Smart Bitches Trashy Books | All of the romance, none of the bullshit.

This was the first Emma Holly book I read.  I managed to get through the whole thing but I still didn’t understand what was going on most of the time.  It’s a pretty good indicator that something is wrong when I begin skimming a book instead of reading it. This book is a muddled mess and almost put me off reading any more Holly.  But reading this site and others convinced me to give her a second chance and I bought Menage.  And I wasn’t sorry about that.  Read every word too, some more than once…

Totally agree with everything you said, Sarah.  I did manage to finish the book, but it was really tough going.  The world she was trying to set up seemed interesting in theory, but never really gelled.  I can see the premise working as a straight-up sci fi/fantasy book without the romantic element. 

That said, I’ve read other books where the plot didn’t really work but the chemistry of the couple pulled me through anyway.  No chemistry here, and I just basically never liked Adrian.

Yowza.  That sounds terrible.  I’ll stick with her contemporary stuff, which I don’t always love but at least I understand.

Sarah, as further proof that you and I have similar reading tastes, I didn’t finish this one either. Hated it, hated it, hated it. And I don’t say that very often. It was the first book by Emma Holly I’d ever read. Or not read as the case happens to be!

So, to recap: “He’s a demon-altered super cop who is shunned by most human society. She’s a half-demon erotic painter who knows the perfect manner for giving a hand job. Together they fight crime boink like bunnies!”

That about cover it?

This was one of my favorite paranormal romances last year :D

I loved the world-building—it did take me a while to understand what was going on, but I’m never sure if that is me or just the way in which it is presented. And I can see where some of the elements you mention here might not work for a lot of people, but somehow they just clicked with me. I absolutely loved Adrian’s character, and thought his class dilemma and the demon/human castes fascinating.

The ending did confuse me on the first reading—I wasn’t absolutely certain how the heroine defeated the baddie at the end, but I think I finally got it on the reread. So it wasn’t a perfect book for me, but I really, really loved it in a lot of different ways.

OK, now I’m really fascinated.

Meljean and I tend to have similar tastes, and Sarah and I agree about the awesomeness of books only half the time.

I’ll have to check this book out. When, I have no idea. But I’ll definitely have to give it a shot.

It did take me a couple of tries, but the story finally sucked me in and kept me reading to the end.  It’s flawed and it does drag at times, but for its type, it’s bloody good.

Romance-wise, it’s a bit patchy, but overall, I enjoyed TDD - certainly a lot more than CATCHING MIDNIGHT and BEYOND INNOCENCE [which pissed me off, and still does]. I found Emma Holly’s imagination and world-building intriguing and quite exciting. How often do we have something like this in historical romance?

Although it didn’t give me the emotional satisfaction, I do consider it a keeper. So it’s filed under “Flawed But Original Historical Romances”. I think it’ll have a small cult following in a decade’s time. You’ll see. :D

Well, I’m still on page 76 and I suspect always will be.  Just kinda got bored and was not impressed with the confused world.  Or Adrian who didn’t make sense to me.  But, I know others enjoyed TDD despite the worldbuilding problems.

Hrmm.. I really liked Catching Midnight and was consdering The Demon’s Daughter.

I loved Menage, and finding out that Holly also wrote paranormal/fantasy (I’m a SF/F person with a recently discovered romance interest) just made my day.  Catching Midnight was okay, not as much world building as I liked, but (for me) made up in the Romance area by not having a sexually pure heroine.

I haven’t read this book, though I do have one of Holly’s books in my TBR pile. Maybe it’s Catching Midnight? I’m not sure. I found a like-new copy at a UBS and figured I’d give it a try.

I’m just impressed at how long a review you wrote for a book you didn’t finish.

I was thinking along the same lines as Alyssa.  Not only that, but you are able to filter down her world-building so that I understand it.  I have this in the TBR pile along with many of her other books (can’t remember the titles) so if I ever pick it up, I’ll have a running knowledge of what may be about to take place.  Although, the whole ‘don’t want to be seen with ya’ thing shoulda been done different.  Hey, if she gets him all hot and bothered and then gets up and leaves, I’m in.  Other than that, not too impressed.  Who wants to be with someone who doesn’t want to be seen with you.

CindyS

Candy, you’re welcome to my copy if I still have it!

This was the first and only Holly I ever (partially) read, and it put me off her in a big way because all the other reviews I read thought it was wonderful, and I just...didn’t...GET IT.  Not only did I think Adrian was an ass, but the world-building was so muddled that I got the impression that Holly hadn’t really bothered to think things out.  If some of her other books are good, I’d be interested in giving her another try, but TDD was a big snooze.

I was depressed when I first saw the book. Because Holly beat me at it. It was a matter of time I guess.

Some 15 years ago, I created a world a bit similar to that.  I even finished writing the first book of the series. To try to publish it now, would make me look like a copy-cat.

But the more I read, I knew I could do it better than that. Now I just have to get off my creative butt, dusty up the ol manuscript and prove it… ;)

Sarah - I completely agree with your assessment of this book.  I still don’t know how it was that I was able to finish it.  I must have been excessively bored or particuarly brain dead, or maybe just hoping it would redeem itself.  But it never did.  Aaargh, how I hate that. 

I think if this were the first Emma Holly book I’d ever read there would be no praise in the world strong enough for all of her other works to induce me to try her again. 

It’s scary, when you think on it, how easily a normally good author can completely lose out on a potentially loyal fan: all it takes is one bad book and a bit of bad timing.

Anyway, I’m now eager to hear Candy’s opinion.  My money is on her disliking it.  Shall we take bets on how many pages she can read before throwing in the towel?  Any actuaries out there who can set up a betting table for the group?

Since you suggested the idea, you get to set it up. :D

I’m willing to bet a fiver that Candy won’t like it.

Hoo boy, I’ve done it now, haven’t I?  OK, I’ll get some advice and go for it.

In other news, the cute sandals I bought the other day that were sooooo comfortable when I tried them out in the store are bugging the crap out me me today.  Now I’m caught between vanity (they look so good, I just need to suck it up and develop a tolerance to the irritation) and acting with common sense (if they’re that bad, take the damn things off).  No point to all this except I felt it just HAD to be said :).

Based on some of Sarah’s points in her review, and Candy’s comments about her personal dislikes in other book reviews, I’m betting she’ll hate it.  Next?

Just to be contrary I say Candy’s gonna love it.  She won’t think it’s the best of Holly but, she’ll admit she would read Holly’s grocery list because she is such a slut for all things written by Holly.  Yep.

CindyS (aka Anne Stuart slutsky)

I must break with the pack and say I liked it. Steampunk is one of my favorite sci-fi subgenres, so I was already jumping in with both feet.

I had no trouble with understanding the world-building. In fact, I remember being disappointed that I didn’t get to learn more about the demon’s society.

The one thing that bothered me about the book, and about so many other books in this genre, is that the heroine was a virgin. Gak! Who needs em? I am not the founder of the Deflower the Virgins Literary Action Committee for nothing.

“I must break with the pack and say I liked it. Steampunk is one of my favorite sci-fi subgenres, so I was already jumping in with both feet.

I had no trouble with understanding the world-building. In fact, I remember being disappointed that I didn’t get to learn more about the demon’s society.”

Any more recommendations for Steampunk?  I didn’t realize that’s what this book was until Maili described the sub-g on AAR.  I also really liked this one, and felt the same way you did about wanting more detail on the demon culture.  In fact, I would have liked it if Holly did a more thorough job in linking all the “fragments” at the beginning of each chapter to the textual details because that’s where I felt the disconnect most strongly between the eroticism of the story and the world-building.

The first time I read the book I thought it felt rushed and over-sexualized relative to the sci-fi aspects, which I wanted developed in more detail.  I also wanted that emotional intimacy Holly delivers so well in some of her other books.  But I felt both leads were likeable, and I enjoyed the way she used Max and Charles and the whole surrogate family aspect of the story.  I understood Adrian’s ambivalence toward a relationship with Roxy and actually felt he sorted it out with less angst and cruelty to her than many Romance authors seem to heap on their characters as a way to build tension.  And no matter what, Holly seems to have a real affection for her characters that comes out in her writing, IMO.  The one thing that always strikes me about the way she writes her Romantic leads is the tenderness they seem to share, especially sexually, which I’ve actually found to be surprisingly un-ubiquitous in erotic Romance.

I didn’t like DD as much as Catching Midnight or Beyond Seduction, but I did like it more than Hunting Midnight and Beyond Innocence.  I have, though, felt her last few books and short stories seem to have a rushed quality to them, and I hope that doesn’t continue.  I’d really like to see Charles and Beth’s story next.

I admire anyone that can worldbuild!  I’m too lazy LOL but I haven’t read it and I haven’t even bought it.  though i will admit I did love her erotic regencies!

Robin said: Any more recommendations for Steampunk?

No, which makes me sad. Steampunk works in the movies, a la the one with all the Victorian weird heros who become a group to fight Q. Amanda Quick kind of did it in The Paid Companion. But alas, nothing else. :(

I have to echo that I didn’t really get into this book- I actually started reading it in the library, got to page 30 and put it down.  I’ve read others of Emma Holly’s and I’ve enjoyed them, and some I haven’t enjoyed.  But this isn’t one of her better ones.

yeah, this book made me tired. but I was stubborn and finished it.