Cute, but has substance
937975
I think just about everyone knows how much I love Megan Derr by now. I finally got to meet her at GRL and she was so sweet. This story is similar in a lot of ways to her other stories and enough of a divergence from the shorts I'm accustomed to reading from her (mostly in tone) that it was a surprise and delight to read.

Chanda is quite an old incubus, but nowhere near in age to the unusual demon that visits his brothel, the Honey Flower House. The demon intrigues Chanda from the start -- even though he has good reason to avoid their kind forever. He must have been summoned by an incredibly powerful man, because even if he doesn't look it, the demon is the most powerful that Chanda has come across in all his centuries. And that makes Chanda nervous, even though the demon tries to woo him, however forcefully.

Aside from his games, the demon has been summoned to find a young noble who has fled before his arranged marriage. Yet, if Chanda understands who exactly the demon and his summoner is searching for, then something else must be going on other than simply running away from a charmed life. To get to the bottom of the mystery, the demon will need Chanda and his particular brand of lustful magic. Unfortunately for the demon, Chanda has no desire to fall for him. And it is a key phrase -- "fall for" -- because unlike most other beings of lust, Chanda wants to fall in love more than anything.

Megan Derr really has the short story down well. She has a certain style in the short format and this story does all those things again, quite well. There is enough plot, characterizations, and world building to take this story much further, but the quick pace and the lack of backtracking to give a lot of the history that we often see in fantasy shorts means that the story really seems well planned and plotted beforehand. It makes for a smooth read where the format and length work perfectly with the story. And if you can end a story and think that pretty much the only thing you would have wanted differently was more time with the characters, then the author can really work within the limitations of a short. It is difficult and errors and problems are much easier to spot in the short form, we all know this, so that's why I appreciate this author and the fairly large amount of short stories she produces.

The real meat of this story is the sexual tension and emotional and physical chemistry between Chanda and the demon. Even though we get the story from Chanda's point of view, he holds everything close to the vest, even away from the reader. So the release of information about him is selective. In many ways the demon acts in a classic way, or at least to my expectations of the behavior of a demon -- he is aggressive, wily and deceiving, and has a unique moral compass. Together, though, I felt as if they tempered one another and there is a bit of a power struggle that comes into play between them. The demon's acts of dominance (yet earnestness) and Chanda's obstinacy (yet willing submission) betrays the roles they play in seduction. It was nice, seeing them strip those away as they get to know each other through their search. It adds a bit of enemies to lovers style flair to the story.

This story probably doesn't stand up there among my favorite Megan Derr short stories, but it is still memorable and well written. I particularly liked the evolution in tone from quite dark in the beginning to almost fairy tale happiness in the end. The best Halloween Rent Boys story that I've read yet. Recommended :)
4631006
Night Swimming is a pleasant book. It's probably not going to change your life, but if you're looking for something to read at the beach that goes down easily, then this is a good book to pick up.
The positives to this story are 1) its (somewhat generic) plot of fat girl loses weight when she stops thinking about it and of course in the meantime meets a fantastic guy who sees through the fat and then hooks up with her when she's thin, and 2) the inspirational message of finding yourself and breaking out of your everyday routine, and 3) the part of the story that is unconventional, which is that she robs a bank to get her financial independence. The negatives are 1) Charlotte's name changes to Blossom about 50 pages in, and then back to Charlotte at the end, which is marginally annoying, 2) the hokey courtroom ending, which made me roll my eyes, since up until that point I was interested in how Charlotte would find her way out of this mess, and 3) the fact that author pounds into the reader's heads how Charlotte is changing; given that Charlotte has basically no personality faults besides her weight insecurities, it gets a bit repetitive.
I would certainly recommend this book if you're looking for a fast read that makes you think, but not too hard.
1860345
This book is a charming, little story that gets across its moral quite well that it is important to tidy up after yourself. The illustrations are nice and colourful well-balanced and eye-catching, just as they should be in a children's book.

The typeface used is quirky, playful and fun with letters slightly askew, though sometimes this doesn't make for the best balanced type. Other choices would have been more comfortable to read. I do like how exclamations are rendered in a larger, bolder type to make them stand out. I think this is a nice touch.

The story is written in verse - which is something I generally like. It is, however, very inconsistent in its use of both rhyme and meter, which makes it feel a lot less poetic than I feel it could have been with a bit more work. Despite the meter being inconsistent, there still are several slightly stilted formulations seemingly meant to make it fit the meter, as well as words that seem like odd choices, but which seem to have been used to make it rhyme - or sometimes less successfully half-rhyme. The quality of the poetry is such that I think an all-prose version or one with a few scattered poems throughout would have been far better.

To sum up, I think it is nicely illustrated and a good story with an important lesson for children, but the quality of writing detracts from it. I'd still probably recommend it to anyone with untidy kids who needed a story to remind them not to leave their things in heaps on the floor.
1656191
This is a cute Christmas book option for Bad Kitty fans. If you aren't already familiar with the Bad Kitty books, they are pretty much centered on what you would think from the title - a family cat that causes A LOT of mischief. In this one, Bad Kitty rips up all the presents because she doesn't smell any of the foods she wants in them. The family gets mad at her, so she runs away, and ends up with an old woman with no one left in her life. The old woman recounts her memories to Bad Kitty, and ends up returning with her to Bad Kitty's family, and becoming a permanent adopted member there. It's a fun tale about the true Christmas spirit of family and giving. It's told in verse, with several A-B-C lists incorporated into the telling (an ABC list of all the gifts Bad Kitty wants, an ABC list of all the relatives the older woman remembers.)

As for the complaints in the bad reviews here that the old woman mentions her niece and her niece's 'partner Pamela', and that this forces parents to explain same-sex marriage to their kids before they are ready, I think that's a bit overblown. 'Partner' to young kids can mean almost anything - a roommate for example. That wording certainly doesn't force someone to talk about same-sex marriage if they don't want to. My 5 and 7 year olds didn't even register it - in our first 3 readings anyway. The spirit of this section (and of the book as a whole) is that families come in lots of different forms, so in that context it fits.
341793
I like the cover, it looks sexy, but I think the cover is better than the story.
Don't get me wrong, the writing is good, it's not awfully written. But there's just not enough to sink your literary teeth into.
The story is cute and sweet and almost completely without conflict. There's some basic conflict there, couples have arguments, but even their arguments are almost adorable in their predictability. Except it's so predictable that it's not so adorable.
Um so, I feel I should mention that there's a mention of rape in the story. Just a mention of a past event but it might not be what someone wants to read.
And that's it. It's a pretty bland, non-adventurous story. Basically everything in their lives is super perfect. They both have loads of money, great friends, great loving family, and they both find that they love each other in a few days. Again, there might be a small argument here or there but even the antagonists are cleared up in a paragraph.
4065040
On the whole this is a cute, sexy read thats mostly fluff and fun. Although some might have problems with the first chapter. Personally, the way I see it is that Chelsea does something out of character, wanting to spice up her lackluster relationship, and even though she thinks her lovers behavior is a bit unusual, she gets swept away by it. From Rafes side of things, he vaguely knows who Chelsea is and is used to women coming on to him for no apparent reason (other than money and power, etc), so likewise, he goes along with it, thinking its all pretty hot. Both have fun, and its not until Chelseas farewell comment that Rafe realizes she didn't know who he was.

Yeah, its a bit of a gray area. However, Rafe didn't know that she thought he was someone else. If hed known from the start, then nope, Id have been out. Since he didn't and Chelseas own reaction is embarrassment rather than violation, then it was vaguely okay for me. Not great, but manageable  if it hadnt gone so far, then I probably wouldnt have been bothered at all. (Although am I though only one a little icked out by the fact that beard is hired and it doesnt come off at all during the whole scene? Someone better have dry cleaned that thing.)

The rest of the story is mostly Rafe having parental control issues and Chelsea having sex with him. There is a lot of sex, and if Im honest not a lot of plot. Sure, theres stuff about Chelseas ex and his new fianc, but it doesnt really get explained too well or resolved that much. Rafe also has a few troubles with his hotel acquisitions, and I was a little irritated that the obvious solution takes so long to be offered.

For the most part, though, this is cute and fun (the emails from Chelseas assistant are great) with lots of sex. If you're looking for deep character development and plot to balance that side of things out well, you won't find it here. Instead this is an easy read that did just enough to make it enjoyable, if not quite enough to make it memorable. Your own mileage may vary, though, depending on how you personally view that first chapter.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
792784
(**This book was sent to me for an honest review.**)

This cute, sweet, short little novel was not exactly what I was expecting when I picked it up and started reading. Truthfully, I chose to start it because I had a horrible day and I was feeling extremely down and I wanted something quick and light to cheer me up. Well, 145 pages later...

So, the premise of this book is simple: Ella lives together with her stepmother and her two stepsisters who came into her and her father's life a few years after her mother's death. Ella's father is a huge film producer so, naturally, he is away quite a lot which leaves her alone with the other three. In usual Cinderella-style, her stepmother is resentful towards Ella and gives her ridiculous amounts of errands to keep her life too preoccupied for a 16-year-old in order to enjoy her young life. However, Ella doesn't complain. She doesn't talk to her father about it, not wanting to ruin the very short few days they spend together, and she takes all horrid treatment and just goes on with her life. Along the way, she meets Julian, a much-needed friend. However, instead of falling for her as you may normally assume, she instead falls for her stepsister's boyfriend. "And blah, blah, blah".

Truth be told, I did not go into this book expecting to be blown away by the writing, the concept, the characters, etc which, if I did, I think I would have been disappointed. I can name a fair few issues that I found with these things (the writing, the concept, the characters, etc), though I feel that doing so is completely unnecessary. I loved this book for the real fact that it immediately shooed away the dark clouds over my head and took me back to the days where, after having a bad day at school, I would come home and watch Disney Channel Original Movies until I felt better.

Generally....
The writing: Easy, thoughtful.
The concept: Simple, cute.
The characters: Relatable, real.

I am honestly sad that it ended as quickly as it did and I still find myself curious about the continued life of these characters. I'm keeping my eye on you, Cassandra Sage Briskman.

Rating: 3.5 stars (4 stars on Amazon because "3 stars" suggests it was "okay" and I liked it more than that would suggest.)
4580333
Cute read, if somewhat idealistic and unreal. Some of the plot elements work well together, and overall made me smile.
3830057
Fun and whimsical book.  The heroine is someone a lot of us can relate to.  She is fighting insecurity on a daily basis, but has courage for 2 or 3 people. The writing is a bit juvenile for me.  Some parts are a bit too steamy for most teens.
1573966
Macomber is well-liked for her light-hearted stories.  I'm a sometimes-fan, especially when I'm looking for a shallow, warm story about the human condition; a story to be read quickly with the resulting feeling of a cuddle fest with a cute, clean and fluffy puppy or kitten.  No matter what subject she chooses, it seems that I can always relate.

I'm not a big-time fan though, simply because her solutions are often too simple to be realistic.  This story is better than many of her previous books in that respect:  A little less shallow, a little more introspective, but still not deep.

I enjoyed it for what it was.  I was in the mood for a very light read--just to spend some down time while forced to sit with my injured foot elevated.  If you are in the mood for something deeper, you should pass this by.  (If you are multi-tasking with a load of wash, making lunch, and keeping an ear and an eye on a youngster, Macomber's books definitely fit the bill.)
2312942
Somewhat hokey, but cute, and good entertainment for younger kids
4461774
My elementary-school age daughter has really liked the Princeless books I've brought home, but I've always liked it better in concept than in execution -- until now. Although the themes are storylines are always quite commendable, I always found the art to be way too cartoonish for my taste. This book, which gives a spinoff series to a teenage pirate character from the original series, has art by Rosy Higgins that feels far more sophisticated to me. The storyline is about the pirate Raven, whose father and brothers betrayed her, leaving her stranded with a ship, but no crew or money to hire one. Some of this backstory is a little confusing if you haven't read the original series, but it's not a dealbreaker -- you won't be lost.

This first volume is all about her attempts to recruit a crew for her ship -- which involves befriending a parkourish half-elf rogue, reconnecting with an old shipmate, meeting a doughty warrior woman who's got all the right connections, and re-establishing contact with a childhood friend she betrayed. There are some great action sequences, a hilarious sequence where she's interviewing potential male crew members, a great bit in which a bunch of town guards have to be scared off a mission via "The Curse" (a great play on menstruation), and there's even an intimation of lesbianism. This latter isn't made explicit, but is pretty readily signposted for adult readers -- not sure most kids would pick up on it.

It's not totally flawless -- it's a little too prone to insider jokes (for example, cameos by people like the cabbage merchant from Avatar), or geek culture fan service (there's a whole bit about game night and RPGing). But all in all, a promising start to a spinoff series I will seek out the rest of.
1794537
A cute book filled with fun ideas, as well as some actual good advice.
2520644
Cute, but my kids like it better than I do. I enjoyed it the first time we saw it, but repeat viewings have bored me quite a bit. My kids still like it though. The story line is cute and it has a nice take away message.
3956084
I am a not trying to diss this book. It is a cute book. It has a nice cheery note throughout and is easy to read, with a nice cheery tone throughout.  But for like 5-7 year old interest level. Seemed very repetitive without enough detail. As a mom and teacher, I try to provide books that "put you there" with strong imagery, keying all 5 senses, for my kids to have as examples of good writing. This book sounds like it was written BY a kid (older), rather than FOR kids ,IMHO. Also, an f.y.i., the horse belongs to a girl, so if you're buying for a horse-dreaming boy (I was), he may be disappointed.
979272
This cute little book was a sweet pick me up and a book that would be well suited for the younger teen set (and maybe preteens, as well).  It features a self-styled geek who becomes a fashion model accidentally.  The whole thing is funny and cute and a book about discovering one self and never lying.  I would have scored it higher but sometimes the main character just seemed dumb, and not that socially unaware kind of dumb, but plain old dumb.  This wouldn't be annoying in other books, but she's supposedly very intelligent.
2561892
This is a cute novel, and a fun little read. It's not super funny (though a couple of parts are well done, particularly those about Alzheimer's). Is it a book for senior citizens? Perhaps? Not sure.  But Harriet Chance is a cutesy story that is pro-woman (which is nice). In that regard, it is notable. But anachronisms abound, as do editing mistakes. For some OCD readers, this will be a deal-breaker. But again--it's CUTE, and largely happy, even in the face of tragedy.