The Queen B's hubby reviews A Devil in the Details by K. A. Stewart

When it comes to demons, always read the find print. Jesse James Dawson was an ordinary guy (well, an ordinary guy with a black belt in karate) until one day he learned his brother had made a bargain with a demon, Jesse discovered there was only one way to save his brother: put up his own soul as collateral, and fight the demon to the death. Jesse lived to free his brother-and became part of a loose organization of Champions who put their own souls on the line to help those who get in over their heads with demons. But now experienced Champions are losing battles at a much higher rate than usual. Someone has changed the game. And if Jesse can't figure out the new rules, his next battle may be his last...

Note: I received this book to review from the publisher.

My darling hubby, aka Mr T, agreed to read and review this book for me. I tried to read this one and I just couldn't get into it so my man threw himself on that grenade for me and put together his very first review! So, show him some love! Plus he's cute. What? I know we're all shallow like that...

When my wife approached me to see if I would be interested in reading an urban fantasy about a demon hunter featuring a male lead, I was fairly excited. I am told by the Queen that the UF market is saturated by a deluge of hard ass female protagonists. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but my sex isn't equally represented. I have read a lot of UF's with female leads, most of which I've enjoyed immensely, but that got me thinking that my resplendent wife is correct in her assessment. There simply isn't a large number of gentlemen kicking ass as the main character. My wife should know because she is far more prolific than I in the book department. So upon learning of this book, "A Devil In The Details", I was looking forward to it, with high expectations for my gender. I was hoping that this book would be a trailblazer for the guys, leading the charge for an influx of hard ass male protagonists. Is that what I got? Well... Not so much.
The story of bartering for souls is engaging but honestly this book could have been much better. The protagonist, Jesse, is generally likable with a good sense of humor and self worth. It's too bad that he reads pretty much like a female in a male's body. I swear that I tried not to be biased or judgmental of the character, but despite all my effort he still came across like a woman. I am not saying that men are better than women or any of that male chauvinistic bullshit, but if I'm reading a male character I want it to read like a male character. Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne is a fantastic example of how to write a male character. It's hard to describe but almost all of Jesse's internal dialogue is decidedly female. From the things he notices, to his reactions to certain events, it all has a feminine quality with a few good exceptions. In short, this book is not the most stellar paradigm of a male lead. Now there is one more major issue that knocked this book off my must buy list; it was too mundane. It was an interesting angle that Jesse is a family man, and he has to deal with family shit like the rest of us. All the cooking and cleaning along with the work schedules and play time were fun and relatable for the first 40 or so pages, but when you're 200 pages in and you're still dealing with all the banal errands..... Let me tell you that I was not relating anymore. Of course it is peppered with interesting events here and there, but for the most part this book kinda slogs through the daily grind. The purpose of reading is to be transported away from your grind, not reminded of it every other page. The action scenes however, are worth reading, but those only occur at the opening and the close of the book. Perhaps the inevitable sequel will be more action oriented, but even if it is I'm not sure I'm willing to witness it. Also Jesse's family is so perfect and sweet it's enough to cause a damn cavity. Seriously, if I was a woman this book would piss me off because I will never be as perfect as this dude's wife. That's why I'm giving this book a solid C rating. There is a decent story lurking beneath a pile of mundane crap. Some will have the patience to dig for it and others won't.

I want to thank my handsome hubby for reading and reviewing this one for us. Thanks baby!! ::waves and blows kisses::

My girl, Wendy, also reviewed A Devil in the Details and you can read what she had to say here.

Guest Review: Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap

Today we have a guest review from my fab sis-in-law ,Jen, of Jen's Corner blog. So without further ado, take it away Jen!

Anastasia's Secret tells the story of how a chance meeting can change a life forever. Anastasia meets Sasha in her palace garden and they quickly form a bond. They fall in love as Russia goes to war. When Sasha is among those sent to fight Anastasia is forced to see the world as she had never seen it before. As time goes by, Sasha becomes her only link to the world beyond hers. Through him, Anastasia has to face the realities of being the daughter of an unwanted Tsar. As the years pass life for Anastasia and her family ceases to exist as it once did. Sasha becomes the one thing, beyond her family, that she clings to. Can he save her and her family from an unthinkable fate?

I loved this book! From the first page to the last I was glued. I didn't want the story to end, but I wanted to see how it turned out. Susanne Dunlap did a phenomenal job of depicting the family as they really were, not as they were perceived to be. She made the blending of history and imagination appear seamless and easy. She gave you enough details to paint the picture she wanted you to see, but didn't overwhelm you with them.

The amount of research that went into this book shines throughout it. Susanne was meticulously accurate with everything from clothes characters worn, to games the family played, to depicting the lives of Russian soldiers. She included the roles the daughters and their mother played in the palace hospitals that they set up including which of them did what job. She even used the nicknames the family had for each other.

Susanne did an amazing job at bringing the characters I've heard of to life and making them human. Anastasia's family was always viewed as cold and insensitive to the plight of the Russians they ruled over. In Anastasia's Secret you see for yourself how far from the truth that theory was. As Anastasia herself did, I questioned whether Sasha was the ultimate hero trying to save the day or the devil in disguise. His character played both roles very well.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. Susanne Dunlap wrote a touching and moving love story that couldn't help but get drawn into. Having spent several years researching this family myself I thoroughly enjoyed reading all that I learned, both good and bad, come to life. It was a privilege to read this book and it's one I'll read more than once, I have no doubt.

Rating: Buy it!!!

Thanks for joining us Jen! This book sounds like a great read.