December Book Review Club

Mai Tai One On

by Jill Marie Landis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first in the Tiki Goddess mystery series is set (mostly) in a seedy but vintage seaside bar where the protagonist, Emily, works for her Uncle Louie. Rumors reached her in So. Calif. that her uncle was becoming a little dotty, so Em pulled up stakes and moved to Kauai to manage the bar and save her uncle's business. One of her cost-cutting measures was to hire a local dance troupe, the Hula Maidens, in place of professional entertainment. The Maidens, a group of eccentric women of varying ages and dancing abilities, provide assistance, conflict and lots of comic relief.

The mystery starts when their neighbor, Harold Okamato, is found murdered in the luau pit. The police detective sent to investigate is Roland Sharpe, a handsome local who sometimes moonlights as a Samoan fire dancer. Em is attracted to him, but annoyed when he homes in on the Tiki Goddess's bartender Sophie as primary suspect. Convinced Sophie is innocent, Em and the Hula Maidens naturally set out to find the real culprit.

Mai Tai One On is an enjoyable and amusing cozy mystery filled with lots of local color and eccentric characters. I'm looking forward to reading the next one, Two To Mango.

Disclaimer: Jill is a long-time personal friend, but that in no way influenced my review. If I hadn't liked it, I wouldn't have posted a review.I bought her book on sale from the Amazon Kindle store.

The Christmas Cuckoo

by Mary Jo Putney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A charming Regency holiday story that revolves around a mistaken identity by a mistress of her craft.

Newly minted earl, Major Jack Howard has just sold out of the Army and returned to London only to find his aunt, the dowager countess, determined to control his every move. In a moment of rebelliousness, he boards a stagecoach bound for Bristol. Too much whiskey to stave off the cold leaves him in a drunken stupor at an inn in Chippenham.

Meg Lambert arrives at the inn looking for her brother's friend Captain Jack Howard, and find the major instead. Not realizing he's the wrong man, she takes him home for the holidays. Once he sobers up, Jack realizes he's been mistaken for someone else, but the Lambert home is so warm and welcoming, he puts off confessing his true identity. He knows he's a cuckoo in another bird's nest, but has no wish to leave, especially since he's falling in love with Meg.

Silent Night: A Lady Julia Christmas Novella

by Deanna Raybourn


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Julia and Brisbane spend another Christmas at Bellmont Abbey, her family's home (originally visited in Silent in the Sanctuary. Once again, ghosts are at play, only this time less murderous. The mystery is pretty thin, but Julia's family is as wonderfully eccentric as before, making for a delightful read. A fun choice for the holidays.

View all my reviews

 Linda

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Book Review Club: Steampunk Fun

Soulless
by Gail Carriger
Adult Steampunk
Hatchette, 2009

Soulless is the first in the popular Parasol Protectorate series featuring Miss Alexia Tarabotti, a half-Italian, half-English spinster in Victorian London. But Alexia is no ordinary spinster; she is a preternatural, a being without a soul. She is the paranormal opposite of the supernatural creatures who inhabit this world, the vampires, werewolves and ghosts. One touch from her and the vampire or werewolf is rendered fangless. She keeps her soullessness quiet for propriety's sake. Even her mother has no idea what she inherited from her Italian father, other than his Roman nose and dark complexion.

The story starts when Alexia sits down to tea in the library during a ball. She is rudely interrupted by a newly-created vampire who has the bad manners to attempt to bit her. Alexia fights him off with her brass parasol, accidentally killing him in the process. To make matters worse, the incident brings Lord Conall Maccon, alpha werewolf, into her life. Sparks fly between them immediately, with sexual tension thick enough to bite, though it takes Alexia a while to realize what Maccon knows almost immediately: the are meant to be mated.

The story follows Alexia and Maccon's attempts to discover who is creating rogue vampires and stop them before things spiral hopelessly out of control. While the mystery plot is quite exciting, the story is amusingly told and had me laughing throughout. I'll be reading more of this clever, engaging series that combines fantasy, science fiction, mystery and romance into one satisfying mix.

Lady of Devices: A Steampunk Adventure Novel 
by Shelly Adina
Young Adult Steampunk
First in the Magnificent Devices series
Self-published, 2011

At seventeen Lady Claire Trevelyan is both the daughter of a viscount and a brainy tomboy. While she should be thinking about making her debut and finding a husband, she instead aspires to attend college to earn an engineering degree. She would rather help the chauffeur with her father's steam landau than shop for new clothes or flirt with elegible young gentleman. However, her life becomes even more complicated when her father commits suicide after his unwise investments bankrupt the country. Her mother decamps to the Cornwall estate, leaving Claire to close up the London home, but before that happens, the house is destroyed in a riot, leaving Claire homeless in a restive London. How she goes from a pampered innocent to the Lady of Devices, head of a South Bank gang, makes for an exciting and enjoyable odyssey.

In Adina's steampunk version of Victorian England, Prince Albert is still alive and the Crystal Palace is still going strong into the 1880's. Society is divided between two rival groups, Bloods (aristocrats) and Wits (scientists and other intellectuals). Though born to the Blood clan, Claire's sympathies are clearly with the Wits.

I liked this book so much, the second I finished it, I went online (at about 3:30AM on a sleepless night) and bought Her Own Devices, the next installment in the series. I love Claire's spunk and resourcefulness and sympathize with her plight. The secondary characters are good, too. We have the obligatory love triangle here: should Claire choose Lord James Selwyn, a man of her own class, or brilliant inventor Andrew Malvern, despite his middle class origins? I know who I'm rooting for. (I'm Team Andrew, all the way.) The homeless youngsters she takes on are as delightful as their names: Snouts, Tigg and the Mopsies, twin ten-year-old girls who are streetwise beyond their years. I just love the Mopsies, and little Willie who is unable to talk about his tragic past.

Recommended to all fans of steampunk or offbeat, quirky historical stories.

Have you tried steampunk? And if so, how did you like it?

Linda

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Goodreads Reviews: Historical Mysteries I Loved

A Darker God by Barbara Cleverly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In Letty's third outing set in 1928 Athens, Letty's mentor, Sir Andrew Merriman, is killed at the dress rehearsal of a Greek tragedy he is directing about the murder of King Agamemnon by his vengeful wife Clytemnestra. As more facts come to light, the parallels between ancient and modern become eerie. Personal vendettas and politics entwine in nefarious plots, and Letty's life is endangered. I found the political aspects interesting, as I'm not familiar with this period of Greek history. I love this series, and enjoyed this suspenseful episode, though I missed the archeological focus of the first two books. I am definitely hoping for a fourth book, with Letty off digging again!

Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've long been a fan of Winston Churchill, so couldn't resist this one. It's the first of the Maggie Hope mystery series, about a young woman in London at the start of World War II. A mathematician, Maggie hopes to do more for the war effort than type, but takes a job as a secretary in the Prime Minister's office. She has no idea that she is of interest to the authorities because of her parentage, of which she knows very little, having been raised in the US by her aunt. The likable characters, exciting plot and a great sense of time and place make this a marvelous read.

What I like about both books is a strong female character trying to make her way in a man's world, and the strong sense of time and place. Do you enjoy historical mysteries?

Linda

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Book Review Club: A Visit to Scotland

Both of this month's books are set in Scotland, a country that has long fascinated me.


The Shadowy Horses 
by Susanna Kearsley
Audiobook narrated by Sally Armstrong
Oakhill Publishing 2011 (Originally published by Orion, 1997)


Setting: Eyemouth, Scotland
Inspired by Rosemary Sutcliffe's The Eagle of the Ninth, about the Roman Lost Legion.

Verity Gray is an English archeologist who is lured to a dig in Scotland by Adrian, an old boyfriend/colleague. There she learns that eccentric Irishman Peter Quinnell is financing the project. Rumored to be mad, Peter is obsessed with finding the Lost Legion, the Roman Ninth, which marched north into Scotland and disappeared early in the 2nd century AD. She's especially shocked to learn that Peter picked Rose Hills because a local boy reputed to have second sight had seen a Roman legionaire in the area. Can Robbie's Sentinel be real? Peter is hard to say no to, and Verity is intrigued by the job  as well as attracted to handsome Scotsman David Fortune. And then there is Robbie, a charming and precocious eight-year-old whose predictions are rarely wrong. I especially love the way the animals react to The Sentinel. The cats hiss and arch their backs while Robbie's collie gambols by the ghost's side, jumping up occasionally for a pat.

Last year I read Susanna Kearsley's The Rose Garden, and fell in love with her writing style. Her prose is lush and unhurried, as she draws you into the world of her characters. The Shadowy Horses is part archeological mystery, part ghost story combined with a lovely romance. It all makes for a very satisfying mix, on that fans of Mary Stewart will enjoy.

I'm so glad I chose the audio version. Armstrong is a marvelous narrator who does a wonderful job, especially with the Scottish accents, which sounded spot on to my American ear. I can still hear her musical cadences even though the audiobook is finished and returned to the library.

* The Shadowy Horses page at Kearsley's website includes  location photos and insight into what inspired her to write the story.

The Winter Sea
by Susanna Kearsley
Allison & Busby, 2010

Kearsley returns to Scotland for this story within a story set on the rugged coast north of Aberdeen. In the modern story, novelist Carrie McClelland arrives in Cruden Bay, a village near ruined Slains Castle, and knows this is where she has to live to write her book about the abortive 1708 Jacobite invasion.

Carrie's story is interspersed with scenes from her novel, featuring one of her ancestors, young Sophia Paterson, who comes to Slains in 1708 to live with a kinswoman. There she meets the love of her life, an outlawed Jacobite who serves James III and finds herself thrust into a world of intrigue and danger.

The whole thing becomes eerie when Carrie researches the events of 1708 and discovers that the scenes she has already written are oddly accurate, even down to names of characters she thought she'd made up, but who really existed. Her father suggests it might be a case of genetic memory. Carrie isn't sure; she just knows this is a story that must be told.

I enjoyed this book, too, though not quite as much as The Shadowy Horses. I liked the fact that it was set in 1708 rather than the more popular 1745 uprising, and the history of Slains Castle is quite interesting. You can check out Kearsley's location photos at her website.

What country fascinates you?

And as always, click on the graphic below for more fabulous book reviews!

Linda

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Book Review Club: Culture Clashes

In January, my library readers group chose Different Cultures as our topic of the month. In January, I reviewed American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America by Colin Woodard. This month, I'm reviewing two more books that reflect the clash between different cultures.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
by Helen Simonson
Random House, 2010

... is that rare bird, a mature romance, in this case between retired Major Ernest Pettigrew and an English-born Pakistani woman, Mrs. Jasmin Ali, both widowed. The two are drawn together when she learns of the death of Major Pettigrew's younger brother, which hits him hard. Mrs. Ali is sympathetic and helpful and the major discovers she is an intelligent, thoughtful, well-read woman of sense. Their relationship raises eyebrows among the Anglo villagers as well as Mrs. Ali's extended family. There are numerous subplots involving family and friends and the golf club, and a pair of antique hunting guns inherited from the major's father who was a hero during the turmoil of the India-Pakistan partition. A reenactment of his heroic defense of an Indian princess on a train at the golf club annual gala ends in a hilarious melee.

I quite fell in love with Major Pettigrew. He's conservative and likes everything done in proper fashion, but has a droll sense of humor that had me chuckling throughout. I especially enjoyed some of his pointed comments about Americans.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for an intelligent and emotionally satisfying read.

Indian Maidens Bust Loose
by Vidya Samson
Amazon exclusive, self-published

A friend told me about this book, so I picked up a copy for my Kindle. It is Indian chick lit and is absolutely hilarious. The main character is Nisha Desai, a young college-educated Indian woman, with a degree in Communications. She loves romance novels and want to visit the U.S., so is ecstatic when she learns that her aunt and two American-born cousins will be coming to visit. Her younger sister, the acid-tongued Vinita, is less thrilled, since the girls have to give up their room to the cousins and move to the basement. Life is complicated by their traditional father's attempts at matchmaking, especially since he has such awful taste in prospective suitors. The American cousins arrive and cause a stir wherever they go, with comic results. The funniest subplot involves a "sacred" cow their father installs in the backyard. But all's well that ends well, and I laughed out loud through the whole book.

As always, click on the graphic below for more great book reviews from the members of Barrie Summy's Book Review Club!

Linda

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New review: 4 Stars for Tova's Dragon

"This story is fun. Tova is a great example of a strong female character. She sets out on a journey to save those she loves despite her own fears and misgivings. She puts herself in danger, not because it is stupidly brave but because she has no choice. And despite this, she is still nurturing, reaching out to comfort Kane even when she is also in distress...."

Read the full 4 Star review for Tova's Dragon at You Gotta Read! 

Length: Novella (20k words)
Buy Link: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/TovasDragon.html

Also available from All Romance eBooks and Amazon Kindle Store



G-rated Excerpt: 

CHAPTER 1

Once upon a time, in the land of Velosia, lived a young earth mage. Tova, for that was her name, dwelt in harmony with the plants of the fields and the animals of the earth. She felt vibrations in the earth and heard whispers on the wind, basked in the sun and gloried in the rain.

There was but one element that disturbed her. Whene'er storm clouds gathered and thunder rumbled in the distance, she trembled in dread. And when light flashed in the sky, she hid, for the lightning seemed to follow her every movement. The air crackled around and through her, and in her heart, she feared one day it would strike her dead, as it had her father.

In this time also appeared the Outlaw Kane, last of the dragonlords of Velosia, a man-beast who changed shape at will. Back from exile, he bided his time in his aerie high in the mountains, until the day Tova came seeking his help.

And so begins the tale of the Lightning Maiden and the Outlawed Dragon.

*          *          *

Seek help of the Lord of Drakkenberg. Only he can aid you. You must fly with the dragon.

Her grandmother’s words rang in Tova’s head as she climbed the path into the mountains. Why had Mutti Zee sent her on a fool’s errand? Everyone knew the dragonfolk had abandoned Velosia years ago, driven away by Bruno of Grimmdorn’s crusade against them. Until he was accused of putting the king and queen under an enchantment and forced to flee. Now Bruno was back at the head of a mercenary army, if Mutti Zee’s vision was correct. And Tova knew it was. She’d felt the vibrations in the earth.

And somehow it was up to her to save the kingdom.

Stopping to rest her tired legs, she gazed at the path ahead. It grew steeper and narrower the higher it wound into the mountains. She was glad she’d worn men’s breeches and a tunic with her sturdy boots. A gown and petticoats would be but a hindrance.

She raised her gaze to the sky. “Why me? I’m no hero.” But there was no answer, just clouds forming to her left. She shook her head. Now she was talking to herself, like mad Magnus, the village idiot.

Turning back to the path, she started climbing again. The castle was visible now, high on a cliff, its turrets silhouetted against the sky. For centuries, the dragon lords had resided in the castle, ruling the isolated mountain communities. People in those areas were known as dragonfolk, though Tova knew not why. True, dragon motifs decorated the doorframes of their houses, and rumor had it they worshipped some kind of serpent god.

Over the years, many travelers through the mountains had claimed to see large winged creatures flying in the sky at sunrise, and others swore they’d seen men and women change shape and fly into the night. Old wives tales, no doubt. On the rare occasions she’d seen the dragonfolk, they’d looked much like everyone else. But they kept apart, and visitors to the area were discouraged. It was all a great puzzle, but one she had no time to ponder. Too much was at stake and her chances of reaching Castle Novita in time to warn the king were slim at best.

A shadow blocked the sun, and she looked up to see an enormous bird silhouetted against the sky. Goddess, she’d never seen such a large raptor. It turned and the sun’s rays glinted on its shiny red-gold wings and barbed tail. Halting, she stared after it, shaken to the core of her being.

No, it couldn't be. There was no such thing as dragons.

Linda w/a Lyndi Lamont

You can now follow me on Twitter @LyndiLamont or find me on Shelfari!

Book Review Club: The Breath of God

The Breath of God was recommended to me by a friend, but I didn't have time to read it all, so I asked her if I could use her review instead. Please welcome my friend Teresa Zimmerman-Liu, who is currently in the final stages of earning her Master of Arts degree in Asian Studies.

The Breath of God: A Novel of Suspense
by Jeffrey Small

Reviewed by Teresa Zimmerman-Liu:

Jeffrey Small is a professor of Religious Studies, and the book stars a PhD student who is doing his dissertation on the Issa manuscripts, which are supposed to be located in Bhutan. The book opens with the grad student, Grant Matthews, shooting the rapids in a kayak in a river in Bhutan with his guide. The rapids are a class 5; Grant makes it through with a broken leg, but his guide does not survive. A monk from a nearby monastery saves Grant and takes him back to the monastery's infirmary. The only monk in the monastery who can speak English is also interested in the Issa manuscripts, which happen to be housed in that particular place. 

When Grant emails home about his new data to his dissertation adviser at Emory University in Atlanta, the email is leaked to the press, and a group of fundamental Christians in Atlanta stage a protest. One member of that group is a former Marine, who is not quite stable after traumas suffered in Iraq. The pastor is hoping to use the event to become leader of the evangelical political coalition and wield power in the US like Jerry Falwell used to. His inflammatory sermons convince the ex-Marine that he must kill Grant. Things get really exciting when Grant has to return to Bhutan to rephotograph the texts because the ex-Marine hacks his computer and deletes all his data. The monk in Bhutan is forced by the political situation there to take the texts and flee to India. 

I really liked the book. It has a lot of good information about the major world religions (as one would expect from a professor of Religious Studies), but it is woven into an exciting story. It also shows how important religion is to world politics and power structures. I highly recommend the book.

My thanks to Teresa for the review and for recommending the book which I am enjoying very much. FWIW, FCC, we both bought copies of the book to read on our Kindles.

If you would like more background on the Issa story, may I also recommend Jesus In India, a documentary filmed in India detailing author Edward T. Martin's "quest across 4000 miles of India in search of answers about where Jesus was during the 'Hidden Years' from ages 12 to 30". I got the DVD from Amazon, but it's also available from Netflix. I enjoyed it a lot, too. 

Linda McLaughlin
http://www.lindamclaughlin.com/

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Book Review Club: Jack Kennedy, Elusive Hero

When I heard about this book, I checked the local library website and saw that they had ordered it, and wonder of wonders, there was no reserve list yet, so I got my name in quickly. It arrived in mid-December and I checked it out to read over the holidays.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was one of the towering figures of my childhood, and like everyone who was alive in the early 1960's, I have vivid memories of the Cuban missile crisis and the assassination. Over the years, Jack has become even more fascinating to me, so I was anxious to read the book and I found it quite interesting.

Author Chris Matthews is a political pundit, so the emphasis here is on JFK as politician. If you are looking for juicy details about his private life, you'll have to look elsewhere. 

This is a political biography. Some of the things I learned about Kennedy are:

- Jack was the spare, not the heir, so in typical patriarchal tradition, most parental attention was focused on his older brother Joe. As a result, Jack developed an independent streak.

- His health problems were more serious than were publicly acknowledged at the time. Jack was a sickly child who spent a lot of time in bed reading. This experience made him a deeper and more original thinker. I suspect it also made him more empathic than might normally be expected of a young man from a wealthy family.

- In 1947 he was diagnosed with Addison's disease, a disorder of the adrenal glands. He also had a bad back and failed the physical to join the Navy the first time. He exercised to build up his strength and passed the second time. (A few moments ago, I read and reviewed a book called A First Rate Madness by Nassir Ghaemi that talked about Jack's health problems and the steroids used to treat him.)

- He was close to death on more than one occasion and was given Last Rites several times before becoming president. Matthews quotes a close friend of Jack's who said he was "deeply preoccupied by death" and that "quick... was the key". That gave me chills.

- Matthews talks more than once about their being "two Jacks" - the wealthy bon vivant and the serious politician. He was able to compartmentalize the different areas of his lives in order to focus on one at a time. He was anbitious and single-minded in pursuit of a goal, and could be ruthless when he had to be. 

- JFK and Richard Nixon were elected to Congress the same year (1946) and became friendly. Nixon was very upset when Jack became gravely ill. The friendship did not survive the contentious 1960 campaign, however.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and recommend it to those interested in politics and/or Kennedy. But read it now, before we all get heartily sick and tired of politics. It's an election year, after all.

Happy New Year and don't forget to check out the other reviews in the Book Review Club. Click on the graphic below.

Linda

Update: I finished the book last night and have a few final thoughts. I grew up in a family of Republicans who had no love for JFK when he was alive. In retrospect, I have come to realize what a great president he was. Matthews makes that apparent in this loving portrait of a remarkable man who accomplished so much in such a short time and at such great personal cost.

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Book Review Club: His Majesty's Dragon

HIS MAJESTY'S DRAGON
by Naomi Novik

This fascinating book is a combination of fantasy, alternative history (set during the Regency) and military adventure which I just learned from the Steampunk Timeline is called Flintlock Fantasy.

The hero, Will Laurence, is a naval captain would finds an unhatched dragon egg in a French ship he captures. When the dragon hatches, Will is the only he'll let put a harness on him. In one moment, Will's life takes a turn to the weird. He now has to give up his naval career for a lifetime in the dragon Aerial Corps, a rather unconventional rag-tag group without the prestige of the Royal Navy. Will is a perfect Regency hero: brave, honorable and heroic, if a little starchy. The Aerial Corps takes care of that last trait pretty quickly though.

I never thought I'd fall in love with a dragon, but Temeraire is a delight: intelligent, sensitive and utterly charming. In a sense this is a love story between a man and his dragon. Will refers to Temeraire as "my dear" and Temeraire gets very upset when someone tries to separate him from Will. And you really don't want to get Temeraire upset. Trust me on that.

His Majesty's Dragon is the first of a six-book series. I've already read the second book, Throne of Jade, and hope to get to the rest next year. Novik's website has a wiki section where you can find information on The World of Temeraire including information on the Aerial Corps and the various breeds of dragons found in the books.

If you're looking for a fun read, you can't go wrong with this series.

Linda

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Book Review Club: Warprize

Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan

She must choose between her people and her freedom.

Xylara is a princess of Xy, but is also a Healer. Xy, which is currently ruled by her half-brother, is under attach by the Firelanders led by a man known only as the Warlord. Lara is determined to heal anyone who needs her help, including the Firelander prisoners, and as a princess, she's the only one who can get away with it. While buying herbs, she meets a man named Keir who is apparently a spy for the Warlord. When her brother negotiates a surrender, the Warlord demands an oath of fealty, exchange of prisoners, and tribute. Lara is now the Warprize. She agrees in order to spare her people more death and destruction, but is shocked to discover that Keir is the Warlord. She thinks she's his slave, but the concept of 'warprize' encompasses so much more. Lara is a strong female character, strong in spirit, anyway, and kind of heart. Keir is a formidable warrior, but he also possesses a kind heart and a willingness to learn new ways.

Warprize, published in 2005, is an impressive first novel, as well as the first in the Chronicles of the Warlords trilogy. Vaughan is a good storyteller and I like her characters a lot, except, of course, for the ones you're not supposed to like. I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading the next two books in the trilogy, Warsworn and Warlord.

She has two websites: http://www.eavwrites.com/ and http://www.warprize.com/. The latter has links to excerpts from the books.

I recommend Warprize to all lovers of romantic fantasy.

Linda

The Book Review Club is the brain child of Tween/Teen Author Barrie Summy. Click icon for more book review blogs @Barrie Summy.

The Last Templar

Did anyone else watch The Last Templar on NBC? It was shown as a four-hour miniseries on Sunday and Monday nights. I'd read the book by Raymond Khoury when it came out a couple of years ago, since I'm a total Templar freak, and I remembered enjoying it, but I'd forgotten most of the details, so a movie version sounded good to me.

What I did remember was the exciting opening scene in which four men, dressed like Knights Templar, ride through the streets of New York to an art museum where priceless treasures from the Vatican are on display. The men ride their horses up the museum steps, behead a police officer then commit Grand Theft Artifacts. The opening scene was surely written with a movie in mind, esp. since Khoury was a screenwriter before he became a novelist, and the movie opener didn't disappoint.

What I didn't remember was Tess, the female protagonist played by Mira Sorvino, being so annoying. I really didn't remember the book Tess grabbing a crozier from the museum exhibit, jumping on a police horse in her cocktail dress and 4-inch stillettos and chasing the robbers into Central Park. I re-read the opening of the book and nope, that didn't happen. Excuse my snark, but it's like the screenwriters thought the character wasn't interesting enough as written so they turned her into a cross between Carrie Bradshaw and Indiana Jones. I shouldn't be surprised since Hollywood often dumbs down female characters. I don't think the problem was with Mira Sorvino's performance, she just didn't have much to work with. Neither did Scott Foley as a bland FBI agent, and I know he can do action; I watch him on The Unit all the time.

The plot wasn't much changed and the story is fairly interesting, and if you hadn't read the book you might have enjoyed it. Anyone else have an opinion?

Linda

Two new reviews and a contest

I finally came up for air after finishing my next Lyndi Lamont story, Ilona's Wolf, on Sunday. I'm horrifically late and it's being rushed into production for an August 3 release from Amber Heat. And it didn't help that the DSL was down all morning. Now I'm trying to catch up on other things like blogging and promo, so there will be no My Town Monday post from me this week. As always, check Travis Erwin's blog for his post and list of other My Town Mondays.

Last week I was thrilled to receive my first review for Alliance: Cosmic Scandal and another one for Alliance: Clandestine Desire.

ALLIANCE: COSMIC SCANDAL received a 4 Nymph review from Literary Nymphs:
"Cosmic Scandal is another delightful episode in the Alliance series. For the first time, Myrek desires to follow his heart rather than his duty but Khira knows their love is doomed. Lyndi Lamont continues this fabulous saga of two planets struggle to come together with Myrek older brother to Rulik, who was introduced in the first book Diplomatic Relations. This is a very enjoyable series; I look forward to the next installment. " - Chocolate Minx,
Literary Nymphs

Joyfully Reviewed had this to say about ALLIANCE: CLANDESTINE DESIRE:

"The blossoming relationship between these men is amazing, and just when they find each other a life altering choice must be made. Clandestine Desire is the start of what promises to be an adventure in life and love for these two men. Lyndi Lamont did an incredible job of creating another worldly reading experience, and I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next segment to release to see what happens and where it leads Berhin and Tai." - Raine, Joyfully Reviewed

I'm running my Erotica Stay-At-Home Conference giveaway with books and promo I've collected from conferences and trade shows. Details are at my website. Must be 18 to enter.

Linda / Lyndi

Four Angel Review for Love... By The Book!

I'm thrilled to report that Love... By The Book received a Four Angel review from Fallen Angel Reviews. This story asks the question: Can an ancient Hindu sex manual turn an arranged marriage into a love match?

"Love...By the Book is a scintillating mix of lust and sexual exploration. Lydia’s character has the typical ideals of the time period. Marriage is for convenience not for passion or love, no matter what she truly longs for on the inside. Evan is sexy, yet his character has a wonderfully tender side. Evan wants to learn to make Lydia enjoy marriage as much as he intends to. He shows her just how hot marriage can be. The two characters are white hot together. The sexual scenes are scorching. Ms. Lamont has done a very nice job of bringing a bit of the exotic into her writing. I look forward to reading more." - Dawnie, Fallen Angel Reviews

When I decided to write a story involving The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, I did some research and discovered that the book is almost 2,000 years old. Written in Sanskrit, it wasn’t translated and published in English until 1883 by the famous explorer, Sir Richard Burton. Once I’d decided to write a historical-set story, I found a copy of his translation and started reading. It's a fascinating mix of sexual instruction and advice on courtship, combined with quaint superstitions of the period in which it was written.

Hindu society of the time was patriarchal and some of the advice is ridiculous by today’s standards. People also married very young at the time, so I suppose it’s no wonder that the advice for how the woman should behave sounds very juvenile by today’s standards. In one section, Vatsyayana, who was a monk, actually recommends kidnapping the prospective bride if all else fails. Something my civilized English hero would never do. Still, some of the courtship advice is timeless.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the Kama Sutra:

"The man who is ingenious and wise, who is accompanied by a friend, and who knows the intentions of others, as also the proper time and place for doing everything, can gain over, very easily, even a woman who is very hard to be obtained.”

"Says Ghotakamukha, 'Though a man loves a girl ever so much, he never succeeds in winning her without a great deal of talking.'"

“. . . the man should do whatever the girl takes most delight in, and he should get for her whatever she may have a desire to possess.”

Evan takes that advice to heart when he buys his bride a brand new piano and plans a honeymoon in the country rather than staying in the city.

Even though he was a monk, Vatsyayana had a romantic streak:

"If men and women act according to each other's liking, their love for each other will not be lessened even in one hundred years."

Love... By The Book was released by Amber Heat in November and is available at by electronic download at http://www.amberheat.com.*

Linda / Lyndi

* Please note, this is erotic romance.

L.