[Review]: "Forget Me Not"

Title: Forget Me Not
Author: Vicki Hinze
Pub. Date/Publisher: Multnomah Books (March 16, 2010)
Genre: Christian Fiction, Romance
Summary (Amazon):
Benjamin Brandt, owner of the Crossroads Crisis Center, hasn't set foot in the center since his wife and son were murdered a few years earlier. Then Susan comes to the center, beaten and battered, suffering a case of amnesia, and also bearing a close resemblance to Benjamin's deceased wife, also named Susan, and wearing the dead woman's cross necklace.

The two clash at first, but even as murders occur around them, the tension between them relaxes. Still, there is a mystery to be solved involving Susan's identity and a past that must be reckoned with before either can move ahead. Hinze's plot may have readers puzzling over how this tangled tale will ever resolve itself, but that underestimates the author's talent for transforming the unlikely into something beautiful.

 

Places to Order Forget Me Not at:
Amazon
Barnes and Nobles
Borders

Review:
Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze was a slow, albeit semi-interesting, read. It's not that the writing was poor by any means; in fact, it was fairly well written. However, the storyline, the characters, and the slow progression towards the climax took the novel down a few stars.
 Unfortunately, I do not have much to say about Forget Me Not—good or bad. It was one of those books (for me at least) that was simply “OK.” Nothing stood out, nothing inspired me, and yet there was also nothing that pushed me away, either. It was a book to pass the time with, and one that had it's good moments, but not one that I would go out of my way to read again.


3 Stars! A mediocre book, due to the subject matter more than a flaw in the author's writing. Again, this is just my opinion—I'm sure there are plenty that would love this book. However, this was simply not the book for me. I don't regret reading it, but neither am I anxious to read it again and again. If you like a good Christian novel, with a touch of suspense, a subtle hint of romance, and an over all theme of moral values and finding God again, then this is the book for you, even if it was not a 5 star novel for me.





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Thanks to LibraryThing's EarlyReviewer Program, where I won this book a few months ago!
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Sorry for not posting this review earlier-- it's been done for a while, but for some reason Blogger didn't post it when I had originally "ordered" it to. Hopefully before the end of this week I will have at least one more review up, two if I can.

And in the next few days, watch out for the information for my.. *Drum Roll*

2ND BLOG ANNIVERSARY!

Yes, I know I missed it last year (Don't even ask how, I have no clue myself!), BUT  this time will be HUGE. I have a few contests planned, and the prizes are pretty amazing, if I do say so myself!








Enjoy!






Until Next Time,

[Review]: "Love Is a Battlefield"

Title: Love Is a Battlefield
Author: Annalisa Daughety
Pub. Date: October 2009Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated
Genre: Christian Fiction, Romance
Series: A Walk in the Park Ser.
Summary (B&N):

When park ranger Kristy O'Neal returns to her job at Shiloh National Military Park after being left at the altar, she can hardly stand the thought of facing her colleagues as a jilted woman. Still, Kristy realizes her heart will mend fastest where her real love lies: the natural surroundings of a famed national park. Just when Kristy summons up her strength to re-enter her workplace, she discovers that a new ranger—a handsome and eligible man—has replaced her. Ace Kennedy immediately feels the heat, but definitely not the type of heat he hopes for after meeting Kristy. As the two attempt to work amicably with one another, outside pressures in the form of vandalism, interfering matchmakers, old wounds and fresh emotions draw Kristy and Ace closer while also setting them against each other.

Places to Order Love Is a Battlefield at:

Amazon.com

B&N.com

Borders.com

Review:

My first impression of this novel upon beginning it was "average". From the characters to the story line, nothing really stood out to me--- it sounded like something we've heard countless times, both in books and real life.

Kristy, our heroine for Love Is a Battlefield, has your average life. She's been in her dream job for most of her life, and loves it. She falls for the 'perfect' man, only to later find out he's the wrong guy for her-- after being left at the alter and broken up with through a note, of all things. Now her life isn't so perfect, she's been replaced at work by the good-looking new guy, and her mother's trying to play match maker already.

Haven't we seen this before? And if not, doesn't it seem like the sort of thing you'd see in your own town? Personally, when I pick up a book, I want to escape from the real world, not jump into the slightly fictionalized version of the same thing! Then again, I've always had trouble getting into contemporary fiction/romance, especially Christian Fiction such as this. But no matter my own genre preferences, I simply felt like this book needed something more, something new.

All the characters seemed a bit common, not particularly strong in development. Despite being the main character, Kristy almost seemed to take a back seat to Ace at times, and even he wasn't as forward of a character as I would have liked. Plus, for more than 3/4 of the book, we knew next to nothing about him-- he just kept eluding to some "to be announced" reason why he came to take this new job, and I was hoping it would be something good that added to the plot, but in the end, when you find out, it's a big let down. I won't ruin it, but let's just say it adds about as much excitement to the book as watching grass grow.

From the conversations between the characters to the flow of the story line, everything just seemed a bit too predictable and bland to me. Honestly, I could practically tell you what the characters were going to say even before it came up-- it should not be that easy to predict! It wasn't a horribly written novel, but it didn't have any real "pop!" to it either.

And then there was the fact that, despite this being a Christian Fiction, I couldn't see, nor appreciate, the romance that was suppose to be in it. I know, it's suppose to be chaste-- but must it be invisible and fake too? That's my one problem with CF novels--- it's not that there may be the occasional undertone of religion in the novel (though, at times, that too can get annoying), but the fact that most authors in this genre seem to think that the romance must be as clean as the new snow! Come on, even the most strict of religious couples are not that boring in their relationships! Is there anything wrong with a bit of lust, a kiss or two? Unresolved sexual tension, when written well, can be just as sexy as the most erotic romance scenes!

3 STARS! Despite the mediocre story behind this novel, I can't say I hated the book-- not by any means. However, it was lacking in excitement, and romance, which are my only real criticisms. Otherwise, the book was a quick, and at times charming, read-- not too heavy, but a very light fiction novel. If you don't mind the brief mention of religious beliefs in your fiction (aka, Christian Fiction), then by all means, pick this one up when you get some spare time, but don't move it to the top of your wish list.





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Thanks to LibraryThing's EarlyReviewer Program, where I won this book last month!
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Hmm... I really need to start working on my preparation for tomorrow's big dinner, but I'm far too lazy right now. *Pause* Okay, so I'm also a bit *preoccupied* by Facebook too, but that's besides the point! :D

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday tomorrow, and enjoy the rest of your week!



Enjoy!






Until Next Time,

Reivew-- "Menu for Romance"

Title: Menu for Romance

Author: Kaye Dacus

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christian Fiction Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated

Publication Date: July 2009

Series: Brides of Bonneterre ISBN-13: 9781602604551

Summary (Amazon):

Cater to your craving for fabulous fictional fare with Menu for Romance, where a party planner finds herself torn between the contractor and the cook. After eight years of unrequited love, Meredith Guidry makes a New Year's resolution to find someone new and end her single status before the year's over. And when she meets a handsome contractor on New Year's Day, it seems like her prayers have been answered. Executive Chef Major O'Hara has forsworn relationships, knowing he could never saddle the woman he loves with a family situation like his. But when it seems he's about to lose Meredith Guidry to another man, he realizes he must concoct a menu for romance to win her back.

My Review: I'm not usually one for contemporaries, unless it's from an author I already know and love. But when I saw Menu for Romance on the ER list for August, I was interested enough to request it. And while this wasn't my favorite book of all times, it was a pleasant enough read that I may try other books from Ms. Dacus in the future. I did enjoy the lite, fluffy romance in the story, and it was a welcome reprieve from all the other books I've been reading. It had it's 'ah, cute' type of moments, along with a few witty ones. In other words, a sweet, and fairly quick read. However, the one main thing that I didn't like was the complete lack of sexual tension---of any sort! Only a few little pecks on the lips were even mentioned in the book. Now, I know, this is technically a 'Christian Fiction', and that means that it's no where near the erotica level, but does it have to mean no sexual tension, too? Come on, sometimes the build up and teasing along the way is far more interesting than the actual 'event'! If the author doesn't want to put sex scenes in the book before the h/hr are married, that's fine with me-- but what's so harmful in a few slightly heady scenes between a couple that you know will end up married in the end? Despite the lack of, well, passion, between the hero and heroine of the story, the characters themselves weren't too bad. They could have had a bit more depth at times, but over all, I didn't mind them-- and I have to say, Major's mother was by far the most unique out of the group. I only wish the author had played up interaction between them all a bit more, since at times I almost didn't really see the connection between them. It was more like a fine line than the strong one you usually want in a book, especially a romance. Christian Fiction or not, you still need that connection, that growth and development from the characters. 3/5 STARS! An enjoyable romance novel, which I would recommend to anyone, even a teenage girl. With an interesting (and not too common) story plot, which only added to the appeal, plus characters and events that are realistic, Menu for Romance shouldn't be passed over just because of its genre. Try it, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed in it either! ~~~~~~ See, I told you I'd get this review posted before Friday! :D Thanks for all the well wishes, ladies! :D I really appreciate it. I'm still feeling miserable, but not quiet as bad as yesterday. Thank God for Pseudoephedrine--- I swear, if you have a stuffy nose, grab this stuff, it's the best kind out there, and I've been using it for colds for most of my life! Still, if you don't see me around a lot for the rest of the week, you know why. I will have another post Friday, at least. And maybe I'll start on my next review tomorrow, though I probably won't have it posted until next week sometime...

Enjoy!

Until Next Time,

REVIEW: "Blood Bayou"

Title: Blood Bayou

Author: Karen Young

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Release Date: May 2009

Summary (B&N):

To Save a Victim, Camille St. James May Have to Become One Herself. Seven years ago, tragedy ended the troubled marriage of Camille and Jack Vermillion. Now, as head of the Truth Project, her life safe and orderly, she focuses her lawyerly skills on freeing wrongly incarcerated individuals on death row. Jack paid a bitter price for his mistakes. No longer a high-powered corporate attorney, he's now pastor of a small church in Blood Bayou. Unsure of her own beliefs, Camille is highly skeptical of the conversion of this man she hasn't seen in seven years. Then tragedy strikes again. Jack's sister is murdered, apparently by a prisoner Camille has set free. To prove his innocence, Camille must return to Blood Bayou. But that means facing the hostility of the town — and Jack. And as She Works to Find the Real Killer, Someone Is Determined to Stop Her...by Any Means.

My Thoughts: I have to be honest: when I first started the book, the story line was a bit dry, and it moved slow, too slow for my tastes. It wasn't enough to make me want to put the book down, unfinished, and it didn't make me hate the book in the end, but I think it's only fair that I say this, in case others happen to find themselves thinking the same thing, wondering if they should read the book. And here's my answer: yes. I don't regret reading this book, it was good. Maybe not at the top of my favorites list, but definitely not on my least favorite either. Moving on. After the story line picked up, I started to enjoy it. The characters were interesting, and Young did a wonderful job at making them seem real. They had flaws, they had pasts, but they knew what mistakes they may have made, and weren't wimpy or annoying. Good characters are a must for a good book, they're what holds the rest of the book together! The one thing that confused me a bit was how Young started the book out telling us about a murder mystery in this relatively small town, and it's Camille's job to help figure it out. But suddenly, less than a fourth of the way through the book, the mystery element kind of...disappeared, and suddenly it's all about Camille and Jack's rekindling of their previous relationship. Now, I like a good suspense/mystery that the author combines with a romance story, but the melting of the two elements in this particular book weren't the smoothest. Sorry, Karen, it's nothing really against your writing, maybe it's more of my own particular opinion on what I like to read in a book? It's hard to explain... However, as the story continued, I found myself enjoying it more and more. Jack and Camille's connection started to grow (again), and there were more than a few parts where I found myself chuckling (always a good thing). Most importantly, the mystery came back, with a powerful kick, adding drama and suspense back into the story. After they started putting more of the 'clues' together, I instantly knew who the killer was, but even figuring it out before the big climax didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book. If there is one thing I would have liked a bit more of in the book, it's the back story of Camille and Jack. The author touched on it, briefly, a few times, but it always left me wanting a bit more. Jack was an alcoholic when they were married, but it finally became too much for Camille and she divorced him. After he sobered up, he became a man of God. (PAUSE) Wait, how did that happen? Don't get me wrong, I know it's possible, and I think it's great, but I would like to have read a bit about it! Talk about a strong, but previously tortured hero... So why not give us a little nibble of what he went through? And I know this was suppose to be more of a lite Christian novel, which means no 'R' rated sex scenes, but I wish they'd had a bit more passion along the way, even if it was only kisses. Even sweet, innocent ones are better than nothing! 4/5 stars. All in all, this was a very good book. Just the right amount of mystery and a light touch of romance (I loved how the story shows you that love can be won, even after it's lost). Not too fluffy, but not too much hard core suspense either. Great for a quick read by the pool side! ;)

Enjoy!

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