Still A(nother) Year In Reviews: February 2012

Monday, February 27, 2012

White Nights

White Nights by Susan Edwards

Oregon Trail, 1856

After her husband is swept away by the furious waters of the Platte River, Eirica Macauley faces the journey along the Oregon Trail alone with three children and another on the way. But Eirica cannot mourn the loss of such a brute, and vows never to give a man power over her again.

A fellow settler on the trail, James Jones never meant to fall in love with another man's wife, but it was impossible to steel his heart against the beautiful Eirica. If only he can convince Eirica to trust in him, and in her own feelings.

James is everything her husband wasn't: handsome, caring, honorable. His touch ignites passion. Struggling to survive in the untamed West, Eirica can't help but be tempted by James's offer to care for her and the children. But as they near their destination, and a promising future together, they learn the past may not be so far behind after all...

--White Nights
by Susan Edwards
Copyright © 2012 by Susan Edwards
Published by Carina Press ebooks

My Review

The Jones family continues their journey westward to Oregon. Jessie is happy with Wolf, and James is working on his own happiness.

Eirica lost her husband to the rushing waters of the Platte River, but she’s not grieving. He was abusive and a drunk and though she’s terrified about what her future will hold and how she’ll do it caring for four little children, she knows she and they will be happier without Birk.

When James turns on the charm, Eirica finds she can’t resist him. He’s so good with her children and treats her with tenderness and care, something Birk never showed her. She’s free to give in to his gentle pressure and their love grows as they begin to plan for a life together.

But Eirica is not as free as she thinks. The Platte may have claimed many lives, but Birk Macauley is not one of them. And he’s determined to rejoin his wife and make her pay for leaving him to drown.

Although the writing was top-notch as it has been with the other books in the White series, I did not enjoy this story as much as the others due to the subject matter. Granted, this is the aftermath of a woman having lost her abusive husband and she learns to trust another man with her heart, but for me the story line was too predictable. I knew what was going to happen even while I was still reading the previous book in the series, White Wolf. If you plan to read the entire series, don’t leave this one out, just know that it deals with a sensitive subject and may not be to everyone’s liking.

This story was first published in 2003, the remaining stories in the series following naturally. They’re being re-released by Carina Press and the first eight books are available on their web site. Click here to order from Carina Press or the below link to order this book from Amazon.com (and find links to the others available in this series).

I give this story THREE stars.

I received an Advance Uncorrected Proof from NetGalley.

White Wolf

White Wolf by Susan Edwards

Oregon Trail, 1856

Jessica Jones is excited at the prospect of journeying west with her brothers—until she learns unmarried women are forbidden on the trip. Refusing to be left behind, she disguises herself as Jessie, the fourth and youngest Jones brother. Working as a man isn't the hard part—the challenge is hiding the womanly passion building within her, passion for the infuriating but intriguing wagon master White Wolf...

White Wolf is a man caught between two worlds. Raised among his father's people, educated by his mother's, he travels the land in search of his own path. He knows from experience the trouble a single woman can cause on the trail but when he discovers the truth about Jessie, it's too late to send her back—and too late to fight the sensual attraction he feels to the green-eyed beauty. But until he knows his destiny, he cannot ask her to stand at his side...

--White Wolf
by Susan Edwards
Copyright © 2012 by Susan Edwards
Published by Carina Press ebooks

My Review

Picking up Susan Edwards’ White series after White Wind, we meet White Wolf, the son of White Wind and Golden Eagle. Grown up, he favors his mother’s looks which helps him fit in with the white man’s world, but he will never fully be a part of it. His grandmother foresaw his gift as one of knowledge so his family sent him away to be educated, but he has no idea what to do with his gift. He agrees to help out an old friend and drive a group of emigrants to the Oregon Territory. His rules are strict but fair, but one family has a problem with one of his rules…no single women allowed.

The Jones family—James, Joshua, Jeremy and Jessica—have been planning their move for months. Now this final rule of Wolf’s is putting their plans in jeopardy. Jessie doesn’t want to be left behind, even though another family has agreed to allow her to travel with them when they leave with another group. When she confronts Wolf about this rule, he mistakes her for a boy. Who could blame him when she dresses like one? She happily allows him to continue to think that way and joins the wagon train west, eager for the adventures coming her way. Several others on the trip quickly catch on to her deception, but say nothing. When Wolf finds out the truth, he’s none too pleased, and yet at the same time, a little relieved, because now at least he understands why Jessie was starting to get under his skin. But what good would it do to give in to his attraction to her? He plans to winter over in Oregon before returning to his people the following spring and Jessie would be staying in Oregon with her brothers.

But Wolf didn’t count on Jessie’s single-minded determination. She is in love with Wolf, and is determined to find a way to make him see they belonged together. When her brothers force a marriage to protect her honor, will that be enough? Or will Wolf leave her in Oregon with her brothers come spring?

This story also includes intriguing hints about the next book in the series, White Nights.

This story was first published in 2003, the remaining stories in the series following naturally. They’re being re-released by Carina Press and the first eight books are available on their web site. Click here to order from Carina Press or the below link to order this book from Amazon.com (and find links to the others available in this series).

I give this story FOUR and a HALF stars.

I received an Advance Uncorrected Proof from NetGalley.

Monday, February 20, 2012

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
by Stieg Larsson

Lisbeth Salander—the heart of Larsson’s two previous novels—lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she’ll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge—against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life.

Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.

--The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
by Stieg Larsson (translated by Reg Keeland)
Copyright © Stieg Larsson

My Review

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest picks up at the precise moment The Girl Who Played with Fire left off. Mikael Blomkvist finds a severely wounded Lisbeth Salander at her father’s farm house and alerts the authorities.

At the hospital, she’s in a guarded room while she recovers. Once she’s discharged, she’s going to jail to await her murder trial. Cut off from the world, her only contact is with her doctor and her lawyer, Annika Janini, Blomkvist’s sister. She needs to actively participate in preparing her defense…that means she needs her computer. But she’s not allowed to have it in the hospital.

Blomkvist finds a way.

So while the hunt is on for the real killer, and Salander prepares her defense, Blomkvist has his own problems. He’s convinced someone is following him, keeping tabs on his every movement. So no only does he need to work on the most explosive story of his career, he needs to help Lisbeth win her case, all while staying alive.

I give this story FIVE STARS.

Everything You Need to Know About Everything You Need to Know About the Universe

Everything You Need to Know About Everything You Need to Know About the Universe
by Chris Cooper

The Earth is a fascinating place of unbelievable wonder — and it’s the only home we’ve ever known. But our planet is just a small part of our universe, which is home to many other planets and moons and billions of stars. There’s much to learn about our place in this enormous system — and this book will teach you everything you want to know!

How far apart are the planets? How long is a light year? How many stars are in the Milky Way? Everything You Need to Know About the Universe answers these questions and many more. You’ll never visit Mars or Jupiter, but you’ll learn which is larger. You’ll never visit the Andromeda Galaxy, but you’ll learn how long it would take for it to collide with the Milky Way. Maps, charts, and illustrations in full color bring the entire universe to life.

Everything You Need to Know About the Universe is the perfect reference for anyone who wants to know more about our place in the massive, marvelous solar system.

--Everything You Need to Know About Everything You Need to Know About the Universe
by Chris Cooper
Copyright © 2011 by Anova Books Company, Ltd
Published by Thunder Bay Books

My Review

For those of you who have forgotten much of what you learned in high school science class…

(sigh)

Okay…For those of us who have forgotten much of what we learned in high school science class, this book is for you (us).

This book presents the bare fact about, well, everything you need to know about in simple, easy to understand language with simple yet elegant illustrations. If you want to learn the in depth intricacies of the nucleus of an atom, this book is not for you. However, if you want the basic facts about the sky, innovations, planets, stars, satellites, the sun, galaxies and the cosmos, this book is made for you.

Enjoy, and who knows…you may just learn a thing or two!

I give this book THREE STARS.

I received an Advance Uncorrected Proof from NetGalley.

This book is available for pre-order through Amazon.com and is due to be released April 10, 2012.

Everything You Need to Know About Everything You Need to Know About

Everything You Need to Know About Everything You Need to Know About
by Daniel Tatarsky

Which continent is the largest? What is the composition of the air we breathe? What are the seven natural wonders of the world? You may have once learned the answers to these questions in school, but for most of us those early lessons have faded and been replaced by the minutiae of our daily lives. Yet it can often be helpful to have these facts at your fingertips—and with Everything You Need to Know About Everything, now you can!

Organized into 8 sections—Time & Space, Our World, The Living Earth, Humans, Environment & Society, Making History, Science & Medicine, and Technology & Communications—this fascinating reference is the perfect guide to every aspect of our existence. From the structure of the earth to the structure of our brains, from the big bang to social networking, you’ll gain enough knowledge to satisfy every curiosity.

With maps, charts, and illustrations in full color, Everything You Need to Know About Everything makes it easy to see the world from a new—and wiser!—perspective.

--Everything You Need to Know About Everything You Need to Know About
by Daniel Tatarsky
Copyright © 2011 by Anova Books Company, Ltd
Published by Thunder Bay Books

My Review

For those of you who have forgotten much of what you learned in high school…

(sigh)

Okay…For those of us who have forgotten much of what we learned in high school, this book is for you (us).

This book presents the bare fact about, well, everything you need to know about in simple, easy to understand language with simple yet elegant illustrations. If you want to learn the in depth intricacies of the nucleus of an atom, this book is not for you. However, if you want the basic facts about time and space, our world, humans, history, the environment and society, science and technology, this book is made for you.

Enjoy, and who knows…you may just learn a thing or two!

I give this book THREE STARS.

I received an Advance Uncorrected Proof from NetGalley.

This book is available for pre-order through Amazon.com and is due to be released April 10, 2012.

Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader® Plunges into California

Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader®
Plunges into California
Compiled by the editors of the Bathroom Readers’ Institute

From Hollywood to the redwoods, from Death Valley to Napa Valley, this amazing book is your golden gate to the Golden State! You'll discover obscure history, learn fascinating facts, and meet the unique people who make California a place like no other on Earth! Read about...

• The day Fullerton was invaded by Superballs.
• Vasquez Rocks and the scores of movies filmed there.
• Tahoe Tessie, the Lizard People of L.A., and other California creatures.
• Hidden secrets of the world's tallest trees.
• Playing baseball at San Quentin.
• California's first hippie.

And much, much more!

For regular readers of the BRI’s output, you don’t need to read this review. Just hitch up your pants and head to your nearest bookstore to pick up your copy. For those who have never been expose to the facts and humor that make up a BRI book, hitch up your pants and head to your nearest book store to pick up your copy…and any other BRI editions you can lay your hands on.

Flush with hundreds of facts about the great state of California, California will teach you things you never knew and some things you only thought you knew. The stories vary from short one-pagers to longer three our four pagers, just long enough for quick or extended stays on the porcelain throne.

So if you were born in California, lived in California, visited California, drove through California, know someone who lives in California, know someone who used to live in California, plan to visit California, or have heard of California, pick up this book, put it in your bathroom and enjoy a page or two every time you go.

You’re welcome, and don’t forget to wash your hands when you’re done.

I give this book FIVE STARS.

I received an Advance Uncorrected Proof from NetGalley.

This book is available for pre-order through Amazon.com

Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader ® presents Flush Fiction

Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader ® presents
Flush Fiction
Compiled by the editors of the Bathroom Readers’ Institute

Quick fiction for readers on the go!

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Presents Flush Fiction is a tantalizing collection of 88 short-short stories custom-picked for the Bathroom Reader aficionado. We scoured the country for talented fiction writers and asked them to send us their best quick reads. The result: mysteries, horror, sci-fi, adventure, plenty of laughs--and a few gasps--in these startling short stories. They're like little movies for your mind!

Flush Fiction is a collection of flash fiction—er, “flush” fiction—perfect for those short visits to the “privatarium.” Some of the stories have appeared in other publications or submitted in literary contests and are noted accordingly. Like any collection of short stories, not every entry will appeal to every reader, but I think most readers will enjoy this collection and perhaps find a few personal gems. Some stories mad me laugh out loud ("The Taste of Failure" and "Two Urinals from Death" are my favorites), some made me frown and scratch my head, one made me think I’d slipped into the Twilight Zone (cue Rod Serling!) and a few I just didn’t get, but that’s the way it goes with collections like these.

One bit of advice given to writers tells you to start your story with a strong hook. “Vita 1985” starts with one of these: “Once I quit crack, I had to get out of the CIA.” Now, if that doesn’t make you want to read further, then go ahead and pass on this collection. Otherwise, if you’re looking for the perfect toilet tank book, this collection and any others in the BRI library are perfect for you.