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.

Friday, June 15, 2012

The Month That Was May 2012

::crickets chirping::

::dead silence::

Me: ::clearing throat:: ahem!

Lemon Drop:  Oh, hi Auntie Wendy!  You took so long to get here that I decided to relax with one of my favorite books.

Me: Yes, I know.  Auntie Wendy running late again.  You should be used to this by now kiddo.  Can you pull yourself away from your book long enough to hear about what I read last month?

Lemon Drop: Oh sure, I see how it is.  Keep a girl waiting and then it's all about you.  Well....what about me!  And my devoted following!

Me:  Oh brother!  I'm not touching that right now.  Let's talk about the measly five books I read last month instead.

Clicking on title links will take you to full reviews.

Naked Angel by Logan Belle - Contemporary erotica, Kensington, 2012, book three in trilogy - Grade = B-
  • The final chapter in an erotica trilogy about a law student turned burlesque performer.  A fun conclusion to a soapy saga.
The Homesteader's Sweetheart by Lacy Williams - Inspirational historical romance, Love Inspired Historical, 2012 - Grade = B-
  • A gentle western romance that doesn't beat readers over the head with The God Stick.  Banker's daughter heroine falls for a homesteader with an ailing daughter and 7 (yes, 7!) adopted sons.  Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Beta Hero, Social Climbing Parents, One Vile Would-Be Fiance, Finishing School Heroine, One Burnt-Up Kitchen, A Horde Of Kidlets
When She Wasn't Looking by HelenKay Dimon - Romantic suspense, Harlequin Intrigue, 2012 - Grade = B+
  • A fast-paced read that had me staying up past my bed-time.  Heroine with a past learns her time is up when the deputy sheriff hero comes knocking on her door and hired goons start shooting at them.  Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Former Big City Cop Hero, Heroine On The Run, Hired Goons.
The Forever Instinct by Barbara Delinsky - Contemporary romance, Harlequin Temptation, 1985 - Grade = C+
  • Take that grade with a big grain of salt - it mostly reflects the fact that the story is now "dated."  Divorced business-woman heroine finds herself falling in love with a former NFL quarterback, her ex-husband's former professional rival.  Yes, dated - but a wonderful time capsule that reflects many hallmarks of the second wave of the feminist movement.  Read it as social history.  Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Athlete Hero, Busy Business-Lady Heroine. One Selfish Jerkface Ex, Rivals!, One Totally '80s Over The Top Plot Device (you'll have to read it to find out!).
Jackson Rule by Dinah McCall - Contemporary romance, Harper, 1996 - Grade = D+ 
  • Hunky ex-con hero finds work and love with the heroine, who owns her own landscaping company.  A fan-favorite that didn't work for me.  I found everything about this "contemporary" totally unrealistic and the hero was too much of a Care Bear for me to buy him as an hardened ex-con.  
Me: And that's it.  I'm sorry to have kept you and your "devoted followers" waiting.


Lemon Drop: While "devoted followers" has a certain ring, I thinking maybe "fan club" might be better. 

Me: ::dead pan:: Next you're going to tell me you want minions. 

Lemon Drop:  That's a great idea!  That's exactly what I need - minions!  If I had minions then Mommy would have no choice but to cater to my every whim!  Mwahahahahahaha! 

Me:  You, little girl, are scary.

16 comments:

Tracy S said...

Okay, now when I think of Minions, I think of the minions in DESPICABLE ME and they were funny, not scary! :)

Anonymous said...

I am a willing Minion to Lemon Drop.

I read When She Wasn't Looking and did not have the same reaction. It may have been skewed as I had just finished Nora Robert's Witness.

Regards, Ruth (CO)

Wendy said...

Tracy: My niece totally needs minions! But something tells me my sister wouldn't be on board because she'd have to clean up after them. Plus I'm not sure she has room for the Statue of Liberty (the one from Las Vegas) in her living room :)

Wendy said...

Ruth: One of the big reasons I liked it so much was the pacing. It read really quick for me - which, these days, seems to be how I like my suspense. Snappy.

I keep hearing good things about Witness. I need to find time to read that...uh, sometime. Maybe I should look for the audiobook at work.....

JamiSings said...

At this point, Wendy, I think you need to make Lemon Drop her own Facebook fan page.

Wendy said...

Jami: LOLOLOLOLOL! If I didn't think her mama would skin me alive, I'd almost consider it.

*Goddess* said...

Awwww,your sister is raising a little reader:). That's good to see. Some of my best memories from childhood are of going to the BookMobile and reading.

Hilcia said...

LOL, we are all Lemon Drop's minions, she knows that already. :D

And yes! Facebook, Goodreads... I mean, Lemon Drop has a following in the bloggosphere already, so why not? She can collect more minions on her way to stardom. :D I mean... look at that picture of Lemon Drop reading and waiting for YOU (could be any reader) to join her. It's a classic already!

Looking at your list of reads for the month, When She Wasn't Looking by Dimon is going on my list. And I can't tell you how sorry I am that I gave away my entire 80's (and older) category romance collection away when I moved from LA to NJ. My old Delinsky romances were there. I only have a one of her women's fiction books on my shelves these days -- my favorite -- Looking for Payton Place.

Wendy said...

Goddess: Lemon Drop gets read to every night before bed - and even in the afternoons before nap-time. The kid doesn't stand a chance - her aunt a librarian and her mother an English teacher.

Wendy said...

Hils: St. Martin's is releasing a bunch of Delinsky's older categories digitally. Which is how I ended up reading a couple. My editor over at Heroes & Heartbreakers was looking for someone to do a post or two about them - preferably someone who hadn't read them back in the day. Which was me.

Last time I checked the pricing was pretty reasonable - $2.99. Not that I'm trying to help you spend money or anything :)

nath said...

That picture of Lemon Drop says it all, right? :) She obviously takes after you. And is our poster girl! Yes, we start them young LOL.

Pretty good month, except for the dud... but hey, that book I loved, so that's you :P

Hope June gets better!

Wendy said...

Nath: LOL! - Yep, that one is all me :)

So far June has been good - I'm up with quantity and the quality has been good too.

Unknown said...

Only five books? Way to make a guy feel he's lacking. The amount you read astonishes me, and you have time to make regular blog posts, jeez I'm envious of your input and output.

Wendy said...

Josh: I have good weeks and bad weeks when it comes to blogging "rhythm." Right now I'm feeling good - but this summer is crazy busy for me, so we'll see how I keep up.

I'm actually on a reading tear for the month of June, so my numbers will be up. I took on too many review obligations. Again. Because I can't seem to learn.

Lil Sis said...

Lemon Drop already has a FB page - she pretty much runs mine! :) Oh, and don't forget her Shutterfly page Auntie Wendy - lots of new videos up including washing the dishes! :)

Wendy said...

Lil' Sis: Yes, but don't you need to be SUPER special to see the Shutterfly page? Like, you need to be invited? You'd be overrun with requests. All the Lemon Drop fangirls will be banging on your door wanting to see those videos :)