Words by Sooz

The Fever Series has thrilled me since the beginning. I loved following Mac’s story and the people who came in and out of her life. That wasn’t any different with Dani O’Malley, 14-year-old with special abilities. She was good supporting characters, giving Mac a chance to have a sisterly relationship. So, I was concerned with Karen Marie Moning’s new Fever series starring the flippant, cocky teenager, starting with Iced: A Dani O'Malley Novel (Fever Series) . Reading the book didn’t ease any of those concerns. KMM books have explicit sexual scenes in them. Having a 14-year-old as the main character gave me an icky feeling from the beginning. I know some 14 years olds engage in this behavior, I just don’t want to think about it, much less read about it. SPOILER (go to the next paragraph if you don’t want to know): Dani doesn’t actually have sex in the book, which is good considering two of three love interests are way too old for her. As in 14 will get you 20 ki...

As a baseball fan, I'm pretty much a sucker for anything to do with my favorite sport. But at the same time, I'm also very critical. Game 7: Deadball by Allen Schatz is a mystery thriller with the 2008 World Series as a backdrop. For the record, I was at that World Series, so it was interesting to see how certain things would be incorporated into an event I attended. The first thing I noticed was how well the book was written. As an indie author, Schatz's writing is very polished. It was a refreshing start because it meant there would be no cringing throughout the book from poor grammar or something else that a good editor could have helped. It allowed me to just enjoy the book, which I did. Marshall Connors, a Major League Baseball umpire, is at the center of the book. Connors has to cut his vacation short as he's asked to become crew chief for the 2008 World Series. Not a bad gig, but mysterious and dangerous messages start popping up around Conno...

Reading the last five, six or seven books in the Stephanie Plum series made me sad for the main character. The books didn't make me feel good for the heroine. I wanted more for Stephanie Plum, more than it seems Janet Evanovich wants to give her, and don't think she will ever find it. After reading Sparkle Hayter's “ What's a Girl Gotta Do ,” I was reminded again of how stagnant Stephanie Plum has become. Hayter's book is about a television journalist, Robin Hudson, who for better or worse, cannot get out of her own way. Every time something good happens in her life, it seems as though she does something to sabotage that. That's not to say she's not an endearing character. The book opens with readers feeling a bit bad for her because we quickly learn her husband has left her for a younger, prettier news anchor at her own station.

As a woman who works in a male-dominated industry – sports journalism – I've been met with roadblocks, insinuating looks and condescending comments. Some are more blatant than others, but the more I'm faced with, the easier it is for me to recognize a threat early. After dealing with these types of situations, I always enjoy a book with strong female characters who work hard for what they want, but aren't afraid to make mistakes and even admit when they are overwhelmed. This in essence is what The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest  was about, which played a strong role throughout the Millennium trilogy. But never did it seem to take such a commanding presence as it did in the final book. Stieg Larsson made a point to show powerful women, where certain things in their lives didn't matter: their sexual escapades or their (lack of) social grace. Women were warriors and have fought as hard as men to get where they belong. The second book in the series left ...

Video gamers can live in their own world, falling in love with characters and making choices that effect the direct outcome . Not all video games are like that, but the Mass Effect series is. The Mass Effect series is it's own world where fans of the games can dive into this sci-fi universe with comics and books as well, helping paint a picture of a battle that is about to commence in the third video game. As one of the people who fell in love with Mass Effect, I've read the books, bought the comics and even have a lithograph or two decorating the walls. The story behind the video game series was well thought out and gives the gamer a chance to play the hero of the story as a male or female while trying to save the universe from utter destruction from an ancient species whose main goal is to wipe out the existence of the current alien races, including humans. Mass Effect: Deception  by William C. Dietz (who has written other video game genre books) is the fourth b...

“Story is more than plot, that it's the journey that matters, not how fast you arrive at your destination.”  - George R.R. Martin As I read this line a few days ago in Martin's “ Not a blog ,” I kept thinking about the latest story I read from K. Rowe, “Space Crazy. ” I enjoyed the short book, but to a point. There was something nagging at me for much of the book and even after I was done. After I read that line from Martin, it hit me. Space Crazy made it seem I was watching someone's life rather than living it and feeling what the main character, Dar, was going through in different stages of his life. There were so many different life events readers witnessed with his character. The book spanned about 10 years of his life. But only once was I ever really pulled into Dar's feelings. Even through death, leaving home for the first time and gaining the trust and friendship of people he cared about, Rowe didn't dig deep enough.