Discussion- Deep Kiss of Winter (Just the Kresley Cole one)

When I say I have been waiting over a year and a half for this book, it is not in any way shape or form an exaggeration. This book (story?) was supposed to come out in January 2008, and I definitely had it pre-ordered before that. Publishing snafu, publishing snafu, publishing snafu...

Here we are.

There is an inherent problem in releasing this book so late: it takes place straddling all of the books that have come out in the interim (there are four of them!) which makes it occasionally confusing. Actually, it pretty much straddles all of the books in the series.

Which makes it feel way behind the times.

I refuse to blame the author-- I don't think this is the order in which she would have chosen to release them. But when the heroine, Danii, "passes by" Emmaline's room at Val Hall it's jarring-- in real time, Emma's book came out in the Fall of 2006. In other words, in my head, she's already been out of Val Hall for over three years.

But this is neither here nor there. Danii and Murdoch's book has really been in the wings since Dark Needs at Night's Edge, Conrad Wroth's book, when we really get to know Murdoch and realize that he has indeed been blooded. We just don't know whowhatwhenwhyhow. In terms of the story, I wish a lot of the interpersonal conflict had been minimized-- it's bad enough that she's ice fey and they can't touch, do we really need his commitment issues, too?-- on the other hand, with so many paranormal peeps running around and hook-line-and-sinkering for their "fated one" in 2.5 seconds, it's nice to see a more realistic take. Go on, soak up the irony. I'll wait.

Now, a word about the series as a whole: I'm nervous. In the beginning, Cole all but presented a list of the people who were going to have their own books, and those numbers are rapidly dwindling. In fact, with the release of Garreth and Lucia's book in January, we've officially run down the roster. I can see a book for Kristoff in the future (maybe with one of the Wroth sisters once they're brought forth?) but I have a serious concern that she's going to start making people up for the sake of giving them books. I love all of the people in these stories, and I'm not sure I care about any other peripheral characters enough to want their stories too.

Regin would be a disaster.

Nix is too crazy to settle down.

The demon mercenaries are too generic. (I might make an exception for Desh... maybe)

I don't want a story set in Icegard, so there goes the dude Danii just handed her crown to.

And this is problematic, because for all of these books, the Accession has been looming, and right now it hasn't even started yet. I'm not sure exactly who the bad guys are (the split Horde?), and it does seem that everyone is on the same side at this point. So... where's the battle? And are we going to get to see all of our favorite badass characters on the front line? (Personally, I would pay good money for a second Conrad and Neomi book. They would rock the socks off the front line.)

I have implicit trust in Kresley Cole-- she's only delivered what I would consider to be two lackluster books, and I can blame myself for that opinion. The first one was never going to live up to my expectations, and the second one I really didn't care about the character. So for the moment I'm going to be thankful to have finally read Danii and Murdoch's story, and I am going to get pumped for Garreth and Lucia. Because I do love me some Lykae in the morning.

On Behalf of a Friend...

We read this.

And so we help, by mentioning a new phenomenon: chachbag.

Thanks for playing.

Review- Tempt Me At Twilight

It's taken me a while to write this review, much in the same way it took me a while to actually read the latest entry in Lisa Kleypas' historical collection.

Confession time: As much as I adore Kleypas' new foray into contemporaries, I have found her historicals of late to be hit-or-miss. I haven't read all of the Hathaways, but I enjoyed Win's book (who wouldn't with an uber-hunk like Merripen?) and I am very, very much looking forward to Leo's book, especially with this cliffhanger. But more on that later.

In the way that Goddess of the Hunt took historical romance standards and kept them fresh, Tempt Me At Twilight comes dangerously close to retreading old territory. Poppy Hathaway is madly in love with a man who is keeping their relationship on the DL until he can find the right time to break the news to his father. You see, the Hathaways, even in "this day in age" are considered new money and not nearly haut-ton enough for some.

Enter ubersexydangerous hotelier Harry Rutledge who takes one look (well, maybe two) at Poppy and decides he has to have her. He ruins the relationship, compromises Poppy, and has her at the altar almost before she can blink.

Unfortunately the newlyweds don't have any time for happiness before she finds out what he's done-- in fact, her beau shows up before the ceremony to unmask Rutledge's dastardly deeds-- and a seemingly endless amount of time is spent before she decides to get over it and he decides to apologize and try to be an acceptable human being.

It's strange how Rutledge goes from ruthless collector (there's really no other word for it) to hopelessly in love with the heroine. Sure she's charming and lovely and why wouldn't he? But things turn around for both of them a bit abruptly. And I'm sorry, but the kidnapping incident at the end can be described as nothing but an obvious attempt to reinforce the reconciliation. The person who is kidnapped and the person who did it don't even make that much sense in terms of story relevance.

Now, a moment: In the past two books, there has been a sparky interaction tinged with inevitability between Leo Hathaway (de facto pater familias) and Poppy and Beatrix's chaperone, Miss Marks. Heaps of progress was made between the two in this book -- she's not so plain when you look closely! she's an actual human being, not a dragon lady!-- that can only mean that the next book is theirs. I would have been happy enough with their progress had the last paragraphs of the book not had Leo tracking Marks through Ramsay House to corner her:

"Struggling for self-discipline, Leo took a deep, steadying breath. 'Cat... we have to talk about what happened.'"

WHAT HAPPENED?? Because I officially can't wait to find out.

Rating:
Plot- .5 (done done done done done)
Characters- 1 (even with main character inconsistency, it was nice to see everyone again)
Sex- 1 (standard, hot Kleypas)
Style- .75
Consumption- .75 (sorry, but it took me a while to jump in)

TOTAL: 4