Colleen Hoover: Slammed

Slammed
Colleen Hoover
Published January 1, 2012 (eBook)
ISBN: 2940014187602
314 Pages

Synopsis
Layken was named in a compromise between her very loving parents. Her mom wanted to name her Layla, her dad wanted Kennedy, so they took the first three letters of each and mashed them together. He mom calls her Lake. Lake is 18 and a senior in high school when her father dies in a car accident. She, her mother, and her 9 year old brother Kel are forced to move from their big ranch home in Texas to a small rental house in Michigan. She is quickly losing spirit when her new, attractive 21-year old neighbor enters the picture. There is an instant connection, but life quickly rears it's head, and there are some major obstacles keeping them apart. 

Musings
One night I woke up about 2am and I could not go back to sleep. I wanted to read something new, and found this in the Amazon top 100 romance (at #9 this week). It sounded good, but I was a little apprehensive because it's YA fiction. I asked myself, how good a romance could it be without falling into the cheesy category?  Then I read a handful of reviews and found out some tid-bits.  Call me interested.  This is Colleen Hoover's first work, and she wrote the bulk of it in a month (my guess, NaNoWrMo, considering her slam poem in book 2). Reviewers were gossiping that some of her feedback was faked, and her 5 star rating wasn't legit.  I decided this was the book to read that restless night, just to see who was right. I started in around 2:15am and finished it that same morning, setting it down only once to go pee.

First: the high rating, the quick climb, the hype - all deserved. It gets some leeway for being Young Adult Fiction, but even then, it's well written. The first person PoV takes some getting used to, and could be a little stronger, but once you sink in, you can easily get past it. The characters are awesome too. I want Lake's mom's insight, Will's patience, Eddie's confidence, and Caulder & Kel's imagination. These people are so rich, you very quickly become attached.

The story is what makes this exemplary. It didn't feel like a repeat. So often (especially right now) the new hot books are re-writes of previous success. I was starting to get the feeling I was reading the same books over and over again.  Not with this story. It has a couple of unique twists that almost catch you off-guard.  And yes - it totally made me cry. It was happy, sad, romantic, inspiring, all the default things you want a good book to be. But it was also different. The poetry aspect bothered me at first, but this isn't stuffy old Keats.  This poetry is modern day, powerful, and highly emotional - not to mention easy to understand and relate to.

This is definitely one of my must-reads. All ages, all walks of life, everyone can get something out of this series.  Highly recommended 4.5 Stars.

-Rita

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E.L. James: Fifty Shades (Books 1-3)

Fifty Shades of Grey (Book 1)
E.L. James
Published May 26th, 2011 by The Writers Coffee Shop
ISBN: 1612130291
360 Pages

                         Fifty Shades Darker (Book 2)

                         E.L. James

                         Published September 13th, 2011 by The Writers Coffee Shop

                         ISBN: 1612130585

                         532 Pages

Fifty Shades Freed (Book 3)
E.L. James
Published January 19th, 2012 by The Writers Coffee Shop
ISBN: 1612130291
466 Pages




Synopsis
Book 1: Anastasia Steel is a journalism student on the verge of graduation. Her best friend and roommate is the editor of the school paper, and asks her to conduct an interview of the rich and successful Christian Grey. It is a fateful meeting that has Ana tripping over her feet, and Christian aching to break her of her fidgeting habits - in a rather startling and pleasureful way. The story spins these two characters together, Ana into a dark and sexual world she has never experienced, and Christian into wanting more than he ever has.  Christan finds himself unable to resist this innocent girl, and breaks several of his own rules to have her.

Book 2: Ana has broken off her affair with Christian for both their sakes, but they soon find themselves back together under a new proposal. Ana has started her career, and endearing and racy emails set the stage for a majority of this book. Enter the mystery of the saboteur, more about Christian's past, and a few other twists - and this is probably the best of the three books.

Book 3: (It gets much more difficult to not give anything away!!) Christian continues to be a control freak, but they both now acknowledge their relationship is 'more' that they ever believed it would be. Ana is finally gathering together all the clues and history about Christian and his needs and desires; she finds herself willing to flex, and grows more confident in their relationship - and their future.

*The tidbits at the end of book 3 make the story worth while, and got my blood pumping to re-read the first novel. (Think: Midnight Sun)

Musings
Wow, what a book to pull me back into the review and discuss mindset!  Okay, so first the -gossip- I heard that made me want to read the book:

These books started as Twilight fan fiction. Christian is Edward, Anastasia(Ana) is Isabella(Bella). Christian is dark, rich, and leads a secluded and secretive life. Ana sees herself as plain, and is a typical college student, about to get her journalism degree (think about the plot - she couldn't be a minor and in high school!) Ana is dorky and clumsy, Christian becomes obsessed with her and her safety. Then there is Jose(Jacob), The psychiatrist father figure(Carlisle), the spunky sister(Alice), and even the self-centered best friend(Jessica). It is a total parody - down to Audi's instead of VW's.  But instead of Edward/Christian being a vampire... he is a sado-masochist, and into BDSM. He wants to bring Ana into his world, but can't stand the thought of actually hurting her.

I enjoyed E.L. James' rise to fame and proof of concept that a self-published, normal person, can write a best seller - and bring sex back to mainstream. However, I do want to say for all you scardy-cats out there: this is not a story about S&M. There is no bondage, beatings, or described acts that even come close to true BDSM. I will say it does have a lot of spanking, some fun toy use, and a little bit of 'tie me up, tie me down' - but it's mostly vanilla. That said... it is a LOT of vanilla, but well done. However, there is that room full of implements, and the constant threat that it could turn dark at every turn. By the third book, it begins to gloss over some of the sex scenes because the story of these characters is just as important (if not more so) than their vigorous exercise regime. Christian goes through a powerful character development and peaks over the course of the novels. You are given tidbits about his dark past, and begin to see what makes him tick.

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My favorite, and easily the most powerful scene in the books:  Book 2, page 319-325: Christian the Submissive. That he feels so strongly the threat of her leaving snaps him. Just a wow moment.

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4.5 Stars - I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and sexy read. It's quick and easy, and just racy enough to keep you on your toes, without losing the plot and character depth required for a good read.

-Rita

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Anne Bishop: Shadow Queen

Title: The Shadow Queen
Author: Anne Bishop
Publish Date: March 3, 2009
Pages:  429

Goodreads Synopsis:
Dena Nehele is a land decimated by its past. Once it was ruled by corrupt Queens who were wiped out when the land was cleansed of tainted Blood. Now, only one hundred Warlord Princes stand—without a leader and without hope.

Theran Grayhaven is the last of his line, desperate to find the key that reveals a treasure great enough to restore Dena Nehele. But first he needs to find a Queen who remembers the Blood’s code of honor and lives by the Old Ways. The woman chosen to rule Dena Nehele, Lady Cassidy, is not beautiful and believes she is not strong. But she may be the only one able to convince bitter men to serve once again.

This is the story of Cassie, a homely Rose jeweled Queen who goes from losing her village to ruling an entire territory. This is not without it's challenges though. There are a lot of lovable characters, new to the Black Jewels novels. You get to love and hate them, and continue down the story of Daemon and Janelle.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a follow-up to The Invisible Ring, which provides a lot of history and back story, but is not required.

Highly recommended.

Mark Twain: Letters from the Earth

I may read a lot of fluff, but I promise I am a semi-intelligent being, capable of reading and ingesting 'more serious and academic' novels. Take this week's bathroom read: Mark Twain's Letters from the Earth.

Let me give you a little back story on this. I went out to have drinks with a few friends at the Flying Saucer. The group of us were trying various beers and not-quite-beers, and getting pretty happy. As nerdy as we are, the discussion turned to books. I admit, I am embarrassed when discussing books with snotty intellectual types (not that these guys were snotty), because I read for relaxation and pleasure. I don't want to have to analyze a book if I don't have too. And I like being able to pick it up and put it down with ease. It is the story I am after.

Anyhoo - I was explaining this, and my rapid decent into pop-books going from the ilk of Bronte Classics, to Anne Rice, to Douglas Adams, to Laurel K Hamilton, to eventually - yes.. cheesy romance novels of time traveling Highlanders.

We started talking Neil Giamon, and I mentioned Good Omens. One of the more well read at the table (he is an English teacher) then recommended Letters from the Earth. He thought it would suit me. He also recommended CS Lewis' Screwtape letters to follow it up.

Being the nerds that we are, after our round of drinking, we thought the most fun thing to do next was --- go to Half Price Bookstore -- and try to find some of the books we had recommended to each other. I found Letters from the Earth, and started it that night, and let me tell you - the book had me smiling. It kinda felt like talking to an old friend.

Without getting into a discussion on religion, Lucifer's letters and reasoning to his archangel friends sounded strikingly familiar to my own musings when I was younger. Of course, Twain speaks them much more elegantly, and with great humor.

The book is a collection of letters written by Satan when he was still the Archangel Lucifer under God's company. He and the other angels get into a discussion about God's experiment - Earth. Lucifer goes to Earth and sees the ludicrous expectations and adoration of the humans where God is concerned. He writes home telling tales, and analyzing humanity's follies on faith and religion.

I am still reading pieces of the book, but thus far it has completely surpassed my expectations. The only Mark Twain I had exposed myself to before this was Huck Finn and the other novels I was forced to read in my youth.

Great Read. :)

Neil Gaiman: Good Omens

This book is fabulous. It is witty, sarcastic, fun, and full of twists and jumps that keep you on your toes, and giggling the entire time you are perched there. Gaiman wrote the book with fellow author Terry Pratchett (Author of the Disc World books).  With that pair at the helm, this was a sure thing.

The novel is a lose play on the film "The Omen"  Where the end of the world is at hand, the Antichrist has been born, and events are set in motion to bring about the Apocalypse.  However our main characters, an angel and demon, have become comfortable with Earth(and with each other), and don't want to give it up. They work together to stop the greater beings (Satan & God) from bringing about the end of times.

There are too many humorous pieces to give you a good sample, but the opening of the book is the two beings discussing what God's plan really was for the garden of Eden & the apple tree. 

“You’ve got to admit it’s a bit of a pantomime, though,” said Crawly. “I mean, pointing out the Tree and saying ‘Don’t Touch’ in big letters. Not very subtle, is it? I mean, why not put it on top of a high mountain or a long way off? Makes you wonder what He’s really planning.”

Another subplot involves the gathering of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, War, Famine, Death,and Pollution (Pestilence having retired in 1936 following the discovery of penicillin.)

A couple more great quotes:

"Well, Hell was worse, of course, by definition. But Crowley remembered what Heaven was like, and it had quite a few things in common with Hell. You couldn’t get a decent drink in either of them, for a start. And the boredom you got in Heaven was almost as bad as the excitement you got in Hell. "

"God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of His own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of any of the other players,* to being involved in an obscure and complex version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite stakes, with a Dealer who won’t tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time.

*i.e., everybody."

 

Read it.Read it.Read it.Read it.Read it.