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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
I enjoyed the change of pace from the usual UF jungle.
No ridiculously huge stakes, no saving the world, just a story about an unexpected turn in a middle-aged woman's life in which for once not every plan ever falls apart immediately on contact.
Sadly the end was incredibly cheesy and I have to emphasise this. Cheesy like bad YA.
Furthermore, the story tries very hard to promote female empowerment which instead just comes across as shallow.
After that ending, I pretty much lost interest in reading the second book.
Edit: I tried the second one and it is basically the same as the first one with the difference that every aspect is amplified which mostly means its worse sadly.
No ridiculously huge stakes, no saving the world, just a story about an unexpected turn in a middle-aged woman's life in which for once not every plan ever falls apart immediately on contact.
Sadly the end was incredibly cheesy and I have to emphasise this. Cheesy like bad YA.
Furthermore, the story tries very hard to promote female empowerment which instead just comes across as shallow.
After that ending, I pretty much lost interest in reading the second book.
Edit: I tried the second one and it is basically the same as the first one with the difference that every aspect is amplified which mostly means its worse sadly.
O kadar kötüydü ki gerçekten anlatacak kelime bulamıyorum. Bazı kitaplar basılmamalı ya. O son bölümdeki mahkeme sahnesi o kadar utanç vericiydi ki son on sayfa kala kitabı bırakacaktım.
Another great PWF
This was a slower start than I expected but once it got going I couldn't put it down! I do who I like more, Rico or Pierce, or who I hope she ends up with. Now I can't wait for the second book! I hope Pier e ends up a vampire
This was a slower start than I expected but once it got going I couldn't put it down! I do who I like more, Rico or Pierce, or who I hope she ends up with. Now I can't wait for the second book! I hope Pier e ends up a vampire
First in the First Fangs Club paranormal fantasy series and revolving around Donna Barrone, a mafioso’s new widow.
My Take
This was so much fun to read! I thought it must be a 200-some page-long novel since I read it so fast, but it’s longer. Who knew? There is such love and support in this, which makes it a nice balance to the mobster life. Yeah, the love is over the top, but hey, it sure was fun! It certainly made that scary trial fun.
Donna’s name is right on, Belladonna, a poisonous plant, lol? Oh, yeah, Painter is using third person protagonist point-of-view from Donna’s perspective.
One underlying theme that I both envied and thought was a pain, was how important it was for Donna to always look very put together. It reflected on Joe’s ability to provide, his success. It was practically a full-time job for Donna! Oy. It also led to a lot of nasty one-upmanship amongst the other wives. Another repeating theme is Donna's concerns about making up for her husband’s ill-gotten gains.
One of the “positives” was that her children knew the truth about their father and did their best to keep their distance. It certainly makes life easier for Donna! Another benefit is all that Donna learned about behaving in public — it comes in so handy later on, lol.
The life Donna describes is dreadful; I don’t know how she’s survived this long. The men act so entitled! And rude! Donna has also been (and still is) pretty naive. My first thought about that last job Big Tony sent her on was set-up.
Why Claudette thought Donna would immediately grasp her change in life, I do not know. It was pretty funny how Donna “interpreted” the events that followed the incident in the cemetery. But, really, what would you do? Vampires aren’t real.
I did enjoy the dichotomy of Donna being turned into a vampire and her being such a good Catholic. I also envied, somewhat, the other changes that benefit Donna. No more dieting! Painter also made it easy to be a vampire with Donna being able to eat anything she likes, besides blood. Francine makes some excellent points as well! It certainly makes that transition from omigod to hey easier.
Pierce’s behavior is kind of weird. He’s a successful criminal defense lawyer and yet so submissive towards Donna. And he sure knows a lot about vampires. It’s also odd that while Donna isn’t supposed to tell anyone she’s a vampire, she’s blabbing it all over the place.
I think Painter could have elaborated on Claudette’s character. I didn’t think she was so bad, especially in light of Donna’s behavior toward her. Then again, Claudette should have been more attentive. She had to have known what Donna’s reaction would be!
It’s action and it’s a great cast of characters that will tense you up and make you laugh.
The Story
After twenty-seven years married to a mobster, Donna is carefully holding in her jubilation at being free. Free! That insurance check can’t come soon enough, as Donna intends to escape and move to Florida.
Then the boss tells her that she has to complete her husband’s last job before that freedom is truly hers.
No big deal, she figures. Until things go south in ways she never imagined.
The Characters
Belladonna “Donna” Barrone is the new widow of Joe Barrone, Big Tony’s second-in-command. Her children include Joe Jr who’s in the Air Force and a first lieutenant and Christina who is in college. Lucky is their cat. Camille “Cammie” is known these days as Sister Mary Lazarus Immaculata.
Anthony “Big Tony” Villachi is married to the mean, insecure Lucinda, Joe’s sister. Nero is their Chihuahua mix dog who is always getting dressed up. Other mobsters, lunks, included Bobbie the Bull Gambisto, the Vallachi’s cleaner, and his wife, Rosaenlla; Vinnie Positano; Nick; Franco; Turo Sanudo; Sam Doria; and, Albert Moran. Other wives included Teresa DePalma and Maria Zapatti.
The FBI
Special Agent Rico Medina, a.k.a. Martin’s Cleaners, is with Organized Crime and Donna’s handler. Agent Kowalski will come in to help. Marlene is the battle-axe of a receptionist.
Claudette Martine is the vampire governor of New Jersey. Raul was her rogue child. The Immortus Concilio is a seven-member group who oversee vampire activity. The almost 1500-year-old Artemis is Claudette’s sire and the vampire queen of North America as well as Zenos’ daughter. Florian and Heath are Artemis’ assistants while Marcus is her deputy.
The First Fangs Club is . . .
. . . a support group for newly turned vampires. A third-level empath runs it. The eighty-something Francine Werther is a hoot! (Artie, a movie producer, had been her third husband.) Lionel is the nice young musician to whom Francine rented her basement apartment. Neo is a computer geek with a cybersecurity business. The world-famous model, Meghan. LaToya. The empty-headed Bunni Escobar is a fangirl. Sergio is Bunni’s jerk of a now-ex boyfriend.
Dr Ursula “La” Goldberg, a.k.a. Doc, is Donna’s therapist, and the only person Donna can be open with. Father Leonardo presided over Joe’s funeral Mass. Tressler’s is an ice cream parlor. Wegman’s is Donna’s favorite grocery store. My Closet! Lol, such a useful name for a clothing store, so when your husband asks where that came from, you can truthfully say “my closet”. Sister Agnes Magdalena and Sister Grace are fellow nuns. A den is a vampire sleeping spot. Lifeline and Lakewood Consumer Products are blood subscription services. Redline, Deep Six, Kiss Club, and Crimson are vampire pubs/clubs. Marcus, a werewolf, is a bouncer at Redline while Caroline is a hostess. Hector and Pierce Hamilton, a lawyer, are blood donors at Redline. Meridian is a great restaurant.
Russian mobsters
Boris Reznikov is the boss. Yuri Lukin is a very rude lunk who gets an unpleasant comeuppance. For him.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a range of blues from the deepest navy to a grayed light blue. It’s perfect for the darkness of Donna’s life, who is portrayed in the near upper right in a long red coat with her long brown hair trailing down her back, looking out over the river to the lit-up New York skyline. A night scene, there’s a full moon shedding light on everything. Front and center is a huge gravestone with a classic carved frame, scalloped on the top, with the title in a fancy script. The bottom is wreathed in ivy and fairy lights. Below it is an info blurb in white with the author’s name in an embossed turquoise below that. Going back up to the top is the series information in a pale turquoise with a red horizontal rule behind it, that ends on each end with spear points.
The title reflects Donna’s feelings about being a mobster’s wife, it Sucks To Be Me.
My Take
This was so much fun to read! I thought it must be a 200-some page-long novel since I read it so fast, but it’s longer. Who knew? There is such love and support in this, which makes it a nice balance to the mobster life. Yeah, the love is over the top, but hey, it sure was fun! It certainly made that scary trial fun.
Donna’s name is right on, Belladonna, a poisonous plant, lol? Oh, yeah, Painter is using third person protagonist point-of-view from Donna’s perspective.
One underlying theme that I both envied and thought was a pain, was how important it was for Donna to always look very put together. It reflected on Joe’s ability to provide, his success. It was practically a full-time job for Donna! Oy. It also led to a lot of nasty one-upmanship amongst the other wives. Another repeating theme is Donna's concerns about making up for her husband’s ill-gotten gains.
One of the “positives” was that her children knew the truth about their father and did their best to keep their distance. It certainly makes life easier for Donna! Another benefit is all that Donna learned about behaving in public — it comes in so handy later on, lol.
The life Donna describes is dreadful; I don’t know how she’s survived this long. The men act so entitled! And rude! Donna has also been (and still is) pretty naive. My first thought about that last job Big Tony sent her on was set-up.
Why Claudette thought Donna would immediately grasp her change in life, I do not know. It was pretty funny how Donna “interpreted” the events that followed the incident in the cemetery. But, really, what would you do? Vampires aren’t real.
I did enjoy the dichotomy of Donna being turned into a vampire and her being such a good Catholic. I also envied, somewhat, the other changes that benefit Donna. No more dieting! Painter also made it easy to be a vampire with Donna being able to eat anything she likes, besides blood. Francine makes some excellent points as well! It certainly makes that transition from omigod to hey easier.
Pierce’s behavior is kind of weird. He’s a successful criminal defense lawyer and yet so submissive towards Donna. And he sure knows a lot about vampires. It’s also odd that while Donna isn’t supposed to tell anyone she’s a vampire, she’s blabbing it all over the place.
I think Painter could have elaborated on Claudette’s character. I didn’t think she was so bad, especially in light of Donna’s behavior toward her. Then again, Claudette should have been more attentive. She had to have known what Donna’s reaction would be!
It’s action and it’s a great cast of characters that will tense you up and make you laugh.
The Story
After twenty-seven years married to a mobster, Donna is carefully holding in her jubilation at being free. Free! That insurance check can’t come soon enough, as Donna intends to escape and move to Florida.
Then the boss tells her that she has to complete her husband’s last job before that freedom is truly hers.
No big deal, she figures. Until things go south in ways she never imagined.
The Characters
Belladonna “Donna” Barrone is the new widow of Joe Barrone, Big Tony’s second-in-command. Her children include Joe Jr who’s in the Air Force and a first lieutenant and Christina who is in college. Lucky is their cat. Camille “Cammie” is known these days as Sister Mary Lazarus Immaculata.
Anthony “Big Tony” Villachi is married to the mean, insecure Lucinda, Joe’s sister. Nero is their Chihuahua mix dog who is always getting dressed up. Other mobsters, lunks, included Bobbie the Bull Gambisto, the Vallachi’s cleaner, and his wife, Rosaenlla; Vinnie Positano; Nick; Franco; Turo Sanudo; Sam Doria; and, Albert Moran. Other wives included Teresa DePalma and Maria Zapatti.
The FBI
Special Agent Rico Medina, a.k.a. Martin’s Cleaners, is with Organized Crime and Donna’s handler. Agent Kowalski will come in to help. Marlene is the battle-axe of a receptionist.
Claudette Martine is the vampire governor of New Jersey. Raul was her rogue child. The Immortus Concilio is a seven-member group who oversee vampire activity. The almost 1500-year-old Artemis is Claudette’s sire and the vampire queen of North America as well as Zenos’ daughter. Florian and Heath are Artemis’ assistants while Marcus is her deputy.
The First Fangs Club is . . .
. . . a support group for newly turned vampires. A third-level empath runs it. The eighty-something Francine Werther is a hoot! (Artie, a movie producer, had been her third husband.) Lionel is the nice young musician to whom Francine rented her basement apartment. Neo is a computer geek with a cybersecurity business. The world-famous model, Meghan. LaToya. The empty-headed Bunni Escobar is a fangirl. Sergio is Bunni’s jerk of a now-ex boyfriend.
Dr Ursula “La” Goldberg, a.k.a. Doc, is Donna’s therapist, and the only person Donna can be open with. Father Leonardo presided over Joe’s funeral Mass. Tressler’s is an ice cream parlor. Wegman’s is Donna’s favorite grocery store. My Closet! Lol, such a useful name for a clothing store, so when your husband asks where that came from, you can truthfully say “my closet”. Sister Agnes Magdalena and Sister Grace are fellow nuns. A den is a vampire sleeping spot. Lifeline and Lakewood Consumer Products are blood subscription services. Redline, Deep Six, Kiss Club, and Crimson are vampire pubs/clubs. Marcus, a werewolf, is a bouncer at Redline while Caroline is a hostess. Hector and Pierce Hamilton, a lawyer, are blood donors at Redline. Meridian is a great restaurant.
Russian mobsters
Boris Reznikov is the boss. Yuri Lukin is a very rude lunk who gets an unpleasant comeuppance. For him.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a range of blues from the deepest navy to a grayed light blue. It’s perfect for the darkness of Donna’s life, who is portrayed in the near upper right in a long red coat with her long brown hair trailing down her back, looking out over the river to the lit-up New York skyline. A night scene, there’s a full moon shedding light on everything. Front and center is a huge gravestone with a classic carved frame, scalloped on the top, with the title in a fancy script. The bottom is wreathed in ivy and fairy lights. Below it is an info blurb in white with the author’s name in an embossed turquoise below that. Going back up to the top is the series information in a pale turquoise with a red horizontal rule behind it, that ends on each end with spear points.
The title reflects Donna’s feelings about being a mobster’s wife, it Sucks To Be Me.
I absolutely loved this book! The characters are well developed and written, The scenes have wonderful detail and the story moves along at a good pace.
Belladonna the main character is an over forty woman who is married to a Mob man she isn't happy and has been looking for a way out. When her husband ends up dead she is saved from filing for a divorce and going in to the witness protection program. Things are looking up well sort of. Then some strange things happen to her as she handles one last job for her recently deceased husbands boss, a simple job. Nothing is simple with the Mob.
Belladonna stops by the cemetery on her way to make a delivery and that is where her life takes a strange turn. Things will never be the same and that might not be such a bad thing.
I highly recommend this one for anyone that likes paranormal and a strong female lead.
Belladonna the main character is an over forty woman who is married to a Mob man she isn't happy and has been looking for a way out. When her husband ends up dead she is saved from filing for a divorce and going in to the witness protection program. Things are looking up well sort of. Then some strange things happen to her as she handles one last job for her recently deceased husbands boss, a simple job. Nothing is simple with the Mob.
Belladonna stops by the cemetery on her way to make a delivery and that is where her life takes a strange turn. Things will never be the same and that might not be such a bad thing.
I highly recommend this one for anyone that likes paranormal and a strong female lead.
***3.5***
While the FMC got overly preachy in a particularly grating way - there was at least once where I was like wow, she's like Karen the Mafia Princess right now - it was fortunately rare.
But in general, it was fun. Cheesy, light, but fun.
While the FMC got overly preachy in a particularly grating way - there was at least once where I was like wow, she's like Karen the Mafia Princess right now - it was fortunately rare.
But in general, it was fun. Cheesy, light, but fun.
slow-paced
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I originally read this on my Kindle in April 2020. I decided to listen to the audiobook again before downloading book 2 - Suck it up, Buttercup.
A Wonderful New Series That I Can Sink My Teeth Into.
I’ve read and enjoyed a few other books by Kristen Painter but this one felt slightly different: less light-hearted. This is a good thing as the setting for this book needed more weight. This book proved that Kristen can tweak her writing style to accommodate different reading genres. I absolutely love that her main character in this new series is a middle-aged woman. I did chuckle and smile, recognising many nods to women of my age, although, I wish some of Donna’s trademark middle-aged qualities hadn’t disappeared – I wear my middle-aged trademarks as badges of honour.
As with the other books I’ve read, I found this book very easy to read and loved Kristen’s writing style.
I engaged quickly with our protagonist, Belladonna aka Donna because she demonstrated all the personality traits that I crave in a main character. Donna proved to be intelligent, resilient, resourceful and had plenty of gumption. Although Kristen wasn’t breaking the mould with any of her characters, I enjoyed that she created a wealth of them with various personalities. Each played their part to progress the story. I really enjoyed the plot with all its twists, turns and different threads which kept me reading. Enjoying how some threads were satisfactorily concluded by the end, while others were left to continue into the next book.
I downloaded the narration and enjoyed B.J. Harrison’s performance.
The story is written from the point of view of our protagonist, Donna, with no “head-hopping“. In my opinion, the pace of his narration captured her maturity and personality. I liked his vocal variances during the dialogue for the different characters in this story.
I don’t think that there’s any offensive content within these pages – language, violence or sex. However some of the implied violence linked with the mafia theme is frightened. Therefore, I’d recommend this book to lovers of second-chance stories and standing up for what’s right. Readers who want courageous protagonist who create their own destiny. Read this one even if the paranormal genre isn’t your usual thing.
A Wonderful New Series That I Can Sink My Teeth Into.
I’ve read and enjoyed a few other books by Kristen Painter but this one felt slightly different: less light-hearted. This is a good thing as the setting for this book needed more weight. This book proved that Kristen can tweak her writing style to accommodate different reading genres. I absolutely love that her main character in this new series is a middle-aged woman. I did chuckle and smile, recognising many nods to women of my age, although, I wish some of Donna’s trademark middle-aged qualities hadn’t disappeared – I wear my middle-aged trademarks as badges of honour.
As with the other books I’ve read, I found this book very easy to read and loved Kristen’s writing style.
I engaged quickly with our protagonist, Belladonna aka Donna because she demonstrated all the personality traits that I crave in a main character. Donna proved to be intelligent, resilient, resourceful and had plenty of gumption. Although Kristen wasn’t breaking the mould with any of her characters, I enjoyed that she created a wealth of them with various personalities. Each played their part to progress the story. I really enjoyed the plot with all its twists, turns and different threads which kept me reading. Enjoying how some threads were satisfactorily concluded by the end, while others were left to continue into the next book.
I downloaded the narration and enjoyed B.J. Harrison’s performance.
The story is written from the point of view of our protagonist, Donna, with no “head-hopping“. In my opinion, the pace of his narration captured her maturity and personality. I liked his vocal variances during the dialogue for the different characters in this story.
I don’t think that there’s any offensive content within these pages – language, violence or sex. However some of the implied violence linked with the mafia theme is frightened. Therefore, I’d recommend this book to lovers of second-chance stories and standing up for what’s right. Readers who want courageous protagonist who create their own destiny. Read this one even if the paranormal genre isn’t your usual thing.
An Interesting story
This my first book by this author, and is a bit of a change from what I usually read.
In this book we get to meet Donna a widow who is finding herself after her mob husbands death. When she is at the cemetery giving her dead husband a piece of her mind something very strange happens to her. Without giving anything away the change in her life she was so desperately wanted is about to take affect and not in they way she thought.
Let me just say her life is about to be turned upside down and inside out. I enjoyed thus story and getting to meet all the new characters.
This my first book by this author, and is a bit of a change from what I usually read.
In this book we get to meet Donna a widow who is finding herself after her mob husbands death. When she is at the cemetery giving her dead husband a piece of her mind something very strange happens to her. Without giving anything away the change in her life she was so desperately wanted is about to take affect and not in they way she thought.
Let me just say her life is about to be turned upside down and inside out. I enjoyed thus story and getting to meet all the new characters.