I'd heard 3 things about Stephenie Meyer's Twilight... 1. It's a YA novel, 2. It's a vampire story and 3. It's really good. I'm only about 1/3 through it and am amazed at how fluid the story feels.
Tempting The Devil was the first Patricia Potter romantic suspense I've read, she's been writing them for a while now and for some reason I didn't follow her from historicals to RS. I think she switched when I was in my 2 year reading slump a few years ago. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I didn't expect to be disappointed with a major premise of the story."Now the bad guys have threatened my sisters if I give it to anyone but them. They want the name. I don't think they'll stop at anything to get it."Conversations between Robin and her source:
"I'm sorry, Robin. I didn't see this coming."
"Neither did I."
"...You started this by giving me information you knew--a lot better than I--was very dangerous."You know what? I may not be a brain surgeon, just a lowly reader, but I saw this coming. How could the reporter, source and editor not make this connection? I didn't think the reporter shouldn't write the article, just be prepared for all the consequences, not just a pissed off FBI. The source was insistant that his family would be a target, why wouldn't the reporters family be a target too? This really bugged me, maybe I'm nit picking.
"I never thought they'd come after you."
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more. | |
| Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm | |
| Book Snob | |
| Literate Good Citizen | |
| Non-Reader | |
| Fad Reader | |
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz | |
Reece is a contradiction, she's had a severe trauma in her life that left neurotic and obsessive, probably justified, and yet she is also strong or at least getting stronger and at times more confident as the book goes on. Brody becomes her rock, believes in her when many others around them think she's simply that poor crazy woman from back east.Reece Gilmore has come a long way to see the stunning view below her. As the sole survivor of a brutal crime back East, she has been on the run, desperately fighting the nightmares and panic attacks that haunt her. Reece settles in Angel's Fist, Wyoming-temporarily, at least-and takes a job at a local diner. And now she's hiked this mountain all by herself. It was glorious, she thought, as she peered through her binoculars at the Snake River churning below.
Then Reece saw the man and woman on the opposite bank. Arguing. Fighting. And suddenly, the man was on top of the woman, his hands around her throat . . .
Enjoying a moment of solitude a bit farther down the trail is a gruff loner named Brody. But by the time Reece reaches him and brings him to the scene, the pair has vanished. When authorities comb the area where she saw the attack, they find nothing. No signs of struggle. No freshly turned earth. Not even a tire track.
*I shouldn't complain about the book, Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, I knew that they were holding it for someone else and they called to tell me the other person cancelled, it was nice they called so quickly.
One of the books I picked up at the library was Nora Roberts' Angel Falls, I've read about half the book and OMG, the heroine is one of the most neurotic characters I've ever seen in a romance, yet it completely works (Jane, I haven't reached the canoe scene yet, of course that wont really matter as I'm clueless about canoe etiquette).
So last week when my Mom and sister took me out for "Girls Day Out" it turns out they've been living under the misconception I've been languishing in SAHM martyrdom because I wear old patched jeans. I had to point out that my old patched jeans are 1. my favorites, 2. incredibly comfortable, 3. have pockets for keys and money and 4. clean. I've promised to wear nicer pants/skirts in public. We had a nice lunch and Mom gave me my birthday present a month early.
Got to go, Junior's in the shower and we're going to be late for school.
Have a good one and happy reading.
PS--I've a column up on RTB, read about the conversion of a non-romance believer.
I've been on a Linda Howard kick again. Read three over the weekend. Son of the Morning, Open Season and Midnight Rainbow.
Midnight Rainbow was book three of my "Can You Guess The Book" post. Published originally in 1986, it was my first Linda Howard. I think it's safe to say I've gone on to read everything she's written. I'm now looking for my copy of Diamond Bay, you can't really read MR and not DB--LOL.
My husband spent a good part of yesterday afternoon flipping between football games and a program about The Templars, so I've decide to bug him into reading Son of the Morning.
Open Season is my go to book right now, you know the book you pick up because you don't know what to read but need to read something. I love the condom/drugstore scene, it makes me laugh everytime I read it.
I'm trying to figure out how to put a border around a blockquote or part of a blog post, does anyone know how to do this? Ames does this and I love the look. Ames or anyone else out there--HELP.
Have a good one and happy reading.
He didn't know her that well at all. In fact, she was desperately, impractically romantic.Can you guess my book?
She leaned back in her chair, stretching her long bare legs out in front of her. "So let's sum this up," she said in her best lawyerly voice. In truth she'd spent very little time in court, and it had never been up to her to provide the summation ,but she could wing it with the best of them. "I can't leave the house because the doors and windows are electrified, but I can use the pool... What's to keep me from taking off once I'm outside?"
He was motivated by an urge for adventure and the hopes of impressing an unattainable lady.Can you guess my book?
It was not his place to disillusion Miss Welbourne, however. Nor would she thank him for it.
"I'm sure he was very brave," she said.
A shiver ran over her; he rubbed his free hand up her bare arm, feeling the coolness of her skin. Of its own accord his hand continued upward, stroking her satiny jaw, smoothing her dark tangle of hair away from her face. She was in a melancholy mood, this funny little cat, staring at the rain as if it would never stop, her eyes shadowed and her full passionate mouth sad.Can you guess my book?
Cupping her chin in his hand, he tilted her face up so he could study her quiet expression.
Dark hair, unruly as if the brushes had been forgotten this morning, framed a handsome face composed of strong, chiseled planes. Signs of fatigue dulled his deeply set, midnight-blue eyes. Strained forebearance tightened his square jaw and firmly set mouth...
So, why is it I spent a good part of the book visualizing Craig T. Nelson from the old TV sitcom Coach. I kept waiting for Jerry VanDyke to come running in screaming "HAYDEN, HAYDEN!!" 
And then somehow the blue jean wearing "Coach" morphed into Mr. Incredible when the voice started to interfer. I guess the midnight-blue eye color might match, but that's about it--LOL.And, now they're having a "fart" discussion. 9:00 can't come fast enough.
I think there's a reason we only have one child--LOL.
Have a great day.
Maybes:
My son is having a play date/sleep over today. His friend arrived at 10:30 and is staying over. They've had lunch and a snack, played outside twice, watched some Noggin and have been playing with trains in his room, and it's now 12:30. All of that in 2 hours, it's going to be a long day--LOL. Apparently Junior doesn't have enough trains, his friend brought a bag full too. I'm pleased to say they play nicely together, their teacher says they compliment each other which she appreciates because they don't instigate too much trouble that way. Tomorrow morning they have basketball at 9:00.
Kresley Cole's No Rest for the Wicked was not what I expected.The Blurb courtesy of B&N:
A soldier weary of life . . .I'm being a little bit lazy and linking to some of "The Reviews" I've come across:
Centuries ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire -- a nightmare in his mind -- against his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead.
A Valkyrie assassin dispatched to destroy him . . .
When Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow -- accidentally extinguishing all of her emotions. Yet whenever she encounters Sebastian, her feelings -- particularly lust -- emerge multiplied. For the first time, she's unable to complete a kill.
Become competitors in a legendary hunt.
The prize of the month-long contest is powerful enough to change history, and Kaderin will do anything to win it for her sisters. Wanting only to win her, forever, Sebastian competes as well, taking every opportunity -- as they travel to ancient tombs and through catacombs, seeking relics around the world -- to use her new feelings to seduce her. But when forced to choose between the vampire she's falling for and reuniting her family, how can Kaderin live without either?
My thoughts... I liked it, but it had some hurdles to overcome. After the first in the series, A Hunger like No Other, I expected a fun read with little hints of horror, this one lacked the scarier moments that I liked so much about AHLNO.
I'm starting with "What I didn't like":
What I did like--Cole overcomes my initial "Oh, no" reaction with a fun and overall entertaining story.
Was I unrealistic because I didn’t not pound in the realities of Alcy’s situation, assuming that readers would take my book as I had written it, without hauling in the baggage of their past experiences in the genre?
Cold as Ice by Anne Stuart was the first book I'd finished in close to 2 weeks. And once again Anne Stuart comes through with a good book. Peter Jensen is a closer for "The Committee," deep cover operatives that fight to stop terrorism and bad guys all over the world. He's working for Harry Van Dorn, an over the top villain planning 7 terrorist attacks on the same day in order to cause financial chaos all over the world, somehow he is going to benefit from this (it's a little vague as to why, but I guess that didn't really matter). Genevieve Spenser works for Harry's law firm and stops to have Harry sign some documents before leaving on 6 weeks of vacation. Well, of course she is plunked down right in the middle of the stop Harry at all cost operation. And, she's not smart enough to get out while the getting was good, not that she's TSTL but she thinks Harry's the wonderful guy the media projects. Genevieve is at times annoying, but this really feels like Peter's book so I was able to get past most of her stupid moments. The book isn't perfect, but it's an exciting adventure definitely worth reading.
I was actually 100 pages into this one when I picked up Cold as Ice. And once I found my glasses Dance of the Gods turned out to be the 3rd book I finished in 2 days. This book was work for me. I liked Morrigan's Cross and thought it was a good set-up for the series. This book wont stand alone, I didn't expect it to, which is fine, it's part of a series that needs to be read in order. I had three issues 1. there's additional world building going on, the first book sets up the vampire world, this one sets up Geall where the ultimate war between vampires and humans takes place. 2. I never warmed up to the h/h, Blair and Larkin, not a good thing for a romance--LOL. It's not a bad book and once the Circle of Six makes it to Geall the book gets better. And the odd thing is by the time I finished the 3rd book in this series I loved all the characters. 3. There are a few little info-dumps, enough that I started to notice them.
The 4th book I finished was Nora Roberts Valley of Silence. I loved this book, for me it was a complete page turner. Moira is a wonderful Warrior Queen and Cian is perfect as the Noble Vampire. I cried through this entire book. They've had 2 books to fall in love, they declare themselves early in this and know that ultimately their love can't exist in their worlds. All the characters come to detailed life, including the vampire family of Lilith, Lora, Davey and their protector Lucius. It's filled with scary and fantasy moments. Some may find the ending somewhat contrived, but it's a romance. Moira and Cian have to find a HEA and this one works for me. This may become my favorite NR and since I've read just about everything she's written that's pretty darned good.
Apple picking, someone wasn't thrilled with posing in the scarecrow, don'tcha love the frown. The foot in the background is his 9 year old cousin, who I found out was a real bully that day. Do you think he told me this when it happened? Of course not, it comes out a month later when I can't do anything about it.
Getting ready for Trick or Treat. My little vampire was very excited about Trick or Treating with his best friend, I barely had enough time to snap a couple of pictures before we were off to their house. The live up on the next street so we walked.
As you can see both of them were vampires. The best friend got to wear scary make-up, I was afraid to use anything on that beautiful face, he has very sensitive skin. The lounging scarecrow was actually a person in costume. Scared the heck out of the people in front of us.
