Book Thoughts - Gods and Fathers by James LePore

Gods and Fathers by James LePore
published 2/12
ebook

Synopsis from publisher:

Matt DeMarco is an accomplished Manhattan attorney with more than his share of emotional baggage. His marriage ended disastrously, his ex-wife has pulled their son away from him, and her remarriage to a hugely successful Arab businessman has created complications for Matt on multiple levels. However, his life shifts from troubled to imperiled when two cops – men he's known for a long time – come into his home and arrest his son as the prime suspect in the murder of the boy's girlfriend.

Suddenly, the enmity between Matt and his only child is no longer relevant. Matt must do everything he can to clear his son, who he fully believes is innocent. Doing so will require him to quit his job and make enemies of former friends – and it will throw him up against forces he barely knew existed and can only begin to comprehend how to battle.

My thoughts:

I read LePore's first novel back in 2009 (A World I Never Made) and enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to checking back in with this author. I was expecting this novel to be a quick, exciting read, and was not disappointed. As before, LePore writes about events that feel as though they could be happening at this exact moment - current political and global events give the storyline a feeling of authenticity that makes some of the more unbelievable moments ring true. The man knows how to write a good thriller, and I definitely enjoyed it.

My problem with the novel was that I really, really disliked the main character. I get that he is an ex-marine = tough, no nonsense, etc. etc. But I found it more and more difficult through the arc of the novel to find myself feeling any sort of sympathy for him. All of the bad situations of his life seemed to be solely of his own creation, and their was nothing in his attitudes or actions that ever made me root for things to go well for him. I really couldn't figure out why the strong, impressive female character LePore created would even consider having a relationship with him. The uber-macho male lead is what keeps me from reading a lot of books in this genre, and I remember now why they bug me so much.

If, however, this is a genre you generally enjoy I would definitely give this author a try. Even though I had a major problem with the main character, I found the bones of the novel intriguing enough to keep reading, and I did in general enjoy it. I would certainly read another of LePore's novels. Recommended for fans of the genre.

Finished: 2/3/12
Source: review copy from publisher via NetGalley - thank you!
MPAA rating: R for language, violence, adult situations
My rating: 6/10

Book Thoughts - Firelight by Kristen Callihan

Firelight by Kristen Callihan
published 2/1/2012
ebook

Synopsis from publisher:

London, 1881
Once the flames are ignited . . .
Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . . Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

My thoughts:

After reading something as intellectually and emotionally stimulating as In This House of Brede, I knew my next choice would have to be something almost completely different in tone and style. I often find I need to take a bit of a "mental break" after reading something that has challenged me - am I the only one? If I don't, the next book I read inevitably suffers for it, so I've learned to pick something that will be quick and easy, and hopefully very entertaining.

Paranormal romance is not a genre I read widely, so I won't claim to be an expert. I don't have a list of authors I can compare Callihan to, and I don't know if this story has been told to death or if it is a fresh, new idea. I just know it was a lot of fun. There was enough "Beauty and the Beast" for me to feel as though the story had a bit of familiarity to it, but Callihan created her own unique characters and events so that it wasn't just a straight re-telling. Miranda had plenty of spunk and spice, and the romance between Miranda and Archer actually felt like it proceeded in a somewhat plausible manner. 

This is certainly the first novel in a proposed series, and if the next books are as much fun as this one, I might have to consider becoming a paranormal romance reader. I know this won't be for everyone, but I took a step outside my comfort zone and found myself richly rewarded. It almost felt like a palate cleanser, and I'm glad I took a chance on this one!

Finished: 1/31/12
Source: review copy from publisher via Netgalley - thank you!
MPAA rating: MA - I mean, come on, it's a bodice-ripper. What do you really expect?
My rating: 7/10

Pip and Tad's Playlist - Patience

My kids already have very eclectic musical taste - we listen to music a lot, and they have very definite opinions about what they like and what they can do without. I have a feeling this won't be the only thing they have opinions on......

When my siblings and I were growing up, we had a wonderful collection of records that we loved to listen to - Music Machine, Bullfrogs and Butterflies, Nathaniel the Grublet, Sir Oliver's Song - a few years ago, my sister found them on CD and gave them to me. Now I play them for my kids - I don't think they appreciate them as much as WE did quite yet, but they sure do enjoy bopping around to the fun songs!