Book review: Do or Di by Eileen Cook

"Do or Di" is a snappy modern romance by Eileen Cook. Our heroine has a career in radio, a lover (who really is going to leave his wife any time now), a mother (who reads Jennifer Crusie!), married friends, and expectations that cause her to do things she doesn't really -want- to do such as become a Big Sister-equivalent to a teenager who claims to have Princess Diana (the "Di" in the title) as her spirit guide.

It's a decent light read, on sale as an ebook at Amazon for $2.99 at the moment. Personally, I wish it had been more tightly edited, because the heroine's thoughts didn't match up with her being a petite pick-up-able woman, and her hero was a bit sketched-in, but it was still a good way to pass an evening while waiting for phone calls to pick up kids.

Definitely a happy ending with humor and some wit, which is what I was looking for. But still, a read-once.

http://www.amazon.com/Do-or-Di-ebook/dp/B0070X9XDU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328663355&sr=8-1

Book review: The Diviner by Melanie Rawn

The Diviner is a prequel to "The Golden Key" from a few years back. This book follows a family across generations, to the founding of the Tza'ab Rih empire. I adored the first third of the book. Our hero is a scapegrace with humor and caring and wit. He survives his family's massacre because he was late due to being in the bed of one of his many lovers. He escapes and ends up in the desert, meeting a mysterious tribe of healers and charm makers. (Reminiscent of Dune, but with horses rather than spice worms.) Eventually the story goes to his son, who has no sense of humor (understandable, but not as much fun for me to read) but massive ambition.

I loved the world-building. The women lead, choosing their husband for his abilities, and the men leave the tribe but the women stay. There's magic and trading empires and (horses) and (horses!) and a long feud with the emperor who killed the original boy's family.

The first part was great, the rest was okay, but then I read for character more than plot and I just couldn't like the other heroes in the book. It did, however, make me want to dig out my copy of Golden Key (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/The-Golden-Key-Rawn-Roberson-Elliot/9780756406714-item.html?ikwid=golden+key&ikwsec=Books) and reread it.



http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Diviner-Melanie-Rawn/9780886777654-item.html?ikwid=the+diviner&ikwsec=Home