Gah! Somewhere along the way, I’ve messed up by book review numbers. My computer database says this is the 860th book I’ve read. My blog says 859. So, I’m going with the database and changing this number accordingly.

Anyway, finished Stranger in Paradise by Robert B. Parker. This is his latest Jesse Stone novel, about a police chief in Paradise, Massachusetts who struggles with his drinking problem and relationship with his ex-wife, Jenn.

In this one, Wilsow “Crow” Cromartie comes back to Paradise to track down a runaway girl and her mother. Crow got the best of Jesse ten years ago, when he escaped from Paradise with millions. The begins with Crow paying Jesse a courtesy visit to let him know he’s back in town. Crow finds the girl easily enough, but decides not to take her home to Florida to her father, who’s a notorious gangster. People die, and Jesse starts investigating.

I always enjoy reading Parker’s novels for his dialogue. No one does snappy dialogue better than he does. But I’m disappointed with this book. It was pretty light on plot and suspense, and Crow was featured almost as much as Jesse. I just didn’t get the feeling this book was about Jesse and how he reacts to events, but more of a build-up to the shoot-out scene at the end.

Also, there’s Jesse’s relationship with Jenn. I just don’t get it. No matter what she does (even sleep with other men), he always loves her and wants her back. Jesse is such a strong man, I don’t understand why he thinks he needs her. He really needs to move on, or Parker needs to resolve it one way or the other. 

I had high hopes a couple of books ago that Jesse would settle down with Sunny Randall (the main character in another Parker series), and that Parker would continue to write books from both their points of view, showing how their relationship is progressing. But doesn’t look like it’s going to happen now. 

Ah, well. Thumbs down.

Up next: Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward.

Finished My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding. It’s a fantasy anthology of wedding-themed short stories.

I like anthologies for a couple reasons. First, you can try a lot of different authors for not a lot of money. Second, they’re good to read when I’m writing my own stuff because I can still read, but not become wrapped up in a long novel. Read a story here, read a story there, and before you know it, you’ve finished the whole book.

The book features stories by Jim Butcher, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Charlaine Harris, and several other authors. I’m just going to hit the highlights.

My favorite story in this anthology was Dead Man’s Chest by Rachel Caine. This one is about Cecilia, who gets married on a pirate ship, tossed overboard, and falls in love with the sexy, cursed captain. What can I say? I’m a sucker for pirates. This story had all the swashbuckling fun and romance of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I really enjoyed the story and plan on picking up one of Caine’s Weather Warden books to get another dose of her writing.

My least favorite story? Spellbound by L.A. Banks, in which the Hatfields and McCoys wage a magical war against each other to try and keep two of their descendants from getting married. The story was funny in several places, but Banks had the characters talk in dialect. Ugh. I can see why she did it, but I just don’t enjoy reading dialect. She also portrayed the two families as backwoods and ignorant, another cliche that always makes me roll my eyes. There are backwoods and ignorant people everywhere, not just in the South. But you never seem to read about them being from New York City or L.A. 

But overall, there’s something in this anthology for just about every fantasy fan — vampires, Greek gods, even a story about an Elvis impersonater. So, thumbs up.

Up next: Not sure. Something from my TBR pile.

Finished Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy by HelenKay Dimon.

This is a contemporary romance about Annie Parks, a photographer who goes to Hawaii to settle a score and ends up getting tossed off a yacht. Lucky for Annie, she’s rescued by sexy police chief Kane Travers.

I read a lot of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, so this contemporary was a nice change of pace. Con men, drug dealers, double-crosses … this book has its fair share of action. Dimon also has some snappy dialogue between her two main characters, and she really gives you a feel for the tropical setting. Who knew there were wild chickens in Hawaii? Not me.

But one quibble I had with the book is the beginning, where Kane handcuffs Annie to his bed. Not exactly how I would expect a law-enforcement official to act when confronted with a strange woman claiming to have amnesia. If I’d been Annie, I would have brained him over the head with a lamp and been screaming police brutality at the top of my lungs. I get that Kane is curious and overprotective, but this whole scene grated on my nerves. It’s the sort of alpha-male behavior I just don’t like.

Still, if you’re looking for something light and breezy, you’ll probably like this one. Thumbs up.

BTW, HelenKay has a cool blog where she talks about writing. Go check it out.

Up next: My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding anthology.

Finished Ice Storm by Anne Stuart. It’s the fourth and latest book in her Ice romantic suspense series.

This time, the story focuses on Madame Isobel Lambert, who runs The Committee, a covert organization devoted to stopping arms dealers, terrorists, and other bad guys. Her latest assignment is to rescue Killian, a mercenary who sells his services to the highest bidder. Killian plans to trade information to The Committee in exchange for a new life. There’s only one problem. Killian is the only man Isobel has ever loved — and she shot him and left him for dead years ago.

I was really looking forward to reading Isobel’s story because she’s such a strong, capable woman in the three previous books. I wanted to see what Stuart would do with a woman who was just as much of a badass as her male heroes.

I was so disappointed.

Like the rest of her colleagues, Isobel is burnt out and slowly coming undone. The violence, the tough choices, the sacrifices, it’s all getting to her. That’s fine. I understand that. But Isobel comes off as so ineffective next to Killian. Despite all her training and experience, he repeatedly gets the upper hand throughout the book. He drugs, subdues, and seduces Isobel with ease. He’s more in control of the mission than she is.

I didn’t much care for Killian, either. He was just cruel and manipulative, with no real redemption at the end.

Stuart’s writing is still tense, tight, and beautiful, and I enjoyed seeing the characters from the previous books, especially Peter, Reno, and Genevieve. And I’ll read the next book in the series whenever it comes out.

But Isobel was such a disappointment I have to give this one a thumbs down.

Up next: Not sure. Maybe the graphic novel Quiver or Don’t Look Down by Suzanne Enoch.

Finished The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. This is a young adult book and the first in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

Percy Jackson always knew he was different. He just didn’t know how different until monsters started trying to kill him, including the Minotaur. Percy soon discovers that he’s a demigod or the son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. And he goes to Camp Half-Blood, where he meets the children of the other gods, along with satyrs and other creatures straight out of a mythology textbook. Soon, Percy is given a quest to find Zeus’ stolen lightning bolt and prevent a war between the gods. Too bad every god he meets wants to kill him …

I’ve heard lots of good things about this series, which is why I requested it for Christmas. Summer camp for the kids of the Greek gods? It’s a great concept, and it’s well executed. Percy is funny, brave, frightened, and sarcastic. He misses his mom and wishes he could change a lot of things about his life. The secondary characters are also well done and entertaining.

But as I was reading Lightning Thief, I was thinking a lot about the Harry Potter books. Young boy discovering a magical world, a wise mentor to guide him, a distant parent, secrets and betrayals … Lightning Thief contains a lot of the same elements as the Potter books.

Also, some of the stuff Percy does (like get on a plane and fly across country) seems a little too mature and outright implausible for a 12 year old in this day and age. Seriously, could anybody get on a plane with no ID? But it’s a fantasy. I’m willing to overlook it.

Overall, I enjoyed Riordan’s world and the clever ways he used the various Greek myths, gods, and monsters. If you’re looking for something fun for you or your kids to read, you’ll probably enjoy Lightning Thief.

So, thumbs up.

Up next: I’m not sure. Maybe Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughn.