ending like me, then this book is for you. The writing is similar. It is similar how the characters are portrayed and the emotions they evoke. The ending is way better. You will feel less angry.

Seven Deadly Sins of Reading

Jun14

Tag: Seven Deadly Sins of Reading

I was tagged by Romance4thebeach to participate, and it has taken me a while to get my act together to respond.

Defined as: An intense and selfish desire for something.

What is your most expensive book?

I am a cheap person when it comes to buying book. I usually by books at thrift stores and the clearance rack at bookstores or in compilations on Amazon. My most expensive book that I can remember is Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. It was a book club choice and had a long waiting list at the library. I have not started it yet but I think I will read it next weekend.

Defined as: Extreme anger.

What author do you have a love/hate relationship with?

Eve Langlais. I need her to write faster or longer books. Or give me little short cyborg stories to tide me over until she gets the next book finished. From the first book, I fell in love with her cyborg series. But the book is over too soon! I need more. I don’t want to leave the world she created, but the book is finished and I have to wait months before I get the next book.

Defined as: Intense over-indulgence.

What book have you devoured over and over with no shame?

Dangerous, Ravished, Rendezvous and pretty much any of those one word title books by Amanda Quick that she wrote the 90s. Her heroines are pretty much the same independent women with ingenious ideas that may not always go according to plan. Thank goodness there is a strong, silent, honorable hunk of hero to assist. It was all that I wanted my own romance life to be. And to a certain extent, I think that I display some of the characteristics of Quick’s heroines. And my hubby is very similar to Quick’s heroes.

Defined as: a reluctance to work or make an effort.

What book have you neglected to read due to laziness?

Any books from the Outlander series. I was excited about getting into her books because my friend said they were “awesome!”. I went to Amazon to buy it and saw it was 800 pages. Nope. Nope. Not for me. I like to read a whole book in one sitting. So the most I can read is about 500 pages a day. I am not trying to read a book like it’s a job. I got tired thinking about reading Outlander.

Defined as: satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.

What book do you talk about most in order to sound like an intellectual reader?

I think that I sometimes drop Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte into a conversation to let people know that I do not JUST read trashy romance novels.

Defined as: a strong sexual desire.

What attributes do you find attractive in male characters?

I love an alpha male. He is intelligent, witty, has a touch of a bad attitude, and comes across as a little cocky, but no one can argue because he has it going on. However, he becomes a softy in the hands of the heroine. He takes care of what is his and is fiercely loyal. While being rich (i.e. billionaire status) does not have to be part of the equation, it does help if money no object.

Defined as: a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck.

What book would you most like to receive as a gift?

So, I have to admit that I am a little greedy. I cannot just choose one book. I would LOVE it if someone would gift me the rest of the Billionaire’s Obsession Series by J.S Scott. I have read Simon, Sam, Max, Travis, Jason, and Tate’s stories. I NEED the rest. Even the ones that have not been published yet. I know the stories are going to great.

I nominate any bloggers that reads this to participate if they so desire. Let me know if you do this challenge because I would like to read your answers. Leave your link in the comments below.

13 reasons why – Jay Asher

Dec10

Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher

Synopsis

Clay reviews cassette tapes recorded by Hannah, a girl he had a crush on in school. She also recently committed suicide. The tapes are an explanation of the 13 people who had some connection to the reasons why she decided to take her own life.

Clay uses the tapes as a guide, walking around town to visit the places where events critical to Hannah’s life happened.

Opinion

First, I must explain why there is no rating for this book- reading this book was way out of my comfort zone. If I had rated it, it would have been low but in way I did not think that was fair to the story. It was a struggle for me to get through this book. But not for the reasons you might think. The story is told from the POV of Clay and Hannah. At times it was difficult for me to determine on the kindle if the words were italicized which would indicate Hannah’s narration (this book is probably best read in paperback).

As for the story itself: I guess the moral should be- Be kind to one another. Being mean and insensitive to a person can lead to their suicide.

While I think it was the author’s intention to create a series of incidents that caused you to feel sorry for Hannah, I was less emotionally moved. It annoyed me that Hannah kept choosing to associate with self-absorbed, egocentric, catty, spiteful, vindictive, obnoxious people. She identified these qualities in them but continued to put herself in situations that allowed them to hurt her feelings as if she was overly optimistic that they would rise above their own catty behavior and be better people. I believe that she kept toxic friends to be able to use them as an excuse for her own self-inflicted behavior.

There is no doubt that Hannah was a victim of an insidious form of bullying. However, that is only part of the story. She was also very immature and displayed some of the same qualities for which she demonized her fellow classmates. In the end, I think her suicide was less about what others did to her and more about what she allowed to happen (that statement will make more sense if you read the book).

Most of the people Hannah’s list were jerks. In the whole book, I felt sorry for 3 people

1. Hannah’s parents – they lost their child. They were already having financial problems. Now they have the added stress and guilt that their child committed suicide and they do not really know why.

2. Guidance counselor – he was not in a position to help Hannah because by the time she talked to him, she had already made up her mind what she was going to do. She gave him such cryptic answers that only a mind reader would have been able to discern what she was trying to say. She was expecting a miracle solution (probably involving time travel to undo what had been done) instead of pragmatic reality. It was not fair of her to blame him.

3. This person will remain nameless (read the book and you will understand who this person is) – this person is one of the few characters of the story who was not a horrible person deserving of a life-long guilt trip.

If so many people had not raved about this book, I would not have given it a second glance. While not my cup of tea, I would classify this book as young adult fiction recommended for teenagers. My only worry is that this book glamorizes suicide as a melodramatic way to have the last say to all those who you perceive have wronged you in some way.

I do hope that those who identify with the feelings that Hannah exhibited understand their own personal responsibility in making sure that someone knows exactly how they feel without talking in code or hoping that someone is going to read between the lines to hear what they are saying.