Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Truths and Roses by Inglath Cooper

I found this book because of a Facebook ad. If you follow me on Twitter or are subscribed to the SBTB Facebook page, you saw me talking about it yesterday. Here's the ad:

This ad worked for me so well I was astonished. Hero description, heroine description, briefest plot summary with hints at the tropes to be used.

I WAS SO THERE.

Then I got a look at the cover. Beautiful! Looks…professional!

Add to that the .99c price, and it was not difficult to click the ad, look at the book description, and click to buy. And judging from the link traffic stats, many of you did, too. I hope you enjoyed the book as much as I did.

Player’s Ultimatum by Koko Brown

I received a pitch for this book from the author, and was intrigued by the mix of elements she highlighted in her email: the multi-cultural characters, the use of European soccer clubs as a setting, and the interesting conflict with the heroine posing as the fiancée of her gay best friend while being attracted to his nemesis. I not only bought it but sent a message to Jane at DearAuthor, since she and I both enjoy sports-focused romances.

Alas, this book is poorly edited, suffers from an outright fear of commas, is confused as to how the characters names are spelled, and is published with a lack of formatting that neglected to mark changes in scene or point of view, which made reading downright confusing.

Most bothersome to me, the plot relies on stereotypes to a degree I found offensive. The portrayal of the gay characters turned me off entirely.

An Innocent in Paradise by Kate Carlisle

This book has it all, and by "all" I mean All The Cliches That Will Drive Me Nuts. Some of my recent ranting about cliches? Largely inspired by this book, I am sad to say.

The story starts out so cool, and I was anticipating something truly different and amazing. In the heroine, I got some of that. In the hero and the plot, I got All Of The Cliches. All of them. I am NOT KIDDING.

So please be aware, This Review Is Most Spoilery. I couldn't present the depth of amazing cliche without explaining them, so there is a LOT revealed. BE YE WARNED. 

Grace Farrell has come to the tropical resort on the island of Alleria under false pretenses: she's a scientist. A research scientist. A supremely brainy child prodigy holds-four-PhDs-that-she-earned-at-the-same-time when-did-she-sleep research scientist. Her research focuses on a specific type of spore that shares some microscopic traits with humans.

Grace needs more spores to study because the ones she has are not as robust as the ones on the island, plus there's some scuzzy guy back home who… read more »

Chain Reaction by Zoe Archer, a Guest Review by CarrieS

(With Bonus Mini-review of: The Clockwork Girl.)

I reviewed Archer's first science fiction ebook, Collision Course, about 8th Wing and their fight against PRAXIS and I loved it.  A special thanks to all the commentators who pointed out that in real life PRAXIS can stand for a type of standardized test.  I still love the series but now every time the word comes up all I can think of is number two pencils. 

Anyway, I had high expectations for Chain Reaction and those expectations were met and exceeded. Wonderful characters, a geek hero (SWOON!!!!), great dialogue both serious and funny, and a refreshing amount of realism considering the setting.  After a sequence of ebooks in which protagonists were practically knocked senseless by their first encounter with the godliness of the other, it was lovely to see a more realistic but still passionate description of attraction and deepening emotional romance.

Sparks in Cosmic Dust by Robert Appleton: A Guest Review by CarrieS

Boy, I gotta hand it to Carina Press.  I’ve only read three of their eBooks (on my laptop, because I have no e-reader or smart phone, insert tears of self-pity here).  None of the three was what I would call a classic work of literature that will be treasured through the ages, but DAMN have they been fun!  Alas, while this stared off as super fun, it fell completely apart near the end.  Still, points to Appleton for creating a great sense of place(s) and a loving tribute to the pulp science fiction magazines and gritty westerns of the past.

Sparks in Cosmic Dust is listed as science fiction, not science fiction romance, and I can see why, as it is primarily an adventure story and a science-fiction /Western blend.  However, it does have a huge romance focus so I’d say it qualifies as a romance novel.  The strength of Sparks is that it understands its lineage and is here to give us an old-fashioned, B-movie, dimestore pulp novel good time.  The acknowledgement page discusses the author’s fond debt to the film “Treasure of the Sierra Madre”, which inspires the… read more »

Wild and Steamy by MelJean Brook, Jill Myles and Carolyn Crane

Ahem. Squee commences… NOW.

OMG OMG THIS IS AWESOME. GO BUY IT.

What, that isn’t enough for you? Fine.

I have to come clean ad admit I have not read “The Iron Duke.” I respect the opinions of those who have loved it every which way enough to recommend it to people who I know will love it (and they have). I know that it is likely something I will enjoy when I do read it. But my brain is overloaded at present and has been for awhile, and I know it is exactly the wrong time to introduce said brain, which can be picky, to deep, nuanced, complex and thought-provoking world building.

Which MelJean Brook is really good at, damn her again.

So I haven’t read it. Yes, I suck. But this short story takes place in that same world, and within a handful of chapters and some incredibly deft and elegant writing, I was given a working understanding of a complex universe, treated to a truly emotional story, and gifted with an evening’s read that rocked my goddam world.

RITA Reader Challenge Review: Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard

This RITA® Reader Challenge was written by Courtney. This book finaled in the Paranormal and Best First Book categories.

Plot Summary: After a stint in an alien prison, Captain Ari Rose wonders why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father’s scientific expedition to finish a Ph.D. she doesn’t want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. She wasn’t built for it, either. But when pirates commandeer her father’s ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner. As far as pirate leader Cullin is concerned, Ari’s past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin’s sights. If she hasn’t been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he’s convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can’t afford the desire she fires within him and he’ll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth.

And now, Courtney’s review:

RITA Reader Challenge Review: The Moon That Night by Helen Brenna

This RITA® Reader Challenge review was written by Emily, who did not finish (DNF) the book. This novel finaled in the Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure category.

Plot Summary: Kate Dillon has never met a man worth his weight in packing peanuts. Maybe she’s simply too stubborn, too independent and too much of everything men don’t want. Just when she’s decided that Mr. Right doesn’t exist, James Riley crashes back into her life.

Ten years ago Riley barely noticed her, but she was certainly aware of him! Body like a Greek god. Mind like a steel trap. Heart of stone. And nothing has changed. Or so this professional soldier would like her to believe. As Kate is pulled into a crazy adventure with Riley and his daughter, she sees he’s more than a heartless fighting machine. He’s denied himself everything—and has everything to give. Now to make him admit it!

And here is… read more »

RITA Reader Challenge Roundup: The Forbidden Rose by Joanna Bourne

No review was submitted for this novel for the RITA® Reader Challenge, so it’s review round up time!

Plot Summary: A glittering French aristocrat is on the run, disguised as a British governess. England’s top spy has a score to settle with her family. But as they’re drawn inexorably into the intrigue and madness of Revolutionary Paris, they gamble on a love to which neither of them will admit.

RITA Reader Challenge Review: Killbox by Ann Aguirre

This RITA® Reader Challenge was written by Kate. This book finaled in the Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category.

Plot Summary: Navigational grimspace “jumper” Sirantha Jax forms an army to defend colonists stationed on the outskirts of space from a legion of flesh- eating aliens.

That’s one heck of a short summary. Wowser.

And here is Kate’s review:

RITA Reader Challenge Review: Renegade Angel by Kendra Leigh Castle

This RITA® Reader Challenge was written by Laura. This book finaled in the Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure category.

Plot Summary: It’s been thousands of years since Raum’s angelic wings turned from white to black, and the Destroyer of Dignities and Robber of Kings never looked back. These days he’s also on the outs with Hell and works with a motley crew of ex-demons on a new mission: snuffing out lesser demons and their half-human progeny.

But Ember’s secrets are as dark as Raum’s midnight wings. And their fate may leave them entwined but destroyed.

And here is Laura’s review:

RITA Reader Challenge Review: Unchained by Sharon Ashwood

Lindlee is back with a RITA® Reader Challenge review, this time for a book that finaled in the Paranormal category.

Plot Summary: Faced with a custody battle for her daughter, monster-killer Ashe Carver has hung up her stakes and taken a job at the public library. But then after centuries guarding a supernatural prison, the dashing Captain Reynard strides into her world. He has only weeks to live unless Ashe finds the thief who took his soul-and he’s too drop-dead gorgeous to die…

And here is Lindlee’s review:

RITA Reader Challenge Review: Last Night’s Scandal by Loretta Chase

Lindlee also reviewed this book for the RITA® Reader Challenge, which finaled in the historical romance category. Lindlee herself has finaled in the Freaking Awesome category. Incidentally, her grade also matches my grade from my review of this book.

Plot Summary: After surviving the perils of Egypt, Peregrine Dalmay, Earl of Lisle, is back in London, facing the most dire threat of all: his irrational family . . . and Miss Olivia Wingate-Carsington. A descendant of notorious—but very aristocratic—swindlers, the delectable redhead has the ability to completely unhinge him and a long history of dragging him into her scandalous schemes.