39. The Secret, Julie Garwood
I came home for a couple of days because Dana's still home and I had four days off, so why not. But I forgot the book I was going to bring (The Wedding, JG) but never fear, the Labuskes household has a plethora of good books to choose from :)
I hadn't read the Secret in a while, I've forgotten most of it, so that's always fun. It's good and has characters from other novels I've been reading, which I always enjoy.
Her characters are just so damn likable. Maybe to a fault. But still, you just can't help but adoring them!
Anyway, off to Philadelphia for NYE with the loves of my life <3
I hope 2010 brings me more wonderful books to read, and brings everyone joy and happiness.
Peace out 2009
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Reading is so addictive sometimes
38. Ransom, Julie Garwood
I hadn't read this one in a very long time, and only once so it was like reading a brand new book. Which I love. As i've said before, it's not necessarily because i love the particular book so much that i read it multiple times, but that I like the style. If my fav writers wrote a new book every week, i'd be reading only those.
Anyway, another classic garwood. I think i really like the ones set in medieval scotland. out of all her locales/settings/time periods i like these the best. Oh if only they still made fierce, loyal, courageous highland lairds today. that would be nice.
One more interesting thing to note, this book was 546 pages -- which breaks my 400 page rule (in which that's usually the ideal number of pages to tell a story with out it feeling like it's dragging) This however was superb in carrying the story along! I got into the read til you finish mode, which happens when i'm really into a book -- i love it. it's delightful.
til next time, happy readings
p.s. to future self and readers: it's 2 a.m. after I've just worked and finished reading and i used no grace or style when writing this, nor did i copy edit (or use upper case consistently.) Also I used really way too many times. please ignore :D
I hadn't read this one in a very long time, and only once so it was like reading a brand new book. Which I love. As i've said before, it's not necessarily because i love the particular book so much that i read it multiple times, but that I like the style. If my fav writers wrote a new book every week, i'd be reading only those.
Anyway, another classic garwood. I think i really like the ones set in medieval scotland. out of all her locales/settings/time periods i like these the best. Oh if only they still made fierce, loyal, courageous highland lairds today. that would be nice.
One more interesting thing to note, this book was 546 pages -- which breaks my 400 page rule (in which that's usually the ideal number of pages to tell a story with out it feeling like it's dragging) This however was superb in carrying the story along! I got into the read til you finish mode, which happens when i'm really into a book -- i love it. it's delightful.
til next time, happy readings
p.s. to future self and readers: it's 2 a.m. after I've just worked and finished reading and i used no grace or style when writing this, nor did i copy edit (or use upper case consistently.) Also I used really way too many times. please ignore :D
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas break, reading is essential
37. Shadow Music, Julie Garwood.
I started reading Castles before break, but it just wasn't holding my attention. I love Ms. Garwood, really, but sometimes her characters get repetitive. Then I went home, and we Labuskeses, we read. So I grabbed the nearest Garwood (a much chewed on copy of Shadow Music, from back when Keelie was a neurotic mess that hid under the bed -- oh waittt) and dived in. Classic Garwood. Set in Scotland. Fast-paced and cute. My only complaint is she's a little in love with the, not back story and not quite secondary characters, just I guess what's going on with everyone else in the book. For example, the hero and heroine don't even meet until 150 pages in. What the what?! lol.
This was her newest historical fiction (she came out with a contemporary one that was HORRIBLE I couldn't even finish it it was so bad -- she should stick with what she does best) and I've only read it once before, so I didn't remember some of it which is always fun :)
No new books for Xmas, but I did grab Ransom (JG) and Three Cups of Tea (which dane dane raves about) so maybe they're up next?
MERRY CHRISTMAS and happy readings! :D
I started reading Castles before break, but it just wasn't holding my attention. I love Ms. Garwood, really, but sometimes her characters get repetitive. Then I went home, and we Labuskeses, we read. So I grabbed the nearest Garwood (a much chewed on copy of Shadow Music, from back when Keelie was a neurotic mess that hid under the bed -- oh waittt) and dived in. Classic Garwood. Set in Scotland. Fast-paced and cute. My only complaint is she's a little in love with the, not back story and not quite secondary characters, just I guess what's going on with everyone else in the book. For example, the hero and heroine don't even meet until 150 pages in. What the what?! lol.
This was her newest historical fiction (she came out with a contemporary one that was HORRIBLE I couldn't even finish it it was so bad -- she should stick with what she does best) and I've only read it once before, so I didn't remember some of it which is always fun :)
No new books for Xmas, but I did grab Ransom (JG) and Three Cups of Tea (which dane dane raves about) so maybe they're up next?
MERRY CHRISTMAS and happy readings! :D
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Let me introduce Ms. Julie Garwood
36.Honor's Splendor, Julie Garwood
35. Lyon's Lady, Julie Garwood
So after reading JAK's book I discussed with mutti how strange it was that her historical novels are so much better than her contemporary ones. And then she brought up Julie Garwood, one of her all-time favorite historical writers. Like AQ/JAK she writes in both historical and contemporary (though uses her name for both, a point for rationality there.) Mutti ferverently believes that there is a huge disparity between the two. And while I don't have as strong of feelings on her contemporary novels, I agree.
Most writers have a mold they use for their hero/heorine. If you read enough of the same author you'll notice a pattern. The most obvious abuse of this is Nora (I do criticize her a lot don't I?) Julie Garwood is not an exception. Her (historical) heroines are always ridiculously courageous, demure when appropriate, skilled at something unusual and enchanting just to name a few characteristics. I do however think she varies these basics well enough that I never tire of reading her books in a row. Her characters are very loveable. And you kind of wish you had their hutzpah sometimes as well.
Something unusual she does is have the characters admit they love each other about 3/4 the way through at the latest. Most romances-centric novels wait til the end. But still her plots are intriguing enough to carry it along anyway.
Another thing that sets her apart is that she doesn't write in one historical time period. Most romance writers who set their characters in the past tend to stick to one time period. The most common being the Regency Era -- replete with rakes and misses and the ton. High society. The second most common is Scotland during the middle ages -- 1400s ish. Anyway they tend not to deviate. She sets hers throughout the ages, which is disconcerting at times only because it's unique.
Julie Garwood is a lovely writer. Both books sucked me in to the point I'v spent the last two days straight reading them -- or thinking about finishing them. I love that feeling. That excitement to pick up my book, the nagging desire at work for the clock to tick by quicker so I can get back to reading. That might make me a little silly. Oh well.
I've read both these books before, but it had been a while for Lyon's Lady. Enough that I'd forgotten most of the story. I read Honor's Splendor all the time because it's one of my favorites by her.
I get a lot of flak for rereading books -- yes i know there are a ton out there -- but I was thinking about that while rereading these. It's not necessarily that I enjoy reading the same book twice. Save for a few I don't usually crave a certain story, usually I just want that type of story. That type of writing. That type of character. Unfortunately writers don't pump out books like tv shows -- a new one every week. Usually they only come out with two a year. So, since I've been reading so voraciously for so long I've not only discovered the authors I like I've caught up on all their work. Hence the rereads.
Anyway enough blathering. Happy thanksgiving!
35. Lyon's Lady, Julie Garwood
So after reading JAK's book I discussed with mutti how strange it was that her historical novels are so much better than her contemporary ones. And then she brought up Julie Garwood, one of her all-time favorite historical writers. Like AQ/JAK she writes in both historical and contemporary (though uses her name for both, a point for rationality there.) Mutti ferverently believes that there is a huge disparity between the two. And while I don't have as strong of feelings on her contemporary novels, I agree.
Most writers have a mold they use for their hero/heorine. If you read enough of the same author you'll notice a pattern. The most obvious abuse of this is Nora (I do criticize her a lot don't I?) Julie Garwood is not an exception. Her (historical) heroines are always ridiculously courageous, demure when appropriate, skilled at something unusual and enchanting just to name a few characteristics. I do however think she varies these basics well enough that I never tire of reading her books in a row. Her characters are very loveable. And you kind of wish you had their hutzpah sometimes as well.
Something unusual she does is have the characters admit they love each other about 3/4 the way through at the latest. Most romances-centric novels wait til the end. But still her plots are intriguing enough to carry it along anyway.
Another thing that sets her apart is that she doesn't write in one historical time period. Most romance writers who set their characters in the past tend to stick to one time period. The most common being the Regency Era -- replete with rakes and misses and the ton. High society. The second most common is Scotland during the middle ages -- 1400s ish. Anyway they tend not to deviate. She sets hers throughout the ages, which is disconcerting at times only because it's unique.
Julie Garwood is a lovely writer. Both books sucked me in to the point I'v spent the last two days straight reading them -- or thinking about finishing them. I love that feeling. That excitement to pick up my book, the nagging desire at work for the clock to tick by quicker so I can get back to reading. That might make me a little silly. Oh well.
I've read both these books before, but it had been a while for Lyon's Lady. Enough that I'd forgotten most of the story. I read Honor's Splendor all the time because it's one of my favorites by her.
I get a lot of flak for rereading books -- yes i know there are a ton out there -- but I was thinking about that while rereading these. It's not necessarily that I enjoy reading the same book twice. Save for a few I don't usually crave a certain story, usually I just want that type of story. That type of writing. That type of character. Unfortunately writers don't pump out books like tv shows -- a new one every week. Usually they only come out with two a year. So, since I've been reading so voraciously for so long I've not only discovered the authors I like I've caught up on all their work. Hence the rereads.
Anyway enough blathering. Happy thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
A weird phenomenon
34. Running Hot, Jayne Ann Krentz
... well maybe phenomenon isn't the right word, but ... it is weird nevertheless. Some explanation: Jayne Ann Krentz is Amanda Quick's real name. Some writers are peculiar like that. I mean I understand the desire to have a nom de plume, but she only uses it for her historical novels. (Stranger still is Nora who has one yet her covers read NORA ROBERTS as jd robb -- I know, I know it's to sell more books, but then JUST go with nora. Anyway ...)
The actual weird thing is that I absolutely ADORE Amanda Quick's books. Can't get enough, I've read my favorites of her a million times and my less favorite of hers a hundred thousand. But Ms. Krentz, not so much. There's something about her style of writing for her contemporary novels that just ... feels stilted. It doesn't have the flow or charisma of her historical ones. I learned this a long time ago, when I had run out of Quick books to read. Imagine my joy when I stumbled upon this treasure trove of riches. Ten to 20 books I hadn't read. Well. Not so much. The only reason I tried this one was because I am a huge sucker for series. Like huge. I love nothing more than a good series. And this book was an Arcane Society novel. (See: http://365daysofbooks.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html) Not that it involved actual people from her other books, but it references them, which is almost as fun.
Don't ge me wrong. I still enjoyed it. One major promblem I had with it was the characters got together too quickly, there was no build -- you need a good build. Also I was mentally editing the sentences as I read, which I hate doing, and usually only do when there's word repetition, my major pet peeve. Anyway fun, quick read with decent writing. Only sometimes annoying. I'll probably read the other contemporary A.S. novels, but other than that I think I'll stick with Quick :)
Also delightfully funny conversation with mar today. I recently recommended she read Over the Edge (http://365daysofbooks.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html) SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU PLAN ON READING ANY OF THE TROUBLE SHOOTERS SERIES:
Mar: wtf. starett goes and marries that preggo bimbo ... the end?!
Me (paraphrasing several txts): Sam and Alyssa get their own book, their arc is introduced in the first and builds over 6 books.
Mar: Christ. i have to read 6 books for them to be happy?
HAHAHAHHA this just perfectly embodies the would you enter when you start reading suz. She kills you, but the payoff is wonderful. :D
also i think i'm obviously going to read 40 books ... i think i'll up my goal to ... 52? to average out to one a week.
... well maybe phenomenon isn't the right word, but ... it is weird nevertheless. Some explanation: Jayne Ann Krentz is Amanda Quick's real name. Some writers are peculiar like that. I mean I understand the desire to have a nom de plume, but she only uses it for her historical novels. (Stranger still is Nora who has one yet her covers read NORA ROBERTS as jd robb -- I know, I know it's to sell more books, but then JUST go with nora. Anyway ...)
The actual weird thing is that I absolutely ADORE Amanda Quick's books. Can't get enough, I've read my favorites of her a million times and my less favorite of hers a hundred thousand. But Ms. Krentz, not so much. There's something about her style of writing for her contemporary novels that just ... feels stilted. It doesn't have the flow or charisma of her historical ones. I learned this a long time ago, when I had run out of Quick books to read. Imagine my joy when I stumbled upon this treasure trove of riches. Ten to 20 books I hadn't read. Well. Not so much. The only reason I tried this one was because I am a huge sucker for series. Like huge. I love nothing more than a good series. And this book was an Arcane Society novel. (See: http://365daysofbooks.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html) Not that it involved actual people from her other books, but it references them, which is almost as fun.
Don't ge me wrong. I still enjoyed it. One major promblem I had with it was the characters got together too quickly, there was no build -- you need a good build. Also I was mentally editing the sentences as I read, which I hate doing, and usually only do when there's word repetition, my major pet peeve. Anyway fun, quick read with decent writing. Only sometimes annoying. I'll probably read the other contemporary A.S. novels, but other than that I think I'll stick with Quick :)
Also delightfully funny conversation with mar today. I recently recommended she read Over the Edge (http://365daysofbooks.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html) SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU PLAN ON READING ANY OF THE TROUBLE SHOOTERS SERIES:
Mar: wtf. starett goes and marries that preggo bimbo ... the end?!
Me (paraphrasing several txts): Sam and Alyssa get their own book, their arc is introduced in the first and builds over 6 books.
Mar: Christ. i have to read 6 books for them to be happy?
HAHAHAHHA this just perfectly embodies the would you enter when you start reading suz. She kills you, but the payoff is wonderful. :D
also i think i'm obviously going to read 40 books ... i think i'll up my goal to ... 52? to average out to one a week.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Suz again
33. Bodyguard, Suzanne Brockmann
Classic Brockmann. Early days Brockmann. Still wonderful :)
Classic Brockmann. Early days Brockmann. Still wonderful :)
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Hi I'm back
32. The Secret Diaries of Miss. Miranda Cheever, Julia Quinn
So indeed it has been a while since last I posted. That happens sometimes. I fall out of reading. It rarely happened in high school, but probably it happened more frequently in college. It wasn't that I didn't have time, I just didn't want to. Which, the first time it occurred, was so weird to me. I had never not wanted to read before. I realized soon I could rely on several books to bring me back; and so when I stopped reading and realized I stopped reading I'd grab one of these and it would kick start it for me.
Anyhooo, this wasn't an instance were I sought a trusted novel, I started with one I'd never read before. And of course, liked it very much. I usually do the first one back, because I remember the love of reading.
I have never so much related to a character before as in this novel. For example, she was an observer, she watched people. She dislikes idle chatter (if you've met me for longer than 5 minutes chances are I've asked you if you believe in soul mates or who you love) but most importantly she was unrequitedly in love with our hero. And I must say Miss. Julia nailed it. She must have been at some point, because people who haven't stare at you with confusion and wonder constantly why you just don't move on, for two years now thank you very much. A particular passage that struck a cord:
Miranda kept trying to convince herself that she didn't [love him]. That it had all been a schoolgirl crush. That she was in the habit of thinking herself in love with him. That's all it was. But then he would do something utterly loathsome, like smile, and all her hard work flew out the window, and she had to start anew. One day it would stick. One day she would wake up and realize it had been two days of sensible Nigelless thought. And then three ... and then four ...
sigh. anyway as I've said about unrequitted love, even if the person (our hero Nigel Turner) some how ends up with the heroine, it's probably going to be an uneven relationship. And while I think the end of this novel dragged a bit, I like that she explores this issue. That whole, I can love you enough for the both of us is crap. Your heart will just continue to break a little each day, if you get the ole i love spending time with you. So that was interesting until the completely unrealistic ending (SPOILER ALERT) of him proclaiming his love every second of the day.
So while I liked it (it was full of Julia's bouncy cutesy writing) and certainly related more to the character than almost any other that I've read, I didn't love it.
On a sidenote though, how great is reading? Reading is the only form of entertainment that I physcially react to the emotions, I feel pangs (usually when jealousy is evoked.) I feel like with movies and TV sometimes they make you cry because of the plot. Like someone who has terminal cancer falls in love with a bad boy who marries her before she dies. But you're so in the characters' heads in books. It's very wonderful.
Anyway hope it won't be another 2 months til my next post :D
So indeed it has been a while since last I posted. That happens sometimes. I fall out of reading. It rarely happened in high school, but probably it happened more frequently in college. It wasn't that I didn't have time, I just didn't want to. Which, the first time it occurred, was so weird to me. I had never not wanted to read before. I realized soon I could rely on several books to bring me back; and so when I stopped reading and realized I stopped reading I'd grab one of these and it would kick start it for me.
Anyhooo, this wasn't an instance were I sought a trusted novel, I started with one I'd never read before. And of course, liked it very much. I usually do the first one back, because I remember the love of reading.
I have never so much related to a character before as in this novel. For example, she was an observer, she watched people. She dislikes idle chatter (if you've met me for longer than 5 minutes chances are I've asked you if you believe in soul mates or who you love) but most importantly she was unrequitedly in love with our hero. And I must say Miss. Julia nailed it. She must have been at some point, because people who haven't stare at you with confusion and wonder constantly why you just don't move on, for two years now thank you very much. A particular passage that struck a cord:
Miranda kept trying to convince herself that she didn't [love him]. That it had all been a schoolgirl crush. That she was in the habit of thinking herself in love with him. That's all it was. But then he would do something utterly loathsome, like smile, and all her hard work flew out the window, and she had to start anew. One day it would stick. One day she would wake up and realize it had been two days of sensible Nigelless thought. And then three ... and then four ...
sigh. anyway as I've said about unrequitted love, even if the person (our hero Nigel Turner) some how ends up with the heroine, it's probably going to be an uneven relationship. And while I think the end of this novel dragged a bit, I like that she explores this issue. That whole, I can love you enough for the both of us is crap. Your heart will just continue to break a little each day, if you get the ole i love spending time with you. So that was interesting until the completely unrealistic ending (SPOILER ALERT) of him proclaiming his love every second of the day.
So while I liked it (it was full of Julia's bouncy cutesy writing) and certainly related more to the character than almost any other that I've read, I didn't love it.
On a sidenote though, how great is reading? Reading is the only form of entertainment that I physcially react to the emotions, I feel pangs (usually when jealousy is evoked.) I feel like with movies and TV sometimes they make you cry because of the plot. Like someone who has terminal cancer falls in love with a bad boy who marries her before she dies. But you're so in the characters' heads in books. It's very wonderful.
Anyway hope it won't be another 2 months til my next post :D
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Interesting the second time around
31. Into the Storm, Suzanne Brockmann
There are some books I've read so many times that I know the words on the next page before I flip it. This isn't one of them. I read this when it came out like three, four years ago and haven't again. Which is great, and interesting when I go back and read it.
Like for example, for two or three or four books ms. suz wants you to think she's going to put a certain two characters together. Like they're sam and alyssa and all they're doing is suffering before they get their happy ending (not in a dirty way, get your mind out of the gutter! lol) but we later (in one of her most recent ones) realize this is not the case. It adds a new interesting awareness to the reading, so that I can now read it differently and know what is actually important to pay attention to. Brilliant, suzanne, brilliant.
There are some books I've read so many times that I know the words on the next page before I flip it. This isn't one of them. I read this when it came out like three, four years ago and haven't again. Which is great, and interesting when I go back and read it.
Like for example, for two or three or four books ms. suz wants you to think she's going to put a certain two characters together. Like they're sam and alyssa and all they're doing is suffering before they get their happy ending (not in a dirty way, get your mind out of the gutter! lol) but we later (in one of her most recent ones) realize this is not the case. It adds a new interesting awareness to the reading, so that I can now read it differently and know what is actually important to pay attention to. Brilliant, suzanne, brilliant.
Monday, September 7, 2009
My least favorite of the troubleshooters
30. Breaking point, Suzanne Brockmann
... but still of course amazing. This one has a weird time structure to it. With three distinct periods each getting play in the begining of the book. Evenutally it works its way into a continuous stream, but it was a little bit annoying. Mostly because I would get into one of the parts of the story and then BAM be thrown into the other, which was still good, but not what I was feeling. I love in this one too, how "the big attack" the one everyone fears hits and we're not part of it as readers. You know shit is going down with all the other major characters but all you have is what's happening with Jules, Max, Gina, Molly and Jones. It's kind of cool in a way I can't explain. Fun. Like tongue-in-cheek to herself almost.
OH, and to address miss. katie -- lol join the ranks babycakes. Quite honestly 2 books (that don't fit in to my preferred genre) out of thirty is branching out for me! haha I have been told all my life to branch out with my reading habits, and when I do it's usually good. I enjoy the book/s. But I love reading. I love reading for certain reasons and I know which books will make me just happy. Like just wonderfully happy. I smile my whole way through Suz's books. Or tear up. Yes it's beneficial to read different genres (honestly I want to check out some religion and/or WWII nonfictions once I get through my suzanne phase) but that's like ... school work. homework. I do it because I should. Not because I want to. And it's not like not trying a weird food (haha don't even get me started on that -- i am similarly stubborn there) because I've read a ton. Like a ton. Austen, Hemingway, J.D. Robb, Dan Brown (uggghghgh don't even get me started), Chinua Achebe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, Phillip Pullman, Charlotte Bronte, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Kafka, Lois Lowry, Lurlene McDaniel, every book ever edited by Salman Rushdie ... ETC, ETC, ETC, ETC ... etc. I know what I like, not because I haven't tried other things. I know what I like because I have.
Saying that, I am looking to expand -- like i said -- into the non-fiction genre. But that's going to be in a few books because I'm well addicted to my troubleshooters. I'm mostly through Jenk/Lindsey's then I'll probs read Ric/Annie's then Vinh/Hannah's then finally Decker/Tracey's ... these are all fun because they're more recent so I've only read them I think each once. Hoo-ra
til next time :) happy readings!
... but still of course amazing. This one has a weird time structure to it. With three distinct periods each getting play in the begining of the book. Evenutally it works its way into a continuous stream, but it was a little bit annoying. Mostly because I would get into one of the parts of the story and then BAM be thrown into the other, which was still good, but not what I was feeling. I love in this one too, how "the big attack" the one everyone fears hits and we're not part of it as readers. You know shit is going down with all the other major characters but all you have is what's happening with Jules, Max, Gina, Molly and Jones. It's kind of cool in a way I can't explain. Fun. Like tongue-in-cheek to herself almost.
OH, and to address miss. katie -- lol join the ranks babycakes. Quite honestly 2 books (that don't fit in to my preferred genre) out of thirty is branching out for me! haha I have been told all my life to branch out with my reading habits, and when I do it's usually good. I enjoy the book/s. But I love reading. I love reading for certain reasons and I know which books will make me just happy. Like just wonderfully happy. I smile my whole way through Suz's books. Or tear up. Yes it's beneficial to read different genres (honestly I want to check out some religion and/or WWII nonfictions once I get through my suzanne phase) but that's like ... school work. homework. I do it because I should. Not because I want to. And it's not like not trying a weird food (haha don't even get me started on that -- i am similarly stubborn there) because I've read a ton. Like a ton. Austen, Hemingway, J.D. Robb, Dan Brown (uggghghgh don't even get me started), Chinua Achebe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, Phillip Pullman, Charlotte Bronte, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Kafka, Lois Lowry, Lurlene McDaniel, every book ever edited by Salman Rushdie ... ETC, ETC, ETC, ETC ... etc. I know what I like, not because I haven't tried other things. I know what I like because I have.
Saying that, I am looking to expand -- like i said -- into the non-fiction genre. But that's going to be in a few books because I'm well addicted to my troubleshooters. I'm mostly through Jenk/Lindsey's then I'll probs read Ric/Annie's then Vinh/Hannah's then finally Decker/Tracey's ... these are all fun because they're more recent so I've only read them I think each once. Hoo-ra
til next time :) happy readings!
Friday, September 4, 2009
the flu makes me read slower
29. Hot target, Suzanne Brockmann
Wonderful, and it's not one of my favorites so I don't read it as often; so I actually didn't remember some of the events that happened. But it took like three days of reading, and I blame it on the flipping FLU. oh well. on to max and gina's!
:)
Wonderful, and it's not one of my favorites so I don't read it as often; so I actually didn't remember some of the events that happened. But it took like three days of reading, and I blame it on the flipping FLU. oh well. on to max and gina's!
:)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
All I really want to do is to love you
28. Gone to far, Suzanne Brockmann
Sam and Alyssa's book. What else is there to say? lovelovelove
Also, look up Tuskegee Airman if you don't all ready know about them. Very cool.
Sam and Alyssa's book. What else is there to say? lovelovelove
Also, look up Tuskegee Airman if you don't all ready know about them. Very cool.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
she's just sooo good
27. Over the edge, Suzanne Brockmann
Read it a million times all ready, but it still makes me tear up. She's so awesome. Ridiculously so.
Read it a million times all ready, but it still makes me tear up. She's so awesome. Ridiculously so.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
and i bow down to the endless genius that is
25. Hot pursuit, Suzanne Brockmann
Suzanne Brockman is amazing. She is inspirational as a writer, someone I look up to and think -- I will never be able to write like her. But want to desperately anyway. She is hands down with out a doubt my favorite author. Easy.
She never fails to deliver. Hot pursuit was a little unusual in that it was sort of an Alyssa and Sam novel. But they all ready had their novel about 6 or 7 books back. There wasn't really a new central relationship. Which was fine. It paid more attention to the thriller aspect, which was also fine.
I seriously can't even describe how good she is. She has this series called the Troubleshooters Inc., series. This was her 15th. (Apparently the next one is going to be her last for a while and I want to weep.) She's created this world of first Navy SEALs and then the best personal security force in the country. And her characterization is ridiculous. She weaves hundreds of people in and out of this series (She usually has a main relationship; but she always has multiple secondary storylines going on -- she also used to always have in some way a plotline from WWII through various means -- a memoir the main character is writing, flash backs from another's grandparents etc. -- but those have faded in the last couple and I kind of miss them.) Anyway every single charachter she brings in is well-developed and unique from every other character she's written. Yes they're mostly alpha males (I mean, they're Navy SEALs after all -- they take down pirates for god's sake! lol) but they're different. And I know I bash on Nora a bit (I really do like a lot of her books -- she even wrote one of my favorites) but she could really take lessons from Ms. Suz here.
The relationships she creates are real and powerful. She has a beautiful way of writing something to feel honest. Some writers gloss over real life, but her books feature a world that is honest (even though her situations may be fantastical -- in Kazbekestan waiting out hijackers, in an Indonesian jungle on the run from drug lords) She doesn't shy away from real life situations; people don't like each other sometimes, people make huge mistakes, people are alcoholics that relapse and sleep with their lover's ex-boyfriends. And these are her main characters. She tackles issues not normally addressed in your "typical" romance novel. Alcoholism is a major theme. One that touches the lives of many of her characters. Blatant homophobia (her son in life is gay, and it's an important topic for her -- one novel in her series the main couple is a gay couple -- which is groundbreaking for the romance genre), sexism in a mainly male-dominated job, making inter-racial relationships work in a still racist world. One of her main characters was gang-raped. Another had a situation like the "gates" thing happen to him (long before the gates thing happend). Every book has various themes and points she makes -- they have depth that makes you want to go rally for something. Usually it takes multiple books for characters to find "their happy endings" -- and along with way everything usually becomes a CLUSTERFUCK. Two characters you thought she was going to put together for like 5 novels, ended up with different people because that's where their story arcs took them. I think Sam and Alyssa (probably the favorite couple of the whole series -- and yes there are actually polls out there dealing with that question) took about 10 books to get their happy ending.
Apart from characterization, which clearly she rules at, she is a wonderful storyteller. Every novel is a page turner. All her plotlines -- man, insane. I don't even know how she comes up with them. She's genius, clearly.
Some other things: SHE MENTIONS BINGHAMTON IN THE BOOK. holy shit, I had to stop reading for like five minutes, because what are the odds?!?!?! (one of her characters went to SUNY Binghamton.) Also, she cracked me up because in the begining her heroine (sort of) gets "sistered." Now before last year I wouldn't have known what that was, but as it happened to me recently I can sympathize -- and just made me laugh so hard how relatable she makes her characters. And just to send this out there as a cosmic vibe: guys do not, under any circumstances tell a girl she reminds you of your sister ... this is not flattering in anyway. Even if she's not interested it's still obnoxious.
Anyhoo, as you can tell Suz is wonderful beyond imagination. She really is the kind of writer I want to be. I love every book she's ever written and read the vast majority of them -- though a few have gone out of print and have yet to be republished.
I can't wait til the next one -- the only thing that's bad is that I have to wait to the winter probably. (hopefully not longer)
til next time, happy readings :)
Suzanne Brockman is amazing. She is inspirational as a writer, someone I look up to and think -- I will never be able to write like her. But want to desperately anyway. She is hands down with out a doubt my favorite author. Easy.
She never fails to deliver. Hot pursuit was a little unusual in that it was sort of an Alyssa and Sam novel. But they all ready had their novel about 6 or 7 books back. There wasn't really a new central relationship. Which was fine. It paid more attention to the thriller aspect, which was also fine.
I seriously can't even describe how good she is. She has this series called the Troubleshooters Inc., series. This was her 15th. (Apparently the next one is going to be her last for a while and I want to weep.) She's created this world of first Navy SEALs and then the best personal security force in the country. And her characterization is ridiculous. She weaves hundreds of people in and out of this series (She usually has a main relationship; but she always has multiple secondary storylines going on -- she also used to always have in some way a plotline from WWII through various means -- a memoir the main character is writing, flash backs from another's grandparents etc. -- but those have faded in the last couple and I kind of miss them.) Anyway every single charachter she brings in is well-developed and unique from every other character she's written. Yes they're mostly alpha males (I mean, they're Navy SEALs after all -- they take down pirates for god's sake! lol) but they're different. And I know I bash on Nora a bit (I really do like a lot of her books -- she even wrote one of my favorites) but she could really take lessons from Ms. Suz here.
The relationships she creates are real and powerful. She has a beautiful way of writing something to feel honest. Some writers gloss over real life, but her books feature a world that is honest (even though her situations may be fantastical -- in Kazbekestan waiting out hijackers, in an Indonesian jungle on the run from drug lords) She doesn't shy away from real life situations; people don't like each other sometimes, people make huge mistakes, people are alcoholics that relapse and sleep with their lover's ex-boyfriends. And these are her main characters. She tackles issues not normally addressed in your "typical" romance novel. Alcoholism is a major theme. One that touches the lives of many of her characters. Blatant homophobia (her son in life is gay, and it's an important topic for her -- one novel in her series the main couple is a gay couple -- which is groundbreaking for the romance genre), sexism in a mainly male-dominated job, making inter-racial relationships work in a still racist world. One of her main characters was gang-raped. Another had a situation like the "gates" thing happen to him (long before the gates thing happend). Every book has various themes and points she makes -- they have depth that makes you want to go rally for something. Usually it takes multiple books for characters to find "their happy endings" -- and along with way everything usually becomes a CLUSTERFUCK. Two characters you thought she was going to put together for like 5 novels, ended up with different people because that's where their story arcs took them. I think Sam and Alyssa (probably the favorite couple of the whole series -- and yes there are actually polls out there dealing with that question) took about 10 books to get their happy ending.
Apart from characterization, which clearly she rules at, she is a wonderful storyteller. Every novel is a page turner. All her plotlines -- man, insane. I don't even know how she comes up with them. She's genius, clearly.
Some other things: SHE MENTIONS BINGHAMTON IN THE BOOK. holy shit, I had to stop reading for like five minutes, because what are the odds?!?!?! (one of her characters went to SUNY Binghamton.) Also, she cracked me up because in the begining her heroine (sort of) gets "sistered." Now before last year I wouldn't have known what that was, but as it happened to me recently I can sympathize -- and just made me laugh so hard how relatable she makes her characters. And just to send this out there as a cosmic vibe: guys do not, under any circumstances tell a girl she reminds you of your sister ... this is not flattering in anyway. Even if she's not interested it's still obnoxious.
Anyhoo, as you can tell Suz is wonderful beyond imagination. She really is the kind of writer I want to be. I love every book she's ever written and read the vast majority of them -- though a few have gone out of print and have yet to be republished.
I can't wait til the next one -- the only thing that's bad is that I have to wait to the winter probably. (hopefully not longer)
til next time, happy readings :)
Monday, August 10, 2009
a little randomness never hurt anyone
24. Finger Lickin' Fifteen, Janet Evanovich
Evanovich is so funny and she's really got what makes her so down. This isn't so much a romance novel as a mystery. Her main character Stephanie Plum is a bond enforcement agent (aka bounty hunter) but not a very good one. Shit happens to her all the time (sometimes to an unbelievealbe amount -- my only complaint) But there's usually a central mystery involved. This isn't a serious mystery novel though. For example in this one a celebrity chef was decaptiated by maniacal (and moronic) butcher; and Lula (one of Stephanie's friends) witnesses the crime. Characters involved: A cross-dressing fireman who has a part time job as Mister Clucky, the local fast-food's mascot, Grandma Mazur who's greatest pleasure in life is trying to open closed caskets at funerals to get a good look at the deceased and a beloved flasher who likes to show is giant "winkie" to all the old ladies on the block before they serve him cookies.
There is an element of romance in most of them. Ranger and Morelli are her two interests and they are very much like Bragg and Calder from the Deadly series. And GOD I love Ranger. These rakes are so appealing in novels, and in real life I suppose, but from experience I know (like my life-summing-up quote) they're better when they stay in the pages. They don't tend to work out as well in real life. sigh.
anywayyyy in this one she didn't really move either relationship forward. She's going to drag it out as long as possible -- and I guess I can't blame her, if all my books in a series ended up on the best seller lists I would milk them too.
23. The perfect bride, Brenda Joyce
I think I O.D.ed on Miss Joyce. It was good, but gahhh. I definitely needed the lighter Evanovich one after I was finished. It's a shame because my last one in the de Warrene series arrived recently. But I don't know if I'm going to read it for a while.
SOOOOO excited, I'm at b&n currently (using the free wi-fi -- I won't need to do that after tomorrow when i finally get internet in my apartment!! whoo) and I'm going to get Suzanne's new one. AHHHHHHHHHH it's going to be sooooo good :)
whoot
til next time, happy readings :)
Evanovich is so funny and she's really got what makes her so down. This isn't so much a romance novel as a mystery. Her main character Stephanie Plum is a bond enforcement agent (aka bounty hunter) but not a very good one. Shit happens to her all the time (sometimes to an unbelievealbe amount -- my only complaint) But there's usually a central mystery involved. This isn't a serious mystery novel though. For example in this one a celebrity chef was decaptiated by maniacal (and moronic) butcher; and Lula (one of Stephanie's friends) witnesses the crime. Characters involved: A cross-dressing fireman who has a part time job as Mister Clucky, the local fast-food's mascot, Grandma Mazur who's greatest pleasure in life is trying to open closed caskets at funerals to get a good look at the deceased and a beloved flasher who likes to show is giant "winkie" to all the old ladies on the block before they serve him cookies.
There is an element of romance in most of them. Ranger and Morelli are her two interests and they are very much like Bragg and Calder from the Deadly series. And GOD I love Ranger. These rakes are so appealing in novels, and in real life I suppose, but from experience I know (like my life-summing-up quote) they're better when they stay in the pages. They don't tend to work out as well in real life. sigh.
anywayyyy in this one she didn't really move either relationship forward. She's going to drag it out as long as possible -- and I guess I can't blame her, if all my books in a series ended up on the best seller lists I would milk them too.
23. The perfect bride, Brenda Joyce
I think I O.D.ed on Miss Joyce. It was good, but gahhh. I definitely needed the lighter Evanovich one after I was finished. It's a shame because my last one in the de Warrene series arrived recently. But I don't know if I'm going to read it for a while.
SOOOOO excited, I'm at b&n currently (using the free wi-fi -- I won't need to do that after tomorrow when i finally get internet in my apartment!! whoo) and I'm going to get Suzanne's new one. AHHHHHHHHHH it's going to be sooooo good :)
whoot
til next time, happy readings :)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
not a book ... but
I haven't finished a new book or anything, but I just watched Mansfield Park (delightful) and this quote sums up my life I think. lol.
Susan Price: What is his character?
Fanny Price: A rake. I think.
Susan Price: Oh, yes, please.
Fanny Price: They amuse more in literature than they do in life.
Susan Price: Yes, but they amuse.
Susan Price: What is his character?
Fanny Price: A rake. I think.
Susan Price: Oh, yes, please.
Fanny Price: They amuse more in literature than they do in life.
Susan Price: Yes, but they amuse.
Friday, July 31, 2009
The 400 page barrier
22. The Stolen Bride, Brenda Joyce
I loved this book until I hated it. It was 550 pages long; and while i have nothing against long books, I think it takes a very talented person to carry of a plotline that runs that long. With only two main characters. Who are stuck in a house for a long amount of time. I found the perfect novel is about 400 pages long. Shorter than that you don't feel like the relationship is developed enough. 150 pages longer, you feel like you want to shoot both the characters and yourself. Which is not how you should feel when you are finishing a novel. Clearly.
It just dragged on so long for the last part. And it was really miserable. Like the characters were in a really miserable position; it was very much a no-win situation. And the guy was being such a wimp. Soooo EMO. If he lived now he would be outfitted in skinny jeans and thick hipster glasses. I hate dramatic guys (other than P.C. because i absolutely love/adore him -- he's fantastic). Even at the end of the book she's like this was a hard character to write because it's a divergence from her strong "alpha" males. And I'm not saying you have to have an alpha male in ever romance novel -- i even really like him for the first 400 pages -- but when he just becomes annoying -- you need to do more cutting. The scary thing is in her acknowledgements in the begining was to her editor who "cut like mad." EEK. can't imagine it going longer.
Also the epilogue was horrendous. I don't feel like romance novels need epilogues -- spoiler alert here -- they all pretty much end up living happily ever after even if it took them a while to get there. So when you stick on an epilogue it's kind of superfluous. This one was beyond unnecessary -- it was cheesy. Horrendously so.
Anyway if she had just edited herself (although this book was copy edited nicely -- it feels like someone familiar with AP was her editor) down just a bit, it would have been a really good book. Unfortunately I just wanted to get through it. Which is never good.
Like I said, I'm all for long books. I think it's weird when people are intimidated by page numbers, or impressed with someone who finishes a 1,000 page novel. I am not. But again like I said it takes a certain skill set to be able to carry a plot for that many pages. Very, very few people can do it succesfully -- at least in my experience.
anyway I have soooo many books to read!! I'm excited. Mamacita brought janet evanovich's fifteenth (YAY, thanks mutti!) and the next book in this series (de warrenne -- it's one of two of the series that i've actually read before and the only reread for the next like month i think.) I got three Celeste Bradly's at B&N because I used to read her, then I just kind of stopped. Nothing to do with her, but her new one's were taking a while to come out so I just kind of forgot about her. So hopefully those are good. Then i have a suzanne brockmann little guy that I picked up at target along with HER NEW ONE which I am soooo ridiculously stoked about (for those of you who don't know she is MY FAVORITE WRITER EVER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD i love her books so much and she's son wonderful and when i grow up I want to be just like her ;p -- but more on that when i read her new ones.) and i have a julia quinn coming -- i haven't read that one either; it's the one before What Happens in London. Oh and I have another de warrenne i ordered from amazon. Hopefully it won't be 550 pages long lol. So, exciting! yay.
In addition to that psych and monk are starting! whoot. Plus, believe it or not, I actually have a social life/do other things than read ... so hopefully those will last me through some of august at least. :)
til next time, happy readings :)
I loved this book until I hated it. It was 550 pages long; and while i have nothing against long books, I think it takes a very talented person to carry of a plotline that runs that long. With only two main characters. Who are stuck in a house for a long amount of time. I found the perfect novel is about 400 pages long. Shorter than that you don't feel like the relationship is developed enough. 150 pages longer, you feel like you want to shoot both the characters and yourself. Which is not how you should feel when you are finishing a novel. Clearly.
It just dragged on so long for the last part. And it was really miserable. Like the characters were in a really miserable position; it was very much a no-win situation. And the guy was being such a wimp. Soooo EMO. If he lived now he would be outfitted in skinny jeans and thick hipster glasses. I hate dramatic guys (other than P.C. because i absolutely love/adore him -- he's fantastic). Even at the end of the book she's like this was a hard character to write because it's a divergence from her strong "alpha" males. And I'm not saying you have to have an alpha male in ever romance novel -- i even really like him for the first 400 pages -- but when he just becomes annoying -- you need to do more cutting. The scary thing is in her acknowledgements in the begining was to her editor who "cut like mad." EEK. can't imagine it going longer.
Also the epilogue was horrendous. I don't feel like romance novels need epilogues -- spoiler alert here -- they all pretty much end up living happily ever after even if it took them a while to get there. So when you stick on an epilogue it's kind of superfluous. This one was beyond unnecessary -- it was cheesy. Horrendously so.
Anyway if she had just edited herself (although this book was copy edited nicely -- it feels like someone familiar with AP was her editor) down just a bit, it would have been a really good book. Unfortunately I just wanted to get through it. Which is never good.
Like I said, I'm all for long books. I think it's weird when people are intimidated by page numbers, or impressed with someone who finishes a 1,000 page novel. I am not. But again like I said it takes a certain skill set to be able to carry a plot for that many pages. Very, very few people can do it succesfully -- at least in my experience.
anyway I have soooo many books to read!! I'm excited. Mamacita brought janet evanovich's fifteenth (YAY, thanks mutti!) and the next book in this series (de warrenne -- it's one of two of the series that i've actually read before and the only reread for the next like month i think.) I got three Celeste Bradly's at B&N because I used to read her, then I just kind of stopped. Nothing to do with her, but her new one's were taking a while to come out so I just kind of forgot about her. So hopefully those are good. Then i have a suzanne brockmann little guy that I picked up at target along with HER NEW ONE which I am soooo ridiculously stoked about (for those of you who don't know she is MY FAVORITE WRITER EVER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD i love her books so much and she's son wonderful and when i grow up I want to be just like her ;p -- but more on that when i read her new ones.) and i have a julia quinn coming -- i haven't read that one either; it's the one before What Happens in London. Oh and I have another de warrenne i ordered from amazon. Hopefully it won't be 550 pages long lol. So, exciting! yay.
In addition to that psych and monk are starting! whoot. Plus, believe it or not, I actually have a social life/do other things than read ... so hopefully those will last me through some of august at least. :)
til next time, happy readings :)
Monday, July 27, 2009
finished!
21. Deadly Kisses, Brenda Joyce.
Yay, I finally finished the Francesca Cahill series. And it was so wonderfully good! :) Everything built so nicely; the characters, the overarching plotlines and of course -- of course -- the relationships. She even ended it sort of like life -- messy. There were relationships that weren't wrapped up nicely and questions unanswered. But it was lovely. And no form of entertainment can ever make you feel the same as the end of a novel. So wonderful. All the Francesca/Calder scenes -- oh made my heart sigh.
Oh and there's a Facebook group called "Disney has given me unrealistic expectations about love." Gahh swap romance novels for disney and you've got me in a nutshell lol.
tee hee.
Yay, I finally finished the Francesca Cahill series. And it was so wonderfully good! :) Everything built so nicely; the characters, the overarching plotlines and of course -- of course -- the relationships. She even ended it sort of like life -- messy. There were relationships that weren't wrapped up nicely and questions unanswered. But it was lovely. And no form of entertainment can ever make you feel the same as the end of a novel. So wonderful. All the Francesca/Calder scenes -- oh made my heart sigh.
Oh and there's a Facebook group called "Disney has given me unrealistic expectations about love." Gahh swap romance novels for disney and you've got me in a nutshell lol.
tee hee.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Agreed! lol
20. People are unappealing, Sara Barron.
Another instance of branching out, non fictionally at least. I think that’s the way I’m going to do it. Because I was walking through good ole B&N and none of those paperbacks (you know the ones that aren’t quite normal paperbacks, nor are they hardbacks – they’re some where in between allowing publishers to charge you not $8 but $14-$15) looked even mildly appealing. They’re all the same – some middle-aged woman whose “perfect life” falls apart around her – and after she hits what my dad calls the MOS (aka moment of shit) she pulls herself up by her bootstraps and rebuilds her even better life – usually there’s a kind (yet dangerously sexy) handyman thrown in there as well. Or it’s about a young professional trying to figure out her life – and please I’m living that. Anyhoooo – While I’m going to make an effort to read more non-fiction, I’m going to stay away from those $14 paperbacks as I call them.
So the book. It was funny. It made me laugh out loud, which (I know in real life is about as easy as a $2 whore) is hard book-form. Janet Evanovich makes me laugh out loud. And that’s about it – other than an occasional chuckle peppered throughout other novels.
Anyway Barron is amusing. She’s very caustic, judgmental and self-deprecating. It’s just a series of essays about her life. She’s hasn’t even had an extraordinary one – she grew up in suburbia, the daughter of a hypochondriac (OMG – there was a line about how the mother thought every eye twitch was the onset of AIDS and all I could do was relate to how many times Dana Leigh has said something of the same no matter how implausible it might sounds) and a musical-loving effeminate dictionary-definitions writer. She makes her way through h.s. painfully – starting with a incident that involved a stage, a leotard, a first period (*ahem menstrual cycle) and an audience full of peers and their families. She moves to NYC to become an actor but mostly works in Banana Republic (apart from a very brief – read: 5 minutes – stint at Coyote Ugly) and Olive Garden. That’s the book. But she makes it interesting and it was a quick read.
Another nice thing was that there were moments of intense relatability to her (sorry, not the best grammar). She was vulgar (which any one who knows me, knows I am not a fan of) but she said things in a way that I was like – hahah yesss. Exactly.
The funny thing is that she would hateeee me. Various examples throughout the book: I hate this girl ... because she says “sweet” meaning great ... uses lol liberally ... utters “bounce” and “peace” as ways of leaving, etc. I mean, have you ever talked to me? Ever? Lol. (haha)
Anyway I liked it. It was funny and a quick read. And now I’m going to finish the Deadly series once and for all (the library called today to tell me it came in :) yay!!!)
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
... not so long i guess
19. Deadly Illusions, Brenda Joyce
oh love, love, love it! but again, it needed a better editor ... they kept calling the Channing family the Chandler family. It was kind of weird, because that seems like an easy mistake to catch ... or like how was it even written in the first place? also they changed the age of one of Bragg's foster children. weird.
anyway, that is all.
'til next time, happy readings :)
oh love, love, love it! but again, it needed a better editor ... they kept calling the Channing family the Chandler family. It was kind of weird, because that seems like an easy mistake to catch ... or like how was it even written in the first place? also they changed the age of one of Bragg's foster children. weird.
anyway, that is all.
'til next time, happy readings :)
Monday, July 20, 2009
oh three straight days of reading
18. Deadly Caress, Brenda Joyce
17. Deadly Desire, Brenda Joyce
16. Deadly Affairs, Brenda Joyce
Sigh. I just read for pretty much three straight days. (well one of those i went to work at some point.) And then last night I had a dream about Francesca Cahill, and thought I'd better slow down. lol. but it's like reading one book that you just really want to finish, but when you finish it, the saga isn't over. She's very good at getting at the page-turner thing. One of my criticisms however is Deadly Desire needed a better editor. There were like a couple instances where the wrong name was used ("You think he killed Calder?" Calder asked.) or a name spelled two different ways. (Neil walked into the kitchen ... Neal grabbed the knife.) that was slightly annoying. Other than that hmm, I like Francesca better with each book ... possible because she finally got over Bragg and has moved on to Calder (*sigh* loveee Calder) Also I love how many secondary characters she has (very ala Suzanne Brockmann, the best most wonderful writer ever) that don't just add layers to the main characters, but have depth and flaws and intricate story lines of their own.
Anywayyy Kat is visiting tomorrow! :))) so it may take a couple more days to finish the last two (one of which I don't have at the moment, *grumble*) Also mutti apparently has the 15th evanovich book and if they visit next week she's bringing it!!! (YAY)
'til next time, happy readings :)
17. Deadly Desire, Brenda Joyce
16. Deadly Affairs, Brenda Joyce
Sigh. I just read for pretty much three straight days. (well one of those i went to work at some point.) And then last night I had a dream about Francesca Cahill, and thought I'd better slow down. lol. but it's like reading one book that you just really want to finish, but when you finish it, the saga isn't over. She's very good at getting at the page-turner thing. One of my criticisms however is Deadly Desire needed a better editor. There were like a couple instances where the wrong name was used ("You think he killed Calder?" Calder asked.) or a name spelled two different ways. (Neil walked into the kitchen ... Neal grabbed the knife.) that was slightly annoying. Other than that hmm, I like Francesca better with each book ... possible because she finally got over Bragg and has moved on to Calder (*sigh* loveee Calder) Also I love how many secondary characters she has (very ala Suzanne Brockmann, the best most wonderful writer ever) that don't just add layers to the main characters, but have depth and flaws and intricate story lines of their own.
Anywayyy Kat is visiting tomorrow! :))) so it may take a couple more days to finish the last two (one of which I don't have at the moment, *grumble*) Also mutti apparently has the 15th evanovich book and if they visit next week she's bringing it!!! (YAY)
'til next time, happy readings :)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Calder!
15. Deadly pleasure, Brenda Joyce
YAY Calder shows up. I love him. He's wonderful as a character. Bragg is just too perfect and nice. Calder is a tiny bit of an asshole/ really good at heart of course :) he's my kind of (fictional) man.
See francesca falls in love with bragg, but whoops turns out bragg's married. Enter Calder Hart. Man of mystery. lol. and bragg's half brother. He's briefly (and not really) suspected of his father's death. anywayyy
Francesca is much more likeable in this one, though her pride still annoys me. And all the characters continuously say how nice she is ... and I'm kind of like, common courtesy people. But I guess turn of the century ... I don't know.
also i have yet to figure out any meaning behind the titles. it's kind of weird.
But all in all very enjoyable, loving that Calder is in the picture, and all ready have a good deal read for the next book :)
Til next time, happy readings
YAY Calder shows up. I love him. He's wonderful as a character. Bragg is just too perfect and nice. Calder is a tiny bit of an asshole/ really good at heart of course :) he's my kind of (fictional) man.
See francesca falls in love with bragg, but whoops turns out bragg's married. Enter Calder Hart. Man of mystery. lol. and bragg's half brother. He's briefly (and not really) suspected of his father's death. anywayyy
Francesca is much more likeable in this one, though her pride still annoys me. And all the characters continuously say how nice she is ... and I'm kind of like, common courtesy people. But I guess turn of the century ... I don't know.
also i have yet to figure out any meaning behind the titles. it's kind of weird.
But all in all very enjoyable, loving that Calder is in the picture, and all ready have a good deal read for the next book :)
Til next time, happy readings
Monday, July 13, 2009
branching out baybay
14. The Unlikely Disciple: A sinner's semester at America's holiest university, Kevin Roose
So, on one break (I don't eat dinner during breaks, so I'm kind of left with nothing to do if I'm not reading a book at the time -- though sometimes my friend Kelly brings in a magazine for me to read ... anyway I digress) I was looking to leave the building but just driving to the nearest convenience store for a diet dr. pepper only occupied abou 6 of my 30 mins of break (that I am forced to take) Anyway I decided to head over to the B&N ... while perusing the new release fiction section I stumbled upon this book.
Now I don't know if anyone outside of Terry Casey and possibly my fam realize how fascinated I am by religion. I'm not a religious person -- for reasons that don't belong in this book blog -- but I am utterly intrigued by people who are. So this title immediately piqued my interest, of course. I was a step away from buying it, but decided to see if the library had it instead (YAY libraries, btw)
Now, I'm smack dab in the beginning of my B. Joyce addiction at the moment -- but that requires an explanation. I ordered a couple of the books in the series (including the second one) off amazon about a week ago (I'm begining to despair in them ever arriving :/) and although I have other ones, they are later and I don't feel like going out of order. So, I thought, this is perfect. I'll read a non-fiction book and it won't jar me from my current desire to read B.Joyce (usually when I force myself to read books other than the ones I'm craving it doesn't end well) and I'll get to indulge in my thirst for learning about religion.
This is taking a while to get to the actual book ... lol ... anywayyyy; I am definitely recommending this book. The writing is kind of spotty at times -- he's only 19 years old while writing it, and you can tell ... but being able to get an inside glimpse to lives of Liberty University students (Jerry Falwell's Bible Boot camp) overcomes any other faults it may have. I won't go in to details, just in case, but it's an interesting cultural ride to take with him. For example Liberty students aren't allowed to hug each other for more than three seconds. They learn in their science classes that the world is 6,00 years old. On Friday nights they have Bible study groups instead of frat parties. But these are the obvious stereotypes (I mean they usually exist of a reason ...) but there is also a "evangelical feminist" who went to Liberty to study how more conservative evangelicals lived, the rebel who watches r-rated movies and who says "hell" out of the context of heaven or ... and the girl who is labeled a campus slut because she slept with her boyfriend. There's the wonderful, joyous, happy dorm-neighbor who loves Jesus and God with all his heart and just wishes everyone else would do the same. But there's the intensely, psychotically homophobic who wants to bash homosexuals over the head with baseball bats.
Roose takes you on a journey, the same way he was. You get lulled into thinking of the behavior is normal, of empathizing with and liking these evangelicals. And then they call each other faggot or say the rest of their "unsaved" family is going to hell, and it's jarring.
He continually says that he approves and enjoys the behavior of LU students, but not the content, and you get pulled in to feel the same too.
One particularly striking moment in the book came when he was talking to a secular friend who was feeling nervous about traveling abroad ... he said "I'll pray for you." It was sort of nice, but completely crazy at the same time ... I don't know how I would react if someone told me that. But he meant it with the best intentions.
I wouldn't go as far to say as this book blew down any of preconceived notions, or opened my eyes to much; but it really is an interesting experience to read about. His journey is compelling.
til next time, happy reading :)
So, on one break (I don't eat dinner during breaks, so I'm kind of left with nothing to do if I'm not reading a book at the time -- though sometimes my friend Kelly brings in a magazine for me to read ... anyway I digress) I was looking to leave the building but just driving to the nearest convenience store for a diet dr. pepper only occupied abou 6 of my 30 mins of break (that I am forced to take) Anyway I decided to head over to the B&N ... while perusing the new release fiction section I stumbled upon this book.
Now I don't know if anyone outside of Terry Casey and possibly my fam realize how fascinated I am by religion. I'm not a religious person -- for reasons that don't belong in this book blog -- but I am utterly intrigued by people who are. So this title immediately piqued my interest, of course. I was a step away from buying it, but decided to see if the library had it instead (YAY libraries, btw)
Now, I'm smack dab in the beginning of my B. Joyce addiction at the moment -- but that requires an explanation. I ordered a couple of the books in the series (including the second one) off amazon about a week ago (I'm begining to despair in them ever arriving :/) and although I have other ones, they are later and I don't feel like going out of order. So, I thought, this is perfect. I'll read a non-fiction book and it won't jar me from my current desire to read B.Joyce (usually when I force myself to read books other than the ones I'm craving it doesn't end well) and I'll get to indulge in my thirst for learning about religion.
This is taking a while to get to the actual book ... lol ... anywayyyy; I am definitely recommending this book. The writing is kind of spotty at times -- he's only 19 years old while writing it, and you can tell ... but being able to get an inside glimpse to lives of Liberty University students (Jerry Falwell's Bible Boot camp) overcomes any other faults it may have. I won't go in to details, just in case, but it's an interesting cultural ride to take with him. For example Liberty students aren't allowed to hug each other for more than three seconds. They learn in their science classes that the world is 6,00 years old. On Friday nights they have Bible study groups instead of frat parties. But these are the obvious stereotypes (I mean they usually exist of a reason ...) but there is also a "evangelical feminist" who went to Liberty to study how more conservative evangelicals lived, the rebel who watches r-rated movies and who says "hell" out of the context of heaven or ... and the girl who is labeled a campus slut because she slept with her boyfriend. There's the wonderful, joyous, happy dorm-neighbor who loves Jesus and God with all his heart and just wishes everyone else would do the same. But there's the intensely, psychotically homophobic who wants to bash homosexuals over the head with baseball bats.
Roose takes you on a journey, the same way he was. You get lulled into thinking of the behavior is normal, of empathizing with and liking these evangelicals. And then they call each other faggot or say the rest of their "unsaved" family is going to hell, and it's jarring.
He continually says that he approves and enjoys the behavior of LU students, but not the content, and you get pulled in to feel the same too.
One particularly striking moment in the book came when he was talking to a secular friend who was feeling nervous about traveling abroad ... he said "I'll pray for you." It was sort of nice, but completely crazy at the same time ... I don't know how I would react if someone told me that. But he meant it with the best intentions.
I wouldn't go as far to say as this book blew down any of preconceived notions, or opened my eyes to much; but it really is an interesting experience to read about. His journey is compelling.
til next time, happy reading :)
Monday, July 6, 2009
oh brenda, oh francesca
13. Deadly Love, Brenda Joyce
(though for some reason the first book is written as "B.D. Joyce"
I have this weird love/hate thing with this series, the Deadly series (yes I decided to read it, I think it has something to do with visiting New York.)
This series is set around the turn of the century in New York City ... where reformers, socialites and tenements abound. Francesca Cahill is a Fifth Avenue princess who gets drawn into the world of the police force when her next door neighbor's child is kidnapped. She traipses around the city (which is very cool, because I just visited a lot of the places she goes) searching for clues, encountering the seedy underbelly of "kids" (children pickpockets) and prostitutes, and trying to maintain a facade of normalcy for the sake of her overprotective family. After they solve the crime, she realizes that she wants to become a "crime-solver extraordinaire" Thus begins the series
So, that brings me to my love/hate. I almost never read a novel where I don't like the main character ... why would I? Butttt, I don't really like Francesca -- she thinks she's clever, and she's not extraordinarily so ... she's arrogant, she doesn't really understand people, but thinks she does; she comes up with possible scenarious and obsesses over them but they don't really make sense ... that being said I still blazed through it ... I hadn't read this one before, for some unknown reason; probably I didn't want to go back and start over
I do love these novels, the writing is pretty good -- except she has this bad habit of word choice repetition blah -- anyway I've purchased the next couple on amazon (gah, which ticks me off because i technically all ready own them) hopefully they come soon!
'til next time, happy readings : )
(though for some reason the first book is written as "B.D. Joyce"
I have this weird love/hate thing with this series, the Deadly series (yes I decided to read it, I think it has something to do with visiting New York.)
This series is set around the turn of the century in New York City ... where reformers, socialites and tenements abound. Francesca Cahill is a Fifth Avenue princess who gets drawn into the world of the police force when her next door neighbor's child is kidnapped. She traipses around the city (which is very cool, because I just visited a lot of the places she goes) searching for clues, encountering the seedy underbelly of "kids" (children pickpockets) and prostitutes, and trying to maintain a facade of normalcy for the sake of her overprotective family. After they solve the crime, she realizes that she wants to become a "crime-solver extraordinaire" Thus begins the series
So, that brings me to my love/hate. I almost never read a novel where I don't like the main character ... why would I? Butttt, I don't really like Francesca -- she thinks she's clever, and she's not extraordinarily so ... she's arrogant, she doesn't really understand people, but thinks she does; she comes up with possible scenarious and obsesses over them but they don't really make sense ... that being said I still blazed through it ... I hadn't read this one before, for some unknown reason; probably I didn't want to go back and start over
I do love these novels, the writing is pretty good -- except she has this bad habit of word choice repetition blah -- anyway I've purchased the next couple on amazon (gah, which ticks me off because i technically all ready own them) hopefully they come soon!
'til next time, happy readings : )
Thursday, July 2, 2009
soooo it's been a while ...
12. What Happens in London, Julia Quinn
I liked the heroine in this one, but she didn’t like to read (well other than the newspaper – which I can’t really argue with I suppose) but she doesn’t like novels! (gasp!)
Oh well, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and realized I don’t care about expanding my reading repertoire ... I love romances. And just FYI; I don’t read Harlequin or any such nonsense, I don’t love the ones that give romances a bad reputation – the books I choose are well-written, clever, engaging novels, with developed characters and quick plots. I probably know more about the early 19th century in England than a good percentage of people; and they give me pleasure – which is what reading is all about :)
also I started Evanovich's #11, but not so much and I don't know why ... I got like thirty pages in, and just wasn't feeling it, which is why it's been a while ... I didn't want to abandon it, but it wasn't really pulling me along either ... still can't wait for her new one though! whoo
til next time, happy readings :)Friday, June 19, 2009
so i lied a little
lol well not really, it's just that I fell out of the mood for reading the Deadly Series ... maybe next time I go home, I'll pick them all up and do a Deadly marathon (the library only had two of the books, and my favorites are like the last coulple, when Calder makes the scene ... soooo) anyway ... I did finish Wicked Widow, so I'll go from there.
11. Wicked Widow, Amanda Quick
I had a little more trouble getting started with this one ... probably because I finally have cable and SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (maybe my most favorite show ever in the entire history of the world ever) was on. (Ohhhh it was soooo good ... unfortunately one of the best dancers seems a little ... annoying, but we'll see I'm sure it will be a fantastic season!)
Anyway it took about 70 pages-ish, but then it grabbed ahold and pulled me in like always : ) and it was wonderful and fun and easy and romantic, and those are the best kind of books sometimes aren't they? Anyway I had resolved to stop my quick obsession (and I am going to!) but at the end, I started thinking of the others of hers that I haven't read since I started the quick marathon ... including my second favorite of hers! but oh well ... I think it is time to move on. I'm going to check out Evanovich's #14 (i've all ready placed a hold on #15 YAYYY) and then go from there! I know Katie just read Water for Elephants and recommends it -- i believe -- maybe I'll try it eventually, I know mom read that a while back and thought it was decent ... who knows, you know me I really don't deviate from my genre much.
anyway, til next time, happy readings : )
11. Wicked Widow, Amanda Quick
I had a little more trouble getting started with this one ... probably because I finally have cable and SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (maybe my most favorite show ever in the entire history of the world ever) was on. (Ohhhh it was soooo good ... unfortunately one of the best dancers seems a little ... annoying, but we'll see I'm sure it will be a fantastic season!)
Anyway it took about 70 pages-ish, but then it grabbed ahold and pulled me in like always : ) and it was wonderful and fun and easy and romantic, and those are the best kind of books sometimes aren't they? Anyway I had resolved to stop my quick obsession (and I am going to!) but at the end, I started thinking of the others of hers that I haven't read since I started the quick marathon ... including my second favorite of hers! but oh well ... I think it is time to move on. I'm going to check out Evanovich's #14 (i've all ready placed a hold on #15 YAYYY) and then go from there! I know Katie just read Water for Elephants and recommends it -- i believe -- maybe I'll try it eventually, I know mom read that a while back and thought it was decent ... who knows, you know me I really don't deviate from my genre much.
anyway, til next time, happy readings : )
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
perfectly perfect : )
10. The Perfect Poison, Amanda Quick
AHHHHH I was so ridiculously excited yesterday (I think I actually startled/amused the librarian) because when I went to check out, they told me they had received the copy of miss. quick's latest hardback that I had ordered about a week ago. I literarly clapped, I was so stoked! So I immediately scrapped my other plans for the day -- I think they involved me being somewhat productive and psh, who wants that? -- and read it straight through : ) And it was so wonderful! I love every one of her books; her characters fit somewhat of the same mold (I mean I've read ten of her novels in two weeks, I'm going to notice the similarities) but they never feel cookie cutter, like Nora's for example. There's just something unique in each one, and it's lovely. And of course it was an Arcane Society book, and oh how I do love my series. And the founding of Jones and Jones! I think after I turned the last page I had a smile on my face for like ten minutes ... I love it. Anyway taking a day off from reading and actually being productive ... I assembled my desk all by my lonesome! and it's still standing (along with a particularly large bookcase I put together on Saturday! I may actually have some handyman skills ... lol)
But Wicked Widow is officialy next on the list and I think my last Quick book, at least for a little ... I checked out B. Joyce's first in her Deadly Series ... and for some reason I don't think I've ever read it, so whoo hoo.
til next time, happy readings : )
AHHHHH I was so ridiculously excited yesterday (I think I actually startled/amused the librarian) because when I went to check out, they told me they had received the copy of miss. quick's latest hardback that I had ordered about a week ago. I literarly clapped, I was so stoked! So I immediately scrapped my other plans for the day -- I think they involved me being somewhat productive and psh, who wants that? -- and read it straight through : ) And it was so wonderful! I love every one of her books; her characters fit somewhat of the same mold (I mean I've read ten of her novels in two weeks, I'm going to notice the similarities) but they never feel cookie cutter, like Nora's for example. There's just something unique in each one, and it's lovely. And of course it was an Arcane Society book, and oh how I do love my series. And the founding of Jones and Jones! I think after I turned the last page I had a smile on my face for like ten minutes ... I love it. Anyway taking a day off from reading and actually being productive ... I assembled my desk all by my lonesome! and it's still standing (along with a particularly large bookcase I put together on Saturday! I may actually have some handyman skills ... lol)
But Wicked Widow is officialy next on the list and I think my last Quick book, at least for a little ... I checked out B. Joyce's first in her Deadly Series ... and for some reason I don't think I've ever read it, so whoo hoo.
til next time, happy readings : )
Monday, June 15, 2009
A little more quick
I remembered the 8th book, so I'll start there:
8. The River Knows, Amanda Quick
9. Second Sight, Amanda Quick
it had been a little while since I'd read S.S. and I'd only read it once so it was lovely rereading it ... there were parts I had forgotten and it was very much an enjoyable experience delving back into the world of the 1st book in her Arcane Society novels : ) in fact last night I was dreadfully tired (after a day trip to Ithaca -- it truly is gorgeous!) and I wanted to go to bed, but I was so into S.S. I just kept reading into the wee hours. I love when you read a book like that, you truly don't want to put it down. And I love/hate finishing a book like that, because it is so happy (please I only read books with happy endings ... do you know me at all lol) and sad because it's like you've just finished a life and it's time to move on ... my original quote at the begining of the blog is really how I feel when I finish a book I love ... it's like saying goodbye to a friend
Anyway please feel free (as Tim so wonderfully did!) to recommend books ... though forewarning, I am extremely picky ... I know what I like and like I tend to be stubborn about branching out ... why should I when I so love the books I read. But I'm sure I will at least take it into consideration : )
On to Wicked Widow Ibelieve, it may be my last Quick book ... I'm feeling a yearning to read Brenda Joyce's Deadly series for some reason ... but alas I left them at home ... doesn't it always happen that way?!?! perhaps I'll be able to hunt them down here (at the library), otherwise I think Evanovich awaits (so excited for #15 on June 23!)
'til next time, happy readings
8. The River Knows, Amanda Quick
9. Second Sight, Amanda Quick
it had been a little while since I'd read S.S. and I'd only read it once so it was lovely rereading it ... there were parts I had forgotten and it was very much an enjoyable experience delving back into the world of the 1st book in her Arcane Society novels : ) in fact last night I was dreadfully tired (after a day trip to Ithaca -- it truly is gorgeous!) and I wanted to go to bed, but I was so into S.S. I just kept reading into the wee hours. I love when you read a book like that, you truly don't want to put it down. And I love/hate finishing a book like that, because it is so happy (please I only read books with happy endings ... do you know me at all lol) and sad because it's like you've just finished a life and it's time to move on ... my original quote at the begining of the blog is really how I feel when I finish a book I love ... it's like saying goodbye to a friend
Anyway please feel free (as Tim so wonderfully did!) to recommend books ... though forewarning, I am extremely picky ... I know what I like and like I tend to be stubborn about branching out ... why should I when I so love the books I read. But I'm sure I will at least take it into consideration : )
On to Wicked Widow Ibelieve, it may be my last Quick book ... I'm feeling a yearning to read Brenda Joyce's Deadly series for some reason ... but alas I left them at home ... doesn't it always happen that way?!?! perhaps I'll be able to hunt them down here (at the library), otherwise I think Evanovich awaits (so excited for #15 on June 23!)
'til next time, happy readings
Friday, June 12, 2009
And so it begins ...
"You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend." Paul Sweeny
Someone said to me recently that they would be interested in knowing how many books I read a year. (I read a lot, btw) So, I figured it would be a nice little experiment to keep track of it. And because blogs are just so hot right now -- and I wouldn't be in danger of loosing it (I also ... um ... misplace things a lot) I figured why not do it online.
So anyway, I am actually going to try to do this ... record what I read for the next 365 days ... well less now since I technically started June 1. I would like to try to read 40 books, but we'll see, that might be overly ambitious, since I have to do a lot of reading for work. Anyway, I read mostly romance/thrillers. I have 6-7 favorite authors and I tend not to deviate, also I reread like it's my job ... but I won't repeat any this year from when I start. (probably lol).
And so it begins ...
June 1.
While I won't update every day, I'll try to give a general sense of the time ... and I started keeping tack June 1.
1. I Thee Wed, Amanda Quick
So I love Amanda Qucik, so much. Her characters are so unique, and somehow she always manages to create a compelling relationship between her hero and heroine, an intriguing mystery and a glittering world of London society in the 1800s.
2. Mistress, Amanda Quick
(i'm in an amanda quick phase ... these are all going to be amanda quick, that's how i roll) Maybe one of my favorite books ever. I'm not sure why but everytime I read it, I enjoy it just as much -- if in a different way -- as the first time. It involves a blackmail plot and a mistress-in-name-only (at least for a little while ;p) and an Earl that's been burned by love. Even though it sounds silly, it really is such fun!
3. Reckless, Amanda Quick
4. Rendezvous, Amanda Quick
5. Ravished, Amanda Quick
6. The Third Circle, Amanda Quick
Her second to most recent one (the most recent one in paperback) and it was wonderful. She's expanded into the paranormal aspect (it seems to be very in right now to do so ...) but she does it in a way that is not jarring to those of us who are not really into that kind of thing. I'm not entirely sure I like the new era ... her others have always been set around the time around the war with Napolean ... London society before 1820 ... and this is set "late in the reign of Queen Victoria" ... there are interesting aspects, to be sure, I guess I just have to have a couple more to adjsut ... I love her older ones so much it's hard to give that up ... but I understand she needs to expand or she'll just become Nora Roberts lol.
7. Scandal, Amanda Quick
8. (I'm missing one, and I can't remember which ... I'll fill it in later)
I'm checking Second Sight and Wicked Widow out of the library, and I placed a hold on her most recent hardback ... but after those I'll probably move on. Janet Evanovich is releasing #15 in her plum series June 23, so I'll probably at least read Fearless Fourteen sometime soon.
Til next time ... happy reading
Someone said to me recently that they would be interested in knowing how many books I read a year. (I read a lot, btw) So, I figured it would be a nice little experiment to keep track of it. And because blogs are just so hot right now -- and I wouldn't be in danger of loosing it (I also ... um ... misplace things a lot) I figured why not do it online.
So anyway, I am actually going to try to do this ... record what I read for the next 365 days ... well less now since I technically started June 1. I would like to try to read 40 books, but we'll see, that might be overly ambitious, since I have to do a lot of reading for work. Anyway, I read mostly romance/thrillers. I have 6-7 favorite authors and I tend not to deviate, also I reread like it's my job ... but I won't repeat any this year from when I start. (probably lol).
And so it begins ...
June 1.
While I won't update every day, I'll try to give a general sense of the time ... and I started keeping tack June 1.
1. I Thee Wed, Amanda Quick
So I love Amanda Qucik, so much. Her characters are so unique, and somehow she always manages to create a compelling relationship between her hero and heroine, an intriguing mystery and a glittering world of London society in the 1800s.
2. Mistress, Amanda Quick
(i'm in an amanda quick phase ... these are all going to be amanda quick, that's how i roll) Maybe one of my favorite books ever. I'm not sure why but everytime I read it, I enjoy it just as much -- if in a different way -- as the first time. It involves a blackmail plot and a mistress-in-name-only (at least for a little while ;p) and an Earl that's been burned by love. Even though it sounds silly, it really is such fun!
3. Reckless, Amanda Quick
4. Rendezvous, Amanda Quick
5. Ravished, Amanda Quick
6. The Third Circle, Amanda Quick
Her second to most recent one (the most recent one in paperback) and it was wonderful. She's expanded into the paranormal aspect (it seems to be very in right now to do so ...) but she does it in a way that is not jarring to those of us who are not really into that kind of thing. I'm not entirely sure I like the new era ... her others have always been set around the time around the war with Napolean ... London society before 1820 ... and this is set "late in the reign of Queen Victoria" ... there are interesting aspects, to be sure, I guess I just have to have a couple more to adjsut ... I love her older ones so much it's hard to give that up ... but I understand she needs to expand or she'll just become Nora Roberts lol.
7. Scandal, Amanda Quick
8. (I'm missing one, and I can't remember which ... I'll fill it in later)
I'm checking Second Sight and Wicked Widow out of the library, and I placed a hold on her most recent hardback ... but after those I'll probably move on. Janet Evanovich is releasing #15 in her plum series June 23, so I'll probably at least read Fearless Fourteen sometime soon.
Til next time ... happy reading
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