Gothic Books - Page 2

The Virgin's Lover (Boleyn)

Philippa Gregory

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 164 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Inexcusable trash 1 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

I would be ashamed to put my name to this rubbish. That Philippa Gregory put her name on this is an embarrassment.

When reading reviews of products or books, I tend to take into most consideration those "middle-area" reviews, since they seem likely to be the most accurate. If only I had seriously read the 1-star reviews of this book. Nothing infuriated me more than to read a female novelist who wrote the Constant Princess (one of my more favorite historical novels - which gave a new, intelligent perspective to Catherine of Aragon) writing a novel about two women who are the most idiotic, insufferable and utterly unrelatable women I have ever heard tell of. The characters are first of all, not even remotely plausible - historically or in fiction.

Amy Robsart is portrayed as a wet blanket of a woman who cannot stand up for herself much less get over the fact that her marriage is ending. She is forever waiting for Robert Dudley, shown here as a miserable louse of a man, to return and live happily ever after with her. Cecil's character is tiresome, simply because he is rendered impotent by Dudley's and Elizabeth's characters, and instead of retaining dignity and poise is resentful and bitter.

Walsingham gets nary a mention and is instead merged into Cecil - pure laziness, really, especially since it's Cecil's made-up spy network that gets all the write up. Elizebeth herself is a woefully indecisive wanton tart, better suited to grocery aisle book cover than anything in a Philippa Gregory novel. Elizabeth, a woman considered to be fairly politically savvy in a time when women weren't even considered viable rulers, is utterly dependent upon men. When Cecil is away, she turns to Dudley to manage all of her affairs.

Worse, there are redundant phrases in the book, one being that Cecil rarely, if ever, puts his name on documents. Oh yes, because Cecil is the spymaster, right? And he's quite careful? This dumbed down repetitive tripe is a poor excuse for a novel, much less anything written by the Philippa Gregory I had come to respect as a writer. I am offended and insulted that this would pass among her fans, and I am dismayed to see so many giving it positive reviews. It's trash. Dressed up historical trash, but trash nonetheless.

The story is told from the perspectives of Robsart, Dudley and Cecil - never from Elizabeth's perspective at all. While this is somewhat typical of Gregory's work and writing technique, Elizabeth is too central and too enigmatic to benefit from it. Instead, the book seems lazily written, as if it's too much effort to imagine any plausible explanation or motivation for her behavior. Because Elizabeth was such an enigmatic ruler in reality, it's a shame that Gregory didn't think to writer from her perspective. Instead, Elizabeth is almost a sideline character, while the Men do Men things like rule her realm and tell her where to stand and what to do (quite literally - evidently, Elizabeth had no clue how to behave during royal entertainments, and depended upon Dudley to tell her exactly what to do).

There is nothing queenly about Elizabeth in this book. Nor is there anything dashing or appealing about Dudley. In a time when one's bed partners meant life or death, and Elizabeth had first hand experience with that (consider Seymour's beheading as a result of his treasonous plots including Elizabeth herself), it's impossible to believe that she would be so casual about her affairs. It's insulting, especially, considering the real Elizabeth was so careful and calculating.

Suffice it to say, I did pay money for this book (humorously, only because Alison Weir's book was out of stock). I fully intend to write a strongly worded letter to both Ms. Gregory and her publisher requesting a refund.

Editorial Review:

In the autumn of 1558, church bells across England ring out the joyous news that Elizabeth I is the new queen. Elizabeth's excited triumph is short-lived. She has inherited a bankrupt country where treason is rampant and foreign war a certainty. Her only chance for survival is to marry, but the one man Elizabeth desires is her childhood friend, the ambitious -- and married -- Robert Dudley. As the young couple falls in love, a question hangs in the air: can he really set aside his wife and marry the queen? Intelligent, romantic, and compelling, The Virgin's Lover is the story of a young woman on the brink of greatness.

Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress, Book 1)

Jeaniene Frost

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 93 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Move over Anita... 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This being the first book in a series, Halfway to Grave has a few growing pains and a bit of a cliff-hanger ending, but it's still more than worth the read. The characters are engaging, it has a great plot including a social ill that is near and dear to my heart, and a lot of room for more. So on with the show.
Catherine "Cat" Crawford has been different all her life, although it wasn't until about six years ago that she learned just how different. The product of her human mother's rape by a vampire, Cat is of course half-vampire which has made for a difficult life. Now a young adult, instead of studying, partying, and dating, Cat spends every night in bars trolling for vamps to execute. Not only to satisfy her mother's desire for vengeance but as a way to atone for the evil that she feels makes up half of who she is, Cat is living a very lonely existence. And then she meets Bones and things get interesting. Cat bites off a bit more than she and her stake can chew when she picks up vampire bounty hunter Bones thinking he'll be a quick kill. He proves her wrong. In the end they make a deal: He'll train her to be better and she'll help him take out some big marks. Between school, training, hiding her new partnership from her mother, and her growing attraction to Bones she's got a lot on her plate. And it all blows up when she learns about Hennessey, a vampiric crime lord that Bones has been trying to take out for over a decade. Can she and Bones bring him down without falling with him? And will their new found love for one another survive her prejudice against vampires? Well, it makes for a good read!
My only small issue with this book is the occasional burst of graphic violence and sex that seem a little out of place. But then again, isn't that what vampire romantic suspense is about? I myself can't wait to get the next book, and if you like a good story and an Anita Blake style heroine that reminds you of the early days before it was pornography, then so will you.

Editorial Review:

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

No Rest for the Wicked (The Immortals After Dark, Book 2)

Kresley Cole

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 97 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In this next installment in the Immortals After Dark Series, USA Today Bestselling author Kresley Cole delivers a scorching tale about a forbidding vampire who lives in the shadows and the beautiful assassin who hunts him there.

A soldier weary of life . . .

Centuries ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire -- a nightmare in his mind -- against his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead.

A Valkyrie assassin dispatched to destroy him . . .

When Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow -- accidentally extinguishing all of her emotions. Yet whenever she encounters Sebastian, her feelings -- particularly lust -- emerge multiplied. For the first time, she's unable to complete a kill.

Become competitors in a legendary hunt.

The prize of the month-long contest is powerful enough to change history, and Kaderin will do anything to win it for her sisters. Wanting only to win her, forever, Sebastian competes as well, taking every opportunity -- as they travel to ancient tombs and through catacombs, seeking relics around the world -- to use her new feelings to seduce her. But when forced to choose between the vampire she's falling for and reuniting her family, how can Kaderin live without either?

Zack: Armed and Dangerous

Cheyenne McCray

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Zach or Wild Fire? 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I was a bit disappointed when I recieved this book and found out I had already read it. Cheyenne released this book with Ellors'a Cave, the name of the book was Wild Fire. If I had know that I would not have bought this book because I already read it. Cheyenne changed the name of the book and the character's names, the rest of it was basiclly the same story, most of it word for word. It had been a couple of years since I read Wild Fire so I did read Zach and enjoyed it. Next time I will check more into buying a book from Cheyenne because this was a five book series and after spending another $14.99 on a book I already read was kinda like throughing money out the window.

Editorial Review:

Ever since bad boy Zack Hunter left her ten years ago, breaking her heart, Sky MacKenna hasn't been able to find a man who sets her on fire the way he did. Then he comes striding back into her life--bigger, badder, and sexier than before.... Zack Hunter never thought his job as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent would lead him back to his small hometown, and he never thought he'd set eyes on Sky again. Leaving her behind had been the stupidest thing he had ever done, but this time he isn't going to let her go. And as soon as Zack lays eyes on Sky, he makes it clear that he intends to make her his all over again. When Sky becomes entangled in the case he's investigating, Zack can't help but take the threat personally. As the danger mounts, their passion burns even hotter.

Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night (The Immortals After Dark, Book 3)

Kresley Cole

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 97 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

wow! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is so good! A hunger Like No Other is still my favorite but this one was was better than the previous No Rest For The Wicked. I usually stay away from books where the main hero is brooding over his killed lover,I like the whole ur the only one for me kind of thing, but I decided to take a chance because come on, its kresley cole we are talking about here, the girl is talented!

I am really glad I did, I can't believe how well she tied up the whole two mates question at the end, i had no idea it would turn out like that and it totally made up for the stupid things that he did to Mari. I also really liked how she started the book- how the story line joined so well with the previous book, which I sadly didn't really enjoy too much, although it did have some good points. Her stories always seem to get right to the action, that is what I love about them so much...now I'm off to read number 4 in this cool series...keep them coming please!

Editorial Review:

Her breathless kiss haunts him...

Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed -- until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

His slow, hot touch is irresistible...

Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It's rumored that no one can tempt Bowen's hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

No deed is too wicked for her seduction...

If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul -- or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 4)

J.R. Ward

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 199 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Best one so far 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This was the book I couldn't wait for once I started the series, since I thought Butch and Marissa's interludes were the hottest thing in the first book, even though they only had a few pages in Dark Lover and the two of them never even got close to having actual sex. Butch is the most interesting of the male leads to date, being a human with human vulnerabilities, and a desperate need for acceptance and purpose in his life, a tough outsider who brings in an outsider's slice-of-life perspective. The banter between him and the brothers crackles with offhand humor and the story of his progressive integration into the Brotherhood shines a fresh light on the society.

The openly homoerotic overtones of Butch's relationship with Vishous are an interesting departure from the previous novels and from traditional romantic fiction in general.

Rehvenge develops into a fascinating character in his own right, so his book will be one to watch out for. Meanwhile, one is almost tempted to pity the Omega, who is clearly attracting a very unreliable class of Lesser in recent books.

Having rooted for Butch as the token human in the Brotherhood's circle, I do find it somewhat questionable that in this series (and in paranormal novels in general) being "merely" human is consistently depicted as an inferior state of existence. Does a hero have to be literally superhuman these days to captivate the reader?
Another caveat is that the female characters in the BDB series generally seem to lack the depth and strength of their male counterparts, which is a bit of a shame - but then, some of those heroines are "only" human, so maybe it makes sense after all.

Editorial Review:

Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world-to engage in the turf war with the lessers. His heart belongs to a female vampire, Marissa, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. And if he can't have her, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers.

But fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him.

Night Embrace (Dark-Hunter, Book 3)

Sherrilyn Kenyon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 101 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Dear Reader,
Life is great for me. I have my chicory coffee, my warm beignets, and my best friend on the cell phone. Once the sun goes down, I am the baddest thing prowling the night: I command the elements, and I know no fear. For centuries, I've protected the innocent and watched over the mankind, making sure they are safe in a world where nothing is ever certain. All I want in return is a hot babe in a red dress, who wants nothing more from me then one night.
Instead, I get a runaway Mardi Gras float that tries to turn me into roadkill and a beautiful woman who saves my life but can't remember where she put my pants. Flamboyant and extravagant, Sunshine Runningwolf should be the perfect woman for me. She wants nothing past tonight, no ties, no long-term commitments.
But every time I look at her, I start yearning for dreams that I buried centuries ago. With her unconventional ways and ability to baffle me, Sunshine is the one person I find myself needing. But for me to love her would mean her death. I am cursed never to know peace or happiness-not so long as my enemy waits in the night to destroy us both.
--Talon of the Morrigantes

Dark Desires After Dusk (The Immortals After Dark, Book 5)

Kresley Cole

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 64 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

RITA Award-winning author Kresley Cole continues her bestselling Immortals After Dark series with this electrifying tale of a ruthless demon mercenary and the lovely young halfling who enchants him.

A seductive beauty he can
never have, yet can't resist...

Cadeon Woede will stop at nothing to atone for the one wrong that will haunt him forever. But once he secures the key to his redemption, the halfling Holly Ashwin, Cade finds that the woman he thought he could use for his own ends and then forget haunts him as much as his past.

A tormented warrior she
should fear, but can't deny...

Raised as a human, Holly never knew that some frightening legends are real until she encounters a brutal demon who inexplicably guards her like a treasure. Thrust into a sensual new world of myth and power, with him as her protector, she begins to crave the demon's wicked touch.

Surrender to dark desires...

Yet just when he earns Holly's trust, will Cade be forced to betray the only woman who can sate his wildest needs -- and claim his heart?

Kiss of Midnight (The Midnight Breed, Book 1)

Lara Adrian

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Total reviews: 76 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

He watches her from across the crowded dance club, a sensual black-haired stranger who stirs Gabrielle Maxwell’s deepest fantasies. But nothing about this night—or this man—is what it seems. For when Gabrielle witnesses a murder outside the club, reality shifts into something dark and deadly. In that shattering instant she is thrust into a realm she never knew existed—a realm where vampires stalk the shadows and a blood war is set to ignite.

Lucan Thorne despises the violence carried out by his lawless brethren. A vampire himself, Lucan is a Breed warrior, sworn to protect his kind—and the unwitting humans existing alongside them—from the mounting threat of the Rogues. Lucan cannot risk binding himself to a mortal woman, but when Gabrielle is targeted by his enemies, he has no choice but to bring her into the dark underworld he commands.

Here, in the arms of the Breed’s formidable leader, Gabrielle will confront an extraordinary destiny of danger, seduction, and the darkest pleasures of all. . . .

Rebecca

Daphne du Maurier

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 492 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great suspense novel 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Warning: spoiler

A fantastic novel, that deserves a place next to "Wuthering Hights", "Great Expectations" or "Jane Eyre". Daphne Dumaurier's beautiful and rich writing style and amazing storytelling skills make this novel great fun to read. She handles the character development wonderfully well, in particular the overly sensitive and devoted heroine, the sinister housekeeper Mrs. Danvers, the despicable playboy Favell, and the gloomy and jaded Max de Winter.

The novel works on many levels. There are some elements of the old fairy-tales Cinderella (servant-girl marries nobleman) and Bluebeard (forbidden room, murderous husband), but with a different, surprising twist. It's also a story of growing-up, as the nameless heroine matures from a timid girl into a strong-willed woman during her various trials. The author brilliantly disguises the characters' motivations, so that the true causes of things remain a mystery until about two-thirds into the novel when the main crisis unfolds. We then realise that the heroine, who sees things through the lens of her own feelings of inferiority completely misses the truth, which is to her a shock and relief at the same time.

Not least, the lush, rich descriptions of the house and the surrounding Cornwell country-side, and linking of the natural elements with the mood of the story makes this novel a truly satisfying reading experience. You may not want to read another novel for a long time.

Also of interest to readers would be Alfred Hitchcock's film Rebecca, which faithfully recreates the novel, with an outstanding cast.

Editorial Review:

At the great Cornwall estate of Manderley, Maxim de Winter and his frightened new wife try to live with the haunting legacy of Maxim's first wife, the beautiful and cold Rebecca, who died in a sailing accident. Reissue. 30,000 first printing. $30,000 ad/promo.