Posted in Uncategorized on August 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Excited to see you there!
Posted in Uncategorized on February 23, 2012| 1 Comment »
The ladies over at Smart Bitches Trashy Books have got me thinking…I’ve been a bad romance reader. I’ve shunned, out of prejudice, a major section of the romance publishing industry.
The Harlequin Novel.
I figured if those intelligent ladies over at Smart Bitches found them worthy of a read or two (if only to pick apart where the whole thing went wrong) I too could give these reads a second chance. And thus, my experiment was born.
I’ve started with Maya Banks’s Pregnancy and Passion series (mostly born of a love for the first book’s title).
BookTalk
Kelly and Ryan were seemingly a fairy tale couple. Ryan laid eyes on Kelly as a waitress in an upscale restaurant and knew from the start he had to have her. After a whirlwind romance Kelly and Ryan found themselves engaged and on their way to Happily Ever After.
Until Kelly cheated on Ryan with his brother…at least, that’s what Ryan believes.
After the incident Kelly fled to Texas. Before Ryan she had been well on her way to completing her degree. Ryan’s money had never been his lure, Kelly had been in love with the man. But utterly betrayed by the person she loved most in this world forced Kelly into a situation she never thought she’d be in.
Months later Ryan has a hunch; a feeling. A private detective has found Kelly hiding out in a run down diner working as a waitress. The oddest place for a beautiful woman, close to finishing her education, holding a check with enough zeros to stay in school for life to be. The mystery only deepens when Ryan shows up in Texas only to find Kelly pregnant.
Kelly and Ryan are in a situation filled with landmines of lies and misunderstandings. If they want the Happily Ever After they were so close to getting before they’ll both need to look beyond their past and right the enormous wrong done to both of them.
Review
First off, I was so happy to see that this was a more ‘realistic’ plot than the first in this series. Starting with the cheating incident, Kelly’s following escape and even not revealing the pregnancy made sense. And I especially liked that Ryan was interested in finding Kelly before he knew she was pregnant. It solidified that he still cared for her, not just his impending family.
And it’s not so spoiler-ish to reveal that Kelly didn’t actually sleep with the brother. Does the heroine ever really (knowingly) cheat in a romance? No. And if you have an example otherwise I’d love to see how the author dealt with that one. In this particular case the whole infidelity set up had me STEAMING! I was so furious on Kelly’s part. She’s such a saint for the bulk of this book. Getting the stink eye from every other character in the book and yet she remains committed to moving past their old issues and focusing on their future.
Someone give this girl a cookie…or Gandhi’s house. Cause when it comes to being nonviolent when faced with a personal attack she takes the cake. Gandhi might have even thrown Ryan a swift kick to his privates for being so obtuse!!
But I must hold myself back. Remember, like Kelly, that in reality Ryan was wronged in this whole situation too. Not nearly as much as Kelly has been. But he’s suffered as well and is also trying his best to move past their past and find happiness in the future of their family.
I liked both of them for their commitment to each other. It was a real connection…even with all the drama happening in other parts of their lives.
Fantasy actually played a huge part in this story. I liked that it was used to push off confronting their “issues”. I don’t think they would have as strongly connected without slipping into a fantasy vacation. This also worked because Kelly was aware that it was a ‘fantasy’. Sweeping the pregnant, pre-eclampsia (oops, did I fail to mention that part of the drama…oh yeah, life threatening pregnancy…add it to the list) woman off to an island to rest and relax. Literally carried from place to place is a fantasy if I’ve ever heard one.
The bulk of the story really worked for me. I was right there with Banks for most of the plot arc. However, I’m just going to say that the man practically bought an island to make everything up to her. And while Kelly deserved it I felt like there was too much resorting to ‘gifts’ in the book/series to fix the major “issues” and not enough real emotional connection. And this particular installment seemed primed for a more emotional finish.
But I guess it wouldn’t be a Harlequin Fantasy without someone buying someone else a house, or an island, or a private jet…It practically defines the genre. Why else make all leading men wealthy business men. For the fantasy of extravagant gifts of course. duh.
Rating: 3/5 This is a stronger story of love in a series of drama filled “it’s complicated” relationships.
Posted in Uncategorized on February 15, 2012| 4 Comments »
Before you read any further see my post from earlier today detailing my new foray into the world of Harlequin Desire. It’s becoming an interesting experiment.
BookTalk
Rafael de Luca has a lot on his plate at the moment. Head of a high-powered company his day is already hard enough even without the amnesia he suffers from after a plane crash. Desperate to keep this handicap a secret from investors and stockholders alike Rafe’s business partners (and best friends) are filling in the dark hole that is the last 4 months of Rafe’s life.
One thing the boys weren’t aware of: Texan beauty Bryony…the woman carrying Rafe’s child
Four months earlier Bryony had the time of her life. Meeting and falling in love with Rafe during the time on her island home gave her a view of happily ever after. After selling a stretch of beach to Rafe he boarded a plane with promises of a return trip and a life together. Little did either know that a plane crash would erase the memory of Bryony…and Rafe’s promise to return.
Now Bryony is seeking the man whom she thinks betrayed her. But faced with medical facts will she stick around and risk her heart a second time?
Review
First off I have to say I had a hard time swallowing the concept of a hidden pregnancy and amnesia. Bryony kept said pregnancy a secret because when Rafe left her island home he promised to come back to her. And Rafe never called, texted, or returned because he had amnesia. Rafe suffers from short-term amnesia, meaning he’s only forgotten the last 4 months or so of his life rather than the whole thing. Conveniently, the only space of time he’s known Bryony. Did I mention the amnesia occurred because of his plane crashing on his way back to New York from Bryony’s island home. No need to worry, mere months later Rafe only suffers from amnesia…no major physical injury attained during the PLANE CRASH.
This is where I have to remember that I read, only a month ago, a story in which a time traveling Scottish Laird saves a woman and baby in a plane crash (no injury sustained) with only the sheer power of his arms. This is only one of the major tragic events that befall this couple within their single week together – falling in love. I thought it helped support their instalove. I must give Bryony and Rafe a little leeway…Maybe if one of them was a magical time traveler?…
But back to the story. I think I’m torn because:
A. This is actually not the weirdest romance plot I’ve ever come across…contemp or otherwise, so why can’t I let these dramatic plot points go?
B. The author has a good base for a story. The character motivations are clear and understandable.
I think for the amnesia to have worked for me the author needed to take it further. Rafe openly admits he thinks it’s a little ridiculous that he suffers from the ailment. But he fails to remember Bryony in any way. No smell recognition (perfume, hair, etc.), no touch recognition, no “feeling in the bones”, nothing. Yet, the author makes Rafe instantly protective of her. It just didn’t fit. You can’t say you have no connection to someone then play the “instinctively protective” card and the “no connection” card at the same time. Further, to start the book with a prologue of time on the island…or the plane crash…Bryony waiting by the phone. Giving the reader some basis for their relationship would have been extremely helpful from a plot point of view. I do realize that later in the book things turn out differently than we expect, but I still think a prologue could have been done.
This lack of prepping the reader for major plot points continued throughout the book. It was as if the plot was nothing but major scenes with none of the downtime to develop emotions or deeper understanding of the characters. This disappointed me because in all honesty as wild as the plot sounds Banks really could have made it work. The plot points were there, character motivation was good she just didn’t have the finer details down.
The strongest relationship in the whole book was Bryony and her grandmother. There was smooth dialogue and genuine warm feelings between the two. Rafe and Bryony were a rushed romance…which you think makes sense because of the whole amnesia thing…but then the ending kinda blows that theory out of the water and you’re left scratching your head as to how they fell in love so quickly…
But…
If I take this book with a grain of salt (as is my vow in this experiment) it was an easy evening of reading. At less than 200 pages I was on a roller coaster of pleasant trashiness. And one to be honest, I enjoyed enough to continue on with the series. It really is Banks’ ability to create a solid story idea – even if the execution fails a bit – that is deliciously trope filled. It’s like watching day-time reality tv. Pretty rough, but I dare you to look away.
Rating: 2.5/5 You can’t possibly refuse a few short hours of your day to a title like Enticed by his Forgotten Lover…you know you gotta read it.
Posted in For The Love of Words, Uncategorized on January 20, 2012| 7 Comments »
This meme was created by RachelKiwi over at She is too fond of books and it has addled her brain. Last week she decided that Fridays should be dedicated to logophilia. Logophilia is “the love of words” for all of you without a dictionary close at hand.
Posts are dedicated to either a new word you found in your reading this week, a juicy quote, or a general need to share your vocabulary ability. ‘Cause you know you’ve been dying to show off your reading skills since that final time you took your SAT’s.
My word this week comes from The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
“There is a complicated-looking lock holding the gates shut, and a small sign that reads:
Gates Open at Nightfall & Close at Dawn
in swirly lettering, and under that, in tiny plain letters:
Trespassers Will Be Exsanguinated
Bailey doesn’t know what “exsanguinated” means, but he doesn’t much like the sound of it.” (54, eBook ed.)
Well wouldn’t you know, I agreed with Bailey…I didn’t know what it meant either. So I did what Bailey couldn’t do during the 1800 [the time in which the book is set] I Googled it.
Exsanguination is used as a method of slaughter where, before the incision is made, the animal, depending on species, is rendered insensible to pain by various methods, including captive bolt, electricity or chemical. Without prior sedation, stunning or anesthetic, this method of slaughter causes a high degree of anxiety and should not be used alone.
Thanks for the tip Wikipedia. When submitting someone [something?] to a torturous death, I always look for a way to ease their anxiety…It’s why I teach and practice yoga. *eye-roll*
Good thing the short article goes on to explain:
Exsanguination is a relatively uncommon and dramatic cause of death in humans.
I like the addition of “dramatic”…Makes me think that I may or may not have seen this very process on Grey’s Anatomy in years past. Sometime after Lizzie (when she was on the show) saved that Deer in the back of a pick-up? Surely that’s not what the Deer was dying of…It all gets a little hazy, and might I add Dramatic, after that point.
Anyway, though this makes for a slightly gruesome first entry for this meme. It was the first word I’ve looked up all week. So there you have it. Use knives carefully to avoid exsanguination. Also, don’t jump the gates of The Night Circus for the same reason. Happily enjoy the word play from the safety of your favorite reading spot 😉
Posted in Uncategorized on December 21, 2011| 4 Comments »
BookTalk
Jessie Pringle was a spunky beauty with a wealthy childhood and a bright future until a shotgun marriage followed by a tragic murder attempt took away her abusive husband and unborn child. Left with both physical and mental scars four years later Jessie is ready to move on with her life. Armed with her dog Toby and the dream of an isolated mountain town Jessie heads to the North East to find a new life, a new love, and all the magic that brings.
Jessie is about to stumble into Ian MacKeage. Ian, smitten from the start with Jessie, is dealing with his own issues. The time has come for him to resolve his past and embrace the future, and the power that is waiting for him. He watches as Jessie displays the courage to fight for a new life…and begins to desire a new life of his own. So long as that life includes Ms. Jessie Pringle.
Review
Let me just begin by saying, there’s nothing like starting a series with the very last book! Yep, you heard that right. It’s number 8 in the Highlander Series. I gather from a quick browse on Barnes and Noble that our hero is actually a son of one of the couples in the first books of the series. So if you’re familiar with the series you won’t find any comparisons from prior novels in this review. Nope. Instead I’m gonna break down why reading the last book in a series made me hungry to go back to the beginning…
…Because you know I already have Charming the Highlander on my Nook. Yep, I’m good like that.
Complex Females. Jessie was messy. Not only was she recovering from a failed marriage and devastating loss of a child. She lost both the unborn child and (soon to be ex) husband when an unknown assailant attacked them in their home. Leaving Jessie riddled with traumatic flashbacks, disfiguring scars, and leg issues.
Now, before you go thinking “This is too much for me” or “I don’t like my romance heroines so tragic” Know that such events only lead to Jessie’s character seeming more spunky, funny, down-to-earth, and vulnerable. She seemed real. And this accessibility was because of her soap-opera like past rather than in-spite of it.
The Dog. Loved the dog in this book. Toby was as much of a main character in this book as his human counterparts. I don’t know if it was Ian’s innate connection with animals…or all of the various expressions Chapman gave Toby. But when Jessie starts talking to her dog like a person and he begins to respond (doggie style, no talking animals up in here)…You won’t think it’s weird at all. Mind you he doesn’t speak, but as a service dog trained to protect and comfort his owner a correctly placed tail wag can speak volumes. Bringing him into the story not only added a ‘cute’ factor but depth as well.
Hot Scottish Men. Let’s just repeat that statement. Hot, Scottish, Men. When you hit the scene where half the clan is splashing around a pool…the first time in a very long time I wished I could hop into the book. All those abs…
The premise of this series is that warriors from 18th century (or so) Scotland are tossed forward in time to find the women they are to love. Granted Ian isn’t an original clansman…instead a first generation child. The clan mentality with all its protective instincts and hearty family ethics are very much present in the tale. It’s like reading a historical romance with modern amenities. Very, very fun.
My only caveat with this tale was that we didn’t delve into Ian’s issues (war, being the prodigal son) as much as I’d have liked. I’m not sure if there was more prepping in earlier books(?) but reading this as a standalone I felt as though I was constantly being reminded of Ian’s issues without really seeing evidence of them.
Magic. So color me shocked when real magic began to happen in this book. Lead by Roger (the original Laird of the clan) the paranormal aspects were slowly seeped into the novel. Again, I think because I was so late to the game with this series I was really able to appreciate how well Jessie was integrated into the magical elements. I was new to them too and felt fully prepared when the big magic hit. I loved that. So many times in a series the reader was fully inundated into the world so you miss how choppy or quickly new characters are hit with the world. So I was so happy to see how smooth it all was. And how much I loved the character of Roger. You gotta read this to see him…I enjoyed him so much!
In the end this wasn’t the most “Christmas-y” of reads. True, it happened over the holiday. But could easily be read as a juicy winter read. Don’t be put off from the title simply because you didn’t have time this season…Or if you’re new like me, use the year to catch up and enjoy Jessie, Ian, and Toby next year. If you can wait that long!
Rating: 4/5 A winter read with an interesting female lead and a spunky dog…Oh, and some hot romance 😉
Posted in Uncategorized on December 9, 2011| 12 Comments »
TGIF is hosted by Ginger at Greads. It’s about answering/asking our readers a random book related question. The question posted by Ginger today is…
I’ll admit I enjoyed reading this series pre-movie. But I don’t know that I fell in love with the epic until I watched the movies. As good as my imagination is…Peter Jackson had a better one. Seeing that world brought to life made me fall in love with the story.
I hated where they ended this movie! Sorry if anyone didn’t see this coming but the dog dies. Yep, it’s a story of the life of a dog…where did you think it was going to end?
Anyway, What I loved in the book was that the author continued his story after the death of the beloved dog. You laughed and cried along with Grogan. You found CLOSURE. Wonderfully handled…The movie…basically: Dog Dies. The End. Please exit the theater tissues in hand.
The WHOLE point of Picoults’s book is the ending! And it’s such a perfect ending in the book. Meaningful. Resonant. An entire-box-of-tissues cry-fest. What did the movie go and do? CHANGE THE ENDING!! Seriously? Wtf? Still very offended by this adaptation…
What about you? Any great adaptations that enhanced a book for you? Any viewings that frustrated you to no end? Do Tell…
Posted in Uncategorized on November 23, 2011| 6 Comments »
Welcome! We’ve got an extra-special Book Club of Two this month. We’ve decided to be all literary and take on a re-read of Wuthering Heights. A book that I disliked the first 2 times around and RachelKiwi enjoyed but found it wasn’t her favorite.
Now we’re breaking it down 8 chapters at a time and asking all the tough questions like “Why is Lockwood such an idiot?!” Yep. The good stuff.
What makes this re-read even more special (besides the classic content) is that we’re joined by another childhood friend, LindszerWest. LindszerWest doesn’t have a blog so I’ll be posting her responses. But you may be asking yourself why we allowed her into this exclusive club for the re-read…Well, I’ll explain…
LindszerWest is not only a lifelong reader, she is a nook owning, bad-boy lover who saw the post announcing Wuthering Wednesdays and just had to jump in! Seriously, she was blasting my Facebook page with Heathcliff quotes *very fangirl*.
And while I’m making all these exceptions…I’ve decided to be nice to everyone for this re-read and instead of posting embarrassing pictures of awkward high school years I’m including pictures of us on our most beautiful day…Our wedding days 😉
My crush has shifted to Hareton. Compare and contrast Heathcliff and Hareton.
I think Hareton is slightly more mild as compared to Heathcliff. He doesn’t have the history of rejection that Heathcliff had. I think (for better or worse) the knowledge that Hareton is born to a family with a name and a history hold Hareton back from becoming as strictly hurtful as Heathcliff.
Reflecting back on something The Librarian commented on in Week One: Nelly does interfere a little bit in the story. Does this make you trust her less? Should we blame her? Or was she justified in her occasional meddling?
Well, if we are to believe Nelly was as close to everything as she claims to be I don’t think she can help but meddle a bit…both in the past story and in the current retelling. Nelly has her own motivations and her own bias. Her love of Catherine (2), the softness she sees in the girl stems more from raising the girl rather than a clear view of Catherine’s actual nature.
Still if we are to trust anyone on the moors she’s our best bet. She seems to have found a weakness on all sides at one point or another. Not a great narrator…but it’s a wacky story anyway. What fun would it be if our narrator was trustworthy? That person would have escaped the moors long ago.
Is Cathy Linton Catherine Earnshaw all over again?
She’s pretty darn close. Though she seems to have had a better childhood so I suppose we can’t judge her fully. Catherine (2) was never allowed to run wild as Catherine (1) was.
Which characters from the previous generation is Linton most like?
Ok, how the heck did we get Linton from the past generation. I suppose, as insinuated by his name, he got a lot of Linton in him. But seriously, every other character had a backbone…passion…something. Linton is just a wimp.
What differences does Linton have from the previous generations?
Uhm, his wimpy-ness. He just isn’t as motivated by passion as they were.
What part does Linton play in the present?
He gives everyone someone to use against one another. And honestly Bronte wouldn’t have been happy without her little love triangle. Linton just isn’t as attractive as Edgar was in the generation previous.
Which characters from the previous generation is Catherine (2) most like?
Of all the children Catherine (2) is most a combination of her parents. I think she seems more like Catherine, but Nelly would have us believe that she maintains a softness from her father. Something in me finds this suspect…I think Nelly is feeding us a little bit of a line through her lens of having raised Catherine (2) and the fact that she disliked Catherine (1).
But I think at this point I may be getting a bit cynical 😉
What differences does Catherine (2) have from the previous generations?
Perhaps it was raising her in isolation. But Catherine is simply more temperate in all things. She’s willing to re-evaluate her relationships. She’s not as carried off by passion…for better or worse. She’s suspect of marriage in general. Catherine is the most realistic of characters out on the moors. I think she could have broken away from it all; had she been set in another book. But the moors takes no prisoners. You know Catherine (2) is heading toward some twisted stuff…it’s not going to end well…
What part does Catherine (2) play in the present?
She’s the center of the love triangle. Literally the center of everyone’s eyes. True this makes her a bit of a pawn…but I think because she’s so much like her mother it torments Heathcliff a bit. And you know that man deserves a bit of torture…Catherine (1) did promise to haunt him from the grave. Little did Heathcliff know it would be her living daughter. Not that this will save Catherine (2). Nope, it’s just firmly cementing her as a tool for Heathcliff.
Which characters from the previous generation is Hareton most like?
Heathcliff! Seriously, even Heathcliff agrees that he actually likes Hareton. If only Hareton wasn’t a person Heathcliff had set out to ruin…
How the heck Bronte had Hindley and Frances produce this one is beyond me…Makes the least sense of all the children.
What differences does Hareton have from the previous generations?
Really, had he been an orphan he seriously would have been Heathcliff word for word. I suppose having the history of a family…having been raised with a father [not well obviously…don’t we all remember the baby dangling incident…] gave Hareton the pride that Heathcliff was missing. Where Heathcliff was driven by anger based on revenge, Hareton is driven by anger based on pride.
What part does Hareton play in the present?
He’s the hottie! And he’s apparently Heathcliff’s child via strangers…weird. And Heathcliff will ruin him too, just ’cause.
Bonus: Could anyone in this new generation live a happy life? Who would you bet on and why?
For sure Catherine (2) but really no one is making it out of the moors. Lets be honest, to even think of any of these characters living happy is a false hope…makes me kinda sad…
My crush has shifted to Hareton. Compare and contrast Heathcliff and Hareton.
Ah, Hareton. Like Heathcliff, he’s disowned and forced to work in the fields, but he has it much worse as he SHOULD rightfully be the master of Wuthering Heights. As a result of the abuse he receives from Heathcliff and the teasing he gets from Cathy and Linton, he’s every bit as sullen as Heathcliff was as a boy. However, he seems to have a more charitable spirit, as we know that he never touches Linton no matter how much he provokes him, and Hareton also does his best to improve himself in the only ways he knows how. So yes, Hareton and Heathcliff are both disowned, disenfranchised souls, but Hareton doesn’t seem to carry the same evil intentions for his oppressors as Heathcliff does.
Reflecting back on something The Librarian commented on in Week One: Nelly does interfere a little bit in the story. Does this make you trust her less? Should we blame her? Or was she justified in her occasional meddling?
Nelly meddles a lot in the story, as she often comes out looking like a saint in the retelling (and appears to be the voice of reason throughout). If I’d nurses such a succession of loonies though, I’d probably spiff up my own supposed virtues in the retelling too…
Is Cathy Linton Catherine Earnshaw all over again?
Yes and no. Unlike Catherine Earnshaw, Cathy Linton actually has some compassion for others and selflessly nurses both her father and Nelly Dean while they are ill. She says “I fret about nothing on earth except papa’s illness” and wishes to make Linton happy — but she is like her mother in that most of these actions serve her too — her kindness in looking after Edgar and Nelly is partly prompted by her fear of what would happen to her if they died, and she nurses Linton because she considers him a pretty little pet and amusing to her. And the scene where she teases Hareton for his ignorance is pure Catherine Earnshaw.
Which characters from the previous generation is Linton most like?
Edgar Linton, in his Milquetoast-esque, wimpy demeanor. I can’t see any of Heathcliff in him at all, except for the one time he flies into a passion at Hareton.
What differences does Linton have from the previous generations?
Unlike the previous generation, he doesn’t have the capacity for long-term revenge – maybe because he knows he’s not long for the world.
What part does Linton play in the present?
Basically, he’s a pawn for Heathcliff’s ongoing revenge, and serves only to keep the two households at war.
Which characters from the previous generation is Catherine (2) most like?
She is like her mother in that most of her actions toward others are motivated by her own losses and gains, but she has her father’s mildness. She reminds me of Isabella in many ways.
What differences does Catherine (2) have from the previous generations?
She seems as though she’s the most adaptable to the real world – had Heathcliff not engineered a relationship between Catherine and Linton, she probably would have married some nice man from the village and been mostly happy.
What part does Catherine (2) play in the present?
Unfortunately, she’s a pawn, just like Linton. The two of them serve as the connectors between the two ill-fated households.
Which characters from the previous generation is Hareton most like?
He’s Heathcliff in his anger and Catherine Earnshaw in his pride. Seriously, did someone switch the bassinets?
What differences does Hareton have from the previous generations?
Although he can be angry and sullen, Hareton doesn’t seem to have the same capacity for lifelong grudges.
What part does Hareton play in the present?
He serves as a daily reminder to Heathcliff of what he COULD have had in a son — “I’d have loved the lad had he been someone else” — but I think he has another role to play as well.
Bonus: Could anyone in this new generation live a happy life? Who would you bet on and why?
I think they’re all too thoroughly addled by the moors by now, but see my answer about Catherine Linton, above. I think she’s normal/boring enough to pass in normal society, and could have married out of the insanity.
Posted in Uncategorized on November 18, 2011| 6 Comments »
TGIF is hosted by Ginger at Greads. It’s about answering/asking our readers a random book related question. The question posted by Ginger today is…
To be honest, I don’t receive a ton of physical books from people. Maybe I read too much/too fast…You’d reallly think more people would be giving me books, lol. Usually just lots of gift cards. Which is fine by me 😉 But over the years I have received a few books and book suggestions that have been some of my favorite reads…
I wasn’t a huge Jane Austen fan back in the day. I didn’t even begin to enjoy her books till my 3rd time through Mansfield Park…yep, Fanny the wet rag got to me. Obviously stymied by the worst of Austen’s books I wasn’t too keen to try my new-found appreciation elsewhere in her writing. That is until my Aunt Janine gave me Persuasion…and I found myself bored and *shockingly* without a book. I plucked this one off the shelf and never looked back. The way he writes that love letter…While She’s In The Room!!! Damn, Austen really did know what she was doing. So a big THANKS to my Aunt Janine for saving Austen for me 😉
This book came as a part of a themed Christmas gift. The adults in my family trade names and then buy a single gift for their person at Christmas. Oh, and did I mention that gift has to fall under each year’s “theme”. Yep, we’ve done things like Sweaters and Socks, Relaxation, and Fits in a Shoe Box. Where does my book fit in do you ask? Why the year we did Rest and Relaxation. I’d seen the title in bookstores. But it’s one of those books where the summary on the back isn’t the most intriguing. But I gave it a shot, and the whole thing was finished before I was back on the plane to Boston [where I lived at the time]. Such an amazing story of women! About the lives of women the histories of men forget. If you haven’t done this one yet, trust me, pick it up. This is a story that stays with you.
RachelKiwi can be pushy. How else do you explain the fact that she got me to read several THOUSAND pages of this series. She just went and shoved Jamie Fraser in my face and I was lost. Easily one of my favorite series ever. There are many more books RachelKiwi and I have shared…but this one hit me hard. Ignore the slightly sci-fi time-travel portion of this novel. Trust me, it’s really all about the love and all about that tragic Scottish History. Plus, Men. In. Kilts. need I say more…
Ashley @ Into the Hall of Books for pointing me in the direction of The Night Huntress. Love Cat and Bones. My new favorite paranormal romance!
Jess @ Gone With The Words for mentioning The Forest of Hands and Teeth in a Halloween TGIF Post. The name intrigued me enough to check out the series. Blown away by the trilogy…one of my favorite reads of the year.
Amy @ Bookgoonie for encouraging me to do the Iron Fey series. Loved it! Especially the final book *sigh* Gotta love a man who will go to the Ends of the Earth for the woman he loves…
Posted in R.I.P. Challenge, TGIF, Uncategorized on September 23, 2011| 10 Comments »
I did sign up for one challenge this year. The R.I.P. challenge. This challenge is in its sixth year and is hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings. I liked the challenge because it offered a lot of different levels of commitment.
I’ve committed to Peril the 1st.
This means that I have to read 4 “scary” books by October 31st. Well, I’m calling them scary but technically I just have to read anything that could be classified as:
You see, this is my first reading challenge and I chose it because I love to get all theme-y in the fall. I was built for the fall people…I miss it! I’ve got red hair, pale skin, and a deep desire to wear boots with long skirts. Oh and apples, and pumpkin patches…maybe lots of apple cider with peach schnaps…
But I digress…
I long for the fall even more because as we all know…this very pale, easily sunburnt, librarian lives in Southern Florida. Yep, it’s def. still about 90 out right now and those dreams of some new rich brown, Victorian steampunk-ish, shoebooties are not jiving with the weather.
*But wouldn’t shoes like that look great with a skirt?*
*Something a la Anthropologie*
But again…I digress…I’m here to talk about books, forgot for a second, lol…
My progress with this challenge is as follows:
I’ve signed up for it and downloaded The Shining from my local library
and The Poisoned House from NetGalley
But I would love lots of help picking my final two books! I’m a scaredy-cat at heart and horror has never really been my thing. Picture me sleeping with a night-light throughout the month of October.
So what about you?
Any Reading Challenges?
Any Scary Story suggestions? (please, please, please! lol)
Any thoughts on fall fashion?
Posted in Uncategorized on September 5, 2011| 1 Comment »
Welcome back to my humble abode for chapters 1-7 of Eclipse. Look to Bookgoonie to link up your Eclipse answers as well as get the next Eclipse questions. If you don’t have a blog you can comment through Twitter with #mondaybites.
1. Lots of talk about colleges. Bella’s criteria: can she afford it and how much sun. What college did you or do want to go to? What were your prerequisites for attending or what would they be?
I’ll be the first to admit my dad drove the college choice bus! He was so on top of checking out schools, knowing their locations, their stats…and I couldn’t disagree with his conclusions! I know, very passive of me, lol.
I ended up at Miami University (Miami of Ohio…go redhawks!) and looooved it. Perfect school, medium size about 5 hours away from home with a beautiful new rec center and a downtown that catered to the University. I was much happier than Bella to head off to college…though I always wonder had she made it…would she have ended up loving it…
2. Parenting. Charlie is suspicious, but doesn’t seem to be too perceptive of what is really going on with Bella. How perceptive were your parents to your teenage years? Bird & the Bees. Did your parents have a discussion with you? How did it go down?
My relationship with my parents was a good one. But I didn’t take too many risks during my high school years. I was probably the girl Charlie wished Bella was! The girl who was involved, had a nice group of friends, and a boyfriend who wasn’t a vampire that spent the nights in my room. No co-ed sleepovers for me, lol. Also, I’m not remembering an awkward birds and bees talk…I think we had sex-ed in school?…
3. We have had a few discussions about Edward’s obsessive behavior. He is busy protecting Bella from an old threat, Victoria, and a new one, Jacob. How do you feel about how Edward handles this?
I think, having finished the series, I wished Edward would have trusted the wolves more for support earlier in the book. I understand the whole Jacob thing (this is the book where the love triangle hits it’s peak) but I think the vampires and wolves could have teamed up earlier against Victoria. As far as Jacob…well, I never thought he had a shot anyway 😉
4. Getting married. Edward sort of proposes. *shakes head at how unromantic* Between that moment and the end of the section where Rosalie tells her story, I thought about marriage. So is Edward’s proposal an old-fashion act or a way to really put off vampire-Bella?
I think Edward really wants the proposal. I think it has the added bonus of putting off changing Bella. But it’s also his way of keeping some tradition/religious rules in check. Plus, it gives Edward a chance at experiencing a very human ceremony…one he probably gave up on participating in long ago.
5. Rosalie. Is beauty a curse or a blessing?
Curse, totally. The girl would be a lot nicer with a few flaws…
Twilight Flowers by Greencycle Designs
Sara O
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