Category Archives: Realistic

October 28, 2010 · 6:36 pm

Aftershock by Kelly Easton

Library

TORMENT: EXTREME PAIN OR ANGUISH OF BODY OR MIND

Seventeen-year-old Adam is tormented. His parents have just been killed in a car crash in Idaho, and he has survived. In a speechless state of shock, Adam begins walking home, back to Rhode Island. But he can’t think in a straight line: The past and present blend and merge in his thoughts; the future’s a blank; he’s lost his voice and his money. Memories fling themselves at him like stones, some inflicting great pain.

In Adam’s harrowing journey he faces many challenges. He confronts situations that demand violence or compromise from him, forcing him to question what it means to be a man, even as he tries to find his voice in a world suddenly devoid of meaning. This gripping and haunting novel is the story of one young man’s struggle to survive — literally — on the road, and to propel himself emotionally from despair to hope and freedom. (from Goodreads)

Every now and then, I am forced to read a book due to my responsibilities as a school librarian that is totally out of my preferred areas.  This is one of those books.  And, every now and then, I am happily surprised.  This is one of those times.  I loved this book and could hardly put it down.

This is a book that will appeal to my students who loved Living Dead Girl and If I Stay.  The content is totally different, but the appeal is the same.  The last few lines are some of the best I have ever read.  I rarely write down quotes, but these lines are going into my journal.

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Filed under Contemporary, Realistic, Young Adult

August 15, 2010 · 6:37 pm

The Devil to Pay by Stephanie James

Purchased

The Price of Love
Just as Emelina Stratton was about to break into an empty beach cottage, a man materialized out of the fog with a Doberman at his heel. Julian Cotter was as quietly lethal-looking as his dog. A man who exuded an aura of command that force Emmy under its sway. It was easy to believe the local gossip that he was a Mafia kingpin hiding out until things cooled off back East. But Emmy was desperate, and Julian could help her — for a price. Emmy was confident she could pay no matter what he charged . . . until Julian called in her I.O.U.

As I stated in the previous post, this book is supposed to be connected to Fabulous Beast because both male characters have the last name Colter.  That is the only connection, so they are actually stand alone stories.

One thing that stands out to me now is how young the characters are in her books.  Funny, I didn’t notice that when I originally read them 25 years ago!

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Filed under Contemporary, Realistic, Romance

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August 14, 2010 · 6:34 pm

Fabulous Beast by Stephanie James

Purchased

Tabitha Graham thought she had found a soul mate when she rescued Dev Colter from a dangerous situation. She thought he was a kindred spirit: gentle, shy, and in need of love.


But Dev had a secret life that made him as dangerous as any of the fabulous, legendary beasts the bookstore owner had studied.When she fled from his sensual claim, his pursuit was relentless. (from Goodreads)

This book has always been one of my favorite Jayne Ann Krentz novels.  It was originally published back in 1984 under her Stephanie James pen name.  I bought it new, so that should tell you how long I have been reading JAK.  She has been my number one favorite author for 30 years.  It doesn’t what name she is writing under, all her books are wonderful.

Anyway, I reread this book because I saw on Wikipedia that it is supposed to be part of a connected pair called the Colter books.  The male protagonist has the last name of Colter and so does the one in The Devil to Pay. It turns out that Wikipedia was wrong.  The books have nothing to do with each other.  It certainly wasn’t a hardship re-reading these books though, since I love them so much.

I particularly enjoy Tabitha’s lectures on the mating habits of mythological beasts!

And yes, I corrected the entry in Wikipedia.

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Filed under Contemporary, Realistic, Romance

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August 7, 2010 · 11:38 am

Into the Crossfire (Protectors, #1) by Lisa Marie Rice

Purchased

Former Navy SEAL Sam Reston keeps to himself. His world is dangerous, uncertain, violent…and there is no room in it for the helpless and weak. Then the most beautiful woman in the world moves in next door to him . . . .

Nicole Pearce’s life is complicated enough—with an ailing father and a new business to worry about—and the last thing she needs is to get involved with a secretive, hard-bodied, hardheaded neighbor. Yet Sam leaves her breathless—her body tingling with erotic desire—and it takes every ounce of her fabled control to resist offering herself to him, no strings attached. What she doesn’t know is that Sam Reston is on an undercover assignment . . . and she’s about to step into the crossfire.

Never has Sam ached for a woman so badly, and he’s never fallen in love before. Now that Nicole is in grave danger, he will become her shield, and guard the tempting body he longs to touch and taste. Because a terrorist plot hatched half a world away is heading to their doorstep—and it can only be derailed by one man and one woman. (from Goodreads)

I started reading Lisa Marie Rice when I discovered her Midnight series.  I have read and re-read those three books several times.  Since then, I have purchased and read everything else I could find by her, but none of them have lived up to the Midnight ones.

This book does!

It’s ironic that I love the alpha males so much in reading.  I expect I would laugh in their face in real life.  Nicole is not a wimp by any means.  She was brought up with the classic silver spoon, but when the necessity arose she walked away from that life to care for her father.  She is not stupid either.  She knows she is in over her head with the terrorists and is willing to rely on Sam to help her.

My only problem is that I do not want to wait for the next book in the series.  Hotter Than Wildfire is due out in March 2011.

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Filed under Erotica, Mystery, Realistic, Romance

August 7, 2010 · 4:58 am

Nauti Kisses (Nauti) by Lora Leigh in Nauti and Wild anthology

Purchased

This is supposed to be the last story in the Nauti series and does a good job of not leaving any loose endings.  There are no characters still hanging out there waiting for their own stories.  Having said that, I don’t want the books to end.  I love all of Lora Leigh’s work and this series is not exception.

Rogue’s brother John and Sierra are the leads in this story.  After a extremely blurry (in John’s mind) night of passion, Sierra starts avoiding John.  She won’t return his calls or see him for any reason.  John, who has just broken up with his fiance, decides to leave town and start his life over.

A year later, he finds out that Sierra has been attacked and nearly killed.  She is sent to John for protection until the bad guy can be found.  Of course, the bad guy follows and Sierra is in danger again.

The book brings back the McKays, their wives, and children.  It was wonderful to see them all again and really makes me want to re-read the series straight through.  There are so many characters in these books, I almost need an annotated list.

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Filed under Erotica, Realistic, Romance

July 18, 2010 · 8:02 pm

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Library

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck…

I had serious doubts about this book.  I don’t like what I call problem novels and I think YA fiction is inundated with them.  However, I was completely wrong about this book.  I am not sure how the author took what was a horrible premise and made something positive out of it, but she managed it.

This is not a paranormal book.  Mia is not a ghost.  She is, however, able to see what is going on with everyone around her while her body is in a coma.

There are a number of flashbacks in the story which explain her relationships with her friends and family.  This is not a story about a girl with a lot of problems prior to the accident.  It is the story of a girl who must decide if she can survive the accident.

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Filed under Realistic, Romance, Young Adult