Review of The Nanny Song by Misty Mount

I had a hard time reading about these characters. They were all so...flawed and at times seriously unlikeable. They were so well drawn that I felt a lot of discomfort in the beginning - like watching someone have a meltdown in a restaurant or something. I felt bad for Mallory, having to deal with those challenging children, and I felt embarrassed for the whole Colt family that the fallout from their failure to deal with their grief was on such public display. And even Mallory did some things that had me shaking my head, wanting to shake her - especially when she'd drift off into la la land at the most inopportune moments. 

That being said, reading about realistic - and flawed - characters gives me a look at a world I don't normally see, and makes me appreciate what I have in my life: No kids, no drama. There is definitely a place for that in fiction.

The further I got into the story, the more I was drawn in, and I actually stayed up pretty late a few nights, reading more than I had intended. I had to see what was going to happen next - how would Mallory deal with the next crisis, and would she get caught snooping around her employer's house? And most importantly, would any of them grow out of their poor behaviors? (Spoiler - they do! Which makes it totally worth all the cringe-inducing moments.) 

I found the story arc believable, the characterizations solid, and the character growth timed to perfection. The characters - with the possible exception of the mother - were totally redeemed in my opinion. Their poor behavior lasted no longer (nor shorter) than necessary to be believable and compelling, and there was just cause for every turn and bump in their interrelationships. (Any faster and it would have been too easy. Any longer, and a sane person would have given up.) 

So why not 5 stars? Well, the ending was quite abrupt. We weren't given a real sense of what the future would really hold for everyone. I did like the building relationship between Mallory and Brendan, but I questioned their declaration of love for each other at the end. I could definitely see it building toward that end, but I didn't quite think she had enough to go on to love him. Of course he would love her, but since he was a jerk for most of the book, I'd prefer to see her waiting to see that he was really mending his ways. I also had a bit of trouble with...not their age difference, per se, but the way Mallory is so often described as a "girl." It just made it hard to see her as a potential love interest for Brendan when so often it felt like she and Meela were being described as though they were sisters. And finally there were a few style choices that I found jarring. Not really errors, just small things that jarred me out of the story a few times. So, I'll have to leave it at 4. Maybe 4.5 

As for content, this is a sweet, clean story. Probably PG, but only for some references when Mallory and Rashelle are talking to each other. There's no swearing, no hanky-panky, and no major violence - although there are references to a rough childhood for Mallory, a couple run-ins with the schoolyard bully, and some speculation as to what really happened to Brendan's wife. Don't take that to mean the story is dull, though. There are a couple exciting scenes, and plenty of drama. 

All in all, I recommend The Nanny Song as a fine clean read.

Review of Curses, by Calvin Dean

Lovable retiree seeks girlfriend with a pulse. Fun ensues.

What a funny little story. Gets total props for originality in my book. It's like Inspector Cluseau or Barney Fife meets the Ghost Whisperer. Martin is a retiree with a haunting problem, and he is bound and determined to deal with it...as long as his girlfriend - the living and breathing one, anyway - doesn't have him committed first.

I found the story to be more of a comedy, although there were a couple eerie scenes, and even some touching scenes. Martin's bumbling efforts to conceal his "it's complicated" status from his neighbor (who he just so happens to believe is the love of his life) are enjoyably comical. I got the greatest visual of the man going about his days, dealing with some truly trying ghosts.

Not sure how you would categorize Curses. Maybe a cozy horror mystery? It was a definite fun break, for Halloween or any time. 

Review of Casting the First Stone by Lisa Lawmaster Hess

I won this is in a Facebook giveaway, and while it is not something I would necessarily choose to read, I thoroughly enjoyed Casting the First Stone.

It's a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, because the reader is a fly on the wall during a custody mediation that doesn't go well, and those kinds of confrontations always distress me. But the story is so compelling and well written that I was hooked. Usually I like lots of action and suspense in my reads, but despite this being "tame" by my "usual" standards, I was held in suspense wondering how it was all going to work out. 

The characters were well drawn and believable, and the conflict so well depicted, I felt fully invested in seeing things work out for these two disparate women, and for Charli, the "prize" they all were fighting for.  I found Angel to be sweet and brave, and Marita to be charming. Charli was perfect as the tween just starting to stretch her wings of rebellion. I though Jim was a jerk, and I hoped fervently that he would figure things out without hurting those around him too much.

Finally, I'm not a big fan of being preached at in books, and while the theme of church and faith was strong, it was deftly handled so that I never once felt like this was a lecture disguised as a novel. Very well done.

If you enjoy a clean, character driven read with just the right amount of angst and interpersonal struggle, you'll enjoy Casting the First Stone.

Strong Women and Likable Characters

I was thinking about the fictionalized strong woman, recently. I consider myself to be a fan and supporter of strong women and humbly count myself among their number. I even have a Facebook group dedicated to strong women, so strong women—real and fictional—are near and dear to my heart.


The other day I was watching the movie Leap Year, and didn’t find the lead female to be particularly likable. I thought she was determined and spirited, but did I like her? Having seen it before, I knew by the end she'd be likable. Same with several Meg Ryan characters, notably Kate in Kate & Leopold, or Kate in French Kiss. And even Kristen Bell in When in Rome, Katherine Heigl in The Ugly Truth, or any number of Rom-Coms. Which right there is saying a lot. These strong women characters are so often portrayed in the romantic COMEDIES! (Okay, maybe I just notice it the most in Rom-Coms, when viewers are expected to root for the couple to end up together.)

I was wondering if I'd be able to tell when the gal in Leap Year became likable. What happened in the movie that made her relatable to me as a viewer? I think it was when she was running to make the train, in the rain, and fell down the hill and got covered in mud. This bedraggled woman showed me her humanity. She was torn down to the worst physical representation of a strong woman, and she broke down, but she still pulled herself together and moved forward. That made the respect I felt for her blossom into full-blown admiration, and from there I grew to like her.

Isn’t that what we do as strong women? It isn’t that we’re never down, never afraid, never broken. It’s that we get back up and move forward, often by ourselves, and make whatever has happened work for us. 

I just realized that a common factor in the movies I mentioned is that the women don’t have that bevy of girlfriends they can turn to for help and encouragement. These women are on their own, by their own design, and they deal with life on their own. They fall in love in spite of the men, and they don’t let the fact of that love get in the way of being strong. We like them by the end, and feel like they deserve the love of the man. But is it because of their strength, or their humanity and flaws?

This brings me to another question. Why does the strong woman have to be likable? How many times have you said, “Now there’s a woman I love to hate”? I’ve said that about plenty of male characters, and the actors who portray them. But women? At the moment, I can’t think of many. Mags Bennett in Justified. Cruella DeVille in 101 Dalmatians. I know I run into it more in novels. I like to think I’ve written a couple strong women villains, myself. (Angelisa in Last Second Chance, and Tawnia in the Bonnie Isles Trilogy.) But they're villains, not anti-heroes. Why aren't we expected to like strong women characters in movies and on TV?

I think we’ve been trained for it as a society. This great article by Caroline Siede on BoingBoing.net talks about this training as it relates to female politicians, specifically Hillary Clinton, and I won’t try to say it better than she does, or again, but I strongly recommend reading the article—whether you care about the politics of it or not.

I also challenge you to watch movies and read books while keeping your eyes on the female characters, and try to identify specific characteristics—not just physical traits. If she’s “strong,” what makes her strong? Do you like her? If not, why not? If she’s “weak,” how do you feel about her? Do you like her, or just feel sorry for her? Consciously look for the plot device that's designed to help you come around to liking her. See if you can recognize the manipulation. (Yes, the art of a good storyteller is in manipulation, so I guess I'm asking you to look at the "man behind the curtain.")

I would love it if you came back and engaged in a discussion with me about the likability of strong women. Do you see a disparity in how we look at men vs. women? Should we "get over" the bias against strong women?

In the meantime, I’m going to continue creating strong women characters, and challenge myself not to force them to be likable.

(Full disclosure: Most of the links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, and any purchases you make after clicking through on them will net me a tiny kickback.)

The Boys of Syracuse, Kansas Collection (Books 1-3) has been released!

Title: The Boys of Syracuse, Kansas series, Books 1-3 - PG-13 edition
Author: Kristi Cramer
Genre: Clean Suspense with a Dash of Romance
Release Date: July 4, 2016

Blurb

Looking for an exciting, suspenseful trio of full length standalone novels that will keep you turning the pages, without running into language or scenes that make you cringe? Look no further!

Books One through Three of the Boys of Syracuse, Kansas series were originally pretty clean: no sex, and only brief graphic violence, but there were those pesky four letter words that stop some discerning readers on a dime. 

This Collection has been edited for that offensive content without losing any of the excitement or flavor of the originals. So you can turn the page without hesitation for what you will find. There is still brief violence, a small amount of which may be considered mildly graphic, but nothing is gratuitous.

Last Shot at Justice: Detective Mitzi Reardon doesn't know what she did to anger her boss, but he is gunning for her, literally. Now a prostitute is dead, and she is the prime suspect, with the law hot on her heels. With nowhere to run and no one to trust, Mitzi's only hope lies in the hands of Blue Thomas, a chivalrous cowboy from Kansas.

Last Second Chance: An ex-con's search for a new start in a small Kansas town leads to a chance at a life and a love he never expected. But the life he left behind won't stay quietly in his past.

One Last Song: In a bold operation that leaves the tiny town of Syracuse reeling, Kylie and Jax are kidnapped. Getting nabbed for human trafficking would be bad enough, but their captors have an additional agenda.

Links

Find it for $5.99 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and iTunes. It is half price on Smashwords through the month of July.

About the Author

Kristi writes about hard-working people living realistic lives, putting ordinary people into extraordinary situations and letting them discover true character in the face of danger. The end result is nail-biting, edge of your seat suspense that will keep you turning pages, rooting for the good guys and that happily ever after ending.

She also writes YA Fantasy as Kristi L. Cramer. The Bonnie Isles Trilogy is good, clean excitement, with an uplifting message you'll be happy to share with your young ones, and enjoy yourself.

Stalker Links

Website ~ Facebook ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Kristi's Blog ~ Newsletter ~ Newsletter Signup ~ Pinterest

Review of Fade to Black by Jax Newman

I'm on the fence about rating this book. I think I'm settling on 3.5 stars. Just a hair over "liked it".

Now, I understand there is a re-edited edition out there. Apparently the wrong file got uploaded...and things like this happen, so my rating isn't really based on the "errors factor."

I didn't really get into the book until about the halfway point. Once the two of them actually met (around the 1/4 mark) it started to get interesting, and once they got back to America, things really started picking up. Some of the plot points (no spoilers!) helped explain why so much time was spent on developing Freya's relationship with her friends in the beginning.

I thought Tristan was nearly too-good-to-be-true - but I like that in a hero. He was a tortured soul, good looking, and quite sensitive. Much better than an alpha-asshole. I wondered why he couldn't have just talked about why he'd gone into hiding sooner, once he and Freya hit it off, and then when we got to the little twist at the end, I understood a little better. (A twist I didn't see coming at all, btw - and that's not easy to do!)

I liked Freya, mostly. She's sarcastic, just feisty enough, and not a complete drama queen. She was a good friend, and loyal.

I guess my biggest issue with the story was the narrative style. Errors aside, it was just so much telling rather than showing. I couldn't really connect with the characters because the writing created this distance I couldn't bridge - especially in the beginning. So much time was taken detailing the minutia of Freya's life that I was mostly bored until she actually met up with Tristan. I think at least half of that could have been cut, while still revealing the tedium of her job, the closeness with her friends, and the challenge of her assignment. Then we would have gotten them together much sooner, and gotten to the meat of the story that much sooner.

Speaking of her assignment... I thought the reasons Freya got assigned to look for Tristan were pretty weak. Surely a big record label would hire a Private Investigator to find someone who'd been missing for 4 years, rather than a promotions director, or whatever the heck Rebecca was supposed to be. I buy that a character like Rebecca would pass off a shitty job to a detested underling, but if the deal was so important, why wouldn't they hire a professional? Of course, there wouldn't have been a story if they'd done that - unless Freya was the PI - but therein lies the rub.

Certain other plot devices (that I won't tell, to avoid spoilers) felt like plot devices, and that's a problem. All stories have them - things that really add up to coincidences but are required in order to have a story. But it shouldn't pop you out of the story because it feels like a plot device. It's a fine line to walk, and I think it comes back to the telling rather than showing. Oh, and Tristan's ex's name? That was super hard to take serious. I mean, Rosie Palmer, really?

In all, I think it was a decent first effort. I hope some of the problems I mentioned - which I consider more than just the typos, missing words, and wrong word choices - were corrected in the re-edited version. I confess I'm curious as to Logan's story, and I assume that will be another book in the series. I'll be keeping an eye out for future books. 

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Interview with Ellen Whyte, aka AJ Adams & Storm Chase

My first official interview is with Ellen Whyte, who writes as AJ Adams and Storm Chase. She was kind enough to answer all the questions I threw at her, many of which I'm posting here. (The remainder will be posted in my Newsletter. Be sure to SIGN UP so you can read them all.)

Without further ado, the interview follows:

KCBooks: Tell us about you in a nutshell. What makes you tick as a writer?

Ellen Whyte: I start off quite organised, writing a three or four line plot idea.  Then I flesh it out, which takes me a day or so, and it’s all neat and tidy with events and chapter divisions. 

Then the characters begin to breathe.  

I think I’ve got it sussed, because I’ve got that detailed outline, right?  It’s all tidy and it works, right?  But then the characters take over and before I know it my lovely outline is in smithereens and my characters are rampaging all over the place. 

At that point I’m loving it because the story starts to write itself.  Very often I don’t know what will happen next, so it’s an adventure.

That’s what I love about writing. It’s romance and adventure.

KCB: Pets – What do you have? Which is your favorite? If you could have any pet on the planet which would you have, and why?

   

EW: I am ruled by two cats, Target and Guido.  They are kampung kuching, which means village cats in Malay. It means they are street moggies, rescue cats who are now spoilt home kitties.

Target is a drama cat. He’s constantly in trouble, up to trouble or causing trouble.  When he’s not doing something wicked, he’s at my side - clicking the escape key and changing the language on my keyboard.

Guido is relaxed. He’s absolutely huge, more a tiger than a cat, and it’s current ambition to climb the tree in the garden.  He’s not getting very far and he’s hinting that he’d like me to help him up.  I’m not because I don’t want to have to call the fire brigade to get him back down again!

KCB: Describe a typical day in your life.

EW: I get up around 630AM and I start with a coffee and checking my book sales (I know!)  I go through my Facebook private messages, catch up with friends and do my book promos.

By that time it’s usually about 730AM. Then I write for an hour or sometimes two.

Around 9AM or 10AM I start work (day job) writing for newspapers or magazines.  At the moment I’m also starting a new business, as a counselling psychologist, so I’m doing paperwork, writing proposals, seeing clients and so on.

At about 5PM I go downstairs and start dinner.  I love to cook so that’s fun.  Tom comes home around then, so we catch up on the gossip and we hang out for a while - him catching up on news and me writing.

We eat between 6PM and 8PM.  We watch old TV series, binge watching really, because the mindlessness helps us unwind.  We usually talk through it and if Tom’s got a yen to watch sports (he’s got a thing for baseball) I write. (all sport bores me to tears within two seconds)

After 8PM I write.  I stop around 10PM - 11PM and sometimes it’s a bit later. 

We go out twice a week, hitting our local pub around 5PM.  We’re home by 8PM latest and then I go to sleep early, but usually after writing an hour. Sometimes two.

KCB: Describe your ideal vacation—if money were no object and you had no obstacles holding you back...

EW: I would love to spend time in a small walled villa with it’s own pool.  Anywhere really: Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia. I’m looking for peace and tranquility. I want to spend the whole day just being - with Target, Guido and Tom (the non-furry companion).  But at night I’d like to go out and see people. So probably Bali or Siem Reap or somewhere a bit touristy.

KCB: If you could live anywhere on the planet, where would you go and why?

EW: If I had a teleporter, I’d spend most of my time in Malaysia because it’s my home and I love it.  But I’d go to Spain for weekends so I could go see my mum.  Also, I sometimes miss fresh, cold air, Spanish food, Spanish wine and just being in a non-tropical place so probably I’d spend some time in Spain during the spring and autumn too.

Also, I miss Fay, one of my best friends.  We see each other just once a year, so it would be nice to be in the same continent again.

KCB: How do you find balance between work, family, and writing?

EW: Hahahahahaha! Brilliant!  You’ve seen my typical day so you know I spend most of my time working.

I write during the day, when I watch television at night, when I’m in the hairdresser, when I’m waiting for someone to come to a meeting - I work about 14 hours a day, every day.

It’s unsustainable but having spent the last three years studying part time, I have to get back to work so 2016 is just crazy.  Hopefully that balance thing will kick in next year!

Be sure to sign up for the newsletter to see the answers to these questions:

What inspires you to write strong female characters?

If you could lump all your books in a single genre, what would you call it?

What is your favorite food? Describe it so we want to eat it, too.

About the author

AJ Adams is a Scottish-Dutch author currently living in Malaysia. In her regular life she is a columnist and feature writer. She works from home, where she is closely snoopervised by cats, Target and Guido.

Stalker links:

Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/AJ-Adams/e/B00PTL6BNK

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2883330.A_J_Adams

FB https://www.facebook.com/ewhyte

Twitter https://twitter.com/KatzTalesTweets

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/Author_AJAdams/

Books: 
The Bonus by AJ Adams
My first AJ Adams novel and one of my favourites! It’s unusual but Chloe and Kyle are unusual people.

Beast by AJ Adams
If you like darkish romance, and don’t mind a bit of kidnapping and rape, this is the story for you!

The Degas Girl by AJ Adams
Zachary is not nice and neither is Serenity.  Together though, they are dynamic.

Songbird by AJ Adams
What I love about this is that Arturo is a monster but he’s also thoroughly human. I’d love to meet him for dinner - as long as Solitaire isn’t cooking.

         

Review of A Taste of Bliss by Adrian R. Hale

Solid 4 Stars
I quite liked this story. I was very moved by Lisa, Bliss' mother's storyline. Tragic and yet inspiring.

Talan was a sweetheart. Almost too perfect, but honestly, that's the way I like my heroes. It's nice to think there's a guy out there who can handle all our BS. I liked the layers to his personality and his life, and the way he was all in when it came to Bliss. My only problem is the amount of time he was absent from the story. I got a bit twitchy wondering when he was going to be back in the picture.

Bliss... Well, I liked her well enough. I thought she was pretty relatable, flawed, and real. She'd go flying off the handle, and then come to her senses. And Lord knows I'm a lot like her when it comes to overthinking things, and creating issues when there isn't really one there. Unlike her, I like to think I would let someone say their piece, defend themselves, in the event of a major misunderstanding, but who knows.

That particular misunderstanding was pretty predictable, although I did wonder what the real story was going to be. (Sorry if I'm vague, but I don't like to leave spoilers.)

My main problem with this story isn't really the story, it's the fact that it is not only first person, which--as those of you who follow my reviews know--is not my favorite, but it is also in present tense, which I find super distracting. I've only ever read one book in present tense that I didn't find so distracting--I hardly even noticed it, it was so well done. This one, for me, was not. As a reader, I was taken out of the bubble every time to dialog fell into past tense--which was often--and during the times when Bliss is flashing back to something that happened "off scene". So it felt bouncy and just not smooth.

Take that for what it's worth. For me, it's worth the loss of a whole star. But other readers who don't have problems with first person present tense may not mind it at all. Otherwise, the plot was well constructed, the characters all likable and relate-able, and the writing--other than my issues framed above--was very well done.

Review of Chasing Tomorrow, by SJ McCoy

On Goodreads, I changed my star rating from four (Which would be more like 4.75) to five to four again, and ended up changing it back before I finished. The only thing holding me back from the full five *Amazing* there was that I had a little trouble (when I stopped to think about it) believing these characters I adore from the other books were eighteen here. That's a *very* small quibble.

For the rest of it, I read all but the first couple chapters in one sitting, and was pretty much riveted to the book. Finally learning what happened between Ben and Charlotte was heartbreaking.

The author deals with a tragic and authentic event with just the right amount of weight: not so heavy-handed that the reader breaks, but by no means so lightly that it doesn't have substance. (I don't want to spoil anything, so I'm being incredibly vague, I know.)

As I said, I didn't quite think of the cast as being eighteen, but it was nice to catch glimpses of the original crew all as they prepare to embark on adulthood, personalities we know and love intact.

I did have a moment while "with" Ben when I deflated for his sake, realizing where things were headed, and I was not sure if he would or even should recover. I was never so glad to be wrong, although what did happen was still...heartbreaking. I'm using that word a lot, but that's the tone of the book.

Chasing Tomorrow is a must read if you are a fan of Summer Lake, but it is not a standalone. You don't want to miss the other books, which set up why this book is so important. SJ McCoy just keeps getting better. This book is well written and clean, and while it is short, it is a most excellent way to spend a couple hours.