Book: Bad to the Bone

Bad to the Bone by Jeri Smith-Ready

Published 2009

358 pages

If you're just joining us, welcome to radio station WVMP, "The Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll." Con-artist turned station-owner Ciara Griffin manages an on-air staff of off-the-wall DJs - including her new boyfriend Shane McAllister - who really sink their teeth into the music of their "Life Time" (the era in which they became vampires). It's Ciara's job to keep the undead rocking, the ratings rolling, and the fan base alive - without missing a beat.

Bad to the Bone by Jeri Smith-Ready is the second novel in her unique urban fantasy vampire series and it’s just as good, if not better than its predecessor Wicked Game. The novel continues the adventures of Ciara Griffin, its narrator, and her marketing intern job at local independent radio station WVMP, where the DJs are real honest to God vampires.

After successfully stopping a national network radio conglomerate from taking over WVMP in the last book, Ciara and her co-workers celebrate the coming Halloween with a party at The Smoking Pig, until the bar burns to the ground and they find a message from a group that clearly wants the vampires burning in Hell. When Regina’s midnight broadcast is interrupted, Ciara and her friends try to find out why. It doesn’t take them long to realize that all female artists and the station’s only female DJ are preempted by Family Action Network (FAN) anytime they hit the airwaves, replaced with sermons from the network overriding their signal.


In the midst of all this, Ciara is still working hard at school, sorting through relationship issues with her vampire boyfriend Shane McAllister, who has moved in with her, and taking in a vampire canine named Dexter. At the same time, Ciara attempts to infiltrate an anti-vampire self-help group that may be linked to FAN or some other secret society that wants the vampires dead. Ciara has quite the busy life for a recovering con artist, but she’s trying hard to stay straight and uses her skills to help promote the station and keep the vampires and their livelihood safe.


This book is action-packed with great music, and once again, Jeri Smith-Ready has a winner. What I enjoy most about these books is the fact that the author strays completely away from the clichés of vampire novels and she employs specific traits like the OCD that haven’t shown up in vampire stories in ages. I also loved the idea of a vampire dog, and while I’ve seen it once before, Jeri Smith-Ready took the idea and owned it.


Bad to the Bone is a great read and I highly recommend checking it out, as well as the author’s website: www.jerismithready.com.


Be on the lookout for the next book Bring on the Night in August 2010, and the fourth in early Spring 2011.


(this review will also appear in the Halloween issue of Forever Nocturne)

Book: Lover Eternal

Published 2006

ISBN: 0451218043

Genre: paranormal romance

Lover Eternal by J. R. Ward is the second installment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series about a group of warrior vampires fighting a deadly war with their slayers.

From the website:

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He’s the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover—for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships, is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant on Rhage’s protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. Her faith in miracles was lost years ago. But when Rhage’s intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves…


Rhage is a pretty boy, hence the nickname Hollywood, and I don’t generally like pretty boys, but his character did speak to me on many levels. Mostly for the fact that no matter how plain Mary seems to be, he sees her inner beauty and falls in love with her. I’ve stated before that these vampires have their strengths and weaknesses. Well, for Rhage, both of those involve the inner beast—a dragon—he is cursed with having for offending the Scribe Virgin. It is a part of his punishment for killing a bird, and he counts down the years he has left before she takes his wretched curse away.

Until he meets Mary.

Mary’s voice captures him initially in a moment when Rhage is nearly blind. Though Mary has her own struggles to deal with—she has cancer—and she tries to steer clear of Rhage, she does fall in love with him. Rhage endures his own struggles for fear of harming Mary through his beast before discovering she can tame the dragon, and they do go through quite a bit together in this journey.

This book really takes you on a journey of emotions and near the end, you really hate the Scribe Virgin—at least, I did anyway—when Rhage has to make a sacrifice that will keep him cursed forever, yet he won’t be able to have the woman he loves, in order to save her life.

Lover Eternal is a fast-paced page-turner as well, and it hurls you into its world and likely won’t let you go until you’ve finished it. Each character is so different from one another that there is someone for every woman to fall for—mine is Zsadist and will be my next review.

J. R. Ward has created an amazing world within the pages of these novels, and I have found that men love them just as much as women do.

You can see more on the website: www.jrward.com

Book Review: Dark Lover

Dark Lover by J. R. Ward is the first novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, a paranormal romance about the warrior vampires of the race. And might I just add here that while I don’t normally read any type of romance novels, this series has definitely hooked me and refuses to throw me back into the wilds of book-reader-dom. That is to say, I really, really liked it… a lot!

Here’s the back cover copy of Dark Lover:

The only purebred vampire left on the planet, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But when one of his most trusted fighters is killed- orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate - Wrath must usher the beautiful female into the world of the undead…

Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn't there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of brotherhood and blood frighten her. But his touch ignites a dawning hunger that threatens to consume them both…

Both women and men will enjoy this book. It has the romance, but it’s not over the top. It has awesome fight scenes, too. And the sex… Wow! Some beautifully done erotic scenes that flow perfectly with the romance and the rest of the story.

The world building that J. R. Ward has achieved astounds me as both a reader and a writer. She has created this amazing universe encompassing some of the most well rounded characters I have ever experienced in reading, as well as adding a new (or old, rather) language with a glossary in the front of the book. However, you almost don’t need the glossary because the writing is so well done.

The characters themselves are each uniquely different from one another and each has his/her own strengths and weaknesses. Wrath is a great character, both scary and beautiful, tough and soft when he needs to be, and I just love him. But then, I’ve always had a thing for long black hair.

Dark Lover is a fast-paced page-turner that keeps you right in the moment, and you will fight with yourself to put it down. It is a unique twist on vampire lore and stands out from any other vampire novel I have read.

Kudos to J. R. Ward for creating such an incredible vampire series. I have read the first six books and will return with reviews of them soon, as they are equally amazing books.

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Book: Wicked Game

Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready is a mind-blowing different twist on the vampire world. Just when I thought I had seen it all, along comes this wonderful author with WVMP – the lifeblood of rock ‘n’ roll – and her vampires who are stuck in whatever era they were turned, along with their OCD. It is rare for someone to use this OCD aspect of vampire lore, and I don’t think I’ve seen it used before, so kudos to Jeri Smith-Ready for plucking that little baby out of history!

Ciara Griffin – that’s pronounced keer-ah, by the way – is a recovering con artist who just might have what it takes to save the local DJ vampires from losing their radio station, jobs, and their identities if the corporate conglomerate Skywave takes over, and if she can get past the fact that they really are vampires. Upon the little revelation of vampiric proportions, Ciara’s first instinct is to run, of course. However, she decides to stick around as the new intern to WMMP because without the station as an outlet for the vampires to live in their eras through the music they play, they would “fade,” and “become little more than mindless ghosts of the past.” Besides, she really could use the job.

Enter Ciara’s brilliant idea to boost the station’s ratings – tell everyone the DJs really are vampires, thus renaming the station WVMP. It brings the station great success; however, a group of ancient vampires isn’t too pleased with their nature being split wide-open for public consumption, even though it's disguised as a gimmick. This puts Ciara and her new nocturnal friends in danger, making it the biggest con game Ciara has ever played… and the most dangerous.

As it states on the cover, this is “a novel of sex, blood, and rock ‘n’ roll,” and it does not disappoint on any level. From the playlist in the front of the book, to songs as chapter titles, Wicked Game will keep you enthralled throughout. You can even listen to a condensed version of the playlist on her website: www.jerismithready.com.

Ten percent of author royalties from Wicked Game will be donated to VH1’s Save the Music Foundation.

I don’t normally give Jinxes for books, but I’m feeling a bit frisky today, so Wicked Game gets 0 Jinxes from me (that’s really good).

Buy it! You know you want to!

By the way, the sequel to this novel, Bad to the Bone, is out as well.

Anne Bradstreet

Here's an interesting poem by Anne Bradstreet, which I just had to write a paper on for my American Literature class.

The Author to Her Book

Thou ill-form'd offspring of my feeble brain,

Who after birth did'st by my side remain,

Till snatcht from thence by friends, less wise than true,

Who thee abroad expos'd to public view,

Made thee in rags, halting to th' press to trudge,

Where errors were not lessened (all may judge).

At thy return my blushing was not small,

My rambling brat (in print) should mother call.

I cast thee by as one unfit for light,

Thy Visage was so irksome in my sight,

Yet being mine own, at length affection would

Thy blemishes amend, if so I could.

I wash'd thy face, but more defects I saw,

And rubbing off a spot, still made a flaw.

I stretcht thy joints to make thee even feet,

Yet still thou run'st more hobbling than is meet.

In better dress to trim thee was my mind,

But nought save home-spun Cloth, i' th' house I find.

In this array, 'mongst Vulgars mayst thou roam.

In Critics' hands, beware thou dost not come,

And take thy way where yet thou art not known.

If for thy Father askt, say, thou hadst none;

And for thy Mother, she alas is poor,

Which caus'd her thus to send thee out of door.


And here is what I wrote. Not my best, but it explains the poem:

By using the terms, “ill-form’d” and “feeble brain,” Bradstreet suggests that she was not capable at the time of producing something better, perhaps because it was in the early stage of her writing, and so the book was laden with errors. It is the reason she kept the book at her side. She felt it unworthy of “publick view.” I can understand how she felt, as my own “rambling brat” is available for public consumption, but not my very first one.

Bradstreet’s book was published without her knowledge by friends who took it abroad—which I determine to be overseas—“less wise than true”, meaning they were not knowledgeable in the art of writing and would not understand or see the glaring errors, but their heart was true in attempting to possibly do her a favor by having it published. The book’s imperfections are what the poem is about, essentially. Bradstreet views the book as a literary child—“offspring”—as most writers view their work, and refers to it this way throughout the poem.

She feels the book inadequate for public eyes and prays that the book does not make it into the hands of critics because the errors within “were not lessened” before publication. When she discovered it had been published, she was quite embarrassed by stating in the poem, “At thy return my blushing was not small,” and she refers to the book as a “rambling brat” like a child without proper manners. She refers that she could not stand to even look at the book when stating, “Thy Visage was so irksome in my sight,” but since the book was hers, she held “affection” for it and would attempt to “amend” its “blemishes.”

Upon making the attempt to fix the errors, she would only find more—“I wash’d thy face, but more defects I saw, And rubbing off a spot, still made a flaw.” Bradstreet mended and worked the book’s errors, but could not straighten them out. She had in mind to dress it better, perhaps by choosing different words or passages that would gleam of higher intelligence, but could not find the correct ones to choose, or they just simply did not work.

With what she had, she states “‘mongst Vulgars mayst thou roam,” which means that it would be read by common folk, a clear indication that her attempts to make it better were attempts at making it more scholarly, perhaps. Then she states that she prays it does not fall into critic’s hands and that the book travels to places where it would not be known, such as staying within the common realm.

The “Father” usage could indicate an editor, in which the book had none, and she is its “Mother,” and claims that she is poor, “Which caus’d her thus to send thee out of door.” This is a statement in which, while she does not approve of the book being available to the public, perhaps it was selling and she could make money from it.

I would actually like to read this book to see what she is talking about in the poem, just out of curiosity, now that I have read this and analyzed it.

This, of course, is just my perception of the poem. You may hold a different view.

Film: Taken

Taken

Yes, it is a formulaic action thriller the likes of James Bond and Jason Bourne, but it's cool to see Liam Neeson (Byran Mills) in a role like this. Besides, who doesn't like James Bond and Jason Bourne flicks?

Mills is an ex-government operative who retired to be near his seventeen-year-old daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) because he missed much of her life. His ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) argues with him every step of the way, but she and Kim convince him to sign authorization papers to allow Kim to travel to Paris with her friend Amanda--alone. Mills is quite reluctant to allow his precious daughter to go, but he agrees as long as Kim will keep in touch with him. Right after her arrival in Paris, Kim fails to call Mills, and when he finally gets her on the phone, Kim witnesses Amanda fighting with strange men who have entered the apartment.

Mills only has a 96-hour window to save his daughter, and he pulls all of his resources together to do so.

The film is fast-paced once Kim is taken by an Albanian sex trafficking ring, and that scene alone is heart-pounding when Mills speaks to one of the men on the phone: "I don't know who you are, but if you don't let my daughter go, I will find you, I will kill you." Of course, there's quite a bit more to that line, which is intense as hell. "I don't have any money, but what I do have are a certain set of skills that enable me to find men like you." And the intensity does not stop there. Once Mills arrives in Paris, it is non-stop action, go, go, go. The film is quite alive with violence, car chases, and great fight scenes. All of which I absolutely love.

My favorite part of the film, however, was the fact that there were no over-the-top stunts. I fully expected Mills to drive a car onto a boat, but he didn't, and it was awesome. Why, you may ask? Simply because it makes the scene more realistic.

Luc Besson is the producer and co-writer of this film, who directed the films The Professional and La Femme Nikita. Some call the film "clichéd and predictable," but aside from the obvious outcome, the film is far from predictability, in my opinion, and there are a few surprises.

If you like action and suspense, this film is a great one to see.

1 Jinx (look at my Jinx guidelines to the left)

(On a personal note, I found the whole sex trafficking thing amusing because I recently wrote a scene in one of my novels where such a thing takes place, though it is not the center of the story.)

Book: Bone Crossed

Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs is the fourth installment of the Mercy Thompson series and it does not let Mercy fans down.

The story picks up right where Iron Kissed left off, recapping the final scene in more detail, and then catapults the reader right into the action with a severely toasted vampire -- Stefan -- and an introduction to Mercy's mother Margi, who is packing a black and pink ("Barbie") Glock -- I want that gun!

Mercy finally makes a decision regarding the übersexy Alpha werewolf Adam Hauptman and accepts him as her mate, a decision not well-liked by the pack, but they'll have to learn to live with it because Mercy has other troubles brewing. While attempting to control the panic attacks brought on by the previous novel's events of her capture and rape, Mercy decides it's best to leave the Tri-Cities area for a while when an old college friend unexpectedly drops by with a ghost problem. Somewhat convenient, Mercy thinks, but whatever. Since the local vampire seethe wants her dead -- really no surprise there since she killed two powerful vampires recently, and Marsilia is one mean vampy Mistress, the reason Stefan dropped into her living room charred and starving -- Mercy leaves for Spokane in hopes that the pack can negotiate with the seethe in her absence. What she finds there is much worse than Marsilia's threats and it becomes a battle for life (others' lives as well as her own) when she inadvertantly meets the monster of all vampires, aptly named The Monster by the werewolves. Armed with her wits, the mysterious walking stick that just won't leave her alone, and a few new friends, Mercy must work fast if any of them are to survive.

In the first hardcover book of the series, comprised of humor, betrayal and grudges, and an array of parnormal creatures, the fast-paced scenes and sassy heroine keep the reader immersed right up to the end. Briggs definitely has a winner with this one, and this reader can't wait until the next installment. One more year, right? Keep 'em coming!


(On a personal note, I read this in one night. I don't normally do that!)