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jademermaid) wrote2009-09-01 03:56 pm
jademermaid) wrote2009-09-01 03:56 pm
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Bloodlust Reading Club Reviews - August 2009
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ISBN 9780441013814
Moon Called, by Patricia Briggs
4 fangs out of 5!
Any reader of fantasy fiction goes into a book ready to suspend disbelief. There are mythical creatures dwelling in a world that accepts them as completely normal, and so we do the same. Sometimes it takes another breath to do that, a subconscious reminder to settle back into the story in order to enjoy it. And sometimes-- very rarely, you open the first page and fall into the story completely.
Moon Called is the kind you fall into and accept with no hesitation. Add to that a strong but not superwoman female character of Mercy Thompson, a couple of interesting but not sappy males for her to ponder, and an adventure that takes place within a densely illustrated werewolf hierarchy and you have the makings of a favorite book, and the hook that brings you back, clawing for more!
We all agreed that we would be reading the rest of this series, and also picking up the Alpha and Omega series which is set in the same world. I can only fault this first offering for the ending, which seemed to taper off a bit and not give the ‘wow’ factor I love to get right when I close the book after finishing. So, four fangs out of a possible five and thank you Mrs. Briggs for an enjoyable run with the pack!
ISBN 9780451216953
Dark Lover, by J. R. Ward
4 fangs out of 5!
Have you ever met a person and made a snap judgment about them based on something trivial, such as their hairstyle, or their irritating laugh? If you hung around and gave them a chance, you might find that there is a lot more under the surface, maybe even enough that you ended up being great friends. That is the case with Dark Lover. If we can warn you about one thing, we will warn you to keep reading despite the campy names for the members of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Because even though they may make you cringe with their cheesiness, the writing is otherwise so engaging that it can be easily overlooked.
Those of us that love the erotic nature of vampire fiction will not be disappointed with Dark Lover. The romantic scenes are believable, torrid, and written with a flair too rarely seen in most erotic fiction. It is worth noting that the erotic scenes do not seem trite or misplaced. Too often we are faced with either too much or too little, and we felt that this title had a lovely balance.
The story itself has all the elements of a classic vampire tale, except for classic vampires. In fact, Ward’s take on the vampire mythos will challenge everything that you expect from vampires, in such a way as to keep you guessing about their motives. The only complaints we had were that the glossary seems a bit daunting at the beginning of the story (thought it is really hardly needed), and of course the odd names. Great writing, wonderful sex scenes, and a great ending make this a must read!
Moon Called, by Patricia Briggs
4 fangs out of 5!
Any reader of fantasy fiction goes into a book ready to suspend disbelief. There are mythical creatures dwelling in a world that accepts them as completely normal, and so we do the same. Sometimes it takes another breath to do that, a subconscious reminder to settle back into the story in order to enjoy it. And sometimes-- very rarely, you open the first page and fall into the story completely.
Moon Called is the kind you fall into and accept with no hesitation. Add to that a strong but not superwoman female character of Mercy Thompson, a couple of interesting but not sappy males for her to ponder, and an adventure that takes place within a densely illustrated werewolf hierarchy and you have the makings of a favorite book, and the hook that brings you back, clawing for more!
We all agreed that we would be reading the rest of this series, and also picking up the Alpha and Omega series which is set in the same world. I can only fault this first offering for the ending, which seemed to taper off a bit and not give the ‘wow’ factor I love to get right when I close the book after finishing. So, four fangs out of a possible five and thank you Mrs. Briggs for an enjoyable run with the pack!
Dark Lover, by J. R. Ward
4 fangs out of 5!
Have you ever met a person and made a snap judgment about them based on something trivial, such as their hairstyle, or their irritating laugh? If you hung around and gave them a chance, you might find that there is a lot more under the surface, maybe even enough that you ended up being great friends. That is the case with Dark Lover. If we can warn you about one thing, we will warn you to keep reading despite the campy names for the members of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Because even though they may make you cringe with their cheesiness, the writing is otherwise so engaging that it can be easily overlooked.
Those of us that love the erotic nature of vampire fiction will not be disappointed with Dark Lover. The romantic scenes are believable, torrid, and written with a flair too rarely seen in most erotic fiction. It is worth noting that the erotic scenes do not seem trite or misplaced. Too often we are faced with either too much or too little, and we felt that this title had a lovely balance.
The story itself has all the elements of a classic vampire tale, except for classic vampires. In fact, Ward’s take on the vampire mythos will challenge everything that you expect from vampires, in such a way as to keep you guessing about their motives. The only complaints we had were that the glossary seems a bit daunting at the beginning of the story (thought it is really hardly needed), and of course the odd names. Great writing, wonderful sex scenes, and a great ending make this a must read!