Brazen Broads Book Bash

Pirates and prosthetics...what's not to love? This high seas adventure stars, Amy Stewart, a financial analyst with a repressed sense of fun and an overdeveloped sense of organization. So to save her from imminent death by work and boredom, and as only a teen can do, her daughter cajoles and guilts her into trying a virtual reality game called Buckling Swashes. (Which, I might add, is a great name for a pirate game.) The game isn't quite finished yet and teen Tara has an advance copy to try before she interviews the game developer, P.C. Monroe. With the promise to make officer before she quits and gives up on the game, Amy signs on as Earless Erika (you need a piratical name, right?), dons her VR glasses and gets ready to sail the seven seas. Once in the game, which was made to be as real as possible, from clothes to food, sights and smells, she begins to meet the various and sundry characters that make up this new world. She's soon grabbed from behind and hau...

Fantasy Writing, Vampires, And A Dash Of Romance... The title of this book is somewhat deceiving as the story is told from Michael Allen's perspective. Beginning with his normal young adult life in Chicago and taking the reader through his brutal transition to vampire, this novel continues into the present day where our hero leads a solitary life. Haunted and tortured by the memories surrounding the night he was bitten, Michael maintains a lonely existence, fighting against 'The Beast' and hating the very nature of what he is. When Michael begins hearing a strange voice and finds himself inexplicably drawn to Kiara, a local young woman with a life almost as strange as his own, a longing takes root deep inside him - a longing that could end in disaster. What Michael doesn't know is that Kiara has secrets of her own, some she doesn't even know she keeps. Together, Michael and Kiara discover the peace of self-acceptance through their unconditional acceptance of one ano...

The Pride & Prejudice Marathon Goes On! ...Darcy & Elizabeth, for better or for worse... Pemberley Manor, by Kathryn L. Nelson is the first completed sequel in my P & P marathon. I have mixed feelings. Elizabeth was very well written, and Nelson kept close to the original character in her portrayal. The author wrote great emotion and dialogue into her scenes, providing sharp wit and smart interactions not only between Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam, but within each of our heroine's relationships. Darcy is another story. While I agree with the author's interpretation of Darcy's discomfort and difficulty in openly expressing himself when it comes to feelings, Nelson added a tortured haunt to Fitzwilliam that, while not an unbelievable theme, crossed the line on more than one occasion into emasculation. This did not sit well with this Broad! Darcy's brooding and prideful nature was usually tempered by his love for Elizabeth, and her effect on his moods ...

MMA and romance, definitely claims the prize.... This is the debut book by author Nadja Notariani, and it is worth the read. It is well written with intelligent dialog, realistic events and well rounded characters. It is especially comforting to have a hero who isn't turned into a simpering "yes, dear" by the end of the book. The personalities of our cast stay true to form throughout. Which, for those who have suffered through "sybil" books, is very refreshing. The blending of romance with the sport of MMA is also a new twist in the genre. For those who are not familiar, MMA is mixed martial arts. It combines the boxing, wrestling and different martial arts disciplines. Ladies, trust me, it is an eye candy store I love to get lost in! Notariani also reaches a nice middle ground with her descriptive elements. I was not left wanting more, nor was I skipping past pages droning on about furniture, flowers and inane character musings. It is helpful to remember that t...