Broken Bones

Author: Deja Black

I read this as an uncorrected proof off of NetGalley. 

I found this story in desperate need of revision. The climax of the story felt late in development. The main character's father spoke in a manner that didn't feel natural. In fact, I found it distracting and pulled me out of the story more often than not. The initial crisis for the main character, Dan Tolliver, and it's connection to Dan's love interest, Dr. Aiden Kavanaugh, didn't feel like a strong connection. I believe more time should have been spent leading the reader into the correlation between Kavanaugh and Keith. The fact that two of the characters were Sandmen seams extraneous. The plot could have developed just as well if it was merely an romance. 

That said, these issues may have been addressed between the uncorrected proof I read and final publication. In the end, the characters the reader is suppose to like, I did like. I wouldn't discourage someone from reading this but I'm not likely to recommend it to someone. 

For more information on this title, visit Goodreads.

The Little Paris Bookshop

Author: Nina George

This book starts out feeling almost dreamlike and then the main character has an emotional crisis. Jean is still heartbroken over a failed relationship nearly 21 years prior to the start of the story. Every day he opens his bookstore, on a boat in one of the Paris canals, and treats his customers. Yes, treats. He sells books as if they are medicine. He recommends and sells books based on his customer/patients emotional needs. A true romantic notion of the written word. And for 21 years, he has been in love with a women who left him. 

The story is that of how Jean fell in love, how he lives after she left, and Jean's voyage of discovery of why she abandoned him. 

Truthfully, I've set this novel aside for the time being. I'm in need of something less real and more fantasy. I'll pick this story up again another day when I'm ready for Jean.

For more information on this title, visit Goodreads.

The Determined Heart: The Tale of Mary Shelley and Her Frankenstein

As an Undergraduate, I was an English major. Naturally read Frankenstein, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Byron. I also read William Godwin, Mary Shelley's father, and Mary Wolstencroft, her mother. When I found The Determined Heart, I knew I had to read it. 

Antoinette May, the author of The Determined Heart, did a great job in her fictionalized account of Mary Shelley's life. I'm only half through the book and can already say I recommend it. The writing, characters, and plot pace is good. I can easily immerse myself in the story.  I am anxious to find time to continue reading.  I'm even reading late into the night. Overall, I am finding this to be a well crafted read. 

Any reader who is familiar with Mary Shelley or any of her friends and family should at least consider reading this book. If you're a fan of Frankenstein, I would say this book is a must as it easily presents a look into what influenced Mary Shelley. While fictionalized, it still hits the major points of Mary's life. Fans of historical fiction should read this book.

As much as I recommend this book, and as familiar as I am with the major characters of the book, I have to say...I hate seeing Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron portrayed as such assholes. Yes, assholes. I knew that Bysshe was an adulterer and typically one step away from debtors prison. I knew Byron was arrogant and self involved. These things are well known. But it's still difficult to read. How could flawed people create such amazing works? 

Some of the publications by the numerous authors referenced in this novel are:

• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Maurice Hindle (Editor, Introduction)
• A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Mary Wollstonecraft
• The Anarchist Writings of William Godwin by William Godwin, Peter Marshall (Editor)
• The Complete Poetry of Percy Bysshe Shelley by Percy Bysshe Shelley, Neil Fraistat (Editor), Donald H. Reiman (Editor)
• Lord Byron: The Major Works by George Gordon Byron, Jerome J. McGann (Editor)

UPDATE: I finished the novel and I still feel the same as my previous post. It was a great read. A read I couldn't wait to get back too. 

Preordering eBooks, One of My Favorite Things

I read a lot. It's not uncommon for me to read two books during the week and another two books over the weekend. That leads to owning more books than a sane person with access to a library needs to have.

I started buying ebooks instead.

This was surprisingly a very difficult decision. Print books smell so good. New, old. The smell of books is wonderful. There is something about surrounding yourself with books you've read that's comforting. Like being surrounding by old friends. Printed books also take up a lot of room. Electronic books don't smell. You can't surround yourself with them. There's also the publishing industry issues surrounding ebooks. There have been multiple issues with authors not getting the same royalties from their ebooks as they do their printed versions. Amazon was dropping prices on their ebooks so much that other retailers and the publishers took actions against Amazon. Publishers, and brick and mortor stores have experienced a drop in sales of printed books. Some brick and mortor stores have closed their doors since the ebook has taken hold. As a lover of books, I wanted to support my local businesses but at the same time ebooks take up no room at all.

I learned that I could borrow ebooks from my library system. My hubby found out that I could order ebooks through my local stores too, giving them the sale instead of some other chain retailer. Then I discovered the Gutenburg Project. The project takes out of print books in the public domain and converts them into ebooks. For a former English major who's favorite drug is reading, this was an amazing find. If you've not explored the Gutenburg Project, go explore.

I bought a nook. I started reading ebooks nearly exclusively. I joined Earlybird and found new authors. I bought the hubby a nook. I started reading on my smart phone using a nook app. My nook got old, I bought a new nook. I love ebooks.

But what I love the most, pre-ordering.

Do you have a favorite author? Favorite book series? You can pre-order those books you just cannot wait to read. On the release date, they just appear in your library. And if you're like me, you sometimes forget you pre-ordered. Then it's a surprise when you find them waiting for you to read. Pre-ordering print books is always an option, but then you have shipping time to consider. Why wait for the shipping to arrive when you can have the ebook in your library at 12:01am on the release date?

Preordering. Do it. Death Wish by Angela Roquet is my next pre-order. Come on October 6! Until then, I'm taking advantage of Net Galley, staring with The Determined Heart: The Tale of Mary Shelley and Her Frankenstein by Antoinette May.