Wait, should I shelved this in "Historical Fiction"? So, yeah, you can call me a trend-setter. I'm up on the hip scene of today. I know what is cool..Wait, should I shelved this in "Historical Fiction"? So, yeah, you can call me a trend-setter. I'm up on the hip scene of today. I know what is cool... or as you kids might say, I'm DTF. (That means Definitely Trendy and Fresh, right?)
[image] Oh, I'm sure you are wrong Inigo Montoya. I'm very fleek and shit.
Alright, so I've had this book since childhood and decided now was the perfect time to read it. Yes, my TBR pile is slightly unruly....
I was okay with the idea that this was written in the 1980's, so I expected all of the lack of civilization that I have no idea how we lived without. I mean, people drove around in cars without texting and walked through the grocery store without talking on the phone. How did they kill time while waiting for a restaurant table or a doctor's appointment? Did they actually touch those nasty old magazines at the doctor's office with the germs of a billion sick people writhing like a primordial bacteria soup just waiting for the next victim? And, there wasn't even Purell back then. It's like we lived like filthy animals or something. They used payphones! payphones!
Yeah, so that's the world this is set in. Just think: no technology, lots of germs, and giant hairdos held up with cans and cans of ozone-killing hairspray.
[image] A timely reminder... Holy crap, is that guy's gold medallion necklace tangled in his chest hair? *gagging* Didn't they have Crest White Strips yet? Where's my Purell?
Okay. So, Kinsey is a private investigator who is looking into an old murder after the person who was wrongfully convicted gets out of prison. This story is completely procedural as she goes through her steps of solving the crime. Did I solve it before her? Yes. Of course I did. But, there was one little detail that surprised me, so that was fun. (view spoiler)[ I didn't expect two different killers. (hide spoiler)]
And, despite this reading a little bit like an old Murder She Wrote episode, I liked Kinsey. She was very human and easy to understand. She wasn't a special snowflake. She wasn't so beautiful that every guy wanted her. She wasn't even the smartest person in the room most of the time. But, I found her likable because of all of that.
As for the writing style - well, it got a bit wordy in the descriptions. A lot of skimming is necessary when reading about the characteristics of a rooftop or which streets she passed while jogging. And, there's a lot of jogging in this book. I mean, we actually go with her on her jogs. I didn't quite get why we couldn't have just read the words, "after her jog...." instead of reading about where she jogged, how long she jogged, and her after-jog shower. But, hey, maybe the author wanted to inspire us to get off our fat asses, put down the book, and run for no reason. Whatever. I read it with no guilt while eating cookie dough straight from the package like a banana.
[image] You aren't the boss of me!
I'm going to keep reading this series, because, what the hell... reasons....But, I'm also curious if the books will morph through the years as the series was written to reflect the changes in the real world as they happened, or if it will stay set in the 1980's. ...more
I asked my friends if they had any funny book recommendations and Umaiya told me try this one and said I could thank her later. Well, THANK YOU, UMAIYI asked my friends if they had any funny book recommendations and Umaiya told me try this one and said I could thank her later. Well, THANK YOU, UMAIYA!!!
[image] Best idea since someone thought of adding synthetic cheese to macaroni!
In case you are thinking to yourself, "I've sent Jilly recommendations before. She never read them." Well, I should tell you that I never look at that recommendation list thingy here. There are hundreds of them, but I'm lazy. So... eh. Too much work. But, if you tell me in person (ie: write it in a comment thread), I will usually check it out. Usually.
Okay, so this series is so utterly awesome that I've read all three books that are out so far and just came up for air to start my reviews. They are so funny that I was laughing like a hysterical idiot on book three at 2:30 am last night and waking up my family. Tears were streaming down my face.
This first one, strangely, might even be the least funniest, and it's hilarious. They actually get funnier as you go because this town is simply insane. The best part is that they don't even realize just how crazy they are either.
[image] Business as usual.
So, we meet Lilah, a crazy girl who lives in Crazytown. She is bummed out that she has no one to date because all of the guys there have been in a beard-growing competition for the past nine years. They aren't even allowed to trim them or anything. So, as far as she knows, none of them are attractive. Of course, it's hard to tell because... beards.
So, don't be picturing this: [image]
Picture this: [image]
Lilah's aunt decides to set her up with a new guy in town who doesn't have a beard (yet). Spotting the noob is really easy here. He's gorgeous and she can see his face, but her best friend - a guy with a beard - is acting strangely jealous.
One thing leads to another and her bestie ends up shaving his beard, and holy crap, he is hot under all of that hair! The girls in town go crazy and are lining up at his door, with baked goods. Lilah needs to stake her claim quickly.
[image]
Lilah also has two brothers, so when they realize that there is a relationship starting to simmer, they need to do what all protective brothers do.... if they are batshit crazy, that is. There is an epic water-battle. With cannons. And maybe explosives. But, that's okay because that might help wash away some of the paintball paint that their crazy neighbors pelted them with just for boating by their land....
Really, it's like the level of crazy happening in this book is so out-there and hilarious that there is almost no way to do it justice by trying to explain. Just read it when you are in the mood to laugh.
I know I'm late to the You party. Better late than never.
So, I am thinking that I want the stalker sociopath, Joe, to join my book-boyfriend club and I know I'm late to the You party. Better late than never.
So, I am thinking that I want the stalker sociopath, Joe, to join my book-boyfriend club and live at Magic Peen Ranch with the rest of them. Considering that there are members like Eric Northman, Jericho Barons, Acheron, and Mad Rogan, you would think it would be safe enough, right? Those are some supernatural, powerful dudes. But, no. I know that if I let Joe in, I will come to visit the next time and find this:
[image] Dammit Joe! People notice this shit!
Joe works at a bookstore and is narrating our story as if he is writing a letter to his obsession-girl, Beck. She comes in and buys some books, talks like an affected asshole, and he falls. He does the perfectly normal thing to do when a guy is interested in a girl. No, no. Not ask her out. He stalks her. He finds out where she lives and watches her at night.
[image] She's such an asshole that she never invites him in.
Of course, Joe also thinks that his behavior is romantic. He reads her email, follows her around, and almost gets caught when he is in her apartment.
Sometimes you have to play around with the facts to get the girl. I have seen enough romantic comedies to know that romantic guys like me are always getting into jams like this.
Joe does a lot of things to ensure that he and Beck meet again, and that he gets to date her. He doesn't understand that pathetic guys that are TOO easy don't always appeal to us girls. We all have that guy who we wish we could have loved. You know - the loser who loved you soooo much and would do anything for you that you put in the friend zone so fast your hair blew? That guy. Sure, he would have been good for you, but you want the guy who is just a little bit of a challenge. And, Beck is more of an asshole than most girls, so she strings Joe along and has him assembling her furniture and taking her to lunch. Lunch! Guys, if a girl will only meet you for lunch, not dinner, you are a girlfriend. We don't fuck our lunch dates. We eat salad with them and bitch about Pam in Accounting because she keeps leaving passive-aggressive notes in the break room.
[image] I think his testicles are in her backpack.
The best thing about this book is how much fun it is to be in Joe's head. He romanticizes everything Beck does until she displeases him and then he goes to town on how horrible she is. You just really want to get him a giant Thorazine and maybe a straight jacket, but then he wouldn't be crazy anymore and the crazy is awesome.
[image] If you do, you will enjoy this book.
Overall, I found this story to be very engrossing. It was dark, the characters were horrible people, and don't expect an HEA. But, if you are in the right mood, you will probably love being in this psycho's head as much as I did.
Every review of this series talks about it being one of the best Urban Fantasies out there, and I have to admit that the world in this one is pretty aEvery review of this series talks about it being one of the best Urban Fantasies out there, and I have to admit that the world in this one is pretty awesome. I liked everything about the world.
So, why the three-stars? Because I have a little pet-peeve with something that I can easily spot for the future of this series. And, yes, I have so many book pet-peeves that my house smells like a pet-peeve litter box, but still..... I can't resist their cute little faces.
[image] I know this one doesn't go THAT well, but gosh-darn-it-all, it made me laugh.
Rachel, our heroine, meets up with Mr. Baddie, Trent, and he almost kills her and greatly injures her, cages her and allows his assistant to physically abuse her for sadistic pleasure, threatens her, and then tries to have her die by rats, but she is ogling his ass the whole time. Plus, maybe, just maybe he is Mr. Misunderstood instead of Mr. Baddie. And, I'm like "Oh HELL to the NO!!" This is such a set-up for him to be a future love-interest!
Now, I admit that bad boys can be pretty cute and irresistible.....
[image] Who's a cute little bad boy? You are!
BUT, the good kind of bad boy has to be the one who treats his woman like a freaking princess, yet is a badass and will do anything to protect her. Reformed bad boys are also good. Along with reformed rakes. The point is... Yes, forgiveness is divine, but if Rachel is going to forgive this guy for letting his creepy side-kick torture her for kicks and trying to kill her... I'm NOT on board with that.
Trent? My reaction to you is that of the male octopus to a potential mate:
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