Down the Rabbit Hole

hasty wedding -debbie macomber

There’s more than one way to capture a man’s heart…

On the day of her best friend’s Las Vegas wedding, Clare Gilroy fears that her own walk down the aisle will never happen…until she finds herself falling for best man—and town outcast—Reed Tonasket.

After a dizzying night in the glitter of Vegas, Clare wakes to find a ring on her finger and a husband by her side. It should be everything she’s ever wanted, but can a man like Reed ever fit into the life she left back home?

4 Drink Me Potions

Um, before I start, I will say, this book was completely a guilty pleasure. It was just one of those days, ya know? Quit judgin’ me while you’re ahead, though. Just keep on moving along. I needed one of these brainless romances today and this novel sufficed. More than sufficed, really.

Reminiscent of another story with a similar plot, I normally don’t read Vegas-married romances. But I was intrigued. And even more so when it turned out our male interest is half Native American.

Clare and Reed’s romance was almost tangible. There was never any doubt about that. The crazy things that went on after their so-called hurried romance took the brunt of the story. It was kind of understandable so it didn’t infuriate me as much as other stories did (thank goodness!).

Clare was kinda innocent but she wasn’t as weak as Reed thought she’d be when confronted with the hardships of life. Meanwhile, Reed had a lot to think about. He may have thought his actions that caused so many problems were noble to him, but it really wasn’t the best for them both. Thankfully, this story touched a more solid conclusion and didn’t just abruptly end there when the two decided things were all hunky-dory. Oh no. I’m glad for that. It may not resolved too deeply into the issues that may come up when marrying someone of Native American descent, but it left us with a taste of hope that things at least could turn out well for this couple.

Altogether, for a guilty pleasure indulgence, this book wasn’t bad. If you ever have one of those days – well, look no further, I guess.

Overall Recommendation:
Clare and Reed’s fast-paced romance could be considered insta-love but it didn’t quite feel so bad since their chemistry was clearly tangible. Would this happen in real life? Heck if I know, but one thing’s for sure. This satisfied the criteria of a guilty pleasure novel for me. It wasn’t all brainless romantic craziness. It covered issues of racial prejudice as Reed is half Native American. I thought it probably was what made all the misunderstandings and problems for the married couple more bearable because it was somewhat understandable. Overall, it was an interesting read. Interesting being the key word ’cause I don’t know what else to describe it as.

adult

Review: Orchard Valley Brides by Debbie Macomber

May 10, 2016May 10, 2016 Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Orchard Valley #3-4

orchard valley brides -debbie macomber Norah Bloomfield is feeling a bit unneeded these days. Her father is recovering from his heart attack, and her sisters, Valerie and Stephanie, are busy planning their weddings. But then a cantankerous Texan named Rowdy Cassidy crashes his small plane in Orchard Valley. The same Rowdy Cassidy who’d been Valerie’s boss; and who’d demanded she marry him. Now he’s Norah’s patient, and in all her nursing experience she’s never encountered a more difficult man. Or a more irresistible one! Except; is he still in love with her sister?

When Norah’s friend Sherry Waterman leaves Orchard Valley, Oregon, for Pepper, Texas, she’s definitely not in the mood for Lone Star Lovin’. But if anyone can change her mind, it’s Cody Bailman – a hardworking, good-looking rancher. Not only that, Cody has a twelve-year-old daughter who thinks Sherry’s just perfect for Dad!

3 Drink Me Potions

I don’t know why I thought it would get any better with the ridiculous antics that sometimes get between two people who are clearly crazy about each other. This novel did not really do any better, in my opinion, although I’m (oddly enough) considered a fan of Debbie Macomber (I know – don’t say it – what generation am I in?)

In Norah, I was very excited to see how the last and youngest Bloomfield sister would do as all the eligible bachelors in town seemed to have been scooped up by her older sisters in the previous books. This book both infuriated me and mildly satisfied. Rowdy Cassidy was one hard man to read. I couldn’t tell half the time if Norah should be insulted or not by his clear agitation at his feelings for her and whether or not he could truly love her.

Norah, on the other hand, was a lovely woman. She didn’t take his awful behaviour and clearly told him so. If he was in the wrong, she let him know. But she was also able to see her own mistakes and not let her pride deter her from making the compromises that were required for the sake of both their happiness.

Altogether, Norah was a quick read, but I wished the ending wasn’t so abrupt. The little epilogue helped in a sense to tie in all the plotlines from the Orchard Valley series, but even so, the 180 that Rowdy went through didn’t satisfy me.

As for Long Star Lovin’, it was interesting seeing a new destination located in Texas state. The small-knit community and very unique (or maybe I should say “odd”?) people were amusing aspects.

As for the romance, oh my goodness. I’m DEFINITELY infuriated. That man. Cody Bailman! He really has no romantic bone in his body. I would’ve been pissed if I were Sherry, who thankfully was also a very sweet and strong woman. She just wanted someone to love her, not really the romantic actions itself. Those may come when there are true feelings from the heart.

Without the comic relief that presented itself in the form of Heather, Cody’s daughter, I dunno what I would’ve done. Heather was a very interesting 12-year-old. I’m not sure even I would’ve been so bold at her age. Fearless, I’ll say. But her daring and opposite-of-shy kinda personality made her endearing and helped me control my absolute disappointment in Cody’s behaviour.

Altogether, Sherry’s story was interesting but the awful ups and downs of her relationship was just too much. It too also ended abruptly, with Cody’s 180 change even more crazy. Macomber didn’t go into depth of how this new change of heart would affect them all, or to really settle the problems that were always present. It was like BAM! everything’s good. Yay! Wedding! Kids!

What. The. Heck?

Plus, it ended with the EXACT same line as another of Macomber’s story that I’ve read last year. Running out of ideas? I’m not sure.

Overall Recommendation:
These two stories were remarkably similar and different at the same time. Norah’s story was a decent conclusion to the Orchard Valley series, with an epilogue that helped tie in everyone’s plotlines. However, her love interest was truly infuriating at times and his professed love hard to believe. Likewise, Sherry’s story also had its problem with the male interest who just COULDN’T understand romance for the life of him. It shouldn’t be that hard to do something nice if it just came from the heart. The big up-side to this was due to the eclectic and tight community in this small Texan town. Overall, I’m left half infuriated and not completely sure I’m satisfied with the abrupt endings.

Review: The Leveller by Julia Durango

May 7, 2016 Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: The Leveller #1

the leveller -julia durango Nixy Bauer is a self-made Leveller. Her job? Dragging kids out of virtual reality and back to their parents in the real world. It’s normally easy cash, but Nixy’s latest mission is fraught with real danger, intrigue, and romance.

Nixy Bauer is used to her classmates being very, very unhappy to see her. After all, she’s a bounty hunter in a virtual reality gaming world. Kids in the MEEP, as they call it, play entirely with their minds, while their bodies languish in a sleeplike state on the couch. Irritated parents, looking to wrench their kids back to reality, hire Nixy to jump into the game and retrieve them.

But when the game’s billionaire developer loses track of his own son in the MEEP, Nixy is in for the biggest challenge of her bounty-hunting career. Wyn Salvador isn’t some lazy kid looking to escape his homework: Wyn does not want to be found. And he’s left behind a suicide note. Nixy takes the job but quickly discovers that Wyn’s not hiding—he’s being held inside the game against his will. But who is holding him captive, and why?

Nixy and Wyn attempt to fight their way out of a mind game unlike any they’ve encountered, and the battle brings them closer than either could have imagined. But when the whole world is virtual, how can Nixy possibly know if her feelings are real?

3.5 Drink Me Potions

The Leveller is a nice combination of gaming fun that doesn’t get too tech-y to annoy non-gamers but also revels in an imaginative gamer’s world. Its well-paced action and unique gaming checkpoints to complete was most definitely entertaining.

I myself am not much of a huge gamer. I play some but I’m definitely not hardcore by any means. So to enter a genre of science fiction dealing with gaming technology would be a hit or miss for me. The Leveller surprisingly bypassed my expectations of mediocrity.

The most surprising element (and probably the most enjoyable) was the varying levels of horror that our fierce protagonist, Nixy, had to face in order to reach Wyn in his custom world within the game. From fighting off giant centipedes to sharks underwater and anacondas, the suspense of getting through each level without dying and restarting had me on the edge of my seat. The unknown challenges she had to face was just as entertaining, although I wish the overall maze component of the story took up a bigger portion of the plot.

The characters were mostly fresh and original. Nixy, otherwise known as Phoenix, was spunky. She didn’t let others get her down for being a leveller. Her two best buds, Chang and Moose, also had character (if the interesting names they go by don’t already suggest that). Together, it was like watching a gaming trio do its magic on a gaming world they knew so well.

However, what stuck out even more was the gaming world building. It’s uncertain how far in the future this is set, but I’m assuming it’s to be reminiscent of the potential NEAR future. Durango really developed and described this gaming platform, the MEEP, to the minute details. It must be due to her experience as a gamer to go to such fine workings of this program. It’s interesting whether or not the idea of a virtual reality gaming experience is completely original or not. I appreciated the details because it gave me the sense of what was truly going on for Wyn and Nixy in this complex trap they found themselves in.

What could be improved for me was the abrupt ending and the romance. The twist was nice, although not necessarily unpredictable. It brought about more questions than answers which even the characters voiced out. I’m glad to see there’s a second book, but for such a short and easy read, it could’ve maybe left it at a nicer point.

As for the romance, I just didn’t feel it with Wyn and Nixy. 6 days trapped in the MEEP together can cause a lot of stressful bonding, but there just didn’t seem to be a lot connecting them. They’re attractive people? They’re under high stress? That doesn’t make it any less strange to see them kissing all of a sudden. I hope it gets a little better in the next one, but at least romance isn’t truly a strong contender in this novel.

For a book that I picked randomly to read, The Leveller overall surprised me in a good way and I look forward to seeing what comes next for Nixy and Wyn.

Overall Recommendation:
The Leveller is full of action and smartly written challenges for Nixy Bauer, our protagonist, to face as she tries to rescue some millionaire’s son. With checkpoint levels to pass in a virtual world holding Wyn captive, this story is both exciting and suspenseful as we race to get to the bottom of this crazy scheme and escape the MEEP. There’s not too much gamer-talk or references to annoy, but I’d say it would still satisfy those who enjoy this genre. Overall, it was a surprisingly easy read albeit ending abruptly with the most hideous cliffhanger. Romance lovers, this story isn’t for you, although I think you may still find some enjoyment from other areas.