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2013 Reading Challenge
Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) has
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New-To-Me Authors
2013 reading goal:
15 new-to-me authors.
1) Stacy Gail
2) Heather Massey
3) Sidney Bristol
4) Ann Mayburn
5) Thea Harrison
6) Virna DePaul
7) Mary Quast
8) Molly Harper
9) Eleri Stone
10) PJ Schnyder
11) Kait Ballenger
12) Denise L. Wyant
13) Lucy Monroe
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Showing posts with label 2.5 stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2.5 stars. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Review: Smoking Hot by Karen Kelley
Smoking Hot
Author: Karen Kelley
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Good Girl series #3
ISBN: 978-1402263927
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): paperback (288 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
Note: according to GoodReads, this book also goes by the title Where There’s Heat
About the book:
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Everything She Wants...
Working the night shift at the sheriff's office has given deputy Raine McCandless more than enough time to fantasize about the kind of man she'd like to take prisoner, so when she arrives home to find a sexy intruder waiting for her, she's pretty sure she must be dreaming.
...Can and Will Be Held Against Her
But Dillon Taylor, with his stunning blue eyes and killer tan, is 100% real, just not 100% human. Half-man, half-angel, he'd love to answer every naughty prayer Raine has ever had. But Raine is in serious danger. And Dillon can only fulfill her every fantasy if he can keep her alive.
What VampBard’s talking about:
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Caveat: This is apparently the third title in Ms. Kelley’s Good Girl series. Had I know this prior to reading and writing this review, I may have viewed the title differently, or chosen to read the other two books prior to reading this one. I do that crazy kind of stuff. The information that this is in fact the third title in a series is not readily available via Amazon nor the author’s website, which is where I look for information about books. One shouldn’t have to look THAT hard to find this information, and it should be consistent across standard informational sites!
Smoking Hot by Karen Kelley was creatively told from the perspective of the leading lady, Raine. There was some pretty steamy scenes, as well. Dillon – OK. He was hot. The plot? Meh.
What I liked: Raine was a seriously flawed character. The way she was set-up as a character, she didn’t have a chance to be redeemed by the time the plot arc played out. I’m OK with that, though. I also liked the way Raine’s grandfather was involved, and he was hooking – up with someone. Go Gramps! Dillon – the one thing I liked about him was his smartarse-ness. This was a no-brainer read for me. I didn’t have to worry about keeping up with anything.
What I was ‘meh’ about: The plot. OK. This wasn’t about solving the bank heist AT. ALL. This was about ‘fixing’ Raine. I’m not cool with that. When it’s obvious to me that the main conflict in the story is taking a backseat to the character’s inner conflict, when in reality, they should be woven together seamlessly, it’s an issue. Dillon is ignoring his ‘rules’, and he knows the consequences. Mr. I-am-selfless-because-I-love-her was clearly pushing the limits with Raine and his boss. I felt that the characters were pretty flat.
What down-right confused me: It felt like there was a book or two that I missed. It would make sense that each of the nephilim would have their own book as they met their Daddy Dearests. If this is a stand-alone, I’m wondering what the purpose of introducing the sperm donors of the other nephilim that were Dillon’s ‘brothers’. Yes. That’s the kind of stuff that makes me go, “hmmm…”
I’m pretty take it or leave it with this title. I thought there was a lot of ground that could have been covered, and felt this title fell flat with a phenomenal concept potential.
VampBard’s Rating:
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Finished it - take it or leave it (C)
Purchase Info:
Monday, June 10, 2013
Review: How to Tame Your Duke by Juliana Gray
How to Tame Your Duke
Author: here Juliana Gray
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Berkley
Three Princesses Series #1
ISBN: #978-0425265666
Genre: Historical Romance
Format(s): Paperback (320 pgs), ebook
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Three intrepid princesses find themselves targets in a deadly plot against the crown—until their uncle devises a brilliant plan to keep them safe...
England, 1888. Quiet and scholarly Princess Emilie has always avoided adventure, until she’s forced to disguise herself as a tutor in the household of the imposing Duke of Ashland, a former soldier disfigured in battle and abandoned by his wife. When chance draws her into a secret liaison with the duke, Emilie can’t resist the opportunity to learn what lies behind his forbidding mask, and find out what adventure really means...
The duke never imagines that his son’s tutor and his mysterious golden-haired beauty are one and the same. But when the true identity of his lover is laid bare, Ashland must face the demons in his past in order to safeguard both his lady—and his heart.
What Ang’s talking about:
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I want you all to know that I really wanted to like How to Tame Your Duke. I have enjoyed everything else Juliana Gray has written up to this point and frankly, I don’t want to make her mad. I want her to keep writing. Not that my one little review is going to keep that from happening, but if the next novel is as tepid as this one is, I probably won’t continue to read this series. Seriously, these characters were so unremarkable I can’t even remember their names sitting here writing this review. I know there was princess. She was smart and snarky. There was a wounded duke, his son who was hilarious, and a maid who was so clueless that she offered a lot of comic relief from the boredom.
There was a lot of potential here. There was a princess, spies, abductions, hidden identities—sounds good, right? The seduction was really beautifully written. I felt the emotion and struggle of it. The side characters offered a wonderful distraction from the main plot.
However, the rest of the story was like a roller coaster ride where you wait five hours in line, finally get to the top of the giant incline, and—nothing. It’s just a straight shot to the finish, no dips, no turns, no flips, no corkscrews. It really isn’t a bad book, it just isn’t a great one.
What went wrong? Here are my issues (and I freely admit they’re mine):
1. The title. It’s called How to Tame Your Duke. This Duke didn’t need taming. The only character in this book that needed taming was the son and he just needed a good spanking.
2. The whole disguise thing. It works in theory, but anyone who was paying attention to the newspapers within the book would have figured it out very quickly. A haircut and moustache does not a convincing disguise make…especially when living in the same house with a spy.
3. The princess does things that feel completely out of character. First and foremost she’s been trained to be a princess. I don’t think a princess, even one trying to save her country, would have participated in numerous improprieties. The duke is also guilty when he puts the princess in danger even after he knows who she is.
I feel like many of these and other issues could have been dealt with by better editing. (See, I’m quick to blame the editor because I LIKE Juliana Gray!) Although How to Tame Your Duke wasn’t a winner for me, I’m willing to read the next story because Ms. Gray does push the envelope with historical fiction, and that’s a good thing.
Ang’s Rating:
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Finished it - take it or leave it (C)
Purchase Info:
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Review: Rising Darkness by Thea Harrison
Rising Darkness
Author: Thea Harrison
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Berkley
Game of Shadows #1
ISBN: #978-0425248454
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
Format(s): Paperback (304 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher/ NetGalley
About the book:
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In the hospital ER where she works, Mary is used to chaos. But lately, every aspect of her life seems adrift. She’s feeling disconnected from herself. Voices appear in her head. And the vivid, disturbing dreams she’s had all her life are becoming more intense. Then she meets Michael. He’s handsome, enigmatic and knows more than he can say. In his company, she slowly remembers the truth about herself…
Thousands of years ago, there were eight of them. The one called the Deceiver came to destroy the world, and the other seven followed to stop him. Reincarnated over and over, they carry on—and Mary finds herself drawn into the battle once again. And the more she learns, the more she realizes that Michael will go to any lengths to destroy the Deceiver.
Then she remembers who killed her during her last life, nine hundred years ago…Michael.
What I’m talking about:
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The story opens with a dream of a life from the very distant past, in a “galaxy far, far away,” although our heroine, Mary, doesn’t realize this until later in the story. She dreams of a criminal escaping and of comrades dying in one life to be reborn in another in order to find him and bring justice. To try and shake the dream and the stress of her life as an ER doctor in a nearby hospital, she goes for a run. When she thinks she sees and hears the wind talking, Mary becomes even more confused and a little concerned, starting to question her sanity. However, when her ex-husband (but still good friend) tries to get her to the doctor, she runs from the appointment and his help.
Rising Darkness unfolds slowly, giving the reader different point-of-views and sides to the same story. We learn about our hero, Michael and meet “Grandmother,” along with a few humans who know some of the secrets hidden among the naive population of Earth. I was a bit confused for a while, trying to piece together all of the sections and understand what had happened in the past and what it meant for this book. Although the story is revealed gradually, it is mostly necessary to convey the rather involved backstory and history of Michael, Mary and their companions. As the story progresses and the reader becomes more familiar with the nuances of the tale, the pace picks up a bit.
Mary is one of the original aliens/beings that transcended time and space to chase after the evil being who escaped to Earth; however, she has no clue who she is. After meeting a friendly psychic, experiencing an unexplainable encounter with the Virgin Mary and surviving a frightening confrontation with some deadly men, Mary beings to think that there is something more going on. I adore how the author has Mary compare her situation to that of Sarah Connor in the movie The Terminator as she begins to process what is happening to her. It was very relevant because it’s something we all do in our every day lives - relate our situation to something we’ve seen in a TV show or hear in a song. It was a well written sequence in the book.
Whereas Mary was always a little frantic, for over half of the book, Michael appeared emotionless and stoic. It was enjoyable to get some answers via Michael’s POV about halfway through the book when we finally became privy to his inner feelings about finding his long-lost mate. It was sorely needed because 1) Mary doesn't recognize him and 2) his actions seem so cold and calculated.
Overall the mythology behind the Game of Shadows series is interesting and unique. However, this first story dragged on for most of the book. While there was need to relate an intricate backstory to the reader, at times it was too confusing and/or not able to hold my interest. Mary and Michael had little emotional connection for the majority of the book; although they did manage to create a small spark closer to the end of the story. In addition, I was not satisfied with the conclusion of Rising Darkness. It’s not a cliffhanger per se, but it sort of just ended at a “break in the action,” and the journey is far from over. I just never could fully care about the characters, even though I liked the premise.
My Rating:
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Finished it - take it or leave it (C)
Monday, February 11, 2013
Review: Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts by Heather Massey
Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts
Author: Heather Massey
Release Date: Jan. 30, 2013
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Western, Romance, Steampunk
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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The West just got a whole lot wilder.
A woman on a mission… Scientific achievement isn’t enough for Violet Whitcomb. Life working alongside her renowned scientist father is filled with intellectual challenges, but what she truly craves is love and adventure. She’s resigned to a fate of academic pursuits–until a fateful trip across the American frontier changes everything. A rogue inventor known as the Iron Scorpion kidnaps Violet’s father and she alone is left to plan his rescue.
A man with a secret…
Logan McCoy knows firsthand going up against the Iron Scorpion is suicide, but he can’t let Violet waltz into the villain’s lair alone. She may be a stranger, but she’s also the most compelling woman he’s ever known.
A perilous quest…
Their attraction is undeniable, but their alliance turns contentious when Violet insists on including a third partner on their mission: her father’s latest invention and the world’s most advanced automaton, Arthur. The reason for Logan’s resistance isn’t clear until Violet comes face-to-face with the Iron Scorpion’s diabolical devices, and by then, it’s far too late.
What I’m talking about:
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Violet Whitcomb has lived a fairly isolated life as the only child of famous inventor Joseph Whitcomb. After her mother died, Violet spent most of her childhood helping her father with his top-secret creations, the biggest and best of which is about to be revealed.
Traveling through the Wyoming Territory aboard a luxury steam engine, Violet lives vicariously through her weekly reader “The Lady’s Fireside Collection” and the romantic adventures of John “Wild Wolf” Wallace. Yearning for adventure and a love of her own, Violet is immediately taken with a handsome stranger on the train. Soon the safety of her world is shaken when the Iron Scorpion sends his terrifying machines to kidnap Violet’s father. Enlisting the aid of her stranger, Logan McCoy, Violet sets out into the unknown to rescue her Papa.
Violet is extremely lonely, and I empathize with her desires to break out of her father’s shadow and live her own life. Yet, she comes across naive, with an innocent childlike quality, and I am uncertain she could make it on her own. This image of Violet is reinforced time and time again, especially in her interactions with Logan. The lines between stubbornness and childish were blurred as she argued with Logan along the way. I waffled between feeling sorry for and being annoyed with Violet.
Logan is a stereotypical western hero. He is tough and distant, but he is willing to help out the lady in distress. In addition, Logan is keeping a big secret from Violet, and while it is evident to the reader he’s not the man Violet imagines him to be, he continues to allow her to believe otherwise. Although he reluctantly agrees to help Violet, his constant stand-offish and distant behavior wore on me.
I had a hard time connecting with the couple, and I think partially (mostly) that's because the entire story (with the exception of the end) is told from the third-person POV of Violet. Being mysterious and secretive is one thing, but rude and distant is another. Yes, Logan did some kind things, but his attitude rubbed me the wrong way. And without the benefit of Logan’s POV, I had no idea of his true nature or intentions.
I enjoyed the use the weekly reader story, but it was evident that Violet would blur the lines between the fantasy story and real-life. During the rescue of her father, she viewed the situation with a naivety that bordered on reckless. And she saw in Logan the man from her romance weekly, not the true person, even as she was falling in love.
With that said…. it is an entertaining, simple story. The characters are likable, and the adventure itself is pretty exciting. I liked Violet, but until the end of the book, she came across too childlike and naive, living in a fantasy world - believing what she wanted and not seeing the truth. Things are simple in her eyes and she wants to live the life of her romance adventures. Maybe we all need to be a bit more like Violet sometimes!
My Rating:
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Finished it - take it or leave it (C)
Labels:
2.5 stars,
Heather Massey,
Lyrical Press,
romance,
steampunk,
Twimom Review,
western
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0
comments
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Review: Hera Queen of Gods by TD Thomas
Hera, Queen of Gods
Author: T.D. Thomas
Release Date: Oct. 3, 2012
Goddess Unbound #1
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Format(s): E-book (536 printed pages)
Book Source: Author
About the book:
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Hera couldn't care less what the other gods think, even when it's about her. And it often is. Frankly, Hera couldn't care less about anything, except doing her duty as queen - protecting order and defending the mortal world against any threats. But when the Fates go missing, Hera and a handful of other gods must temporarily become mortal to search the human world for the missing goddesses.
Hera finds that mortality begins to change her. It's not just the loss of her divine powers. She expected that. It's deeper somehow. It's affecting how she thinks, how she feels, what's important to her. And it gets much worse after she meets Justin, who defies every prejudice she once had about mortals. At the worst possible time, and despite all her efforts, Hera's black-and-white world starts to unravel.
Torn between who she's becoming and who she needs to be in order to fulfill her duty, Hera must survive a horde of murderous creatures sent to exploit her new weakness. In the end, only Hera can stop a traitorous plot conceived by a secret alliance of ancient and new enemies, a plot that threatens to destroy not only the order Hera is sworn to protect, but all of existence itself.
What G & U are talking about:
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Hera, Queen of Gods is the debut novel of T.D. Thomas. This new young adult series, Goddess Unbound, has some fascinating elements. However, Gikany and Una felt confused and a bit let down by the end.
The Fates are missing, and if you have some basic Greek Mythology knowledge, you’ll understand that it is a serious issue. To resolve the problem several of the Gods, including Zeus and Hera, come to earth, taking possession of teenage mortals to find and rescue the Fates.
It is all very intriguing: blending the impulsive and selfish natures of gods with teenagers seems like an easy thing to do. However, while the novel reads at what we feel is a younger-age and maturity level, some of the encounters in Hera, Queen of Gods are of a more mature nature. Greek gods by nature are pleasure seeking, self-absorbed entities with little to no regard for the mortals. The novel also explores the constant inner struggle Hera has with keeping her vows in her marriage with Zeus, who has no qualms about violating those vows. Then we take into account the fact that Hera is almost gang raped in the beginning of the novel. Combine this with the gods espousing the belief that alcohol will solve their temporary problems of feeling outnumber and outwitted, and then running off to a “kegger”. This all occurs after they give a mortal teenager “liquid courage” so the gods possessing the teenagers can continue with their quest.
Again, Hera, Queen of Gods fell pretty short overall in our opinion. But we do seem some promise in the overall mythology and plot arc, which gives us the desire to read the next book in the Goddess Unbound series.
Their Rating:
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Finished it - take it or leave it (C)
Purchase Info:
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Quickie Review: A Convenient Bride by Cheryl Ann Smith
A Convenient Bride
Author: Cheryl Ann Smith
Release Date: Dec. 31, 2012
Publisher: Berkley
School for Brides #4
ISBN: #978-0425260654
Genre: Historical Romance
Format(s): Paperback (336 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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On the hunt for his runaway sister, Lord Richard Ellerby stops a suspicious carriage at gunpoint and is shocked to be mistaken for a thieving highwayman. When the attractive woman inside makes him an offer to court her for pay, Richard refuses and sends her on her way. But the determined lady soon finds him again and proposes an even more outrageous offer: wedding her in a marriage of convenience.
Desperate to find love with a man of her own choosing, Lady Brenna Harrington will do anything to hold on to her freedom, even if it means propositioning a dangerous highwayman. If she can distract her father with a prospective husband who only wants to marry her for her fortune, Brenna will have time to do things her way. While her plan may be just crazy enough to work, her unsuitable suitor has other more pleasurable strategies in mind.
What Ang is talking about:
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Newton says the shortest distance between any two points is a straight line, and I feel Ms. Smith should have taken this law into account when writing this book. Although I can respect her effort with A Convenient Bride and her desire to add adventure to the romance story by giving us a mystery to solve, I feel like the effort fell flat--especially since the villain was so easy to figure out. And I'm not a even a mystery reader. Add to this the lack character's lack of depth and the novel's inability to grip me at any point in the story line, and I feel like you are left with just another romance novel in a sea of romance novels.
Although Richard and Brenna did have some good dialogue, and it was interesting watching their relationship evolve, I felt like we lose the intensity of their romance to a variety of averagely written secondary characters. I'd much rather follow Richard and Brenna's story than read about everyone else. Like I said earlier, I respect the effort of the novel but don't feel I can rate it any better than a ‘C.’ To me, a ‘C’ represents average work, and for me, that is what A Convenient Bride was, average.
Ang’s Rating:
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Finished it - take it or leave it (C)
Purchase Info:
Friday, January 11, 2013
Review: My Lord Immortality by Alexandra Ivy
My Lord Immortality
Author: Alexandra Ivy
Release Date: Dec. 24, 2012 (reissue)
Publisher: Zebra
Immortal Rogues #3
ISBN: #978-1420128215
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (224 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Amelia Hadwell has no time for London's nightlife. Not when her beloved brother’s odd ways have their family threatening to institutionalize him. And not when she is questioning her own sanity after being confronted by a murderous shadow creature—then being saved by a captivating stranger, a man who belongs to a world she cannot imagine.
Reserved and scholarly, Sebastian St.Ives has been content without human desires—until they are reawakened by the delicate, brave Amelia, whom he is meant to protect. For the young woman has no idea she possesses the key to a ravenous vampire’s dark victory. Now Sebastian must shield her from both a killer and his own growing attraction—or bond with her completely, and forever...
What I’m talking about:
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Our story begins with a Prologue outlining the history of vampires in the world - and that the greatest vampire, Nefri, created a veil to hide their race from humans. This put an end to bloodlust and created a docile, intellectual vampire race. However, there are some that do not agree with Nefri’s rule and have entered the human world to recover the Medallion which gives Nefri her power. The primary antagonist, Drake, is one such vampire, and he hunts down Amelia, keeper of one-third of the Medallion.
My Lord Immortality is set in roughly Regency England, and has a definite historical feel. Amelia and her mentally/emotionally handicapped brother, William, live mostly on their own after their parents decided they’d rather not have anything to do with William. Unfortunately, women are being brutally murdered near their home, and William appears to be at the center of the investigation due to his childlike ways and misunderstood manner. This is where our hero, Sebastian St.Ives, comes in as Amelia’s protector. He was sent from the veil by Nefri to protect Amelia and her piece of the Medallion.
Before getting further in my review, I feel it necessary to note that it wasn’t until after I started reading My Lord Immortality, that I discovered 1) the book is a reissue, 2) it is the third story in a trilogy and 3) this trilogy is the precursor to a much larger, fuller series by Ms. Ivy. Knowing this, and having read this story, I would not recommend anyone pick up this book on its own merits. Although I had no trouble following along, and the plot could be read as a stand alone, I never felt any real attachment to the characters or the overall story. I feel that I would have probably enjoyed this more if I’d started the series with the first book.
The mythology created by Ms. Ivy is interesting. I like the idea that vampires have denied themselves pleasure for so long - it creates almost virginal hero-types. Sebastian is a gentleman, but also has cravings and needs once he meets Amelia. He is conflicted over his duties and his desires. This makes for good romance character-building.
However, I felt that Amelia was portrayed overly naive and as a stereotypically faint-hearted female. Although I admire that she bucked society to care for William, she seemed to undo her own courageousness over and over. Here is a perfect example, directly from Amelia’s point-of-view, "But despite the frantic urge to help, she was bound by a paralyzing fear." And even as Sebastian and Amelia confess their feelings for each other, Amelia comes across too childlike.
In addition, the portrayal of William was too simplistic. He is eighteen, and although clearly mentally and/or emotionally handicapped, he is able to only speak in single and two word phrases. This alone seemed over-the-top. However, he also cannot follow directions,which of course leads to many problems.
Overall, I was not overly impressed with My Lord Immortality. It's not the author's ability to tell a compelling story, but rather that this story felt dated and simplistic. As the third book in a prequel trilogy, I feel it should not be read as an individual title.
Also, there are holes in the story. First, William was framed for murder, and the book never addresses how or even if his name is cleared. I felt this was a huge problem, and due to this, I dropped my rating from 3 to 2.5 stars. Second, I felt that the story neglected to adequately demonstrate the romance between Amelia and Sebastian. Although they profess their love to each other, I feel that the reader is more told than shown the pair falling in love. Finally, unless I missed it, we are never told how Amelia will live forever… the fact that she is human and he is a vampire isn't addressed to a satisfying manner.
With that all said, My Lord Immortality is easy to read, and the premise and mythology behind the tale is strong. As I stated earlier, I think I would have enjoyed this more if I'd started with the first book.
My Rating:
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Finished it - take it or leave it (C)
Friday, December 14, 2012
Review: At the Dungeon Master’s Hand by Jennifer Cole
At the Dungeon Master’s Hand
Author: Jennifer Cole
Release Date: Aug. 4, 2008
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Le Club d'Esclavage #1
Genre: Erotic Romance, BDSM, Novella
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Fantasies begin at the threshold of Le Club d'Esclavage
Natalie Buchanan has been working non-stop for six weeks. Determined to enjoy a rare weekend off, she winds up at the mysterious Le Club d'Esclavage.
Natalie had read about the bondage club, and although she'd been mildly curious about submissive pleasures, she never imagined she'd set foot inside. And now that she has, the erotic atmosphere of domination and submission sends her scrambling for the exit.
Before she can escape, she's approached by a leather-hooded, bare-chested man who whispers a deep, sultry, "You are mine..."
What I’m talking about:
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After working too hard for too long, Natalie’s two best friends promise her a night on the town. Much to Natalie’s surprise, they end up at Le Club d'Esclavage, the local BDSM club everyone is talking about. Shortly after arriving, both of Natalie’s friends abandon her for their own fun, and before she has a chance to escape, Natalie’s coworker, Max, shows up. Natalie has longed for Max for a while, but never made a move because he always seemed uninterested. However, before she has the chance to possibly initiate something, Max excuses himself and instead of his return, a mysterious hooded man approaches Natalie and will not let her leave.
The premise behind At the Dungeon Master’s Hand, although not entirely original, is solid and exciting. We may not know a lot about Natalie, but we learn quickly that she has certain unfulfilled fantasies, especially ones involving hunky coworker, Max. And since the novella shifts between character POVs, we find out that Max feels much the same way.
The story had many sensual and erotic scenes. The sex acts are pretty explicit, including some bondage and toy play. The initial chemistry between Natalie and Max played well in the story. Although the story is written to make Natalie wonder who her masked lover is, based on the shifting POVs, it’s very obvious the author intends the mystery man to be Max.
Although there are some entertaining parts in the story, I found too many little issues that detracted from my overall enjoyment of the novella. For example, when Max first approaches Natalie, her inner dialogue told us that she knew who Max was just from his voice, and she was overwhelmed by his “the scent of his fresh, clean cologne.” However, later when he comes to her has the hooded man, she no longer recognizes his voice and smell. Another example is that the bar is full of near naked, sweating, sexually aroused bodies, with the alcohol is flowing freely, yet Max notes that he can smell the fragrance of Natalie’s "subtle" perfume across the bar. It’s little details like this that when occur too often, can detract from a good story.
Additionally, as I read the novella, I couldn’t help but wonder a few things, which caused distraction from the storyline. First, why doesn't Natalie wonder what happened to Max? She had the hots for him, and then she just abandoned him to go have sex with the mystery man. Another was that the hooded man NEVER asked for consent and never offered Natalie a way to stop if she was uncomfortable. And what about the unprotected sex with a stranger? Unfortunately, there were even more small issues like this throughout the story, which continually distracted me from any emotional connection that the author may have attempted to build between the two main characters.
Overall, At the Dungeon Master’s Hand was a decent story. If you want erotic, hot sex... you've got it! But I felt the emotional reality and depth of the coupling was lacking. There were too many distractions and flaws, keeping me from truly connecting with the story. I wanted more from the couple, and this story just didn’t have it.
My Rating:
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Finished it - take it or leave it (C)
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