Happy Halloween!

Have a great day everybody! I love Halloween, but this year I'm a bit Halloweened out. My son is 3 and a half and really into it, and we've been celebrating all month. He's got a parade at school, then later we're going trick or treating. Not for very long I'm sure. But the weather is supposed to be quite nice.

Just an observation: Is Blogger trying to drive me nuts? Don't they know they're dealing with a woman on the edge? With how low I've been feeling, plus my sinus infection, it's been really difficult for me to sit down and write a post. My brain feels cloudy, y'know? But every time I am in the mood, to post or even to blog-hop and comment, Blogger's having issues. Everybody was napping yesterday, and no Blogger all afternoon! That just ain't right!

I'm going to attempt to write quickie reviews of Gone Too Far and Into the Night by SB later. Perhaps it will be the return of the review haiku . I also want to write a review of The Vampire Who Loved Me by Teresa Medeiros. Is anyone else getting a bit cheesed out by all the plays on classic titles and sayings with "Vampire"? Too cutesy, plus it almost never has anything to do with the book.

Sam and Alyssa, Alyssa and Sam...

I haven't read anything new since I finished Gone too Far last Thursday. I've got Out of Control and Flashpoint on my bed table, but I find myself unable to start them. I find myself feeling a little bit wistful. I read these books too fast, I fear. Because now I have to say goodbye to Sam and Alyssa. It's been a long and bumpy road, and I was right there with ya, guys. Best wishes and all that, but now I must settle for cameo appearances and mentions by other, less interesting characters. Ho-hum. I'm just not ready to continue on in a Sam and Alyssa-less SB world.

Yes, I'm afraid it's true, I'm now Suzanne Brockmann's bitch. It reminds me of J.R. Ward, where I can find so many things wrong with the books, yet I'm hanging on every word and desperate for more. I could nitpick these books to death (there were a number of small discrepancies and WTF? moments that took me out of the moment), I wasn't a big fan of the WWII subplots, there were times when the stories dragged, and a number of characters (see last post) that I wanted to bitchslap like Cher in Moonstruck ("snap out of it!"). And those were the characters I liked! Some of the love stories I found clunky. But Brockmann dragged me in. I lapped up every word, and when I finished one I picked up the next right away.

I've been trying to decide how to do this post. Every time I've been in the mood to blog this week, blogger hasn't been working, compounding the problem. So I've just decided to be my usual rambly, long winded, slightly unhinged self. This post will not so much be a straight up review as a series of observations. If you've read it, you'll get it, if not, hopefully your interest will be piqued. Or maybe you'll think it sounds like a pile of crap. Either way, I ain't going to sweat it. I'll provide links for each book for a better summary and excerpt, and if you're interested in reading more, you can find a 53 page PDF guide on the front page of Suzanne Brockmann's Website, which gives loads of info about the books. Is it just me, or should she really do something about her site? It looks like a middle school class project or something. Now, onto the books.


The Defiant Hero is the first one I read, but is actually the second one in the series. It is the story of Navy SEAL Lt.(jg) John Nilsson and translator Meg Moore, who once had a brief friendship (that didn't turn into anything more b/c of Meg's marriage), who are reunited under extreme circumstances. Meg's daughter and grandmother have been kidnapped by terrorists, and if she wants to get them back she has to grab a terrorist leader who is posing as a diplomat. Or something. I'm kinda fuzzy on the details. Did quite a bit of skimming on this one.

Observations: KristieJ warned me that Meg was her choice for worst heroine evah, and she is definitely a contender. I understand that she's been hurt in the past, and that she is in an extremely difficult situation,and determined to protect her family but her repeated refusal of help from Nils, who she had brought into the situation, started to grate. She kept flying off back into danger. Gee-zus, he's a Navy SEAL. They're, like, specially trained and shit. She? Is a translator. Maybe he could give her some tips or something, that's all I'm saying. John Nilsson is an archetypal Suzanne Brockmann hero: handsome, intelligent, capable, romantic and kinda masochistic. I'm serious. Brockmann's heroes seem to like being abused by mean women. To different degrees. There's a WWII subplot of course, because there are in all of these books for some reason. I find the WWII plots harmless, but not all that interesting either, and I just breeze through them to get back to the main plot. This one was decent, about Meg's grandmother and her brother's tutor and Dunkirk, but who really cares? I've spent enough time talking about this book, which was just ok. Let's talk about the most interesting stuff.

That's right, Sam and Alyssa. So we've got Ensign Roger "Sam" Starrett and FBI Agent Alyssa Locke, who got off on the wrong foot in The Unsung Hero, which I haven't read. Sam's a good ol' boy from Texas: arrogant, cocksure and loud (and foul) mouthed. Alyssa's somewhat too good to be true: in great physical shape, super intelligent and confident, ace sharp shooter and extremely beautiful (part African American, part Hispanic, part White). A former Naval officer herself, she resigned her commission, chafing at the restrictions placed on her due to gender. Now with the FBI, Alyssa comes off as cold and bitchy, pretty much because she's hyperaware that as a gorgeous woman of color, she's going to be looked at differently, and judged differently. She's got to show no weakness in order to be seen as the best of the best. Alyssa has dismissed Sam as a rednecked, bigoted idiot and despises him. Sam totally digs Alyssa, but then she needles him and he finds himself shooting his mouth off and completely playing into her preconceived notions about him. The sparks fly whenever these two meet, and, as you know, where there's smoke, there's fire, so after celebratory whiskey, you can guess what happens. That's right, handcuffs, chocolate syrup and hot, hot sex. And angst, regrets and anger the morning after. A totally, hot glorious mess, which saved the book for me. Alyssa comes off as a bit too mean and too bitchy (though I get where she's coming from). Sam can be obnoxious, but it's pretty clear that he's way into Alyssa and just can't help reacting to her. I love him (but more on that later) I don't even know why I loved this subplot so much. I mean please, drunken one-night stands betwen two people who don't like each other, but these two just grabbed me.



Next up, Over the Edge. Observations: This one was a lot better. Our intrepid hero and heroine are Naval Reserve Lt. Teri Howe, a pilot, and Seal Senior Chief Stan Wolchonok (what a great romance hero name), a strong, steady, very nice guy. Teri was a very different heroine from Meg. She's had a troubled past, but once she realizes that she wants Stan, she goes right after him. Stan the one resisting, because he's not that good looking or he wouldn't be good for her or some such hogwash. But I got over it, because everything just gelled in this one much better. The "action" plot was much better, a hostage situation on the plane. It kept me glued. I really liked Gina Vitagliano, the hostage who dealt with the FBI. Only a college student, she had an intelligence and grace about her, lacked that grating quality of some of SB's other female characters. We also get Max Bhagat, top FBI negotiator and Alyssa's boss. Intriguing character as well. I should mention Jules Cassidy, Alyssa's flaming gay partner, who in the great tradition of gay best friends, is a very nice guy and a good listener. Luckily for him and us, he gets his own romance down the line and I hear it's some good shit.

And of course, Sam and Alyssa. Sam's been pining for Alyssa for the last six months. Alyssa is wracked with guilt and shame over sleeping with Sam, and is none too pleased to find that she's still attracted to him. So she's gets drunk with some Brits and booty calls him late at night!! Kind of a bitch move, but again, a hot scene. More regrets and recriminations the next morning. Poor angry Alyssa. Poor sad Sam. After a conversation with the gay and therefore wise Jules, Sam decides to tell Alyssa about his feelings. Just when it seems that these two crazy kids might stop with the misguided (but really, really awesome) sex, and work towards a real relationship, we all get blindsided. In an effort to forget Alyssa, Sam had engaged in a brief affair with a dumb, stacked SEAL groupie. Oops, she's pregnant! Sorry Alyssa, Sam's going to do the right thing and marry this girl, who he doesn't give a damn about. WTF!!! WTF!! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Stop it Sam, just stop it! Seriously, this should all have me clawing out my eyes in anger and frustration, but instead I was verklempt. Brockmann has me totally buying into the "love story" of these two, which so far is just a case of good chemistry and drunken sex, pretty much. Damn you SB, for making me love them.

Oh yeah, and there's a WWII subplot about Denmark and the Nazis. Is there anyone out there who really loves these subplots? Who feels that they bring something to the table? I can't be bothered. They aren't bad, but they're taking up valuable page time. I'm going to stop here, because I wrote way more than I was planning to. What a surprise. Will pick up tomorrow.

Stop it!

So since my last post I have read The Defiant Hero, Over the Edge, Into the Night, and Gone too Far, all by Suzanne Brockmann. Hopefully, I'll have something up about them by the end of the weekend. I think my reading slump is officially over, and I think I can be declared an official SB fangirl. But I love these despite some issues, the chief of which there was at least one character in each book that I wanted to shake until their teeth rattled.

I very rarely watch MadTV, but every once in awhile my husband will watch it on Comedy Central. It's been on for, like, a million years, did you know that? Sometimes it's funny, sometimes not, but there's one sketch that I love and we always say it to each other. In it, Bob Newhart plays a therapist who has two words of advice for everything his patient has to say--Stop It!! Not to make light of actual emotional issues and the therapy process, but I think we've all had those moments, say when a friend or relative is going on about something for the millionth time and you've given them a million pieces of advice that they never listen to, where you just want to say, Stop it! Get over it! Enough already! Here's the sketch: YouTube--Stop It!. Warning: It's bit long and the audio's out of sync, which gets a little annoying.

So now I'd like to put on my therapist/friend hat and give a little advice to some of Brockmann's characters. This is how I felt while reading these books. My apologies to those who haven't read any of SB's books, I'll clear up their identities next post.

Alyssa Locke: I love you, I really do. You're a bitch sometimes, but I totally understand your frustrations at being a woman of color in a man's world. You have to work so much harder than everyone else, and show no weakness. But you know what? Stop it. Just stop it. You're a little too mean, and protesting a little too much. Relax, have a drink or two (the liquid courage helps, doesn't it?), and go booty call Sam. I know, I know, he's a redneck, arrogant asshole, but just...stop it. Go get some redneck ass. And stop it.

Meg: Stop it! Now, seriously. Stop it! Because as much as I'd like to say I understand your trust issues due to your lousy marriage, and your desperation as a mother to save your child, you pretty much define "too stupid to live." You've got your adoring Navy SEAL ready to do anything for you. He's a trained professional, idiot! And you are annoying on a number of levels. Unlike Alyssa, I don't like you that much, but I just wanted to tell you to stop it. Shut up and accept some help.

Stan: I really like you. You seem like a great guy, your name is Stanley, and you're scary looking, which I like in a man. But you're kinda insecure, and I'm here to tell you, stop it! When the gorgeous woman of your dreams starts throwing herself at you, don't set her up with one of your men. And say that you're not good for her, when there's no evidence that you are anything but a stand up guy. Stop it!!

Joan DaCosta: Ditto for you. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. You started off okay, but I really stopped liking you. Stop it already. Go find your young stud and have some fun, before he realizes how shallow and annoying you really are. Stop it!!

Max: Okay Max, I adore you. And again, I understand your reasons for wanting to keep your distance from Gina. But she's definitely Brockmann's best female character. She rocks. So just stop it. I'll give you a little hint, if you want to keep your distance from someone, you don't make sure you know their whereabouts at all time. And don't have sex with them (although I'm kind of glad you did, 'cuz it seems like you needed to get laid). And don't ask Alyssa to marry you b/c it'll be easier. Really, man! Any romance novel character can tell you that's not a good idea. Just stop it, godammit!!! And as your fake therapist, I'd like to recommend that you go see a real therapist. I love you, man, and I'm looking forward to your book, but stop it! And get some help. You worry me.

Man, giving advice is exhausting. But better than doing the bills. Ta for now.

I Feel a Glom coming on...

What is a glom, or in its verb form, glomming? See here and here.

I've never read any Suzanne Brockmann before, though she's very popular and generally gets good reviews. Not really a big romantic suspense fan, and Navy SEALS, nah. That particular fantasy doesn't appeal to me at all. Don't get me wrong, from the little I know about Navy SEALS, I would imagine they'd probably be a high percentage of hotties in real life too (best of the best and all that), and I can defintely understand the larger than life appeal...but not for me. Though I was intrigued by the fact that Brockmann has a recurring gay character who even gets his own love story (highly unusual for a mainstream, high profile author), that wasn't enough to push me past my RS bias. Terrorists, secret agents, military? Eh, I'll stick to the English Aristocracy, and leather-clad vampires.

Never let it be said that I don't try to expand my horizons, however, so I bought Brockmann's Everyday, Average Jones at work last week. First off, I should mention that I would characterize this book, despite the action-y opening scenes, as a straight up contemporary, rather than a romantic suspense. I think that this book and the other ones in her "Tall, Dark and Dangerous" series are contemporaries, and the "Troubleshooters" series is the RS. Just to clarify. So, anyway, in this book, Harlan "Cowboy" Jones rescues Melody Evans from a hostage situation in the Middle East. They have instant chemistry and celebrate their escape to safety with six days of hot sex in the unnamed Middle Eastern Country and in Paris. Then they go their separate ways, Melody back to her Massachusetts hometown, and Jones back to his life of dangerous missions. Melody made it clear that what she wants from life is an ordinary, average guy, not an adventurer she'd be worrying about constantly. But Jones can't get Melody out of his mind, so he decides to surprise her seven months later. But Melody's got a leetle surprise for him too, and I'll bet you can guess what it is. That's right, it's a big, fat belly. So Jones decides he's going to do "the right thing", whether Melody wants it or not. Ah yes, getting married for the sake of the baby, though we barely know each other. How romantic. And usually successful.

I enjoyed this book a lot though. Brockmann had both characters acknowledge the fact that they didn't really know each other all that well, and if it wasn't for the baby, marriage wouldn't be discussed. I liked that, thought it was honest, that scorching attraction doesn't equal lasting love and that both had genuine fears. Then Brockmann created a situation where the characters did actually get to know each other over time, which made the happy ending more believable. Jones, the hero, was great. Hot, intelligent and thoughtful. Melody was a bit annoying. I agree with Sybil's comment a few posts ago that she needed to get over the whole "I want a normal guy" thing. Because that guy? Was really cool. Good secondary characters as well. A B+.

So after I read and liked this book, I went over to Brockmann's website for a bit, to find out about her other books. And I read and read and read, including her 53 page PDF guide to the Troubleshooters series. I'm totally intrigued now. Besides the fact that the books and characters sound interesting, I'm also intrigued by the diversity of her characters. And there seems to be a significant subtext of tolerance in a post-9/11 world. Curious to see how overt it is. And just because she's so proud of her gay, tap-dancing son. Seriously, guess what I'm doing at work tonight? Finding people Halloween books and tracking down Brockmann's backlist. What's the best? What to start with? I have a feeling those Troubleshooters books will be easier to find.

Even Vampires Get the Blues

It seems to me that Katie MacAlister is kind of hit or miss author for a lot of people. I like her. I really like her sense of humor. It's wacky, but I don't find it forced or corny, like I do with some other "funny" authors. There's always a couple of genuine laugh out loud moments in her books. Her paranormals work far better for me than her contemporaries, which I've pretty much given up on. I've enjoyed her "Dark Ones" series, which seem to be a tongue in cheek homage to Christine Feehan's Carpathians. MacAlister's heroes are Moravian "Dark Ones", born without souls. They cannot go out in the daylight, and they require blood to survive, plus their souls can only be redeemed by "joining" with their one true soulmate, their "Beloved." This process takes seven steps, and in the meantime wacky hijinks ensue. And I mean that in a good way. The first book in this series, A Girl's Guide to Vampires, was merely eh, in my opinion, but I loved Sex and the Single Vampire and Sex, Lies and Vampires. I adored the heroes, liked the heroines and felt that they had a nice balance of silliness, sex and genuine emotion. But the excerpt for the fourth book, Even Vampires Get the Blues didn't grab me at all. I didn't bother with the book until I found it for 75 cents at the library. Verdict: I'm glad that I waited for the bargain. This was quite disappointing.

I'm not going to bother with a synopsis. Here's the back cover blurb. Gives you the basic idea.

The problem with this book was the hero, pretty much, which was the feeling I had from the excerpt provided at the author's website. Paen Scott, supposedly sexy Scottish Dark One was, well...a douchebag. Although he has a howling void for a soul, and can do nothing but brood and be detatched, he insists that he is perfectly happy the way he is, and that he doesn't need no stinkin' Beloved. He doesn't believe in emotional involvement with a woman yada, yada, yada. Get over yourself. It's kinda dumb. So I'm waiting for the revelation of his past heartbreak or some shit that turned him against women, but no, he just doesn't really want one for more than sex. So despite his professed lack of interest in a Beloved, he goes through the joining with half-elf Samantha, then rejects her. I call douchebaggery!!! Douchebag! I ended up feeling bad for Sam and not really respecting her. She forgives Paen super quick when he changes his mind, which nearly gave me whiplash. I didn't buy that particular scene at all. Tsk, tsk sister, you can do better, sexy vampire soulmate or not! I just couldn't get behind them as a couple at all. When the basis for the romance is an instant, deep connection, there had better be some good chemistry.

I think the other problem was the first person point of view. MacAlister writes exclusively in the first person, as far as I can tell (one exception is the prologue of this book). One problem of this style is that, for me at least, the heroines can begin to run together, similar snarky voice and all that. Also, it can be tell-y, not show-y, if you know what I mean. I just didn't really buy the connection between them, even though we were repeatedly told by Sam how much she lurrrved him. And I wonder if Paen would've seemed like less of an ass, if we had gotten any of his POV.

There were some funny moments. I liked Beppo the monkey, and Sam's cousin/business partner, Clare, who's in the denial about the fact that she's a fairy.

Ah well. A C for this one. This was a miss, but I'll give future ones a try. The next installment of her Aisling Grey series, Light My Fire, is out in November. I like this series too, but it's a bit of a guilty pleasure b/c the heroine's rather TSTL, and the hero's kind of a douchebag too. I would rec Sex and the Single Vampire and Sex, Lies and Vampires as paranormal romantic comedies to try, though.

More Buys...

I can tell the new Friends of the Library bookshelves are going to be the death of me. I can't walk by without grabbing something off of the shelves. Saturday I bought Dead in Dixie by Charlaine Harris, Vanquished by Hope Tarr, and books by two very popular authors that I have limited experience with: Son of the Morning by Linda Howard, and Everyday, Average Jones by Suzanne Brockmann. I hope these aren't their worst books ever. Years and years ago, when I was in high school, I read a novella by Howard that made a huge impression on me. It featured an asshole-alpha male, who had made his secretary into his mistress, gets her pregnant and wants nothing to do with the baby. Guy was a total jerkoff, but I totally fell in love with the story (Hey, I was 17). Awhile ago I put my mad librarian skills to work and tracked down the title, which I have since lost. But I think it was "No Place Like Home." Anyone read it? Despite that killer story, I haven't read anything else by her. Never read any Brockmann, not my usual thing, but why not? I'm trying out the Brockmann, but I'm in the mood for a paranormal. I guess it's that time of year. I'm wanting some vampires or witches or demons or ghosts. Been that way since the beginning of September. It's funny because before that I hadn't read a paranormal in a long time.

Dead in Dixie is a Science Fiction Book Club omnibus of the first three volumes of Harris' "Southern Vampire" series, featuring Sookie Stackhouse. This cover is a jaw dropper. Check it out:



In preview this is looking blurry, so I hope you can get the full effect. Sookie is straight outta 1993. She's wearing black rolled up jeans shorts, and those slouchy socks that we used to tuck our jeans into. The color of the socks would match the color of your Champion sweatshirt. And Black Reeboks to boot. Ok, kinda cheesy and outdated, but the really strange part is the guy behind her, who I assume is Vampire Bill. He looks like a 17 year old Emo boy. It' s a really weird combo. I've seen some others of these SFBC books and they all seem to have really fugly covers. I dunno.

Anyway, coming soon: a review of Even Vampires Get the Blues by Katie MacAlister.

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

In Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder, readers are introduced to the alternate reality of Ixia, a country once ruled by a corrupt monarchy, and now under strict military rule. The former provinces have been turned into military districts, ruled by Generals, who are all in allegiance to Commander Ambrose, the architect of the coup. Societal position is no longer determined by money and connections, but by skill and loyalty, and all subjects are held to a strict Code of Behavior. The code dictates that if you take a life, you lose your life, whether it was on purpose, by accident, or in self-defense. At the beginning of the book, 19 year old orphan Yelena awaits her execution for the murder of the son of one of Ixia's Generals. At the eleventh hour, she is given a second chance by Valek, Ixia's head of intelligence, a skilled spy and assasin. The catch? If she wants to live, she must become Commander Ambrose's food taster, checking his food and drink at each meal for poison. In addition, to prevent any chance of escape, Yelena will be given a small amount of poison each day. If she does not go to Valek each day for an antidote, she will be dead within days. If she doesn't get poisoned by one of the Commander's meals first. Or, if the vengeful General Brazell doesn't get to her. Is it worth it to Yelena to prolong her life for a time? The practical Yelena thinks so. She soon finds herself neck-deep in intrigue, corruption, danger and unexpected love.

I really, really enjoyed this one. Yelena was a great heroine: strong-willed, intelligent and practical. She does what it takes to survive, and her growth and development from scared convict to brave woman was very interesting. It was also a fast paced and exciting book. I liked the world of Ixia, which was both very strict and strangely fair. I enjoyed the romance as well. I did feel that it was a bit out of the blue, but since I would characterize this book as fantasy rather than a romance, this didn't particularly bother me. The romance is only part of Yelena's journey. She and her romantic interest (I'll leave that a surprise, though I'm sure you can guess), were quite well-suited and have a lot of potential. Her hero is somewhat less than heroic, and he did remain a bit of a cipher, but that didn't bother me, either. He was characterized in a particular way throughout the book. I'm glad it's a trilogy, because I'm looking forward to reading more about him and their relationship. Good secondary characters as well. Loved the twist concerning Commander Ambrose.

All in all, I was quite pleased to get an email newsletter from Harlequin announcing that the sequel Magic Study is out today. Hope to find it at the library soon.

Some other reviews: here,here and here. I'm know there are others, this one's been making the rounds. Gotta go, season premiere of Veronica Mars in 5 minutes.

In short, strong fantasy, strong heroine. B+.

My Theme Song?

Your Theme Song is Back in Black by AC/DC

"Back in black, I hit the sack, I've been too long, I'm glad to be back" Things sometimes get really crazy for you, and sometimes you have to get away from all the chaos. But each time you stage your comeback, it's even better than the last!

What's Your Theme Song?

My husband loves this song. Loves AC/DC. Me, not so much. I find as
I get older, I enjoy classic rock less and less. Perhaps this is because the playlists haven't changed significantly since I was 12. How many times can you hear "Behind Blue Eyes" or "Another Brick in the Wall," anyway?

Inquiry...

Is there a sci/fi/futuristic romance that recently came out that has to do with cyborgs? I feel like I've read a review or two recently, but I can't remember any details. I would just putter around, looking for it, but I've been really busy.

P.S.--Reading Poison Study, really enjoying it.

P.P.S.--Re: the JR Ward kerfuffle of a week or two ago.
There are two posts up at her board, one by Ward, one by the Mods, about respectful and welcoming behavior. Not trying to stir the pot or anything, just letting ya'll know. Either Ward was checking out Smart Bitches, or someone else let her know that it might be a smart thing to do.

P.P.P.S.--Kelley Armstrong has the prologue and first chapter of her new book, No Humans Involved, up at her site, and it's made me more excited for it than I was before. Also, next year, she will be doing a short graphic novella of Elena's first days as a werewolf. Online! Awesome!!

P.P.P.S.--Sorry about the lack of links, but the kids have had it, gotta go.

Pleased with myself...

Went to work last night intending to pick up Poison Study and Twilight. Lots of positive buzz around the blogosphere on these two. Poison Study sounds right up my alley. When Twilight came out, it got excellent reviews from School Library Journal and Booklist, but I thought it sounded same old, same old. But it's gotten such great buzz, I'm giving in. But it was out. Boo!!!

But I did get the Snyder book, and I picked up four paperbacks for 75 cents each from the friends of the library sale shelves. I work in a wealthy community, and people donate everything. I amazed at the recency of some of them. I passed over Ghost Hunter and On the Way to the Wedding, amongst others. But I picked up Jude's Law by Lori Foster,Say No to Joe? by Lori Foster (I read all of the other ones in this series),Even Vampires Get the Blues by Katie MacAlister (I've liked some of her others, but this one looked "eh"), and Crazy Wild by Tara Janzen (Read it already, but I want these for my own). So I'm feeling quite pleased with myself. I love a good bargain. I was mildly interested in these books, but not enough to shell out real dough. Into the TBR milk crate they go.

So I recently helped my parents move. My mother had a shitload of books. A shitload. Anyway I grabbed a bunch. Some to keep (watch for an old favorites post) and some to give away, sell or donate. So I put some up on half.com, but there are some that are so old, the ISBN numbers can't be recognized. I'm debating what to do with them. I don't know if they'd be worth anything to anybody. But if anyone would like any Barbara Cartlands or old HPs by Anne Mathers and others or signet Regencies by Catherine Coulter, I can pass along some. Does anyone know if they are worth anything? There are also some Johanna Lindsays and Jude Devereaux (Velvet Series), and Nora Roberts categories and a couple by Diana Palmer (thought there were more). The Diana Palmers are Trilby, Connal and Friends and Lovers. Seriously, if anyone would like to read Make Up Your Mind, Nurse, or some other 70's HP, let me know. I'll mail you an array.

I'm going to go look at hot guys at Imaginary Origin some more. Later.

Blog Pimping

My younger sister has started her own blog Sportsquee! She works in the television field and she knows a shit load about sports, and the blog will be combination of her insightful commentary and predictions, and good old squeeing over the athletes that she deems hotties. Check it out. Lots of hockey and NASCAR and pictures of cute athletes. Best of luck blogging, Margee!

More blasts from the past...

I''ve been very pleased to see that a historical romance set in Ancient Rome,The Gladiator's Honor by Michelle Styles has recently been published. It got very good reviews at AAR and by Jayne at Dear Author. Its nice to see an unusual time period, and its one of my favorites. Yes folks, I took 4 years of Latin in High School, and a semester of Latin and a semester of Ancient Greek in college. (I started out as a Classical and Medieval Studies major.) I'm a big geek, I know.

But as it happens, in my rereading binge of the past month or so, I revisited one of my favorite mystery series ever, the Marcus Didius Falco series by Lindsey Davis, also set in Rome. I read the first one my sophomore year in high school--15 years ago. She's up to #17 at this point, See Delphi and Die. But I went back to the first ones, starting with Silver Pigs. These books revolve around "private informer" Marcus Didius Falco, as he tries to make ends meet with some honest work. A private informer is the ancient equivalent of a private investigator, and the charming plebeian (think lower middle class) does plenty of seedy stuff. He's an amusing, sarcastic narrator. In Silver Pigs, Falco meets Helena Justina, a senator's daughter and it's dislike at first sight. I love the first books the best, as the two navigate their growing relationship. It's a bumpy road. They are not social equals at all, and it adds a new layer of desperation to Falco's efforts, because now he has to make enough money to attain the proper rank, in order to be able to marry Helena. The Romans were pragmatic folks, you could buy your way up, but it didn't come cheap. These are my favorite kind of mysteries: fast and funny, with a great big dollop of romance. There is a lot of history packed in, but don't let it put you off, because it's done well and there's a lot of funny, strange details. I won't deny that the tone is a bit anachronistic, and I'm sure a purist could pick apart the details, but hell, these are just great reads. If you like mysteries, or are interested in checking out something set in a different time period than 19th century Britain, I highly reccommend these. And I'll be getting the Styles book next week.

I'm The Vampire, That's Why

When I bought Lover Awakened, I also picked up this one by Michelle Bardsley. Ms. Bardsley really, really should think about updating her website, because there is barely a mention of this book, much less a blurb or excerpt. Now, I wavered on this purchase because the cover description reminded me of a certain popular vampire series with a snarky heroine, written in the first person. But I was in the mood for something lighthearted, and its been an age since I've tried a new paranormal series. When I finally got to reading it, I noticed that the cover blurb was from MJD. Obviously, I'm not a reader who pays much attention to these things, because if I was, I would've just been even more concerned that this was going to be completely derivative.

Anyhow, onto the book. A year ago, Jessica Matthews was widowed when her husband (whom she was in the process of divorcing for knocking up another woman), was in a car accident. These events make her yet another single parent in Broken Heart, Oklahoma, a dying town which boasts the highest rate of divorce in the state. Jessica is a rather bitter stay at home mother to her two children when one evening, her life is forever changed. While she's taking out the garbage, Jessica is attacked by a wild vampire-beastie thing, and awakens attatched to the thigh of a totally hot guy, sucking his blood. Hot guy is a vampire with long, dark hair and an Irish accent, by the name of Patrick O'Halloran. Although, Patrick causes a stirring in Jessica's long dormant nether regions, she quickly learns that to have sex with a vampire, is to be mated to him for the next hundred years (am I the only one hearing echoes of another vamp series?). Jessica does not want this, she's a mom and her kids come first. I should also mention that Patrick's father is the founder of the vampire race, which makes him a prince, so if they got together she would be...anyway, moving on.

The next evening Jessica finds out that ten others, also single parents, were bitten by the beastie, and turned by other vampires. The vampires just happened to be in the area because they are looking for a town to turn into an oasis for paranormal folks. So, who is running around turning good folk into vamps? How are these vampire going to to be effective parents when they can't go out during the day? Is Jessica ever going to stop yapping and do it with Patrick? I don't like to give too much away, and I'm get sick of writing synopses, so I leave you with these questions.

So was this book totally derivative? Yeah, kinda. It reminded me a lot of several other books that I've read, but it was not without its charms. The first problem I had with it was that I thought that the whole series was going to be about Jessica's adventures, and the idea of endless angsting over whether or not getting together with Patrick would be detrimental to her kids was really annoying. It was a thin excuse to begin with because he was a great guy, totally devoted to her and the kids. But I realized that that was not to be the case, and that their storyline would be resolved, which made the story more enjoyable. But there were two more problems. I'm not really to into the first person heroine thing, because I find that the heroine often comes off as rather one-note, that note being snarky/downright obnoxious. Her attitude really wore thin. I also thought that this was compounded by the use of the whole "soul mate" device. Patrick is in instant, devoted love, seemingly merely because Jessica can wear a ring that once belonged to him. His development was pretty much limited to ardent soul mate guy, which, combined with Jessica's borderline annoyingness, really weakened the love story for me.

But the story moved along at a nice clip, and there were some amusing moments. I didn't want to put it down. I liked the idea of a weird little small town, full of strange beings. I'm a fan of stories about weird little towns. I loved Twin Peaks, Northern Exposure, Picket Fences, and all those stand alone episodes of the X-Files where Scully and Mulder would roll into some podunk town affected by the moon or something. And though I usually am not into the kiddies in my romance, there was just enough of them, and they weren't annoying. And the idea of being a vampire parent to a human child and all the resulting implications, is an intriguing one.

So although I found many similarities to the Betsy books (and the works of Katie Macalister), and the love story wasn't all that compelling, I thought it was a fun read, and a cute world, and that future installments would be worth reading. I'll probably check them out of the library though. According to the back of the book, the next one, Don't Talk Back to Your Vampire, will be about the local librarian and Patrick's twin brother (I think). Nothing on Bardsley's website, but it's due out next summer. A C for this one. If you like your vamps funny, it might work for you.

Slogging through...

Prior to the publication of Lover Awakened, I had been working on Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll. I love Pride and Prejudice, I don't consider myself to be any kind of purist, so I was quite pleased by the idea of a sexed-up sequel. I've actually loved this story in all of its incarnations: the old BBC miniseries, as well as the Colin Firth one, the old Olivier movie, and the recent Keira Knighteley one (even though she kinda bugs). The Darcy-type hero is one of my favorites: the arrogant, upright, reserved type, felled by love. And he is the archetype to be sure. Anyhow, Berdoll's book rolled along nicely for awhile, but then my attention started to flag. It's just that the pages are so damn big! And the font so damn small! So I put it down for a week or so, then picked it up again. I'm torn. I'm enjoying her characterizations, but aside from the physical difficulty I'm having in reading it, the language is really getting on my nerves. Ms. Berdoll has obviously done quite a bit of research into the language and slang of the time. And she seems to feel the need to throw in every word she came across, multiple times. She also structures the sentences awkwardly and it often comes across as fake and forced, rather than authentic. It is extremely overwritten. We're just getting around to events foreshadowed from way back. It's just all taking too long. I think I'm going to skim because I do want to see what happens.

Tara Marie just mentioned Darcy's Story by Janet Aylmer on her blog. It got me thinking that there are a ton of pretty recent sequels or offshoots of P&P. I every time I turn around someone mentions another.

Here are some more:

The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy by Mary Street

Letters From Pemberley: the First Year by Jane Dawkins

Mrs. Darcy's Dilemma by Diana Birchall

The Darcys by Phyillis Furey

Mr. Darcy's Daughters by Elizabeth Aston (and sequels)

Pemberley by Emma Tennant

Suspense and Sensibility or, First Impressions Revisited: A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery (Mr. & Mrs. Darcy) by Carrie Bebris (and sequels)

I have no idea if this is interesting to anyone besides myself. I'm just amazed at all the attempts to pick up Darcy and Elizabeth's story. I've left out a bunch. And the reviews are mixed to say the least. Ah well, if anyone's looking to read a P&P sequel, here's a place to start. Ta for now.

Yet another reader takes a crack...

at Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward. I'm not going to post the cover yet again, because I've already done it several times :). To see some other reviews, go see Sybil. There's one or two there. Jazz also reviewed it at Sanctuary's Finest, where they were also giving away a free copy, but I think the contest is over.

I'm yet another one who adored this one. Give it a solid A.I've been re-reading bits and pieces all week. I'm not ready to move on and leave it behind. I'm going to try not to give too much away, but I can't guarantee anything, so read at your own risk.

I often get on my bitch box about how I hate it when a supposedly damaged, tortured hero is instantly redeemed and cured by the power of the magic hoo-hoo (tm Smart Bitches). One night with a good woman and all of a sudden he's a happy well-adjusted guy. Not so with LA. Zsadist is a hero with a truly horrific past, and he is truly damaged. Ward doesn't wuss out with showing us this past, and it makes Zsadist's behavior very understandable, as well as the behavior of his twin, Phury. Zsadist and Bella's story was a rough ride, and Zsadist screwed up and did stupid shit, and at the end, although he was working towards redemption, it was a process that he actually worked at. It made the story much more gratifying and well, haunting, for me. Oh and he had these moments of utter adorableness (real word?) He just had no idea how to behave normally, and it was heartbreaking and sweet and sexy seeing him to try to figure out what to do with Bella.

I liked Bella as well. I wish we knew more about her, b/c I'm starting to feel that Ward's heroines are not as completely developed as I'd like them to be. But I loved how determined she was and what tunnel vision she had. She knew what she wanted and girl was going for it. And she wasn't going to let Z stand in her way. The lack of waffling or manipulation was refreshing. She never even seemed to notice that Phury was into her too.

Which brings me to Phury. Poor little lamb, come to me, I'll make you feel better. Oy vey, I ached for this guy. His backstory, his relationship with Zsadist, his unrequited love...can't wait for his book. The exploration of the relationship between the brothers was another element that made this book stand out.

I enjoyed getting more from other characters. I find John Matthew interesting, and I'm very curious about Rehvenge. I felt that his issues were left rather vague. I did find myself so involved in the story that I got kinda annoyed when I got taken away from Z and Bella, but I still like the use of multiple viewpoints.

This was not a light read, but it was very satisfying. The chemistry between them was hot, but there were real, rough obstacles and I worried for them at moments. I was almost taken aback by the ending, which I thought was a rather abrupt tone shift, and borderline cheesy, but, you know, after all the characters had gone through I was just so darn happy for them. Schmaltz is good sometimes. Seriously, there was a tear or two.

Little Quibbles--Please with the slang. A little bit to set the tone is o.k., but sometimes it was jarring. I still have a habit of breezing through the "lesser" bits, though I did find the fight scenes more compelling in this one. I honestly don't even notice the names anymore. I know it bugs some people, but I was already a veteran of several other paranormal series with silly names. And romance hero names in general? C'mon, folks! How many Brocks, Kyrians, Holts and whatnots do you know? I might find a Jeff or a Fred strange at this point.

Next up: Lover Revealed in March 2007. I'm definitely excited, though Butch is not my favorite, and I'm not so sure about Marissa. She's no firecracker, and seems to embody the worst of the characterization of females in this series: passive ad controlled by men. But I certainly haven't been let down by these books yet. And even if it's not quite as awesome, Vishous is after that. Squeeeeee!!!!!

Lover Awakened by JR Ward

So I went to the mall yesterday, and it was there! After an extremely craptastic weekend, it was just what I needed! Finished it last night, and I am going to do a re-read and let others read it before I do a review. I will say that this one did not grab me as quickly as the others, but I loved it in the end. Two things distinguish this series for me: I really feel that Ms. Ward has created a number of really interesting and distinct characters (I actually want to read about them all), and she stays true to the characters. Zsadist did not seem drastically different in his story than how he has been developed in past books. I hate that. And the stories are quite distinct.

So J.R. Ward is blogging over by Sybil today. Go forth and read.

For the love of all that is holy, is Blogger not allowing contractions now? Every time I hit the apostrophe key, a bar pops up at the bottom, and the letters start going in there. Is this happening to anyone else?

Couldn't resist!

When I realized how close I was...It's My 100th post!!! Go me! Going to do a pretty east one that I've seen around a bit and has got me curious...

Top 100 list

Red=read
Blue=in the TBR milk crate

1. Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
2. Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
3. Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie
4. As You Desire by Connie Brockway
5. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
6. Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
7. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
8. Over the Edge by Suzanne Brockmann
9. All Through the Night by Connie Brockway
10. Sea Swept by Nora Roberts
11. It Had to be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
12. A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh
13. Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer
14. The Proposition by Judith Ivory
15. A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught
16. Ravished by Amanda Quick
17. Frederica by Georgette Heyer
18. Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly
19. MacKenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard
20. Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
21. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
22. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
23. The Bride by Julie Garwood
24. Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens
25. To Have and to Hold by Patricia Gaffney
26. Born in Fire by Nora Roberts
27. Winter Garden by Adele Ashworth
28. Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann
29. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
30. Saving Grace by Julie Garwood
31. My Dearest Enemy by Connie Brockway
32. In the Midnight Rain by Barbara Samuel
33. The Windflower by Laura London
34. Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
35. Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught
36. Nobody's Baby but Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
37. A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux
38. Paradise by Judith McNaught
39. The Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsale
40. Dream Man by Linda Howard
41. Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann
42. Silk and Shadows by Mary Jo Putney
43. See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson
44. Shattered Rainbows by Mary Jo Putney
45. Thunder and Roses by Mary Jo Putney
46. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
47. Heart Throb by Suzanne Brockmann
48. For My Lady's Heart by Laura Kinsale
49. Honor's Splendor by Julie Garwood
50. Lord Carew's Bride by Mary Balogh
51. Untie my Heart by Judith Ivory
52. Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
53. The Secret by Julie Garwood
54. This is All I Ask by Lynn Kurland
55. Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh
56. One Perfect Rose by Mary Jo Putney
57. To Love and to Cherish by Patricia Gaffney
58. Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
59. Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
60. Venetia by Georgette Heyer
61. Daughter of the Game by Tracy Grant
62. The Prize by Julie Garwood
63. Reforming Lord Ragsdale by Carla Kelly
64. Prince Joe by Suzanne Brockmann
65. The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh
66. Heartless by Mary Balogh
67. Son of the Morning by Linda Howard
68. Sleeping Beauty by Judith Ivory
69. Where Dreams Begin by Lisa Kleypas
70. The Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer
71. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
72. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegar
73. With This Ring by Carla Kelly
74. The Lion's Lady by Julie Garwood
75. The Rake by Mary Jo Putney
76. Fallen from Grace by Laura Leone
77. Always to Remember by Lorraine Heath
78. Castles by Julie Garwood
79. One Good Turn by Carla Kelly
80. Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts
81. By Arrangement by Madeline Hunter
82. Perfect by Judith McNaught
83. My Darling Caroline by Adele Ashworth
84. The Defiant Hero by Suzanne Brockmann
85. The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockmann
86. Guilty Pleasures by Laura Lee Guhrke
87. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
88. Kill and Tell by Linda Howard
89. After the Night by Linda Howard
90. More than a Mistress by Mary Balogh
91. Born in Ice by Nora Roberts
92. Miss Wonderful by Loretta Chase
93. The Charm School by Susan Wiggs
94. Scoundrel by Elizabeth Elliott
95. How to Marry a Marquis by Julia Quinn
96. Angel Rogue by Mary Jo Putney
97. Trust Me by Jayne Ann Krentz
98. Dancing on the Wind by Mary Jo Putney
99. Once and Always by Judith McNaught
100. This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

20 out of 80...hmmm...there are a bunch of others I'm interested in reading. One of these days I'll have to try a Linda Howard or Suzanne Brockmann, or Mary Jo Putney for that matter, just for shits and giggles. I'd like to see a new list, say 2005, see how it's changed. 100th post, there ya go.

A great big fangirl squeeee.......

Only a week until Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward. Review is up at AAR. Perhaps a bit spoilery, but nothing I didn't suspect already. I've got my B&N gift card and I'm good to go!

ETA: I was looking at the AAR review message board, where there was some discussion of LA. All I have to say, depending on your inclination towards spoilers, either run or run away. I love spoilers, but I'm a bit mad at myself, because I would've preferred not to know. Day-um!

Comfort Reads, pt. 2

When I first discovered book blogs, one of the first I read was Rosario's Reading Journal. She's been keeping it for quite a long time, and has an extensive archive of her great reviews. Anyhow, while puttering around her site I discovered that she was a fan of one of my favorite authors evah, Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels, and in turn made me an instant fan of hers. Recently, Rosario revisited one of my favorite Peters books The Street of Five Moons.Ms. Peters is best known for her historical mysteries featuring Amelia Peabody, but I came to those books late, after reading many of her others. My mother introduced me to Peters/Michaels at the tender age of 12, and I was hooked. As Peters, she writes comic mysteries, as Michaels she writes Gothic Romantic suspense, but her books all had intelligent (if sometimes TSTL) heroines, exotic international locations, plots with lots of archaeology, art history and history, and sizzling, yet tame sexual tension. To boot, the author actually has a PHD in Egyptology. Absolute catnip to a geeky, brainy tween from the 'burbs.

Anyhow, while Amelia Peabody may be most people's favorites, my heart belongs to Vicky Bliss, the art historian heroine of the Street of Five Moons, and her on again, off again lover, the third great imaginary bad boy hero love of my life (following Fonzie and Han Solo), Sir John Smythe. The man was British, he was an art thief, he quoted Shakepeare and John Donne, and he always, always saved Vicky. Witty banter and romantic tension abounded.

So Rosario's review inspired me to re-read Trojan Gold and Night Train to Memphis, my personal faves, and they've really done the trick in cheering me up. These books feature mysteries involving ancient artifacts, they are fast paced, very funny and have Peters' hottest love story. One caveat, they are definitely intentionally over the top and tongue in cheek. They're also a bit old fashioned (well, they did come out a long time ago). Vicky is constantly bemoaning the fact that she is an intelligent, feminist academic trapped in a tall, hot, blonde, curvy body. She embodies the TSTL heroine in some ways. She always gets everything wrong, always expects the worst of John and always ends up in the worst possible situation. But within the context of the book it works. These books are just plain fun, and that John (again over the top) is just too yummy. It's books like these that led me to romance, and they just don't make 'em like this anymore. I bought the most recent Vicky Bliss mystery, Night Train to Memphis, during my freshman year in college, people. Peters has since been devoted to the Peabody mysteries alone, but after 12 years I refuse to give up hope that she will some day return to Vicky. They should be read in order, see here.

Children's Book alert!

So I've had a bit of a stressful month, and, I must admit, I've been a bit depressed. I've had a lot of difficulty concentrating and I've finished a grand total of one romance in three weeks--
Untie My Heart by Judith Ivory. It had a very interesting hero and heroine, and it was a solid read, yet it wasn't quite clicking for me. Still, I'd give it a solid C+. This week I've attempted to take matters in hand and cheer myself up, and I found some books that did the trick. Today I finished Caddy Ever After, by Hilary McKay (who dosn't seem to have a website), and it left me with a huge grin on my face. This is the fourth installment in the series chronicling the Casson family, siblings Caddy (Cadmium Yellow), Saffron, Indigo (Blue) and (Permanent) Rose. Their rather neglectful parents are both artists: the extremely dotty Eve, who spends most of her time in the shed and is unable to perform the simplest of parenting tasks, and Bill, who's off in London to work and hang out with his friends and girlfriend. These books are very British: everyone's rather daft and eccentric and dryly witty. The house is a mess and there's never any money. They are also both hilarious and touching, and the love of the family for each other really shines through. Although the title would lead you to think that the book centered upon oldest sister Caddy, the story is told from the alternating points of view of Saffy, Indigo and Rose. It deals with the annual Valentine's disco at school, Saffy's new boyfriend and the compelling question of whether or not Caddy will marry, not off and on love "Darling Michael", but new guy Alex. It's not so much what happens, but the way it happens. I just love the dialogues and the points of view. McKay's got a great voice. And I love Sarah, Saffy's wheelchair bound best friend. They have such a great friendship. It's a real treat for those whose like middle grade (ages 10-13) lit., or if you just like stories about kooky Brits. I caution you to read these in order, or you won't get the full story and flavor. It goes: Saffy's Angel, Indigo's Star, Permanent Rose, and then Caddy Ever After. While I was searching for an author site, I found this article, which suggests that there will be another book, which I sincerely hope, because I think some relationships need to be resolved, most importantly father Bill's with his family. Plus, I want Indigo and Sarah to get together.

Also while I was poking around, I found a great children's literature website: Jen Robinson's Book Page. Definitely worth a look if you like children's books or if you are looking for something to buy a young one.