Subscribe via RSS Feed

Review: Heat Wave by Richard Castle

[ 0 ] July 31, 2010

Reviewed by Cal C.

Heat Wave, ostensibly written by Richard Castle, requires a little bit of background before I can dive into the review. Castle is a television show currently running on ABC starring Nathan Fillion as a famous crime novelist named Richard Castle. His previous series of crime novels finally came to an end with the death of beloved protagonist Derrick Storm, and Castle needs a new muse. He calls in a favor with the mayor and gets partnered with gifted homicide detective Kate Beckett. Together, they solve crimes, and it’s from there that Castle draws his inspiration for Heat Wave. ABC had Heat Wave written up and released, in large part as a promotional stunt for the show’s second season. As a marketing tool, it’s undeniably clever. The question, however, is whether or not it also works as a novel.

For fans of the TV show, the book can’t be missed. It maintains much of the show’s easy, pop-savvy banter that holds it above many standard police procedurals. The mystery is engaging, with enough potential suspects, dark pasts and seedy revelations, very much in the same vein as those on the show. Even character interactions are handled in the same manner as the show – the easy camaraderie between the two less experienced detectives who work with Heat, the semi-hot, semi-hostile back-and-forth between Heat and ride-along journalistic superstar Jameson Rook – making the book an extremely comfortable read, while the layered fictions of the show and the book give it a surprisingly complex charm.

It won’t win many converts, however. The beginning of the book is clunky as the author tries (and fails) for a pulp noir aesthetic that doesn’t read well, and while the stylistic failure is dropped relatively quickly in favor of a more successful tongue-in-cheek tone, it is nonetheless disruptive. The characterization is lacking, ripped almost fully from the more fleshed out show’s primary characters, giving much of the cast a cardboard cut-out feel. Furthermore, it’s unconscionably brief, turning it at just under 200 pages, with few unpredictable twists, and that includes the book’s steamy romance.

As a marketing stunt, Heat Wave is innovative and fun, an excellent way to expand the show’s universe and something to keep fans engaged between seasons. As a novel, however, it seems relatively anemic. Not bad, definitely enjoyable, just not all there.

Cal is a young, underemployed librarian and a frequent contributor to Read/RANT comic book reviews. He’s currently living in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, with his family and using the post-grad-school grace period to read and write as much as he can.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Hyperion. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

  • Share/Bookmark
View Post

Review: Aksandar by Judith Montgomery

[ 5 ] July 30, 2010

Reviewed by Erin N.

In the 1970s, Afghanistan was in political turmoil. Communist Russia had a tenuous hold on the country while various factions, including the religious, fought tooth and nail to overthrow the regime and establish their own government and way of life. One faction strove to establish a system of freedom and growth; a system that would attract all of the expatriates back home to a life not known for over a century.

This faction centered on a lofty idealist named Aziz Rashani who by day was a successful restaurant owner and by night, the brains behind a rebel force gearing up to stage a revolution on the next holiday season. That is, until Aziz’s path crossed that of an American teacher looking for a new and exciting life in the dangerous, yet mysterious, Middle East. Jenna Lantz gets caught in the cross fire of a small Afghani town and stumbles into the heart of Aziz in the process. Now Aziz is left with a painful choice. Does he remain loyal to the country he loves or does he leave everything he holds dear behind for the woman he loves?

Aksandar is very enlightening historical fiction. So much of the history of the countries in the Middle East is so jumbled and confusing. And yet, Aksandar provides a clear snapshot of the political landscape that led to the theocracy that ultimately flew planes into buildings half way across the globe. The back of the book claims that “Aksandar is a quest for truth and justice…”.  Judith Montgomery certainly has declared her own with the writing of this book.

Erin fell in love with the written word as a small child and subsequently spent most of her life happily devouring literature. She works as a freelance news, marketing, and technical writer. Erin lives just outside of Cleveland, Ohio with her husband, children, and grandchildren.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Judith Montgomery. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

  • Share/Bookmark
View Post

Giveaway Winners!

[ 5 ] July 30, 2010

Thank you to everyone who entered these giveaways!

3 copies of The Hunger Games are going to:

#238 Anne

#174 Bridget3420

#71 EmilyJoy

3 copies of The Hundred-Foot Journey are going to:

#118 Ruthie Bloszinsky

#4 Ashley C.

#126 Nancye Davis

A copy of She’s Gone Country is going to:

#189 Linda Henderson

All winners have been contacted and have 48 hours to respond before a substitute winner is selected.

  • Share/Bookmark
View Post

Giveaway: Advice My Parents Gave Me… by Rodolfo Costa

[ 22 ] July 30, 2010

Win a copy of Advice My Parents Gave Me… by Rodolfo Costa!

Read our review! More information about the book:

Advice My Parents Gave Me… is a thought provoking collection of 409 quotes, lessons, ideas, suggestions, reminders, and words of advice and encouragement to help you lead a more prosperous, rewarding, peaceful, happy, and fulfilling life.

This inspirational/motivational book is about attitude, relationships, goals, persistence, success, planning, personal/spiritual growth, and fulfillment. It is about choices and taking personal responsibility to inspire you to create the drive, the burning desire to achieve what you want. It is about seeing life from a different point of view.

An “easy to read” book of practical, “bite-sized” thoughts and ideas that are supplemented with quotes from well-known historical and contemporary figures. A book that you can grab anytime open any page and find your inspiration or quote of the day, a perfect book to have on your coffee table, by your bedside or on your desk.

Mandatory entry: Please comment on this post with your e-mail address.

Extra entries (please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 posts for subscribing):
- Subscribe via e-mail, follow or subscribe to the feed. You must verify the subscriptions. (1 entry each)
- Enter another current giveaway (1 entry each)
- Share this giveaway on a social network of your choice. Click the “Share/Save” button at the end of this post (1 entry each)
- Follow Rodolfo Costa on Twitter (2 entries)

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on August 14th.

Giveaway copy is provided free of any obligation by Rodolfo Costa. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

  • Share/Bookmark
View Post

Review: The Betrayal of the Blood Lilly by Lauren Willig

[ 7 ] July 29, 2010

Reviewed by Dimpel P.

In her sixth book in the Pink Carnation Series, Willig takes us to the exotic setting of Hyderabad, India. In this historical romance, Penelope Deveraux marries Lord Frederick Staines and moves to India. Once there, she learns that her husband is not the faithful man she believed him to be.

Penelope’s husband accepts a position as Governor General Wellesley’s Special Envoy to the Court of Hyderabad. He gambles away her dowry and has affairs with local bibi’s, the Indian counterpart of a mistress. Penelope, on the other hand, is a a brilliantly bold character.

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily starts slow and takes place during the Napoleonic Wars between Britain and France. It is filled with spies, emissaries and espionage, rich history and romance. It is a well-paced book with characters that are creative and vibrant. All the characters in this book are faced with questions of honor and principles. It is a novel that will keep readers who are mesmerized by romantic history interested from beginning to end.

Check out Lauren Willig’s website for more information about the Pink Carnation books!

Dimpel enjoys writing about Health &Medicine, Addiction & Recovery, and Self-Help. She previously worked as a medical assistant and did transcription and coding for medical and legal practices.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Berkley Trade. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

  • Share/Bookmark
View Post

“Fabulously Fashionable” by Holly McQueen

[ 5 ] July 28, 2010

Reviewed by Abby A.

Isabel Bookbinder is a character who has appeared in the first novel in the series which I have not had a chance to read, The Glamorous (Double) Life of Isabel Bookbinder. However, reading Fabulously Fashionable by Holly McQueen without being formally introduced to Isabel and all her quirks did not prove to be a hassle at all. Fabulously Fashionable turned out to be a breezy read, and it came to remind me a lot of the Confessions of a Shopaholic series with slightly less witty characters.

Although I did enjoy the novel, I could not help but make continuous comparisons between Isabel and the main character of Confessions of a Shopaholic, Rebecca Bloomwood. The only difference between the two is their paths in the fashion industry: Isabel is an aspiring novelist-turned-fashion-designer, and Rebecca is an obsessive shopper turned journalist for a financial magazine. Everything else, from the setting (London) to their lack of self-restraint proves to be all too familiar.

As much as one can try not to compare the two, it is fairly obvious who Holly McQueen was inspired by when thinking up the protagonist of her series. All in all, Isabel and Rebecca are two very likeable characters, but in the end, Becky proves to be the more intelligent and clever counterpart, seeing as Isabel finds herself in legally sticky situations. Some issues were not tied up as cleanly as they could, but then again, that is what cliffhangers are for. Hopefully we will get some resolve in the next book…

Abby lives in coastal New Jersey and spends her free time writing anything from short articles to multi-chapter novels. She loves to read and her favorite book genres are Young Adult, Chick-Lit, and How-To/Guides.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Atria. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

  • Share/Bookmark
View Post

“Perfection” on Oprah – Win a Copy!

[ 95 ] July 28, 2010

In January, Julie Metz, author of Perfection, appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show talking about her book and the secrets in her marriage that inspired it ~ it was a fascinating episode.

So much so that Oprah is airing it again on Friday, July 30th! Check our review of Perfection and tune in on Friday to hear Julie talk about her amazing memoir!

Visit Julie on her website or on Facebook.

Perfection is…tweeting!

Also, throughout that week and the day of the Oprah air, Julie will be on Twitter answering the question “Perfection is…” and we’d love for you to join in with your own thoughts/tweets on what Perfection is…not just the book, but what does “Perfection” mean to you? Please feel free to RT Julie’s “Perfection is…” tweets and share your own! Include @juliemetzwriter #Oprah at the end of your tweets and win a special prize for the “Perfection Is” tweet-a-thon.

Giveaway
Win a signed copy of Perfection!

Mandatory entry: Please comment on this post with your e-mail address.

Extra entries (please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 posts for subscribing):
- Subscribe via e-mail, follow or subscribe to the feed. You must verify the subscriptions. (1 entry each)
- Enter another current giveaway (1 entry each)
- Share this giveaway on a social network of your choice. Click the “Share/Save” button at the end of this post (1 entry each)
- Become a fan on Facebook (2 entries)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on August 11th.

Giveaway copy is provided free of any obligation by BookSparks PR. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

  • Share/Bookmark
View Post

“The Perfect Finish: Special Desserts for Every Occasion” by Bill Yosses and Melissa Clark

[ 5 ] July 27, 2010

Reviewed by Jen K.

There are so many baking books on the market that it becomes a real challenge to find one that stands out from the crowded bookshelves. Some are fair, some are quite useful and a very few sweep me off my feet. The Perfect Finish fits neatly into that last category, as an absolute standout. Wow. This book really does has all the components of a fabulous cookbook: intriguing stories, splendid photos, great instructions and of course, amazing recipes.

I like that the authors acknowledge that sometimes we need to impress our guests. Thus, they offer big, show stoppers like Mamie Eisenhower’s Cheesecake with a Chocolate Crust or Chocolate Caramel Tart with Sea Salt that will stop your company right in their tracks. The Orange Flower-Scented Kugelhopf states “Simply put, this is a spectacular display of your baking prowess.” Fear not, the book is not that limited. There are also many simple recipes that are appealing in a different way. Bake up a pan of Apple and White Cheddar Scones for your own family on Saturday morning, become known for bringing Pecan Toffee Bars to the office on Mondays, or select your own signature from the twelve recipes presented in the “Birthday and Celebration Cakes” chapter.

Although this book is full of great recipes, it’s not solely the recipes that make it outstanding. The commentary from the authors plays a huge part in making the reader feel like a professional chef is whispering pointers right in your ear. Rather than just assembling a host of recipes, they made a point of sharing exactly why each dish is their favorite and the steps to take to make sure it becomes one of yours. The result is a very personal collection – like you somehow stumbled upon a secret diary from the most amazing and personable baker. The photos, of which there are many, are so well done that I found myself thinking “I want to make that!” even before I read the recipe title. They are that good. Honestly, I cannot remember the last time I found a cookbook as intoxicating as this.

As well as a baking genius, author Bill Yosses is currently the White House Executive Pastry Chef. Click here to read a very nice Q & A with him. If you only buy one new baking book this year, make it this one. Even if you think you don’t really need another baking book, at the very minimum take a moment to leaf through this one at the bookstore. I would classify this book as on par with Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, which is a very high compliment. The Perfect Finish is an apt title, indeed.

Jen lives in Michigan with her husband and five year old son. She writes reviews of children’s book on her blog, FIRR-Kids. She enjoys trying new recipes and using her baking as an excuse to add more cookbooks to her collection.

This book was provided free of any obligation by W.W. Norton & Company. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

Related Posts with Thumbnails
  • Share/Bookmark
View Post
Page 1 of 8712345102030...Last »