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literaryvampiress

literaryvampiress

has 46 followers and is following 43 people

I'm a character driven reader, I can forgive almost anything in a book if the characters come alive for me.
Based on the fact that I love characters, I am also drawn to series reads because it provides me with the opportunity of getting to know characters on many different levels.

I love JD Robb's In Death series, and Robb... more »
  • Milwaukee, WI, USA
  • member since January 26, 2007

Reviews

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Displaying 11-20 of 88 reviews
  • A Great and Terrible Beauty
    • Rated 3 stars

    “Rating: B
    Challenges: PBT Relationships Tag, 2010 February Side Challenge 2 Romances

    A Great and Terrible Beauty opens up to a world, foreign in time and place. Gemma Doyle is about to turn 16, and is showing her age well. Spoiled and downtrodden all she wants in the world is to have her first season in London, but how she gets her wish it comes with deep consequences.

    Gemma is sent to London's Spence Academy to learn how to become a lady, doing the proper waltz, learning to draw the proper picture and learning to speak on the proper topics. However, it is clear from her arrival that she doesn't belong. She's a square peg in a round hole. There is a moment that changes her status at Spence, and gives Gemma the opportunity to befriend the group of girls who had previously ridiculed her. It's a strange power that she holds over them, and they over her. They have bonded and became sisters of blood, but not of birth.

    I tried to read this book once before, but I had decided to set it aside because it just wasn't in the cards for me at that time. I still struggled through the first half of this book, and I think it was because the characters never seemed to grow beyond the 2nd dimension. I'm not sure if that was by design or a minor flaw in the story; it could go either way. However it makes no difference to me as the reader because it held me back from truly being captivated by the story. However, once I surpassed that feeling, I could not put the book down. Gemma truly became the woman that I was longing to see, there is a limit to how much insipant behavior I can handle, and Bray crossed that line for me numerous times. However, she was able to spin her web in such a way that I saw moments or shimmers of what I hoped the story would entail.

    There is a mysticism in this story and although it does not overpower the plot, it is a big part of who Gemma is, but she just doesn't know it yet. I hope that in the further books that her self awareness increases and that the growth of her character isn't only influenced by her magic, but by the beauty of her soul as well.

    Overall, I am not disappointed with this story, although I had some of the plot elements figured out there is still a greater mystery to behold and I can only hope that my theory rings true and that I can feel vindicated in my suspicions. Which is why I look forward to continuing on this journey with Gemma in Rebel's Angels the next in this trilogy.”

    literaryvampiress wrote this review Tuesday, February 23, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • Virgin River
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Melinda Monroe heads to Virgin River in order to escape the loss of her husband and to find a place where she can learn to be Mel again. Not a widow, not a wife, but Mel. Her journey to Virgin River didn't exactly turn out the way she envisioned it, but sometimes it's the surprises that make all the difference.

    Most of my friends hyped up this book, so I put it on my TBR challenge in order to force myself to read it because for whatever reason I kept putting it off. So as February began, I curled up with my Kindle copy of Virgin River only to discover, I don't like the heroine. How can this be? It doesn't seem fair that yet another book that everyone raves about has me wondering why. Melinda is very emotionally unaware of herself which is a huge character flaw and one particular plot element that I don't like in my books. However, I will say she grew on me as time passed, but my first impression wasn't a positive one and I know that it influenced how I read this book. I will say though that I LOVED Jack Sheridan. He's definitely one of those characters that will make my top 20 list of favorite heroes in literature. How can I feel so differently about these 2 characters and still end up enjoying the story being told on their behalf? The answer is simple, what Melinda lacked, Jack made up for in spades. Plus Carr wrote amazing secondary characters that I hope I get to stay in touch with through further books in the series.

    There were elements in the story where I found myself scratching my head and trying to understand the choices the characters made, and why the author would choose certain story arcs. In VIRGIN RIVER there is one such element that I still can't quite come to grips with and I actually find that I am annoyed about it more than I anticipated.

    Overall VIRGIN RIVER was a success, I can't say that it was exceptional, but it was pretty good. It was a bit predictable, but comforting in it's predictability. I look forward to visiting Virgin River again soon.”

    literaryvampiress wrote this review Tuesday, February 9, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Temptation of the Night Jasmine
    • Rated 3 stars

    “Rating: B-

    Let me preface this entry into my review by saying I absolutely adore this series, but I absolutely did NOT enjoy this visit into the lure of The Pink Carnation. The plot was stale and boring and far too much woe is me for my liking.

    This series starts with THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE PINK CARNATION which I had a bit of trouble getting through as well, but the 2nd, 3rd and 4th books of this series were just Amazing and I couldn't recommend this series enough.

    This is a series where the author bounces between time periods, and I usually have a problem with that but how Willig weaves the stories with each other it doesn't feel like it changes. It flows seamlessly. However, where Willig usually impresses me is with her characters, but the characters of Charlotte and Robert were so bothersome. There truly was no chemistry between them, it felt forced and uncomfortable and drab. As characters they were never brought to life, and that led their chemistry to pale in comparison to most all the other characters that Willig has created in this series.

    However, the story line was intriguing and would have garnered a better result, if there was a different set of characters chasing the adventure.

    I'm sorry to say that Robert and Charlotte bored me to tears, and I hope that the next installment will bring me back to the series that I love.”

    literaryvampiress wrote this review Tuesday, February 2, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Accidental Bestseller
    • Rated 3 stars

    “Challenges: January Side Challenge: New to Me author

    A friend is defined as: a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. This is the story of 4 writers who have forged a bond of friendship through their experiences of being a writer. Wax takes you on an emotional journey with each of these writers, Kendall, Tanya, Mallory and Faye, and asks the questions that plagues friendships every day. Are we really as close as we think we are? Are we true friends? Will they be there for me? The Accidental Bestseller appeared to be a story about friendship and inside view into the publishing industry, allowing the reader to see the brutality of that world. However, what this book truly showed was relationships and how they change our lives on a daily basis.

    Meet Kendall, she's a mediocre writer whose editor wants her gone. Kendall is up for a writing award and is hoping that if she wins she'll survive another day in the publishing industry, but if she loses...
    Kendall's world falls apart around her after the awards ceremony and she's left with trying to find herself in the midst of the rubble. Who can she turn to? Who can she trust?

    New York times Best Selling Author Mallory St James is one of Kendall's closest friends, they met 10 years ago at a writing conference, and have been critique partners since then. Through their bond of writing they have become what they consider to be friends. However, Mallory keeps a huge part of herself hidden from the world and from her closest friends. Will this secret destroy their friendships?

    Tanya Mason is a young mother of 2 with an alcoholic mother and is a writer for a "harlequinesque" publisher. She's finding her niche in this publishing powerhouse and she is hoping that she'll be able to write full time and not have to work 2 jobs plus write. Her goal is to make her daughter's lives better than how she was raised. Tanya doesn't have any secrets, and she's pretty open about who she is, but she doesn't trust anyone who offers her help. Her issue is that she is too self reliant.

    Finally there is Faye Truett, her husband is a well known TV Evangelist and she is the author of inspirational fiction. Faye has been keeping a secret from everyone for over 20 years, and this is a secret that could destroy her husbands blooming church and it's a secret she won't even share with her friends. Once Faye's secret is revealed will she ever be forgiven?

    These women come together to help Kendall meet the deadline on her latest book as her life appears to be spinning out of control. They decide to each help Kendall write a part of this book, and since the publisher already told Kendall that this was her final book just a contractual obligation that there is no harm in helping her finish. It won't matter if they each breach their contracts and ghost write a portion of the story about 4 writers who meet at a writing conference and become friends, because it is destined for a quick burial at the hands of it's editor. It's the case of art imitating life, and each woman feels compelled to tell the truth of their lives guised as fiction. It's the journey of these four women that makes this book have a heart, but it's also full of secrets and lies, and the heart of the story barely shines through all the muck.

    The Accidental Bestseller is a great book for discussion because there are so many aspects that are worthy of discussion, but I don't think if I wouldn't have read this for a book discussion that I would have enjoyed it as much. ”

    literaryvampiress wrote this review Sunday, January 17, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • Dear John
    • Rated 4 stars

    “ISBN: 978-0-446-52805-4
    Rating: A
    Challenges: None

    John Tyree is a sergeant in the Army on leave when a chance encounter with Savannah Lynn Curtis changes everything he knows.

    Sparks has long been the author of my favorite book ever, A WALK TO REMEMBER, and I've kind of been on a Sparks hiatus for a while. His books always bring me to the brink of every emotion and DEAR JOHN was no exception. I picked up this book because I wanted to read it before the movie came out; however it's been sitting on my shelves since 2006 when it was originally published.

    Sparks is an author who created characters that breathe life to the pages of each book and add such dimension and beauty to the story being told. I finished this book within 24 hours and I haven't done that since I read HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS. John and Savannah's story was beautiful and rich and honest. Sparks writes an emotional tale about what true love really means, and I am glad that I found my way back to this author.

    This is definitely a tissue read as most Sparks books tend to be, but not only for sad and lonely reasons, but for way that he chose to close his story. ”

    literaryvampiress wrote this review Sunday, January 10, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • An Ice Cold Grave
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Challenges: Eye Spy and TBR

    Harper and Tolliver head to small town USA, Doraville NC in an effort to help find the body of a young man who had gone missing a few months earlier. However, what neither of them was ready for was that this would be their first serial case and what that would mean for both of them.

    I am more than bummed that this series is coming to a close. I have tried to read Harris' Southern Vampire series, but the characters don't speak to me and intensely as Harper and Tolliver do. I am only one book away, GRAVE SECRET, from finishing this series. I'm drawn to characters, and it always saddens me when I must say goodbye.

    I enjoy how Harris writes, but there is something special with these characters that I feel is missing in any other story I have read by this author. Harper and Tolliver are special to me as a reader, maybe it is the kinship I feel for the way they grew up and I can identify with their pain.

    I was quite surprised with how intense the plot to AN ICE COLD GRAVE was, I was a bit surprised with how gory it was and how I didn't see who the culprit was truly until it was revealed to me. This book was harsh and dramatic and brutal which in all honesty is not words I would typically choose to describe this authors writing.

    This is a series that clings to a line that not everyone can cross, and it is interesting to debate the issues about what this book brings up in the readers of the series. Should Harper and Tolliver be involved? Is this the reason that Harris is choosing to stop writing this series? Or is she just not inspired by the characters the way that I am? ”

    literaryvampiress wrote this review Saturday, January 9, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Hunger Games
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Although I started this book in a slump, I finished with a bang and I am extremely impressed.

    This is my first 5 star rating of the year, but it is books like The Hunger Games that make me glad that I don't give 5 stars away easily. This book was absolutely brilliant.

    When I first got the book from the library I had glanced at the dust jacket, and I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the premise of the book. A game of war fought to the death by children? Really? Although that is a big part of the plot, it was written as delicate as it could have been. There was a beauty in the way Collins chose to tell this story even in the midst of all the death.

    We are introduced to Katniss Everdeen who from the minute we meet, I know she's a survivor. I know what she's lived through it's as if I can look into her eyes and see her whole story laid out before me. Katniss is a character that will not soon be forgotten. She's the girl on fire, and she sparked in me such intense emotions that at times I found myself crying in sadness right along with her.

    Even now, I had to give myself most of the day to settle in with my emotions and I still can't believe much this story impacted me.

    Katniss is not the only character that burned a place in my heart, each character was 3 dimensional even if they weren't a part of the central story and interactions were minimal.

    Although I was upset the book ended where it did, I am grateful that I can just request the next, Catching Fire, from the library today.”

    literaryvampiress wrote this review Tuesday, December 15, 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • Bed of Roses
    • Rated 4 stars

    “BED OF ROSES is book 2 in the Bride Quartet series by Nora Roberts, featuring the love story of Emma Grant and Jackson Cook. This series by Roberts is based around a wedding planning company, Vows, and the relationship between these 4 friends and the journey each takes to find their own fairy tale. Emma and Jack have known each other for what seems like forever, and when their friendship turns to lust, the line between friend and lover get blurred.

    VISION IN WHITE, the first in this series, brought me back to a love of Roberts romances again, BED OF ROSES was a bit harder for me to connect with. In VISION IN WHITE Roberts created a character in Mackenzie that made her feel like she was one of your friends. She had a history and flaws, and felt "real"; I don't feel that Roberts gave Emma the same treatment. I didn't truly feel a connection to Emma until the last chapter. The storyline was predictable and it felt that way. It was rudimentary and expected.

    So why did I give this book such a good rating? Because I adore the friendship these 4 women share. That is the backbone of this series, and as long as that relationship and those friendships continue to grow, I will bond with each of the characters with each new book. The friendship is so beautiful in this story that you can't help but want to call your best friend and tell her you love her. ”

    literaryvampiress wrote this review Tuesday, December 1, 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • Catering to Nobody
    • Rated 3 stars

    “Meet Goldilocks Bear, caterer to the small town of Aspen Meadows Colorado. She's a divorcee with an 11 year old son Archibald; an ex-husband lovingly referred to as The Jerk, and a tendency to pick up strays along the way. From her ex husbands second ex wife, to the daughter of her ex mother in laws friend, Goldy just can't seem to say no.

    When having to cater her son's favorite teachers wake, it's not the most ideal job in the world for her, especially when her ex father in law is poisoned by something in food. With the rantings of her crazy ex husband, and the police sniffing around Goldy's catering business is shut down pending further investigation. However, since catering is the main source of income for her and Arch, Goldy decides that she can't wait for the police to solve this crime, she will have to take care of herself.

    After reading several previous reviews of this book I was kind of worried that I wouldn't enjoy it, but I was pleasantly surprised. Goldy is a strong woman who is fumbling through being a single parent, and trying to do the right thing by her son and all the friends that she has made into her family along the way. She's not afraid to show her vulnerability but she's all full of sass and spice. Davidson did a good job of bringing Goldy to an even balance of both.

    Even though this was a mystery I was more interested in the character development than in the actual plot of the mystery which is both a positive and negative; as a character driven reader I now know that I will be picking up the second in this series. I was a bit surprised by who the culprit was that poisoned Goldy's ex father in law, the rest of the book didn't surprise me. I look forward to learning more about Aspen Meadows and Goldilocks.”

    literaryvampiress wrote this review Saturday, November 28, 2009. ( reply | permalink )
  • 4 Bodies And A Funeral
    • Rated 3 stars

    “I listened to the audio version of this mystery and the narrator was not one I would recommend, she messed up the names of the characters on several occassions which is quite annoying.

    Although this was book 4 in the Body Movers Series, I do not feel that I missed anything which is a shock for me to admit since I typically HAVE to read a series in order. Bond did a good job of making me feel like I did not miss anything from the previous 3 books. I think I would have missed a lot if I would have started with book 5. I might be willing to take another journey with these body movers just to find out what can possibly happen next.”

    literaryvampiress wrote this review Tuesday, November 24, 2009. ( reply | permalink )
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Displaying 11-20 of 88 reviews

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