Book Review: Millionaire Wives Club - Tu-Shonda Whitaker

Millionaire Wives Club - Tu-Shonda Whitaker

In Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker's steamiest novel yet, we meed the four deliciously dramatic, designer-clad divas from prime time's new hit reality show, The Millionaire Wives Club.

Evan:  Married to a pro-football star who isn't in love with her anymore, Evan is digging her freshly manicured nails in ever deeper as she fights to keep her husband who loves someone else.

Milan:  Half Dominican, half black, and beautifully exotic-looking, Milan is watching her has-been husband's fortune fade fast--while her romantic attachment to Evan's husband is heating up.

Jaise:  Divorce from a former boxing star who's now married to a white woman, Jaise is trying to raise her sixteen-year-old son on her own.  Will her huge alimony checks keep her from falling in love?

Chaunci:  Editor of the hottest black women's magazine, Chaunci is now engaged to the high-powered man who helped finance her magazine when she was just a struggling single mom.  But when a onetime passionate flame reignites, Chaunci may not be able to resist its charms.

When thses starlets' private lives run as wild as their emotions, their relationships with one another inevitably turn into high-profile cat-fights.  Through it all, the cameras never stop rolling on TV's guiltiest pleasures, where power-and diamonds-are always a girl's best friend.

3/5 stars (liked it)

This book is better than any soap opera I could watch on TV.  We get a first hand look at each woman and their lives behind closed doors are not what they appear on camera.  The camera crew are just as good as the women, Carl the camera man and Bridget the Producer both add into the drama.  Some things in the book really had me guess.  The twist on Jaise's love interest really surprised me.  The ending to the love triangle between Kendu, Evan and Milan was surprising.  Overall a fun book to read and I will definitely read more in the series.

Book Review: Seven Up - Janet Evanovich

Seven Up - Janet Evanovich

BLOWN UP

All New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has to do is bring in semi-retired bail jumper Eddie DeChooch.  For an old man he's till got a knack for slipping out of sight--and raising hell.  How else can Stephanie explain the bullet-riddled corpse in Eddie's garden?  Who else would have a clue as to why two of Stephanie's friends suddenly vanished?  For answers Stephanie has the devil to pay: her mentor, Ranger.  The deal?  He'll give Stephanie all the help she needs--if she gives him everything he wants...

MESSED UP

As if things weren't complicated enough, Stephanie's just discovered her Grandma Mazur's own unmentionable alliance with Eddie.  Add a series of unnerving break-ins, not to mention the bombshell revelation leveled by Stephanie's estranged sister, and Stephanie's ready for some good news.  Unfortunately, a marriage proposal from Joe Morelli, the love of her life, isn't quite cutting it.  And now--murder, a randy paramour, a wily mobster, death threats, extortion, and a triple kidnapping aside--Stephanie's really got the urge to run for her life...

3/5 stars (liked it)

I love that I can pick one of these books up after not having read one for a while and really get into it.  Stephanie is very likable.  I love all the characters in the book series and love the ones that get introduced.  As always, Stephanie gets in over her head but she always manages to stay alive and solve the mystery.  Not just professional life but she has relationship problems and the ending surprised me.  Can't wait to read the next one.

Book Review: The Chemist - Stephanie Meyer

The Chemist - Stephanie Meyer

She used to work for the U.S. government, but very few people ever knew that.  An expert in her field, she was one of the darkest secrets of an agency so clandestine it doesn't even have a name.  And when they decided she was a liability, they came for her without warning.

Now she rarely stays in the same place or uses the same name for long.  They've killed the only other person she trusted, but something she knows still poses a threat.  They want her dead, and soon. 

When her former handler offers her a way out, she realizes it's her only chance to erase the giant target on her back.  But it means one last job for her ex-employers.  To her horror, the information she acquires only makes her situation more dangerous.

Resolving to meet the threat head-on, she prepares for the toughest fight of her life but finds herself falling for a man who can only complicate her likelihood of survival.  As she sees her choices being rapidly whittled down, she must apply her unique talents in ways she never dreamed of.

3/5 stars (liked it)

This book took me a very long time to ge into.  The beginning of the book was very slow and I think gave too much information on the main character, Alex.  It isn't until she meets Daniel that things really got interesting and then we meet Kevin and things really pick up.  I loved getting to know Daniel and Kevin.  Also loved the dogs in the story.  Overall it had a pretty predictable ending but I like the book.

Book Review: Elantris - Brandon Sanderson

Elantris - Brandon Sanderson

Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all.  Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod.  Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed.  Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling.

Arelon's new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris.  Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping--base on their correspondence--to also find love.  She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow.  Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell.  So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god.

But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspect the truth about Prince Raoden.  Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raorden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city.  His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself.

4/5 stars (really liked it)

The book is from the three main character's point of views, Sarene, Raoden and Hrathen.  We meed Raoden as he becomes cursed by the Shaod and thrown into Elantris.  There he makes a friend, Galladon who has been in Elantris for a few months.  He helps Raoden and shows him around.  Raoden tries to learn all he can so that he can heal Elantris.  Sarene is a princess and has just moved to Kae and learns her betrothed is dead.  By the laws of the land she is considered married and a widow.  So she decides to learn as much as she can and help the people.  Hrathen is a high priest who is in charge of converting the people to his religion.  All is not what is looks like and all three characters learn things and in the end I really ended up liking this book.  The ending gave it an ending but also left it open.