Book Trailers: Money Vs. No Money

I know a lot of readers can take or leave book trailers, and most of the time I'm in leave 'em camp. But, I'll be honest - when I run up against a particularly well done one, book trailers have a way of snagging my attention. And most days, my attention span is on par with the life cycle of a fruit fly. I've seen two particularly interesting trailers of late, one for a suspense novel, the other for a historical romance trilogy.

First up, is the money trailer. This is for Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen, which comes out in late June. Gerritsen is a Big New York Times Bestselling Author, so naturally there's some money to throw around on a book trailer. Also, a new TNT series based on this series is debuting this summer, so it behooves the publisher (and author) to throw some extra promo dollars around. I don't love this trailer as much as the one she did for her previous book, The Keepsake, but I still like it quite a bit.

(ETA 5/1: The author popped up in the comments section to say that the trailer was actually the product of some local guys, a hand-held camera, and a snowy Maine day. So a low-budget affair, and the publisher didn't foot the bill. I think it looks slick!)



On the other end of the spectrum, in regards to money and genre, we have Tessa Dare, who has done a book trailer for her upcoming Stud Club trilogy, which lands this summer. Dare did this promo trailer herself, and while it has a decidedly homemade feel to it, it's so charming and funny I can't help but be tickled by it. If I didn't already have plans to buy and read this new trilogy, this trailer would have tipped me right over the edge. Yes authors, this is sometimes all it takes. Amuse Wendy and she'll open up her wallet.

How Far Is Too Far?

I listen to the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich on audiobook. I've always listened to this series on audio, having never "read" a single one of them. Ever. Now, I know myself well enough to know that if I did "read" these books, I would have chucked this series to the curb ages ago. The monotony would have gotten to me by now, especially since I can't remember the last time the author gave readers a credible villain and halfway decent mystery. But as far as listening to them? I like them. They're undemanding brain candy.

That being said, I just got around listening to Finger Lickin' Fifteen and have to say it....

Meh.

Way too much Lula. Dear God, way, way, way too much Lula. Between the author regaling me with Lula's farts (Seriously? Fart jokes?!), and constant harrumphing (is it just me or does this character talk in grunts entirely too much?), I was past full-up. Oh, and for the record? Exploding diarrhea caused by bad barbecue? Not funny. I'm not even sure it's funny to 13-year-old boys.

All of which got me thinking on the subject of fluffy reads and just how far I can be pushed into "wacky territory" before my suspension of disbelief snaps. Now, obviously, I'm a big fan of fluff. I mean, I just enjoyed a mystery that featured a heroine thwarting the advances of a would-be Romeo from Uzbekistan. So I'm not incapable of shutting off my internal monologue when it comes to Funny Ha Ha books. So while Uzbekistan suitor is OK, a celebrity chef getting decapitated in broad daylight, in the middle of a street, in Stephanie Plum's Trenton, New Jersey was too much for me to roll with.

Yeah. Decapitated. In the middle of the day, in the middle a street. Also, I found it unsettling that a celebrity chef gets his head chopped off in Trenton and the media isn't crawling all over the city like a cockroach on a week-old Tasty Kake left out in the sun. And exactly how much sense does it make that Ranger asks for Stephanie's help in tracking down the guy sabotaging his business? I mean, hello?! Ranger is Batman. Stephanie is...well...totally inept.

On the bright side, I got my yummy Ranger fix.

So gentle readers, how wacky is too wacky? What has been known to push you over the edge and snap your suspension of disbelief in half? And for that matter, does anyone out there actually like the character of Lula? Seriously? Inquiring minds want to know.

Like A Band Of Gypsies

Today's blog post is brought to you by the letters N and H. As in, Not Here.

First up, my latest post has gone live over at Readers Gab. Stop and by and read all about me blathering on the topic of books as social media.

Next up, Keira from the Love Passion Romance blog recently interviewed me for her semi-regular Reader Highlight feature. Why not head on over, take a peak at pictures of my TBR Mountain Range, and read all about my favorite librarian heroines, my take on historical western romances, and my favorite romance clinch cover.

And finally, a huge thanks to Mollie from Book Fare Delights for pointing out to me on Twitter last week that the Columbus Metropolitan Library system of Columbus, Ohio featured the Bat Cave in a post on their Great Reads blog. I'll admit it, I was (and still am) all sorts of tickled. Mostly because while I am a librarian, I wouldn't consider this blog a hot-bed of library-related material. Mostly it's an excuse to talk about romance novels. So it's always nice to find out that other librarians actually do stop by and visit every now and then, even though I'm hardly what one would consider an "library industry" blog by any stretch of the imagination.

Random Romance Sunday: She's No Angel

The Book: I'm No Angel by Patti Berg

The Particulars: Contemporary Romance, Avon, 2004, In Print

The Blurb:

Top 7 Reasons Why She's No Angel

7. Easily Palm Beach's sexiest private investigator, Angel Devlin always gets her man -- and bad boy millionaire Tom Donovan is at the top of her Most Wanted list.

6. Instinct tells her that drop-dead-gorgeous Tom has something wicked up his sleeve, and she's going to get up close and personal to find out just what.

5. Her list of nocturnal activities includes lifting a wallet while seductively skimming her hands over her victim's rock-solid chest and performing a bewitching lap dance at a seedy underground club.

4. There's nothing sweet or innocent about Angel -- she's as sharp as the steel stiletto she wears strapped to her shapely thigh.

3. Her motto is "dress to thrill." A tight skirt, a hint of cleavage, and a pair of kick-ass Jimmy Choos will make a man open up and divulge all sorts of little secrets.

2. Angel is devilish, devious, and sexy as sin.

1. She's the first to admit she's no angel, but it doesn't stop Tom from falling head over heels in love with the mischievous blonde.

Is It In Wendy's TBR?: Why, yes - it is. I picked it up at an RWA conference one year (no clue which city/year).

Any Reviews?: All About Romance gave it a B-:

It's a fun story, though not much more than that. Despite some of the more serious touches (Alzheimer's, the murders), the book never becomes heavy in the least. It takes place in the high-gloss, low-substance world of Palm Beach society, and the book fits the setting perfectly. It's very frothy and light, a little too easy in places. For instance, after they have sex, there's an argument between the two and Angel stomps off in a huff. About a chapter later, Tom does something nice and all is forgiven as if it never happened. It's that kind of book. It's not very deep, it's not very substantive, but it has a kind of effervescent, fizzy charm.

Mrs. Giggles gave it a 71:

I'm No Angel isn't a particularly bad book, just a book without a clear and definite mood or voice. It can't make up its mind whether to be over the top, under the line, left of the middle, or right of center and the result is a totally disoriented me. Still, the signs have been there in Patti Berg's previous few books that she is heading towards the comedic romantic suspense route and I'm No Angel is her first outright dip in that direction.

Anything Else?: This is the author's most recent book, but according to her web site (last updated January 2010), she's still writing.

NFL Draft Widow

For those of you who have a life, you're most likely unaware that the NFL Draft is this weekend. You know how I feel about romance novels? Well, that's how My Man feels about the NFL Draft. He loves it. Adores it. Lives for it every year. And every year I brace myself for the inevitable:

1) In their infinite wisdom the NFL has decided to stretch the draft out over three days. Three days! Round 1 tonight. Rounds 2 and 3 tomorrow. Rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday. I hate this. My Man hates this. The NFL is doing it because they're greedy frickin' a-holes with dollar signs flashing before their eyes. And since there's a core of the football watchin' population that lurves the Draft, they're pretty much stuck watching it how the NFL wants it delivered - so this three day experiment will likely score big ratings and will be here to stay.

2) By Day Two My Man will be cursing out the bone-headed Talking Heads for talking about the same five players over and over again. My Man, being a Draft-junkie, likes to hear about the guys nobody has ever heard of. The players that will get drafted in rounds four and lower. Instead the Talking Heads will keep up a steady stream of inane chatter about the Top 5 picks, which will now drag on over the course of three long days.

3) The Buffalo Bills will have a horrible draft and will very likely do something incredibly stupid. This year, my money is on them drafting Tim Tebow. I asked My Man what would happen should Buffalo do this and his exact words were, "I'm done. I'm out. That's it. If they draft Tebow that means they're listening to Jim Kelly. ::shudder::"

You heard it here first folks. I figure if I blog about it, then he has to follow through, assuming Buffalo does lose their minds and draft a guy who is as much of an NFL quarterback as I am (Ha!). I told My Man that this could be good for his soul. His relationship with the Bills has been entirely one-sided for entirely too long. He's loved them. He's devoted his life to them. He's stood by them. And what has he gotten in return?

Nothing but heartache.

Of course I'm a Detroit Tigers fan, so I probably shouldn't be talking smack. Hello pot, meet kettle.

So that's what I'll be doing this weekend. The usual chores, hopefully some reading, all while listening to My Man yell at the Talking Heads and cursing out The Bills.

Fun times at the Bat Cave.

(I kid though. I like watching bits of the Draft. Just not the entire weekend. After a while the Talking Heads get to me. And simmer down Tebow fans. If this kid turns out to be anything other than happy shiny off-the-field PR I'll be the first to line up to eat crow. But in my opinion? I won't be dining at your table anytime...well...ever.)

TBR Challenge 2010: You Can Go Home Again

The Book: John Riley's Girl by Inglath Cooper

The Particulars: Harlequin SuperRomance #1198, 2004, Out Of Print, Contemporary Romance

Why Was It In The Bat Cave TBR?: Next to Harlequin Historical, Harlequin SuperRomance is my favorite category romance line, and I've read and enjoyed two other books by Cooper. Also of note, this particular book won the 2005 RITA for Best Long Contemporary Romance.

The Review: Olivia Ashford left the small Virginia town of Summerville right after high school without saying goodbye to anyone - and that included her boyfriend, John Riley. She's now a successful, local TV news anchor in Washington D.C. and is on the cusp of getting a big promotion. Then her BFF from high school calls her and invites her to their 15-year high school reunion. Olivia is on the verge of saying no, when a thought hits her. Maybe the reason she's so unhappy, the reason she's at loose ends, is because she never put her past properly to bed. Maybe going home is just what she needs.

John is now a widower and single father to a young daughter. He was desperately in love with Olivia and her leaving him without so much as an explanation stung. Badly enough, so it seems, that he never quite got over her. He feels guilty about this, especially in the face of his wife's devotion to him, her long illness, and eventual death. He never expected Olivia to come to the reunion. She's successfully avoided him and the town for 15 years. So color him shocked when she does show up.

This is one of those stories where Small Town = Wholesome Apple Pie Goodness. I know a lot of readers who cannot tolerate this sort of thing, but it's a trope that does still work for me as long the author avoids the obvious pitfall - which Cooper does here. Olivia is not happy at the start of this book. She's at that moment where everything she's been striving for in her career is about to come true, and all she can think is "Do I really want this?" She's not so sure anymore. She only knows that she's been coasting through her life and that she's desperately lonely. It's no way to live. She goes home looking for answers and maybe a little closure. This worked for me. It's much more annoying when the Big City Career Gal heroine starts out the book "happy" and then chucks that happiness off a cliff all because the hero can give her mind-altering orgasms.

The main stumbling block, for me, is that the reader has to buy into the idea that John and Olivia had such a deep lurve connection as high school sweethearts that they're still pining for each other 15 years later. On one level, I get it. When a relationship just "stops" (as opposed to "ending properly"), and there's a lack of closure, it's hard to move on. Believe me, I've been there. But, there does come a point where you need to chalk it up to the other person being an emotional cripple and Move. The. Eff. On. We're talking 15 years here. 15 years. That's a long time. An amount of time that should have taken both hero and heroine to the nearest therapist to hash out why they were both incapable of Moving. The. Eff. On.

Those of you who aren't category romance aficionados will likely not "get" this, but there are just some authors in the Harlequin Universe who fit their chosen line like a comfortable pair of old jeans. Inglath Cooper is a perfect fit for SuperRomance - a line I go to for my emotional intensity fix. Quibbles aside, there's no denying that Cooper is a writer who can burrow under your skin, find your heart-strings, and pluck out an entire operatic score. She milks every last emotional drop out of this story, rendering me a limp noodle by the end of it.

By the end of the story I'm not entirely convinced John and Olivia are forging a future together based on the "present" - but the journey was nice to read about, and the author, whose last book came out in 2006, hits all the right emotional notes. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough for me.

Final Grade = B-

Side note: The author's web site is D.O.A. (new site coming Spring 2009!). Here's hoping she's still writing.

If You'll Be My Bodyguard

I remember when the Kensington Brava line first launched. For those of you who weren't active in the online romance community during this period, the only thing I can compare it to is like someone dropping a bomb in your bedroom. There were vocal factions on both sides of the "issue." There were those readers who thought that Brava was nothing more than porn for woman and an End Of Days sign that meant the eventual death of the genre (sadly, I'm not exaggerating here). Then there were readers like myself who threw their clothes on a bonfire, ran naked into the street and danced a jig. I read a lot of Brava early on, especially when I was still affiliated with TRR, but over the years I sort of drifted away. Other publishers launched more "erotic" lines, I got distracted, and Brava and I grew apart. That is, until I started doing my homework reading for my library's recent literary event. Discovering HelenKay Dimon's books have reminded me that when done right, there is nothing quite like a Brava.

Leave Me Breathless tells the story of Bennett "Ben" Walker, former military man turned Judge, who is not terribly happy with his big brother, Mark, Homeland Security agent. Even though a car bomb destroyed Ben's car, he's not convinced he's in any danger. He thinks the bomb was meant for his colleague, Judge Emma Blanton, who made some inflammatory statements regarding a defendant in her courtroom. Determined to keep his brother safe, Mark hires Callie Robbins, a former FBI agent, who is extremely grateful for the job. That is, until she meets Ben, who just might be the most obstinate, pig-headed, stubborn man she's ever run up against. She's used to being underestimated, but this guy's refusal to acknowledge that his life just might be in danger really grates on her nerves.

What follows in your classic lust-hate relationship. Callie and Ben both rub each other the wrong way, but there's no denying there is a definite, and mutual, sexual attraction. Naturally it doesn't take long for them to succumb, which is probably the main stumbling block. Readers used to getting burned by romantic suspense stories where the cop/FBI/ATF heroine loses her brain the minute she has an orgasm will likely have their doubts. Blessedly, Dimon doesn't go this route. Callie is intelligent, tough, and got a raw deal from the FBI. I like that the author didn't render her stupid just so the hero can swoop in at the end for a Rescue Fantasy Moment. I also liked that Callie called Ben on pretty much all of his bullshit. I liked this girl. Lots.

I often bemoan the fact that publishers and authors are determined to make every book part of a series these days. That nothing can just be a "stand alone" anymore. Which means readers are subjected to a lot of blatant, subtle-as-a-sledgehammer series-baiting. The thing about Dimon's books (that I've noticed anyway) is that as the reader I actually want all of her secondary characters to get their own books. Not sure how she does it. I think it might be the male-bonding thing. Anyway, instead of sequel-baiting brother Mark, he's the secondary romance in this story. I have to admit, that I found myself, at times, more interested in Mark's story than in the Ben and Callie romance - but the author does a good job of drawing both story lines together. I also thought the brother relationship between Ben and Mark was particularly well-done. They both survived a traumatic childhood event that left scars, with each of them channeling that emotional baggage in different ways.

This was a quick, sexy read that I managed to zip right though once I tuned out distractions, planted my butt in a chair, and started reading. It features all those things I've come to enjoy in Dimon's books - snappy dialogue, interesting suspense threads, and yummy heroes. For Leave Me Breathless I can also add the solid heroine to that list. Damn, I feel a glom coming on. The last thing I need right now is a glom....

Grade = B