The Book Buff's Halloween Countdown: In Which I Discuss Christmas, The Jolly Green Giant, and Big Budget Musicals

Well Book Buffs, it's getting to be one of my favorite times of the year..... Halloween!  I love creepy stuff (not too creepy, I suffer from night terrors) and to celebrate this fun time, I'm going to be highlighting a few of the spookiest books I've ever read leading up to the big day.

Up first is one of the creepiest books I've ever read.....

...............drum roll please....................

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Wait...Whaaaah?  Yup.  I said it.  A Christmas Carol is straight up creepy.  First of all, there are the ghosts.  Here are some of the representations of the ghosts over the years...

See. Creepy.  I told you so.  

Here is The Book Buff's synopsis of the plot.  Rich man takes cheap to a whole other level, let's his miserly ways ruin his life, having complete disregard for his family, his employees and their very sick children.  Man gets a nighttime visit on Christmas Eve from his long dead business partner.  Partner tells him in a super creepy way that he'll be doomed for eternity if he doesn't change his ways and that he'll be visited by 3 spirits to b-slap him into learning the error of his ways (I don't Dickens used that term, but I'm just going to go with it)  So the first ghost to visit him is the Ghost of Christmas past, a he/she candle looking ghost described thus:

"being now a thing with one arm, now with one leg, now with twenty legs, now a pair of legs without a head, now a head without a body: of which dissolving parts, no outline would be visible in the dense gloom wherein they melted away."

Right.  So.  This weirdo ghosty thingy shows him past Christmases that were happy, as well as the Christmas Eve where he was (rightfully) dumped by his rockin' fiancee he was totally in love with.

Moving on, the Ghost of Christmas Present, who seemed to be a borderline functioning alcoholic, and is described to be a "jolly giant" which, naturally, to my 11 year old brain the first time I read this story looked like this in my head...

Jolly Green Giant, or JGG as all the cool kids are referring to him, shows Scrooge what's happening in the present.  He shows Scrooge the depressing little Christmas scene unfolding at Scrooge's clerk, Bob Cratchit's, house.  He sees Cratchit's infirm child, Tiny Tim, who is deathly ill because his father cannot afford treatment on his awful salary.  The spirit tells Scrooge that if he remains untreated, he will die.  Scrooge's heart begins to crack.  *Sniffle sniffle*

Enter Spirit the Third.  More like Spirit the Creepy.  The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come is the dude who really pushes this story over into my creepy list.  

"The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached. When it came near him, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery. It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand. ... It thrilled him [Scrooge] with a vague uncertain horror, to know that behind the dusky shroud there were ghostly eyes intently fixed upon him, while he, though he stretched his own to the utmost, could see nothing but a spectral hand and one great heap of black."

Here is a clip of one of the things Scrooge was shown by this ghost from my favorite version of A Christmas Carol (Scrooge, Albert Finney, 1970)...

You know you're a bad dude when a whole town dances on your coffin, jeez...The ghost also shows him that Tiny Tim kicks the bucket in a most decidedly depressing manner.  He also sees himself going down to the big bad place that starts with an H and ends with an E DOUBLE HICKEY STICKS.

After these harrowing encounters, Scrooge awakens a new man and changes his miserly ways, leading to the reprise of Thank You Very Much (and my favorite musical number in the whole movie).  The town dances off into the distance and all is well, but not before Tiny Tim proclaims, "God Bless Us, Every One".  The End.

Sorry guys, I grew up doing musical theater and I am a sucker for big musical numbers. Got an empty street?  Well fill it up with people dancing and singing and waving I always say :)

So that's that.  I'm not the biggest fan of Mr. Dickens, but this is one I really love.  Honestly, I think it is jolly enough for Christmas and creepy enough for Halloween.  What do you think?

What do you think of A Christmas Carol?  

What is your favorite creepy book?  

What creepy book do you think I should feature on my blog?  

Sound off in the comments!

Stay tuned for more spooky stories in the weeks to come!

Review: The Gallows Curse by Karen Maitland

"The thirteenth century is just begun and King John has fallen out with the Pope, leaving babies to lie unbaptized int heir cradles and corpses in unconsecrated ground.  Across a fear-ravaged England, the people are dying in sin.

And into the Norfolk village of Gastmere comes a new Lord of the Manor - the cruel and bloodthirsty Osborn, not long returned from crusading.  Spying treachery at every turn, he is prepared on the slightest pretext to damn anyone to hell and the scaffold.

So when Elena, a servant girl, is falsely accused of murdering her child, she is convinced she will be next.  But there are others who will defy Osborn's brutal regime to save a girl who once took part in the secrets and strange rituals of the manor..." (back cover description)

My Take:

This is going to sound super lame but sometimes when I'm having trouble getting a review started, I like to do some word association, and this will get my creativity flowing.  I never include the word association in my review, but since it failed to get me going this time, here it is.  This may give you an idea of my feeling about this book, which are as mixed as a Berry Best Frozen Custard Avalanche (I just got finished eating my Turtle Sundae from BRC's Frozen Custard, so be prepared, there may be many dairy based metaphors in this post.  My apologies to the lactose intolerant.)

(Photo used under creative commons from Sirsnapsalot)

Plot: Interesting...Depressing...Unique...Semi-meandering...

Characters: Eh....Meh...Vienna Boy's Choir candidate...zzzzzz.....

Historical Content: Rich...Detailed...Folklore-ful (yeah, I like to make up a lot of words when I do word association)

Writing Quality: A+...solid...pro...

Did that give you any idea about the book?  No?  Let's dig into the review and maybe...hopefully...I'll circle around to a coherent thought or two :)  

Plot:  The plot was very very interesting, as I said in the association, but also like I said, it was super depressing.  As in depressing like each copy sold should come with a prescription for Prozac.  

(Photo used under creative commons from Carsten Schertzer)

 

These sorts of books, where basically nothing goes right for anyone, aren't usually my thing, but the other positives in the book kept me reading.  For example, the unique narrator kept me riveted.  The narrator was a mandrake root.  A shriveled, gnarly and amoral plant. Intrigued?  You should be.  As for the plot being semi-meandering, I think labyrinthine is more the word I'm searching for.  In the end, the way all the different plot points came together wasn't a big enough payoff to make the work it took to follow everything worth it.

Characters:  I've got to say, I didn't really love any of them.  The main girl, Elena, was weak, annoyingly blinded by love and a bit on the snoozy side (hence the Eh, Meh and zzzzzzz)  Now her unwanted savior is a bit more interesting, he is a fierce eunuch chomping at the bit to get his revenge and save the fair (and boring) maiden with whom he is in love.  I think most of the villains are a little flat, I wanted more layers, maybe some back story to make them more complex.  They felt a little mustache twirling, "I'm evil just because I'm evil" and I'm gunna tie you to a railroad just because I can.  

(Photo used under creative commons from mpeake)

Moving on...

Historical Content:  Awesome.  I wouldn't say accurate, because in the book, the supernatural is very much a real force, but as far as the day to day life, work, clothing, customs, etc., it's pretty spot on.  I loved how this book really brought to life the time period in which the church had left these people.  When you hear about it in history books, you think so what, but this book really made you realize it's a whole lotta what!  These people were genuinely terrified for their souls, and you really get that int he book.  A+.

Writing Quality:  The quality is not on trial here.  It is engaging, natural and down right fascinating.

So there you have my feelings on the book broken down, but what about as a whole?  Well.....

All in all, it was  just too twisted for me.  The dark stuff was too dark.  It had too many of the depressing elements of medieval Europe.  I can usually take it when a book focuses on one thing, but with all of the curses (which are real in the book) the hangings, the child prostitution, the dead baby spirits, the evil evil evil Aristocracy, murders of Monks, etc, it was too much for me.  If you love a good dark novel and don't get squeamish, check it out.  If you are a bit more sensitive, steer way clear of this book.  It'll haunt the crap out of you!  I think I'm going to have to give this book a rating of 3, Find a Used Book Store.  I have  to say that while this book isn't really my favorite, I am very interested in reading more from this author.

Tell me what you think!  

Are you into dark historical novels?

What is your favorite?

How do you feel about this author?

Is this her best work?  

Sound off in the comments!

If this book were a movie it would be rated R for disturbing images, sexual content and violence.

***FTC Disclosure:  The Gallows Curse was provided free of charge by the publishers in exchange for an honest opinions.  No other compensation was given, all opinions are my own and not influenced by any author, publisher, publicist or blogger***

Dracula in Love

I'm very excited to participate in this blog tour.  A big ol' thanks to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to participate.  I am always so grateful when I am able to participate in things like this.  Anyway, below you'll find all sorts of good stuff.  We've got my review, a book trailer and some really awesome links for anyone wanting to learn more.  Enjoy!  (P.S. stay tuned for a guest post later this week!)

Karen Essex

"Reader, you are about to enter a world that exists simultaneous with your own. But be warned: in its realm, there are no rules, and there is certainly no neat formula to become—or to destroy—one who has risen above the human condition…The truth is, we must fear monsters less and be warier of our own kind."

London, 1890. Mina Murray, the rosy-cheeked, quintessentially pure Victorian heroine, becomes Count Dracula’s object of desire. To preserve her chastity, five male “defenders” rush in to rescue her from the vampire’s evil clutches. This is the version of the story we've been told. But now, from Mina’s own pen, we discover that the story is vastly different when told from the female point of view.

My Take:

This is a tough review for me to put into words.  But I'm just gonna soldier on and hope I can string together a coherent sentence or two :)  First off, let me say that I found Dracula in Love to be extraordinarily engaging and very well written.  I liked the strong female characters (but hated the semi demonization of the men, yes women were oppressed at the time but that doesn't mean every man was super sexist/chauvinistic as they all seemed in the book) and I really enjoyed the super random twist on the original story.  I loved the Irish fairy twist which seemed totally out of place in a retelling of Dracula, but in my opinion, it worked.  Now, there were some things I didn't love.  First and foremost, there was a bit of random folklore and mythology told in the first half of the book or so, which, while interesting, didn't really do much to further the story, and didn't pop up later, as I expected.  I hesitate to call it filler, as it was very intriguing, but just didn't give the book any forward motion, thus feeling a bit filler-y.  Also, I'm not quite sure how I feel about the ending.  I think it was probably the most appropriate ending for the story, but I didn't love it, it was a tad anti climactic.  Though I didn't love the end, it definitely didn't ruin the overall book.  I'm always a huge fan of retelling from other points of view, and I think that the author gave Mina Harker a great voice.  She was a practical woman for her time.  She was smart.  She knew her realistic limitations and was happy with her lot in life overall.  This was a really enjoyable book, I loved the creepy tone and I LOOOOOVE the cover!  Just like this was a toughie for me to review, it was a toughie for me to rate.  While there were some things I didn't love about the book, it had a lot of resonance, that elusive indescribable "it-factor" which keeps you thinking about the book long after you've read it, and is one of the most important aspects for me to consider when rating a book.  This in mind, I rate Dracula in Love a 2, Borders with a Coupon

Tell me what you think! What do you think about a redo of a classic like Dracula?  Do you enjoy retellings from another point of view?  Have you read Dracula in Love?  What did you think of it? Hit the comments!

If Dracula in Love was a movie it would likely be rated R for sexual content and mild violence (the violence by itself is definitely more in the PG-PG-13 range)

Whats that you ask?  You want to watch the book trailer?  Well...



If you are interested in learning more about the book, the author, etc. here you go:

• Dracula in Love Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgHRtNHZiQI
• Link to tour schedule:  http://hfvirtualbooktours.blogspot.com/2011/07/virtual-book-tour-dracula-in-love-by.html
• Karen's Website:  http://www.karenessex.com/
• Karen's Blog:  http://www.karenessex.com/blog/
• Karen's Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=1060811184

***FTC Disclosure:  Dracula in Love was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review.  No other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Dracula in Love, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

             

  

Stone Kissed

Keri Stevens

When Delia Forrest talks to statues, they talk back. She is, after all, the last of the Steward witches.

After an arsonist torches her ancestral home with her estranged father still inside, Delia is forced to sell the estate to pay his medical bills. Her childhood crush, Grant Wolverton, makes a handsome offer for Steward House, vowing to return it to its former glory. Delia agrees, as long as he'll allow her to oversee the restoration.
Working so closely with Grant, Delia finds it difficult to hide her unique talent—especially when their growing passion fuels her abilities.

But someone else lusts after both her man and the raw power contained in the Steward land. Soon Delia finds herself fighting not just for Grant's love, but for both their lives...

My Take:

This was a weird one for me to rate.  I absolutely loved the main character's totally random ability to communicate with statues, but there were many, less wow-y aspects of the book to consider.  I'll get what I didn't love over with in the beginning, then we'll end on a positive note:)  The antagonist of the book wasn't all that great.  I mean, she was some weirdo succubus chick who totally creeped me out, but she wasn't really all that much of a threat to the main character, and after all, isn't that the point of an antagonist?  It almost felt like she belonged in a different book altogether.  Now, the other thing I didn't love: Grant, the love interest.  The reason I don't care for him isn't so much the fact that he's a bit of a d-bag, because let's face it, romance novel love interests are full of 'em, but more the fact that he was dumb enough to agree to marry a girl he thought to be a full on lunatic/liar.  Now of course, we omniscient readers know she isn't but he doesn't!  Why on earth would you want to saddle yourself to a lifetime of that???  If you really believe a girl to be a lunatic/liar, you really want to raising your children, etc?  Didn't make sense to me, but whatever, I was still glad they got together in the end.  Now to the good stuff.  I absolutely loved Delia's interaction with the statues all around her.  They all had fun and interesting personalities and I felt that Delia was a great character.  If you like either paranormal or romance, check this one out.  It is just one of those fun dinky romances I love so much, but since it isn't the sort of thing that you will want to read over and over, I rate it a 4, Borrow from a Friend.

Tell me what you think!  Have you read this book?  What did you think of the antagonist?  What did you think of Grant?  What do you think about the fact that the main character can talk to statues?  Do you find that interesting or not?  Hit the comments!

If Stone Kissed was a movie it would likely be rated R for violence and sexual content

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Stone Kissed, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

The Vespertine

Saundra Mitchell

The summer of 1889 is the one between childhood and womanhood for Amelia van den Broek-and thankfully, she’s not spending it at home in rural Maine. She’s been sent to Baltimore to stay with her stylish cousin, Zora, who will show her all the pleasures of city life and help her find a suitable man to marry.

Archery in the park, dazzling balls and hints of forbidden romance-Victorian Baltimore is more exciting than Amelia imagined. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset-visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. Newly dubbed “Maine’s Own Mystic”, Amelia is suddenly quite in demand.

However, her attraction to Nathaniel, an artist who is decidedly outside of Zora’s circle, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own- still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him. And while she has no trouble seeing the futures of others, she cannot predict whether Nathaniel will remain in hers.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

My Take:

I was really excited to read this "Victorian Gothic" novel, but found myself disappointed upon completion of something quite silly and, to me, unappealing.  The story had some great elements I find interesting: historical setting, romance, creepy undertones and a bit of paranormal mixed in.  However, put together in this particular combo didn't float my boat.  Half the book felt like a regular historical fiction, then all of a sudden it got very paranormal and creepy culminating in the absolutely silly ending.  Just because a book is paranormal or fantasy doesn't mean you can suspend reality completely.  The characters' emotions and reactions should be anchored in realism and logic, but alas, it was not to be.  I hate to use this word, because I think it is pretentiously overused in the world of critique, but in this case, I think it is warranted.  The word is: contrived.  The plot didn't feel like an authentic turn of events and I found myself giggling (not a good giggle) as I finished it. The writing in general however was not without merit.  I think the author is a good writer, but maybe not so strong at the story spinning aspect of writing a book.  With a better plot, I believe the author would put out a good book.  While it wasn't the worst book I've ever read, I also wasn't able to get into it  and therefore must assign it a rating of  4, Borrow from a Friend. But hey, just because the book didn't work for me doesn't mean you can't enjoy it, if it looks interesting to you, check it out!

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel.

If The Vespertine was a movie it would likely be rated PG for some violence disturbing imagery.

***FTC Disclosure:  This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing The Vespertine, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

If you enjoyed this review, feel free to leave The Book Buff a tip in "Kate's Tip Jar" located on the sidebar.  All tips are anonymous and in no way affect any of my reviews, thanks a ton!

Stealing Time

Elisa Paige

It wasn't that she wanted to live forever. She just didn't want to die.

When artist James Wesley realizes Evie Reed is dying, he is so moved by the beautiful reporter's determination to live that he makes her immortal—a vampire, like him. She's the woman he's been waiting over 150 years for. Though initially shocked by the change, Evie quickly embraces her second chance at life, and love.

Just as James and Evie begin to define eternity together, a zealot breaks an ancient treaty, threatening a peace between humans and vampires that has stood for a thousand years. And when he focuses his hatred on Evie, the immortal lovers find themselves swept up in a deadly supernatural war...

My Take: 

I have to admit, I am suffering a bit from vampire overload and fatigue.  However in spite of said fatigue, I found that I did in fact enjoy Stealing Time.  It is tough to stand out when there are so many good hearted vampires who feel torn between their blood lust and compassion, but stand out, classic tall dark and handsome recluse artist by day/compassionate, vampire James Wesley did.  Thankfully, while the romance between the two main characters was sweet (albeit typical) the whole story wasn't about them staring into each other's disgustingly perfect eyes.  There were other romances blossoming all around (tension filled love triangle alert! but thankfully not between the main two characters), there was an interesting cast of characters and a cool take on vampire lore.  If you are a vampire fan, definitely check this one out.  If you aren't, you might want to take a peek anyway, because there is a lot more to this book than meets the eye.  Pretty much all elements of the story have been done before, but the way they are put together in this book, combined with the author's voice (which I very much enjoyed by the way) make this a stand out book.  Also, something else I enjoyed: I'm always a fan of random pairings, I don't know if I've read a book with vampires and Fae together.  Its always vampires and demons, or vampires and werewolves, or Fae and some mythological creature, or whatever, but having the Fae randomly pop in and out of this vampire centric book was fun :)  I enjoyed Stealing Time, and I flew through it in a very short period of time, but unfortunately it is missing that elusive and all important (at least to me) element of resonance.  I wasn't thinking about this book all night after I finished it, which is what it really takes to bump a book up into the upper ratings for me.  With that I give it a good solid rating of a 3, Find a Used Book Store

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If Stealing Time was a movie it would likely be rated R for sexual content and violence

***FTC Disclosure:  This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Stealing Time, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

Don't Die, Dragonfly

Linda Joy Singleton

After getting kicked out of school and sent to live with her grandmother, Sabine Rose is determined to become a "normal" teenage girl. She hides her psychic powers from everyone, even from her grandmother Nona, who also has "the gift." Having a job at the school newspaper and friends like Penny-Love, a popular cheerleader, have helped Sabine fit in at her new school. She has even managed to catch the eye of the adorable Josh DeMarco. Yet, Sabine can't seem to get the bossy voice of Opal, her spirit guide, out of her head . . . or the disturbing images of a girl with a dragonfly tattoo. Suspected of a crime she didn't commit, Sabine must find the strength to defend herself and, later, save a friend from certain danger.

My Take:  

Describe this book in one word, you ask?  Lackluster.  Nothing particularly special or memorable about this book, but nothing absolutely horrible either.  Pretty much all the characters were flat, except for one, Dominic, a boy the main character is none too fond of.  I found him interesting, but his character was completely unexplored.  I was really annoyed with all the typos (this was not an ARC, when I get an advanced copy I don't mention typos, but this was a final version on Amazon) and overall I just couldn't get into the book.  The book had a ton of questions and potentially interesting plot lines to follow, but the conclusion of the book was abrupt and only gave closure to what seemed to me to be the most boring subplot.  There were about half a billion questions left unanswered at the end of the book.  There is a very fine line an author must tread to achieve the perfect balance of answered/unanswered questions at the end of the first book in a series.  You have to give the reader a little so they feel fulfilled but leave them wanting more.  This book left me unfulfilled and not interested in reading the other books, just annoyed.  Because I hate being a negative Debbie Downer, I will say that the book had some interesting ideas, the cover is great (I'm a sucker for purple) and the pacing wasn't bad but overall I've got to give it a rating of 4 Borrow from a Friend

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If Don't Die, Dragonfly was a movie, it would likely be rated PG for some mild language and some violence

If you are interested in purchasing Don't Die, Dragonfly, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!















If you enjoyed this review, feel free to leave The Book Buff a tip in "Kate's Tip Jar" located on the sidebar.  All tips are anonymous and in no way affect any of my reviews, thanks a ton!

Rasputin's Legacy

Troy Matthew Carnes

What if the two most ruthless mass murderers in history wanted you dead?

Giorgi Lazarov is only a young boy, but he can predict the future.  Until recently, only one person on earth knew that Giorgi's remarkable gift was passed down from his famous grandfather Grigori Rasputin.  But now the two most dangerous men in the world know of his special power.  Adolf Hitler learns of him through SS Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler's most gifted witch, and Joseph Stalin finds out when an insane prostitute languishing in an asylum claims to have borne Rasputin's child.  She is in fact Giorgi's grandmother.

Now, as the Nazi war machine invades the Soviet Union, launching the bloodiest conflict in human history, both Hitler and Stalin want him desperately,  They send their most capable assassins to find the boy and either claim his power for their cause or make certain that he does not live to be used against them.  When the Germans capture his village, Giorgi is separated from his parents, and he finds himself in a world of madness and utter evil where it seems there are only killer and corpses.

The people of the Ukraine can see no hope of salvation, but Giorgi can see everything...

My Take:  

Sometimes when I am on a deadline, I'll read a book in one day because I have to.  Other times, there is the rare book where I literally cannot put it down and I read the entire 400+ pages in one sitting.  Rasputin's Legacy is absolutely one of those rare books.  The beginning sucks you right in, grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the end.  The book is chalk full of great history, but trust me, you won't ever mistake this book for a textbooky historical fiction piece.  If you aren't a history buff, you'll be too distracted by the amazing story and action, you won't even notice the history lesson you are getting.  One of my favorite parts about this book, is that it discusses certain atrocities that aren't really mentioned in high school World History.  We all learned about the Nazis and the Holocaust, which was of course very important, but many times the plight of the Russian people that were murdered by Stalin is completely passed over.  This book has it all as we follow little Giorgi, Rasputin's illegitimate grandson, as he attempts to evade the clutches of both Hitler and Stalin.  The reader gets a front row seat to witness the inner workings of two of the most evil men in modern times.  All in all Rasputin's Legacy is amazing.  It is well written, exciting, and filled with rich and complex characters.  It is a great book for people who love history, WWII, action and adventure, paranormal thrillers, German and Russian history, or really anyone who loves a great story.  1, Pay Full Price

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel.

If Rasputin's Legacy were a movie, it would likely be rated PG-13 for violence, some sexual content and adult situations

***FTC Disclosure:  This book was provided in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Rasputin's Legacy, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

If you enjoyed this review, feel free to leave The Book Buff a tip in "Kate's Tip Jar" located on the sidebar.  All tips are anonymous and in no way affect any of my reviews, thanks a ton!

Halo

Alexandra Adornetto

An Angel is sent to earth on a mission.  But falling in love is not part of the plan.

Three angels--Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human--are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness.  They work hard to conceal their luminous glow, superhuman powers, and, most dangerous of all, their wings, all the while avoiding all human attachments.

Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them.  Gabriel and Ivy do everything in their power to intervene, but the bond between Xavier and Bethany seems too strong.

The angel's mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening.  Will love ruin Bethany or save her?

My Take:

After I finished Halo, I knew it would be a polarizing book.  Many people are calling it a Twilight ripoff, but I am not one who believes that Twilight is the end all be all of YA paranormal, so I have to say I don't agree with that specific criticism.  I really enjoyed the book, but I would like to give a slight warning to some people.  I know a lot of YA paranormal fans really like the darker books that are super edgy and have the bad boy as the love interest.  Be ye therefore warned that the main character is an angel (figuratively and literally) and her love interest is a non-brooding good boy and the bad boy of the story is actually the bad guy.  If you are looking for edgy, you are in the wrong place.  I do like to read edgier books, but since in real life I like the good boys (bad boys always just seem like too much work for me) this book appealed to me.  It was a refreshing breath of air to read about a non-brooder and take a step back from the vampire/werewolf stuff.  Xavier was a character I really liked.  He was a popular jock (which I don't usually like), but his popularity came not just from his good looks, but his kind heart.  He also had a great sense of humor, something I can't resist.  I was very impressed by the writing in this book, especially since it was written by a teenager.  It was very descriptive, but not as much as say Tolkien, who can take a chapter to describe a tree (don't get me wrong, Tolkien is one of my all time favorite authors, I'm just saying few authors can pull it off, so its good that most don't try)  The book itself is a bit long and was a tad slow in parts, but I think it serves as a good setup book, as it is the first in a trilogy.  Some of the characters were a bit flat, such as the main character's stoic angel brother and sister, but I have a feeling their characters will be explored later on and given a bit more depth.  I am excited to read the next books in the series, and I look forward to more from this author.  She has undeniable talent and has some really great ideas.  2, Borders with a Coupon

Do you agree with my review, do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If Halo were a movie it would likely be rated PG for some sexual discussion and mild language

***FTC Disclosure:  This book was provided in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Halo, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

If you enjoyed this review, feel free to leave The Book Buff a tip in "Kate's Tip Jar" located on the sidebar.  All tips are anonymous and in no way affect any of my reviews, thanks a ton!

Burned

P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Things have turned black at the House of Night.  Zoey Redbird's soul has shattered.  With everything she's ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey's fading fast.  It's seemingly more and more doubtful that she will be able to pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights.  As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her.  But how?  He will have to die to do so, the Vampyre High Council stipulates.  And then Zoey will give up for sure.  There are only seven days left.

Enter BFF Stevie Rae.  She wants to help Z, but she has massive problems of her own.  The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences.  Her kinda boyfriend Dallas, is sweet but too nosey for his own good.  The truth is, Stevie Rae's hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home--but it also threatens to explode her own world.

In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag (and proud of it).  She's always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems that Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess's own voice. whether Aphrodite wants it or not.  Aphrodite's loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey's fate hangs in the balance.

Three girls...playing with fire...if they don't watch out, everyone will get Burned.

My Take:

First off, a warning:  I've never really been a huge fan of this series, so if you are, remember to take my review with a grain of salt.  Now, on to the review.  Do you remember how in elementary school, swearing was very taboo, and if some kid did utter a swear word, a whole chorus of "oooooohs" and "ummmmms" and "I'm gunna tell teacher!" would erupt?  Then you go into middle school and the kids start realizing their parents don't know about their language at school, so all of a sudden all the kids are trying out curse words at every possible turn?  This is what Burned felt like to me, the characters were immature and the language sounded like a kid trying to sound cool.  The book really felt like it was trying too hard to be edgy, but it came off very inauthentic.  I also felt like the dialogue was not all that great, and didn't sound like how teenagers talk, but more an out of the loop adult's perception of teenspeak.  I've never really cared for Zoey, the main character, I feel like she is a self absorbed girl you just can't root for, so I did like that she wasn't the focus of the book.  With the ongoing vampire saturation of pop culture right now, a series really needs to be special to stand out, and for me, I just don't think this one makes the cut.  4, Borrow from a Friend.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If Burned were a movie, it would likely be rated PG-13, for adult content

***FTC Disclosure:  This book was provided in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Burned, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

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The Wedding Gift

Kathleen McKenna

Kathleen McKenna's explosive third novel The Wedding Gift excels in so many categories, it defies them all.

It is a spine-electrifying supernatural tale where a huge Southern States mansion contains one of the most terrifying, violent and indeed psychopathic ghosts to haunt any town.

It is also a murder mystery--why did Robina Willets apparently kill all five of her young children, and her husband, before stabbing herself to death?

And, if you are in the camp of believing that "justice...just is not," then this will have you frothing at the mouth with righteous social fury.

Add to that the vision of two exceptionally beautiful girls lying on a landing stage in the middle of a secluded lake, sleeping naked in the sun...

...and then see if you fan find any consecutive ten minutes in this book when you don't at least snicker at the herio0ne Leeann;s sly, caustic, sometimes knowing, sometimes "too stupid to live" commentary.

My Take:

The Wedding Gift was an interesting read, to say the least.  I found myself riveted despite the almost total lack of likable characters.  However, I think the rather annoying narrator was written that way intentionally, and I actually found her to be quite funny.  The pacing of the story was really one of its strengths.  There weren't really any lulls to speak of, and the final twists and turns, while disturbing,  definitely did the overall story a favor.  I enjoyed the humor throughout the book, but I definitely think it was a polarizing, slightly off-kilter sort of humor.  You either get it and love it, or you don't get it and hate it.  Overall I very much enjoyed the story, it wasn't perfect, but I honestly can't put my finger on how to make it better, specifically.  Therefore, I rate it a 3, Find a Used Book Store.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel.

If this book were a movie it would likely be rated R due to strong language throughout, sexual content, some violence (though the violence was more PG-13) and drug use

***FTC Disclosure:  This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing The Wedding Gift, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

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Heart's Desire

Jessica Coulter Smith

Morgan Raines transferred his senior year.  Starting over doesn't bother him.  But finding his mate pinned to her locker by her Neanderthal ex-boyfriend does...  From day one, Morgan and Skye are inseparable.  But will that change when she realizes he turns into a panther every time the moon is full?

My Take:

I know that the Twilight books are very polarizing, so I may lose some people when I say I enjoyed them.  I definitely don't think they were earth shattering like every teen girl on the planet, and I'm not in love with a Cullen (though I do love the name Jasper) but I thought they were entertaining.  I am a big believer in reading and enjoying books for what they are, and Twilight is just meant to be fun teen fluff.  I'm not going to analyze it the same way I would a classic romance such as Pride and Prejudice.  Anyway, I felt like Heart's Desire had a similar formula, but without the pizazz. Too hot to be true boy with a paranormal secret falls in love with incongruously average girl, boy and girl fall passionately in love in an oddly short amount of time, girl doesn't even blink when paranormal secret is revealed, boy is overly protective because he has a hard time harnessing his paranormal/feral instincts.  I think that if the book had been a little longer, maybe taken more time to develop the characters, it would have been immensely more enjoyable.  The conflict wasn't very exciting, and it tied itself up very neatly and quickly, maybe too quick.  I think this book shows promise, the characters had a good start and the boy's paranormal secret is definitely different than most, which is good, but truth be told, it all felt quite juvenile.  I think you can write a teen romance with authentic heart and soul, but this book missed the mark  Overall I give Heart's Desire a 4, Borrow from a Friend, if you are a fan of this genre.  If you aren't you will not like this book at all.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If this book were a movie, it would be rated a mild PG-13 for adult situations, sexual references and some language.

If you are interested in purchasing Heart's Desire, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

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Werelove: Dusk Conspiracy

Lakisha Spletzer

Laylah Le Croix has everything and nothing. After an attempted kidnapping, she is rescued by Donil. Angry at her life, she makes a defiant choice that plunges her into the heart of a conspiracy.

My Take:

At this particular moment, popular culture is completely awash in paranormal excitement.  Right now vampires are all the rage, but thanks to Taylor Lautner from Twilight, the werewolf is becoming the trendy mystical creature.  I enjoyed Werelove: Dusk Conspiracy because it was a fresh spin on this new werewolf craze.  Honestly, I'd say the book was definitely more futuristic sci fi than paranormal.  All in all I think this book was a worthy effort.  All aspects were pretty good.  The pacing, the characters and the plot were pretty good.  I can't really rave about the book because I wasn't sucked in wanting to devour it, and I can't bag on it either because honestly, there weren't really any specific things I disliked.  I did particularly like the main character, Laylah.  She was extraordinarily meek due to her sheltered upbringing.  I always love when the wimpy person stands up in the end and gets things done.  Laylah had some really neat character development that I really related to.  I grew up a quiet shy bookworm, but when I needed to defend someone I loved, I'd step up to the plate, as most people do.  Overall the book wasn't bad, worth a read but won't rock your world.  I'm caught between a 3 and a 4, but I think I've got to go with a 4, Borrow from a Friend.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If this book were a movie it would likely be rated PG-13 for some language and violence

***FTC Disclosure:  This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

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Milrose Munce and the Den of Professional Help

Douglas Anthony Cooper
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No one except Milrose Munce knows that ghosts of former students live in his school. Not only is Milrose aware of these ghouls – he’s on a first-name basis with all of them. Of course, some are more likable than others: the third floor is the home to nearly all of his good friends. Most of them – like Imploded Ig, Deeply Damaged Dave, and Toasted Theresa – were the victims of science experiments gone wrong though they do manage to maintain a sense of humor about their demise. Then there are the ghost athletes who lurk in the basement – a pretty disagreeable group, the majority of them having died after a particularly clumsy maneuver on the school’s sports field.

After Milrose is given yet another detention for offering his teacher an answer that was just a bit too clever, his life takes an unexpected turn. He is sent to a hidden den in the school’s basement to receive Professional Help. Here, he and the quick-witted Arabella, a fellow captive, are put under round-the-clock supervision of the maniacal Massimo Natica. Fortunately for Milrose and Arabella, once they join forces with their ghostly friends, Massimo Natica doesn’t stand a chance.

My Take:

Milrose Munce and the Den of Professional Help was an interesting book to say the least.  As I read through it, I couldn't make up my mind as to whether or not I enjoyed the book.  I always read a book all the way through before totally making up my mind. I'm certainly glad I did with this one, because by the end I found that I did enjoy it.  There was a time or two where I wasn't totally sure what was going on, but the oddities (I mean that in the best way) in the book made it fun to read anyway.  I enjoy any book that puts a new twist on the paranormal, because that is a genre that is beginning to be a bit played out.  This book's almost irreverent take on ghosts and the afterlife was extremely refreshing and extremely funny, this is definitely one to check out!  This book had a very Roald Dahl-ish quality, which I love, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda were childhood favorites of mine.  I give Milrose Munce a 3, Buy at a Used Book Store because it wasn't an earth shatteringly amazing book, but it was a fun way to pass the time. 

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I am totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If this book were a movie, it would likely be rated PG for some lighthearted and darkly comical descriptions of death

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!














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Ghost Orchid

D.K. Christi

A mysterious orchid is central to a story of love, lies, and redemption.

Once more before I die...the haunting mantra of a lonely woman. A woman grieving more than one loss.  On her regular walks amongst the splendor of the Audubon Society sanctuary, the sights and sounds of nature filled the void in Mel's soul.  She found peace here. No tears for what might have been. Only joy for having experienced the ecstasy of a great love. Her secrets stayed buried.

In another part of the world an exquisitely beautiful young woman also found peace by immersing herself in nature, capturing its beauty on film for National Geographic.  Educated in Europe's finest boarding schools, Neev became a model at fourteen, but after four years of posing and false smiles she knew she wanted more out of life.  Neev's love of photography brought her to the other side of the camera lens, and to exotic locations around the globe. Working on assignment with famous photographer Roger Andrew, she often trekked deep into the jungle in search of rare flowers.  Having a young, beautiful woman as a partner seemed like a good omen, and Roger thought their travels together could lead to a unique discovery. In spite of the age difference, their shared passion soon blossomed into a loving relationship.

When a Ghost Orchid began to bloom at the Audubon Society sanctuary, Roger knew this was the opportunity he'd been waiting for.

After a series of odd coincidences, they soon discovered this sensuous flower wasn't just rare and beautiful, it also had a strange, mystical power... 

My Take:

I feel like Ghost Orchid had so much potential, but just didn't quite reach it.  The characters were so interesting and mysterious, I felt by the end of the book, that I didn't know them as well as I would have liked.  The back story wasn't 100% explained, and that drove me a little crazy.  Overall though, the writing was solid.  The characters were intriguing, and the events taking place really grabbed your attention.  Sometimes I felt like some of the best parts of the story (I won't tell you which parts because I don't want to give away an spoilers:)  was glossed over far too quickly, particularly in the last half of the book.  I loved the book, but I wanted it to be longer than it's 166 pages.  When I found out there may be a sequel, I was overjoyed, because I really wanted to learn more; the book seemed like a promising start, but it didn't feel conclusive.  You know what I mean?  Where the ending just doesn't feel like an end.  I loved the overall haunting feel of the book, and I did think about it quite a bit after I was finished reading it, partly because I felt like there were some things missing, and partly because I loved the story.  Ghost Orchid will definitely appeal to romantics, and those that love to read about lost loves and redemption.  Overall, I will have to rate this book a 3, Find a Used Book Store.  It comes close to being great, but misses the mark by just a little bit.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If this book were a movie, it would likely be rated PG-13 for sexuality.

A few words with the author, D.K. Christi:

The Book Buff: When and why did you begin writing? 

D.K. Christi: Very  young, out of loneliness.  I was quiet and studious with few friends.  Writing became my friend; always there.

TBB: What was the hardest part of writing your book? 

DKC: Stopping.  I could not end the story of this living, breathing family whose lives needed to continue.  I knew them; they were part of my existence.

TBB: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

DKC: The beauty and wonder of nature is a precious gift to the soul and must be protected.  When the questions of life are a problem, the serenity of a beautiful, natural environment opens the heart and clears the mind to receive the answers.

TBB: If you could mirror the career of any other author, who would it be? 

DKC: No, I choose my own path, not the path of another.  I seek the day when I might live in the mountains or by the sea and simply record their beauty.

TBB: What is your favorite interview question?

DKC: What inspires your writing? 

TBB: What is the answer?

DKC: I am inspired by the many international places I have lived and worked and the vast array of cultural differences that influence the world today.  I am inspired by the power of love and the destruction of hate and the balancing of emotions in a complex world.

TBB: Do you have something you are working on at the moment that you’d like to share with the readers of The Book Buff? 

DKC: I am writing two novels... I also think Ghost Orchid has a sequel.

If you would like to learn more about the author, D.K. Christi, Ghost Orchid, or her upcoming projects visit http://dkchristi.webs.com/

**FTC Disclose:  This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own**

If you are interested in purchasing Ghost Orchid, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link:

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Seth Grahame-Smith

 Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother's bedside. She's been stricken with something the old-timers call "Milk Sickness."

"My baby boy..." she whispers before dying.

Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother's fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire.

When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, "henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose..." Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House.

While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation. 

My Take:

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter was written by the same man that wrote Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  He is the master of successful unexpected horror blending.  He takes a concept that is utterly laughable, and writes it in such an authentic way, that when you are reading his work, you don't think twice; Abraham Lincoln was a vampire hunter, Elizabeth Bennett was a zombie fighter (from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies).  He has such a skill for making it work (in the words of Tim Gunn for all you Project Runway fans :), I don't know how else to put it--it works.  The author writes with total respect toward Abraham Lincoln.  He isn't making a joke of his life at all, in fact, the vampire presence in the book caused a new light to be shed on Lincoln.  Obviously, he wasn't a vampire hunter, but having the book written from his secret vampire hunting journals allowed the author to dig deep into the President's inner most thoughts of life, loss, and the pressure he felt throughout his entire life.  This book also "solved" some historical mysteries, such as what happened to the lost settlement of Roanoke, and some insights into Mary Todd Lincoln's insanity after the death of her husband.  Overall, this book is a great piece historical fiction, the history, aside from the vampires, is very well researched and accurate.  The book has pretty good pacing, once you get passed the beginning, which was just a little tiny bit dry.  I will say that just because you love a good vampire/paranormal/supernatural book, does not necessarily mean you will love this book.  There is a lot of action, but it is spread out, it isn't a non stop thriller.  It definitely leans more toward the historical fiction aspect, rather than the paranormal aspect.  It doesn't get as much into the history and mythology of vampires, because it just isn't important for the book.  The focus of the book is all about Abraham Lincoln, and the present vampire/human conflict (by present, I mean Abe Lincoln's present :)  I am giving this book a rating of a 2, Borders with a Coupon.  I couldn't stop talking about it (much to my ever patient hubby's consternation), and it is one to add to your permanent library.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If this book were a movie it would likely be rated PG-13 for violence and language

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider supporting  The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link!