Monday, March 19, 2012

Really Unusual Bad Boys by MaryJanice Davidson


Type: Paranormal Romance, Shifters
Heat: 2 out of 5
Rating: 2 out of 5


Aaaaaaand...short stories from hell. I think, maybe, I've outgrown MaryJanice Davidson or at the very least just do not enjoy her short stories. I used to LOVE her books. Especially her Alaskan Royal Family series. I'd be in tears laughing so hard. But the humor, for me, just isn't working anymore and that point was driven home by Really Unusual Bad Boys.

The three stories included revolve around the Royal family of the SandLands, an alternative universe full of kitty shifters. Each story features one of the Royal Sons finding their mates. The adults, for the most part, act like overgrown kids on a serious sugar high. The big "events" in each aren't all that exciting and overall I just didn't see a point in any of the stories. They were just kinda eh. The women are rather bitchy and hostile, the men big pushovers.

Bridgefight

Well this one did not get the anthology off to a good start. Lois Commoner is a jaded cop who has been put on desk duty after being injured. She's lonely after her parents deaths, in pain from her injury and unhappy with her life  so decides to end it. Thus landing herself in SandLands and in the hands of Prince Damon, a puma shifter, who decides to keep her. Other than a few semi-funny lines we get a story of how suicide leads to oodles of fantastic sex, odd foods that all taste like candy and sweets, no pain, luxury accommodations and oh, hey, your mom that died has been living here too! Woohoo!

Mating Season
Anne Sanger lands in Prince Maltese's bath after time traveling from 1945 America. This story was so much better than the first. I actually liked Anne, or as Maltese calls her, Loo (short for  Lieutenant-cute!). She's pretty gutsy and wants to get back home because she's determined to help her country during the war. I liked that she's a little tough and LOVED a scene where she stood up to Lois who was harping on her to 'suck it up' and accept being in the new world. I cheered for her just a little. Maltese is a bit goofy. Like an overgrown kid on Christmas. All excited about Loo arriving just for him. He's kinda cute though. Anne's reason for finally staying has me a little curious and I'll admit I do want to know the deal behind the 'dark travelers' and what they really want. This one was my favorite of the three stories and mainly because Anne didn't seem like a bitchy, ditzy woman. 

"You do not go near them. You do not allow them to touch you. If one does touch you, I will eat his spine." 
"It's good," she commented, "that we're establishing rules. For instance, being a newcomer here, I might not understand the whole 'don't touch or be devoured' guideline..."

Groomfight
What a let down! I was really hoping there would be something good behind the 'dark travelers' that spoke another language and would come and fight with the Royal family that we found out about in Mating Season. Ended up only getting once sentence on the subject and it sucked. As for the hero and heroine. Prince Shakar has always loved everything about his mother's home planet, earth. So when he falls through space and lands their at Rica Callanbra's feet he's thrilled even though he does miss his family! This one wasn't all that bad. I liked that it took place over a couple of months instead of days. The big blow up between the couple was a bit over the top but I did like Rica's "surprise" fix. Actually had me laughing at myself because I hadn't put it all together. Had a nice "well, duh" moment. 

Do yall have authors you used to love but have more or less given up on now?

2 comments:

  1. Just like Janet Evanovich, I have totally gone off Mary Janice. Her characters are really unpleasant yet supposed to be quirky.

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    Replies
    1. Mmm. Yes, Evanovich's last few haven't been my favorites. Both just seem to be trying a little too hard and aren't quite able to pull it off. I think this is my last MaryJanice for a very long time. Too many other great authors/books to spend time with :)

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