How did she get to be such a SHREW?!
358914
The book started off okay for me.  I liked Callie from the previous books, and I even liked the twins, her two mates in the book. But I was eagerly awaiting the part in the book where she finds her backbone, where she learns to stand up for herself and her beliefs.  However, apparently I was bound to be disappointed.  But the book started to go downhill for me when she pretty much cut off contact with Cadence, her best friend from previous books.  I understood her wanting to leave her Pack, but to totally write-off her friends in the process?? But I ignored that and continued to trudge forward through the book.  My thinking was that maybe she just wanted to get used to her new circumstances, her new life, her new mates, etc. before she opened up to her longtime best friend.  Then we built up to the planning of the wedding....and then I really got pissed off!  I mean, really?!  We act like we could care less if our best friend comes to the wedding or not, we don't have her as a matron of honor (instead choosing to let someone she just met do it)!  She seemed to want to lump Cadence in with everyone who 'did her wrong' from her previous Pack!  Not only did Cadence stand up for her her whole LIFE, but in the beginning of this book she refused to punish Callie along with the rest of the females in the Pack, which led to her being forced to submit to her husband in public (an Alpha werewolf thing)!  And sure, Cadence had a scene where she made a comment about how Callie was supposed to be miserable by now so she would come back to the Pack - but it was NOT done with malicious intent....she was simply missing her best friend!  I was tempted to stop reading it right there, but I continued in the hopes that they would reconcile - and expecting it in fact!  Didn't happen.  In fact, I was sooo mad at the end, where Callie has the nerve to refer to Cades as being 'like a sister' - even though she just threw their friendship down the crapper!  I understand people changing, but when you have a die-hard friend like that, you shouldn't dump the whole relationship because you got married!  And the twins were WAY to eager for her to write it off - to have her cut ties with everything and everyone in her previous life.  I was so mad I could scream!!  What a 'B' of a friend!!  Cades is better off without her, the ungrateful little pup!!  Tempted to not read anymore of the series after this!!
686535
Her name is Coraline Jones (don't you dare call her Caroline), and she's bored out of her mind. School's about to start, and the summer's run away without her even thinking about it. Her parents, with their mundane, grown-up lives, are no help. So when Coraline discovers a hidden door in her new home, she just has to crawl through it. But she emerges into a ghoulish version of her home ruled by a figure that looks a lot like her mother - except with black buttons in place of eyes. This mystery woman wants Coraline to take up the button eyes and stay with her. Coraline has to find a way out before it's too late.

Sounds like it could be okay, right? Well, it was. But that was all - just okay.

Why was that? Well, it's customary to have a likeable or at least interesting main character in a novel. Coraline was neither. I was unsure what her age was supposed to be, since she's playing with dolls and toys one minute and thinking like a thirty-year-old the next. Despite her supposed intelligence, she's horribly unsubtle, even more so than a child half her age would be. (And no, I don't know what half her age is. Take your favorite number between eight and eighty and divide it by two.) She blurts out her intentions to the villain at every turn, and surprise! She gets nowhere! At last, she's able to outsmart her other mother by TRICKING her! Gasp! What a revolutionary idea! And her personality isn't even good. I know she's supposed to be bored and cranky, but she came off stuck-up to me, and I never really cared whether she won or lost.

"Coraline" was also a very short book with very caricatured characters. My conclusion was that it was meant to be a fable of some kind. But with what message? "Be happy with what you have"? "The real world is cool even though it sucks sometimes"? "Never trust black buttons"? Nope, I guess it isn't a fable. Which leaves me with no excuse to make for the book's shallow characters. Except for the cat. I loved that cat. And the talking dog who begged for chocolate.

The talking animals aren't the only thing that saved this book from a caustic one- or two-star review. Gaiman's world is deliciously creepy, with its twisted, half-possible versions of reality. (For example, two of Coraline's neighbors, dowdy former actresses who long to be on the stage again, perform an eccentric variety show in the other world as young versions of themselves.) There's an especially good bit where the other mother swears on her own mother's grave. When a skeptical Coraline asks if such a grave exists, the woman answers, "Oh yes. I put her in there myself. And when I found her trying to crawl out, I put her back." Not graphic or bloody, but guess who was thinking about that line at midnight last night? And let's not forget the other souls in this dark world, the ones who have been in the closet for centuries or face death for trying to break free from their orders.

But even so, the lack of development or likeable characters make this book not worth the hype. If you want something creepy and meaningful (or just plain cool), read "The Graveyard Book" by the same author. It'll give you a much better experience than "Coraline".
3356770
Diane Wilson has accomplished a great deal on behalf of eco-justice.
But the "li'l 'ol country girl" shtick just kept getting in the way.
Her obvious skill in navigating the labyrinthine paths of the corporate and legal processes is considerable. She gets results. So why does she have to try to make herself look like a bumpkin? Why does she feel she wouldn't be genuine without that?

This book nearly went into self-destruct mode for me within the first three pages. Something about mud flats, rattlesnakes, hootin' and hollerin' and fixin' to get snakebit while Daddy got to lollygaggin' and drinkin', etc. Whatever. You'd never think the story was about a sophisticated, world-wise woman who fought corporate malfeasance. Between her switching back and forth between the country girl and savvy strategist, it was confusing and distressing to me why she wrote the book like this. I mean, come on, honey, make up your mind already! She maintains her momma had "a medical-textbook-something or other. I don't know the disease," this from a globetrotting sophisticate at ease with hugely scientific and technical concepts.

Hey, Diane: your work speaks for itself. Your commitment to the fight is pure and courageous. So just please give the down-home act a rest.
1004537
This girls idiocy knows no bounds it seems.

When she goes to Practical Magick and David asks her who she can trust and she replies that she can trust herself.  Her own instincts told her to run when Cal mentioned people who wanted to meet her.  Her own instincts told her to get out of his secret room because the vibrations were bad, yet she thinks Hunter is 'misguided'.  Any information anyone gives her she takes as they just don't know even though they've been witches their whole lives and she's been one for a couple of months.  She's an idiot.  During the chapter where she meets with David and Hunter I thought, finally, she's going to get her s*** together....but no.

Truly, the line that made me laugh out loud was when she said, 'I'd always thought of Jenna as being kind of needy and dependent on Matt.'  That is a perfect example of the pot calling the kettle black.

Awful things happen and the entire time I couldn't help but think that if she'd just listened to her instincts she would have avoided this whole mess and still have found out all about her birth mother & father.  I just can't feel sorry for her, or think she's brave or smart or good because she's none of those things.

But now, because of all of this revelation business I'll have to keep reading so I know what happens.....*sigh*
4648622
1. Having snakes for hair would suck, that's what I think!!

Poor Medusa is a young girl with very unique problems.  One she's totally smokin' hot and doesn't know it at all, and two there is the little thing about snakes for hair.  You can't comb a set o' snakes and they draw unwanted attention to a pretty young lady.  What's a girl to do, freeze people who offend her, or become a loner and build up a tough exterior to keep people out?

Our story begins with Medusa in trouble for freezing some frigid girl for being a freakin' jerk :) We follow the tale of Medusa explaining how she is always in trouble and she really thinks that it is all her fault, as, due to the way her sisters and everyone else treat her, she has low self esteem. The author does a great job of building interest in the character of Medusa, as well as empathy for her and her situation.  We can all relate, right?! Am I right?! Yeah, you with the third nipple or that High School yearbook photo that you won't show anyone because you looked like a dang donkey with glasses.

Somewhere along the way, Medusa gets hit by a car driven by some jerk of a new guy at the school, and this is where her life begins to change. The new guy and his family feel so bad about what he has done, that they will not leave her alone with their stupid caring and bringing of food and other such contrite and apologetic behaviors. (Also their mom does not want to get sued. haha)She begins to make friends with these pesky people and soon she makes other friends as well.  She begins to open herself up to realize that not everyone is against her like her stupid sisters that never clean up after themselves and answer the door in their underwear....(because they're gross!!)

There are twists and turns along the way that I will not reveal because no one likes a spoiler, but suffice it to say that Medusa continues to learn that some people can be trusted and others cannot.  Just as she begins to trust people, some of them let her down. HARD!!  She does not take this and become bitter and retreat back to her former self, partly because she has already learned her lesson, but mostly because her friends are there for her when this happens and help her to keep her faith in humanity.  The villianous pair that hurt Medusa are not completely frozen in the end, but are handily taken care of by a plot hatched up by her and her friends.

Humor is also not lacking, which is always a plus in my book.  At one point Medusa wonders, as young girl with snakes for hair would, "Is it ok to carry a brown purse with black snakes?" There is also a funny part where she relates how people are talking about her behind her back and she overhears, "I wonder if the carpet matches the drapes?"(hahahaha oh, the implications that has in this story) and, "I wonder if she stole Donny using snake charming tricks?" Hahahaha

All in all a beautiful story about self consciousness and how our image of ourselves is typically an unfounded alternate reality that we create. What a better way to personify that in this genre than by using a character like Medusa who, although human in body, also has an obviously different appearance than everybody else. This is a story that most of us can relate to and a very refreshing and unique take on a very time tested theme.
3701292
This poor woman did, indeed, live in Jackie O's shadow! She slept with anything that moved to acquire her ambitions (& wealth), whether gay or straight, however bizarre & physically repulsive.  She has conducted herself in a selfish, unloving & ungiving way & given little back to the world that, at one time, adored her.  She is a shallow individual & I could never be her friend.
  I got a closer look at Jackie & John & it wasn't a pretty sight. Definitely riveting. You won't put it down!
3221029
Nina has problems when one of her dental patients accidentally bites her and makes her one of the undead. Now an unwilling, chain-swearing soon to be unemployed vampire she has to convince her friends that she's not just jealous that one of them is a werewolf but she that she actually isn't among the breathing population anymore.

Life can be hard as a newbie vampire and when you add in the fact that her -gorgeous, if exceptionally annoying- accidental creator is about to turn into a 500 year old pile of dust things can be complicated. Now along with a new pair of fangs and a disgusting new appetite this least girly of all women has to sort out her feelings, which is never fun no matter what your species!

This was a good story with a grumpy heroine but it did seem way, way drawn out longer than it needed to be, as if much filler was added. It could have been better, hopefully her next book will hit it out of the ballpark.
2991440
Seriously, what's a girl to do with herself when she's red headed, mega-vertical, almost twelve-years-old, totally lacking in social skills, and has a wacky New Age mother? Not much except sit listening to Ms. Fiddle, a guidance counselor, who worked on her "socialization skills," skills she wasn't interested in acquiring any time soon. She did have one friend, Penelope, who was a couple of years younger and in the fourth grade, but no problem because they were BBFs and that was one fact she knew. She also knew that her mother, Donatella, in one of her not-so-lucid moments, decided to name her Emma when she was born. Emma Freake. She always explained it away by saying, "My mother forgot to say it out loud when I was born."

Can you just imagine taking an oath with that name? "I, Am A Freak, do solemnly swear . . . " Penelope had two Gray Moms who always doted on her, but Donatella more or less let Emma do what she felt like doing. Penelope's moms practically had her whole life planned out for her. Emma wistfully thought, when asked what she had wished for on her birthday, "I wished for a normal mother who acted like one. I wished for a real house. I wished for friends. I wished to be shorter, prettier, funnier . . . all impossible wishes." Emma shared her house with Donatella, her grandfather, Nonno, and his gassy bulldog, Eggplant Parmigiana. They lived in cramped quarters over "Freke Beads & More." At least she liked working in the store, because "No matter what they looked like, beads knew how to socialize perfectly."

Donatella had promised a wonderful gift, the best gift she'd ever received, when she handed her "How to Learn at Home the Cosmic Way." She was going to be able to be homeschooled, but something was drastically wrong with the picture. Before you know it, Mr. Millfoil, head of the guidance department, and Miss McFight, "Homeport school committee," showed up on their doorstep talking to Donatella. "Emma has been referred to our new partner program for what we like to call, `special students.'" Excuse me, but wasn't that the "nuthouse for kids?" Penelope had given her a "mojo gold bead" for good luck, but this was crazy. Next thing you know, she received a weird invitation to attend "The Descendants of Boris Horace Freke" family reunion. Who were these Freke's and why did they want her now? Where was that joylah that all kids were supposed to have? Was she really a Freke or was she adopted like Penelope?

This is a charming story of Emma Freke a young girl who has no doubt that she really is a freak. Emma experiences mega-angst as she matures, an emotion that few `tweens and teens escape, but she is totally oblivious to the fact that she is literally becoming a beautiful young woman. Her bubbly elan and quaint personality are hidden, but simply gush through these pages like a mountain stream in spring. I loved not only her vulnerable side when she "burst out crying," her self-doubt when she claims she's the "tallest, palest, saddest girl in all of Homeport," but also her intelligence and very appealing personality. It was disheartening for Emma to hear that, "whether you like it or not, the truth is honey . . . you really are a Freke." By the time your `tween or teen reads this book, they'll probably wish they were a Freke!
2102900
I know this is a fiction book and all, but I can't help but get mad at the woman in this story. She does so many things contrary to what is in her best interest at the time, all the while she has a stalker after her?!  Seriously, why would anyone leave a hunky detective, or duck out of the shop before he is to pick her up all so she can have a few minutes to herself while she has a stalker on her every move?

Loved the storyline.
3088489
I just thought the heroine behaved in the Too Stupid To Live fashion.  She was almost 40 and acted like she was 18 when it came to understanding other people, or even wanting to see them clearly.  Then Simon was just so, well, damaged, yet he was supposedly so much stronger and better off than her.  I didn't like how he felt he was the only one to take care of her, build her up, and make her a worthwhile mate for him.  It was kind of hurtful that he could see all this negative stuff in her yet she fought to see him as only wonderful and worthwhile.
1058872
She was self centered and he had a mistress.  She was jealous and he kept in touch with the mistress.  They get mad, they make up, over and over throughout the story.  I can't blame her for being jealous of a mistress, and he is terrible at communicating. She is also very immature and self centered throughout the story.  A good read even though there are lots of frustrating characters which make it entertaining.
2985546
Very talented lady, but what an erratic life style!  Couldn't understand how many traveling relationships she had with many men.  Very hard on her daughter's development into adulthood.
2990155
I did not like the female at all.  She had no aim in life and didn't work because she was rich.  How come she didn't start her own business to make jobs for others or write or paint or something???  Just had no respect or liking for her, neither characters had much to be likable(sp?).
1924890
I don't understand how she felt she could just go off and play poker when she didn't even have a job outside of the home.  That was her job and it sounded like she was t very good at it.  She should have been thanking her lucky stars for what she had from the beginning.  It didn't seem realistic that she felt she could just go off and do that since she wasn't barely contributing at home.
2502166
Sophie Donnelly has been at the top of the social ladder for the past few years.  She's half of the school's IT couple.  The other half is her boyfriend, Connor.  Things are going well the first day of the new school year.  At least until the new girl, Angie Vogel, shows up.

In just a few short days, Angie manages to snag the lead in The Taming of the Shrew, gain instant popularity, and the icing on the cake...steal Sophie's boyfriend!  Sophie trusted Connor, so when he announces quite publicly that they're over, it's all the humiliation Sophie can handle.

She is determined not to let Angie keep her down, though.  She's planeed to stage her own comeback.  With the assistance of her best friend, Imogene (I mean Monet...), Sophie hatches one scheme after another.  But every attempt to make Angie look bad rebounds on Sophie.

Through all her turmoil, Sophie has to deal with Monet's irritating older brother, Dev.  Little does Sophie realize that what she was looking for was right in front of her all along.

A quick, quirky read, THE COMEBACK calls to mind such darkly comedic movies as Mean Girls, Election, and Heathers.  No matter what Sophie attempts, it always backfires and leaves her worse off than before.  For all those teens who are only B-listers or In-crowd hopefuls, THE COMEBACK will make you feel like you're finally getting even.

Reviewed by:  Jaglvr
699651
We met Martha in Eve of Samhain. She came across as the freaky, anti-social weirdo roommate. Not much has changed since except that Martha now has two new roommates and she's a little less on the anti-social side. Martha is a witch and she likes kicking butt and taking names. She fights the bad guys - vampires, demons. She has a grudge and a chip on her shoulder that won't go away until every blood-sucking vamp is toast!

I was super curious about Martha when I read Eve of Samhain and was super excited when I found out that she was going to have her own book. Martha's voice in Pleasures Untold took getting used to. I felt that her snarkiness and self-deprecating humor came off as a little forced and a bit much. Martha is very introverted and is used to living her life in the shadows. She uses the snarkiness to keep people at a distance. But I would hope that she would be a little more open with her roommates. As it happens, she does finally open and let herself be vulnerable. We find out secrets from Martha's past that are shocking and gives insight into the person she has become.

The one thing Martha does not anticipate is falling for sexy, latin, bartender Xan. Rawr! Martha isn't your typical boy crazy 21 year old college student. But there's something about Xan that makes her quiver. Her attraction to him is instantaneous. When she discovers that he's a vamp, one of the creatures that she vows to kill, the attraction doesn't fade. Xan isn't like most vamps and it has Martha questioning everything that she knows.

Pleasures Untold started off slow for me but has the plot developed and the pace picked up, I was engrossed in the story. It took me awhile to get used to Martha's voice. The snarkiness and self-deprecation was a little off-putting. I wanted to shake Martha. She is so strong and confident when she's fighting but when it comes to personal stuff, like her appearance and her "lack" of attractiveness, she is so down on herself and with no self-esteem. I had to continually remind myself that Martha is not all fluff and light.  This was Martha's personality so I went with it. She has issues that she needs to work through. As Martha opens up more to her roommates and Xan, we see a more softer, gentler Martha who can still kick ass! Martha had plenty of great one-liners throughout the book that reminded me Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Pleasures Untold definitely had more heat than Eve of Samhain. There were plenty of plot twists and surprises that kept the story interesting. I loved the building relationship between Martha and Xan. And also her relationship with her roommates. Pleasures Untold ended with some things left unsettled which hopefully will be resolved in the next book. I can't wait!
2075528
Ms. Turner. What is this woman  made out of excellent!!! But it!