The Book Club

Ina (the Club President, sitting down in the front of the photo) and the other Murder One UK ladies (From left: Leonie, Madeline, Tanya, Marta, Gillian, Tina, Debra) meet monthly to thoroughly discuss the selected title (along with some girly gossip and mutual drooling over the main male characters), to share ideas and have some fun, all liberally spiced with food and drink in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The Book Club has been running for over a year and is always looking for new members. We discuss different genres of books and - as Ina says - we 'allow' diverse opinions.
We have, to date, talked about a host of writers including Sherrilyn Kenyon, Liz Carlyle, Mary Balogh, Chrisitne Feehan, Robin Wells, Robin McKinley, Allison Brennan, & Karin Tabke and many others.

We cordially invite all romance readers to our Book Club meetings!

Future Meetings

15th September 2010 - Alice Kimberly's The Ghost & Mrs McClure
13th October 2010 - Leslie Esdaile's Sister Got Game
17th November 2010 - Dee Henderson's True Devotion & Wanda Brunstetter's A Sister's Secret
15th December 2010 - book not decided as yet

Our Reviews:

18th August 2010 - Teresa Medeiros's Breath of Magic

Precocious Puritan and aspiring witch Arian Whitewood spends her lonely nights dreaming of magic and excitement. She gets more excitement than she bargains for when she crash lands straight out of a witch hunt into the 20th century and the arms of Tristan Lennox, a relusive billionaire. Arian blows through Tristan's climate-controlled existence like a breath of magic, only to discover that the spell he weaves around her heart is more compelling than any enchantment.

Verdict:

This month choice was an oldie but a goody. Teresa Medeiros’s Breath of Magic is a time travelling romance with several twists and no I’m not going to tell you what they are, buy the book! But the real secret of time travel is via computer technology in case you wonder but many of the twists relate to the characters and here is one Medeiros strengths, her characters even the secondary ones are likeable and you are really interested in what going to happen to them. As for the love scenes the general consensus is that this is deftly handled suitable to the story and yay does not contain lessons in anatomy. But for all you that think this sounds to good to be true and we have gone soft (we haven’t slaughtered a book in months), Madeline didn’t like it…

21 July 2010 - Nalini Singh / Angel's Blood

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best—but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option...even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break…

Verdict:

For all you fans of stroppy blondes with snappy comebacks this is the one for you. Nalini Singh’s Angels’ Blood is a new twist on the overflowing and quickly becoming hackneyed sub genre of paranormal romance. Here she presents angels as an example of absolute power corrupts absolutely. These are not cosy characters and I don’t think you would want to take them home to mum but the story is complex enough not to insult you while maintaining your interest to the end. Madeleine was amused by the snide play against Buffy believe me Elena is tougher and smarter. Most of us (move it Tanya) have already bought and read the next Elena and Raphael (what else would he be called) and eagerly await the supporting characters stories. Congratulations Nalini on an innovative and entertaining story.

16 June 2010 - Cindy Gerard / Show No Mercy

Synopsis:

The sexy heroes of Black Ops, Inc., a covert private security team, sizzle in New York Times bestselling author Cindy Gerard's electrifying new romantic suspense series.

THE SULTRY HEAT...

Only two things can compel journalist Jenna McMillan back to Buenos Aires after terrorists held her captive there just months before: a rare interview with a shadowy billionaire and the memory of the dark and dangerous man who saved her....

HIDES THE DEADLIEST THREATS...

Bad guys, bombs, and bullets are Gabriel Jones's way of life. But he'll never forget the brash redhead he rescued not so long ago...or the passionate kiss they shared before he sent her packing....

AND EXPOSES THE DEEPEST DESIRES.

Now, forced together by a bombing at the National Congress, Jenna and Gabe confront the urgent longings that simmer between them. But this surprise meeting is no coincidence. A ruthless enemy stalks them with deadly precision. The question is... if they make it out alive, will Gabe turn his back on Jenna...again?

Verdict:

This months book was a special ops book, Cindy Gerard’s Show No Mercy. Are we getting more mellow in the group!!! We all enjoyed this; she seemed to have done her homework. Ina could verify the medical stuff, yep antibiotics do not fix everything if you are running around and not taking care of the wound, as for the weapons none of us could claim an expertise there but it all seemed pretty legit. It was agreed that it drove you to buy others of her books, which is always a good sign. We noted with interest that her sentences were quite short in contrast to Georgette Heyer last month who assumed that readers have a longer attention span than the average goldfish. Having recently had to do some assignments with tutors who keep banging on about “short attention grabbing” sentences this could be a generation thing.

12 May 2010 - Any Georgette Heyer title

Verdict:

This month we were all tasked with reading any thing we wanted of the redoubtable Ms Heyer. The volume of work alone is daunting but no matter what we read (except for Tanya who kept falling asleep on the train) we found them charming and enjoyable. Leonie is getting back into historicals after reading hers! So another winner all around. Not a surprise as generations of readers keep coming back to her. Truthfully both Ina, and the two Tanyas' initially struggled with the language but once into the flow could not put them down (except for sleeping beauty). At work Ina attempted to improve her vocabulary thanks to Georgette and got the "Ugh" look, vexed apparently no longer being in common use. The lack of any discernable sex scenes was found to be refreshing and the focus on plot as opposed to being interrupted mid plot by tonsil hockey et.al was acclaimed by all to be a bonus and not missed at all.

14 April 2010 - Lisa Kleypas / Smooth Talking Stranger

Synopsis:

HE’S ONE SMOOTH TALKER…

A billionaire playboy, and all-around ladies’ man, Jake Travis has a reputation as big as the state of Texas. He drives too fast, lives too hard, and loves too many women to count.

SHE’S ALL BUSINESS …
In her advice column, and her love life, Ella Varner is always practical. So when she’s left holding her reckless sister’s baby, she decides to ask Jake Travis to take a paternity test.

THE TIME FOR TALKING IS OVER. . . .

Ella is instantly struck by Jake’s bold good looks and easy charm—but she’s not falling for his sweet talk. This big sexy tomcat needs to take responsibility for his actions, and Ella’s making him stick to his word. Now if she can only ignore the unspoken attraction that smolders between them…

Verdict:
Well the days are longer and bright and so is this book, brighter that is. Not a bad word to be said about this book we all really enjoyed it. If you are looking for something that is a joy to read and a great de-stressor this is the one for you. Ina and Madeline were already committed fans of this author (of course there had to be an argument of her historical vs. contemporary but we both love all her stuff except for the dodgy time travel one). The rest of the group all expressed a desire to read more of her works. A resounding success congratulations Lisa the first book in the clubs history that got a unanimous thumbs up.

March 2010 - Linnea Sinclair / Gabriel's Ghost

Synopsis:
After a decade of piloting interstellar patrol ships, former captain Chasidah Bergren, onetime pride of the Sixth Fleet, finds herself court-martialed for a crime she didn’t commit–and shipped off to a remote prison planet from which no one ever escapes. But when she kills a brutal guard in an act of self-defense, someone even more dangerous emerges from the shadows.

Gabriel Sullivan–alpha mercenary, smuggler, and rogue–is supposed to be dead. Yet now this seductive ghost from Chaz’s past is offering her a ticket to freedom–for a price. Someone in the Empire is secretly breeding jukors: vicious and uncontrollable killing machines that have long been outlawed. Gabriel needs Chaz to help him stop the practice before it decimates Imperial space. The mission means putting their lives on the line–but the tensions that heat up between them may be the riskiest part of all.

Verdict:
It was a relief to find that on this St Patrick's Day we had managed to pick a book with a green cover and more cleverness yes, prepared to be shocked folks we quite liked this one! Most of us struggled to get through the first chapters but having finished it we all felt that it was worth the effort. Rather a lot of time on spaceship mechanics (not something we felt we would ever use but hey who knows) and could do with more character development. We spent the entire book getting told how tortured Sully is and that he is very obviously hiding something. Then in a rather rushed end it all comes out and there is talk of the bonding between Sully and Chas that could mean his death if broken?

It is also very evident that Linnea is attempting to suck us into buying all the rest of the series. Sorry Linnea most of us just find that annoying. Please take note of this authors you are just exacerbating us. You can write a series and have each stand alone as good stories. Overall a positive result for Linnea and regardless of what is written above at least two will be purchasing more of her books.

February 2010 - Sarah McCarty / Caine's Reckoning

Synopsis:
The Hell's Eight is the only family he's ever needed, until he meets the only woman he's ever wanted . . . Caine Allen is a hardened Texas Ranger, definitely not the marrying kind. But when he rescues a kidnapped woman and returns her to town, the preacher calls in a favor. One Caine's honor won't let him refuse. From the moment he beds Desi, Caine knows turmoil will follow. Desi might have the face of a temptress, but she also has a will of iron and while she needs his protection, she's determined that no man will control her again. They establish an uneasy bond, but it isn't enough for Caine. He wants all Desi has to offer. He wants her screams, her moans, her demands . . . everything. Yet there's still a bounty on Desi's head, and keeping her sexually satisfied is proving easier than keeping her alive.

Verdict:
Yet another delightful trot down the path of improbability. For gods sake we have a heroine who has been imprisoned raped and tortured for a year but don't worry within hours of meeting the hero she's having sex (anal and anyway he can get it). Some of the positions so odd as to defy the physical skills of a yogi. The group seemed to particularly enjoy the fact that in an attempt to understand the physics of it all Ina was on the ground hands and knees trying to figure out were all the bits were. Still in the dark. Doesn't even work as a western and as for the time spent on the manufacture of hair conditioner in the 1800s um yes that time might have been better spent on character development because the general feeling was that at the end of the book you activity disliked him and she inspired no sympathy. Please send us some ideas for GOOD books.

January 2010 - Karen MacInerey / Howling at the Moon

Synopsis:
Romance is about to get a little hairy.

Sophie Garou seems to have it all: a great job at a prestigious accounting firm, a closet that rivals a Nordstrom showroom, and a terrific boyfriend who isn’t afraid to use the “M” word. There’s just one little itty-bitty problem: Sophie is a werewolf–and her time of month has a whole new meaning.

Needless to say, life among yummy flesh-and-blood humans is no piece of steak . . . er, cake!, but regular doses of wolfsbane tea and a mother who runs a magic shop have helped Sophie keep her paranormal pedigree under wraps. Still, when a sexy, golden-eyed werewolf prowls into town, Sophie finds herself struggling to keep her animal impulses in check–not to mention trying to keep things on track with her super hot (and super human) lawyer boyfriend. What’s more, someone is threatening to expose Sophie for what she really is. And when her mother is accused of selling a poison-laced potion, Sophie must sniff out a culprit before the fur hits the fan.

Verdict:
Members of the book club have bought all three books in the series due to a combination of curiosity and being left hanging after the end of the first book. It was clear to members of the club that Ms MacInerney had planned all three books in such a way that to feel you had finished the story all books had to be read. Other members of the book club didn't care enough about the characters to give a monkeys.

While an interesting marketing ploy, as noted above, this could leave readers frustrated or annoyed. Or indifferent. An enjoyable read - candyfloss for the eyes - with amusing notes. A bare-arsed werewolf running through the streets was memorable. However, the werewolf is one of the most hapless and accident-prone werewolf ever written. The fashion focus on handbags and BMWs was considered by all to be a limp-wristed following of "fashion Romance" drivel. None of the book club care enough about shoes and handbags to care if these accessories get lost. Loss of credit cards and phones and keys were not mentioned.

This is a book full of potential plot additions that don't get developed - even across all three books.

December 2009 - Cathy Maxwell / A Seduction at Christmas

Synopsis:

She never expected it would come to this

Desperation and an empty stomach forced Fiona Lachlan to agree to a plan that ended up luring the wickedly notorious Duke of Holburn into trouble. Everything went terribly wrong, and now she has found herself posing as his ward! And while she swore nothing could make her desire a scoundrel, even if he was a duke, she is now drawing ever closer to the one man she cannot have . . .

"Beware of innocence!"

The Duke of Holburn had spent years heeding this warning, and in doing so, managed to avoid the virginal young ladies who had been put in his path. But now his wild ways have gotten him into real danger. There are killers at the door and a temptingly beautiful woman in his arms. He is about to find himself seduced . . . and he isn't quite sure he wants to resist this time.

Verdict:
A light piece simple to read" is the most benign comment made during the meeting. The more negative comments ranged from "characters that you didn't care about" "forgettable storyline" to "offensive treatment of abuse of women". The details were shoddy too no reader was able to determine which year this story was set in or even the decade. Apparently the abuse of the heroine was dealt with in more seriousness in a former book but the way it was mentioned in this book has nearly prompted a protest to the Romance Writers of America. The plot was multi-stranded but no strand was thought out properly, presented clearly or resolved with anything like a logical end. This felt like a book written over the weekend during a party by Cathy and all her friends while indulging in the seasonal cheer of mulled wine as after all this was set at Christmas time. Bah Humbug, to be so predictable. However not all was lost. We liked the fight between the two dogs, go Tad I think he deserves his own fan club. Certainly he was the only one who showed any common sense.

November 2009 - Charlaine Harris / Sweet and Deadly

Synopsis:

Now best known for her New York Times-bestselling Sookie Stackhouse novels, Charlaine Harris garnered an unusual degree of acclaim with her first novel -- the story of a murder that embroils a small-town reporter in a mystery that hits close to home.

Catherine Linton came home to Lowfield, Mississippi convinced that the untimely deaths of her parents in a car accident was no accident -- but nobody believed her. So she stayed, taking a job at the local paper, to try to both convince the sheriff that she was right-and maybe convince herself she was wrong. After all, her father had been the town doctor, loved (she always thought) by all. To think he was killed was to think that one of her friends or neighbors has harbored some deep resentment toward him. Then she finds the dead body of the women who had been her father's nurse for many years. Obviously murdered. Now Catherine knows that she was not wrong about her parent's death. Someone in Lowfield has a terrible secret, a secret worth killing for. Not once, not twice, but -- when another body is found -- three times. And the killer won't hesitate to add more victims to the list, as Catherine gets closer and closer to the truth.

Verdict:
A very mixed reaction to our book of the month - Sweet & Deadly by Charlaine Harris. It was one of Charlaine's earlier novels, written in 1981 & her writing skills have quite obviously developed since she wrote this. Her array of characters including the heroine came across as very flat & no one had any sympathy or really cared what happened to any of them. Her skill in setting the scene is very evident though - concise & informative, & she keeps the plot going without getting bogged down in endless descriptions. It was interesting to see how Harris has developed as an author, as some of us have read her later work, & to see that authors can get better instead of hitting the big time early on in their careers & then churning our drivel because they know fans will still buy it in the never ending hope that the next one must be better then the last one!