The synopsis for this novella is low key for a pretty interesting work Some people might pass by Mr. Barrett’s little gem. Thank goodness I’m curious and the book was very reasonable priced.
The Job Offer starts with a scene titled, “The past”. You know it’s gotta be important for it even to be mentioned. Then the book starts right in with the heroine, Jennifer, enduring a dead end job and poor living conditions. Enter the stranger, Douglas (whose real name turns out to be Collin), with a sexy British accent and a mysterious job offer.
Along the way, Jennifer learns there really are monsters living along side the ordinary people and some monsters are hunted but other less troublesome ones are not. Confused? Jennifer sure is and can’t figure out why some International “Organisation” (the author writes with the British spelling and unique verbiage) wants her to work for them policing and controlling paranormals. The sales pitch for the job is a little disturbing…
….” Alright I’ll start with the down side. It is a dangerous job; there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be seriously injured and some chance you’ll be killed before you hit thirty.”
The job has great benefits though, really. Jennifer takes the job for whatever reason. I’m not telling; read the novella. It sounds a bit corny writing this out. Let’s just say the book is much better than trying to describe the premise.
With the exception of getting used to the British writing style, I quite enjoyed the story which I believe is the lead in for a series. I learned a bunch of new British words. The story is not overly complicated and moves along enough to hold your attention. The biggest mystery is trying to figure out when Jennifer is going to show any “talents” that brought her to the attention of the Organisation.
My rating: 3 Stars
About Me
- Dolly
- Just my thoughts on what ever pops up. The kids are more or less on their own pursuing various degrees. My hubby does take a bit more of my time But that's as it should be. We have 3 dogs and they are my daily company. In my spare time I love to cook. I'm retired from the U. S. Air Force and am enjoying playing homemaker. (I take my hat off to the real homemakers) You'll probably get a mixed bag from my blog so be prepared for whatever may pop up in the conversation. Family is my touchstone.
Showing posts with label Book Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Review. Show all posts
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Review: WitchLight Trilogy by Debora Geary
I’ve done the review on the first three books in A Modern Witch by Ms Geary and now am reading the the WitchLight Trilogy which (no pun intended) focuses on the journey of two witches and their mentors. I’ve read the first two of the spin off and am actually finding myself a bit more involved in this series. This spin off was very cleverly done. The author took a pretty good character from A Modern Witch Series and made her an outstanding lead with added depth and parts of her story into the trilogy.
The lead characters are developed in depth. You appreciate them and can’t help getting drawn into their stories. The premise of this series is helping witches who are having issues even if they don’t want to admit it. There are 3 mentors and two students. The main mentor, Jenny, is tasked by her mentor to get involved and help two very different witches find their way.
These two witches are extremely different and have individual problems they don’t willingly recognize. The younger witch, Lizzard, is extremely gifted and smart but very insecure. Her hopes and dreams seem out of reach so she hides behind a smart mouth and getting into trouble. She has had a very tough life and when faced with putting up or shutting up, she runs away. The witches pull some strings to keep her out of juvie and try to help her grow and provide some stability in her life. Elsie is a professional and thinks she is just burned out and needs some time away from her practice to focus on charitable work. In other words she needs a new perspective and thinks she can devote some time to helping witches when she is the one who really needs the help. She’s a bit of a know it all and is completely blinded to her needs. She is rigid in control and just won’t let go.
Jenny as the head mentor knows she cannot handle these two on her own. She enlists some additional mentors, Lauren, (the lead in the first A Modern Witch) a new witch and her best friend, Nat, not a witch at all. Nat has other skills and is eerily able to read people. The whole witching community introduced in the Modern Witch Series ends up involved. The author combines the two series effortlessly.
When you begin this trilogy, have a Kleenex handy. You become so invested in the characters, their feelings, and awakening there is no way you CAN’T not feel for them and their mentors. Jenny is constantly questioning herself and how she can help her students. The following is one of my favorite passages in the novel when Jenny turns to her own mentor for advice and help.
Melvin looked off into the distance. “Why don’t you use a tripod when you take portraits?’
Twenty-five years together and he could still confuse the hell out of her. “too rigid. I need the freedom to move the camera to where it needs to be. If I lock it into place, I always miss the best shots.”
“Indeed.” He smiled softly. “Teach your students not to be tripods, then. Show them the difference between truly supporting someone and merely propping them up.”
There is a lesson in there.
While are plenty of things happening in the series, the thing you need to know is this series deals with people. Their hopes, their dreams, learning to trust themselves and others with their feelings, are beautifully portrayed by Ms Geary. I don’t want you to think you are going to cry from sadness and empathy. There is laughter and joy and even some tears to spend on the laughter and joy. I don’t think my feelings have run the gamut in a long long time. It was extremely refreshing to do so.
This is a trilogy and a spin off, so my advice is to read the first books in the Modern Witch Series, Modern Witch and Hidden Witch; then read the first of this trilogy, Witches on Parole: Unlocked, the third in the Modern Witches Series, A Reckless Witch, and THEN read Witches Underway (Book 2 of the WitchLight Series). If that’s not enough, the final WitchLight Series book, Witches in Flight, is planned for release in March 2012 and the fourth in A Modern Witch Series, A Nomadic Witch, in late spring. That’s a coven of Witch books, sorry couldn’t resist!
From visiting Ms Geary’s website and her Facebook page, I gather she doesn’t tweet but does have a lot of interaction with her fans on FB and on her website. You should stop by.
My rating for the first two books in the WitchLight Series:
4 Stars (This is a very solid four, no weaknesses)
The lead characters are developed in depth. You appreciate them and can’t help getting drawn into their stories. The premise of this series is helping witches who are having issues even if they don’t want to admit it. There are 3 mentors and two students. The main mentor, Jenny, is tasked by her mentor to get involved and help two very different witches find their way.
These two witches are extremely different and have individual problems they don’t willingly recognize. The younger witch, Lizzard, is extremely gifted and smart but very insecure. Her hopes and dreams seem out of reach so she hides behind a smart mouth and getting into trouble. She has had a very tough life and when faced with putting up or shutting up, she runs away. The witches pull some strings to keep her out of juvie and try to help her grow and provide some stability in her life. Elsie is a professional and thinks she is just burned out and needs some time away from her practice to focus on charitable work. In other words she needs a new perspective and thinks she can devote some time to helping witches when she is the one who really needs the help. She’s a bit of a know it all and is completely blinded to her needs. She is rigid in control and just won’t let go.
Jenny as the head mentor knows she cannot handle these two on her own. She enlists some additional mentors, Lauren, (the lead in the first A Modern Witch) a new witch and her best friend, Nat, not a witch at all. Nat has other skills and is eerily able to read people. The whole witching community introduced in the Modern Witch Series ends up involved. The author combines the two series effortlessly.
When you begin this trilogy, have a Kleenex handy. You become so invested in the characters, their feelings, and awakening there is no way you CAN’T not feel for them and their mentors. Jenny is constantly questioning herself and how she can help her students. The following is one of my favorite passages in the novel when Jenny turns to her own mentor for advice and help.
Melvin looked off into the distance. “Why don’t you use a tripod when you take portraits?’
Twenty-five years together and he could still confuse the hell out of her. “too rigid. I need the freedom to move the camera to where it needs to be. If I lock it into place, I always miss the best shots.”
“Indeed.” He smiled softly. “Teach your students not to be tripods, then. Show them the difference between truly supporting someone and merely propping them up.”
There is a lesson in there.
While are plenty of things happening in the series, the thing you need to know is this series deals with people. Their hopes, their dreams, learning to trust themselves and others with their feelings, are beautifully portrayed by Ms Geary. I don’t want you to think you are going to cry from sadness and empathy. There is laughter and joy and even some tears to spend on the laughter and joy. I don’t think my feelings have run the gamut in a long long time. It was extremely refreshing to do so.
This is a trilogy and a spin off, so my advice is to read the first books in the Modern Witch Series, Modern Witch and Hidden Witch; then read the first of this trilogy, Witches on Parole: Unlocked, the third in the Modern Witches Series, A Reckless Witch, and THEN read Witches Underway (Book 2 of the WitchLight Series). If that’s not enough, the final WitchLight Series book, Witches in Flight, is planned for release in March 2012 and the fourth in A Modern Witch Series, A Nomadic Witch, in late spring. That’s a coven of Witch books, sorry couldn’t resist!
From visiting Ms Geary’s website and her Facebook page, I gather she doesn’t tweet but does have a lot of interaction with her fans on FB and on her website. You should stop by.
My rating for the first two books in the WitchLight Series:
4 Stars (This is a very solid four, no weaknesses)
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Book Review - The Secret by Julie Garwood
This is one of my all time favorites. It’s a historical romance set in the 12th century. I do believe this is one of the first romances I read that actually contained humor and not the stereotypical heroine. Most of all, this book is about the true friendship of two women who shouldn’t have been friends at all. During the 12th century, England and Scotland did not get along, but for two young girls at a gathering, the animosity was incidental. Lady Judith and Frances Catherine become fast friends and get into all kinds of difficulties over the years. At one of their gatherings, Lady Judith makes a solemn promise to Frances Catherine. Judith will be there when Frances Catherine (always the two names together) has her first child. Too many women died in child birth from some pretty archaic beliefs and Frances Cathrine does not want to be one of them. In addition to the story of friendship this book shows how different people with different belief systems can truly get along.
Of course there’s a love interest for Lady Judith but the road isn’t easy. Laird Ian Maitland cannot believe this little English woman is turning his beliefs and his clan upside down. Not only is Lady Judith an English woman in Scotland but she’s keeping a big secret from everyone involved except Frances Catherine. It’s a secret that could tear the Highlands open, pull Clans apart or mean heartbreak for Lady Judith and the love she’s finally found.
When I think of true friendship, this is the book that always comes to mind.
I hope if you haven’t read it, you’ll give it chance and if you have, read it again just for fun. If I had a daughter this would be a book on her must read list from her Mom.
5 Stars (are you really surprised?)
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Julie-Garwood/dp/0671744216/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327554262&sr=8-1
Of course there’s a love interest for Lady Judith but the road isn’t easy. Laird Ian Maitland cannot believe this little English woman is turning his beliefs and his clan upside down. Not only is Lady Judith an English woman in Scotland but she’s keeping a big secret from everyone involved except Frances Catherine. It’s a secret that could tear the Highlands open, pull Clans apart or mean heartbreak for Lady Judith and the love she’s finally found.
When I think of true friendship, this is the book that always comes to mind.
I hope if you haven’t read it, you’ll give it chance and if you have, read it again just for fun. If I had a daughter this would be a book on her must read list from her Mom.
5 Stars (are you really surprised?)
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Julie-Garwood/dp/0671744216/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327554262&sr=8-1
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