Guy Lit

Okay so the topic of Guy Lit came up.  Salamandergrey was on the phone with a male friend in Toronto and the topic went to books where in they started to discuss the new wave of Guy Lit.

So now we are on a mission to find books in this category.   Leave us a comment if you have any suggestions for us. 

Resistance is futile

A Vampire For Christmas

I have said before that I am more then disappointed in the sudden rise in coffin style stories. It gets a little confusing trying to find the dividing lines as of late for book sections. The fact the romance department has crossed over into the dark side would be good expect for the fact that almost everything is considered paranormal now.

With that said, I picked up a copy of Holiday with a Vampire 2. This is the second year Harlequin Romance has devoted a Christmas issue to vampires. This issue has two short novellas.

I read the first story in this issue "A Christmas Kiss" by Merline Lovelace and found it to be lacking in so many areas.

The fact it was a novella was it's first weak point. The story just didn't get a chance to develop into anything worth caring about. The characters were very one dimensional and stiff. The fact that it pulls from the idea of the overly used references of Vampire Masquerade made it dull and rehashed.

I will let you know when I read the second story in this book.

"The Vampire Who Stole Christmas" by Lori Devoti, the second novella in the book Holiday With A Vampire 2, is by far a better read.

We are treated to the idea of a Guardian Angel falling in love with a Vampire.

The topics of betrayal, lust, self esteem, and despair are the elements used to weave this short story. Unlike the first half of this issue, the characters have more depth and characteristics that make them likable.

When you meet your other half light and dark attitudes will balance out the best of each other.

Originally posted on my Chapter's Profile Dec. 2008

Blood is the New Black

This book was promoted as being "Devil Wears Prada with Vampires" and it lives up to its name. Not a horror story, or even a mystery but straight up chick lit. The main character is given a job at a fashion magazine for the summer, it is a job she really didn't ask for and not sure she should be doing. But since her mother was a top designer she really has no choice it's been set in stone. All her senior staff have strange habits, they sleep all day, party all night, never eat, and never use the bathroom. Throwin a few gossiping coworkers, a lot of sunglasses and did I mention a few bloodless bodies and we have a really funny take on an old topic. What I would like to know is there really a StakeOut.com?



Posted originally on Alucard's Rose Oct. 6 2007

Thunder Bay Book Club

Yes it's been a topic of much questions and little answers on the official Chapters' website for the community.

I am going to just say freal the rules and take things into my own hands.

If you are in the Thunder Bay area and want to have a book club leave me a comment here or on my Chapter's profile or the Thunder Bay Chapters Book group.

Saying Hello

Hi.
I know this is a book blog, but I thought I would step out of the covers and give an intro. I am GingerRoot the new contributer to the blog.
Currently Salamandergrey and myself are both reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies for our kinda book group. Therefore one of us, if not both of us will have a review for you soon.

Resistance is futile

Getting Over Jack Wagner by Elise Juska

I read this back in 2007, and had done a blog post for it on my Andrew and the Aluminumsidings blog.

My sister works at Chapters Books here in town, and gets a stack of books every so often. She passed this one on to me.
This book is about a woman who had a crush on actor/singer Jack Wagner and then dates only rockstars.
I love Chicklit which has left it's prints all over my blogging style. But this book, just sucked. In talking about the book, both my sister and me agreed this one just wasn't worth it.
It did however bring up a topic : Who/What is your 'Jack Wagner'?

This book lacked any real drive outside of being an autobiography disguised as fiction. The chick-lit style is unmistakable but it is not a fun romp. Instead it pulls you under it's own self depression leaving you feeling like a rat on a sunken ship.

Widows of Eastwick by John Updike

I did not like it at all.
Over 20 years in the waiting, and the final book by the late author.
The book is broken into 3 parts, and had a twist mid way I didn't like.

We pick up over 35 years after the end of Witches of Eastwick, to find the 3 women have all moved on and are now widows.
Alexandra decides she wants to start traveling and heads to Canada.
Jane comes back into the picture and the two go to Egypt.
Sukie then returns and off the three go to China.
Not enough adventure for them, so on the urging of Alexandra's daughter, they return to Eastwick.
Here they are faced with their past in more ways then one.

There was so much more that could have been done with this story, but it falls way short. Would be interesting to see if they can pull a second film out of this one.