This is Not a Review, Either
What did I do this weekend? Aside from too much time spent on the more dilatory sections of Southern California's highway system, I read a little. Okay, a lot. Time to get some blogging mileage out of that reading by not reviewing that book. As with other entries, which were also not reviews, descriptions are half-assed and ratings are assigned wholly by whim.
Magic Study, by Maria V. Snyder
Synopsis:Part two of what I hope will be a three-book, and not a five-book, series finds our intrepid heroine, Yelena (see, this time, I remembered her name) once again making a few friends and many enemies while reuniting with her long-lost family and discovering still more hidden strengths and magical talents. Oh, and fighting a serial killer (-2 smileys for an unoriginal villain), and the pissed-off sister of the villain from the last book(-5 smileys for not-so-twisty plot twists that I have to spoiler tag), and a lost prince, and a(nother) sadistic soldier who wants payback because Yelena kicked his ass (-10 smileys for using a character almost identical to the B-plot antagonist of the first book).
From start to finish, this book was more of the same. Which barely slowed me down, as I devoured the thing cover-to-cover in one sitting. Like Poison Study, this book was a fun, fast read that left me wanting more. (+4.75 smileys for nicotine-like addictiveness, -1 smiley for sequel bait). When the first serving is good, why pass up seconds?
Rating: Ѱ+ (The Cyrillic alphabet is so underutilized in modern grading systems, don't you think?)
Kate R. was kind enough to give my previous Not a Review a shout out in her blog, so I thought I'd write one for one of her alter-ego, Summer Devon's books that I read a while back. In keeping with the theme of the book, all ratings and asides are invisible.
Invisible Touch, by Summer Devon
Synopsis: This is a story about an attractive woman who is cursed to be invisible to any man whom she finds attractive. Instead of incessantly whining and weeping about it, Bonnie, the heroine, does everything I'd do in the same situation, short of larceny (+1776 points for taking advantage of invisibility, -1066 points for lack of larceny). Bonnie thinks Jared is hot, so, of course, he can't see her. But does Bonnie let this get her down for long? Oh, no. Comedy and invisible hotness ensue (+1967 points for invisible nookie). Also, Devon doesn't just bring the funny (+1989 points for the funny), she delivers it steaming hot to your door in thirty minutes, or your funny is free. The scene where Bonnie used her relative invisibility to mess with the villain had me laughing out loud.
Invisible Touch was short, sweet, and tons of fun. Rating: 8 thumbs up (A fact known only by my music instructors and the owner of that Hallmark shop: I really am all thumbs).
