INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS by Sierra Michaels

by ⋅ Leave a Comment
INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS
Source: Author Submission
* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Paperback: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Black Rose Writing (March 4, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1935605151
  • ISBN-13: 978-1935605157
SYNOPSIS:
Cali is a graduate student paying her way through school giving sensual massage to strange men at an apartment with several other girls, where she leads a double life and internally struggles with the job she has chosen, the friendships she has made, and the lies she must tell. At the university Cali is a star student trying to finish her master’s thesis on California archaeology. What the other students and professors must not know is that by night she makes money by giving happy endings to strangers. At first, she truly enjoys working at the apartment, since it brings out the sensual side she lacks as a student. She forms a close friendship with two of the girls and a few of her regular customers, but struggles with the fact that she is doing something illegal, dangerous, and looked down upon in American society. Intimate Encounters is a humorus and occasionally serious account of the inner workings of the sensual massage business and the unique and sometimes pathological characters who work at and visit the apartment, as well as Cali’s life and struggles as a graduate student in doubt about her chosen field and her future. 
MY THOUGHTS:
After reading the blurb about the book, I knew this was going to be an erotic read.  Even though the blurb states a humorous feel in it, I didn’t see a lot of humor. I did however, read some happy endings to some strangers.
Within the first chapter we get to understand what Cali does for a side job.  What she does is illegal, but she needs the money to make it through graduate school on her own.  I admit, I blushed in that first chapter.  Just the thought of what she was doing to complete strangers seemed so wrong, but Cali didn’t think about that while doing her job.  As you read more into the book though, it seems to repeat again and again.  The book seemed to progress slowly and dragged at a slow pace.  I kept waiting for something big to happen and it didn’t.  Then the bust happens. The chapter when the apartment gets busted was, in my opinion, the turn around for Cali. Yet the author missed the opportunity at this point in the book to keep the reader hooked.  The bust played out behind the scenes of the main character and we didn’t get to see the drama that it entailed. It would have given so much more substance to the book. 
The ending was abrupt as well. When you finally get to the end of the book, Cali realizes what she wants in life. It was wrapped up within in a few pages and left the reader with a let down of a climatic ending. I do believe the author has great potential with a wonderful plot.  I just wish it had more speed to the story with a little more substance. 
MY RATING:


 
  If the library doesn’t have it, don’t worry about reading it! 2 STARS

BODY PARTS by Janet Cameron Hoult

by ⋅ Leave a Comment
BODY PARTS
A Collection of Poems About Aging
Author: Janet Cameron Hoult
* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*
  • Paperback: 60 pages
  • Publisher: Outskirts Press (April 23, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1432755986
  • ISBN-13: 978-1432755980
SYNOPSIS:
When you lose your hair and your hearing and your vision, it’s hard to find any humor in these all too human conditions. These poems were written from experience and, believe me, if you can laugh about aging body parts, you can handle the other problems life hands you. So read, enjoy and laugh! 
MY THOUGHTS:
As we all age, I think we all struggle with finding the humor in it. I was excited to be offered this book for review because it deals with just that.  Plus it is nothing  but poetry, which is a secret favorite of mine.
While the summary of the book sounded great, the poetry on the other hand, left me disappointed.  The poems felt sloppy and just like they were put together in a rush.  It didn’t feel like there was any work put into them. Even though some of the poems were funny and gave me a little chuckle, I just couldn’t enjoy the poetry like I should.  Not a bad book of poetry, but not a great job either. 
MY RATING:

 
  If the library doesn’t have it, don’t worry about reading it!

2 STARS

I KISSED A ZOMBIE, AND I LIKED IT by Adam Selzer

by ⋅ 2 Comments

I KISSED A ZOMBIE, AND I LIKED IT
Author: Adam Selzer
Source: Public Library Loan

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Paperback: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (January 26, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0385735030
  • ISBN-13: 978-0385735032

SYNOPSIS:

Algonquin “Ali” Rhodes, the high school newspaper’s music critic, meets an intriguing singer, Doug, while reviewing a gig. He’s a weird-looking guy—goth, but he seems sincere about it, like maybe he was into it back before it was cool. She introduces herself after the set, asking if he lives in Cornersville, and he replies, in his slow, quiet murmur, “Well, I don’t really live there, exactly. . . .”

When Ali and Doug start dating, Ali is falling so hard she doesn’t notice a few odd signs: he never changes clothes, his head is a funny shape, and he says practically nothing out loud. Finally Marie, the school paper’s fashion editor, points out the obvious: Doug isn’t just a really sincere goth. He’s a zombie. Horrified that her feelings could have allowed her to overlook such a flaw, Ali breaks up with Doug, but learns that zombies are awfully hard to get rid of—at the same time she learns that vampires, a group as tightly-knit as the mafia, don’t think much of music critics who make fun of vampires in reviews. . . . 

MY THOUGHTS:

Where do I begin with this review? First of all, I loved the cover! It was cute and playful that goes perfectly with the book.  I liked the character of Doug.  He was my favorite in the book. I cried so hard for him at the end of the book.  The scenes were so touching in the end that I had to get some Kleenex.

What really annoyed me though with this book was the music band references that were on almost every page and in every scene.  If I had to hear about certain bands and artists anymore, I think I would have screamed.  I understand that music played a big part in this book, but I felt it pointless to have to keep repeating it over and over again.  I found that I didn’t like Alley.  One chapter she was against post-humans and then all of a sudden–like the next chapter–she liked them.  It didn’t have a natural progression.

I did like the witty remarks that came out of the characters mouths though.  The one line puns were great! The puns and Doug were basically the only things that kept me interested in finishing the book.  While the last couple of chapters are the best of the book, it still needed a little bit more from the rest of it.

MY RATING:

 
  If the library doesn’t have it, don’t worry about reading it! 2 STARS

This Gorgeous Game by Donna Freitas

by ⋅ Leave a Comment
THIS GORGEOUS GAME
Author: Donna Freitas
  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1 edition (May 25, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0374314721
  • ISBN-13: 978-0374314729
SYNOPSIS:
A CHILLING NOVEL ABOUT THE ISOLATION OF BEING STALKED AND THE ABUSE OF POWER.
 
Olivia Peters is over the moon when her literary idol, the celebrated novelist and muchadored local priest Mark D. Brendan, offers to become her personal writing mentor. But when Father Mark’s enthusiasm for Olivia’s prose develops into something more, Olivia’s emotions quickly shift from wonder to confusion to despair. Exactly what game is Father Mark playing, and how on earth can she get out of it?
 
This remarkable novel about overcoming the isolation that stems from victimization is powerful, luminous, and impossible to put down.
 
MY THOUGHTS:
Olivia is an aspiring writer who wins a contest that gives her the chance to meet her author idol, Father Mike.  She is on cloud nine thinking that her life is finally getting better.  You quickly learn that Father Mike’s meetings with Olivia are more about obsession than mentoring.  
The characters were not as interesting as I thought they would be.  The plot was a little blah as well.  Yet, even with those feelings about the book, I could understand the story the author was trying to tell without over doing it.  It flowed nicely and the obsession progressed at a normal pace. I just wish I could have liked the characters a little more.  I was not a big fan of the ending either. It left things unfinished.  I hope this is something the author will plan on fixing with her next books.
Overall it wasn’t a bad read, but it wasn’t great either.  It left me wanting more ends tied up and the characters to have had a little more depth to them.
MY RATING:


 
  If the library doesn’t have it, don’t worry about reading it! 2 STARS

SQUEEZE PLAY by Kate Angell

by ⋅ 3 Comments
SQUEEZE PLAY
Author: Kate Angell
Source: Library
  • Mass Market Paperback: 308 pages
  • Publisher: Love Spell (May 30, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0505526670
  • ISBN-13: 978-0505526670
SYNOPSIS:
Risk Kincaid and Jacy Grayson have known each other since high school, when, after seeing her crying because her prom date dumped her, Risk volunteered to be her rebound guy. Whenever she broke up with someone, she could call him, and wherever he was, he’d show up for a few days to “console” her. 
Years later, Risk, now a team captain of a World Series-winning baseball team, returns to their hometown of Frostproof, Florida, for a benefit. He has seen eccentric Jacy every six months or so for years, and he now plans on asking her to marry him. Jacy has never had anyone in her bed but Risk, her true love. All those boyfriends were just a way to keep him in her life. But now she is afraid of changing the status quo. 
MY THOUGHTS:

Squeeze Play is the first in a series of books featuring baseball athletes looking for love by author Kate Angell. I am a sucker for romance books that feature strong heros and heroines.  With this book, both characters were strong and independent but lacked in the spark of romance.  This book was suppose to be about Risk and Jacy, but you are introduced to the side characters that have just as much of a story as the main characters.  While I enjoyed all of them, it made you forget who the story was suppose to be featuring.
The story was sweet and fun, even if it did seem to stray all over with different people and plots.  I enjoyed the book, but not enough to where I would run out and buy the whole series. If you are a serious baseball fan though, the book features lots of baseball trivia and insights.  All I know is the book to didn’t strike a home run with me and instead featured a bunch of foul balls.
MY RATING:


 
  If the library doesn’t have it, don’t worry about reading it!