Month: November 2012

NaNoWriMo Month! What Have I Done???

NaNoWriMo Month! What Have I Done???

I’ve done it. I’ve taken the leap. Argh, what have I done? I should be committed! I’ve signed up to write a 50,000-page novel in the month of November under the auspices of NaNoWriMo, a.k.a., National Novel Writing Month, which is sponsored by The Office of Letters and Light (OLL). Which means what exactly? NaNoWriMo is the excuse so many of us need to write the stories that have been flitting across our minds, taking up room in our subconscious, pecking away at our procrastinating fingers. It’s an opportunity to at least make a start at writing down our ideas and who knows, with all the support and promotional efforts, maybe we’ll get farther than we could have ever expected. “Founded by freelance writer Chris Baty and 20 other overcaffeinated yahoos in 1999”, when last year’s NaNoWriMo concluded, there were over “36,843 writers who wrote 50,000-plus” words in 2011. It’s incentive. It costs nothing to sign-up. Although there are plenty of links requesting donations. There are no penalties if you don’t achieve the 50,000 words the writing marathon requests. NaNoWriMo is simply a committment you make to yourself to sit down and write for 30 days at 1,667 words per […]

Posted November 1, 2012 by Kathy Davie in Book Reviews / 0 Comments

Book Review: Mark Del Franco’s Uncertain Allies

Book Review: Mark Del Franco’s Uncertain Allies

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Uncertain Alliesin Paperback edition on April 26, 2011 and has 304 pages.Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon Fifth in the Connor Grey urban fantasy series about a druid who is re-learning about power. Based in Boston. My Take This one is one disaster after another with the bad guys outthinking the good guys and everyone is telling Connor how whiny he is! It’s true. Admittedly, he does have a lot of negatives in his life right now. The repercussions about Amy Sullivan/Moira Cashel are just starting to be felt. I can’t begin to imagine how Gerry will feel when he finds out who she really is. Brokke tells Connor he has only part of the story. That the Celtic view on the world, the turning of the Wheel, believes it will go on forever while the Teuts believe that the world can end. I have fallen in love with this series. Del Franco has a nice range of characters with some having very questionable morals—something like our own politicians—and others who appear questionable […]

Posted November 1, 2012 by Kathy Davie in / 0 Comments

Book Review: Melinda Wells’ Killer Mousse

Book Review: Melinda Wells’ Killer Mousse

I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Killer Mousseby Melinda Wellsin Paperback edition that was published by Berkley Sensation on February 5, 2008 and has 320 pages.Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon First in the Della Cooks mystery series revolving around the widowed Della Carmichael stepping into her first cooking show. My Take I loved the homeyness of Wells’ writing. Her descriptions of the exterior of Della’s English cottage and the in-and outside of Lulu’s — oh!! She’s got some great-sounding recipes that I can’t wait to try out. I had to sigh…gag?…a little at Della’s decision to investigate the murder herself. Too cheesy…oops, guess I’m playing into this theme… Too soon. Too easy. It would have been more believable with more drama and tension if Wells had held off until there was a real threat such as the death caused by the use of her knife when Halls seems to think it’s an open-and-shut case. Even if it is too lame for Halls to leap on her. I do like Della raking D’Martino down for his ageism. […]

Posted November 1, 2012 by Kathy Davie in Book Reviews / 0 Comments

Book Review: Lisa Valdez’s Passion

Book Review: Lisa Valdez’s Passion

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Passionin Paperback edition on July 5, 2005 and has 311 pages.Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon First in the Passion Quartet historical romance series revolving around the sisters in 1851 England. The couple focus is on Passion and Mark. My Take I’ve been reading so many stories that have been more action-oriented that at first I was whining to myself about why Valdez couldn’t just get on with it. After a mental head slap, I settled in and simply enjoyed how beautifully Valdez wrote. She is so descriptive whether she’s describing a character, setting a scene, or creating a love scene that it more than makes up for the questions her writing raised. This was a lovely period piece with some unique aspects: The usual noble rake except he’s out-and-out honest about this being simply a short-term affair…except that he falls in love with the morally honest, yet passionate widow. And Valdez maintains the integrity of the manners and culture of the time. Such a treat for a history buff like me! The […]

Posted November 1, 2012 by Kathy Davie in / 0 Comments

Book Review: Lorelei James’ Raising Kane

Book Review: Lorelei James’ Raising Kane

I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Source: the library This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.Raising Kaneby Lorelei James erotic romance in eBook edition that was published by Samhain Publishing on June 29, 2010 and has 256 pages.Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Corralled, Saddled and Spurred, Rode Hard, Put Up Wet, Wrangled and Tangled, Long Hard Ride, Cowgirl Up and Ride, Rough, Raw and Ready, Tied Up, Tied Down, Wild Ride, Branded as Trouble, Shoulda Been a Cowboy, All Jacked Up, Cowgirls Don’t Cry, Chasin’ Eight, One Night Rodeo, Casanova Cowboy, Kissin’ Tell, Gone Country, Mistress Christmas, Miss Firecracker, Bound, Redneck Romeo, Unwound, Turn and Burn, Hillbilly Rockstar, “Schooled”, Wrapped and Strapped, Unraveled, What You Need, Just What I Needed, Racked and Stacked, Hang Tough, Spun Out, All You Need, I Want You Back, Want You to Want MeNinth in the Rough Riders erotic western romance series revolving […]

Posted November 1, 2012 by Kathy Davie in Book Reviews / 0 Comments