One of my online foibles is that I very rarely post on message boards. The only time I crop up is to ask, "Anyone know if Author X is still writing?"
This has been a very good policy for me. Because while I like to spout off on occasion, message boards tend to irritate me. Maybe I have a little tyrant in me. I can't tell people to f*ck off on message boards (even if they are morons), but I can on my own personal blog. Message boards are "communities" more so than blogs, which I view more as individual homes. I can put up ugly wallpaper in my "home" and it wouldn't directly effect the community at large. Hey, you don't like my wallpaper? Don't visit my "home." Now if I threw that same wallpaper up on a message board - well a lot more people have to look at my bad taste then, which tends to be annoying for everyone involved.
Not posting to message boards keeps me from looking like an asshole - a good thing. Posting on my own blog just makes me look self-important. OK, that might not be a good thing either - but a girl has to have healthy outlets.
The reason for this rambling is that I just came across a bad review for a book that I rather liked (and incidentally, wrote reviews for). This is fine, opinions are like butts (everybody has one!). But I think this dissenting opinion sort of missed the point, and worse still, it got me thinking.
I know, I'm treading on dangerous ground here - let me explain.
One of the reasons romance appeals to me is that it's fun. Sure I'm looking for in-depth characterizations and emotional intensity, but frankly other times I just want brain candy. I just want something silly and fun and completely readable. It might have all the nutritional value of cotton candy, but it goes down easy and entertains me for a few hours. Sometimes after watching the evening news this is about all my little overworked brain can handle.
So my question is - do we as romance reviewers, authors and fans sometimes take the genre too seriously? OK, authors get a free pass here since it's their livelihood - so yeah, they probably should take their job "seriously." But do we as fans and critics of the genre sometimes blow it out of proportion? Should we have the same hard standards for every single book or should there be wiggle room?
Personally, I don't think you can have a list of set "standards" when it comes to judging a good book. Books are different, even in a genre like romance. To explain, let's look at tone. Let's take two books that I gave "A" grades to - All U Can Eat by Emma Holly and The Crossroads Cafe by Deborah Smith. Both very enjoyable books, very deserving of the "A" grades (in my ever so humble opinion) but for totally different reasons. In the Holly, I liked the sassy heroine, the steamy sex, and the delish hero. In the Smith, I liked the haunted characters, the emotional intensity, the tearjerker moments, and the poetic writing style. Does this make the "fun" Holly inferior from the "emotionally intense" Smith? No - they're just different books, but good in their own ways. But what would happen if a rigid "light" reviewer read the Smith or a rigid "intense" reviewer read the Holly? Could they "judge" the books on their own merits? Would the Holly be considered "inferior" because it didn't have angst? Would the Smith get slammed because it wasn't "light?"
Is this making any sense to anyone or am I stuck in my own ramblings again? In a nutshell, if you're going to "review" at least on a semi-professional level you shouldn't immediately dismiss anything. To be good at it, you need to keep an open mind.
Is it a valid opinion to dismiss books that don't fit your own personal "tone" requirements (here's a hint, the answer is no)? Or is a good book is a good book is a good book? Personally, I fall into the second camp (hey, I don't really care - just entertain me and write a good story), but I'm wondering if everybody else does? I don't think they do, and frankly that rubs me the wrong way.
January 31, 2007
January 30, 2007
Upcoming Library Program
Hey, if you're a Southern Californian, live in or around the O.C. and you want to hear me give my Romance Genre For Dummies talk on the evening of February 7 - drop me an e-mail (see left side bar) and I'll give you the particulars. If nothing else, we can have a spirited debate on the differences between erotica and erotic romance. C'mon, like you have anything better to do?
January 27, 2007
Coupon Queen
Susan Wiggs dropped me an e-mail to share that Mira is offering a $1 off coupon for her latest release, Winter Lodge. The catch is that it's only good for a week - so she wants to get the word out to as many readers as possible. So hey, if you want to buy her latest, why not buy it between January 30 - February 4 and save yourself some dough?
You can print the coupon here.
You can print the coupon here.
January 26, 2007
The Lawless Miss Hollis
How I love thee Harlequin Historicals! Let me count the ways - 1) westerns, 2) westerns, 3) westerns, 4) westerns....
You get the idea. And not just westerns, but good westerns. Trust me, I read some real stinkeroonies last year. I mean, you think with so few getting published that we'd get some quality - but oh no! Well, at least we still have Harlequin, bless their hearts. And to sweeten the deal, they happen to have very good authors writing westerns for them. Cheryl St. John being one.
Anyway, The Lawman's Bride is St. John's latest and is a February release. But now that you can order new Harlequin titles a month in advance on their web site, I got my copy last week.
Sophie Hollis is a gal running from her past. As a child, her westward bound family was attacked by a band of Sioux. Daddy and brothers killed, Mommy and her taken captive. Sophie is taken in by the chief, who dotes on her, while Mommy ends up with another brave. Mommy ends up dying in an epidemic, chief croaks, and Sophie is sold to a white man. She's 12 years old.
The white man in question, Tek Garrett, is a slick con artist who teaches Sophie everything he knows. He hires tutors, dresses her in finery, and soon she's part of the cons. She dreams of freedom. A normal life. But when she tries to escape (at age 14), Garrett decides the girl needs a firmer hand and he, well, he does things to her that no grown man should be doing with a 14-year-old.
Fast forward many years and Sophie gets another chance. She runs to Newton, Kansas where she lies through her pretty teeth and lands a job as a Harvey Girl. All she wants is to make enough money to start her own business, and working for Harvey is respectable and pays well. However circumstances arise and she soon catches the eye of the local Marshall, Clay Connor. Not cool. The last thing she wants is to draw attention to herself, so she avoids him for a stretch. But he's really persistent, stuff keeps happening, and dang he's really nice. I'm talking decent, hardworking, handsome - pretty much the opposite of every man that Sophie has ever known. This intrigues her, and she intrigues him. I mean, she's really different from the other girls that work at the Harvey House. Sophie seems so smart and independent, all those other girls seem so innocent and naive by comparison.
One thing leads to another, time is spent in each other's company. He likes her, she likes him and then the past shows up to screw up everything.
Sophie carries this book. Without her, it doesn't work. She's also the prototype of Wendy's Perfect Heroine. She wants her independence. She wants to control her own destiny. She wants to run the show, and while that might sound lonely to some, Sophie can't see herself handing her life over to a man. Not when the male gender hasn't exactly endeared itself to her. She's not frosty though. She doesn't walk around with a stick up her butt. And she never, ever plays the victim. When she meets Clay, she genuinely likes the guy. He's damn near perfect. The perfect Beta hero. Dreamy sigh.
The plot is fairly conventional, and while some might bristle at a less than honest heroine (OK, so she lies a lot), she does what she does out of necessity (she is a fugitive after all). And when her past finds her, she doesn't rely on Clay to rescue her (although he does play a healthy role). Our girl sets her own plan in motion. She pretty much half-rescues herself.
So why isn't this a keeper? I'm picky. That simple. For me, keepers have to have an "A-Ha!" moment to them. They need to knock the wind out of me. It's all very vague and I can't describe it - but essentially it needs to emotionally wallop me. This was very, very good and I have no doubt it will land on keeper shelves for other readers - but I'm picky. Final Grade = B+.
Another word of note, which is treading into spoiler territory. I bet St. John gets a lot of angry e-mails on this one. Why? Not because the heroine lies or is victimized - but because of the dead dog. Seriously. I've discovered you can write your books in blood and have villains eat human babies, but kill an animal and readers start frothing at the mouth. People have explained this phenomena to me in intelligent ways, but I suspect it's one reader foible I'll never "get."
The hero has an old hound dog who is knocking on death's door. He can barely walk, is blind and can't hear. I mean, the poor thing is sad as hell. But the hero just doesn't have the heart to shoot him (which is how these things were handled back in the day). He eventually realizes that something has to be done, and takes the dog to the town doctor (incidentally the hero from The Doctor's Wife) and he gives the dog an injection. Dog goes to sleep, doesn't wake up. Now, my parents grew up in farm country. This is what you do. A pet gets too sick and old - you euthanize it. Simple as that. But many people (and I mean many) feel this sort of thing is inhumane and barbaric - so I'm wondering how many angry letters St. John is going to get.
You will tell us, won't you Cheryl?
You get the idea. And not just westerns, but good westerns. Trust me, I read some real stinkeroonies last year. I mean, you think with so few getting published that we'd get some quality - but oh no! Well, at least we still have Harlequin, bless their hearts. And to sweeten the deal, they happen to have very good authors writing westerns for them. Cheryl St. John being one.
Anyway, The Lawman's Bride is St. John's latest and is a February release. But now that you can order new Harlequin titles a month in advance on their web site, I got my copy last week.
Sophie Hollis is a gal running from her past. As a child, her westward bound family was attacked by a band of Sioux. Daddy and brothers killed, Mommy and her taken captive. Sophie is taken in by the chief, who dotes on her, while Mommy ends up with another brave. Mommy ends up dying in an epidemic, chief croaks, and Sophie is sold to a white man. She's 12 years old.
The white man in question, Tek Garrett, is a slick con artist who teaches Sophie everything he knows. He hires tutors, dresses her in finery, and soon she's part of the cons. She dreams of freedom. A normal life. But when she tries to escape (at age 14), Garrett decides the girl needs a firmer hand and he, well, he does things to her that no grown man should be doing with a 14-year-old.
Fast forward many years and Sophie gets another chance. She runs to Newton, Kansas where she lies through her pretty teeth and lands a job as a Harvey Girl. All she wants is to make enough money to start her own business, and working for Harvey is respectable and pays well. However circumstances arise and she soon catches the eye of the local Marshall, Clay Connor. Not cool. The last thing she wants is to draw attention to herself, so she avoids him for a stretch. But he's really persistent, stuff keeps happening, and dang he's really nice. I'm talking decent, hardworking, handsome - pretty much the opposite of every man that Sophie has ever known. This intrigues her, and she intrigues him. I mean, she's really different from the other girls that work at the Harvey House. Sophie seems so smart and independent, all those other girls seem so innocent and naive by comparison.
One thing leads to another, time is spent in each other's company. He likes her, she likes him and then the past shows up to screw up everything.
Sophie carries this book. Without her, it doesn't work. She's also the prototype of Wendy's Perfect Heroine. She wants her independence. She wants to control her own destiny. She wants to run the show, and while that might sound lonely to some, Sophie can't see herself handing her life over to a man. Not when the male gender hasn't exactly endeared itself to her. She's not frosty though. She doesn't walk around with a stick up her butt. And she never, ever plays the victim. When she meets Clay, she genuinely likes the guy. He's damn near perfect. The perfect Beta hero. Dreamy sigh.
The plot is fairly conventional, and while some might bristle at a less than honest heroine (OK, so she lies a lot), she does what she does out of necessity (she is a fugitive after all). And when her past finds her, she doesn't rely on Clay to rescue her (although he does play a healthy role). Our girl sets her own plan in motion. She pretty much half-rescues herself.
So why isn't this a keeper? I'm picky. That simple. For me, keepers have to have an "A-Ha!" moment to them. They need to knock the wind out of me. It's all very vague and I can't describe it - but essentially it needs to emotionally wallop me. This was very, very good and I have no doubt it will land on keeper shelves for other readers - but I'm picky. Final Grade = B+.
Another word of note, which is treading into spoiler territory. I bet St. John gets a lot of angry e-mails on this one. Why? Not because the heroine lies or is victimized - but because of the dead dog. Seriously. I've discovered you can write your books in blood and have villains eat human babies, but kill an animal and readers start frothing at the mouth. People have explained this phenomena to me in intelligent ways, but I suspect it's one reader foible I'll never "get."
The hero has an old hound dog who is knocking on death's door. He can barely walk, is blind and can't hear. I mean, the poor thing is sad as hell. But the hero just doesn't have the heart to shoot him (which is how these things were handled back in the day). He eventually realizes that something has to be done, and takes the dog to the town doctor (incidentally the hero from The Doctor's Wife) and he gives the dog an injection. Dog goes to sleep, doesn't wake up. Now, my parents grew up in farm country. This is what you do. A pet gets too sick and old - you euthanize it. Simple as that. But many people (and I mean many) feel this sort of thing is inhumane and barbaric - so I'm wondering how many angry letters St. John is going to get.
You will tell us, won't you Cheryl?
January 25, 2007
Romance Meme
Sybil tagged me, and since I have nothing better to talk about at the moment, I'm going to comply. Here it goes:
Contemporary, Historical, or Paranormal?
Contemporary - I like 'em, but wow! I can't remember the last time I read a straight-up contemporary romance without a suspense plot or vampires in it.
Will I be tagging anyone? Nope. Y'all are safe from me.
Contemporary, Historical, or Paranormal?
Historical - they're my first love.
Paranormal - you really have to sell 'em to me these days baby. I've never been big into fantasy or sci-fi or woo-woo, so the author really has to make me forget I'm reading something that's "paranormal."Contemporary - I like 'em, but wow! I can't remember the last time I read a straight-up contemporary romance without a suspense plot or vampires in it.
Hardback or Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?
These days, mass market - only because I buy a shit load of books and mm is easier on storage. That said, nothing gets my rocks off quite like a shiny, new hard cover book. It's a librarian thing.
Heyer or Austen?
Um, neither? I've never been a fan of the Regency England era. Plus, Austen feels too much like "required" reading and Heyer? Have I said I've never been a huge fan of the Regency period?
Amazon or Brick and Mortar?
Brick and Mortar - except when I'm getting my erotica fix on. Then I like Amazon because I'm guaranteed to get copies where the spines haven't been bent all to shit.
Barnes & Noble or Borders?
These days - Borders. Only because I literally live around the corner from one and I earn gift certificates with my Borders credit card.
Woodiwiss or Lindsay?
Uh, neither? Never read 'em. I won't read Woodiwiss because hate that flowery purple prose shit. Hate it. I should try Lindsay though - every once in a while I like a throwback romance, and I think her earlier stuff would probably fit the bill.
First romance novel you ever remember reading?
Nevada Nights by Ruth Ryan Langan. Published in the mid-1980s and reads like it! A western about a convent raised girl who discovers her long lost family. Naturally not everyone in this newfound family is happy to see the girl, and there's a mysterious hero posing as a gunslinger to boot. Way over the top - but dang I just loved this book as a 16-year-old! The first "real" book (as in over 300 pages long) I read in one day.
Alphabetize by author Alphabetize by title or random?
In a perfect world - by author. In the real world? They're all mashed together in Rubber Maid totes. That said, I have them separated by "type." All my historicals are in one tote, all my Harlequins in another and so on.
Keep, Throw Away or Sell?
Keep the keepers, trade the rest to the used bookstore. The only books I throw away are ARCs that I can't unload at 1) work or 2) to buddies.
Read with dustjacket or remove it?
Read with it.
Sookie Stackhouse or Anita Blake?
Neither. I think I would really dig the early Anita books, but won't try them because everyone (and I mean everyone) tells me the series goes to pot.
Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
This drives The Boyfriend nuts - I need to stop at a "break."
“It was a dark and stormy night?” or ?“Once upon a time”?
It was a dark and stormy night. My first love is mystery folks and I adore (I mean really adore) romance novels written in a darker tone.
Crusie or SEP?
Uh, neither? Never read 'em.
Buy or Borrow?
Buy most of the time. I do use my library card though - mostly on hard cover books I want to read, but don't want to pay full price for. Oh and audio books. Get all my audio books from work.
Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse?
All of the above. I go by reviews and recommendations first, but I'm a serious browsing whore. I love wandering through library stacks and bookstores just picking up titles that tickle my fancy.
Tidy ending or Cliffhanger?
Most of the time - I like it tidy. I tend to only tolerate cliffhangers in mystery novels. In romance, they tend to piss me off.
Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading?
Mostly afternoon. I used to love reading at night, but these days I'm too bloody old and just want to sleep once my head hits the pillow.
Series or standalone?
Again, mystery is my first love, so I'm a bit of a series whore. But only in mysteries. I like following the same character(s). In romance, I have enjoyed some series, but these days I'm really craving a nice stand-alone novel.
Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?
Boy, lots! I read a lot of midlist authors, so most of my keepers are books nobody has heard of! How about, The Nightingale's Song by Kathleen Eschenburg? Totally fantastic, and since she's only published two books I don't think many people know her. Also, Breathless by Laura Lee Guhrke. Yeah, we all know Guhrke since she's now writing for the Publisher Who Shall Not Be Named - but this was an American historical with a totally wonderful librarian heroine who didn't make me want to hurl. Probably my favorite romance novel evuh!
Will I be tagging anyone? Nope. Y'all are safe from me.
January 23, 2007
African Conflict And Naughty English Girls
My younger sister informed me that she reads my blog every day. It's just she only comments when naughty books are mentioned (see below post). So yes darling sister, I'll be sending you my copy of Strip Poker by Lisa Lawrence. It's actually quite good. The mystery is a bit convoluted at times, but it's still very good.
This is one review I feel the need to write a disclaimer for. Strip Poker has the tag line "An Erotic Thriller." Notice romance isn't mentioned anywhere. That's because there isn't one. The book ends happily, but there is no traditional happily-ever-after. Frankly, I'm having a hard time pinning down who I would recommend this book to besides my sister. I just don't see a lot of the traditional romance readers I know going for it. But if you genre hop in erotica outside of erotic romance this might work for you. Anyway on with the show:
Teresa Knight is a girl of all trades. She doesn't have a "real" job, instead floating about the globe picking up odd jobs here and there. We meet her in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan where she's hanging out with the locals, playing strip gin rummy with an American aid worker, and getting in touch with her African roots. But things turn sour after the prolouge, and we meet up again with her in London.
She's called upon by her old friend, Helena, who runs an exclusive male escort service. Only male escorts darling, dealing in female escorts is messier. Anyway, one of Helena's men received a threatening note, and so has one of her best clients. Janet Marshall is a very prominient black female politician whose name has been dropped in regards to the open High Commissioner of South Africa post. Problem is, someone seems to have discovered her secret. Janet likes her sex on the wild side. Seeing an intriguing puzzle to solve (and a nice check in her future), Teresa takes the job and begins by infiltrating the underground strip poker circuit.
Helena sets up some of the games, and medically screens the players. The wagers all involve sex acts (naturally) and once in on the game, Teresa uncovers a lot of potential suspects. She's soon playing with fire trying to uncover motives and bad guys. But the girl is smart, savvy, and sexy as hell - so she's definitely up for it.
First things first, this is not a romance (have I said that already?). Besides the fact that Teresa gets around, I wouldn't call any of the erotic elements in this story particularly romantic. Erotic, definitely. Hearts, flowers, rainbows and moon beams? Not even close. The closest we get to romantic is the girl-on-girl action, and by that point Teresa finds herself attracted to a man who is not available. It's not that's he's taken per se, it's that he won't admit that he's taken. It makes for some messy sexual entanglements.
The mystery is quite good, but confusing in parts. Teresa spins her wheels for a while, and once she begins to put it together she talks it out. It's this talking that gets confusing. It's a lot better once the villain is revealed, then the author begins deailng in bite size pieces instead of eight-course meals. But it's intriguing, exotic, and timely - plus we get naughty sex tossed into the mix. Hey, I'm game.
Also of note, there's a nice sense of place here. It's all very "British." Trust me, I knew this story was taking place in London. No confusing it with any other locale.
Final Verdict = B. I liked this one quite a bit. I really liked Teresa and the first person narration (a deal breaker for some readers, but I actively seek it out). I will easily read Lawrence again. Hands down.
This is one review I feel the need to write a disclaimer for. Strip Poker has the tag line "An Erotic Thriller." Notice romance isn't mentioned anywhere. That's because there isn't one. The book ends happily, but there is no traditional happily-ever-after. Frankly, I'm having a hard time pinning down who I would recommend this book to besides my sister. I just don't see a lot of the traditional romance readers I know going for it. But if you genre hop in erotica outside of erotic romance this might work for you. Anyway on with the show:
Teresa Knight is a girl of all trades. She doesn't have a "real" job, instead floating about the globe picking up odd jobs here and there. We meet her in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan where she's hanging out with the locals, playing strip gin rummy with an American aid worker, and getting in touch with her African roots. But things turn sour after the prolouge, and we meet up again with her in London.
She's called upon by her old friend, Helena, who runs an exclusive male escort service. Only male escorts darling, dealing in female escorts is messier. Anyway, one of Helena's men received a threatening note, and so has one of her best clients. Janet Marshall is a very prominient black female politician whose name has been dropped in regards to the open High Commissioner of South Africa post. Problem is, someone seems to have discovered her secret. Janet likes her sex on the wild side. Seeing an intriguing puzzle to solve (and a nice check in her future), Teresa takes the job and begins by infiltrating the underground strip poker circuit.
Helena sets up some of the games, and medically screens the players. The wagers all involve sex acts (naturally) and once in on the game, Teresa uncovers a lot of potential suspects. She's soon playing with fire trying to uncover motives and bad guys. But the girl is smart, savvy, and sexy as hell - so she's definitely up for it.
First things first, this is not a romance (have I said that already?). Besides the fact that Teresa gets around, I wouldn't call any of the erotic elements in this story particularly romantic. Erotic, definitely. Hearts, flowers, rainbows and moon beams? Not even close. The closest we get to romantic is the girl-on-girl action, and by that point Teresa finds herself attracted to a man who is not available. It's not that's he's taken per se, it's that he won't admit that he's taken. It makes for some messy sexual entanglements.
The mystery is quite good, but confusing in parts. Teresa spins her wheels for a while, and once she begins to put it together she talks it out. It's this talking that gets confusing. It's a lot better once the villain is revealed, then the author begins deailng in bite size pieces instead of eight-course meals. But it's intriguing, exotic, and timely - plus we get naughty sex tossed into the mix. Hey, I'm game.
Also of note, there's a nice sense of place here. It's all very "British." Trust me, I knew this story was taking place in London. No confusing it with any other locale.
Final Verdict = B. I liked this one quite a bit. I really liked Teresa and the first person narration (a deal breaker for some readers, but I actively seek it out). I will easily read Lawrence again. Hands down.
January 22, 2007
I Got Nothing
We had company all last week. Company that left this morning. So needless to say, I haven't been getting jack shit done in the reading department. A shame too, since I'm reading the intriguing Strip Poker by Lisa Lawrence right now. More on it after I actually finish it, but it's dubbed an "erotic thriller" (which it is - nary anything romantic in sight thus far) and I'm loving the heroine. She's smart, she's resourceful, she's "worldly", she's sort of a jack of all trades.
Other various quick hits:
The Boyfriend took our company to the San Diego Zoo last week, along with our digital camera. What does he bring me home from this excursion? Digital photos of a monkey pleasuring himself. Hey, I know monkeys have needs to, but it's just not something I need to see.
I need to go home tonight and take stock of my kitchen.
And do laundry.
And clean our bathroom.
And figure out what I'm taking to work for lunches the rest of the week. I killed off the last of the eggrolls today.
Oprah is annoucing a new book club pick on Friday. It's supposedly going to be non-fiction, which means Wendy is praying to the Oprah gods that it doesn't fall under the Dewey Decimal numbers of 000, 400 or 800 and then I won't have to be responsible for buying 70 gazillion copies. Nothing I love more than passing the buck when it comes to an Oprah pick.
I got a crap load of books last week, which is probably a good thing since I'm putting myself on a strict book buying diet until further notice. I got an order from eHarlequin (mostly western Harlequin Historical titles), and muchos libros from Sybil. It was like Christmas at my house last week.
Other various quick hits:
The Boyfriend took our company to the San Diego Zoo last week, along with our digital camera. What does he bring me home from this excursion? Digital photos of a monkey pleasuring himself. Hey, I know monkeys have needs to, but it's just not something I need to see.
I need to go home tonight and take stock of my kitchen.
And do laundry.
And clean our bathroom.
And figure out what I'm taking to work for lunches the rest of the week. I killed off the last of the eggrolls today.
Oprah is annoucing a new book club pick on Friday. It's supposedly going to be non-fiction, which means Wendy is praying to the Oprah gods that it doesn't fall under the Dewey Decimal numbers of 000, 400 or 800 and then I won't have to be responsible for buying 70 gazillion copies. Nothing I love more than passing the buck when it comes to an Oprah pick.
I got a crap load of books last week, which is probably a good thing since I'm putting myself on a strict book buying diet until further notice. I got an order from eHarlequin (mostly western Harlequin Historical titles), and muchos libros from Sybil. It was like Christmas at my house last week.
January 18, 2007
Part Two Of Two
I wrapped up the All Through the Night anthology today, finishing both the Lori Foster and Shannon McKenna stories. Surprises were in store for me - who knew?
Satisfy Me by Lori Foster - I've read two full-length novels by Foster and hated both. Was it just my luck that both books featured absurd plots and wet dish rag heroines or are all her books like that? Anyway, this story wasn't perfect, but it was good. Maybe she's one of those authors (MaryJanice Davidson is like this for me too) where I can't stand their novels but their short stories work for me. Time will tell.
Anyway, heroine is chatting with girlfriends at work about the sex toy shop that opened up for business outside of their office. They dare each other to visit the place and try to find a man. The story starts out very shaky. I mean, I know this was published back in 2001 - but a sex toy shop? Like readers haven't been subjected to that a gazillion times already? Anyway, she sees the hero there - a guy she works with. He thinks she's into spanking thanks to a conversation he overheard, and being totally warm for her form has decided he'll do anything (and I mean anything) to get her attention. So we have a Big Misunderstanding (because the heroine ain't really into spanking) and a hero who has had a crush on the heroine for a while. It works well enough here, and per usual Foster writes very good sex scenes. Final Grade = B-.
Last in the anthology is Something Wild by Shannon McKenna. Heroine is running away from past and going to a Louisiana casino where she hit a jackpot years before. Meets motorcycle riding hero on the road. Basically he spies her coming out of a rest room in Philadelphia and follows her south. Say it with me - Stalker! Anyway, they have great sex, she pushes him away, acts like a shrew, he gets led around by his Mr. Happy, they have great sex, she pushes him away, acts like a shrew, he loses his temper and turns into a Neanderthal. Pretty much your basic McKenna formula. But it's the hottest story in the whole anthology, and once the hero starts behaving like a jerk, he finds his "guy-speak." His dialogue was pretty awful at first. I mean, just plain bad. Final Grade = C.
So final verdict? The Foster story is the best of the bunch (color me shocked), the Devine story is for fans only, the Forster story not worth the effort and the McKenna story? Well, having slipped from autobuy status already, she's now slipped to "wait for review copy or several reviews." That said, I still got Out of Control lying around at home.
Satisfy Me by Lori Foster - I've read two full-length novels by Foster and hated both. Was it just my luck that both books featured absurd plots and wet dish rag heroines or are all her books like that? Anyway, this story wasn't perfect, but it was good. Maybe she's one of those authors (MaryJanice Davidson is like this for me too) where I can't stand their novels but their short stories work for me. Time will tell.
Anyway, heroine is chatting with girlfriends at work about the sex toy shop that opened up for business outside of their office. They dare each other to visit the place and try to find a man. The story starts out very shaky. I mean, I know this was published back in 2001 - but a sex toy shop? Like readers haven't been subjected to that a gazillion times already? Anyway, she sees the hero there - a guy she works with. He thinks she's into spanking thanks to a conversation he overheard, and being totally warm for her form has decided he'll do anything (and I mean anything) to get her attention. So we have a Big Misunderstanding (because the heroine ain't really into spanking) and a hero who has had a crush on the heroine for a while. It works well enough here, and per usual Foster writes very good sex scenes. Final Grade = B-.
Last in the anthology is Something Wild by Shannon McKenna. Heroine is running away from past and going to a Louisiana casino where she hit a jackpot years before. Meets motorcycle riding hero on the road. Basically he spies her coming out of a rest room in Philadelphia and follows her south. Say it with me - Stalker! Anyway, they have great sex, she pushes him away, acts like a shrew, he gets led around by his Mr. Happy, they have great sex, she pushes him away, acts like a shrew, he loses his temper and turns into a Neanderthal. Pretty much your basic McKenna formula. But it's the hottest story in the whole anthology, and once the hero starts behaving like a jerk, he finds his "guy-speak." His dialogue was pretty awful at first. I mean, just plain bad. Final Grade = C.
So final verdict? The Foster story is the best of the bunch (color me shocked), the Devine story is for fans only, the Forster story not worth the effort and the McKenna story? Well, having slipped from autobuy status already, she's now slipped to "wait for review copy or several reviews." That said, I still got Out of Control lying around at home.
January 17, 2007
Part One Of Two
In between the bad news we got last week, and The Boyfriend's family visiting this week, I've gotten very little reading done. With my brain scattered in various directions, it's probably a good thing I'm currently working on an anthology, All Through The Night by Suzanne Forster, Thea Devine, Lori Foster and Shannon McKenna. Since I've been a bad blogger, I thought I'd talk about this book in parts - today being part one. Spoilers run rampant here, so consider yourself warned.
Stranger In Her Bed by Suzanne Forster - This story was not a good way to start off, as I found it very silly. The heroine is suffering from agoraphobia after being mugged on the street outsider her home. The neighborhood has gone to pot, with thugs running wild and free. She also quit her job as a software designer due to a public humiliation (she sent a titillating e-mail to the owner of the company not realizing he was the owner - hello, stupid), but still works for the same company as a software tester. She's currently testing out a software that's a cross between phone sex and porn, and when her fantasy man shows up in her bedroom (in the middle of the night!) she boinks him to free him from a "curse." Naturally it's the company owner who's her fantasy man - oh and the human resources person who has been calling her and the guy renting an apartment from her over the garage. Personally my brain would be setting off The Stalker Alarm and I'd run far, far away - but I'm silly like that. Final Grade = D.
No Mercy by Thea Devine - Devine is one of those authors I know I shouldn't like, but I just can't help myself. This story is vintage Devine, so if you haven't liked her work before, this isn't likely to change your mind. Heroine is a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who marries a very rich bad boy with lots of family connections. Marriage bursts into flames and seven years later, white trash heroine is successful real estate agent. Hero comes riding back into town having salvaged the family business and wants the heroine back. He's possessive, she's still in love with him but scared out of her wits. Lots of family dysfunction also in the mix. None of these characters are terribly likeable, but Devine works for me because her heroines aren't shrinking violets. When the hero bulldozes into the story, the heroine stands toe-to-toe with him, for the most part anyway. Final Fangirl Grade = B-.
I'm taking a pit stop to torture myself with The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers by Lilian Jackson Braun (Why? Why do I keep bothering? Seriously, I should go on that TV show Intervention), then it's back to the anthology for the Lori Foster (oh boy....) and Shannon McKenna stories.
Stranger In Her Bed by Suzanne Forster - This story was not a good way to start off, as I found it very silly. The heroine is suffering from agoraphobia after being mugged on the street outsider her home. The neighborhood has gone to pot, with thugs running wild and free. She also quit her job as a software designer due to a public humiliation (she sent a titillating e-mail to the owner of the company not realizing he was the owner - hello, stupid), but still works for the same company as a software tester. She's currently testing out a software that's a cross between phone sex and porn, and when her fantasy man shows up in her bedroom (in the middle of the night!) she boinks him to free him from a "curse." Naturally it's the company owner who's her fantasy man - oh and the human resources person who has been calling her and the guy renting an apartment from her over the garage. Personally my brain would be setting off The Stalker Alarm and I'd run far, far away - but I'm silly like that. Final Grade = D.
No Mercy by Thea Devine - Devine is one of those authors I know I shouldn't like, but I just can't help myself. This story is vintage Devine, so if you haven't liked her work before, this isn't likely to change your mind. Heroine is a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who marries a very rich bad boy with lots of family connections. Marriage bursts into flames and seven years later, white trash heroine is successful real estate agent. Hero comes riding back into town having salvaged the family business and wants the heroine back. He's possessive, she's still in love with him but scared out of her wits. Lots of family dysfunction also in the mix. None of these characters are terribly likeable, but Devine works for me because her heroines aren't shrinking violets. When the hero bulldozes into the story, the heroine stands toe-to-toe with him, for the most part anyway. Final Fangirl Grade = B-.
I'm taking a pit stop to torture myself with The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers by Lilian Jackson Braun (Why? Why do I keep bothering? Seriously, I should go on that TV show Intervention), then it's back to the anthology for the Lori Foster (oh boy....) and Shannon McKenna stories.
January 14, 2007
Yes Igor, I'm Alive
I was doing so well posting regularly, then Real Life shows up and kicks me in the ass. The Boyfriend and I got unwelcome and unexpected news on Thursday, which means Wendy retreats into her cave. The Boyfriend is handling everything much better than I am - but this is par for the course. I'm the sort that predicts doomsday, while he sees everything as an "opportunity." Honestly, it's amazing we've been together as long as we have.
This naturally means that while I'm in my cave, with it's insufficient lighting and all, I haven't been reading diddly-squat. I've read the first 2 chapters of the Suzanne Forster story in the All Through The Night anthology - and since hers is the first story that should tell you that I've read around 20 pages since Wednesday. Sad, Wendy - just sad.
On the bright side, we decided to join the 21st century and bought a digital camera. Believe it or not, it's been cold here in Southern California (hey, I saw my own breath this morning!), but it warms up enough that it feels like springtime in the afternoon. Living in the Midwest and sick of ice? Stare at this for a few moments and try not to slit your wrists:
This naturally means that while I'm in my cave, with it's insufficient lighting and all, I haven't been reading diddly-squat. I've read the first 2 chapters of the Suzanne Forster story in the All Through The Night anthology - and since hers is the first story that should tell you that I've read around 20 pages since Wednesday. Sad, Wendy - just sad.
On the bright side, we decided to join the 21st century and bought a digital camera. Believe it or not, it's been cold here in Southern California (hey, I saw my own breath this morning!), but it warms up enough that it feels like springtime in the afternoon. Living in the Midwest and sick of ice? Stare at this for a few moments and try not to slit your wrists:
January 10, 2007
Cleaning Out The TBR
How's this for sad? I just finished a book that has been sitting in my TBR Mountain Range for the last 2 years. I'm pathetic I tells ya - pathetic.
The Basics: Dark Enchantment by Karen Harbaugh, a historical paranormal novel from 2004. It's also a prequel/companion book to Night Fires, which was published in 2003. I reviewed Night Fires for TRR, loved it, and subsequently bought this book so it could sit in my TBR for two years. It should also be noted that these two books came out right before the paranormal glut reached a fever pitch.
The Plot: Catherine de la Fer is living on the streets of Paris and has no memory of her past. She's literally living one day at a time, trying to survive sleeping on cobblestones and scrounging for food. It is in the alley she calls "home" that she sees two men accosting (as in going to rape her at any minute) a young woman. Catherine pulls out her sword, and manages to rescue the girl, but she is so weak from hunger and her injuries that she can barely fight off the men. See, Catherine has stigmata. Her hands bleed, mostly when she is around "evil," such as two men trying to rape a woman.
Out of the darkness steps Englishman Jack Marstone, who comes to Catherine's aid. After dispatching of the villains, he is surprised to discover that the young boy he rescued is really a waifish young woman - a well spoken young woman at that. The chit speaks of manners and breeding which means she must come from money. If she comes from money then maybe her family will pay handsomely for her safe return, and Jack needs the money to aid King Charles II, currently living in exhile thanks to the wacky bloke Cromwell.
The Good: Well the characters here are really fantastic. I suspect I've just overdosed on helpless females in paranormal novels, but truly Harbaugh writes two characters that are extremely forthright and intelligent. Jack's motives are shady at best, but he is a man of duty and honor, of king and country. Also, he's a little bent out of shape that the Roundheads took his family's land. He sees Catherine as a ticket to money and King Louis' court, but quickly finds himself entranced by the girl and her skill with a sword. His conscience niggles at him though - Catherine has open wounds, what if it was her family that beat the stuffing out of her? Should he really return her to the people who might have harmed her in the first place?
Amnesia is a well worn plot device in Romance Novel Land, but it works here because it isn't silly. Catherine can't remember thanks to the paranormal, plus the fact that she doesn't want to remember. Her stigmata, coupled with her fast healing, puzzles her and Jack - is it a curse of the Devil or a blessing from God? Either way, she just wants it to go away.
Harbaugh has a light touch with the paranormal, and it really works within the context of the story. I'm the type of reader who doesn't like wallpaper, but whose eyes cross when there is too much info-dumping and world building. The paranormal blends seemlessly here, and Harbaugh just sets about her business writing a good story.
The Bad: Catherine's "condition" is never really given a name. It's sort of tossed off at the end as a "special gift" although readers are left with the impression that she can sense evil.
Also the romance feels very "love at first sight" at times. I suspect this is because Harbaugh jumps forward in time to further the course of her story. Jack and Catherine are together for a couple of weeks that the reader isn't privy too, so in some instances the scenes between them feel like "instant love." That said, the love scenes work very well, and by the end I was buying into their romance.
Final Verdict: I liked this one, but not as much as Night Fires. That said, Dark Enchantment is still superior to some of the more recent paranormals I've slogged through. They came out fairly early in the recent "boom," so that might be why Harbaugh's work tends to be overlooked. It shouldn't be. She writes very good characters, works comfortably in a paranormal atmosphere and blends in gothic overtones. Final Grade = B.
The Basics: Dark Enchantment by Karen Harbaugh, a historical paranormal novel from 2004. It's also a prequel/companion book to Night Fires, which was published in 2003. I reviewed Night Fires for TRR, loved it, and subsequently bought this book so it could sit in my TBR for two years. It should also be noted that these two books came out right before the paranormal glut reached a fever pitch.
The Plot: Catherine de la Fer is living on the streets of Paris and has no memory of her past. She's literally living one day at a time, trying to survive sleeping on cobblestones and scrounging for food. It is in the alley she calls "home" that she sees two men accosting (as in going to rape her at any minute) a young woman. Catherine pulls out her sword, and manages to rescue the girl, but she is so weak from hunger and her injuries that she can barely fight off the men. See, Catherine has stigmata. Her hands bleed, mostly when she is around "evil," such as two men trying to rape a woman.
Out of the darkness steps Englishman Jack Marstone, who comes to Catherine's aid. After dispatching of the villains, he is surprised to discover that the young boy he rescued is really a waifish young woman - a well spoken young woman at that. The chit speaks of manners and breeding which means she must come from money. If she comes from money then maybe her family will pay handsomely for her safe return, and Jack needs the money to aid King Charles II, currently living in exhile thanks to the wacky bloke Cromwell.
The Good: Well the characters here are really fantastic. I suspect I've just overdosed on helpless females in paranormal novels, but truly Harbaugh writes two characters that are extremely forthright and intelligent. Jack's motives are shady at best, but he is a man of duty and honor, of king and country. Also, he's a little bent out of shape that the Roundheads took his family's land. He sees Catherine as a ticket to money and King Louis' court, but quickly finds himself entranced by the girl and her skill with a sword. His conscience niggles at him though - Catherine has open wounds, what if it was her family that beat the stuffing out of her? Should he really return her to the people who might have harmed her in the first place?
Amnesia is a well worn plot device in Romance Novel Land, but it works here because it isn't silly. Catherine can't remember thanks to the paranormal, plus the fact that she doesn't want to remember. Her stigmata, coupled with her fast healing, puzzles her and Jack - is it a curse of the Devil or a blessing from God? Either way, she just wants it to go away.
Harbaugh has a light touch with the paranormal, and it really works within the context of the story. I'm the type of reader who doesn't like wallpaper, but whose eyes cross when there is too much info-dumping and world building. The paranormal blends seemlessly here, and Harbaugh just sets about her business writing a good story.
The Bad: Catherine's "condition" is never really given a name. It's sort of tossed off at the end as a "special gift" although readers are left with the impression that she can sense evil.
Also the romance feels very "love at first sight" at times. I suspect this is because Harbaugh jumps forward in time to further the course of her story. Jack and Catherine are together for a couple of weeks that the reader isn't privy too, so in some instances the scenes between them feel like "instant love." That said, the love scenes work very well, and by the end I was buying into their romance.
Final Verdict: I liked this one, but not as much as Night Fires. That said, Dark Enchantment is still superior to some of the more recent paranormals I've slogged through. They came out fairly early in the recent "boom," so that might be why Harbaugh's work tends to be overlooked. It shouldn't be. She writes very good characters, works comfortably in a paranormal atmosphere and blends in gothic overtones. Final Grade = B.
January 9, 2007
The Wrong Foot
Wouldn't you think that with so few western romances being published these days that the cream would rise to the top? Apparently not. Case in point, His Boots Under Her Bed by Ana Leigh, my first read of 2007 and a big, fat D. Heaven help us all.
This is the third book in the Fraser brothers series. I believe I have the first one lying around somewhere at home, which means I need to dig through the Rubbermaid Totes this weekend, find it, and toss it in the used bookstore bag. Anyway, this is Garth Fraser's story.
Sidenote here: While Garth is a fairly "old school" name, ever since Wayne's World it's probably not a good idea to use it as a name for your romance hero. But I'm probably showing my age here.
The Civil War is over and Garth has the itch to go to California. His favorite uncle has left him the map to his legendary gold mine, and Garth is just sure he'll make his fortune. Along the way he stops at a saloon for a drink and a prostitute (the man has needs after all) and meets up with Rory O'Grady. Rory doesn't take paying customers upstairs. She's saving her virginity for her husband, but hasn't found a decent candidate for the job yet. Instead Rory charges customers for the privilege of dancing with her.
Then a bunch of stuff happens, all of it mindnumbing. Rory saves Garth from two goons who try to shanghai him. Garth propositions Rory about three times in the first 100 pages and she gets insulted by his innuendoes. Rory's drunken idiot father who will not just die already steals Garth's map but tells Rory that Garth handed it over willingly. Rory knows how important that mine is to Garth, but believes her father because the idiot apple didn't fall far from the idiot tree. They high tail it out of town, claim the mine for their own, Garth shows up pissed, believes Rory stole the map (although her father is the more obvious culprit) and dang, he just knew she was foolin' him with her good girl, virgin act! But no matter, he can't stay mad for long and the two join forces. Then the only conflict left is whether they'll find gold and when Rory will toss up her skirts for Garth.
Lord help me, I think my eyes are bleeding.
I think the author was conflicted over Rory's Daddy. He's an asshole and a drunk, but Rory happily traipses along with him (he's a dreamer and a drifter) because she's all he has. Of course the term enabling wasn't around in the 19th century, so there you go. Most of the time Daddy acts like a jackass, but does develop a conscience on occasion when the plot dictates it. I think the author wanted me to "like" him, but instead the heroine comes off as too-stupid-to-live for putting up with him.
Coupling the cardboard characters, weak plot, and nearly non-existent conflict, we have the famous All Tell And No Show writing style. The author is telling the reader the story instead of unfolding it through the eyes of the characters. The ending doesn't help matters since it makes no sense whatsoever. Spoiler: Dear Uncle left a pregnant wife behind when he died that the Fraser family didn't know about - yet he doesn't tell wifey about the gold mine on his death bed (or before then)? We're talking years here between his death and when Garth shows up to claim the mine. Hello, she's having your baby jackass! What a great guy! Spoiler End
And did I mention we have the ubiquitous bathing scene? You know the one. The hero gets a chubby after spying on the heroine bathing at a waterfall (Hey, he didn't mean to! He happened upon her by accident!). That clinched it for me. When a western romance has such a scene you know it's a "bad" western. Trust me on this. Every bad western I've ever read has a bathing scene.
A friend of mine, who also likes westerns, asked me how this book was going while I was in the middle of slogging through it. She said, "I haven't read Leigh since I stopped reviewing. I always found her books rather bland." Good description. Bland just about covers it.
This is the third book in the Fraser brothers series. I believe I have the first one lying around somewhere at home, which means I need to dig through the Rubbermaid Totes this weekend, find it, and toss it in the used bookstore bag. Anyway, this is Garth Fraser's story.
Sidenote here: While Garth is a fairly "old school" name, ever since Wayne's World it's probably not a good idea to use it as a name for your romance hero. But I'm probably showing my age here.
The Civil War is over and Garth has the itch to go to California. His favorite uncle has left him the map to his legendary gold mine, and Garth is just sure he'll make his fortune. Along the way he stops at a saloon for a drink and a prostitute (the man has needs after all) and meets up with Rory O'Grady. Rory doesn't take paying customers upstairs. She's saving her virginity for her husband, but hasn't found a decent candidate for the job yet. Instead Rory charges customers for the privilege of dancing with her.
Then a bunch of stuff happens, all of it mindnumbing. Rory saves Garth from two goons who try to shanghai him. Garth propositions Rory about three times in the first 100 pages and she gets insulted by his innuendoes. Rory's drunken idiot father who will not just die already steals Garth's map but tells Rory that Garth handed it over willingly. Rory knows how important that mine is to Garth, but believes her father because the idiot apple didn't fall far from the idiot tree. They high tail it out of town, claim the mine for their own, Garth shows up pissed, believes Rory stole the map (although her father is the more obvious culprit) and dang, he just knew she was foolin' him with her good girl, virgin act! But no matter, he can't stay mad for long and the two join forces. Then the only conflict left is whether they'll find gold and when Rory will toss up her skirts for Garth.
Lord help me, I think my eyes are bleeding.
I think the author was conflicted over Rory's Daddy. He's an asshole and a drunk, but Rory happily traipses along with him (he's a dreamer and a drifter) because she's all he has. Of course the term enabling wasn't around in the 19th century, so there you go. Most of the time Daddy acts like a jackass, but does develop a conscience on occasion when the plot dictates it. I think the author wanted me to "like" him, but instead the heroine comes off as too-stupid-to-live for putting up with him.
Coupling the cardboard characters, weak plot, and nearly non-existent conflict, we have the famous All Tell And No Show writing style. The author is telling the reader the story instead of unfolding it through the eyes of the characters. The ending doesn't help matters since it makes no sense whatsoever. Spoiler: Dear Uncle left a pregnant wife behind when he died that the Fraser family didn't know about - yet he doesn't tell wifey about the gold mine on his death bed (or before then)? We're talking years here between his death and when Garth shows up to claim the mine. Hello, she's having your baby jackass! What a great guy! Spoiler End
And did I mention we have the ubiquitous bathing scene? You know the one. The hero gets a chubby after spying on the heroine bathing at a waterfall (Hey, he didn't mean to! He happened upon her by accident!). That clinched it for me. When a western romance has such a scene you know it's a "bad" western. Trust me on this. Every bad western I've ever read has a bathing scene.
A friend of mine, who also likes westerns, asked me how this book was going while I was in the middle of slogging through it. She said, "I haven't read Leigh since I stopped reviewing. I always found her books rather bland." Good description. Bland just about covers it.
January 8, 2007
2006 In Review: Disappointments And Dregs
Here it is, my last post regarding the reading year that was 2006. Here are my disappointments and the dregs. The books that I had high hopes for that let me down, and the books so awful I'm still in recovery. Click on the title to get the original blog post or TRR review. In some cases the books were so bad, I couldn't write about them twice.
The Disappointments:
In The Groove by Pamela Britton (contemporary, NASCAR, 2006) - What the hell happened here? Seriously. I've read Britton before and rather liked those books, but this one? When I wasn't teetering on the brink of a sugar-induced coma I was hoping that one of the NASCAR drivers would run over the heroine. Pollyanna doesn't even begin to cover it.
Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward (paranormal, 2006) - Sorry I just don't get all the squeeing. I know I'm in the minority on this, but I'm OK with being "wrong."
The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen (suspense, 2006) - Again, I'm in the minority here. As a long time fan of this series, I am still cheesed off with the direction Gerritsen is taking with the Dr. Maura Isles character. Frankly she seemed a helluva lot smarter in the earlier books. Loved the stuff with Jane and her family though. And as a side note: my older sister liked this one more than I did, and a reader I know loved it and it was her first book by Gerritsen. So there you go, Wendy being a piss pot again.
Hot Night by Shannon McKenna (erotic romance, suspense, 2006) - McKenna normally works for me as a guilty pleasure. She writes really good Alpha heroes, although her heroines have about as much personality as a wet mop. This one was readable, but it got on my last good nerve thanks to a heroine who needed to be shot. Also, while I think McKenna is capable of writing very good sex scenes, the purple prose in this one is very bad. Girl juice?! That ain't sexy, it's just icky. Very, very icky.
Hard Evidence by Pamela Clare (romantic suspense, 2006) - I really wanted to like this one. Clare can write, the plot is interesting, and the hero is suitably yummy. But the heroine! Oh that idiot heroine! Also, the identity of the villain cheesed me off to the point that I was riding on my feminist high horse for weeks afterward.
The Dregs AKA The "F" Reads:
The Sheriff by Nan Ryan (western, 2006) - When Harlequin can't be bothered to get the character's name right on the back cover copy that should tell you something.
Defiant by Bobbi Smith (western, 2006) - More in depth TRR review here. Poorly written, stock characters, and an annoying heroine. The trifecta!
The Blonde Geisha by Jina Bacarr (erotic romance, historical, 2006) - The new reigning Champion of the Worst Purple Prose I Have Ever Read. Seriously. For those readers who have no clue what exactly purple prose is - read my review. I would never suggest reading this book.
And there we have it - Wendy's Year In Reading 2006. What a fun trip down memory lane this has been. Now on to 2007!
The Disappointments:
In The Groove by Pamela Britton (contemporary, NASCAR, 2006) - What the hell happened here? Seriously. I've read Britton before and rather liked those books, but this one? When I wasn't teetering on the brink of a sugar-induced coma I was hoping that one of the NASCAR drivers would run over the heroine. Pollyanna doesn't even begin to cover it.
Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward (paranormal, 2006) - Sorry I just don't get all the squeeing. I know I'm in the minority on this, but I'm OK with being "wrong."
The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen (suspense, 2006) - Again, I'm in the minority here. As a long time fan of this series, I am still cheesed off with the direction Gerritsen is taking with the Dr. Maura Isles character. Frankly she seemed a helluva lot smarter in the earlier books. Loved the stuff with Jane and her family though. And as a side note: my older sister liked this one more than I did, and a reader I know loved it and it was her first book by Gerritsen. So there you go, Wendy being a piss pot again.
Hot Night by Shannon McKenna (erotic romance, suspense, 2006) - McKenna normally works for me as a guilty pleasure. She writes really good Alpha heroes, although her heroines have about as much personality as a wet mop. This one was readable, but it got on my last good nerve thanks to a heroine who needed to be shot. Also, while I think McKenna is capable of writing very good sex scenes, the purple prose in this one is very bad. Girl juice?! That ain't sexy, it's just icky. Very, very icky.
Hard Evidence by Pamela Clare (romantic suspense, 2006) - I really wanted to like this one. Clare can write, the plot is interesting, and the hero is suitably yummy. But the heroine! Oh that idiot heroine! Also, the identity of the villain cheesed me off to the point that I was riding on my feminist high horse for weeks afterward.
The Dregs AKA The "F" Reads:
The Sheriff by Nan Ryan (western, 2006) - When Harlequin can't be bothered to get the character's name right on the back cover copy that should tell you something.
Defiant by Bobbi Smith (western, 2006) - More in depth TRR review here. Poorly written, stock characters, and an annoying heroine. The trifecta!
The Blonde Geisha by Jina Bacarr (erotic romance, historical, 2006) - The new reigning Champion of the Worst Purple Prose I Have Ever Read. Seriously. For those readers who have no clue what exactly purple prose is - read my review. I would never suggest reading this book.
And there we have it - Wendy's Year In Reading 2006. What a fun trip down memory lane this has been. Now on to 2007!
January 6, 2007
It's Not About Writing
My latest column is up over at Romancing The Blog. They were having technical difficulties earlier today, so if you tried earlier to read my incredible editorial (Ha!) you'll be able to do so now.
Once again Wendy's Feminist Underpants are showing. I think over the years "feminist" has morphed into a dirty word in most circles, and frankly I'm all about taking it back. Of course, I've long suspected that uppity females tend to make people nervous, so there you go.
This column came together thanks to my complete lack of enthusiasm over the watering down of the erotica market with less than impressive erotic-romance titles. Very few authors can write well in this genre (IMHO), but in New York's zeal to jump on the bandwagon some less than impressive product is out there. Of course, this is true for any sub genre that hits it big. Should all those paranormals be seeing print? For that matter, wouldn't you think I'd be able to find more quality westerns out on the market now that so few are being published? Wouldn't you think only the cream would rise to the top? Apparently not.
I will admit it also stemmed from a book that shall not be named (it's a spoiler) that featured a villain who just happened to be a sexually experienced woman while the heroine was the sweet-as-pie "almost a virgin" who needed the hero to rescue her from her own stupidity all the time (She had one sexual partner before the hero and it was just so overrated). Gag, gag, puke, puke. Seriously, I love romance novels, but when the author vilifies the chick who likes sex and has done it with other men besides the hero - well it gets my Feminist Underpants in a twist.
But I suspect I'm one of the vocal minority on that.
Once again Wendy's Feminist Underpants are showing. I think over the years "feminist" has morphed into a dirty word in most circles, and frankly I'm all about taking it back. Of course, I've long suspected that uppity females tend to make people nervous, so there you go.
This column came together thanks to my complete lack of enthusiasm over the watering down of the erotica market with less than impressive erotic-romance titles. Very few authors can write well in this genre (IMHO), but in New York's zeal to jump on the bandwagon some less than impressive product is out there. Of course, this is true for any sub genre that hits it big. Should all those paranormals be seeing print? For that matter, wouldn't you think I'd be able to find more quality westerns out on the market now that so few are being published? Wouldn't you think only the cream would rise to the top? Apparently not.
I will admit it also stemmed from a book that shall not be named (it's a spoiler) that featured a villain who just happened to be a sexually experienced woman while the heroine was the sweet-as-pie "almost a virgin" who needed the hero to rescue her from her own stupidity all the time (She had one sexual partner before the hero and it was just so overrated). Gag, gag, puke, puke. Seriously, I love romance novels, but when the author vilifies the chick who likes sex and has done it with other men besides the hero - well it gets my Feminist Underpants in a twist.
But I suspect I'm one of the vocal minority on that.
January 5, 2007
2006 In Review: The Best Of The Rest
I'm going to keep on chugging along even though my first couple of 2006 In Review posts haven't exactly been lighting the world on fire with comments. My theory? When I start talking about the duds next week all the "haters" will come out of the woodwork and say I'm nothing but a Big Fat Meanie and who do I think I am - Queen Snark?
Ever notice how nobody ever writes editorials about reader blogs when we're talking about books we loved? Anyway, on with the show.
Here is a snapshot of some of the books that fell into my "B" range. There's no scientific method here, these are merely the "B" reads I would recommend more so over the others. Click on the title to get the original blog post:
Changing Habits by Debbie Macomber (2003, women's fiction) - I avoided Macomber for a long time because I had this notion that her books were "sweet." I like sweet in historicals, but in contemporary settings (which is what Macomber writes), it's a much harder sell. Most of the time it comes off syrupy. This book is certainly sweet, but it's also very interesting. It follows the lives of three young women who decide to become nuns. It takes us through Vatican II, and ultimately what leads all of these women to leave the order. Macomber writes very good characters and it shows here.
The Horseman by Jillian Hart (Harlequin Historical 715, 2004, western) - The hero in this book just about did me in. He's perfect. So perfect I almost left The Boyfriend. Boy, I would have looked a tad foolish given that the hero in this story isn't exactly real! For those of you who think Beta heroes are wimps, read this book. If it doesn't change the way you think there's just no hope for you.
The PMS Murder by Laura Levine (2006, cozy mystery) - I love Levine's mysteries! Besides the fact that they are very funny (the heroine has a cat named Prozac), they stand alone very well. They're more like "day in the life" snapshots than a connected series. You can read book 4 before book 1 and be totally cool. Also, Levine used to write for television and it really shows in her books. I don't know how the woman does it, these books only clock in around 250 pages yet she gives multiple suspects and motives. She-it, this book featured 5 suspects and 5 different motives yet I got plenty of character development and the book didn't feel "stuffed" in the least. The only problem is I keep reading the new book in one day then have to wait a year for the next one to show up.
The Jasmine Trade and Sugar Skull by Denise Hamilton (2001, 2003, mystery) - Probably my biggest discovery of the year, Hamilton has already jumped to my autobuy list. Her series follows Eve Diamond, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. The main reason I love this series so much is that Hamilton gives readers the "real" L.A. No Hollywood. No glitz. No glamour. You have crime, homeless, poverty and a large immigrant population. Oh, and she writes pretty good mystery plots too. Check 'em out.
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning (2006, paranormal) - Probably my biggest surprise of the year since I've never gotten the appeal of Moning's time travel romances. This book bends genres a bit, and I liked the young heroine. She was young, acted young, but wasn't too-stupid-to-live. This is not easy to do, but Moning pulls it off. While the ending doesn't really end, I liked the plot quite a bit (paranormal = scary in this instance) and believe I shall enjoy watching this young heroine grow up. Oh and did I mention that I lurve first person narrative stories. Love 'em!
Watchers In The Night by Jenna Black (2006, paranormal vampire) - Most of the commentary I've seen on this debut novel (and first in a series) is that it's been-there-done-that. Yeah, it does follow a group of vampire hunters, so what? I think what stands out the most for me was that I liked the competent heroine (a rare find in paranormals - sorry, just is these days) and an outsider hero. Lord help me, I got sucked in - and I swore off getting sucked into paranormal series a long time ago. Can't wait for book 2.
The Sex On The Beach Book Club by Jennifer Apodaca (2006, romantic mystery) - Apodaca writes "fun" books and while I love emotional angst, I love me a good beach read. This is essentially what this book is, her first romantic mystery for Brava. The heroine carried this story for me, a smart girl hiding behind a tough attitude. The hero is suitably yummy and the mystery winds and twists all the way to end. I'll admit I was a little bummed when Apodaca announced she was putting her established mystery series on hold for a bit, but this book is fun and bubbly and a nice fit on the Brava imprint.
Next up? When I get around to it (probably next week), I'll talk about the duds and disappointments.
Ever notice how nobody ever writes editorials about reader blogs when we're talking about books we loved? Anyway, on with the show.
Here is a snapshot of some of the books that fell into my "B" range. There's no scientific method here, these are merely the "B" reads I would recommend more so over the others. Click on the title to get the original blog post:
Changing Habits by Debbie Macomber (2003, women's fiction) - I avoided Macomber for a long time because I had this notion that her books were "sweet." I like sweet in historicals, but in contemporary settings (which is what Macomber writes), it's a much harder sell. Most of the time it comes off syrupy. This book is certainly sweet, but it's also very interesting. It follows the lives of three young women who decide to become nuns. It takes us through Vatican II, and ultimately what leads all of these women to leave the order. Macomber writes very good characters and it shows here.
The Horseman by Jillian Hart (Harlequin Historical 715, 2004, western) - The hero in this book just about did me in. He's perfect. So perfect I almost left The Boyfriend. Boy, I would have looked a tad foolish given that the hero in this story isn't exactly real! For those of you who think Beta heroes are wimps, read this book. If it doesn't change the way you think there's just no hope for you.
The PMS Murder by Laura Levine (2006, cozy mystery) - I love Levine's mysteries! Besides the fact that they are very funny (the heroine has a cat named Prozac), they stand alone very well. They're more like "day in the life" snapshots than a connected series. You can read book 4 before book 1 and be totally cool. Also, Levine used to write for television and it really shows in her books. I don't know how the woman does it, these books only clock in around 250 pages yet she gives multiple suspects and motives. She-it, this book featured 5 suspects and 5 different motives yet I got plenty of character development and the book didn't feel "stuffed" in the least. The only problem is I keep reading the new book in one day then have to wait a year for the next one to show up.
The Jasmine Trade and Sugar Skull by Denise Hamilton (2001, 2003, mystery) - Probably my biggest discovery of the year, Hamilton has already jumped to my autobuy list. Her series follows Eve Diamond, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. The main reason I love this series so much is that Hamilton gives readers the "real" L.A. No Hollywood. No glitz. No glamour. You have crime, homeless, poverty and a large immigrant population. Oh, and she writes pretty good mystery plots too. Check 'em out.
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning (2006, paranormal) - Probably my biggest surprise of the year since I've never gotten the appeal of Moning's time travel romances. This book bends genres a bit, and I liked the young heroine. She was young, acted young, but wasn't too-stupid-to-live. This is not easy to do, but Moning pulls it off. While the ending doesn't really end, I liked the plot quite a bit (paranormal = scary in this instance) and believe I shall enjoy watching this young heroine grow up. Oh and did I mention that I lurve first person narrative stories. Love 'em!
Watchers In The Night by Jenna Black (2006, paranormal vampire) - Most of the commentary I've seen on this debut novel (and first in a series) is that it's been-there-done-that. Yeah, it does follow a group of vampire hunters, so what? I think what stands out the most for me was that I liked the competent heroine (a rare find in paranormals - sorry, just is these days) and an outsider hero. Lord help me, I got sucked in - and I swore off getting sucked into paranormal series a long time ago. Can't wait for book 2.
The Sex On The Beach Book Club by Jennifer Apodaca (2006, romantic mystery) - Apodaca writes "fun" books and while I love emotional angst, I love me a good beach read. This is essentially what this book is, her first romantic mystery for Brava. The heroine carried this story for me, a smart girl hiding behind a tough attitude. The hero is suitably yummy and the mystery winds and twists all the way to end. I'll admit I was a little bummed when Apodaca announced she was putting her established mystery series on hold for a bit, but this book is fun and bubbly and a nice fit on the Brava imprint.
Next up? When I get around to it (probably next week), I'll talk about the duds and disappointments.
January 4, 2007
2006 In Review: The Gems
Since as readers we always want the good before the bad, I thought I'd start off my synopsis of 2006 reads by talking about the good stuff first. Yeah, it's all going to go downhill from here - but think of this as a handy shopping list for the next time you're over at Amazon. In order in which I read them; click on the titles if you want the original blog post:
1) Hope's Captive by Kate Lyon (2006, western) - Hands down the worst cover of the year. Seriously, someone over at Leisure's art department needs to be shot. Or drawn and quartered. Or at the very least stoned to death. Anyway, a wonderful, emotionally rich story with some knock-your-socks-off historical detail. I no longer have sympathy for Regency nuts who whine about the proliferation of wallpaper historicals. Leave your comfort zone and try this western.
2) The Roofer by Erica Orloff (2004, crime) - I amended my records to indicate this was a keeper. I originally rated it a "B" but it was the sort of book that stuck with me for months after finishing it. Not a romance (not even close), rather a crime novel about a young woman raised in Hell's Kitchen by her small-time mobster father and linked to her drug and alcohol addicted brother by a terrible secret. It's gritty, it's dark and it ain't for sissies. If you have delicate sensibilities just forget I ever mentioned this book - it's not for you.
3) Married by Midnight by Judith Stacy, Harlequin Historical 622 (2002, American) - Stacy is a hit or miss author for me, and this has been her biggest hit so far. When the heroine finds out that the hero only married her to win a wager she declares war. Of course by this time the hero is in love with his wife (he just doesn't know it) and must spend the rest of the story groveling. Can't help it, I love men who grovel.
4) 4th Of July Picnic by Pat Pritchard, Cheryl Bolen and Tracy Cozzens (2004, western) - While all the stories were very strong in this anthology, it's the Cozzens tale that pushes this one over the edge. The hero sells patent medicine and the heroine buys his tonic thinking it will cure her club foot. The hero feels like a shit-heel and decides to help the girl any way he can. I love characters with dubious morals/motives. Funny enough though, if you read the original blog post I rated all the stories in the B range, but gave it an "A" in my personal records. Frankly, it's the strongest multi-author anthology I've ever read, and that Cozzens story just stuck with me - so that's why I'm including it on this list.
5) The Seduction Of Samantha Kincaid by Maggie Osborne (1995, western) - Not the strongest Osborne book I've read, but still really great. A heroine who actually lives like a man (no flowing locks stuffed under a hat!) so she can be a bounty hunter and track down the outlaw who shattered her family. The hero is that outlaw's brother, and he's looking for him to - so he can kill him himself! Dark, gritty, truly wonderful. Damn Osborne's eyes for retiring on me!
6) All U Can Eat by Emma Holly (2006, contemporary erotica) - Emma Holly is the Queen of Erotica and all those other writers are merely pretenders to her thrown. A heroine with moxie, hot sex, and a yummy hero make this a fun, fun read. I really wish she'd ditch her mainstream stuff and concentrate on erotica full time - but what do I know?
7) A Reason To Live by Maureen McKade (2006, western) - Take that New York! You keep telling me that the western is dead, but it wouldn't be dead if you dumped Cassie Edwards and focused more on writers like McKade! A heartbreaking story carried by a heroine so haunted by the Civil War that she fears she's going crazy. Couple that with a wounded hero, plenty of angst and a happy ending and I'm happier than a hog in - well you know. To make it even better? Two more books to follow, making this one a trilogy! A western trilogy in this current anti-western romance climate makes me happier than a hog in - well you know.
8) The Crossroads Cafe by Deborah Smith (2006, contemporary) - Again, take that New York! Already named one of the best romances of 2006 by Library Journal, it was self-published by Belle Books (a small press the author owns with several other Southern writers). Another emotional story about a former Hollywood It Girl, now scarred forever and the man she falls in love with, still haunted by memories of 9/11 and the death of his wife and child. Beautiful. I went on a Deborah Smith buying bender after finishing it.
These were the great books I read. The books that stuck with me, fooled me into thinking that the characters were real, and caused me to make an emotional investment. Next blog post? The honorable mentions. The best of the "B" reads.
1) Hope's Captive by Kate Lyon (2006, western) - Hands down the worst cover of the year. Seriously, someone over at Leisure's art department needs to be shot. Or drawn and quartered. Or at the very least stoned to death. Anyway, a wonderful, emotionally rich story with some knock-your-socks-off historical detail. I no longer have sympathy for Regency nuts who whine about the proliferation of wallpaper historicals. Leave your comfort zone and try this western.
2) The Roofer by Erica Orloff (2004, crime) - I amended my records to indicate this was a keeper. I originally rated it a "B" but it was the sort of book that stuck with me for months after finishing it. Not a romance (not even close), rather a crime novel about a young woman raised in Hell's Kitchen by her small-time mobster father and linked to her drug and alcohol addicted brother by a terrible secret. It's gritty, it's dark and it ain't for sissies. If you have delicate sensibilities just forget I ever mentioned this book - it's not for you.
3) Married by Midnight by Judith Stacy, Harlequin Historical 622 (2002, American) - Stacy is a hit or miss author for me, and this has been her biggest hit so far. When the heroine finds out that the hero only married her to win a wager she declares war. Of course by this time the hero is in love with his wife (he just doesn't know it) and must spend the rest of the story groveling. Can't help it, I love men who grovel.
4) 4th Of July Picnic by Pat Pritchard, Cheryl Bolen and Tracy Cozzens (2004, western) - While all the stories were very strong in this anthology, it's the Cozzens tale that pushes this one over the edge. The hero sells patent medicine and the heroine buys his tonic thinking it will cure her club foot. The hero feels like a shit-heel and decides to help the girl any way he can. I love characters with dubious morals/motives. Funny enough though, if you read the original blog post I rated all the stories in the B range, but gave it an "A" in my personal records. Frankly, it's the strongest multi-author anthology I've ever read, and that Cozzens story just stuck with me - so that's why I'm including it on this list.
5) The Seduction Of Samantha Kincaid by Maggie Osborne (1995, western) - Not the strongest Osborne book I've read, but still really great. A heroine who actually lives like a man (no flowing locks stuffed under a hat!) so she can be a bounty hunter and track down the outlaw who shattered her family. The hero is that outlaw's brother, and he's looking for him to - so he can kill him himself! Dark, gritty, truly wonderful. Damn Osborne's eyes for retiring on me!
6) All U Can Eat by Emma Holly (2006, contemporary erotica) - Emma Holly is the Queen of Erotica and all those other writers are merely pretenders to her thrown. A heroine with moxie, hot sex, and a yummy hero make this a fun, fun read. I really wish she'd ditch her mainstream stuff and concentrate on erotica full time - but what do I know?
7) A Reason To Live by Maureen McKade (2006, western) - Take that New York! You keep telling me that the western is dead, but it wouldn't be dead if you dumped Cassie Edwards and focused more on writers like McKade! A heartbreaking story carried by a heroine so haunted by the Civil War that she fears she's going crazy. Couple that with a wounded hero, plenty of angst and a happy ending and I'm happier than a hog in - well you know. To make it even better? Two more books to follow, making this one a trilogy! A western trilogy in this current anti-western romance climate makes me happier than a hog in - well you know.
8) The Crossroads Cafe by Deborah Smith (2006, contemporary) - Again, take that New York! Already named one of the best romances of 2006 by Library Journal, it was self-published by Belle Books (a small press the author owns with several other Southern writers). Another emotional story about a former Hollywood It Girl, now scarred forever and the man she falls in love with, still haunted by memories of 9/11 and the death of his wife and child. Beautiful. I went on a Deborah Smith buying bender after finishing it.
These were the great books I read. The books that stuck with me, fooled me into thinking that the characters were real, and caused me to make an emotional investment. Next blog post? The honorable mentions. The best of the "B" reads.
January 3, 2007
2006 In Review: The Numbers
I'm going to follow Rosario's example and break down my 2006 Year In Reading analysis to several blog posts. Less cumbersome that way me thinks. Today, let's look at the numbers.
I finished 95 books in 2006. Some of you will think this is very impressive (my sisters), while others of you will think, "Geesh, Wendy is either the World's Slowest Reader or a major slacker." I'm marginally happy with this number. I finished 105 books in 2005, so my total was down, but when one factors in that my previous all-time high before '05 was around 80 books - well 95 still looks pretty good.
Out of those 95, 48 were books I reviewed for The Romance Reader. Which means at this rate, as long as I keep reviewing I will never be in danger reading through my TBR mountain range.
Breaking it down by month, June was a personal best with 18 books read. I spent most of June not reviewing and reading through some series and Harlequin Historical titles. That bumped up my total considerably. October was dismal, with only 3 books read. In my defense, I was in the middle of moving and lordy, how I hate moving.
As far as grades went, I had this preconceived notion that the quality of my reading was pathetic in 2006, but not so! Here are my grades compared to my 2005 totals:
As far as genres, I had a decent mix this year. My system for catagorizing books is a bit convoluted. I often times classify the book as two or more genres (for instance a western anthology is marked under "western" and "anthology"). Here's the breakdown:
1 American Historical (non-western)
8 Contemporary
1 Crime
5 English Historicals
9 Erotica
1 Literary Fiction
16 Mystery
2 Non-Fiction
9 Paranormal
4 Romantic Suspense
16 Series (Harlequin, Silhouette etc.)
1 Time Travel
1 Women's Fiction
19 Westerns
2 Anthologies
2 Young Adult
Next blog post - let's start with the good first shall we? The best reads of 2006.
I finished 95 books in 2006. Some of you will think this is very impressive (my sisters), while others of you will think, "Geesh, Wendy is either the World's Slowest Reader or a major slacker." I'm marginally happy with this number. I finished 105 books in 2005, so my total was down, but when one factors in that my previous all-time high before '05 was around 80 books - well 95 still looks pretty good.
Out of those 95, 48 were books I reviewed for The Romance Reader. Which means at this rate, as long as I keep reviewing I will never be in danger reading through my TBR mountain range.
Breaking it down by month, June was a personal best with 18 books read. I spent most of June not reviewing and reading through some series and Harlequin Historical titles. That bumped up my total considerably. October was dismal, with only 3 books read. In my defense, I was in the middle of moving and lordy, how I hate moving.
As far as grades went, I had this preconceived notion that the quality of my reading was pathetic in 2006, but not so! Here are my grades compared to my 2005 totals:
| 2006 | 2005 |
| A Reads = 8 | A Reads = 7 |
| B Reads = 34 | B Reads = 37 |
| C Reads = 34 | C Reads = 41 |
| D Reads = 16 | D Reads = 17 |
| F Reads = 3 | F Reads = 3 |
So I didn't get any "nicer" or "meaner" in 2006. At least I'm consistent.
As far as genres, I had a decent mix this year. My system for catagorizing books is a bit convoluted. I often times classify the book as two or more genres (for instance a western anthology is marked under "western" and "anthology"). Here's the breakdown:
1 American Historical (non-western)
8 Contemporary
1 Crime
5 English Historicals
9 Erotica
1 Literary Fiction
16 Mystery
2 Non-Fiction
9 Paranormal
4 Romantic Suspense
16 Series (Harlequin, Silhouette etc.)
1 Time Travel
1 Women's Fiction
19 Westerns
2 Anthologies
2 Young Adult
Next blog post - let's start with the good first shall we? The best reads of 2006.