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.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

The Month That Was January 2012

Lemon Drop:  Hmmmm, you seem especially nutty this month Auntie Wendy.  What gives?

Me: Dude, there's a reason for that.  Read on Lemon Drop....if you dare!

Title links will take you to full reviews.

The Unlikely Wife by Debra Ullrick, Inspirational historical romance, Love Inspired Historical, 2012, Grade = C
  • A heroine with promise and a decent message that fumbles on the execution.  Lots of "dialect" and a rather heavy "God" element.
Family at Stake by Molly O'Keefe, Harlequin SuperRomance, 2006, Grade = B-
  • My TBR Challenge read of the month.  A textbook Super that delivered exactly what I want out of this line.  Strong emotional storyline featuring characters with oodles of baggage.
A Seductive Kiss by Francis Ray, Contemporary romance, St. Martin's, 2012, Grade = C+
  • A lack of tension to the romance, a bit of series-itis, and a heroine who falls on hard times mostly from her own lack of foresight.  But I still got sucked in by the hero's two hunky BFFs.  Who, you know, will get future books in this trilogy.
The Unrepentant Rake by Barbara Monajem, Digital short story historical romance, Harlequin Historical Undone, 2012, Grade = C+
  • Excellent banter mixed in to a frothy concoction of a story.  Unfortunately I wasn't so wild about the heroine prone to magical thinking....
A Cowboy Comes Home by Barbara Dunlop, Contemporary romance, Harlequin Desire, 2012, Grade = C
  • A promising premise that flounders thanks to a proliferation of "hero logic" and so much sequel-baiting that my eyes started to swim.
Intimate Exposure by Portia Da Costa, Digital BDSM erotic romance, Carina Press, 2012, Grade = C+
  • BDSM story that didn't make my blood pressure spike, but I felt the deceptive hero didn't pay nearly enough for his lack of honesty.  I wanted bloody knees and begging for forgiveness.  Vindictive thy name is Wendy.
A Naughty Noelle by Ann Bruce, Digital erotic romance short story, Self-Published, 2012, Grade = C
  • A sexy short story, but I couldn't let go of the fact that the hero was preforming so admirably while suffering from a knife wound in his side.
Rules of Engagement by Ann Bruce, Digital erotic romance novella, Self-Published, 2012, Grade = B-
  • Saw this one getting flambeed elsewhere online, but I liked it for what it was.  Liked the danger element to the ending, although the lack of definition to the hero's job and a heroine still a virgin after three failed engagements did strain a bit.
Mask of the Gladiator by Georgie Lee, Digital historical romance short story, Carina Press, 2012, Grade = C+
  • Interesting hero and story, but one that suffers from not enough word count.  Would have benefited immensely even at novella length.
Lemon Drop: Wow.  You finished nine reads and you slapped C's on 7 of them?  Are you feeling alright Auntie Wendy?

Me: No.  No, I am not.  C reads depress me, and I somehow managed to hit the motherlode in January.

Lemon Drop: Cheer up Auntie Wendy!  Look at me!  See how cute I am?  I've got dimples!

Me: Well, your dimples are cute.  Now I just need to find something really great to read.....

Lemon Drop:  Seriously, you have like a one track mind Auntie Wendy.....

    6 comments:

    JamiSings said...

    Well, if it makes Lemondrop's Public Relations Officer happy, I'm finding a lot of A+ reading from all those paranormal & based on fairy tales books she & her readers recommended. Especially the Mercedes Lackey ones.

    Still on the fence on the Donna Kauffman ones - I ADORE the "Godmothers" but some of the heroes and heroines I dislike. I especially did not want the passive-agressive and not at all supportive Grady getting Lucy in Sleeping With Beauty. I'd rather her find love with a guy who's brave enough to tell her he loves her and not whine and pout just because she got a makeover.

    I'll tell you, though, the 500 Kingdoms, first series since Harry Potter where I wanted to crawl into the books and live there.

    nath said...

    Well I hope that reading Conor's Way helped you out of the depressing mood, Wendy! :)

    I don't mind having C reads, but 7 out of 9? Depressing indeed :(

    Wendy said...

    WooHoo! I had a feeling the Lackey series would be a hit for you. One of the bloggers I've "known" online for ages (Rosario) really enjoys that series....

    Wendy said...

    February has been down in quantity, but quality has been WAY up. So I'll take that....

    Kristie (J) said...

    What a mediocre reading month you had in January. My condolences :-( And I LOVE that pic of you and Lemon Drop. So adorable

    Wendy said...

    And I accept your condolences! LOL

    The good news is that February has definitely been better with quality. I just haven't been reading quite as much in volume....