Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Rinse And Repeat

I've finally had time to go through the May issue of Romantic Times, which yielded only one surprise - I added two Silhouette Desires to my wish list (Kristi Gold, who is finally laying off the sheikhs, and Merline Lovelace respectively). Once my favorite series line, I've all but given up on them thanks to invading hordes of sheikhs and continuing series. Other than that? Another month with very few historicals of interest (for me at least) hitting the shelves.

(I know this is a repetitive whine for regular visitors but bear with me)

I love keeping a running wishlist, which is a tad obsessive compulsive, but I've never been one for impulse buying when it comes to fiction. I like having a shopping list of potential titles, and use Microsoft Access to keep it organized into sub genres. Right now this is how my numbers are stacking up:
  • Contemporary Romance (including Romantic Suspense) - 70
  • Erotica (books marketed specifically as such) - 28
  • Harlequin/silhouette series - 59
  • Historicals - 32 (sob)
  • Mystery - 12
Let those numbers speak for themselves. Trends to come? I suspect my erotica shopping list will soon overtake my historicals list. Especially when it appears that Black Lace will soon become more of a mainstream presence here on American shores (see page 20 of the May Romantic Times).

And while we're on the subject of the steamy stuff - I'm looking for opinions on Sarah McCarty's Promises series from Ellora's Cave. They're historical westerns (yippee!) and are now available in print (double yippee!), so I'm looking to add them to the shopping list.

In reading news - I just couldn't bring myself to start Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward. I'll get to it, but my mood (and general surliness) made me go for the "easy" read first - the new Bobbi Smith novel, Defiant.

So far this is the sort of book you can read with half a brain cell. The writing style leaves a lot to be desired (all tell, no show), with lots of head-hopping which has led to me feeling disconnected from the characters. That said, it's an easy read, and I suspect I could whip through it in one sitting if I didn't have this pesky job. OK, two jobs. But I'm not bitter.

7 comments:

sybil said...

I really enjoyed the first two in Sarah McCarty's Promises series and the last one was good.

I think the are worth checking out. Historicals will pick back up! Sez I ;)

Kelli said...

Wow, no impulse buying of fiction, I'm very impressed. The bookstores would be crying if I didn't impulse buy at least once a month. I have my lists but I always buy several titles on a whim.

Wendy said...

Kelli:
Who needs to impulse buy when you have as many titles on your wishlist as I do? Seriously, I need to think about reevaluating some of them....

Sybil: I'm leaning towards getting the McCarty series. And thanks for that e-mail you sent me.....

Alyssa said...

I've read two of the McCarty series: Promises Keep and Promises Prevail. Prevail is actually the latest in the series, but I read it first and quite liked it.

This series has a little more kink than you see in historicals, but nothing too shocking. I think you could easily handle them. And you'd probably like them, too.

:)

Jean L. Cooper said...

So organized! You librarian, you! LOL

Wendy said...

Alyssa: Ha! Kink has never been my problem. Seriously, when talking about erotica written by and for women nothing shocks me. I have no ick buttons. Maybe, deep down, I am a perverse deviant LOL

Ms. Librarian: It's a job hazard. I'm not so bad that I catalog my private library, but I suspect that day is coming.

sybil said...

Wendy, I like you more and more each day ;).

I have been pimping mccarty's westerns since I read the first one. Yes they are have more kink but I think that goes without saying for a EC. There is another Mac's Law? Not apart of this series might be a contemp western. Iwill have to look. I am pretty sure I have it... someplace.