82.
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Title: No Mercy
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Supernatural Romance
Acquisition:
Date: October 11, 2011
Rating: **

The plot is clumsy and lackluster, and the book as a whole is awkward and amateurish. I can accept the formulaic nature of the genre, but it seems like the author isn't even trying.

I've already forgotten when I finished this one, so I guess I should add it before it slips my mind completely:

27.
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Title: One Silent Night
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages: 320 pages
Genre: Romance
Acquisition: March 27, 2010
Date Completed: March 31, 2010, I think
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

More of the same, which is exactly what I was looking for.

(first edition cover, courtesy of Wikipedia)
98. Verne, Jules. Around the World in 80 Days. 297 pages. 8.4.09.+

Around the World in 80 Days is the most recent book in the list of novels I have read to my son. Never having read Verne before I settled on our nightly routine, I found myself convinced that his novels would be good "boy books", and am pleased to say that I myself have found them very entertaining.

First published in 1873, Verne's narrative describing an eccentric gentleman's pursuit of a saloon wager is charming in its simple and straightforward presentation of what may be seen as typical 19th-century views and expectations. Although many of the stereotypes and presentations of British imperialism would be viewed as politically and socially incorrect to a modern audience, the innocence and casual frankness of Verne's depictions allow readers a glimpse at how the British may really have viewed their place in the global community. For this alone, I find the novel intriguing.

The characters of the novel are strangely underdeveloped, which allows the reader to focus more on the excitement of the journey as opposed to the emotional consequences suffered by the protagonists. Passepartout, Mr. Fogg's French valet, is arguably the most developed character, and proves to be an interesting addition as readers not only discover information about his rather colorful past, but are likewise pacified in the desire for emotion that is markedly absent from the figure of Phileas Fogg himself.

In the end, I enjoyed Around the World in 80 Days much more interesting than our reading of Journey to the Centre of the Earth, despite (or perhaps because of) its simplicity of plot and character. Verne's 1873 novel frequently appears on reading lists for young teenagers, and I strongly agree with the recommendation; I can't wait until Brooks has a chance to read it for himself.


99. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Acheron. 816 pages. 8.4.09.

It's hard to give this book a fair rating. I enjoyed learning of Acheron's past, but for every interesting passage or chapter there is an equally dull or tedious one.

96. Harris, Charlaine. Poppy Done to Death. 288 pages. 7.25.09.


97. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Devil May Cry. 384 pages. 7.28.09.

This is probably the worst Dark-Hunter book I've read so far. I understand that plots thin as series like this continue, but despite my own tolerance for the ridiculous I was rolling my eyes by the second chapter.

92. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Unleash the Night. 384 pages. 7.15.09.


93. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Dark Side of the Moon. 384 pages. 7.16.09.

51. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Seize the Night. 352 pages. 5.9.09.

52. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Sins of the Night. 384 pages. 5.11.09.

From my point of view, Sins of the Night is fairly consistent with other Dark-Hunter novels. While the love scenes have grown more than a little repetitious at this point (Kenyon uses the same phrases, encounters, and descriptions time and time - and time - again), the book itself remains interesting and compelling, and fulfills all expectations of the genre.


HOWEVER, my one big complaint is about the Kindle version - once again, it is chock full of errors that complicate reading. At one point in the novel several pages are repeated, which momentarily left me wondering whether my Kindle has malfunctioned or if I hit a button without realizing it. No, it was just sloppy publishing. Like all the other Dark-Hunter books, Sins of the Night suffers from word omissions, misaligned text, and several other formatting errors. It wouldn't be so annoying if the Kindle version actually cost less than the book, but considering they have the potential to make so much more money from e-books (after all, I have to imagine "printing" costs are significantly reduced!), I would expect a higher quality publication.

47. Hamilton, Laurell K, Lim, Booth. Guilty Pleasures: Volume 2. 144 pages. 5.5.09.

48. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Kiss of the Night. 382 pages. 5.6.09.

49. Le Fanu, Sheridan. Carmilla. 112 pages. 5.6.09.

I first came across J. Sheridan Le Fanu's 1872 novella as part of a graduate independent study of gothic literature. It quickly became a personal favorite, as well as an integral part of what will (hopefully) one day become my dissertation.

Carmilla tells the tale of a vampire (or oupire, as the peasants refer to them in the novella) who preys on young women; Carmilla becomes intimately attached to the daughter or ward of a wealthy family, and in her pursuit of love and friendship (and perhaps other things...) eventually drains her new found "friend" of her blood and her life. Predating Bram Stoker's classic tale by 25 years, and following the publication of Polidori's short story by 53 years, Le Fanu's tale is one of the first to popularize the figure of the vampire in 19th-century English prose, and has done much to help popularize the subject.

What I find particularly interesting about this work is the hybridization of traditional vampire legends (dating back to stories of Lilith herself) and the evolving contemporary vampire mythology of 19th-century England. Like traditional tales, Carmilla is represented as a young woman, and her victims often describe a sense of being strangled in their beds. However, the tale also presents elements of more contemporary ideas, such as a coffin full of blood and long needle-like fangs.

I won't go more in-depth for fear of turning a review into a chapter, but I can't praise Carmilla enough. It is a tale sure to delight anyone with interests in 19th-century prose, gothic literature, or vampires (or any combination thereof). LeFanu is a master of gothic tales, and Carmilla is a credit to his name and his craft.

35. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Night Embrace. 416 pages. 4.12.09.

36. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Dance with the Devil. 368 pages. 4.14.09.

Dance with the Devil is my favorite of Kenyon's "Dark-Hunter" series so far. A large part of the novel is dedicated to character development, and the characters themselves are much more complex than previous novels. It was very interesting to watch Zarek develop as a character, making the (albeit, inevitable) conclusion very satisfying.

Oh, the romances!

34. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Night Pleasures. 336 pages. 4.6.09.


The "quality" of the Kindle version is extremely poor, and certainly not worth the $8 they charge. Punctuation and words are missing, lines are printed at irregular intervals, and sometimes they're so smashed together you can't make out what belongs on what line. I am really disappointed, and I hope these errors are related to this series and not others.

While still entertaining, I didn't find Night Pleasures to be nearly as engaging as the first Dark-Hunter book. The characters are more 2-dimensional, the plot is a bit static and underdeveloped, and there is just a feeling of "less" all around.

I find the reviews calling this a vampire novel rather amusing. While Kenyon calls a certain group of characters vampires, that is where the genre ends. It is an inconsequential detail in the novel, and you could replace the word "vampire" with any other supernatural class and it would not change the plot at all. So for readers looking for an actual vampire novel, I would recommend looking elsewhere.

32. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Fantasy Lover. 352 pages. 4.4.09.

This novel is about what you'd expect, given the title, but it is also surprisingly endearing. Romance novel meets a host of psychological complexes with a few Greek gods mixed in for good measure, Fantasy Lover proves very entertaining for occult/mythology enthusiasts looking for a more traditional romance novel.

The Kindle version is in desperate need of a good grammatical editor!

33. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. 99 pages. 4.5.09.

Shakespeare's Othello is a captivating examination of jealousy, human inconsistency, gender relations, marriage, and so much more. Critical of nearly all of his characters - and leaving very few completely blameless - Shakespeare's depiction of human nature is far darker than the actions of his play. Othello will provide audiences with a twisted pleasure that is sure to leave a long-lasting impression. A masterpiece.