Ok, Ok, I know I was meant to review this book effing ages ago, but better late than never right?

Anyway, here’s the blurb from the Liquid Silver website again:

In the fall of 1946, grieving war widow Sarah goes to the carnival with her friends and is riveted by the tattooed man in the freak show, sporting head to toe body art. Later she discovers him hiding in her hayloft, escaped from virtual imprisonment since childhood by the carnival’s evil owner.

She shelters him on her farm, fighting a powerful sexual attraction while learning about his mysterious past and gentle nature.

When a local child goes missing, Tom uses his psychic gifts to locate her, but his assistance in the case doesn’t allay the town’s mistrust of such an exotic stranger in their midst. Small-town prejudice tears the lovers apart and a very real threat from carnival owner Art Reed endangers them. Can they rise above obstacles of fear and hate to create the family both have always craved?

My Verdict

Loved. This. Freaking. Book.

It always amazes me how some publishers seem to try to pigeonhole their authors into writing ‘safe’ books, thus keeping the risks to a minimum.

This so wasn’t the case with Bone Deep.

I mean, how many romance books can you name where the hero is a tattooed freak of nature, imprisoned by a carnival owner?

Not many I’ll wager.

Originality is the one element that propels the heavyweights of the romance genre into a different stratosphere from the rest. Why do you think J.R. Ward’s vampire series, and J.D Robb’s In Death books have been so damn successful?

What impressed me most about Bone Deep was the way that this beautiful story was told. Good dialogue, and a hellaciously intriguing cast of lead and secondary characters easily solidified this book as one of my fave reads of the year.

Bone Deep is set in the late 1940’s, just after World War II, a period in history that romance writers tend to avoid, with the exception of authors such as Lavyrle Spencer.

I know that some readers believe that if you’re going to set a romance in such a contentious period, then the plot should reflect the times, but I say fuck that, I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to be reminded of the number of Jews who’d died at the hands of That Crazy Dude, every two minutes.

Bone Deep starts out fairly quietly in my opinion, but I immediately liked the author’s voice, and I was compelled to read on.

For me personally, the author’s strength, lay within her fantastic characterizations, and the ability to emotionally engage the reader. I can’t imagine that anybody who reads this book, would fail to be hugely impressed with both lead characters, especially Tom.

Tom. What an utterly amazing hero he was. It’ll probably be a while before I meet another romance hero such as he, but I can tell you that I fell completely in love with him. He was just the most complex, and richly developed character, that I’ve come across in a good while.

I know that in real life, if I ever met a man who was covered in tattoos, I’d probably run a mile, so I think it was a testament to Dee’s writing ability that I was able to put my prejudices aside, and let myself fall in love with this wonderful hero.

By rights, he should have lost all of his humanity, considering the life he had led, and the way he had been treated by carnival owner, Art Reed. But he hadn’t, not at all. He was the perfect tortured hero. And then some.

Tom’s vulnerability was one of the things that I loved the most about him, but as the book went on, I was gratified to see that the author let him grow as a character.

I loved how Dee handled his innocence, without leaving the reader feeling icky, when it came to the consumation of his relationship with Sarah. I’d found myself wondering how she was going to approach the love scenes, but I needn’t have worried. She did a great job, and even managed to raise my temperature, a degree or two. (g)

Admittedly, I do love a good alpha, but somehow Dee, managed to create this somewhat beta male, without taking away his manliness. He was thoughtful, loving and conscientious, but this reader was left in no doubt that he would have laid down his life for Sarah, if he had to. As a romance reader that’s the kind of belief that I want to have in the hero. I think this is pretty much why I love Linda Howard heroes so much, even the assholic ones.

A special hero like Tom, needed a special heroine to do him justice, and I honestly believe that Sarah was that heroine.

Her first husband, John, had been killed during the war, and what impressed me about the writer was that in no way was her grief downplayed. Very often, authors fall into the trap of trying to make The Ex seem less manly, less attractive, and generally just less in comparison. Bonnie Dee didn’t do that, and for that I was very grateful, because that’s actually always been one of my pet peeves in romance.

Sarah was just lovely. She wasn’t kick-ass, but she was strong in an understated way, much like Sarah McCarty’s Jenna, in Promises Prevail.

She was a wounded woman, who didn’t think she’d ever fall in love again, but when the opportunity and the right man came along, she grabbed them with both hands and refused to let go.

One of the most spine tingling scenes in the book, is when Sarah first catches sight of Tom, and instantly feels the first threads of attraction.
When a writer is able to physically affect the reader in such a way, you know that you’ve found a keeper.

One of the things that I loved most about Sarah, was how protective she was of Tom, it was a nice change to see the heroine rescuing the hero instead of the other way round.

There was a socially conscious undertone within Bone Deep that was quite difficult to ignore or maybe it’s because I is black? (g), and I have to say that if I had one complaint about this book, it would be that the resolution at the end was just a tad too pat.

In my personal experience, bigots rarely change their minds when it comes to their various prejudices, so it was a bit of a stretch for me to imagine that Sarah and Tom’s life became a bed of roses, just because he did one good deed. But fuck it, this is a romance book, and if I can buy the whole hip-hop loving, vampires-with-spelling-issues thing, I can swallow just about anything.

Overall, Bone Deep, was a deeply satisfying read. The dialogue was well done, the plot was well executed, the love story was extremely touching, and even the villain was believable, however what I loved most about this book, was the fantastic characterisation, and the emotional impact that this story yielded.

If you want to read an original book, look no further than Bone Deep. Seriously, it was fab.

You can purchase the book here, and visit the author’s website here.

What are you waiting for? Go buy dammit!

Saddam’s been hanged, but more importantly, I just read this on Meg Cabot’s blog:

“Princess Diaries series has been banned from North Joshua Elementary School in Joshua ISD in Texas. The books were cited for sexual content and found inappropriate for grades pre-kindergarten through 6th grade.”

Meg’s happy cuz she knows that this means she’s finally arrived.

Those effing conservatives need shooting though.

Isn’t it funny how time and time again writers insist on bringing up the subject of reviewing? The thing is, how many times do the authors on RTB write complimentary columns about passionate enthusiastic readers who blog about books?

The fact is, there are far more fairly neutral bloggers out there, like JMC and the like, who are generally less acerbic when it comes to their reviews, than the likes of me and the Ja(y)nes, who don’t mind tearing a book to strips if we feel that the book deserves it.

But how many times do we see the authors on RTB toasting their efforts, and thanking them for talking about books?

In fact, when was the last time we witnessed a romance author randomly giving thanks to reader bloggers for encouraging book discussion, period?

The answer? It doesn’t happen. unless said author is promoting a book They’ll bitch and moan about mean reviewers who dare voice their true opinions til the cows come home, but when do they actually give us props for our passion for books?

Wouldn’t it be nice to see an RTB columnist (preferably an author) come out and praise the endeavours of reviewers and bloggers, and no, praising Harriet Klausner doesn’t count without berating us for having the balls to be honest about our opinions?

At the risk of repeating myself, one lowly blogger writing about how he/she thought one book sucked arseholes isn’t going to end a publishing career. It really isn’t. It really isn’t going to affect your sales, if it does, then face it, your book probably sucks big time.

The people who refuse to buy based on the review probably wouldn’t have bought you in the first place. Seriously.

Incidentally have you ever noticed how the moaners are usually of the midlist mediocrity variety?

Just sayin’.

Some authors may hate reviewers they say they don’t but really they do, but as far as I’m concerned, if people aren’t chewing the fat over your books, then you probably aren’t selling so well. (Big name authors not included) so some of these authors really need to get over themselves, and in the words of my pal Indida, stop bitching, and just fucking write.

End of rant.

Coming up, gushing review of Bonnie Dee’s Bone Deep. (g)

I went to see him once in concert, in 1998. He kept the crowd waiting for two hours before he appeared. He was OK, but I’d been too annoyed that he’d showed such disrespect to people who’d turned up specially, just to see him. Such diva behaviour never failed to piss me off.

I noticed that there’s been very little blogged about his death. I’m wondering if this was because of his colourful past? Or perhaps his death just didn’t affect bloggers?

His death came as a shock to me, I must admit. But then again, I was brought up listening to his music.

He was more sinner than saint, but I still hope he’s able to rest in peace.

Apologies for the lack of blogging, but I’ve been awfully busy you know, what with eating, partying, getting sick, and shopping, it’s been hard to fit the blog in.

Anyway, normal service will resume shortly, have I missed any flames or good gossip, or random acts of bad authorly behaviour? Go on, you can tell me, I promise I wont tell a soul…

Harriet Klausner

Are they on crack?

Oh I get it, she’s a representative of the online reading community.

I ask again, are they on crack?

The woman loves every single freaking book that she reads. How is that a good thing? Does anybody actually care about her opinion on books, or like me, do you read them just for the blurbs when she gets the storyline right, anyhow.

I got this article via the SB’s.

I think the piece is basically saying that professional reviewers suck arse, and that us amateurs are the bees knees.

That’s just my take on it, obviously. (g)

Incidentally, not being mean or anything, but am I the only person who thinks Klausner looks way older than 54?

Just sayin’.

How fab is this cover?

I meant to review Bone Deep eons ago, so tomorrow, I’m gonna finally get to it. In the mean time, here’s the blurb taken from the Liquidsilver website:

In the fall of 1946, grieving war widow Sarah goes to the carnival with her friends and is riveted by the tattooed man in the freak show, sporting head to toe body art. Later she discovers him hiding in her hayloft, escaped from virtual imprisonment since childhood by the carnival’s evil owner.

She shelters him on her farm, fighting a powerful sexual attraction while learning about his mysterious past and gentle nature.

When a local child goes missing, Tom uses his psychic gifts to locate her, but his assistance in the case doesn’t allay the town’s mistrust of such an exotic stranger in their midst. Small-town prejudice tears the lovers apart and a very real threat from carnival owner Art Reed endangers them. Can they rise above obstacles of fear and hate to create the family both have always craved?

Now how fabulous does this book sound? I wont be reviewing Bone Deep until tomorrow (or perhaps the day after seeing as I’m partying tomorrow evening), but if you can’t wait that long, then take it from me, you will love this book, so just go and buy it from here.

I’ve read plenty of books this year, some of them have been utterly forgettable, some have moved me to tears, and others have moved me to contemplate chewing off my own arm.

So in celebration of the books we’ve read this year, good and bad, I want to know the following from you guys:

1. The Book That Everybody Else Loved That You Thought Was Wank (A.K.A the most over-rated book you’ve read this year)

Mine was Anne Stuart’s Cold As Ice.

2. The Book that Made You Cry So Hard That You Had Big Gobs of Snot Running Attractively Down Your Chin (A.K.A, the biggest tear jerker)

Mine was Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife

3. The Book That Nearly Made You Pee Yourself With Mirth (A.K.A the funniest book you read this year)

Mine was Susan Elizabeth Phillip’s Match Me If You Can

4. The Book That Made You Realise That Some Writers Should Never Get Published (A.K.A the worst book you read this year)

Mine was Karin Tabke’s Good Girl Turned Into a Big Old Ho Gone Bad

5. The Book That Made You Realise That Your Fave Auto-Buy Author Wasn’t On The Same Planet Anymore (A.K.A, Auto-buy authors that you finally binned after years of abuse)

Mine was Patricia Cornwell’s Predator

6. The Book That Lead To A Humongous Glom

Mine was JD Robb’s Judgement In Death

7. The Book That Made You Realise That Not All Paranormals Are Crap (A.K.A the best paranormal you’ve read this year)

Mine was Nalini Singh’s Slave To Sensation

8. The Book Cover That Made You Want To Shoot The Artist (A.K.A as the suckiest book cover of the year, please provide links)

Mine are most of the Changeling Press book covers (g) come on, did you really expect me to say anything else?

9. The Book That Made You Realise That Romance Isn’t The Same Old Same Old All The Time (A.KA the most original romance book read this year)

Mine was Bonnie Dee’s Bone Deep

Ok, that’s enough from me, now it’s your turn!

As an apology for not having read Midnight Sonata, even though I said I would, here’s the review for Betting Hearts that I wrote a while ago. Enjoy.

So, I finished reading Betting Hearts last night.

Without further ado, here’s the blurb

When Cassandra Bishop’s ex-fiance shows up with the prerequisite, blonde haired, big boobed bimbo in tow, and announces that he’s getting married, she’s absolutely gobsmacked. Not because she’s still in love with him, but because, he broke their engagement a year ago, after telling her that he was gay.

Things go from bad to worse, when Bastard Ex-Fiance tells Cassandra, that the real reason he broke up with her was because she wasn’t woman enough for him. The swine!

Cassandra being the fiery tempered broad that she is, decides to rearrange his well-placed nose.

Devastated by this revelation, Cassie gets drunk as a skunk, and ends up at her best friend, Burke Halifax’s house at stupid o’clock. A ritual which Burke has long become familiar with.

For the past twenty-two years, Burke Halifax has made it his life’s ambition to make sure that nobody hurts Cassie. She’s the best friend he’s got, and he’ll be damned if a snivelling little fuckwit like Bastard Ex Fiance is gonna hurt his friend.

Things start to get out of hand when BEF issues a wedding invitation to Cassie, out of spite.

Burke foolishly bets Cassie’s prized car that she’ll be the hottest woman at Bastard Ex-Fiance and Big Boobed Bimbo’s wedding. Cassie herself is determined to prove that she is woman enough for any man, least of all BEF, and thus the make-over of one Cassandra Bishop begins, with a few mishaps along the way, to keep things interesting.

Will Burke and Cassie finally work out that they float each other’s boat, or will they keep looking for love in all the wrong places?

My Verdict

I. Loved. This. Book.

I don’t ask for a lot in romance. Seriously, I don’t. I don’t give a fuck about dangling participles, definite articles or prepositions. I’ll leave those worries to editors. As long as the book is written in plain common-sense English, I’m happy. I want good characterization, an interesting plotline, and a writing ‘voice’ that doesn’t compel me to hang myself from the nearest lampost.

This book met all my requirements, and so much more besides.

Betting Hearts was an extremely well written book. I loved the dialogue between the hero and heroine. I loved that Tenorio had put a different spin, on a much re-hashed plot device, and she also had some cracking characters.

It’s been absolutely ages since I laughed so much I nearly wet myself, (not literally of course because I do actually have excellent control of my bladder) but Betting Hearts had me laughing from the first paragraph, to the last.

Tenorio’s voice appealed to me because she kept it simple. She didn’t try to wear her brains in her book, as so many authors try to do, and she had the ability to let me (the reader) come to my own conclusions, rather than insulting my intelligence, and explaining everything from the thread to the needle. She was able to draw me in from the very beginning, and kept me reading until 3am in the morning. It’s been a while since I loved a book that much, I can tell you.

I loved the two central characters in this book.

Cassandra Bishop was a woman who I could be friends with if she’d been a real person. She was laugh out loud funny, and regardless of her bad choices when it came to the BEF, she was actually a woman in control of her own life.

Although she was a tomboy at heart, I could relate to her. She wasn’t a Mary Sue-Goody-Two-Shoes type heroine, far from it in fact. She could be very manipulative, especially when it came to pushing Burke’s buttons. She also had a wicked temper, but she was very funny, and hugely endearing.
I loved the fact that when she realised that Burke was the man for her, she didn’t waste any time pontificating, and instead, just went for it. My kind of heroine.

Burke Halifax was also my ideal hero. Rough around the edges, but loyal as hell. I’m partial to male leads who make me envious of their heroines. He was manly, without being an asshole. His obvious feelings for Cassie was one of the most attractive things about him. I loved his reaction to discovering that his best friend had breasts, and the guilt he harboured over his new, lewd, and lascivious thoughts about her.

Cassie’s friendship meant a lot to Burke, and this is something that Tenorio managed to convey brilliantly within the opening pages of this story. It’s not often I go all girly over a book, but I did find myself tilting my head to the side, placing both hands on my cheeks, and sighing in appreciation at Tenorio’s ability to mentally and emotionally, take me along Cassie and Burke’s tentative voyage into previously uncharted territory.

The secondary characters in this book included, Cassie’s brother, Hayne, who was sweet, if a little dumb, Bastard Ex Fiance’s new fiancee, Sally, and Cassie’s father. They all had their part to play, without taking anything away from the central characters. I do hate it when authors present you with so many secondary personalities that you forget who the main squeeze’s are.

What I loved most about Betting Hearts was how romantic it actually was. I know that this should be a given in a fictional romance story, but I’ve read a fair few books in the past, which although were romance books, were actually not very romantic. I know that you guys will know exactly what I mean.

My one and only complaint about Betting Hearts, was the feeling that the ending had been slightly rushed, in an attempt to meet the deadline and the word count, but fuck it, I’m not even gonna go there, because I was still able to totally look beyond that, and enjoy the story.

I’ve always loved the friends to lovers theme, when written well, and Dee Tenorio certainly did herself justice with this book

Well Dee, I had no idea who you were, before I read your book, but if you keep writing stories as good as Betting Hearts, then I’m gonna keep buying. Unless of course you do an Elizabeth Bevarly. Then all bets are off. *g*

*Karen selflessly steals Hawaiian Surprise ice-cream back from Dee, in an attempt to save her from expanding hips*

PS, the cover sucks Big Fucking Hairy Rhinoceros Balls.

You can visit Dee Tenorio here, and buy Betting Hearts here.

I was in the car the other day listening to a news update re the serial killer in Ipswich, when this priest/pastor/religious freak comes on air, and tells us that we should pray for the killer and hope for his salvation.

I can’t tell you how much that kinda sanctimonious forgive-their-sins shit fucks me off.

Pray for him? I think not. Castrate the fucker, and tear strips off his chest with a burning hot garden rake, soaked in acid sounds more like it to me.

Religious preachings drive me wild. Sheesh.