The Month That Was January 2009

This weekend is the Super Bowl. Which means when I'm not in the kitchen preparing assorted junk food goodies, I'll be camped out on the sofa. So y'all are getting my pathetic monthly reading recap a couple of days early.

This was a depressing month. Mostly because I started out the month like gangbusters and then hit a wall. I ended up only finishing 6 books. I need to figure out what the hell is wrong with me. Or at least make more of a concerted effort to carve out at least a little reading time every day. At this rate, 2009 will be just as dismal as 2008 reading total-wise. And seriously y'all, my TBR Anxiety has reached epic proportions.

Sigh

Well, without further ado (or bitching and moaning).....

Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell, Suspense, My Grade = C+ - An improvement over the last several books in this series, but still nowhere near as good as the earlier installments. This book felt too long, especially in the beginning, but I was happy to see the author focus more energy on the actual investigation, as opposed to all the inner angst of her characters. Full Super Librarian Review.

Reining In The Rancher by Karen Templeton (Silhouette Special Edition), Contemporary Series Romance, My Grade = B - Another solid book from Templeton, who excels at writing "real" people facing "real" conflict on their road to their happily-ever-after. TGTBTU Review.

A Man She Couldn't Forget by Kathryn Shay (Harlequin SuperRomance), Contemporary Series Romaance, My Grade = C - I'm a big fan of Shay's HSR books, and this one was a disappointment. The amnesia plot is well done, but outside of the heroine, her sister, and her therapist, I disliked every other character in this book. Including the hero. TGTBTU Review.

Pictures Of Us by Amy Garvey (Harlequin SuperRomance), Contemporary Series Romance, My Grade = B- - A departure from Garvey's work with Brava, an emotional story of long-married high school sweethearts who are confronted by their pasts. There was one secondary character I felt was too good to be true, but otherwise, a nice read. TGTBTU Review.

The Rake's Intimate Encounter by Ann Lethbridge (Harlequin Historical Undone), Regency Historical eBook-only Short Story, My Grade = B - A quick, sexy short story ideal for fans of older Nicole Jordan. What does that mean? It's hot enough to singe your eyebrows, the prose is more lavender than purple, and it's ideal for readers who want "hot" but don't like to read "crude" language like the F-bomb or C-bomb. I really enjoyed this story, and am looking forward to the author's full-length HH due out in April. TGTBTU Review.

The Viscount Claims His Bride by Bronwyn Scott (Harlequin Historical), Regency Historical, My Grade = C - It was nice to read a Regency that didn't take place in London (Cornwall is center stage here), but I was annoyed by the hero who just wouldn't come out and tell the heroine why he "had" to break her heart a decade before. I also felt the villain was too easily thwarted at the end. All that said, this was my second read by Scott and the second one that featured some pretty darn good dialogue. TGTBTU Review.

And that's it. February is a short month. Here's hoping I can kick my butt into gear.

Wendy Hits Pleasure Overload

If you've been reading this blog for any stretch of time you know two things. 1) Wendy loves westerns and 2) Wendy loves Harlequins. Oh, how I lurve me some Harlequins. And what is better than Harlequins you might ask? Well, how about free Harlequins? Yes, free books! Seriously, could my life get any better?

OK, one of those ubiquitous Greek tycoons could finally show up at my front door. But for now, free books will do.

In honor of their 60th anniversary, Harlequin is offering up 16 free (yes, free!) ebooks. There's a wide selection and a variety of formats to choose from. Seriously y'all - head on over there now and download every single one. Heck, I'm going to! At the bargain price of free, I'm using this as an opportunity to try new authors and sub genres.

Here are the list of titles available for download:

• Baby Bonanza by Maureen Child (Silhouette Desire)
• Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly (Harlequin Blaze)
• Price of Passion by Susan Napier (Harlequin Presents)
• Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson (Kimani)
• Hide In Plain Sight by Marta Perry (Love Inspired Suspense)
• Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch by B.J. Daniels (Harlequin Intrigue)
• Kiss Me Deadly by Michelle Hauf (Silhouette Nocturne)
• Stranded With a Spy by Merline Lovelace (Silhouette Romantic Suspense)
• Once A Cowboy by Linda Warren (Harlequin American)
• Dancing In The Moonlight by Raeanne Thayne (Silhouette Special Edition)
• Snowbound by Janice Kay Johnson (Harlequin SuperRomance) Super Librarian Review
  
• The Bride's Baby by Liz Fielding (Harlequin Romance)
• A Very Special Delivery by Linda Goodnight (Love Inspired)
• Speed Dating by Nancy Warren (NASCAR)
• His Lady Mistress by Elizabeth Rolls (Harlequin Historical)
• Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart (Love Inspired Historical)

One more time - you can download your free books here.

Free, free, free!

The Anti-Book Club Discussion

Since she had boxes and mail to pick up at the Bat Cave, I saw the Lil' Sis yesterday. She brought with her the copy of In Too Deep by Portia Da Costa I loaned her to read, complete with the threatening Post-It Note I put on the cover telling her I would skin her alive if anything "bad" happened to my shiny, beautiful, pristine, OCD-looking autographed copy. I'm happy to report she returned it unharmed.

Warning: Minor spoiler in this conversation involving one of the hawt scenes in the book. It doesn't give away any major plot point, but if you want to know nothing - consider this your warning. You can read the full non-spoiler Super Librarian review here.

Lil' Sis: You were right. I read it in like 2 hours.

Me: So...what did you think?

Lil' Sis: I was sort of surprised it was published by Black Lace. I mean, it wasn't slutty at all!

Me: LOL - Yeah, that's why I said on my blog it would be a good book for newbies to erotica.

Lil' Sis: Yeah, I mean I figured since it was Black Lace, the librarian would have been banging everybody to try and figure out who Nemesis was. The IT guy, the other librarian, some of the library patrons, the Professor.....

Me: ::trying not to laugh hysterically while driving down busy So. Cal. freeway:: And that scene where she "takes herself in hand" (edited for blog content - I was more crude in real life) she would have thrown open the curtains and let the neighbors watch!

Lil' Sis: And then opened the window to yell to the whole neighborhood they should come on over!

::More giggling ensues::

Me: So did you like it?

Lil' Sis: Yeah, I liked it quite a bit. OMG, that scene where the Professor is "taking himself in hand" (edited for blog content - my sister was more crude in real life) and Gwendolyn spies on him? OMG - hottest scene ever! I kept waiting for him to turn around and catch her watching him! OMG - hot, hot, hot!

Me: I know! That was my favorite scene too!

Lil' Sis: I agree with your blog review. Definitely not erotica. This one is definitely an erotic romance. Gotta be sure to add that romance in there.

Me: Well, I'm glad you liked it.

Lil' Sis: I did. Thanks for loaning it to me!

Sadly, All Too True

Sorry y'all, you're getting blog filler. Stuff to do, sister to visit with, blah blah blah. But seriously, pretty funny (and accurate!) cartoon, yes?

Harlequin Ho

I love Harlequin. Lord knows I do. And now they've found a new way to feed my addiction. Harlequin's Digital Team has launched a desktop application! You download this happy bit of software to your computer's desktop, and it pops up with various Harlequin news. I just downloaded it to my office computer, and it's pretty cool. You can learn more about it, and download the software, here.

Pretty Awesome Susan Wiggs News

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, and social networking sites, authors have a variety of ways to communicate with readers these days. But damn, nothing quite beats the good ol' fashioned e-mail newsletter. Which is why I've never gotten around to unsubscribing from the gazillion that I'm a member of. Good thing too, because the latest newsletter from Susan Wiggs is chock full of exciting reprint news!

Four of Wiggs long, long, long out of print historicals are getting reprinted in 2009. The slight downside to this joyous news, is that three of the four reprints will have different titles. Sigh. I hate when publishers do that. Oh well. It's still not annoying enough to damper this exciting news, since - like I said - all of these titles have been out of print for ages. Here's the breakdown of plot descriptions, publication dates, along with new titles. Enjoy!

Lord Of The Night, June 2009, No New Title.

Description:

When a crime was committed in tumultuous sixteenth-century Venice, Sandro Cavalli, Lord of the Night, could be counted upon to bring the malefactors to justice. Strong and rough-hewn as noble oak, his inborn code of morality was strong as his mighty shoulders. Nothing and no one could sway him from his duty.

No one until Laura Bandello. She was a woman of lustrous beauty and disarming charm. Yet why did Laura know so much about the problems plaguing Venice? Could someone so fair, so innocent, be involved in a shocking plot?

The only thing Sandro knew for certain was that he wanted this woman more than anything he had ever wanted in his life - even if it meant sacrificing everything he held dear.

Circle In The Water, August 2009, New Title = At The King's Command

Description:

Never one to forget a slight, King Henry VIII sough revenge against Stephen de Lacey, the handsome and defiant Baron of Wimberleigh. When a gypsy horse thief interrupted the king's daily hunt, Henry saw a way to bring the insolent nobleman to heel - he gave Stephen a choice of marrying the brazen wench or watching her hang.

Stephen wanted nothing to do with his unwelcome gypsy bride, even when he realized Juliana was a princess from a far-off land, fleeing the fires of a deadly uprising. But with each day, she moved closer to his heart - and to the secret that could destroy him.

A mysterious force from Juliana's past threatened the life they had built. It was then they knew that together they could overcome all odds.

Vows Made In Wine, September 2009, New Title = The Maiden's Hand

Description:

Oliver de Lacey had no time for love. he pursued pleasure with relentless fervor. Then one day, he met a woman who changed his wild ways.

Mistress Lark had no need for passion. All her devotion went into a secret cause she embraced with her whole heart. Until she met Oliver de Lacey.

Dancing On Air, October 2009, New Title = At The Queen's Summons

Description:

Pippa invented a past for herself, because anything was better than facing the truth. But when her antics led her into serious trouble, she had to throw herself at the mercy of a powerful Irish chieftain.

Aidan's world was crumbling beneath him. He went to London to seek mercy from the queen. Instead, he found an entrancing, mysterious woman who would alter his dreams and change his life forever.

These aren't listed on Amazon yet, but if you check out Wiggs' bibliography (scroll all the way to the bottom of the page!), it looks like Harlequin/Mira is planning on reprinting a lot more of Wiggs' long out of print historicals! Yippeee! Great news for historical fans everywhere, because her historical backlist is filled with a fine variety of settings and locales.

And for the record: Yeah, those four copies pictured above belong to yours truly. I amassed all of Susan Wiggs' historicals ages ago. Have I read them all? Golly, of course not! After all, I'm the Queen Of Having Great Books In My TBR That I Haven't Gotten Around To Reading Yet. Just ask KristieJ, who nags me incessantly every time I see her live and in person. Love ya girlie!

Because The Pretty And Shiny Amuses Me

For those of who read this blog the "old fashioned way" or if you've wandered over here from your feed reader, you might have noticed a new widget on my sidebar. It shows some of the cover art I've uploaded to my Upcoming Historical Romances wiki that I talk about on occasion, but that doesn't do all the great in the "hits" department. Traffic usually spikes after I mention it's existence on the blog, and then y'all seem to forget about it. So what's on this wiki you ask?

I do my best to scour my Top Secret Librarian Resources to compile upcoming titles in historical romance. Once the cover art appears on Amazon, I also upload it to the wiki because - I'll admit it - I'm a huge ho for cover art. I cannot get enough talk, discussion, snark etc. about cover art. Love it too pieces. Plus I like looking at the pretty and the shiny, even when some poor author gets slapped with a truly horrendous man-titty clinch cover.

Right now on the site? Starting with the January 2009 releases, mouse over any of the covers to see the official laydown date for the book. Also, you'll find nuggets of information like the fact that Carla Kelly's next Harlequin Historical release, The Surgeon's Lady is set for a June 2009 release date. Beth Williamson, who has published several westerns with Samhain, makes her debut over at Kensington Brava in March with The Education of Madeline. And for Georgette Heyer fans? Look for even more reprints thanks to Harlequin and Sourcebooks!

Also, check out the cover goodness!


























Yeah, I totally dig Headless People covers. So sue me. But look at the colors! Aren't they purdy? And who doesn't love the anticipation of future book releases? It's like being a kid again and waiting for Christmas morning to hurry up and get here already.

So wander on over and take a look. And y'all come back now, ya hear?

Disclaimer: My wiki is not exhaustive. I don't include ebooks (for my own sanity), and I try my best to highlight reprints and all new print releases. But inevitably I miss a few titles here and there. This wiki mostly exists for my own amusement, and in the hopes that someone else will find it useful. There's no one helping me do this, and I'm not perfect. But I'll continue to do the best I can.

Dawning Of A New Day

Ha! You all probably think I'm talking about President Obama being sworn in. Which would make the Curious George icon a ::ahem:: curious choice, no?

Nope, not only does the United States get a new President today - but Super Librarian gets a blood relative (one I actually like) within decent driving distance today. The Lil' Sis, the family Curious George aficionado, is currently sitting in the Orlando, Florida airport waiting to board her flight to LAX. Yep, she and the Super Brainiac Brother-In-Law are leaving behind sunny Florida to come live in sunny southern California!

I'll be blunt, California wasn't her first choice. She was gunning for The Super Brainiac to land a job in Germany, which ended up not panning out. Certainly, who could blame her? Germany has beer and chocolate. California has Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.

Geez, now I'm depressed.

But honestly, I think she's starting to warm up to the idea. If only for the fact that I'll be able to keep her in books. Yep, I've got a tote bag set aside for her already. And because I know y'all are curious, here's what's waiting for her.

Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner - I've had an ARC of this sitting on my desk forever. I finally admitted to myself that it was unlikely to get read, and I put my name on the waiting list for an audio book copy here at work. Lil' Sis likes suspense, so I thought I'd pass it along to her.







The Dirty Secrets Club by Meg Gardiner - Another ARC that sat on my desk forever, and another book I wanted to read but knew I wouldn't be able to find the time. Incidentally, I just started this one on audio book. The narrator isn't the greatest, but the story is intriguing so far.







Money Shot by Christa Faust - As has been known to happen with books I highly enjoy, I ended up with several copies of this one. Since I have a shiny autographed copy sitting in my keeper stash now, I have an extra to pass along. My Lil' Sis needs to get in touch with her inner angry feminist like I need more books, but I think she'll get a kick out of this one. Also of note, this book was just nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original.





In Too Deep by Portia Da Costa - Lil' Sis loves erotica almost as much as I do, although our tastes don't always mesh. For example, I love erotica with "baggage" and "issues" (think Megan Hart) while she's more a "Get over it chica and get to the hot lovin'!" type of reader. As long as it's "fun" without being "silly" and the heroine isn't a total brain-dead twit, she'll more than likely enjoy the book. This one should be right up her alley.




And I think that's it. For now. I've already told her the first chance she gets to drive to the Bat Cave she can have free run of my erotica collection. Seriously, that's how much I love my Lil' Sis. I don't share my erotica with just anybody.

Screaming Dust Bunnies

It's MLK Day here in the States. I wish I could say I was doing something noble and honorable on this day when we reflect on the life and accomplishments of the late Dr. King - but alas, I'm cleaning. The Bat Cave hasn't had a thorough cleaning since the holidays, if that gives you any indication how dire things were getting around here.

Also since it's a holiday, and I'm off work, My Man decided today would be an ideal time to take his car to our mechanic for a minor service. Thus meaning he took the Batmobile to work (his office did not give him the holiday off). Personally I think this is just his diabolical way of keeping me out of the bookstore on my day off.

Other than us finally buying a new mattress this past weekend (heaven!), I got nothing. Seriously, nothing. Work kicked my butt last week, mattress shopping and football kicked my butt this weekend. All this means I've done zero reading. After going on a tear two weeks ago, I'm not even crawling at the moment. I need to find me some inspiration. Or some mojo. At the very least some damn consistency.

The Super Librarian Guide To The NFL Playoffs

Yes gentle Bat Cave readers, we're in for exciting times this weekend. The AFC and NFC Championship Games are here. For you non-American-football types, basically which ever two team prevail this weekend are the teams that will meet in the upcoming Super Bowl. Which everybody in America watches, even if they only do so for the commercials. But never fear, Super Librarian is here to give you the rundown on this weekend's games, and to help you decide who you should root for.

AFC Championship Game - Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens

Why You Should Root For The Steelers: Probably the best team in the AFC. Great defense, their running back is healthy again, and you can't underestimate the hypnotic effect of Troy Polamalu's hair. Also, despite the fact their quarterback is the kind of idiot who rides a motorcycle without a helmet Big Ben didn't go to no flashy college like USC or Florida. No, he came out of Miami....of Ohio! Representing the MAC Conference. Gotta love that.

Why You Should Root For The Ravens: The kind of defense that will punch you in the face and send you cryin' home to your mama. These guys are tough. Ray Lewis is the guy everybody knows, but watch out for freak of nature safety Ed Reed. If Big Ben has a bad day, Ed is gonna make him pay. Also, their rookie (yes, rookie!) quarterback is one of the feel good stories of the year.

Who I Think Will Win: Well it should be the Steelers. They're better rested, healthier, and Ben has been in these types of pressure games before (they won the Super Bowl a couple of years back). But seriously? With that Raven's defense and how pumped up they'll be for the game? Anything could happen.

NFC Championship Game - Philadelphia Eagles vs. Arizona Cardinals

Why You Should Root For The Eagles: Eagles "fans" are a diehard lot, but they'd boo their own grandmothers off the field. Basically you should root for the Eagles because of their quarterback Donovan McNabb. Here's a guy with a colorful NFL career. Some of his problems have been his own making (Not knowing the overtime rules? Seriously?), but most of them have not (Rush Limbaugh being a blow-hard ignorant jackass, getting boo'ed at the draft!, Terrell Owens being Douchey McDouche). I want Donovan to play well. I want him to kick ass and give the finger to every fan who has ever boo'ed him and every reporter that's ever given him shit. Because Donovan is amazingly talented. Seriously Philly fans, take one of my crap Buffalo Bills quarterbacks and give me Donovan. Then you'd have something to boo about!

Oh and his wife just gave birth to twins.

Also their defense kicks ass. It's gonna be a rough day for Arizona. Plus it will really piss off Terrell Owens if they make it to the Super Bowl and win. And really, who can't get behind that? T.O. getting hosed? That would even be better than when the Giants won the Super Bowl last year and Tiki Barber and Jeremy Shockey got hosed.

Why You Should Root For The Cardinals: Because Kurt Warner is their quarterback. The guy is older than dirt, is one of the true stand-up guys in the league, and has a thumb that's basically being held together by chewing gum and dental floss. But this man can still sling the ball. It's gonna be fun and gun baby! He's going to throw that ball all over the field, and watch for wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald to make catches that are against the laws of physics. Also if you're the type who always roots for the underdog? This is your team. Historically one of the worst teams ever in the NFL. They were just terrible for a whole lotta years, and now they're standing outside the pearly gates.

Who I Think Will Win: The Eagles. I fully expect their excellent defense to give Kurt Warner fits, and he'll have a hard time chucking the ball down the field. But honestly? Either team could win this game and I'd be totally OK with it.

Weeeee, New Historical Author!

I like to joke that Tessa Dare and I were two ships passing in the night. See, Tessa used to work for my current employer as a children's librarian. About a month before I started The Old Job, Tess went off on maternity leave, and eventually decided to make it permanent. Girlfriend had bigger fish to fry. Oh, like signing a three-book contract with Ballantine. In another turn of events, Ballantine then decided, "Hey Tessa, we want to release your trilogy in back to back to back months." And so, here it is....2009 and the first book in Tessa's debut trilogy lands on July 28. Gather round Bat Cave followers and bask in the glow of pretty, pretty covers and the promise of a new historical author for us all to glom with abandon.


Goddess Of The Hunt - July 28, 2009

Description: Ever the bold adventuress, Lucy Waltham has decided to go hunting for a husband. But first she needs some target practice. So she turns to her brother’s best friend, Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall, planning to hone her seductive wiles on him before setting her sights on another man. But her practice kisses spark a smoldering passion—one that could send all her plans up in smoke.

Jeremy has an influential title, a vast fortune, and a painful past, full of long-buried secrets. He keeps a safe distance from his own emotions. But to distract Lucy from her reckless scheming, he must give his passions free rein. Their sensual battle of wills is as maddening as it is delicious, but the longer he succeeds in managing the headstrong temptress, the closer Jeremy comes to losing control. When scandal breaks, can he bring himself to abandon Lucy to her ruin? Or will he risk his heart, and claim her for his own?

Surrender of a Siren - August 25, 2009

Description: Desperate to escape a loveless marriage and society’s constraints, pampered heiress Sophia Hathaway jilts her groom, packs up her paints and sketchbook, and assumes a new identity, posing as a governess to secure passage on the Aphrodite. She wants a life of her own: unsheltered, unconventional, uninhibited. But it’s one thing to sketch all her wildest, most wanton fantasies, and quite another to face the dangerously handsome libertine who would steal both her virtue and her gold.

To any well-bred lady, Benedict “Gray” Grayson is trouble in snug-fitting boots. A conscienceless scoundrel who sails the seas for pleasure and profit, Gray lives for conquest—until Sophia’s perception and artistry stir his heart. Suddenly, he’ll brave sharks, fire, storm, and sea just to keep her at his side. She’s beautiful, refined, and ripe for seduction. Could this counterfeit governess be a rogue’s redemption? Or will the runaway heiress’s secrets destroy their only chance at love?

A Lady of Persuasion - September 29, 2009

Description: Only one thing could convince Sir Tobias Aldridge, an incorrigible rake, to profess undying fidelity to a woman he’s just met. Revenge. What better way to get back at his enemy, than by stealing the scoundrel’s sister? Not that Toby finds it a chore, seducing a beguiling, sultry beauty freshly arrived from the West Indies. With Isabel Grayson, vengeance is doubly rewarding.

Isabel is determined to marry a wealthy, powerful lord and become a lady of influence, using her rank and fortune to fight social injustice. Sir Toby, with his paltry title and infamous reputation, is unsuitable husband material—but he makes her blood race, her heart pound, and her long-buried passions come to the surface. If she can reform the charming devil, she’ll get exactly what she craves: society’s respect. But it’s a dangerous gamble. For if Toby wins this battle of persuasion, Isabel could lose her heart.

OK, so they aren't westerns. But they're historicals! And my burn out on English historicals appears to be lifting (the Bat Cave Jury is still in the Cautiously Optimistic Phase on that front). And look kids - not a vampire, werewolf, pixie, faerie, wood nymph or leprechaun to be found. Oh, happy day!

Pulp Goodness

Here in the U.S., if you order anything from Harlequin it comes from Buffalo, NY. Now, I love Harlequin, truly I do. But by far the number one issue I have with them is the length of time it takes for something they send me to get from Buffalo all the way out here to California. I swear, they still use the Pony Express. Case in point? I got a package from them this evening that had a "Happy Holidays" greeting card inside of it.

Um, we're talking January 13. What holiday exactly? Maybe it was a Merry Martin Luther King Jr. Day card?

Anywho, what did I get? They sent me a 2009 calender filled with vintage Harlequin cover art goodness! I first read about this calender over at the Petticoats And Pistols blog, and whoa doggie, was I jealous. I adore pulpy cover art, and Harlequin had some of the best. Case in point, two of my personal favorites below that are featured on the calender:

Yes this book was really entitled The Manatee and yes the tag line really was "Strange loves of a seaman." Oh man, snark should just not be this easy. I mean, where is the challenge? First off, they named a novel after a giant blubbery sea creature. Second? The word "seaman" guarantees a case of the giggles. And third? That tag line, coupled with the title, suggests our fair hero likes to walk on the wild side by lovin' nature and all her creatures. I mean, how is our dear heroine supposed to compete? One would assume she doesn't have flippers. Unless of course this was a precursor to paranormal romance and she's a mermaid hiding a tail under that dress. But then one wonders how she's able to stand so amazingly upright?






Another personal favorite is I'll Bury My Dead. My immediate thought was, I certainly hope so sweetheart or else it's going to smell real ripe, real quick wherever you are.

But that might be because I've read entirely too many mystery novels. Killer dress though. And check out that waistline. Is a 12 inch waist line even humanly possible?

Seriously I love this calender. It's so going up in the Super Librarian office cubicle so I can make all the other librarians pea green with envy.

Kicking Butt, Well Sort Of

Blogging inspiration seems to have fled me for the moment, which is why The Misadventures Of Super Librarian was a vast wasteland over the weekend. But I have excuses reasons why! And since I got nothing else at the moment, I'm going to tell you why my brain is currently the consistency of Cream Of Wheat.

• Sybil's been cracking the whip and I've been a reading fiend. OK, not really. But after some fumbling around in the dark, we seem to have come up with a plan on "what" I'll actually being doing over at TGTBTU. In a nutshell? Mostly reviewing Harlequins. So if you dig category romance, that's mostly what I'll be reviewing over there. In the meantime? I plowed through 3 books last week. Seriously, three. And yeah, I know Harlequins have shorter word counts - don't rain on my parade Mr. or Ms. Kill Joy.

• It's that time of year again. Yep, Homework Reading! Once again I've been roped into helping my library put together their annual (this is #3) "literary event." And once again, Wendy lined up the romance authors. And once again, Wendy gets to moderate said romance panel. Which means look for reviews for books by Chris Marie Green, Christie Ridgway and Kathleen Givens in the coming weeks.

• My baby sister is moving to California! A scant 40-some miles away from me! Which means I'm going to have someone to share smutty erotica books with! Which means I really need to get reading through my vast backlog in that particular genre.
  

• Everybody has read The Stranger by Megan Hart except me. It's my next read, as soon as I knock off one more Harlequin Historical title....

• I'm fat. No really, I'm fat. And this has nothing to do with the fact that my baby sister is now back down to a size 8. The bitch. No, I'm fat. I wouldn't know what a healthy diet is if it bit me in my very large ass. So basically that means changing my entire diet (No really, my entire diet. I have the eating habits of a trucker.) and getting back into my walking routine. I'm dragging My Man out with me in the mornings, and also taking a brisk one mile walk during my lunch breaks, while I'm plugged into an audio book. So far? Um, yeah I haven't lost any weight but I'm less "puffy." Yeah, looking less like a marshmallow is decent enough progress for now. I'll take it. Now to keep myself from getting derailed.
  

It Always Feels Like Somebody's Watching Me

I have a long, colorful history with Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series. I've loved some of the books, and hated others. I've been frantically glued to the pages of some, and hurled others towards the nearest wall. So you're probably wondering (or maybe not), what does Super Librarian have to say about the latest book in the series, Scarpetta?

Well, it didn't suck.

Yes, it's true. I've always had a way with words.

Before I continue on with this review, for those of you not read up on the series who don't want spoilers? Yeah, turn back now. There's no way I can review this book without providing spoilers for previous entries. You've been warned.

A new year finds Dr. Kay Scarpetta hard at work in Boston, when she gets a call from her husband, former FBI profiler, Dr. Benton Wesley. There's been a shocking murder in New York City. A single woman, a little person, savagely murdered in her apartment and found by her boyfriend, also a little person. The boyfriend, Oscar, is extremely paranoid and is having delusions that he's being followed, tracked and spied on. Now he's discovered his girlfriend's body, and he's really freaked. So he checks himself into Bellevue, demands to see Dr. Benton Wesley, and then states in no uncertain terms that he'll only let Dr. Kay Scarpetta examine him. The New York District Attorney, Jaime Berger, is sitting on a powder keg, and already the tabloids are calling Oscar "The Midget Murderer." Heck, they're not even sure Oscar is guilty of anything and the stick-up-her-ass New York City coroner is hesitant to even rule the murder a homicide. Against his better judgment, Benton calls Kay and she travels to New York to meet with Oscar.

What unfolds is a complicated case involving Oscar's paranoia, another plot to "sabotage" Kay, a vicious online gossip site called Gotham Gotcha!, and charges of animal cruelty.

I found this story, for the most part, a nice return to form. It appears to be better written (or maybe I've just gotten used to it by now) than the last several books. I also enjoyed that the investigation took more of a central role, with all the character baggage taking more of a back seat in this installment. There's a lot of loose threads floating around in this book, and the author ties up everything quite neatly in the end. I also felt the climactic finish really cooked, and I tore through the second half of this novel.

But....

A lot of this felt like same ol' same ol'. I mean, how many times do I have to read a book in this series that features someone who is "out to get" Kay. Seriously, this woman has more enemies than Richard Nixon. Also, while Kay has always been a smart, attractive woman, she's nauseatingly too good to be true in this book. I kept waiting for her to say, "Can't we all just get along?" in regards to all the character baggage that now populates this series.

In regards to that baggage, yes Detective Pete Marino plays a sizable role in this story. For the most part, I thought Cornwell handled his fall from grace and redemption well. That being said, I guess I expected Lucy, Benton and Kay to be a lot more pissed off. Kay especially. She seems determined to sweep his actions under the rug completely and essentially doesn't acknowledge it. Despite his odious behavior in the previous book, The Book of the Dead, I really liked Marino in this story. It was lovely to see him back to being a good investigator!

While the writing was better here, I did feel this story was easily 100 pages too long. Maybe I've been reading too many shorter books lately, but Scarpetta seemed to take forever to get moving in a forward direction. Once Kay finally gets done with her examination of Oscar, and the investigating begins, the book picks up steam.

The suspense thread is no real brain-bender, given the lack of suspects, but Cornwell has never been a writer of traditional Whodunits anyway. And after the last few lackluster entries, I'm finding myself surprisingly easy to please. Probably the lowered expectations. Final Grade = C+

2008 Year In Review: Final Thoughts

Hang in there gentle blog readers, I'm finally in the home stretch. It's now officially time to sweep 2008 under the rug, and begin looking ahead to all the fantastic books I'm convinced I'll read in 2009. But before that, one final post to make your eyes glaze over. Here are some final thoughts about my reading year that was 2008.

• Karen Templeton wins the award for the author I read the "most" this past year. I read four (count 'em four!) books by her, in 2008! She also wins the award for Best Author Wendy Discovered Last Year. She's now on the autobuy list.

• Another great author I discovered this year was Nicola Cornick. For several years (too many to count) I've suffered from extreme burn-out on anything Regency. It's never been my favorite time period in British history anyway, and the glut on the market didn't help matters. For that reason, I've read very few Regency historicals in the past 5 years (at least!), and I'm sure I've missed out on some great writers. I discovered Cornick because she wrote an Edwardian this year, and hot damn, I love Edwardians. Then I read her Harlequin Historical Undone story and I was hooked. I hit the nearest UBS and bought all the Nicola Cornick titles they had on the shelf.

• Damn Harlequin, but they got me hooked and good. I know a lot of readers don't care for anthologies or short stories, but I adore them to bits. Probably because they allow me to fool myself into believing I'm a "fast" reader. Also, I have little patience for verbosity in writing. Don't use 25 words to say something when 5 words work just as well. So when Harlequin introduced their new Harlequin Historical Undone eBook-only short story line? Oh yeah, I was a goner. I've read all of them so far, and discovered several new authors that way.

So what's ahead in 2009? Oh, the usual. I want to read more out of the TBR. I want to read more period, preferably getting my reading totals back up to 100 books on the year (which hasn't happened since 2005). Which means less TV, more reading in the evenings, and generally kicking my ass into gear. Yeah, let's see how long these resolutions lasts.

2008 The Year In Review: The Honorable Mentions

The highlights from my 2008 reading year continue, this time with the best of my honorable mention reads. These are the books I graded a B+, were excellent reads, but lacked that tiny mysterious little something that elevates a book into A territory. It's hard to describe, and hard to explain, but most hardcore readers know what I'm talking about. "A" books just feel differently don't they? But that doesn't mean the "B" books are "bad." They're still pretty darn good. And here's the best of the pretty darn good ones. Click on titles to see full reviews.

A Mother's Wish by Karen Templeton (Silhouette Special Edition 1916) - This was one seriously emotional read about a woman checking up on the child she gave up for adoption several years before, and the boy's adoptive father, who just lost his wife to cancer. The sugary epilogue dangerously teeters into Wendy's Huge Honkin' Pet Peeve Territory, which is why this one didn't end up a true keeper. Still, it just about damn near ripped my heart out.

Money Shot by Christa Faust (Crime) - The older I get, the less patience I have for verbosity. Which is probably why I'm a hopeless squeeing fangirl for pulp crime novels. I likes 'em fast, hard and lean, with characters of dubious reputations and femme fatales. Fausts' debut for the old boy's club, Hard Case Crime, puts the femme fatale in the starring role. A former porn star, raped and left for dead in the trunk of a car, who rescues herself and begins a mission of revenge in search for the truth.

The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen (Suspense) - The latest novel in the author's long-running Jane Rizzoli/Maura Isles series. After being disappointed in the author's last couple of books, I found this entry a marvelous return to form. Lean, economical, with a compelling suspense thread. It's also a very strong Jane installment, and our girl continues to be the smartest person in the room. Love her!

Layover by Megan Hart (Erotic Romance eBook-Only Short Story) - I'm a sucker for quick, sexy reads and this one hit the spot. Hart's full length novels for Harlequin Spice tend to be heavy, emotional affairs and this short story was fast, charming and sexy with a take-charge heroine and a hero who is hopelessly infatuated with her. Download this one, and read it in bed. Your partner will thank you for it ::wink, wink, nudge, nudge::

What a Scoundrel Wants by Carrie Lofty (Medieval Romance) - I read so few medievals, mostly because it's just never been my favorite time period in history. But I was compelled by Lofty's choice in a hero (Will Scarlet of Robin Hood fame), and appreciated that she wrote a heroine who is allowed to be just as morally ambiguous as the hero (hey, why should the boys have all the fun?). I did find the first half of this story a bit of a slog, but the second half really cooks.

The Promise Of Jenny Jones by Maggie Osborne (Western Romance) - OK, so this isn't my favorite Maggie Osborne. And I'll admit, it took a while for me to warm up to this story since hero and heroine spend very little time together for the first half of the novel. But once these two hook up? Whoa doggie, was this little story great! Fabulous, wonderful, tough as nails heroine. Seriously, I'm totally gay for Jenny.

As Darkness Falls by Bronwyn Parry (Romantic Suspense) - Currently only available in Australia, I continue to hold out hope that Parry will find a publisher here in the States. Winner of the 2007 RWA Golden Heart for Best Romantic Suspense Manuscript, this book is a real winner. Wonderfully damaged characters, a compelling suspense thread, and a beautifully drawn locale of the economically depressed Australian Outback. A skilled romantic suspense novel that effortless juggles both romance and suspense. A must read, if you can get your hands on a copy. C'mon U.S. publishers. Step it up!

And that's it. Next up? My final closing thoughts on my 2008 reading year. Hang in there folks, the finish line is in sight!

2008 Year In Review: The Best Of The Best

Despite my sad and pathetic reading totals in 2008, I managed to read quite a few quality books this year. Here's a look at the books I graded in the A range. Click on the titles to see full reviews.

His Secret Past (Harlequin SuperRomance 1491) by Ellen Hartman. This is only Hartman's second published book, and it knocked my socks off. Two characters with mountains of personal baggage, a compelling Big Secret-style plot, and oodles of emotion. She's now officially on my autobuy list.

Fathers & Daughters series by Karen Templeton (Silhouette Special Edition). Sybil nagged me to read the first book in this series, Dear Santa, and after that it was all down hill. Characters that felt and acted like real people, along with compelling conflict, have made Templeton one of my go-to authors for series romance. Books in order are Dear Santa, Yours, Mine...Or Ours?, and Baby, I'm Yours.

Outlaw Bride by Jenna Kernan (Harlequin Historical). What I so love about Kernan's work for HH is that she writes westerns pre-Civil War. Her stories have a wonderful frontier quality to them, and she generally writes heroines with some gumption. This story features a heroine pushed to the edge and a hero who is determined to give up on life. Great stuff.

Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain (Suspense). The second book in Cain's Gretchen Lowell serial-killer saga, this book literally was a white knuckle read for me. I know a lot of readers who poo-pooed the twist in this one - but for me, I loved it (and felt Cain did some foreshadowing, so y'all shouldn't have been all that shocked). This was one book I literally could not put down, and in a year where I read only 64 books? That means something. I was putting a lot of books down this year, this wasn't one of them.

Revenant by Carolyn Haines (Suspense). Another suspense story, this one featuring a damaged heroine that knocked my socks off. Loved the Deep South setting, which gave this story a gothic tone. Also enjoyed the tabloid news angle, the cold case and the heroine's destructive nature. I really hope Haines continues to revisit these characters in future books. Review was on now-defunct Paperback Reader blog, which has been dismantled. Take my word for it - great suspense novel.

In Too Deep by Portia Da Costa (Erotic Romance). Definitely one of the lighter and more fun reads I had this year. Adored the librarian heroine, and I'm always a sucker for a hero who pines after the heroine from afar. Smokin' hot love scenes, that never ventured into Bizzaro World (which seems to have over run this sub genre of late).

The Man Behind The Cop by Janice Kay Johnson (Harlequin SuperRomance 1489). I adore series romances that feature emotional story lines, so it's kind of amazing I hadn't discovered Johnson prior to this year. This one packs real emotional punch, with a heroine who has only seen the worst in men, and a hero who thinks he's nowhere near good enough for her.

The Rebel And The Lady by Kathryn Albright (Harlequin Historical). I'm beginning to think I'm in the minority on this book, as I've yet to find a reader who adored it as much as I did. I suspect the reason I loved it so much was I read the author's first novel, which was pleasant but nothing all that special. This story though? Wow! Loved that she used The Alamo as a backdrop for the romance, that the story featured honest-to-goodness, not cliche-riddled Mexican characters, and a hero who doesn't start out all that hero-worthy.

Princess Mia by Meg Cabot (Young Adult). The second-to-last book in the Princess Diaries saga. This one was mainly graded an A because I found it a marvelous return to form. Mia has grown up a bit (finally!), Tina Hakim-Baba continues to rock my world, and there's little to zero "Lily Bullshit" in this installment. A great entry in the series. Sorry, no review.

Next up? The best of the honorable mentions. Stay tuned.

Year In Review: 2008 By The Numbers

Librarians love statistics, and I'm no exception. Which is probably why I've been keeping track of my reading for the last several years. I keep a fairly bare-bones style spreadsheet, and given how faulty my memory is on most days, it helps me keep track of it all. To start off my series of posts about my reading year that was 2008, I thought I'd start off by discussing the numbers.

I only read 64 books this past year. Sigh, yeah that's it. Only 64. I struggled all year long with my mojo, and I'm not sure why. As you'll see further down in this post, it's not because I was reading crap books. I read a lot of really good ones this year. By comparison, this is what I've done in years past.

Total Books Read:
2005 = 105
2006 = 95
2007 = 72
2008 = 64

My goal for this year is to kick my ass into gear and get my numbers up again. 64 is measly, even by my slow reading standards.

So what exactly did I read? Here's a breakdown by genre, keeping in mind that I tend to classify books with multiple tags (so this will show more than 64 items!)

Mystery/Suspense/Crime = 12
Westerns = 12
Series (Harlequin) = 14
Chick Lit = 1
Romantic Suspense = 5
Erotica/Erotic Romance = 6
Paranormal Romance = 2
Young Adult = 1
Anthologies = 2
Historicals = 36
Short Stories = 6
English Historicals = 10
1 American Historical (non-western), 3 Medievals, 2 17th century Caribbean setting

So what's surprising here? Well, no single title contemporary romance. None. Also, even factoring in the massive glut on the market, I only read two paranormals. Definitely a sign that I'm well past burnt out on that particular sub genre. My English Historical numbers were up for the first time in several years. I know 10 doesn't sound like much, but in year's past? Yeah, I maybe read 1 or 2. I'm wondering if my burn out on all things England is starting to lift?

In the new year I'd like to read more anthologies and short stories. The ones I read this year I literally plowed through, and I'm thinking the shorter format might kick start my mojo.

As far as quality of reading, I had a really good year. Here are the grades I assigned those measly 64 books:

A = 11
B = 30
C = 21
D = 2
F = 0

The lack of F's might seem shocking to some long time blog followers because I've generally had at least 1 or 2 in previous years. What was different about 2008? Well, I stopped reviewing for The Romance Reader, which means if I hit a dud of a book, I tossed it aside and didn't finish it. At this time I've decided to not keep track of DNFs, because frankly, I don't see the point. Although off the top of my head, I think I only had a couple this past year. Not very many.

Looking ahead to publication dates, here's how the numbers breakdown:

1997 - 2006 = 10
2007 = 11
2008 = 42
2009 = 1

Sigh, so much for my determination to read more books out of my TBR. I need to do better with that in 2009.

And that's the end of the numbers. Anyone still awake? If so, the next post will be more exciting. I plan on talking about my favorite reads of 2008. Stay tuned.