Showing posts with label figure skating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label figure skating. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

"crossing the ice" by jennifer comeaux

Crossing the Ice (Ice #1)
by Jennifer Comeaux
Release Date: 08/03/14
Narrated by: Emily Stokes
Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
As someone who used to be completely obsessed with figure skating (just ask any of my family members!), I couldn't pass up the chance to review Crossing the Ice, which takes place in the amateur skating world.

Falling hard never felt so good.

Pair skaters Courtney and Mark have one shot left at their Olympic dream. They vow not to let anything get in their way, especially not Josh and Stephanie, the wealthy and talented brother and sister team.
The heart doesn’t always listen to reason, though...

The more time Courtney spends with sweet, shy Josh, the harder she falls for him. But they are on opposite sides of the competition, and their futures are headed in opposite directions. Will their friendship blossom into more or are their paths too different to cross?
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Overall, I enjoyed Crossing the Ice. At its core, it's a star-crossed lovers kind of plot, but it's made more interesting (at least to the 15-year-old figure skating fanatic that's buried inside of me) by being set in the figure skating world. I especially enjoyed the look at the inner workings of a pairs team. The novel was predictable in an unpredictable and satisfying way. (Does that make sense? Basically, I went into the novel fairly certain about how it would turn out, and it did ultimately end in the way I'd anticipated, but some of the events along the way completely surprised me in the best way.)

Rather than reading the novel, I listened to it on audiobook, and that definitely changed the way I consumed it. It certainly takes much longer to listen to an audiobook than it does to read the book (for me, anyway). At one point, I had five hours of listening left, and I kept thinking, "I could read the rest of this book in two hours. Tops."

The audiobook also had a few problems—repeated phrases, long pauses, etc. Obviously, this is not the author's problem, but I think you should be aware in case you decide to purchase the audiobook. 3-1/2 stars for the novel; 2-1/2 stars for the audiobook version.

Content note:
Some mild curse words are sprinkled throughout the novel. While the novel does not contain any sex, the main character thinks about it a lot. There is quite a bit of passionate kissing which, had I read it on the page, probably wouldn't have phased me. But hearing the main character talk about it (the novel is written in first person) just felt a little ... icky and voyeuristic.

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Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is travelling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing. Jennifer loves to hear from readers! Visit jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com for contact information and to learn more about her books.

Author Links:
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Book Tour Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this audiobook free for review via YA Bound Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

lazy blogger

I've been an incredibly lazy blogger recently. The reasons for this are many, but basically I feel I don't have enough of interest to say to create an entire blog post. So, I offer you yet another bulleted list of randomness.
  • I saw a commercial the other day illustrating how much food we throw out each year. I think the average was $500-worth. While I'm sure I don't throw that much out, I could certainly identify with the commercial. I can identify with it even more after cleaning out my refrigerator. Spoiled milk? Check. Old lunchmeat? Check. Moldy cheese? Check. Hard-as-a-rock bread? Check.
  • In case you hadn't noticed, Lost is back! Tonight is the third installment of the final season. So many questions, so little time for answers!
  • My dearly beloved desktop computer, which one of my brother's college friends built for me, exploded the other day. Maybe "exploded" isn't quite right ... I heard two loud pops, smoke shot out of the back, and it died. I'm so glad I decided to buy my laptop last summer! My brother thinks the data on the hard drive should be salvageable ... I sure hope so!
  • I love the Olympics! The "inspirational" stories they run between/during competition always make me cry. And the actual competition is so fun to watch! Back in junior high/high school/college I was absolutely obsessed with figure skating. Funny, I'm not even sure I watched it at all during the Torino Olympics. I recognize the names of the American male skaters and one pair of ice dancers, but I don't know much about them. I think I've just found a new favorite skater, though: Takahiko Kozuka of Japan. He skated his short program to Jimi Hendrix, and he was so fun to watch!
  • How is it that I went 28 years without realizing how wonderful cayenne pepper is? It's my new favorite spice. Just a little goes a long way, and it flavors without adding fat, which is excellent for my diet. Yum!
  • Val and I are contemplating a trip to see Lifehouse and Daughtry in May. Really, Daughtry is the headliner, but Lifehouse is more important to me :-) We could see them in Wichita or Kansas City ... either would require a 4-5 hour car trip, but I've already proven I don't mind traveling to see my favorite artists!
  • My next Blogging for Books review is due sometime next week. I have two books to read this time, and I'm about halfway through the first. The problem? It's a sequel, and I didn't read the first book. I was incredibly lost for at least the first 60 pages. I finally decided I didn't need to understand what was happening; I just needed to make it through. And now I think I've sort of figured out what's what ... and I really need to start speed reading!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

the great eight by scott hamilton

For a span of about ten years, I was a huge figure skating fan. I'd watch every competition and special on TV, and my favorite skater was Scott Hamilton. I read his first autobiography, Landing It: My Life On And Off The Ice, right after it was published. So when I saw that Thomas Nelson was offering Hamilton's new book as part of their Book Review Blogger program, I knew I needed to give it a shot!

The Great Eight: How to Be Happy (Even When You Have Every Reason to be Miserable)contains Hamilton's eight happiness principles. To illustrate each point, Hamilton uses stories from his life or from the lives of other figure skaters. The principles are simplistic (just about anyone could tell you to trust God and look for the positives), as is the writing.

The quality of this book depends on how you view it. If you're looking for a glimpse into Hamilton's life in the years following his first book, or if you're hoping to learn about Hamilton's contemporaries, this book doesn't disappoint. I especially enjoyed reading about Hamilton's courtship, marriage, and conversion to Christianity. If, however, you're looking for a self-help book on happiness (which is how this book is being marketed), you may want to look elsewhere.

****Side note to all my friends/family: At the end of the book, there's an advertisement for a dvd of Hamilton's favorite performances. This would make a great gift :-)