Domaris' Dreamings

Divinely Designed

7:00 pm 27 February 2010

A light, refreshing read with likable characters and a clear plot line. The LDS element is central to the book as it's an important part of the characters' lives, but you don't have to have a strong knowledge of the faith to follow and enjoy the book.

The story chronicles a little less than a year in the life of Kennedy Jackson, who has just taken a new job in a new city. Most of the characters that she meets in her new life are only sketchily developed, but who the author focuses her attention on is a clear indicator of their importance in Kennedy's life. This division of attention, while somewhat unusual is actually more honest than a more even-handed treatment as it's much closer to real-life experience. Not everyone makes the same impact in an individual's life.

The dialogue felt honest and the situations realistic. I would definitely recommend this book as fun, easily accessible, and engaging.

Spellbinder

7:00 pm 21 December 2009

This is the first and only book I've read by Ms. Rawn, but I doubt it will be the last. The characters are well-defined, the action a nice mix between the paranormal and the mundane, and the language fluid and engaging.

While not perhaps the most innovative example of the genre, the author clearly did her research and crafted a very complete tale with no discernible plot holes or confusion. The book is a nice read, neither predictable nor too complicated to follow easily. The romantic element kept the story feeling fairly original, and the events tracked around that central theme nicely.

City of Angels

7:00 pm 25 October 2009

This book was sitting on my shelf for much too long before I picked it up. I regret that I didn't do so sooner. It was a very quick and interesting read, and left me wanting more. I was pleased to see there are sequels and will be picking them up.

Ms. Shannon's character is the most clearly defined, as is to be expected as the book is told from her POV. I didn't find anything particularly inconsistent with the time period, but the book didn't feel like a history lesson - the language is clear and engaging. The cast of characters are introduced to us as our protagonist meets them, and we learn things about them as she does...the flow of the action and dialogue felt very natural.

The actual case was interesting, adding a bit of mystery to the story, and I found the book very hard to put down.

The Salmon of Doubt

7:00 pm 8 September 2009

I can't remember anything about this book - which means I either didn't finish it or need to read it again...

Midnight Sun

7:00 pm 6 September 2009

What's interesting about this is I probably wouldn't have heard of it had she not posted it on her own site. I hope she eventually publishes a finished copy. Although this doesn't feel rough or unfinished thus far, and it seems consistent with the other novels, I know she hadn't made certain choices and I'd like to see what changes she made to the final book from this version.

Cocksure

7:00 pm 20 June 2009

To be fair...I'm not the target audience...

These Three Remain

7:00 pm 4 March 2009

To me, this book, the final one of the trilogy, felt the most similar in style and voice to Pride and Prejudice.

This book drew me in as well as entertaining me as I was able to experience the events with the knowledge of Elizabeth's point of view already secured - something poor Darcy had to do without.

The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror

7:00 pm 13 November 2008

There aren't words. So amusing.

Kiss Me, Creep (Sweet Dreams #63)

7:00 pm 20 September 2008

Liked this as a kid - it did not stand the test of time for me. I just reread it on a bus and I appear to have outgrown its ability to entertain me.

Utopia

7:00 pm 16 June 2008

I think this is one of those things that is more enjoyable in the original language...while the book wasn't painful to read I wasn't that engaged with it, and probably won't pick it up again.

What Would Buffy Do? The Vampire Slayer as Spiritual Guide

7:00 pm 22 April 2008

An amusing, quick read.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: No Future for You

7:00 pm 31 March 2008

I adore this series, and have ever since I started watching it as a mid-season replacement over ten years ago. The comic form works very well to continue the story-line, and I was glad to see a return of Faith so early in the story. Her interactions with Buffy are always fascinating, and getting more insight into her character always a pleasure - no matter how depressing it may turn out to be.