Well, my ears feel better, so no trip to the doctor this morning. Yay! But it's time to finish packing so we can leave on our trip up the the North. I should be gone a week and I don't know if I'll blog there or not.
Hope everyone had a great Christmas and has a Happy New Year.
The Sharing Knife: Beguilement by Lois McMaster Bujold
Young Fawn Bluefield has fled her family's farm hoping to find work in the city of Glassforge. Uncertain about her future and the troubles she carries, Fawn stops for a drink of water at a roadside inn, where she encounters a patrol of Lakewalkers, enigmatic soldier-sorcerers from the woodland culture to the north. Fawn knows the stories about the Lake-walkers: they are necromancers; they practice black sorcery; they have no permanent homes and own only the clothes they wear and the weapons—mysterious knives made of human bone—they carry. What she does not know is that the Lakewalkers, as a whole, are engaged in a perilous campaign against inhuman and immortal magical entities known as “malices,” creatures that suck the life out of all they encounter, and turn men and animals into their minions.
Dag is an older Lakewalker patroller who carries his past sorrows as heavily as his present responsibilities. When Fawn is kidnapped by the malice Dag's patrol is tracking, Dag races to rescue her. But in the ensuing struggle, it is not Dag but Fawn who kills the creature—at dire cost—and an uncanny accident befalls Dag's sharing knife, which unexpectedly binds their two fates together.
And so now the misenchanted knife must be returned to the Lakewalkers. Together, Fawn and Dag set out on the long road back to his camp. But on the journey this unlikely pair will encounter danger and delight, prejudice and partnership, and maybe even love. . . .
Title: The Sharing Knife: Beguilement
Author: Lois McMaster Bujold
Year published: 2006
Why I picked up this book: I'd heard good things online and I needed something to read during break at work.
Do I like the cover? Yeah, I like that it fits a scene in the book pretty well.
Is this part of a series? It's the first part of what I think is a duology.
What I enjoyed about the book: I really loved almost everything about the story. It's a wonderful fantasy romance. And yes, it's definitely a romance. I actually wasn't expecting it to have as much romance as it did. The fantasy elements are also really fascinating and I really hope that the two books aren't the only ones that will be in the series.
What I didn’t like about the book? It ended! Oh, I cannot wait until this summer and the sequel.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? Actually, I think this might be the first book of hers I've read. I have some on my shelf, but I can't recall if I've ever read her in the past. Maybe a decade ago...
Wait, I'm almost positive I read Curse of Chalion. I'll definitely be reading more, too.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? I haven't decided yet. My copy is an ARC, so I might wait and buy the paperback whenever it comes out.
Happy Holidays!
And a Merry Christmas!
I'm not feeling real festive at the moment. Started to come down with a cold yesterday and went home from work shortly after getting there. Just got worse from there and I feel pretty rotten. Head and body aches, sore throat, running a fever...you know, all that good stuff.
But I did get a wonderful Christmas present from DH that I opened tonight. It's very pretty and sparkly.
Well, I hope everyone feels much better than I do!
I'm not feeling real festive at the moment. Started to come down with a cold yesterday and went home from work shortly after getting there. Just got worse from there and I feel pretty rotten. Head and body aches, sore throat, running a fever...you know, all that good stuff.
But I did get a wonderful Christmas present from DH that I opened tonight. It's very pretty and sparkly.
Well, I hope everyone feels much better than I do!
Music as a Weapon concert
Well, the concert was quite good. We heard Nonpoint, Flyleaf, Stonesour, and Disturbed. I enjoyed all of them a lot. Also took lots of pictures.
Instead of putting them all on my post here, I'm going to direct you over to my Flickr account that has them all. Much easier, I think. :-)
The pics I took of Nonpoint came out really blurry, so didn't include them.
Music as a Weapon Tour photos
Jumping up and down with joy!
So....bookstore called yesterday and told DH there was a book in for me.
Called today....and two more are there!
So while I'm at work, DH is going to head there and get me:
Surviving Demon Island by Jaci Burton
Hell's Belles by Jackie Kessler
The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and later on I will post pictures from last night's concert. And maybe a short video.
Called today....and two more are there!
So while I'm at work, DH is going to head there and get me:
Surviving Demon Island by Jaci Burton
Hell's Belles by Jackie Kessler
The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and later on I will post pictures from last night's concert. And maybe a short video.
Wednesday wonders
Ahhh....good day today. Had a dentist appt in the morning. I love my dentist and the assistants there. They are so sweet and nice and wonderful and make my teeth squeaky clean. And since there was good news in not having any work done, I decided to treat myself to some books and kinda headed to Walmart in hopes that maybe they released some of next months books early. Hey, a girl can hope, right?
Anyways, no books, but I did end up buying some clothing. I really don't like to shop at Walmart, but I was having trouble finding some button-down shirts that weren't too long, yet still fit me in the chest. So I bought some shirts and some khakis there. And then headed off to work.
Good time there, too. Met a very nice woman named Jacquie Greenfield who has a western romance coming out this next year from Five Star. Yes, a western!! I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye out for more information about it.
And....Disturbed concert tomorrow night!!!!!!! Yay! And I hope to bring my camera, so there may be pictures.
And Nick did the sweetest thing ever tonight. Waiting on my keyboard was a cute card that said "Remember, I'm always right behind you." Awww....isn't he sweet? I think he's one reason I enjoy reading romance as I get my own wonderful hero and love to read about others being as happy.
But now I need to head off to bed as it's getting late and I work a morning shift tomorrow so I get off the evening for the concert. Night all!
Anyways, no books, but I did end up buying some clothing. I really don't like to shop at Walmart, but I was having trouble finding some button-down shirts that weren't too long, yet still fit me in the chest. So I bought some shirts and some khakis there. And then headed off to work.
Good time there, too. Met a very nice woman named Jacquie Greenfield who has a western romance coming out this next year from Five Star. Yes, a western!! I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye out for more information about it.
And....Disturbed concert tomorrow night!!!!!!! Yay! And I hope to bring my camera, so there may be pictures.
And Nick did the sweetest thing ever tonight. Waiting on my keyboard was a cute card that said "Remember, I'm always right behind you." Awww....isn't he sweet? I think he's one reason I enjoy reading romance as I get my own wonderful hero and love to read about others being as happy.
But now I need to head off to bed as it's getting late and I work a morning shift tomorrow so I get off the evening for the concert. Night all!
Karin Slaughter
Okay, so I've been reading these books for the last two weeks and just loving them. Now I'm on Faithless, which follow Indelible, A Faint Cold Fear, Kiss Cut, and Blindsighted. I've really enjoyed each and every story.
Blindsighted introduces all the main characters. We've got Jeffrey Tolliver, the chief of police; Sara Linton, his ex-wife, pediatrician and part-time coroner; and Lena Adams, the first female officer Tolliver put on the force. There are more, like Sara's family, but these three are really in all the books. Well, mainly Jeffrey and Sara, but Lena also plays a fairly significant part in most of the books.
The rest of the books are really good and we learn lots of stuff about the characters and how events in that book and previous ones have changed them. These characters really do change as the series goes on. I can't wait to see what Faithless has in store. Indelible got into the back story of Sara and Jeffrey, which was fascinating, and the events in Blindsighted are still having a huge impact on Lena (and probably will, what happened to her isn't something one gets over). These are definitely not for the faint of heart, but I never felt like the violence was gratuitous, it just fit the story. Yes, horrifying things happen, but it done really well. Karin Slaughter has become a new favorite author. Love, love, love these books.
So this has been a seriously good glom. After Faithless, I'm not sure if I'll read Triptych right away or not. I know it's a standalone novel, so it's not a must-read right now, but if it's anywhere near as good as these books have been, I will want to read it eventually.
Blindsighted introduces all the main characters. We've got Jeffrey Tolliver, the chief of police; Sara Linton, his ex-wife, pediatrician and part-time coroner; and Lena Adams, the first female officer Tolliver put on the force. There are more, like Sara's family, but these three are really in all the books. Well, mainly Jeffrey and Sara, but Lena also plays a fairly significant part in most of the books.
The rest of the books are really good and we learn lots of stuff about the characters and how events in that book and previous ones have changed them. These characters really do change as the series goes on. I can't wait to see what Faithless has in store. Indelible got into the back story of Sara and Jeffrey, which was fascinating, and the events in Blindsighted are still having a huge impact on Lena (and probably will, what happened to her isn't something one gets over). These are definitely not for the faint of heart, but I never felt like the violence was gratuitous, it just fit the story. Yes, horrifying things happen, but it done really well. Karin Slaughter has become a new favorite author. Love, love, love these books.
So this has been a seriously good glom. After Faithless, I'm not sure if I'll read Triptych right away or not. I know it's a standalone novel, so it's not a must-read right now, but if it's anywhere near as good as these books have been, I will want to read it eventually.
Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
What would make the perfect man?
That's the deliciously racy topic that Jaine Bright and her three girlfriends are pondering one night at their favorite after-hours hot spot: Mr. Perfect. Would he be tall, dark, and handsome? Caring and warmhearted -- or will just muscular do? As their conversation hears up, they concoct a tongue-in-cheek checklist that becomes an overnight sensation, spreading like wildfire at work and sizzling along e-mail lines. But what began as a joke among friends turns deadly serious when one of the four women is murdered....Turning to her neighbor, an unpredictable police detective, for help, Jaine must unmask a killer to save her friends -- and herself. Now, knowing whom to trust and whom to love is a matter of survival -- as the dream of Mr. Perfect becomes a chilling nightmare.
Title: Mr. Perfect
Author: Linda Howard
Year published: 2001 (hardcover 2000)
Why I picked up this book: I'm not sure why. I was fooling around with my iPaq and clicked on the file.
Do I like the cover? Nah, it's fairly bland.
Is this part of a series? No.
What I enjoyed about the book: I loved Sam. Just loved him. He's alpha, but not a jerk and more than a match for Jaine, who is equally wonderful. The banter between them is just fabulous and one of my favorite parts of the book. I also loved the idea of the list and how it got out of control. I really felt for the characters and kept hoping that none of them would die.
What I didn’t like about the book? I did figure out who the bad guy was fairly early on. Other than that, I really enjoyed it.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? Not a new-to-me author, but this is the first romantic suspense by her that I've read. Will definitely read more.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? I'm keeping it since it's an ebook.
Crazy kitty
Note the puffed up tail. Gambit went nuts over something, or rather nothing, on the porch. He was hissing and his tail was just huge! But there's nothing out there, so no clue what was going on in his mind.
Just a quickie
Had a blast at the eHarlequin Open House tonight. Three hours of great chats with some awesome authors. Now it's time to head off to bed and read a book. Work tomorrow, but I do get Friday off. Yay!
Ah....Christmas pictures
Well, took the photo for our Christmas cards tonight. Decided to do photo cards from Target. We'll pick them up tomorrow and mail them out this week. Even got Gambit in the picture!
Ran around Christmas shopping today. Forgot to have lunch. Ooops. Did find stuff for a number of people on my list. And got some ideas for others. And still don't know what to get Nick. Grrr....
Ran around Christmas shopping today. Forgot to have lunch. Ooops. Did find stuff for a number of people on my list. And got some ideas for others. And still don't know what to get Nick. Grrr....
a mini shopping spree
I've been reading a bunch of ebooks at night the last few nights and it was seeming like my choices were definitely getting smaller. I read Repo Chick Blues by Tracy Sharp (excellent book, btw), Colters' Woman by Maya Banks (review below), Not Quite Dead by Sela Carsen, and Lord Night by Jessie Verino.
So, off to find more ebooks. I bought Yule Be Mine by Charlene Teglia from Cerridwen, Cloud Watcher by Lilith Saintcrow and The Wrong Christmas Carol by J.A. Ferguson from Imajinn Books, and Murder a la Mode by G.A. McKevett.
And woot! I learned from Tracy's website that the sequel to Repo Chick Blues will be out tomorrow! Man, I'm actually glad I waited to read the book since the wait would have been awful. I'll definitely be purchasing Finding Chloe tomorrow.
And another thing, I may not like Liquid Silver's pricing on ebooks (hence why I seldom think to head to their site and buy), but they do have some great covers.
So, off to find more ebooks. I bought Yule Be Mine by Charlene Teglia from Cerridwen, Cloud Watcher by Lilith Saintcrow and The Wrong Christmas Carol by J.A. Ferguson from Imajinn Books, and Murder a la Mode by G.A. McKevett.
And woot! I learned from Tracy's website that the sequel to Repo Chick Blues will be out tomorrow! Man, I'm actually glad I waited to read the book since the wait would have been awful. I'll definitely be purchasing Finding Chloe tomorrow.
And another thing, I may not like Liquid Silver's pricing on ebooks (hence why I seldom think to head to their site and buy), but they do have some great covers.
Upcoming books that look interesting
The Huntress by Susan Carroll - a historical romance, July 31, 2007 (trade)
Dead and Dateless by Kimberly Raye - Jan 30, 2007
Wild Wild West by Charlene Teglia - Aug. 7, 2007 (trade)
Chosen Prey by Cheyenne McCray - March 6, 2007
Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh - Feb. 6, 2007
Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas - March 6, 2007 (hardback)
Real Men Do It Better anthology - Feb 6, 2007 (trade)
Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead - Mar 1, 2007 (trade)
Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy by HelenKay Dimon - July 2007(trade)
Sun, Sand, Sex by Linda Lael Miller, Jennifer Apodaca, and Shelly Laurenston - Jun 2007
The Perfect Stranger by Alison Kent - April 2007 (trade)
Smart and Sexy by Jill Shalvis - April 2007 (trade)
Intimate Danger by Amy Fetzer - Mar. 2007
The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn - July 2007
Desperate Duchesses by Eloisa James - June 2007
Warrior Angel by Margaret Weis and Lizz Weis - March 2007
Lucinda, Darkly: The Demon Princess Chronicles by Sunny - Aug. 7, 2007(trade)
Dragon Heat by Allyson James - July 3, 2007
Witch Fire by Anya Bast - Aug 7, 2007
Heart Dance by Robin D. Owens - July 3, 2007
Real Vampires Live Large by Gerry Bartlett - July 3, 2007 (trade)
Demon Moon by Meljean Brook - Jun 5, 2007
Goddess of Love by P.C. Cast - Jun 5, 2007 (trade)
Bled Dry: A Tale of Vegas Vampires by Erin McCarthy - May 2007 (trade)
Dead Sexy by Tate Hallaway - May 2007 (trade)
Karma Girl by Jennifer Estep - May 2007 (trade)
Prince of Swords by Linda Winstead Jones - may 2007
Wild Thing by Maggie Shayne, Marjorie M. Liu, Alyssa Day, and Meljean Brook - May 2007 (trade)
Prince of Fire by Linda Winstead Jones - April 2007
Atlantis Rising: The Warriors of Poseidon by Alyssa Day - March 2007
Demon's Delight by MaryJanice Davidson, Emma Holly, Vickie Taylor, and Catherine Spangler - March 2007 (trade)
Prince of Magic by Linda Winstead Jones - March 2007
Real Vampires Have Curves by Gerry Bartlett - March 2007 (trade)
Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh - March 2007
Chasing Stanley by Deirdre Martin - Feb 2007
Over The Moon (Berkley Sensation) by Angela Knight, MaryJanice Davidson, Virginia Kantra, and Sunny - Jan 2007
Touched by Darkness (Berkley Sensation) by Catherine Spangler - Jan 2007
Not That Innocent by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kresley Cole, and Gena Showalter - Feb. 2008 (trade)
Never Deceive a Duke by Liz Carlyle - July 31, 2007
Never Lie to a Lady by Liz Carlyle - June 19, 2007
Tough Enough by Michele Albert - March 27, 2007
Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne - Feb 6, 2007 (hardcover)
Dark Thirst by Sara Reinke - July 2007 (3.99)
Hell's Belles by Jackie Kessler - Jan 2007 (trade)
Touch of Darkness: Darkness Chosen by Christina Dodd - Aug 7, 2007
Scent of Darkness: Darkness Chosen by Christina Dodd - July 3, 2007
Rises The Night: The Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason - Jun 5, 2007
Night Lost: A Novel of the Darkyn by Lynn Viehl - May 2007
Night Echoes by Holly Lisle - April 2007
The Rest Falls Away: The Gardella Vampire Chronicles (Signet Eclipse) by Colleen Gleason - Jan 2, 2007
Unmasqued: An Erotic Novel of The Phantom of The Opera by Colette Gale - Aug 7, 2007 (trade)
Kiss of Crimson by Lara Adrian - May 29, 2007
Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian - May 2007
Romancing the West by Beth Ciotta - July 2007
The Chosen (Rogue Angel) by Alex Archer - Jan 9, 2007
Forbidden City (Rogue Angel) by Alex Archer - Mar 13, 2007
The Lost Scrolls by Alex Archer - May 8, 2007
Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn - April 2007
Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs - Jan 30, 2007
For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison - Mar 13, 2007 (hardcover)
White Night: A Novel of The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher April 3, 2007
Blood Drive by Jeanne C. Stein - Jun 26, 2007
Fortune's Fool by Mercedes Lackey - Mar 2007 (hardback)
Coyote Dreams by C.E. Murphy - May 2007 (trade)
Protector Of The Flight by Robin D. Owens - Feb 2007 (trade)
Okay, so the list is by no means complete, but I'd say I'm going to be thinking about all of these titles. I'm sure some will get passed by and more added.
Dead and Dateless by Kimberly Raye - Jan 30, 2007
Wild Wild West by Charlene Teglia - Aug. 7, 2007 (trade)
Chosen Prey by Cheyenne McCray - March 6, 2007
Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh - Feb. 6, 2007
Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas - March 6, 2007 (hardback)
Real Men Do It Better anthology - Feb 6, 2007 (trade)
Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead - Mar 1, 2007 (trade)
Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy by HelenKay Dimon - July 2007(trade)
Sun, Sand, Sex by Linda Lael Miller, Jennifer Apodaca, and Shelly Laurenston - Jun 2007
The Perfect Stranger by Alison Kent - April 2007 (trade)
Smart and Sexy by Jill Shalvis - April 2007 (trade)
Intimate Danger by Amy Fetzer - Mar. 2007
The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn - July 2007
Desperate Duchesses by Eloisa James - June 2007
Warrior Angel by Margaret Weis and Lizz Weis - March 2007
Lucinda, Darkly: The Demon Princess Chronicles by Sunny - Aug. 7, 2007(trade)
Dragon Heat by Allyson James - July 3, 2007
Witch Fire by Anya Bast - Aug 7, 2007
Heart Dance by Robin D. Owens - July 3, 2007
Real Vampires Live Large by Gerry Bartlett - July 3, 2007 (trade)
Demon Moon by Meljean Brook - Jun 5, 2007
Goddess of Love by P.C. Cast - Jun 5, 2007 (trade)
Bled Dry: A Tale of Vegas Vampires by Erin McCarthy - May 2007 (trade)
Dead Sexy by Tate Hallaway - May 2007 (trade)
Karma Girl by Jennifer Estep - May 2007 (trade)
Prince of Swords by Linda Winstead Jones - may 2007
Wild Thing by Maggie Shayne, Marjorie M. Liu, Alyssa Day, and Meljean Brook - May 2007 (trade)
Prince of Fire by Linda Winstead Jones - April 2007
Atlantis Rising: The Warriors of Poseidon by Alyssa Day - March 2007
Demon's Delight by MaryJanice Davidson, Emma Holly, Vickie Taylor, and Catherine Spangler - March 2007 (trade)
Prince of Magic by Linda Winstead Jones - March 2007
Real Vampires Have Curves by Gerry Bartlett - March 2007 (trade)
Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh - March 2007
Chasing Stanley by Deirdre Martin - Feb 2007
Over The Moon (Berkley Sensation) by Angela Knight, MaryJanice Davidson, Virginia Kantra, and Sunny - Jan 2007
Touched by Darkness (Berkley Sensation) by Catherine Spangler - Jan 2007
Not That Innocent by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kresley Cole, and Gena Showalter - Feb. 2008 (trade)
Never Deceive a Duke by Liz Carlyle - July 31, 2007
Never Lie to a Lady by Liz Carlyle - June 19, 2007
Tough Enough by Michele Albert - March 27, 2007
Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne - Feb 6, 2007 (hardcover)
Dark Thirst by Sara Reinke - July 2007 (3.99)
Hell's Belles by Jackie Kessler - Jan 2007 (trade)
Touch of Darkness: Darkness Chosen by Christina Dodd - Aug 7, 2007
Scent of Darkness: Darkness Chosen by Christina Dodd - July 3, 2007
Rises The Night: The Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason - Jun 5, 2007
Night Lost: A Novel of the Darkyn by Lynn Viehl - May 2007
Night Echoes by Holly Lisle - April 2007
The Rest Falls Away: The Gardella Vampire Chronicles (Signet Eclipse) by Colleen Gleason - Jan 2, 2007
Unmasqued: An Erotic Novel of The Phantom of The Opera by Colette Gale - Aug 7, 2007 (trade)
Kiss of Crimson by Lara Adrian - May 29, 2007
Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian - May 2007
Romancing the West by Beth Ciotta - July 2007
The Chosen (Rogue Angel) by Alex Archer - Jan 9, 2007
Forbidden City (Rogue Angel) by Alex Archer - Mar 13, 2007
The Lost Scrolls by Alex Archer - May 8, 2007
Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn - April 2007
Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs - Jan 30, 2007
For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison - Mar 13, 2007 (hardcover)
White Night: A Novel of The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher April 3, 2007
Blood Drive by Jeanne C. Stein - Jun 26, 2007
Fortune's Fool by Mercedes Lackey - Mar 2007 (hardback)
Coyote Dreams by C.E. Murphy - May 2007 (trade)
Protector Of The Flight by Robin D. Owens - Feb 2007 (trade)
Okay, so the list is by no means complete, but I'd say I'm going to be thinking about all of these titles. I'm sure some will get passed by and more added.
Gambit on the floor
Here's a pic I just took sitting here on my computer. Gambit was meowing, so I grabbed a belt that was on the floor and started playing with him. And took a bunch of pictures.
Gambit pic!
Here's Gambit on our bed. He was sleeping, but woke up when I went in the room. And yes, those are my pajamas that he's on. And yes, the bed is not made. Oops.
And oh, I'm so glad I feel better. I've been feeling like crap that last few days and even stayed home from work Wed. and Thurs. to kick it. I think I have as I feel much better and my head doesn't feel nasty like it did. Just a bit of lingering tiredness. Did get a lot of reading in. Trying to write up those posts.
Colters' Woman by Maya Banks
So Ms. Banks offered to send this one to me, but I declined as I wasn't sure the subject matter was something I could handle well. The whole menage/brothers thing isn't really something I go for. But I've liked her stuff in the past, so I later bought it instead. And I'm rather glad I did. Finally got around to reading it last night.
I'd bought Colters' Woman awhile ago, probably around when it first came out. Since I'm usually pretty bad about reading things right away, I didn't get to it until last night. And then I zipped through the whole thing. The story takes place in a short period of time, yet the romance did work for me. I'm not quite sure, but I'm gonna guess it's Banks' writing that does it. It just worked. Another thing I liked is that I didn't get much of the squicky incest thing since the three guys are brothers. It's a very hot story and moves along very quickly. Hmm...what didn't I like? Well, we don't get as in depth with the heroes since there are three of them, but I found myself not really caring and just going along with the story.
So, all in all, I liked the story and I will continue to read Maya Banks' stuff.
Adam, Ethan and Ryan aren’t looking for women. They’re looking for a woman. One woman to share their lives and their beds. They don’t want a casual romp in the hay, they want the woman who will complete them—and they’re losing hope of finding her.
That is until Adam finds Holly lying in the snow just yards from their cabin. He knows she’s different the minute he holds her in his arms. But before Adam gets his hopes up, he knows he has to gauge his brothers’ reactions. Soon it’s evident that she’s the one.
There are a few problems, however—convincing her she belongs with them and keeping her safe from the man who wants her dead.
I'd bought Colters' Woman awhile ago, probably around when it first came out. Since I'm usually pretty bad about reading things right away, I didn't get to it until last night. And then I zipped through the whole thing. The story takes place in a short period of time, yet the romance did work for me. I'm not quite sure, but I'm gonna guess it's Banks' writing that does it. It just worked. Another thing I liked is that I didn't get much of the squicky incest thing since the three guys are brothers. It's a very hot story and moves along very quickly. Hmm...what didn't I like? Well, we don't get as in depth with the heroes since there are three of them, but I found myself not really caring and just going along with the story.
So, all in all, I liked the story and I will continue to read Maya Banks' stuff.
Blogger doesn't like me
I want tags. *pout* but blogger won't let me change to beta. Just now, it made it look like it was going to let me, then told me, oops, we won't let you. Grrr. I mean, I know beta probably isn't all that much better, but all the cool kids have it and I don't. I HATE being the last person to get to try new things. Hate it.
Understood by Maya Banks
When she breaks free from the bondage of her past, he’ll be waiting.
Jake Turner committed the ultimate mistake of falling in love with his best friend’s wife. The distance he puts between them costs both him and Ellie Matthews dearly. Jake will never forgive himself for not seeing what a bastard his friend was. Now that Ellie is free from her nightmare, Jake waits, needing and wanting. He’ll be there when Ellie is ready to spread her wings.
Title: Understood
Author: Maya Banks
Year published: Dec. 19, 2006
Why I picked up this book: Maya sent it.
Do I like the cover? Yes, I rather do.
Is this part of a series? I don’t think so.
What I enjoyed about the book: I really liked Jake and Ellie. I really wanted them to live happily ever after. And well, it's a rather nice hot book, too. It's quite a nice little sexy contemporary. And for being a novella, it didn't seem rushed or too short. And some may think the ending a bit too pat, I rather enjoyed it and thought it worked.
What I didn’t like about the book? There really wasn't much I didn't like. I breezed through the book last night and really enjoyed it. The only nitpicky thing I'd have would have been some of the language used during the sex scenes, but really, that's a very personal preference. It didn't stop me from enjoying the story at all.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? Not a new to me author and I'll definitely read more of her books.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? Keeping it since it's an ebook.
Orphans of Chaos by John C. Wright
Synopsis stolen from this Wikipedia entry:
Five orphans who have spent their lives living in a strict secretive British boarding school begin to discover that they are different from the other children that they so rarely see. As the story progresses, these five discover that the patrons of the school and their own guardians are not the English lords that they have claimed to be. Instead these adults represent strange powers from far removed locales. Their curiosity is further peaked when they learn that they themselves possess unique paranormal abilities.
The story largely concerns the main characters investigations and discoveries about an otherworldly power struggle, and their place within it.
Title: Orphans of Chaos
Author: John C. Wright
Year published: 2005 (paperback Oct. 31, 2006)
Why I picked up this book: I liked the cover. Was an impulse buy at the bookstore.
Do I like the cover? Yes, it’s the reason I picked the book up.
Is this part of a series? Yes, it’s the first in a series.
What I enjoyed about the book: I liked all the mythology that’s woven in and the way that you really don’t quite know what’s going on. I purposely stayed away from any information on the book so that I wouldn’t get any spoilers. It’s a bizarre book, yet I really enjoyed it. It’s told in first-person from Amelia’s point of view, but because of how the story is, you’re never quite sure what’s real and what isn’t because things really aren’t as they seem. Or aren’t what they seem to not be. Overall I liked much of the book. Enough to try to read the sequel someday.
What I didn’t like about the book: Well, it does rather end on a cliff-hanger and it can get slow and overly wordy at times. I would imagine it might be more confusing to someone who wasn’t very up on their mythology, but I knew enough to get a lot of it, perhaps most of it.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? This author is new to me and I was intrigued enough to read more.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? I’m going to keep it for now.
It's been a long time since he's been up here
And so here's a Gambit pic for your viewing pleasure. It was taken with my new camera. Not as good as the bigger Canon, but not bad for a compact camera.
And yes, he's still rather wide around the middle.
And yes, he's still rather wide around the middle.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Title: Ella Enchanted
Author: Gail Carson Levine
Year published: 1997
Why I picked up this book: It looked cute and short and just the perfect thing to read during lunch.
Do I like the cover? Eh, this version is nothing to write home about.
Is this part of a series? Er, don’t think so.
What I enjoyed about the book: Ella Enchanted is a really cute book. I love fairy tales, so this was a great book to read. It definitely kept my attention as I ate my lunch and read. I loved how Ella handled all the various crazy things that got thrown at her during the course of the book. And I enjoyed how the curse was finally broken in the end. It was very fitting.
What I didn’t like about the book? Can’t think of anything I didn’t like.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? Levine is new to me, but I’ll look out for more of her work.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? Passing it on.
Princess at Sea by Dawn Cook
One day Tess was the crown princess of Costenopolie, and the next she discovered she was a beggar’s child, reared as a decoy to keep the real princess safe from assassins. But Tess’s flair for politics, self-defense, and shopping—and her recently discovered magical powers—thwarted the kingdom’s enemies and restored the real princess to the throne.
Now, she dons an ambassador’s robe to help Costenopolie put its best foot forward—and to keep the newly crowned queen from tripping over her own...
Assigned to chaperone Queen Contessa and her new husband on their honeymoon voyage, Tess spends more time playing referee between the temperamental pair. Before another battle royal can erupt, a storm forces the ship to drop anchor where another vessel is similarly stranded—and Tess finds her heart stranded between a roguish cardsharp and a disturbingly attractive army captain.
But Tess’s potential suitors are the least of her worries. The crew of the neighboring anchored ship reveal themselves to be pirates and abduct the royal couple for ransom—unaware that Tess’s magic is the real treasure in their midst...
Title: Princess at Sea
Author: Dawn Cook (who I’ve heard is also Kim Harrison)
Year published: 2006
Why I picked up this book: I liked The Decoy Princess and this is the sequel.
Do I like the cover? Sure.
Is this part of a series? Yup, it’s the second in the series.
What I enjoyed about the book: I liked learning more about Tess and her world. There are some great characters. There’s not quite as much political stuff in this book, but it’s still there and done well. I can’t wait to see what is going to happen to Tess next since some rather interesting things happen at the end of Princess at Sea.
What I didn’t like about the book? Nothing really. It’s a fun book and I’m glad I picked it up.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? Not a new author and I’ll read more.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? It was a library book, so it’s going back.
With Nine You Get Vanyr by Teri Smith and Jean Marie Ward
How much would you give to live your fantasy? Think fast—your Wishstone is waiting.
At Atlanta’s Dragon-Con, nine fan girls make a wish on the mysterious ancient artifact known as the Wishstone and find themselves transported to the world that inspired their favorite TV series. Only the show couldn’t begin to prepare them for the real thing.
Domain is a world without change, frozen in a time of magic and superstition, where the immortal sons of the goddess Reyah fight a never-ending war—mostly with themselves. Reyah doesn’t seem to care. The way she sees it, her boys will be boys. They’ll settle down once they meet the right girls.
But Earth girls aren’t that easy. They’ve got serious issues with this gig. They like their computers, cell phones, double-ply toilet paper.
And they don’t believe in fate.
Welcome to Domain.
Title: With Nine You Get Vanyr
Author: Teri Smith and Jean Marie Ward
Year/Date published: Nov. 7, 2006
Why I picked up this book: It looked interesting.
Do I like the cover? Yeah, it’s not too bad.
Is this part of a series? I honestly don’t know.
What I enjoyed about the book: I liked the idea behind the story. It’s different and sounded like something that would be interesting. And most of the time it succeeds. It’s an interesting world.
What I didn’t like about the book? At times it seemed to get bogged down with way too much going on. Lots of characters and while they usually weren’t hard to keep track of, it would have been nice for there to be more focus on fewer characters than there was. I mean, there was more focus on two characters, but not much. And the reading was slow going. I’ve had this on my iPaq for awhile and reading a bit at night for what seemed like a long time. So not as fast-paced as it could be.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? They are new-to-me authors.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? Since it’s an ebook, I’ll be keeping it.
Looks To Die For by Janice Kaplan
Title: Looks To Die For
Author: Janice Kaplan
Year published: 2007
Why I picked up this book: ARC came in at work and it looked interesting. I’m a sucker for getting to read books early.
Do I like the cover? Eh, it’s okay, but kinda silly.
Is this part of a series? I don’t think it is, but who knows?
What I enjoyed about the book: It’s a rather fun, quirky cozy mystery/chick lit. Set in upper class L.A. society as the wife of a prominent plastic surgeon has to clear his name. Lots of name dropping, but it worked for the story and didn’t bother me. Nothing deep here, but as a fun mystery, it worked pretty well.
What I didn’t like about the book? Well, it IS a bit shallow, but that’s not really a problem. So there really wasn’t much I didn’t like. It’s just what it looks like, a cute, fun mystery. No blood and guts here.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? New-to-me author and I don’t know if I’ll read anything more by this author. Only if I find something else that sounds interesting.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? I’m passing it on. I didn’t feel the need to keep it, so back on the shelf it will go.
Author: Janice Kaplan
Year published: 2007
Why I picked up this book: ARC came in at work and it looked interesting. I’m a sucker for getting to read books early.
Do I like the cover? Eh, it’s okay, but kinda silly.
Is this part of a series? I don’t think it is, but who knows?
What I enjoyed about the book: It’s a rather fun, quirky cozy mystery/chick lit. Set in upper class L.A. society as the wife of a prominent plastic surgeon has to clear his name. Lots of name dropping, but it worked for the story and didn’t bother me. Nothing deep here, but as a fun mystery, it worked pretty well.
What I didn’t like about the book? Well, it IS a bit shallow, but that’s not really a problem. So there really wasn’t much I didn’t like. It’s just what it looks like, a cute, fun mystery. No blood and guts here.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? New-to-me author and I don’t know if I’ll read anything more by this author. Only if I find something else that sounds interesting.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? I’m passing it on. I didn’t feel the need to keep it, so back on the shelf it will go.
Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter
Title: Blindsighted
Author: Karin Slaughter
Year published: 2002
Why I picked up this book: I’ve been meaning to read some of Karin Slaughter’s books for awhile now. So when I saw this one at work, I put it on my shelf. I’ve been reading it the past couple lunch breaks.
Do I like the cover? It’s not bad, but nothing special.
Is this part of a series? I believe it’s the first in a series starring Sara Linton and Jeffrey Tolliver.
What I enjoyed about the book: I really liked how well the suspense and action was handled. It’s not until the end that you know who the bad guy is. It’s a truly crazy book and I definitely enjoyed it. All of the characters are well done and I can’t wait to read about them in the next book.
What I didn’t like about the book: Nothing, really. It was a fun ride and I’ll definitely be reading more.
Is this a new-to-me author and would I read something by this author again? Karin Slaughter was new to me and I’ll definitely be reading more.
Am I keeping it or passing it on? I’m passing it on. I read it at work and as good as it is, I doubt I’d read it again anytime soon.
Sunday
Not much going on today. Day off. Spending it with Nick. Ran some errands and did a bit of baking.
Still reading. Reading Orphans of Chaos by John Wright and it's a bizarre one. Halfway through the book and still don't quite know what's going on, yet I have decided not to read anything about the book to avoid spoilers. Also picked up No Rest For the Wicked by Kresley Cole, The Spider Stone by Alex Archer, Pleasure for Pleasure by Eloisa James (I'm a sucker for punishment), and Sleeping With the Fishes by MaryJanice Davidson. Also got Ratcatcher by James McGee.
Off to relax some more. Nick's making supper and it smells really good.
Still reading. Reading Orphans of Chaos by John Wright and it's a bizarre one. Halfway through the book and still don't quite know what's going on, yet I have decided not to read anything about the book to avoid spoilers. Also picked up No Rest For the Wicked by Kresley Cole, The Spider Stone by Alex Archer, Pleasure for Pleasure by Eloisa James (I'm a sucker for punishment), and Sleeping With the Fishes by MaryJanice Davidson. Also got Ratcatcher by James McGee.
Off to relax some more. Nick's making supper and it smells really good.
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