All together now: "Awwwwwwwww"

P.S. These are not mine, nor do I know who owns them. They're just cute.

It's definitely Monday

Well, I attempted to buy jeans today. Tried on about twenty pairs. None fit right. Can I please trade in my butt? I've lost about seventeen pounds, you'd think I'd be ready for a new size. Especially considering some of my favorite jeans are getting baggy and not so favorite-y. Bah. Twenty-some jeans and not one fit the way I wanted. If they fit in the waist and thighs, they were waaaaaaaaaay too long. If the length was right, then it didn't fit up top. And then there was the annoying gap in the back at times. Or the supposed low-rise that was up past my navel. ARGH! So, there went a few hours of my life I won't get back.

On another note, I did get to a local used bookstore that also sells new books. I bought new Feet First by Leanne Banks and After Midnight by Teresa Medeiros. Used I got Secrets Vol. 8 and Passion by Lisa Valdez (I want to read me some good breastfeeding sex, you know).

I also finally bought some books on Amazon. Charmed and Dangerous by Candace Havens, Dark Lover by J.R. Ward, Cat Fear No Evil by Shirley Rousseau Murphy, and Pick Your Poison by Leann Sweeney.

On another note, I am the most picky, second-guessing myself, reader of them all. I can't tell you how many times I've been to Amazon before this trying to figure out what to buy. I'm a mess. I hate the idea of getting something I won't like, so I'm very very picky about what I do buy. But then there's the times like with Charmed and Dangerous where I only have the back blurb to go on, yet I really want the book.

Rain, rain, go away, come again...

After I finish running my errands.

Okay, not quite true since the rain hasn't actually arrived, but it would be nice if it would wait until I get home from running errands. I need to drop off some books at the post office for PBS, head to the library to pick up some books on hold and check out some others, then run to SuperTarget to get some food for supper. Nick suggested steak and mmmm...that sounds really good. Also means I should have a light lunch. I've been on WeightWatchers since about the end of March and I really like it. So I'm not losing quickly, but that was never my goal. I wanted something I could deal with in the long run and this is doable. Soon I should hit twenty pounds lost and well, that's twenty pounds I don't plan on seeing ever again.

Here's the lovely rain coming our way.

ttfn

All these books and nothing to read? Or maybe there is.

I wrote a few days ago about having trouble reading this month. Luckily, things seem to be picking up. I got some category romances to read from Cata, and they're going well. Hope to have them up on the site by the middle of next week. Also getting a LUNA fantasy that I'm looking forward to reading as I loved the first book.

Yesterday was a very blah day. I felt tired and run-down for much of it. During the morning or afternoon (don't remember which) I finished reading Ruse: Enter the Detective (link courtesy of Màili). It's a CrossGen trade that compiles the first six issues of the Ruse comic together. I enjoyed it a lot and have the second one waiting for me at the library to pick up tomorrow. It's nothing spectacular in terms of a thrilling storyline, but it's engaging and I enjoyed the vivid art. Sherlock Holmes-type guy meets...well, a supernatural world, only he doesn't really know it is. Quite entertaining, anyways. I almost thought I hit the jackpot yesterday when there was an eBay auction for the whole series, but someone else wanted them much more than I did and jacked the price way up.

So I was feeling blah yesterday. Evidenced by the fact that I headed to bed at around 7:30. Yes, 7:30. I figured I'd pick up a book and fall asleep. I felt tired. I ended up picking up the wrong book. Grave Peril by Jim Butcher. I'm really loving this series of books and can't wait to get my hands on the next one. And...well, it's now waiting for me at the library. *g* I'm really enjoying Harry Dresden's adventures as "the only professional wizard in the Chicago area phone book." I had a couple chapters left by the time my husband had decided to turn out the lights, so I went into the living room to finish. I just couldn't put it down. He laughed at me when I left, considering I told him a few minutes before that that I was just going to read til the end of the next chapter. He knows me well.

So...I definitely recommend the Dresden Files. Definitely a fun paranormal mystery series.

Now I'm in the middle of The Cat Who Wasn't a Dog by Marian Babson. It's a cozy cat mystery, but so far I'm halfway through and it's only so-so. I might put it down for something else. I have a few library books that I want to read, including Bollywood Confidential by Sonia Singh, What Dreams May Come by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Robin D. Owens, and Rebecca York, Dead End by Mariah Stewart (ooh, Mariah Stewart got a website makeover since I was last there), and Mew is for Murder by Clea Simon.

The Society by Lilith Saintcrow

So...finished this last night. I really enjoy Lilith's books, mainly because I love her storylines. Well, and her writing. *g* I enjoyed The Society, but not quite as much as I did Dark Watcher and Storm Watcher. Not to say it was bad, because it's not, but it works at a slower pace than the others. There's more buildup to this one. Eh, before I talk more, maybe you'd all like a synopsis. Here's the book description from ImaJinn Books:

The black-ops government agency called Sigma broke Justin Delgado, trained his psionic talent and turned him into a killer. Then he escaped and joined the Society, an underground resistance movement of psions determined to use their talents to bring Sigma down. Competent, cold, and cruelly efficient, he's the best operative the Society has, a legend among the psions who fight a shadow war against an enemy that owns the courts, the press, and the police. Feared even by his own teammates, hunted by the government, and too damaged to feel anything but clinical rage, he is utterly alone—until he meets Rowan. When Rowan Price stumbles across Delgado’s team in an abandoned house, he is assigned to make contact with her, bring her in, and keep her alive—because Rowan is one of the most powerful psychics the resistance has ever encountered. She possesses a talent that can heal shattered minds and broken bodies, or it can incite riots and revolution. If the government gets its hands on her, she could very well mean the downfall of the resistance, because nobody, not even Rowan, is quite sure how far her talents extend or how powerful she could eventually become. Twenty-four hours after she meets Delgado, her life is shattered and she's on the run from Sigma. If Sigma can't take her freedom, they'll settle for her life. She is simply too powerful to be left alone.

The Society will welcome Rowan, if she can stay alive long enough to join them. Unfortunately, there's a traitor buried in the ranks of the resistance, ready to betray everything the Society has worked so hard to achieve. If the Society goes down, Rowan is at risk. God alone knows what Delgado will do to keep her safe, because Rowan is fast becoming the only thing in the world he cares about…

The book starts out fairly fast, with Rowan coming across Delgado at an abandoned house and running from him once he tells her he's a paranormal investigator. She's always thought of herself as a freak and anything paranormal, well, freaks her out. Unfortunately for her, she's also one of the most powerful psions that Delgado and the people he works for have ever encountered. They realize that Sigma (a government black ops group bent on controlling all the psions for their own use) won't be far behind. Delgado is charged with getting her, but before he can get her to trust him and go with him on her own, Sigma attacks her house, kills those she loves, and it's only because Delgado was there that she escapes.

It takes them a few weeks to get to The Society HQ, but the time is compressed as we get it from Rowan's POV and she's sedated for most of it. Once at HQ, we learn more about what Rowan can do and more about her, Delgado, The Society, and other secondary characters. It's all interesting and keeps the pages turning, but the pacing seems a bit off. I'm not sure why yet. I think perhaps it's that I didn't feel that I was in Del's head as much as I would have wished. Or Rowan's head, for that matter, when it came to how she felt about him. I know how she starts to come to terms with what she is, but the relationship with Del wasn't as developed as I would have liked. The moment she seduces him gave me a "huh" moment as it seemed to come out of the blue and I don't recall her ever thinking about him like that before. I did like that after they sleep together, they're still at odds with how they feel about each other.

The ending with the traitor seemed to happen too near the end, and it was a little too obvious who it was for my liking. There was never anyone else who it could be, and that was kinda disappointing. I like to wonder who the traitor will be.

The ending also sets up the next book and this seems to be a series with recurring characters. Del and Rowan's relationship is by no means finished, and the ending is pretty surprising.

Despite the problems I had with it, I enjoyed reading it a lot and I liked the world the author has created here. I look forward to learning more about Del and Rowan and the rest of the cast in the next books and suspect they will be of a faster pace since there isn't as much setup to get through. I think if the blurb intrigues you, you'd like the book. Just keep in mind that it's definitely the first book in a series and ends on a cliff-hanger.

What happened?

It's August 23rd and I've read a measly seven whole books this month so far. SEVEN! This from me, who has averaged around 23 books a month so far this year. I suppose it did have to do with having some very boring books that I had to read earlier this month and not really being able to finish them, so they didn't go on the list, but still. I've been reading every single night, it's just either taken me a long time, or I'm not finishing things. Or I'm reading Doc Savage, but for some reason I keep forgetting to ever count those.

Hopefully things will pick up. I've some review books that sound interesting and September is full of books that sound interesting.

Also went to the library bookstore today and picked up a few books. I got Pussyfoot by Carole Nelson Douglas (picked up Catnap there the other day, but hadn't seen this one), Tempted by Your Touch by Jen Holling (Màili, don't read about it), Lord of Seduction by Nicole Jordan, and Rebellious Desire by Julie Garwood.

Why don't I remember anything whatsoever about Rebellious Desire? The plot sounds completely foreign to me, yet I thought I'd read all her historicals. Hmmm...guess I'll just have to put it on the shelf and read it sometime.

With Or Without You by Carole Matthews

I got With Or Without You by Carole Matthews from the library and wasn't quite sure I'd ever get to it. Picked it up a few days ago and found it rather hard to put down. It's mainly chicklit, but also has a women's fiction feel to it.

When Jake tells Lyssa it's not working, she knows he's not talking about the toaster. What she doesn't realise is that he has been seduced by another woman.

Lyssa's immediate reaction is to sob into her pillow and wait for Jake to come home with his tail between his legs. But slowly she understands that's not an option. In a bid to escape, she embarks on a trekking holiday in Nepal. Her sister teases her that she'll meet a hairy-arsed yak shepherd - but it never occurs to Lyssa that in the Himalayan foothills she might fall in love...

When it's time to go home- back to reality and a very sheepish Jake - Lyssa has to face the hardest choice of her life.

I liked Lyssa a lot. I really felt she grew in the story and figured out what mattered most to her. The woman who Jake leaves her for is training for a trip to Mt. Everest, so Lyssa decides to make a trek to Nepal. Luckily, she has some common sense and just does a month-long trek with a group. I enjoyed how she changed during the month, learning that she can do without all the things that she once thought were so important.

Another thing I liked is how we also learn about things through Jake's eyes. He cheats on Lyssa and really hurts her, yes, but it was interesting to see how much he realizes he's screwing up his life with the decisions he's made.

Lyssa's sister is another character who we learn more about, and how she deals with having a large family and the rut she seems to be in with her husband.

All in all, I definitely recommend this one if you're in the mood for a good chick lit novel. It's not as funny as some, and deals with some serious issues, but I really enjoyed reading it and hope to read more of Carole Matthews.

My new look!

Thanks to Candy, CW, Jay, and I think Màili (wasn't around for that), I have a new blog look!!!!! It originally was me trying to add in a new blog template from Blogfrocks that hated me, so I asked for help. It went from there and this is the result. I'm so thrilled as it's just what I always wanted. Clean, easy to read, and has a black cat.

Thanks everyone, I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate all the time and work you guys put into this.

Love, Nicole

P.S. If anyone is interested in Blogfrocks, it only seems to have hated me. A brief trial from Jay showed it worked great for her.

Upcoming book alert! - Charmed & Dangerous by Candace Havens

Sadly, I have found another September book that I must have. I'm going to go broke. *crosses fingers that library calls soon saying they just must have me work for them*

So...on to the potentially good book alert!





OOoh...and here's the blurb from Candace Haven's site:

Monday, 11 PM

Sweet, Texas

Spells: 2

Dead guys: 0

Cute guys I want to sleep with: 1

Bronwyn turned twenty she took the oath to protect, and for the last five years she's kept that promise, working as a kind of one-witch secret service to the British Prime Minister. Her arsenal includes a combination of potions, spells, explosions, mind-reading tricks, and general butt-kicking skills. But Bronwyn has a soft side, too - especially when it comes to Dr. Sam, the favorite physician of her new hometown, Sweet, Texas. He's smart, funny, adorable, everything she could want in a man. Except he's also a warlock - a big no-no in Bronwyn's book of dating. Being a witch is definitely getting in the way of her sex life. If zapping evil jerks is easy, why is finding a boyfriend so hard?

I seriously can't wait to read this one. I loved Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson, and this looks to be similar. Candace, if you ever read this, can I have a copy? *grin*

And she has a blog.

The differences between men and women

So I'm in SuperTarget tonight getting snack food. Get in line behind this woman with two kids who's dressed like she's in her early twenties, but looks maybe late 30's (and it was pretty obvious she tanned often, as the wrinkles were starting). So, me being me, I'm looking at what she's wearing. Tight cropped jean jacket, cute tucked-in tee, cropped jeans, sparkly belt, and thong sandals with sequins on them. Now it all looked nicely put together, but just seemed odd for her age.

In the car with husband (this is pretty much what was said, though I don't remember exactly):

Me: Did you notice that woman in front of us at the checkout? Didn't you think she looked a little old for what she was wearing?

Him: Which one?

Me: The one with the two kids.

Him: You mean the one with the big breasts?

Me: *sigh*

Large print category books - who knew?

Well, some of you know I review for CataRomance. Just got two Harlequin Intrigue books in the mail for review and they're the Large Print format that just got started in the last few months (I think). I must say, it's pretty cool. They're the same size as the regular paperbacks, just fatter. They're also only $5.25 versus the $4.99 of the regular size Intrigues. For some reason I thought they were even more. I enjoy Intrigues because I like the action and suspense they have, though the romance can take the backburner on occasion. Which I don't mind, personally.

Harlequin books with the larger print:


Harlequin Romance

Harlequin Intrigue

Harlequin Superromance

Love Inspired

I don't have any trouble reading the regular books, but I can see how these would be nice for other people. Basically it's the exact same book as the regular version, just with a noticeably larger print and more pages.

Here's a pic of the two sizes for comparison. You can ignore my pathetically pale hand.





Click on it for a larger view.

New author alert! Carrie Vaughn

Maili has a post that includes some upcoming book covers. The cover for Kitty and the Midnight Hour looked intriguing, so I looked up the author.




I found her website here and was able to read a short story here. I am so buying this book new when it comes out. Must support new authors and all that. It just looks like so much fun.


P.S. Sorry about the lack of blog posts lately. It's the middle of the month and I've read five measly books so far. How pathetic.

Can you hear me now?

Why no, I can't. My husband is currently tinkering away at his computer since he's just installed a new heatsink. It's also about three times the size of the old one. And quiet! There used to be a rather annoying sound that is gone now.


I must say, computer prowess turns me on. Okay, computer prowess by my husband, no matter what it is, turns me on. *g*

Lord Kir of Oz by Cheyenne McCray

Me wants. I loved the original Wonderland series by Chey. They were fun and sexy and I loved the fantasy of it all. So...now I want this book. Should I get it? Or should I be good and not get it? Decisions, decisions... Maybe I'll mull on it for a few days. Yeah, that's what I'll do.

Bookshelves Part Two - Beware, lots and lots of big pictures

And here are the bookshelves in the office.

	This is the bookshelf that's to the right of my desk. it's actually two media shelves on top of each other.
	Closer look at the top half.
	Closer look at the bottom
	Another bookshelf left kitty-corner to my desk, next to my husband's desk. As you can sorta see, he has geeky stuff on his desk. The top two shelves are stacked two deep.
	These are the shelves to the left of my desk. As you can see, they overfloweth.
	Just to be thorough, here's the shelf that has my husband's more techie books on it. It is not odd to see some of these as occasional bedtime reading in this household.

And there you have it, all the bookshelves in our two-bedroom apartment.

Bookshelves Part One

Since I was fortunate enough to get a new bookshelf last night, I thought I'd post pictures of the bookshelves throughout my apartment. Beware, lots of pictures here.

	The shelf in the middle is the new one. They didn't have the exact same one that we had before, but I don't think it looks too terribly bad in between the old ones.
	Upper right side
	Lower right side
	Bottom middle
	Lower left
	Er..left middle
	Upper left

Well, those are the books in the living room. Errr, there are some scattered around other places, like the dining room table and end table. Click on the pics if you want to see them bigger.

On reviewing, or basically me ranting

-begin rant

I used to enjoy reviewing books. I really did. And now...not so much. It's HARD. I'm amazed at some of the reviewers I come across who can write so well and say exactly what worked and what didn't. Me...I have trouble with that. Well, mainly trouble with the so-so book. You know, those ones that were fun to read, but in the end are just mind candy. You know you don't plan to read it again, but it was still an enjoyable way to pass a couple hours. Drives me nuts trying to explain why I'd rec it if you're looking for a few hours of distraction, yet I still didn't think it warranted keeper shelf status.

I also get strongly annoyed at ebook authors who think that nothing less than a 4 out of 5 stars or the equivalent is a bad review. Can I like a book that got a 3 out of 5? Certainly. There are many series romances that I enjoyed reading that would most likely get rated this way. Hell, even a 2.5. It's just average, not fantastic, but still not excruciatingly bad.

I took a summer break from reviewing and now am getting back into it. But I also think that I've changed. My tastes have changed and what I will excuse in a book has changed. So we'll see how things go. Should be interesting. And well, if nothing else, I can stop completely and just review here. I really do like my little spot in the blogosphere and all the friends I've made.

-end rant

September Books I'm Looking Forward To

Since August seems kinda a bust so far, I thought I'd look on to September and see what looked good. And well, I like showing covers and I like some of these.
	Sex and the Single Witch by Theresa Alan, Carly Alexander, and Holly Chamberlain - the cover looks so cute
	Feet First by Leanne Banks - hmm...no clue what it's about, but the cover is cute
	Crazy Hot by Tara Janzen - er...mostly just due to the fact that I've heard the title all over the place for months
	She's Got the Look by Leslie Kelly - Cute cover
	Born To Be Bad by Sherrilyn Kenyon - well...I tend to buy her books...
	Kill Me Twice by Roxanne St. Claire - err...I'm a sucker for bodyguard romances?
	Saving Allegheny Green by Lori Wilde - Cute cover and mystery!
	In Stone's Clasp by Christie Golden - I enjoyed On Fire's Wings last year, so looking forward to this one.
	One Little Sin by Liz Carlyle - ooh...a historical that looks interesting
	Dear Penelope by Sharon Ihle - When I looked for info about it, I came across this and it looks cute.
	After Midnight by Teresa Medeiros - Love the cover, and I hear it has vampires
	Only With a Highlander by Janet Chapman - Sorry Màili, but I truly love this series.
	Dark Lover by J.R. Ward - PBW rec'd it and it looks good
	Fangs For The Memories by Kathy Love - I love the title! And the excerpt I read somewhere wasn't too bad either.
	Really Unusual Bad Boys by MaryJanice Davidson - Looks cute and sexy

Dammit, I'm going to go broke in September!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There needs to be some prioritizing and used bookstores, methinks. Maybe only buy first-time or midlist authors new...lol any authors want to send me these books?

And thank you to my loveable husband for showing me how to do tables in html so this looks so nice and pretty. *smooch*

TGIF - and a bit of catching up

This is just not my week. I keep feeling like I need to talk about my vacation, but other than that it was hot, but not humid, I really can't bring myself to write a thoughtful post. I enjoyed it in some ways, but in others I realized that you really can't go home again. I feel like I've changed and they've stayed the same. It helped that DH was there with me, he's a very calming influence. Hmm...guess I am talking about it.

It's Friday...yay. DH is going to make supper tonight. We're having steak (marinating in Famous Dave's Apricot Bourbon Marinade as I type), baked potatoes, and corn on the cob. Need to find an easy twice-baked potatoes recipe. Might watch What Not To Wear if it's new, or a show we taped on HBO last night *wg*.

Currently I should be reading some books that I don't feel like reading. Read Fear Cay by Kenneth Robeson last night on my ppc. Nothing like Doc Savage for relaxation. Also reading Liz Hunter's Mating Season in paper. So far Mating Season is cute. Two people stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean.

Books I've read, but not blogged about:

Heart Choice by Robin D. Owens: It was entertaining, although not quite as good as some of the others. I really loved the ending, though, and liked how Robin tied things up. Maybe too neat for some, but I personally liked it.

The Codex by Douglas Preston: Kinda Indiana Jones-esque, entertaining and fast-paced, but not up to par with the Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child stuff I've read before. There was just something missing, perhaps the codex just wasn't as critical to the plot as I would have liked. It wasn't bad for a plane read, though. So this one isn't a keeper. I have Brimstone coming my way, hope it's good.

Passport Diaries by Tamara Gregory

I got this book last month for a reader-review for First Look. I started it last week and finished it on the plane to Washington. It's got some elements one might associate with chick lit, but it falls more under women's fiction, I think. Humorous in parts, but that's not the entire tone.

Book blurb taken from Amazon:

Kia Carson thinks she knows exactly what she wants in a relationship. As a child, she saw it every time she watched her father smell her mother's hair as her mother tenderly affixed his cuff links in the mornings before work, or when her father in loving return lightly tapped her mother's bottom as she walked away. But, despite her old-fashioned romantic notions, the best Kia can manage these days are booty calls with delectable but vacuous L.A. men.

At least she has her career. Her energy and idealism as an assistant D.A. have won her respect and admiration -- and, in the case of Drew, a handsome, funny, and considerate white coworker, something much more. But before Drew can express his true feelings, a run-in with her boss gets Kia suspended from her job. Her best friend, Maya, suggests a European vacation to help get her head and heart together. Hesitant at first, Kia soon sees that nothing -- or, more to the point, no one -- is really keeping her in L.A., so she opts for the adventure of a lifetime. Kia packs up her things, inhales, then exhales, and finally takes flight -- alone.

I enjoyed pretty much the entire book, and really couldn't tell you any part that I didn't like. It's light reading, but not fluffy. I suppose in the end it's Kia finding out what means the most to her in life and that love is found in unexpected places. I wasn't quite sure if I'd call this women's fiction or a contemporary romance, but as it does have a happy ending, I'll give ya a hint and call it a romance. Or perhaps I'll call the first half women's fiction as it focuses on Kia, and the other part romance since it focuses more on Kia and Drew. And Drew is mighty fine. Greek god gorgeous. Kia, you are lucky the man is persistent. Persistent, sweet, gorgeous men are hard to find. Persistent and gorgeous is one thing, but add in the sweet and you have a winner. And smart, since they are both lawyers. Ah, it was nice to see Kia finally realize that she and Drew were meant to be together.

Ah...I love a good book and this is a great summer read. It's in hardback right now, but I think you can get it for trade prices at Amazon. Or wait til paperback. But anyways, it's a good book.

What happened to my historicals?

Looking at August releases just now, I realized that although the historical romances sound interesting, I have no desire to put them on my wishlist at the moment. It used to be that all I ever read for romances were historicals and now they seem to be the ones I want to read the least. Looking back in my Excel file of books read, the last historical was It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn and only a dozen out of 169 for the whole year. Much of my tbr pile is historicals, but lately I just haven't been able to bring myself to read them. I have Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale sitting partly read on my nightstand and even though the story is intriguing, it doesn't hold my interest. I know it's going to be good, but I just don't seem to be in the mood. But when will I be in the mood for them again? I wish I knew. I have many in my pile that I'd love to read. There are the Pleasure trilogy by Eloisa James, Karen Ranney's Highland Lords, some Margaret Moores, Jennifer Ashley, Lisa Kleypas, Kinley MacGregor...and the list goes on.

I've read some good romantic suspense lately, as well as some SF romance, and started some new mystery series. Now why can't I get back to the historicals I once loved? Is this a phase I'll grow out of, or something that may be here to stay?

Anyone else go through this? It's certainly not a lack of variety, at least I don't think so.

And I really don't feel like putting in links right now. I need to go do housework. Looking for jobs earlier was depressing, too.

July Books Read

Ah...the monthly post about the books I read last month.

Sins of the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon
It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn - good book, not my favorite, but enjoyable and light
Shadows on the Lake by Leona Karr
Can You Keep A Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
Mouth to Mouth by Erin McCarthy - enjoyable
Permed to Death by Nancy J. Cohen - lots of fun and I hope to read more of the series
Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie
Midnight Rain by Holly Lisle
Stolen by Kelley Armstrong
Night Moves by Julie Kenner
Jinn by Matthew B.J. Delaney
Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie
Last Girl Dancing by Holly Lisle
The Amazon Strain by Katherine Garbera
The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Undead and Unappreciated by MaryJanice Davidson
Perfection by Summer Devon
Storm Front by Jim Butcher - oops, guess I forgot to blog about this one. Enjoyed it and I have the second one in my library stack to read.
Origin in Death by J.D. Robb
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Fear Familiar by Caroline Burnes
Family Inheritance by Deborah LeBlanc
Passport Diaries by Tamara Gregory
Nothing To Fear But Ferrets by Linda O. Johnston

Well, there you go. I've blogged about the vast majority already, but I do have posts coming up regarding Passport Diaries and Nothing To Fear But Ferrets. Oh, and The Codex by Douglas Preston and Heart Choice by Robin D. Owens, but those are August reads. I think the total books read as of the end of July is 167.

I'm back.

Okay, so I came back late Monday night. Didn't feel up to doing anything yesterday, and haven't quite gotten up the energy to make a post today. I have a few books to post about and also am due for my July books read post. Also acquired quite a few books. Some are new, some used. Also lots of comic books that didn't fit in my suitcase and so ended up being mailed. Who knows when they'll come. Have to figure out where to put them, too.

Well, I have things to do, maybe I'll feel like posting my stuff later.