Eh, couldn't think up a title for this post. I've read a few books this weekend, but haven't quite made myself blog about them. Going to see my family in Washington starting on Wed. through Monday, so I won't be here! Thankfully, we'll be going from extremely hot and humid to extremely hot and dry. Yippee! (really, humidity sucks, and they live in the desert *g*). Ran errands today with the husband. He took the whole week off and is enjoying his vacation. I also applied at Half Price Books which is opening a store here in October. Cross your fingers that I get a call from them. I really need a job. Need. A. Job. I'm sick of not working for the past year. Not to mention I'd like a house and that really isn't happening on one income. And a cat. Promised the husband no cat til I get a job. I really want a cat. Poor you guys, I'll be posting cat pictures like there's no tomorrow when that happens.
On the book front. Friday: Origin in Death by J.D. Robb. Saturday: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling. Sunday: Fear Familiar by Caroline Burnes. Today: Family Inheritance by Deborah LeBlanc. Wow. I'm impressed with myself. Especially since I started and finished each of these books in their respective days.
Origin in Death: Can I say that I am simply amazed that I still love this series after twenty-some books? Amazing. This one had more interaction between all the characters and was very engrossing. I love how Eve and Roarke's relationship evolves. Another winner. Stayed up late reading it.
Harry Potter: Someone dies! I even almost cried. Even though I did finish it in one day, it seemed to take me a lot longer to read than the previous one did. I read it on and off from 1 p.m. til I finished at 11:45 p.m. Can't wait for the next one. Reading it is a lot of fun. Poor husband had to deal with me staying up late to read a book two nights in a row. Poor guy.
Fear Familiar: Familiar is a black cat. 'Nuff said.
Okay...so I suppose not everyone considers that a keeper element. It's a fun mystery even though it gets a bit melodramatic at times and you wonder why they do the things they do. Somehow I still enjoyed it. BJ is sending me more of the series. Can't wait. Okay, I can wait.
Family Inheritance: Creepy cajun demonic story. Quite interesting. Obviously fairly fast-paced as I finished the 350 page book in the not quite two hours we were at the laundromat washing our comforter.
So...that's about in a nutshell of what has happened to me lately. Er, besides applying for an office job at the local Humane Society. But they haven't called. And I'd rather work in a bookstore, personally. Oh, and went to Barnes and Noble and ended up buying Heart Choice by Robin D. Owens and Carved in Stone by Vickie Taylor (since I've heard so many people say good things about it, thought I'd support the author).
And I got NO MAIL today! Nada. I never get no mail. How depressing. Though DHL came with ARCs for the Elle Reader/Juror thingie I'm doing.
Which Mythological Form Are You?
Found on Alyssa's blog and a few others:
You are Form 5, Dragon: The Weaver.
"And The Dragon seperated the virtuous from
the sinful. He tore his eyes from his sockets
and used them to peer into the souls of those
on trial to make a judgement. He knew that
with endless knowledge came endless
responsibility."
Some examples of the Dragon Form are Athena
(Greek), St. Peter (Christian), and Surya
(Indian).
The Dragon is associated with the concept of
intelligence, the number 5, and the element of
wood.
His sign is the crescent moon.
As a member of Form 5, you are an intelligent and
wise individual. You weigh options by looking
at how logical they are and you know that while
there may not always be a right or wrong
choice, there is always a logical one. People
may say you are too indecisive, but it's only
because you want to do what's right. Dragons
are the best friends to have because they're
willing to learn.
Which Mythological Form Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Hmmm....very interesting. Me like dragons.
You are Form 5, Dragon: The Weaver.
"And The Dragon seperated the virtuous from
the sinful. He tore his eyes from his sockets
and used them to peer into the souls of those
on trial to make a judgement. He knew that
with endless knowledge came endless
responsibility."
Some examples of the Dragon Form are Athena
(Greek), St. Peter (Christian), and Surya
(Indian).
The Dragon is associated with the concept of
intelligence, the number 5, and the element of
wood.
His sign is the crescent moon.
As a member of Form 5, you are an intelligent and
wise individual. You weigh options by looking
at how logical they are and you know that while
there may not always be a right or wrong
choice, there is always a logical one. People
may say you are too indecisive, but it's only
because you want to do what's right. Dragons
are the best friends to have because they're
willing to learn.
Which Mythological Form Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Hmmm....very interesting. Me like dragons.
Perfection, Unappreciated, and Humidity
DH had a gift card with only a few bucks on it, so he gave it to me. I bought Perfection by Summer Devon with the remainder and read it last night.
In it, Bryan is on the run from hormone-crazed women and the lab that is causing him to be irresistible to women. He meets Allie in a bar where he's hiding (hoping that all the testosterone will mask him) and they hit it off. Allie doesn't force herself on him like all the other women, but it's obvious to both of them that she's seriously attracted to him. When men in black show up looking for Bryan, they both go on the run together in search of "the perfect woman" who can shut off Bryan's overactive pheromones.
Perfection is about 101 pdf pages, which puts it at about a category length book. It's quite cute and reminds me of a good Harlequin Blaze (I mean this as a compliment). Allie has made some bad decisions involving men in the past, so she isn't apt to act on her sexual desires, yet she just can't resist Bryan and he seems like such a nice guy (really, he does). Bryan thought he'd make some easy money as a lab rat, never thinking that they'd actually succeed in forcing his pheromones into overdrive. Now he just wants to find the perfect woman so he can sleep with her and put his hormones to rest. He doesn't expect to find a woman like Allie on the way.
This is a fun, sexy contemporary and I do recommend it. I enjoyed the characters and thought that by the end of the story they had a good chance of staying together despite how quickly they get together.
Now on to the Queen of the Vampires!
Undead and Unappreciated is a really quick read and although there's not a lot of substance, it is still fun to read. I'd be seriously ticked if I'd bought it in hardback though (this was from the library). Nothing really happens other than Betsy learns she has a half-sister who's the daughter of the devil, the devil is a woman and wears killer shoes, the fiends may get better, Betsy and Sinclair's relationship is furthered and I think that's about it. Oh, and the Ant is pregnant. It's more like an episode in a sitcom than a fully-realized story. And if you hadn't read the previous books, you'd be seriously lost. I enjoyed reading it, but there's no way I'm buying something this short in hardback. It's fluff, fun fluff, but fluff all the same.
Humidity....oh my, it's going to be hot out. And HUMID. At least it's slighly better than it was an hour ago when it was 72 degrees with a 71 degree dewpoint. Ick. Now it's 79, dewpoint 69 and we have a high of 90 for today. Going to run out when this post is finished to the bank and the library (to pick up HP6 and Origin in Death). After that, there's no way I'm going out again!!!!!!!!!!
In it, Bryan is on the run from hormone-crazed women and the lab that is causing him to be irresistible to women. He meets Allie in a bar where he's hiding (hoping that all the testosterone will mask him) and they hit it off. Allie doesn't force herself on him like all the other women, but it's obvious to both of them that she's seriously attracted to him. When men in black show up looking for Bryan, they both go on the run together in search of "the perfect woman" who can shut off Bryan's overactive pheromones. Perfection is about 101 pdf pages, which puts it at about a category length book. It's quite cute and reminds me of a good Harlequin Blaze (I mean this as a compliment). Allie has made some bad decisions involving men in the past, so she isn't apt to act on her sexual desires, yet she just can't resist Bryan and he seems like such a nice guy (really, he does). Bryan thought he'd make some easy money as a lab rat, never thinking that they'd actually succeed in forcing his pheromones into overdrive. Now he just wants to find the perfect woman so he can sleep with her and put his hormones to rest. He doesn't expect to find a woman like Allie on the way.
This is a fun, sexy contemporary and I do recommend it. I enjoyed the characters and thought that by the end of the story they had a good chance of staying together despite how quickly they get together.
Now on to the Queen of the Vampires!
Undead and Unappreciated is a really quick read and although there's not a lot of substance, it is still fun to read. I'd be seriously ticked if I'd bought it in hardback though (this was from the library). Nothing really happens other than Betsy learns she has a half-sister who's the daughter of the devil, the devil is a woman and wears killer shoes, the fiends may get better, Betsy and Sinclair's relationship is furthered and I think that's about it. Oh, and the Ant is pregnant. It's more like an episode in a sitcom than a fully-realized story. And if you hadn't read the previous books, you'd be seriously lost. I enjoyed reading it, but there's no way I'm buying something this short in hardback. It's fluff, fun fluff, but fluff all the same.Humidity....oh my, it's going to be hot out. And HUMID. At least it's slighly better than it was an hour ago when it was 72 degrees with a 71 degree dewpoint. Ick. Now it's 79, dewpoint 69 and we have a high of 90 for today. Going to run out when this post is finished to the bank and the library (to pick up HP6 and Origin in Death). After that, there's no way I'm going out again!!!!!!!!!!
Book Updates
Guess I've read a few books since I last posted about what I've read. I don't feel like making separate posts for all of them. Feeling lazy today since I didn't sleep well last night. Nick was a dear and left the temp down low when he left for work this morning instead of turning it up like he usually does.
I finished up Jinn by Matthew B.J. Delaney on the drive to Minneapolis last weekend. I did enjoy it. Purely escapist reading. Has elements of horror, romance, reincarnation, police thriller, and who knows what else. Basically you have an aeons-old horrific creature(s) preying on people and a select few band together to kill it. *g* My kind of book. Similar to Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Not quite as good as Relic, which is a favorite of mine, but I think if one wants some fun, it's not a bad book to pick up. This reminds me that I still haven't read Still Life With Crows or Brimstone. Or the latest, Dance of Death. So many books, so little time in which to read them.
Next up is Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie. I really liked Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye and was happy that I enjoyed this one just as much. She and Dutch have some relationship problems in this one and for awhile I wasn't sure how it was all going to work out. I can't wait for the next book that comes out later this year. I can't wait to see where the series will go and I love the characters. Also makes me think about my views on psychics...hmmm...
I bought Last Girl Dancing by Holly Lisle at the Barnes and Noble in the MoA along with Family Inheritance by Deborah LeBlanc that I haven't read yet. I really loved Midnight Rain and was quite happy to see that it wasn't a fluke. Last Girl Dancing again has a psychic, but this time it's the guy! Very cool and not something you see very often. Good characters and a plot that whips along. I hope she has another like these coming out.
Paperback Reader pretty much summed up what I thought of the book, and my comments are there, so I'm directing you guys there to learn about the book. Basically it's fun, but there's not a whole lot of substance when you really think about it later on after reading it.
Last up is The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning. Just finished it a few minutes ago and really enjoyed it. MÃ ili, don't let the highlander title keep you away, it's not really accurate. This one deals with Adam Black, a Fae, and Gabby O'Callaghan who can see the Fae. I really loved how Adam is definitely an alpha male, but Moning didn't make him into an ass. Definitely a favorite read now and I can't wait to read more of Moning's books. I have read some of the series, but not all. I liked that The Immortal Highlander can be read alone and although people from some of the other books come in, they usually are necessary for the plot. So this one is highly recommended. I had lots of fun reading it and Adam Black is a fantastic hero. Yumm...
On to other reading. Going to go to the library to pick up Harry Potter 6 and Origin in Death. Ack...how do I choose which one to read first? Probably Harry so I can bring it back quicker, but who knows. Also need to finish reading My Hero by Marianna Jameson and also read the books from the library stack that's quite large on the dining room table.
I finished up Jinn by Matthew B.J. Delaney on the drive to Minneapolis last weekend. I did enjoy it. Purely escapist reading. Has elements of horror, romance, reincarnation, police thriller, and who knows what else. Basically you have an aeons-old horrific creature(s) preying on people and a select few band together to kill it. *g* My kind of book. Similar to Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Not quite as good as Relic, which is a favorite of mine, but I think if one wants some fun, it's not a bad book to pick up. This reminds me that I still haven't read Still Life With Crows or Brimstone. Or the latest, Dance of Death. So many books, so little time in which to read them.
Next up is Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie. I really liked Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye and was happy that I enjoyed this one just as much. She and Dutch have some relationship problems in this one and for awhile I wasn't sure how it was all going to work out. I can't wait for the next book that comes out later this year. I can't wait to see where the series will go and I love the characters. Also makes me think about my views on psychics...hmmm...
I bought Last Girl Dancing by Holly Lisle at the Barnes and Noble in the MoA along with Family Inheritance by Deborah LeBlanc that I haven't read yet. I really loved Midnight Rain and was quite happy to see that it wasn't a fluke. Last Girl Dancing again has a psychic, but this time it's the guy! Very cool and not something you see very often. Good characters and a plot that whips along. I hope she has another like these coming out.
Paperback Reader pretty much summed up what I thought of the book, and my comments are there, so I'm directing you guys there to learn about the book. Basically it's fun, but there's not a whole lot of substance when you really think about it later on after reading it.
Last up is The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning. Just finished it a few minutes ago and really enjoyed it. MÃ ili, don't let the highlander title keep you away, it's not really accurate. This one deals with Adam Black, a Fae, and Gabby O'Callaghan who can see the Fae. I really loved how Adam is definitely an alpha male, but Moning didn't make him into an ass. Definitely a favorite read now and I can't wait to read more of Moning's books. I have read some of the series, but not all. I liked that The Immortal Highlander can be read alone and although people from some of the other books come in, they usually are necessary for the plot. So this one is highly recommended. I had lots of fun reading it and Adam Black is a fantastic hero. Yumm...On to other reading. Going to go to the library to pick up Harry Potter 6 and Origin in Death. Ack...how do I choose which one to read first? Probably Harry so I can bring it back quicker, but who knows. Also need to finish reading My Hero by Marianna Jameson and also read the books from the library stack that's quite large on the dining room table.
Home Sweet Home
Well, I'm home from my trip to Minneapolis. Had a good time even though the hotel the first night sucked and we refused to spend another night there. Ended up within walking distance of the Mall of America at another hotel in the same chain, which was nice since that's where we spent Saturday afternoon(at the mall, not the hotel). It was HOT.
Good thing that we did the Minneapolis zoo in the morning. Was also nice since many of the animals were active then. Forgot my camera at home, so no pictures.
Spent six hours at the mall. My feet hurt. Went on the Ripsaw rollercoaster that's in the middle of the mall with DH while my MIL and SIL went to BN and MIL bought Harry Potter 6. I'll read it next time I see her, I'm sure. She's my source for Harry Potter books. ANd you know, the biggest mall in America and I just bought two books and a tank top that was on clearance at the Gap. Bought Last Girl Dancing by Holly Lisle and Family Inheritance by Deborah LeBlanc. Also finished Jinn by Matthew B.J. Delaney and started and finished Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie. Not sure what I'm going to read next.
Also...women/girls with large chests should NOT wear those silly shrug sweaters. I saw them ALL over at the mall. Ick.
Note:
the Burnsville Country Inn and Suites is not recommended. Ugh...rattling a/c, sticky carpet, and in the morning, I spent ten minutes soaking wet wrapped in a towel on the bed with shampoo in my hair because the damn shower lost hot water AND intermittently was losing water pressure. I NEED my hot shower in the mornings. Luckily the one next to the MOA was quite nice.
Good thing that we did the Minneapolis zoo in the morning. Was also nice since many of the animals were active then. Forgot my camera at home, so no pictures.
Spent six hours at the mall. My feet hurt. Went on the Ripsaw rollercoaster that's in the middle of the mall with DH while my MIL and SIL went to BN and MIL bought Harry Potter 6. I'll read it next time I see her, I'm sure. She's my source for Harry Potter books. ANd you know, the biggest mall in America and I just bought two books and a tank top that was on clearance at the Gap. Bought Last Girl Dancing by Holly Lisle and Family Inheritance by Deborah LeBlanc. Also finished Jinn by Matthew B.J. Delaney and started and finished Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie. Not sure what I'm going to read next.
Also...women/girls with large chests should NOT wear those silly shrug sweaters. I saw them ALL over at the mall. Ick.
Note:
the Burnsville Country Inn and Suites is not recommended. Ugh...rattling a/c, sticky carpet, and in the morning, I spent ten minutes soaking wet wrapped in a towel on the bed with shampoo in my hair because the damn shower lost hot water AND intermittently was losing water pressure. I NEED my hot shower in the mornings. Luckily the one next to the MOA was quite nice.
I'm off to see the wizard...
Oh screw that, I hated The Wizard of Oz just as much as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. *shudder*
I'm off to Minneapolis for the weekend and plan to see my lovely in-laws (I'm not being sarcastic, they really are lovely) and to go to the zoo. *squeeee* I love zoos. Hopfully I'll get some cute pictures and post them when I get back. Also hope to finish Jinn by Matthew B.J. Delaney sometime this weekend. Need to read it during the day. Very creepy and bloody, ubt well-written and good pacing. If you liked Relic by Preston and Child, you would probably like this one.
Now I need to go get ready. Gotta finish packing, clean out the fridge, empty the garbages, clean out the car, do another load of laundry, pack the rest of my clothing and still look adorable when I go out to lunch with DH and an old college friend who just got a job here. And try to write another review or two since I'm late with those. Eeeeeek. Why the hell am I on here?!
Sunburn update:
More peeling. Less itching. I think it's on it's third layer of skin in some places. Gawd, I cooked my skin good.
Now, don't do anything I wouldn't do this weekend. Have lots of fun, sex, and good books. Not necessarily in that order. And wear sunscreen. *wags finger* You, too.
I'm off to Minneapolis for the weekend and plan to see my lovely in-laws (I'm not being sarcastic, they really are lovely) and to go to the zoo. *squeeee* I love zoos. Hopfully I'll get some cute pictures and post them when I get back. Also hope to finish Jinn by Matthew B.J. Delaney sometime this weekend. Need to read it during the day. Very creepy and bloody, ubt well-written and good pacing. If you liked Relic by Preston and Child, you would probably like this one.
Now I need to go get ready. Gotta finish packing, clean out the fridge, empty the garbages, clean out the car, do another load of laundry, pack the rest of my clothing and still look adorable when I go out to lunch with DH and an old college friend who just got a job here. And try to write another review or two since I'm late with those. Eeeeeek. Why the hell am I on here?!
Sunburn update:
More peeling. Less itching. I think it's on it's third layer of skin in some places. Gawd, I cooked my skin good.
Now, don't do anything I wouldn't do this weekend. Have lots of fun, sex, and good books. Not necessarily in that order. And wear sunscreen. *wags finger* You, too.
Stolen by Kelley Armstrong
I've had Kelley Armstrong's Stolen in my tbr pile for quite awhile. I read and enjoyed Bitten last year, but for some reason never felt the urge to really pick up the next books in the series and read them. Read them, that is, since I have bought all but the newest one, Haunted. Just haven't read them.Blurb:
It was in Bitten, Kelley Armstrong’s debut novel, that thirty-year-old Elena Michaels came to terms with her feral appetites and claimed the proud identity of a beautiful, successful woman—and the only living female werewolf.
In Stolen, on a mission for her own elite pack, she is lured into the net of ruthless Internet billionaire Tyrone Winsloe, who has funded a bogus scientific investigation of the "other races" and their supernatural powers. Kidnapped and studied in his underground lab deep in the Maine woods, these paranormals—witches, vampires, shamans, werewolves—are then released and hunted to the death in a real-world video game. But when Winsloe captures Elena, he finally meets his match.
I really enjoyed Stolen, more than Bitten, I think. I love the world the author is creating and can't wait to learn more about it. I was a bit ambivalent about Clay and Elena's relationship even after all the events in Bitten, but it was here that I really got a good idea of how things are between them. Dunno why, but there you go.
I wish the next books involved Elena, but I think I can handle reading about Paige in the next book, even though I didn't particularly like her here.
So...if you want a great book with supernatural creatures, this is a good one. Hell, pick up Bitten, too.
Sunburn update:
Peel, peel, peel (no, I'm not actually peeling my skin, it's peeling by itself just fine). I feel like there are great sheets of dead skin on my arms just waiting to come off. I will wait, even though it looks nasty, because I'm sick of pain. And new skin hurts. I am so going to vaccuum every room in my house when this is done. Mother dearest came to the rescue yesterday with the itch problem. Ah...I'm in love with baking soda now. It may not look pretty, but dang, it did the trick better than anything else I tried.
Going to the Minnesota Zoo this weekend, so will make sure to slather on lots of sunscreen.
And on to other things, I really need to do some blog maintenance. My tbr list and books read on the sidebar are so out of date. Yikes!
Scratch, scratch, scratch
Okay, so I'm not really scratching. More like trying to not scratch. Now my sunburn is in itch stage. My chest area already decided to start peeling today. Ugh. The arms are now just really really itchy. And still red. At least the blisters on my upper arms are doing well. Don't hurt quite as bad and for the last few nights I can finally kinda sleep on my side. yay! *grabs lotion* This is going to drive me insane today. And I want to be non-insane today since it is my two-year wedding anniversary. I keep forgetting about it too. Like, oh, I need a card. Have I gotten a card for my husband yet? No. We plan to go to a nice Italian restaurant tonight. Can't wait. Now if I can just get this itching under control.
Midnight Rain by Holly Lisle
Oooh...I just loved reading this book. Very edge-of-the-seat and chilling. I even braved the wrath of my husband trying to sleep as I read the last chapter and couldn't stand to stop and go into the other room. I loved all the twists and turns and the believability of these characters as they are swept up in circumstances that are definitely crazy. I'd think the story was going one way, and then something would happen to make it go another.I know I've read Holly Lisle in the past, some of her fantasy stuff, but I have to say I don't remember those stories enthralling me as much as this one. I sincerely hope that she plans to write many more thrillers like this one. I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for Last Girl Dancing and if it's half as good as this one was, I'll be one happy girl.
Book blurb:
Phoebe Rain's sadistic ex-husband lies in a coma a thousand miles away-a coma she put him the last time he tried to kill her. Yet Phoebe knows the voice on the other end of the line belongs to the twisted man who vowed he'd never let her get away. Panicked, she turns to her neighbor, Dr. Alan MacKerrie. Alan finds the story hard to believe himself, but now he, too, is receiving chilling, ghostly warnings of danger. Caught between icy terror and mounting passion for Alan, Phoebe knows there's no escape. Someone is watching. Something is coming. And it's closer than she thinks...
So...go out and get this book! And the new one so she'll keep on writing.
Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie
Since I really didn't feel like doing anything yesterday, I sat in bed and read. I read Permed to Death by Nancy J. Cohen that was quite good and after having a good experience with that mystery, I decided to try another one that was in my tbr pile. I'm really glad I picked up Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye and plan to get the sequel as soon as my book buying ban is reversed in a week or so.Back cover blurb:
In Royal Oak, a suburb of Detroit, thirtysomething Abby Cooper lives a life that's kind of like vanilla ice cream - good enough, but a little bland. Her work as a P.I. - Psychic Intuitive - can be rewarding, but she feels like somehow she's missing out on the hot-fudge topping...
Now she's getting what she wished for - when a client winds up dead and the clues start pointing in Abby's direction. Turns out she knows too many details about the murder for her own good. To make matters worse, the hot blind date she just met is the lead investigator on the case. And gorgeous Detective Dutch Rivers is convinced she's a fraud.
No matter how great her psychic abilities, Abby doesn't know is she can solve this case. Unfortunately for her, the killer thinks she can...
This book was loads of fun and a perfect light summer mystery. It's a breezy read and never boring. I also loved that although Abby is an amateur sleuth, she never really ventures into TSTL territory and even once heads out of town to get away from the action. There's even a little romance. I really can't wait to read the sequel and I guess there's another one coming out in December. yay!
Sunburn update:
I'm still rather dark and painful. There's some blistering on my upper arms. Ouch. It hurt so bad this morning when I woke up. DH says he accidentally rolled over towards me in the night and I screamed. Oops. I hope it gets better soon. I don't look so hot. Aloe, acetaminophen, and solarcaine are my friends.
I look rather like a lobster
When one is fair of skin, one should not go to baseball games at 2 in the afternoon and not bring sunblock.
On that note, the tops of both my arms are bright red. I'm not quite sure you'd even call this pink, it's pretty darn dark (okay, it's a dark pink *g*). You can also tell it's definitely swelling when you look at where it starts on my upper arm. Sleeping last night was NOT fun since I could lay on my side or stomach without pain. I do not like to sleep on my back! Was also a v-neck t-shirt, so I've got a nice v-shape burn on my upper chest. lol
Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow.
Remember, use sunblock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On that note, the tops of both my arms are bright red. I'm not quite sure you'd even call this pink, it's pretty darn dark (okay, it's a dark pink *g*). You can also tell it's definitely swelling when you look at where it starts on my upper arm. Sleeping last night was NOT fun since I could lay on my side or stomach without pain. I do not like to sleep on my back! Was also a v-neck t-shirt, so I've got a nice v-shape burn on my upper chest. lol
Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow.
Remember, use sunblock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June Books Read
Oops, it's July and I've forgotten to post the books that I read in June
Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 4 by Nobuhiro Watsuki
Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 5 by Watsuki
Spicing It Up by Tanya Michaels
Blind Date Disasters/Eat Your Heart Out by Jill Shalvis
Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner (review pending)
Hanging By A Thread by Karen Templeton
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
The Bowen Bride by Nicole Burnham
The Charm School by Susan Wiggs - really enjoyed this one
Laird MacKenzie's Curse by Sapphire Williams
All She Ever Wanted by Barbara Freethy
Sofie Metropolis by Tori Carrington
You've Got Murder by Donna Andrews
If You Just Say Yes by Reon Laudat
The Greek's Royal Mistress by Jane Porter
Died Blonde by Nancy J. Cohen
Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson
Larger Than Life by Alison Kent - really enjoyed this one and can't wait for more
Take A Chance On Me by Susan Donovan - so funny, so good, just loved it
The Moon Witch by Linda Winstead Jones - a good sequel to The Sun Witch and I can't wait for the third book in the series.
The Beast Within by Suzanne McMinn
The Sheik's Safety by Dana Marton (review pending)
So that brings the year's total up to 143 books read. I think I forgot some Doc Savage ones though, so it's a bit more. And an ebook or two.
Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 4 by Nobuhiro Watsuki
Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 5 by Watsuki
Spicing It Up by Tanya Michaels
Blind Date Disasters/Eat Your Heart Out by Jill Shalvis
Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner (review pending)
Hanging By A Thread by Karen Templeton
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
The Bowen Bride by Nicole Burnham
The Charm School by Susan Wiggs - really enjoyed this one
Laird MacKenzie's Curse by Sapphire Williams
All She Ever Wanted by Barbara Freethy
Sofie Metropolis by Tori Carrington
You've Got Murder by Donna Andrews
If You Just Say Yes by Reon Laudat
The Greek's Royal Mistress by Jane Porter
Died Blonde by Nancy J. Cohen
Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson
Larger Than Life by Alison Kent - really enjoyed this one and can't wait for more
Take A Chance On Me by Susan Donovan - so funny, so good, just loved it
The Moon Witch by Linda Winstead Jones - a good sequel to The Sun Witch and I can't wait for the third book in the series.
The Beast Within by Suzanne McMinn
The Sheik's Safety by Dana Marton (review pending)
So that brings the year's total up to 143 books read. I think I forgot some Doc Savage ones though, so it's a bit more. And an ebook or two.
Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
Well, this evening I was at a loss as to what to read next, so I grabbed Can You Keep a Secret? from the shelf. I wanted something very different form the last book I read, Shadows on the Lake. Definitely different, definitely quite good.Book blurb:
With the same wicked humor, buoyant charm, and optimism that have made her Shopaholic novels beloved international bestsellers, Sophie Kinsella delivers a hilarious new novel and an unforgettable new character. Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets:
Secrets from her mother:
I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur.
Sammy the goldfish in my parents’ kitchen is not the same goldfish that Mum gave me to look after when she and Dad were in Egypt.
Secrets from her boyfriend:
I weigh one hundred and twenty-eight pounds. Not one eighteen, like Connor thinks.
I’ve always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken.
From her colleagues:
When Artemis really annoys me, I feed her plant orange juice. (Which is pretty much every day.) It was me who jammed the copier that time. In fact, all the times.
Secrets she wouldn’t share with anyone in the world:
My G-string is hurting me.
I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is.
Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger.
But come Monday morning, Emma’s office is abuzz about the arrival of Jack Harper, the company’s elusive CEO. Suddenly Emma is face-to-face with the stranger from
the plane, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her. Things couldn’t possibly get worse—Until they do.
I really enjoyed this book. I tried to get into the first Shopaholic book, but after cringing a few too many times at whatshername's shopping binges, I put it down and haven't picked it up since. I might try it again. I wasn't sure I was going to like this one either, when I started it, but as it went on, I really enjoyed Emma. Everyone has secrets that they keep and, well, poor Emma has to deal with what happens when those come out. I breezed through this book in a couple hours and it was a great time. So I definitely recommend this one. Just loved it. And well, if you didn't like the Shopaholic books, you might give the author another try with this one.
Shadows on the Lake by Leona Karr
Gotta love holiday weekends and relaxing downtime that allows for lots of reading. Just finished up this Harlequin Intrigue. Picked it up because I really need to take a bite out of my category tbr pile. While it was pretty good, I did have a few issues with it that prevented it from being a great book.Back cover blurb:
A lonely houseboat on an isolated dock was not what Courtney Collins expected when she and her infant son arrived at Hidden Cove for the summer. But their cold, mysterious host was Courtney's reclusive aunt and the only family they had left.
As the days passed, the hostile atmosphere was broken only by their landlord Neil Ellsworth's charming attention to Courtney.
The sexy-but-forever-single businessman offered a strong shoulder for Courtney's uncertain fears and for once Courtney could foresee a happy future. But her dream was shattered the moment her baby was kidnapped. With few clues and a nearly spotless crime scene, could Neil hold the key to unlocking the truth?
I really liked Courtney and she doesn't really do any TSTL things. I bought the romance and HEA with her and Neil and little Jamie. Things went slowly between them and they got to know each other and I think they will continue to do that in the future.
What really, really bugged me was the suspense. You know from the very first page who the villain is and what has happened to Courtney's aunt. Yup, you're told in the very first few pages that Courtney's aunt has been murdered and another woman has taken her place. You even know that the woman is a bank robber and crazy and plans to take Jamie when she has a chance. Why oh why would an author completely ruin the suspense like this? After that, you know exactly why the aunt is acting weird, why Courtney hears talking in her aunt's bedroom that she thinks is just a radio, and the myriad other things that she just senses are off with her aunt. It just made me so mad that these things were ruined by telling the reader so soon. Why couldn't we understand that the woman was nuts after we'd realized she'd stolen Jamie? It just compeltely took all the suspense and thinking out of the story. For awhile, there are some other suspects, but you instantly know they aren't behind the actions they are accused of because you already know who the villain is!!!!!!
So nice romance, but the action, suspense, and edge of the seat thrill was completely gone from this book. I don't understand why on earth an editor for a line of romantic suspense would allow all the suspense to be completely ruined. It would have been so easy to just take out the instances where the villain talks to her dead husband and the reader would be just as in the dark as the H/h and then start them once we all know who has taken the child. Then we'd have the suspense upped again because we now know that not only has the woman taken the child, but she's crazy. Simple, but NOOOOOOOOOOOO, it's all laid out whether you want it or not.
So I definitely can't recommend anyone read Shadows on the Lake by Leona Karr if they want a good short romantic suspense because this one may have romance, but the suspense sucks big time. The fun of many romantic suspense books is figuring things out with the lead characters as you go, but that was completely ruined here. I want my time back.
Sins of the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon
I know I mentioned somewhere that I wasn't going to read this book yet, but really, it's a Kenyon book, how could I resist? Well, I should have resisted. It's bad when you start skimming pages where the H/h are together to get to the other bits. I love the world that SK has built up and up until now, I've also loved the romance, but this one is just a dud. Yes, a dud. There's no spark, no heat, nothing. I know I sound harsh, but this is just not what I have come to expect from the Dark-Hunter series. Book blurb:
In the realm of the Dark-Hunters there is a code of honor that even immortal bad boys must follow:
Harm no human. Drink no blood. Never fall in love.
But every now and again a Dark-Hunter thinks himself above the Code. That's when I'm summoned. Who am I? I'm the one thing the fearless fear. Step over the line and it's my wrath you will face. Nothing can touch me. Nothing can sway me. I am relentless and unfeeling.
Or so I thought until I met a female Dark-Hunter who goes by the name of Danger-it's not just her name, it's how she lives her life. She doesn't trust me at all. And who could blame her? She alone knows that I'm here to be judge, jury and most likely executioner of her friends. Yet she is my key to saving some of them. Without her, they all will die.
Dangereuse St. Richard is a deadly distraction. Something about her is reawakening a heart I thought was long dead. But in a race against evil, the only hope mankind has is that I do my duty. And how can I do my duty when it means that I will have to sacrifice the only woman I've ever loved?
So we finally get a book about a female Dark-Hunter. Very cool. But...I never got a kick-butt vibe from her. She just felt weak. And that is NOT how I want a Dark-Hunter character to be.
And Alexion...supposedly a Big Bad, but he also never came across as very strong. I'm told this, yeah, but (I'm not sure why) this didn't come across in the story. There was just something missing. He may have cool powers and be pretty strong, but his thoughts never followed that. And his angst came across more like whining, and I really really hate that. I hate whiny, angsty heroes who just talk about how much their lives suck. You'd think after thousands of years, you'd stop whining. One would hope, anyways.
As far as a romance, Sins of the Night rather sucked. I just didn't buy that Alexion and Danger had fallen in love. I kept wondering where on earth it came from. Yes, they're attracted to each other, but I couldn't figure out where the emotional bond was. Well, besides the pity Danger felt for Alexion's existence. Usually I devour her books in a matter of hours, putting everything aside until it's finished. Not here. It took me much longer than usual and the only reasons I continued were that I hoped it would get better and I do enjoy the world-building. Personally, the scenes with Simi and the other Charonte demons were the best part of the book. Even the usual wit that I expect fell flat and unoriginal. It never came across as unique or real to any character.
If you're a devoted fan and really enjoy seeing how the greater story arc involving Ash and Apollymi, etc. is going, you'll want to read the book. If you just want a good paranormal romance, I'd pass. Never thought I'd say it, but I do. This one just didn't work for me. I'll keep it since it's a part of the series, but I sincerely hope that the next book is 100 times better in the romance department. Hell, I'd handle no romance if I got a good story involving all the different Gods, Daimons, and Dark-Hunters.
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