Favorite Reads of 2011

This year I challenged  myself to read at least 200 books. Now for some bibliophiles this is a paltry number but I thought it be realistic. I have always been an avid reader but I never thought about how to track the many books that I'd read in any given year. I have become quite active with Goodreads.com and also with sharing my thought about books with others here on this page (not that too many people care about what I have to say). Since beginning the challenge, I have read books by some of my favorite authors, people I have never heard of and some that I haven't read in a long time. Part of the reason that I have been exposed to so many different authors is the Kindle. In November 2010, I gave one to myself as an early  birthday present and it was one of the best gifts I have even received.  I have access to books on my wish list and books by authors unknown to me; some of which I have become fans of.   even with the Kindle, however, the best books I have read this year have been in  print form:  The Shack, Jane Eyre,  One Day and The Help.  Funny how these books were ones that I had been putting off  reading because of their popularity and mass appeal.  Most of the books that I read are of the many romance genres, so it no surpirse about why I loved all of these books.   Each book was based on a different romacntic principle but it was the powerful emotions, truth of words, and beuty of language that have kept thse books in mind throughout this year.

 

I read The Shack after seeing a co-worker reading it and hearing her praise the message that could be found there. Ironically, this was a person whom I had had a few tense words with on more than one occasion.  I don't think I will ever stop talking about who I met in this book.  

When I was in high school, I looked at the tome that was Jane Eyre and decided that I would take a shorter route to reading this book.  Even in college and after, I tried again to attack this book. No go.  Finally,  I relented when I found out that there was a new movie adaptation of the novel coming out (Spring 2011) I relented and downloaded a copy to my Kindle. What I found was one of the most romantic novels ever written and I wanted to kick my high school self in the toukas for not reading it back then.  

I saw the trailers for One Day, I knew I had to see this movie. And then to my dismay, I recalled that this was also a book that I refused to read (I don't even know why).  But since I have a serious girl crush on Anne Hathaway, I knew that I would have to read the book before being able to see the film version. I have real issue with seeing a move based on a book that I haven't read ; another symptom of being a bibliophile.  Such beauty of language, humor and one of the best love stories I have read.  One review I read on the book remarked that it wasn't that romantic because there wasn't the expected HEA. Oh, what fools these mortals be.

Truth be told, I had no real desire to read a book, written by a white woman,  about  Black servants living in Mississippi during the Civil Rights era. My phantom memories of the period have kept me guarded and wary of what the other side thinks.  I read this book after getting the recommendation from  one of my high school teachers. The Help has been elevated, for me, to the level of The Color Purple in terms of womanist fiction.  I can't really say if that was Stockett's intention but that the way I read it.   Often our exposure to the discussion of race in fiction is focused on the male or family experience; The Help is a unique look at how it affects woman in particular.  Another book that shall have permanent shelf space.

As the  new year comes, I already have an eye out for books that will be coming out by my favorite authors but I am also awaiting what I will find in the stacks. Books that I have looked over and forgotten or maybe never even discovered.  Already I have The Read Tent, A Reliable Wife, Things Fall Apart collecting friendly dust in my bedroom. And since books don't expire, no doubt I will find some others just as deserving of a  new reader.

Holiday Fantasy: Finding the Right Key\'Round Midnight\Blind Faith by Adrianne Byrd


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I really thought I was going to love all three of the novellas in this volume. Byrd, Hill and Perrin are some of my favorite authors, but sad to say, only one of there three really made it worth while to read. Finding the Right Key by Adrianne Byrd was hot, funny and I wished it was a full length book; Round Midnight by Donna Hill was a nice, slightly sexy story; and Blind Faith was cute but weird and unfulfilling.




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Sweet Destiny by Rochelle Alers


My rating: 4 of 5 stars







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Cowboy Casanova by Lorelei James


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Based on the description of this book, I thought that this would be the sexiest of the Rough Rider series...not so. Surprisingly, Cowboy Casanova was one of the more emotionally charged books of the series. Ben McKay has been keeping his dating and sexuality away from the prying eyes of the huge McKay family and anyone who has anything to do with them. He's a Dom and knows that he'll be harshly judged for his lifestyle. And he is. Being the quiet middle child, Ben has always felt that he has been on the outside and needed to find some part of his life that he can control and in his world as a Dom, he's at the top of the food chain.


Ben meets with an unexpected challenge in Ainsley Hamilton. She gets invited to the sex club where Ben frequents and they are instantly attracted. Ben pushes Ainsley to her sexual and emotional limits with his control of her. But for the first time, Ben wants something different and he doesn't know what to do about it. As much control as he exhibits, Ben is still quite vulnerable to his family and the few people he counts as friends.


As hot as this book is, it did not singe the edges of my Kindle as I had expected. Of the series, All Jacked Up, Tied Up, Tied Down and Branded as Trouble made me want to blush while reading them; Cowboy Casanova seemed tame by comparison. Still a good book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Glad to see some old faces and be introduced to some new ones as well.




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Winning the Wallflower: A Novella by Eloisa James


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In anticipation of The Duke is Mine (12/27), Eloisa James has penned a wonderful novella about one Lucy Towerton's engagement to the most eligible and inappropriate bachelor in London: Cyrus Ravensthorpe. Lucy has been on the shelf for three years and when Ravensthorpe approaches her father, a marriage contract is signed and Lucy delivered. Cyrus has had a rough life living on the outside of polite society all due to his mother, the daughter of a duke, marrying the most famous barrister in England. So Cyrus plans to make himself a respectable marriage to a wallflower to gain his family’s entrance back into the ballrooms of the Ton. Lucy, however, has a few different ideas after her dire financial straits straighten themselves out in the form of an inheritance and now she is one of the most sought after heiresses of the Season. The engagement comes to an end but not before Lucy gets her kiss and Cyrus gets his comeuppance. Lucy is no shrinking violet (flower reference intended) and makes Cyrus change his mind about why he wants her to be his bride.


I love (can’t say Lucy right here) the chemistry that these two have. Like most James’ characters, these two enjoy some of the wittiest banter that can found in romantic fiction. Also, I love that her heroines find a better way to manage their own lives and demand that the men in their lives come up to scratch. Wonderful segue into The Duke is Mine which will be available 12/27. Pay close attention to Olivia and Rupert…you’ll be seeing them again.






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Wyoming Tough by Diana Palmer


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another surprise by Diana Palmer. I have had along and varied affair with Diana Palmer's books. I don't like all of them but I keep reading them. This book was a surprise because I finally met a female character who wasn't playing the victim but woman trying to take charge of her life. Morie wants to learn all she can about ranching and her father is not going to let her anywhere near branding or riding fence lines, so she leaves Texas and heads to Montana and gets a job on a ranch run by three brothers. While she doesn't immediately fall for the boss, Mallory, you can see it coming. Morie is one tough cookie and I like that about her. Good story.




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All Caught Up by Sophia Shaw


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Sexy read about a matchmaker finding the perfect mate for a client....turns out that she is the perfect woman. The cover alone is reason enough to take a chance on this book.




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Capital Wives by Rochelle Alers


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was a little skeptical about this book in the beginning and then I was wishing that the book could go on for a few more chapters. As a avid watcher of the Housewives reality series I was worried that this book would piggyback off of some of those subject lines. What I found was a fresh take on the lives of some pretty powerful women in D.C. Bethany, Deanna and Marisol find themselves connected by their powerful husbands and manage to forge real friendships.

Bethany is the mistress turned wife. She has the life she set out to have but something is missing. Her stepdaughter is wreaking havoc in her household, she's gaining weight and her older, but devoted, husband seems to be clueless to it all.

Deanna seems to be leading a charmed life as a popular event planner with the lawyer husband. But soon her husband's infidelity (and hers) comes to threaten their marriage.

Marisol is the most likeable one of the trio. Even after marrying into Washington royalty, Marisol stays true to herself but little things are showing her that her husband is not who he seems to be. He's been lying to her from the beginning and it only takes an outsider one meeting to recognize that something is very wrong.

I am very fond of Rochelle Alers writing and this book is one of her best single title novels. A thoroughly enjoyable book that will leave you looking for additional pages. I just wish there was more. Hopefully?





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Indigo by Beverly Jenkins: E-book Release

Beverly Jenkins has made so many of her fans VERY happy. Indigo is being released as an e-book.  OMG! This is was the first historical novel featuring African-Americans as its main characters that I had ever read and I have been hooked on Ms. Beverly's books since then.  I'm so excited to read (again) about Underground Railroad conductor, Hester Wyatt and Galen Vachon.  Hester is a former slave and Galen comes from a wealthy Black family who has never shared in that particular shame. Their story is so heart-breaking ( I can remember crying while reading this). Truly one of the best romance novels I have ever read.

 Ms. Beverly  liberally peppers her books with historical facts and events, not just the setting as found with some historical novels, which helps modern readers connect with a both rich and painful past. I so cannot wait for this book to be released.

Current paperback pricing for this book is $19.95 at Amazon.com.   I believe the ebook pricing will be $4.99  (don't hold me to it). Also by Beverly Jenkins: Night Hawk (2011), Night Song (1994) , Topaz (2007), Before the Dawn (2001).

Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Quite a delicious read.


Here was another one of those books, by an author I love, that I slept on. I couldn’t bring myself to read this book for a long time after hearing about the anticipation and reading, more than a few, reviews from other readers. Call Me Irresistible was not a book that I would recommend to every reader and only because it is not a standalone title. If you missed Fancy Pants, First Lady, Glitter Baby, and Lady Be Good, then you might want to leave this book alone for a while. I have read all of these books and still need to go back and reacquaint myself with the characters (all of which will be found in CMI).

The book starts with a wedding, featuring Ted Beaudine (Fancy Pants), Meg Koranda (Glitter Baby), and Lucy Jorik (First Lady). The Book ends with a wedding, featuring Ted Beaudine, Meg Koranda , and Lucy Jorik . Though at the second wedding, the actress playing the bride has been changed. After Lucy leaves Ted at the altar, the town of Wynette blames Meg for breaking the heart of its golden boy, Ted Beaudine. As much as I found the adoration of Ted, there were too many holes in the story for me to rate this as a really fantastic book. Maybe it was assumes that I was up to date on my SEP novels and would be able to remember all of the characters and the connections to this book. I couldn’t remember if Ted, Lucy and Meg had been such well-developed characters in other books that I should have been able to recall them in this book.

Anyway, after the disaster at the altar Ted allows himself to lay his troubles at Meg’s feet and treat her like dirt for a good portion of the book. And whatever Ted does, the people of Wynette are doomed to follow and they, too, treat Meg like old cat litter. At some point, Ted gives in to his attraction to Meg (which no one saw coming) and decides that he likes her enough to at least, have sex with her; though by this time, Meg is already sure that she is super attracted to her nemesis. Meg endures menial jobs, a stalker and a billionaire with eight hands. The best part of this book and what saves it for me is the banter between Meg and Ted. This is the delicious part and worth of all the uncertainty of not knowing characters that you think you should know. Of course, there is HEA (after all, this is romance).






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Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


OK. So, I might be back in love with Kristan Higgans. I loved this book. A neurotic hero who is borderline obsessive compulsive is not common in romance, but it works here. Liam Murphy is a guy with some serious issues and it's refreshing to see how he deals with them. And Posey Osterhagen is the ugly duckling that never quite made it to swan status. She is the adopted daughter of some pretty tall, Germanic people and finds herself lacking. At some in their youth, Posey overheard Liam say some pretty nasty things about her and she has been scarred by his words ever since. But now, widowed Liam has moved back and Posey finds it hard not to fall for him all over again.


In true Higgans fashion, the secondary characters are awesome. Posey is surrounded by her gay brother-in-law, her jock best friend Kate, her German parents, and Vietnamese brother. I loved this book.




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The Next Always by Nora Roberts


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Something about the working man characters of Nora Roberts. Recall the Quinn’s of Chesapeake Bay and the Gallagher’s of Ireland; these are men who are hardworking, loyal, and handsome and just plain, good. The Montgomery’s of BoonsBoro, Maryland are much the same type of men. I can’t lie: this book was a bit slow for me coming out of the starting block. I might have been expecting the grab of Chasing Fire or the instance of romance in Vision in White. I wasn’t sure why I would be going with this book and laid my Kindle the side several times before I began to fall a bit for Beckett, Ryder, and Owen. As a reader, you will fall for the men in this series rather than the women (even the little men). Apparently, Beckett Montgomery has been walking around BoonsBoro for the better part of his life, waiting for the one woman he could not have---Clare Murphy Brewster. I don’t think he even realized that he had been waiting for her until her had her. There’s a serious love connection going on here but the real romance is not Beckett and Clare…it’s the Inn BoonsBoro that the Montgomery’s are building that makes this book so delicious.


While I was reading and discovering this book, I became like the lady from 30 Rock: I want to go to there. This Inn is themed and feature rooms based on literary characters: Elizabeth and Darcy, Nick and Nora, Oberon and Titania, etc. I was instantly in love and enjoyed reading about this place this place that I secretly hoped was a reality. Roberts has this way of making the setting a major character of her novels and the first book is always just the hook you need to draw you into waiting more than six months for the second installment. I think The Last Boyfriend comes out in May of 2012 (really!) Again, with the anticipation. A good book for a cup of tea, a blanket and a chilly day.






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Deadly Desires by Ann Christopher


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Great book but not a standalone title. Deadly Pursuits should be read first in order to understand who the characters are and their motivations. Apparently, Kira Gregory has been helping DEA Special Agent Dexter Brady to bring her drug kingpin husband down. Agent Brady has been holding back his feelings for the criminal's wife but once Kareem Gregory is dead, nothing can hold him back any longer. However. Kira has a few more skeletons in her closet that will make Dexter question his judgement.


Since I just met Kira in this book, I have to withhold judgement of her. She is the wife a drug kingpin but claims not to have known what her husband was doing for most of their marriage. Though she is a strong female characters, I need to find more about her in order to like her. Once I have gone back to read Deadly Pursuit, I might have to revisit and change my opinions of this book.




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The Qwillery: 2011 Blogversary Giveaways!

The Qwillery: 2011 Blogversary Giveaways!: I started The Qwillery as a general blog on October 1, 2008. In the last 3 months of 2008, I posted 19 times. In 2009, the number increased ...

Only Us: A Fool's Gold Holiday by Susan Mallery


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Awww. I love a good love story, especially at Christmas.




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Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Let me begin by saying that I love the Virgin River series and when Denny Cutler first arrived there, I was dying to hear the rest of his story. However, after reading Bring Me Home for Christmas, I think I could have waited. I did not feel as if this story fit in with the rest of the series: the characters that avid followers have come to love have become peripheral, no real build of emotion and tension. Almost as if the relationship between Denny and Becca was a forgone conclusion and nothing else needed to be added. One of the things that I have come to love about this series is the secondary stories and lead-ins to future books; I got none of that here. This could have been a standalone novel.


The book is basically about the girl that got away. Denny left Becca to return to Iraq and she moved on without him. After a few years, she has begun to date a law student and it’s leading to marriage but before a proposal can be made, Becca decides to piggyback with her brother on a guys-only hunting trip. Really? Denny doesn’t know she’s coming and all the old feelings come right back. Throw in a broken ankle, a rival, and close quarters and the couple is once again, a couple. Denny decides to quit working at the farm and follow Becca back to San Diego. Did I mention that he quit his job? This doesn’t seem like the same Denny that we’ve been reading about.


I just couldn’t make the connection with this book. After having read all of the previous novels in this series, I guess it was time for the law of averages to kick in. I think I would have liked this book if it had been a single title; definitely not Virgin River material.






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Holiday Hearts by A.C. Arthur


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Scrouge is a woman. A young woman, who has been scarred by her parents bitter divorce. Keysa Donovan has been so affected by her parent's break-up during the holdiays, that she refuses to celebrate Christmas at all. But there is someone looking out for her and waiting to restore her faith in family, love and the true spirit of the season.


Ian Sanchez has been jonesin' for Keysa ever since becoming a director at the marketing firm where she works and at nearly very turn, she has managed to keep him at a distance. Not anymore. This man is determined to make her see that she can't always live inside of her mother's pain and must start to live for herself. Though Keysa is now a grown woman, she is still taking sides in her parents failed relationship and doesn't speak with her father. This has also the reason why she tries to keep Ian at arms length. After spending time with Ian and realizing that he means a lot to her, Keysa decides speak to her parents and understand what happened to them will not happen to her. I would have loved for her to be so over this but it is a novella and only so much can be done and I don't think I could have stood her whining for a full novel. I was rooting for her to "take the man and run."


This was a good holiday treat about the healing power of forgiveness.




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Books Don't Expire....

I read a lot a book reviews on new books...Books by authors I've never heard of; which make me wants to read them. But what about the books that have been out for a few months or years that I haven't read? I find that I only rush out to get a newly published book when it is part of a series that  I have been waiting on for some time. Even new books by authors I love have a waiting period of a few months to a a year because I'm already working on a hefty stack.  I just read A Lady Most Likely by Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, and  Connie Brockway  last night and it came out in January 2011. I ahppen to love all three of these authors and and added the book to my TBR immediately after reading of its release. I downloaded The Hangman's Daughter  to my Kindle and have not even thought to begin reading it; so that means that I will be reviewing it several months from now.   But still, I'm reading everyday. Sometimes I read several books in one day. But they are not newly minted titles.
 Does anyone care that I read and review older titles? I don't know. Maybe there are other people like me who read in a constant stream and have a endless stack of all the books I have been meaning to get to.  Right now in my TBR pile I have: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick,  The Darkest Lie by Gena Showalter,  Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass,  Corralled by Lorelei James, Too Hot to Handle by Robin Kaye,  and Snowfall on Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs ( not including those I just picked up from the local library).   A few of those titles are part of a series and I ahev already read the newest installment. Weird. I know.
The point is: I read what I like ...and when I get around to it.  Books don't go bad. If they did, Hamlet and Native Son wouldn't be on anyone's high school reading list.

Guarding His Body by A.C. Arthur


My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Lorenzo "Renny" Bennett has been getting death threats from an unknown source. As he is a artist, he is unconcerned and tries to move on with his life. His wealthy family has different ideas and hires Sabrina Dedune as a bodyguard to protect Renny from his stalker. Renny takes one look at the petite ex-Marine and dismisses her ability to keep him out of trouble. They are immediately attracted to each other but his playboy reputation and her own personal issues with men is making it really hard for them to be professional. Though there is a real threat to Renny's life, I could not, for the life of me, figure out what it was. Too many variables : ex-girlfriends mixed with corporate espionage and a social climbing business partner. What was really the issue here? I just couldn't understand.


The story would have been a lot better with a simpler (or clearer) plot line. I know there are a limited number of pages but I can at least expect to understand the flow of the book. The developing relationship and sexual attraction between Renny and Sabrina over powered the story. As I have read other of Arthur's books, I am not too bothered by the one book I didn't care for.




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Cowboy by Staci Stallings


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I haven’t been reading Christian fiction for a long time, mainly because some of them become preachy and I don’t want a sermon with my romance. I do, however, appreciate different points of view. My reading of Cowboy was thoroughly entertaining and endearing and I didn’t miss out on any of the romance.


This is a story about a man who feels like he is outside of God’s Grace and has nothing to live for. Ashton Raines is the hottest country music star in America but has lost his passion for the music. With each passing night it comes more of a chore to go out on stage and give the fans a performance worth the ticket price and on a rainy night he turns off the highway and finds the one person who understands exactly what it means to lose everything. That person is Beth, single mother working at the diner where Ashton ends up. Beth immediately knows that something is wrong with the man who steps in from out of the rain. She becomes his lifeline and prays for him daily and even through her pain she prays for him. Shows him that in order to heal, all he has to do is trust and open his heart to God and He’ll take care of the rest. Ashton must turn his life around if he is to survive and he faces all the challenges of life a musician on the road that are, by design, meant to lead him away from her.


I was fell completely in love with these characters who try to stay faithful and move through tragedy. These aren’t portrayals of people with perfect lives; rather, they are people who worry about where the next meal is coming from and how they will make it through the next day. There are wonderful little stories about how God uses unknown people and situations to save you; leading you to where He needs you to be to receive His blessings. Very good read with a wonderful HEA.






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Lust on the Rocks by Dianne Venetta


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Samantha Rawings is the roughest, toughest, rootin’, tootin-est, shootin’-est lawyer on South Beach and looks model-perfect while doing it. On the fast track to partner she’s not about to let the new guy take over the case that could get her the brass ring. If you’ve read Dianne Venetta’s previous book, Jennifer’s Garden, then you will recognize Sam as Jennifer’s martini drinking best friend. I thought that Sam’s characterization was one of the better parts of the book and now here is her story in Lust on the Rocks. As Sam is about to try the case of her career, her boss strongly suggests that she allow a new associate of the firm to become part of her legal team. Though she allows Victor Marin access to her team, she is still wary and thinks that he has something to hide. She is also very attracted to the man, nearly ten years her junior. (If you remember her Sam from Jennifer’s Garden, you will recall that Sam is a no holds barred kind of woman). Pretty soon, Sam and Vic give in to each other and try to forge out a relationship while butting heads about the best way to win a wrongful death suit. Sam and Vic go through some real life struggles reconciling their personal morals and professional ethics which made the characters seem real and not just romantic cookie cutter pieces. Vic keeping something from Sam having to do with his personal involvement with the case and Sam’s sister is trying to figure out what to do about an unexpected pregnancy. This book is super sexy without being raunchy and romantic without being sappy.


Here comes the but…..


Since this is a sequel, one would expect to have the reappearance of characters that were featured in previous books. Right? What happened to Jennifer’s fiancé, Jackson Montgomery? I know the guy was a free spirit and wanted to explore the world, but did he fall from the face of the Earth? I kept wondering, chronologically, where this action was taking place because in Jennifer’s Garden, Sam was tending to another of her sisters after the death of her husband. I know this story wasn’t about Jennifer or Jackson but Jennifer was in the book but never once mentioned Jackson or his whereabouts. All in all, I like this book so much more than I did Jennifer’s Garden. Sam didn’t do much whining and, surely, didn’t apologize for who she was. Great book.






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Split Second by Catherine Coulter


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Ever read a book from a favored author and found that it wasn’t the best you’d ever read? Did you feel let down? Or just glad that the series was moved along with another book? Well, I’ve had such an experience with Split Second, the latest installment of Catherine Coulter’s FBI series. Rationale and the Law of Averages suggest that I can’t have an awesome book every time, but I still have hope with each new printing. The idea of the book was great and I was caught immediately in the chase of the daughter of a prolific and infamous killer and also the mystery in the life of another FBI agent. Of course, Savich and Sherlock are back but their roles are more supporting than in previous books. I don’t know if I like that as I have gotten used to them being in the forefront at all times.


Somehow, I missed the action in this book. The timeline of the book says everything happened in under two weeks, the action and intensity just weren’t there, even when chasing a serial killer. Also, I missed the sinister mood that Coulter usually evokes with her books. I mean, I’m reading about the daughter of one of the world’s most known killers and I don’t feel like she is coming for me. Also, what was the story with the aunt? That went nowhere; just left me wondering if I needed to read a few chapters over again. I just didn’t feel the urgency with this book. And the side story of agent Lucy Carlyle……just felt under developed and, in the end, unfinished. The thing paranormal connection just wasn’t there, not in the way that it had been with Hemlock Bay with the Satanist twins.


I know this sounds a bit ironic but I did like this book…only not as much as I thought I should. Does that make sense? I have been reading the FBI series since The Cove and The Maze and will continue to read as long as Ms. Coulter chooses to write them.






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#nowreading....

Split Second by Catherine Coulter




What if one of the most infamous killers of all time had a child that no one knew about?





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Night Hawk by Beverly Jenkins


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Beverly Jenkins is the best at what she does. Her depth of research is amazing. Each time I read another one of her historicals, I want to travel back in time to find and marry one of those men. Her books are not just about a pair of lovers but about people finding love in perilous times.


The story of Ian Vance and Maggie Freeman will take you a on very nice ride from jail house to whore house, and a few other interesting places in between. As usual, the book is well written with humor, sensuality, historical references and great characters. Definitely a worthwhile read.






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The Soldier by Grace Burrowes


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I had an inkling of what was going to happen at the end but I like to journey to get there. Devlin St. Just was an interesting and intriguing character from The Heir but I don't think Burrowes did him any justice in this book. Most of what the man was about came too late in the book and that makes for a longer read. Burrowes writes lovely books, it just seems that some things are out of place or missing and I kept waiting for some action. On the part of Emmie Farnum, here is another woman intent on leaving for the good of everyone. Let me just say, Regency women were brave as hell to uproot themselves in a time when being a single women without means could get you shunned, ridiculed, possibly stones (Oh wait, that still happens). And I didn't like the fact that she was so passive about Winnie until Devlin came into the picture and then she became a mother bear.


I guess I expected more from the second book; just wanted more MORE.








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The Heir by Grace Burrowes


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Inching towards 5 stars for this book. This was a thoroughly enjoyable book and one of the most complete historical novels I've read in a long time. This book had been on a perpetual TBR list and I was finally able to have The Heir and The Soldier (haven’t read yet) together so that I would be able to read in sequence. For fans of regency romance this is wonderful example of witty language and just enough sexiness to keep you turning pages.


Gayle Windham, Earl of Westhaven is being plagued by his father to begat an heir; so much so that the Duke of Moreland has planted spies inside his son’s residence, bribes his mistress, and blackmails women into betrothals. His Grace reminds me of Prince Charming father from Cinderella. In fact, there are more than a few parallels to be drawn from that fairy tale. Anna Seaton is playing at being the best housekeeper in Mayfair and when the Earl appears to take up residence, the two of them become most intimate. She has been changing houses and looking over her shoulder, hiding from a mysterious enemy. Their relationship seamlessly turns into affection and neither one of them is trying to deny their mutual attraction.


This book took several days to read and I almost gave up because it seemed as if I was always reading the same thing (due to the length of the book, of course). Also, I think the author assumed that we were a part of her creative process because I had to keep re-reading the beginning to understand where the story was going. I loved Devlin (The Soldier) Valentine., and Morgan. A wonderful read and I can’t wait to begin on The Soldier: Devlin St.Just is an interesting character and can’t wait to see what happens with him.






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Library Run....

Found these at the Dallas Public Library 10/26/2011

Split Second by Catherine Coulter
The Good Stuff by Michelle Stimpson
The Lady Most Likely by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, Connie Brockway
A Creed Country Christmas by Linda Lael Miller
How Sweet the Sound by Jacquelin Thomas, Francis Ray, Felicia Mason

Deadly Double by Adrianne Byrd


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Finished with my re-read of Deadly Double. That bitch was crazy...Yeah I said it.


Josephine Farrell has a twin. An evil twin with some very calculated ideas about how she plans to take over her sister's life. Michelle Andrews was the child that was left to chance and she wants to have her chance at the good life and is willing to kill Josephine to get it. I love reading Adrianne Byrd's books and re-reading this book was a treat. I actually purchased it for my Kindle before I realized that I had already read the book. Of course, I requested a refund and then found my copy. With this book, Byrd combines a good mystery with a timeless love story of Josephine and William's youthful summer love affair.

This time around though, I found a few gaps in the story (or maybe I skipped over some parts). But I would have loved to have learned more about what happened to Michelle to make her into a deranged killer and her mental similarities to her twin. This was one of the first books that I read by Adriane Byrd and, in hindsight; I liked the book better this time than the last. Worth a second glance.






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The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I wish I could give this book 3.5 stars. I liked this book a lot......However, there were just too many issues with the family to make this a true winner for me.


1. Family curse says that husbands will die young. So when Lucy's husband dies after eight months of marriage, she is destined to be a lifelong widow. Her sister Corrine is so obsessed with the curse that she drives her husband crazy. Lucy's worship at her dead husband's altar was getting on my nerves. At some point I just wanted her to stop and smell the red roses and yellow chrysanthemums (you'll understand) and get over herself.


2. Lucy's notion that she find a new man whom she would not love but be able to have a family with. Really? I am a lover of all things romantic but this was a bit much, even for me. The whole martyr thing was wearing on my nerve (I only have the one) half way through this book. And the whole time, Ethan (dead husband’s brother is right there waiting for her to notice is feelings for her. Which leads to issue #3…


3. Ethan. Ethan. Ethan. Ethan. Usually when there is a weaker heroine, the hero is there to counter her. Not so with Ethan; he was worse than Lucy with the whole martyr thing. Only this time, he is the martyr. The second son thing was getting old as well. JUST GET OVER IT ALREADY! Now, I know this does not move the literary vehicle along, but Ethan and Lucy were killing me. I thought that maybe he should just move on, find a new love, and establish a life out from the shadow of his brother and HEA.


The redeeming factor in this book was the supporting cast of characters: The Black Widows, Parker and Nicky and Ethan’s parents. They made this story into something enjoyable because without them, I would have stopped reading a long time ago. The idea of the story was good, it just took too much floundering? to get to the good part. Very entertaining and humorous, as is Higgans trademark, but not the best one I have read by her.






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Guilty Pleasure: Top Gear

 Every Monday night, I look forward to two events: Monday Night Football and Top Gear on BBC.  I have been an NFL junkie since I was a little girl but this fascination with British dudes and cars is something fairly new. My affair with Jeremy, James and Richard came about while watching old episodes of Torchwood and Keeping Up Appearances. Somehow these three enthusiasts have convinced car companies to give them access to concept cars, million dollar dream machines, and luxurious coaches. They take them through their paces on obstacle courses and race tracks for the sole purpose of seeing how they work and if they are as cool to drive as they look.  I am madly in love with this show: the right combination of engine oil and British-accented humor is enough to keep me coming back week after week.

Silence by Shusaku Endo



Be ready to be tested. This is a novel that addresses the complexities of faith, culture, and power. If you have ever wondered what happens to culture during religious converion this book will answer those questions. You will need your Bible, a journal  and some serious thinking time to get you through this one. Definetly a permanent place on my shelves.




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Reye's Gold by Ruthie Robinson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


One of the best IR I have read in a long time. Realy good story about the heartbreak of being in an IR relationship.




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A Light at Winter's End by Julia London


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I met Wyatt Clark in Summer of Two Wishes and although I sympathized with him, I wasn't that big a fan of the guy in the end. Truth be told, he received the worst smelling end of the stick when his wife left him for her first husband. Wyatt was destined to come out the loser; he couln't possibly fight against a war hero coming back to claim his bride. And now, after to years, Wyatt has come home and made himself into a hermit---only coming to town to sign checks and pick up his daughter.


Holly Fischer also comes home after her mother dies and her older sister drops her nephew at her doorstep and makes a run for it. Holly hasn't been on tea drinking terms with her family in ages and is placed in an impossible situation. She gives up what little life she has to go home and raise her year old nephew until her sister comes back. Only thing is, she falls in love: with he baby and Wyatt.


You can tell that this is going to end up badly for a few people when the book opens itself up. However, since it is wonderfully and emotionally written, the cliche doesn't even matter. You really begin to feel for this man who had everything that money could buy but lost his family. Wyatt and Holly slowly fall for one another and build a relationship when they both can see that things are destined to fall apart. Great story but I would have liked for the end to be a bit tidier. This is a one hanky book, unlike Summer of Two Wishes which rivaled a Nicholas Sparks book for tear factor.




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Chocolate Goodies by Jacquelin Thomas


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The story of Ransom and Coco has to be one of the best of the Kimani Romances that I have read. Romantic, sensual and endearing. The fact that Coco was able to give Ransom the one thing he longed for was awesome. She completed everything for him. Their relationship seemed real and not as melodramtic as some other romances can be. And Ransom sticking to his guns as a Christian man really showed what he was about. Loved every moment of it.




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Penumbra by Carolyn Haines


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I read this book several years ago as an Advanced Reader's Copy. I loved it from the very beginning to the end. I had never read anything by this author before and I hear that this book was actually a step away from her usual fare; I only wish that people had caught on to this one. I wanted there to be a sequel so bad that I kept looking for a follow-up for years. I hope that Haines does produce another book like this one.

If you liked The Help, you will love this book.



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Waking Up With the Duke by Lorraine Heath


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Sooooo loved this book. I adore historicals where the hero has a conscience and Ainsley is definitely that guy. He is asked by his best friend to commit the unspeakable and guilt will not let Ainsley deny him. This is just a damned good historical novel about a few people and doesn’t involve any political intrigue to cloud the story. If you're looking for a good, Victorian novel this is the one to read. Since I read this one out of order, I will be returning for the others to books in the series.




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Merciless by Diana Palmer

I have been reading about Long, Tall Texas and Jacobsville, Texas for a long time and this is the first time, in a long time, that I was pleased to be travelling back in the direction. Diana Palmer's books are like a lode stone: you can't stay away from them. As a fan, you already know the structure of the story and pretty much how everything goes down but you just keep on coming back. I picked up Merciless from the local library and thought "WTH?" I had been waiting to find out what was going on with Jon Blackhawk and Joceline for a long time. Palmer manages to create these larger than life men in her books that make you always come back for more. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was surprised that I liked the book so much. Jon Blackhawk and his administrative assistant Joceline have been verbal sparring partners for several years and they would be lost without one another. They have been dancing around each other for a long time and a killer on the loose is going to finally bring them together.




Joceline has been working as Jon Blackhawk's case cracking, non-coffee-making paralegal for five years and Jon still doesn't know very much about her. She keeps her life away from the office private and he has never met her young son. He can't seem to figure her out or his attraction to her. For Joceline, Jon is the ultimate untouchable man: he's handsome, rich and powerful. And he's her boss. She knows she can't have him in her life, so she keeps her feelings well hidden behind her insults and know-it-all attitude. I love the easy chemistry that these two have; nothing seems forced and they seem more like equals that someone Palmer's other characters. There are the economic differences but Joceline is no victim, as I felt some of Palmer's other female characters have been. When a man who Jon convicted is released from prison and threatens their lives, Joceline doesn’t t take this lying down. No curling up in a corner to cry, she tries to solve the crime. She makes a wonderful hero.

In true Diana Palmer fashion, the romance is grand and the sensuality milder than most modern romances. However, it is always a satisfying and appropriate. The last book I read by Palmer was Dangerous and I didn’t even finish it. It just seemed like too much of the same but I’m coming to realize that her formula works and works very well. This book was a nice change from my current reading trend of paranormals and super steamy novels.

Re-read of the week....Chesapeake Bay Saga 1-4

 Ok. So I've read these books a few times over the years but for some reason I was drawn into reading them again.  And they are just as good the 11th time through. I just love a Nora Roberts series. Something about the uber masculine, yet wounded, warrirors of her heroes.  So, here's another round to Cameron, Ethan, Phillip and Seth. And Happy birthday Nora.

Beach Lane by Sherryl Woods


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book tugged at my heart strings but, surprisingly, did not make me cry. Another endearing story from Woods, but did not give me the same emotion as Will and Jess' story. I just though that after reading about Mack and Susie for so long that their story would be a bit more.....more. Adding in the siren song of Kristen was nice but she seemed like she was being used as an extra rather than someone who could have really been a serious threat. And Mack being totally clueless about her? Not buying it. I did like the forbidden romance of Laila and Matthew and will enjoy reading about them soon.




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Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Simply one of the best historicals I've read in a long time. That's all.




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Call Me by Lena Matthews


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Pretty good read about best friends who don't realize how much they really mean to one another. I got this as a free read from Amazon, so I am quite pleased with the purchase. :) I would very much like to read about Chris and Eliza. Now that story seems like it's gonna be a very good read.




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Review: Too Good To Be True by Kristn Higgins

OK. I liked it. I really did. However, I was so lost in Grace's first person musings that I almost stopped reading the book. I am normally so charmed by the quirkiness of Higgins' female characters that this shouldn't have bothered me but it just seemed to be too much. Let me say that I did find the book to be funny and it tugged at my heart strings a few (appropriate times) but COME ON!

*****I usually don't do spoilers but this deserves it*****

Grace is a jilted woman. Three weeks before her weddings her fiancé announces that the relationship is no longer working for him; this is after he meets her Cinderella look-a-like younger sister, Natalie. Having noticed that Natalie and Andrew shared an instant attraction and being the loving sister that she is, Grace gives the green light for them to have a relationship. Are you kidding me? Who in the h&ll does this? I would choke my sister with a reinforced piano wire if she would even think of dating the fiancé that just left me holding the invitations and catering bill. But in Grace’s eyes Natalie can never do anything wrong and always has the best of intentions. I think this is what bothers me most: Natalie never seems to get the fact that she is a truly selfish biotch and Grace is feels it’s okay to continue to protect her. Ok done with the tirade.

Other than Grace acting like a martyr all the time, the book was actually quote good. Callahan was too good of a man for her. He was honest and hot and knew he way around a hammer pretty well. I mean there was the whole ex-convict thing but it was a white collar crime, so no need to hide the silver. There was some serious unresolved issues with family in this book. Did I say I liked it? Well I do---and all because Natalie gets left at the altar too.

#nowreading: Too Good To Be True by Kristan Higgins

 About to start on this book, borrowed digitally from the Dallas Public Library.   Just noticed that several new titles had been added to the digital library and I am so glad of it. Kristan Higgins is one of my favorite authors for contemporary, romantic comedy. Her stories are sexy, funny and tug at the heart.

Updated TBR

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pozsch, Lee Chadeayne (Kindle)

Blue Velvet by Iris Johansen (Kindle)

Maid to Match by Deena Gist (Kindle)

Silent Run by Barbara Freethy (Kindle)

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn (Paperback)
Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs (Paperback