Tori and I read a lot of books. Over the past month or two while we have had lots to squee over, we have also had several that were very disappointing.
Against the Wind by Kat Martin
Romantic Suspense
January 1, 2011
Mira
Reviewed by Mandi
Several problems with this book, most stemming from the suspense part. Sarah is in danger – not just subtle vandalism, but people holding guns up to her head. Her husband was murdered and it is not just a random act of violence. First when her new cottage gets ransacked she doesn’t come out and tell anyone right off about her husband’s murder or that she has been harassed to turn over a disk containing information about her husband being blackmailed. After her grandmother’s house gets broken into, Jackson walks in and immediately finds a matchbook that leads them on a hunt to California. The police would not have found this? After Jackson found it in just seconds?
After a third break in, Jackson says they should call the police and Sarah states, “I’m not calling the police Jackson. I had more than my share of dealings with them after Andrew died. If I call, It’ll start all over. I can’t go through that again.” In response, he says, “All right, we’ll play it your way. For now.”
I just can’t see this as a plausible scenario. And she leaves her daughter home alone with an elderly friend while her and Jackson run to California to play investigators. Too unbelievable for my tastes. DNF (Did not Finish)
Recent Reviews:
Novel Reaction: 5/5
Goodreads
The Seduction of Miranda Prosper by Marissa Day
Historical Paranormal Romance
January 4, 2011
Berkley
Reviewed by Mandi
I picked this book up first because the cover caught my eye – and when I learned it was a historical with a paranormal twist (the hero is a sorcerer) it really appealed to me. But from the beginning this book just lacked all depth and had no character development. It is a "heat" book so I expected erotic, but the erotic scenes made me roll my eyes. They make absolutely no sense. Corwin and Darius burst on the scene and seduce this virgin – and not only that, but drop the bombshell that there is magic in the world. Her reaction is just too – complacent. She goes from aging virgin spinster to a ménage in the first 30 pages. I felt like who she is as a character is just skimmed over.
Corwin and Darius are a more interesting pair – having feelings for each other – but all is intertwined with their magical ability and their quest to defeat the fae. The fae world (at least in the first half of the book) is not explained well. Disappointing and had no desire to finish it. DNF
Recent Reviews:
Goodreads
Mistress by Midnight by Maggie Robinson
Historical Romance
January 1, 2011
Brava
Reviewed by Mandi
This is a case where this book is not necessarily poorly written, it just has a hero that holds absolutely no appeal to me. The hero is very jaded and very mean. I didn’t like the circumstances used to force the heroine to become his mistress. We are told he really wants to love/marry her – but I didn’t feel it – at least in the first 150 pages (out of 272). He is so manipulative – which really turns me off. I get that he is hurt..and the heroine is hurt for things that happened in their past…but his behavior does not appeal to me at all. The tricking of the heroine to get her to be his mistress and then although the heroine hates him, she still has sex with him – holds no interest for me.
Throughout the book, we get flashbacks explaining what happened to this couple and how they came to be more enemies than lovers. It is slowly revealed as to why the hero has so much anger, but I just couldn’t get past his initial treatment of the heroine.
I did enjoy book one in this series. Unfortunately, not this one. DNF
Recent Reviews
Sarah’s Book Reviews
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How to Marry a Duke by Vicky Dreiling
Historical Romance
January 1, 2011
Forever
Reviewed by Tori
When I first read the premise for this book it sounded like just the kind of historical I love. Have an independent heroine attempt to broker a marriage for an unrepentant rake and watch the sparks fly. Only, there were no sparks. The plot is unoriginal which would have been fine had I not found both our hero and heroine to be exceedingly serious and boring. The courtship that our marriage broker heroine sets up, which mimics the tv show The Bachelor, had about 100 different ways to take this story to a whole new level and ended up falling flat for me.
Our protagonists are well defined yet unbelievable. I couldn’t understand why a independent rich woman would have to answer to so many people or even feel the need too. Then we have our “devilish” rake who isn’t devilish or a rake. Some of the secondary characters were interesting and provided some humorous moments; but not enough to warrant me finishing this book. I’m sad to say I didn’t even get to see what the big secret was for our heroine. I’m afraid this one was just not for me. DNF.
Recent Reviews:
Fiction Vixen – 4/5
Book Binge – 4.25/5
Dear Author – D
Come on Mandi…you know if 2 hots guys showed up and said "We wanna have a menage and we're magical," you'd be "Oh, well okay then."
:)
I had a DNF this week, too. I hate DNFs. I feel like it's me vs. the book, and the book won. Sigh.
Oh how sad, a DNF post :( But such good points.
The whole virgin -> menage and magic, would not believe it. As for the other one, that hate sex, no thanks
I've had problems with historicals lately as well. I want to blame it on my UF addiction, but I think historicals as a whole either are really good or really bad. There just seems to be no middle ground with them.
Even if I hadn't wanted to finish the last one I couldn't have not flippd to the end just to read the bit reveal. LOL Then I'd stop reading.
From the cover of The Seduction of Miranda Prosper by Marissa Day I would have never thought this was a PR, let alone a menage.
Avon is guilty of doing this with their covers as well. You think you'll read a straight up historical romance and when it's actually a PR in disguise.
I'm surprised this wasn't released under their Berkley Heat line.
I am so happy that you guys will share your DNF books! I plan on sharing my DNF as I go (haven't had any yet). I plan on sharing why I didn't finish the book which is probably why I like this post so much, you actually took the time to explain what turned you off from the book!
Penny – HA! If two magicians show up at my front door ready for some action – okay, yes..I'm all for it.
Blodeuedd – yeah, the magician thing didn't work for me.
Colette – I just realized it is 3 historicals..huh. Apparently, they are not working for me either :)
Tam- I'm going to make Tori see what the big surprise is..I want to know too!
KB – I think it is a berkley heat
Deanna – Thanks! If we can say why we LOVE books, we should be able to say why we don't. :)
Tam- I'm going to make Tori see what the big surprise is..I want to know too!
I found out what is was. I have friends in low places. :P
Bummer! And so many! Needless to say, I'll steer clear of these. Hopefully your next reads are better.
Mandi, you're killing me!!! I just bought Mistress by Midnight and How to Marry A Duke! :P
You know… it's been awhile since I had a historical I DNF. A few I haven't LOVED lately… but no DNF.
I'm glad you told me Seduction is a paranormal, I never would have guessed, and I can never seem to get into historical paranormals. EVER.
Hate when my suspension of disbelief can't get with the program of aging spinster to threesomes in the first 30 pages O_o.
And yet I've read erotica(s) where hero has two wee-wees and didn't bat an eye.
Awesome commentary on why these books didn't work for you.
Hi Mandi
Too bad Against The Wind didn't work for you. I do remember thinking about that scene where she leaves her daughter at such a bad time as being TSTL but it didn't bug me enough to not enjoy the book. Looking forward to the next one.
Thank you for the honesty Ladies.
I just put down a historical DNF. Made it through page 116 of 308. This once just wasn't working for me.
From what I have been seeing lately, the market is being flooded with too many of every genre, not just historicals. Most of what I have been reading (all romance genres) are average.
Uh oh.
No bueno. *shakes head*
But thanks for the FYI on Mistress by Midnight because I had it in my cart, but after reading what you said, I don't think it would appeal to me either.
Thanks for sharing your honest opinion on these.
Aging virgin spinster to menage in 30 pages? *splutter*
I hate DNFs. I feel like it's me vs. the book, and the book won.
What Penelope said :) But it's more than that. I feel guilty, like I should keep reading since I bought the book/borrowed it from the library. And if I don't, they it's a waste…
VFG – I hope so :)
Barbara – well the didn't work for ME – I hope they work for you!
Nicole – I have a hard time with historical paranormals too…There are a few I love (Gardella series by Colleen Gleason) but for some reason they give me a hard time.
KC – LOL..funny how 2 wieners can work and other things can't. haha
Mar G- I couldn't get past them investigating what the police should have been investigating. For some reason Kat Martin doesn't work for me…
Artemis – I just find that I am not going to sit through an entire book that I find miserable. There are good books out there! :)
Missie – I wanted to like Mistress – but the hero just turned me off…to the point where I didn't care HOW he was redeemed at the end.
Orannia – I just can't waste night after night of my reading time for a book I am really not enjoying. But – most of these are books I receive from publishers to review..so they are unsolicited. If I buy a book on my own, I usually go by recs from my fav bloggers, and hopefully we have the same tastes :)
Heh. I am also not a Kat Martin fan — last time I tried one, I just found it very purple and not very original. But she must have an audience, she keeps on releasing.
As for Miranda Prosper, I must admit I'm curious as to how much it borrows from Shakespeare's Tempest from the names alone. Pretty sure there was no menage in Shakespeare, though, lol.