At long last, here is a recap of my reading during the month of October. I'm was still in the grips of an Evil Reading Slump From Hell, hence only reading a dismal total of four books in October. Well, technically three. I'm not sure the Spice Briefs short story counts as a book. But what the heck? I'm desperate. Here's how it breaks down:Clicking on title links will take you to full reviews.
Dark Country by Bronwyn Parry, Romantic Suspense, 2009, Grade = B-
- The second book in a romance suspense series currently only being published overseas (bugger!). Great, fabulous, wonderful heroine. Nice, complex hero, although I suspect some readers may have issues with some of the choices he made in his past. Solid suspense plot, nice realistic ending for the romantic storyline.
- Andrews may be my favorite HSR discovery of 2009. This is the third book in a series, and features a former lawyer turned bar owner heroine hiding a secret. She ends up falling for the hero, who is applying for a bartender job and...wait for it...also hiding a secret. Two Big Secrets for the price of one! I suspect some readers will have issues with the heroine's former job as a defense attorney and a plot thread is left a little loose at the end - I suspect as fodder for the next book in the series.
- A sequel to the author's debut novel, I had massive issues with the heroine, who added another dimension to the meaning of stubborn. Good storyline, good use of history, but the heroine drove me insane.
- This is the second story in a trilogy, and Lord help me I am officially addicted. The author has a very pleasing narration style (first person) that sucks me in even though all the characters are degenerate, borderline vile, human beings. But the whole thing reads like a trashy, over-the-top, Victorian soap opera, which means I'm really in the soup now.
8 comments:
So, if the 1st person, Victorian soap opera, erotica thing sucked you in, was it the "characters are degenerate, borderline vile, human beings" that caused the C grade?
Four books? That's better than I did, lol! Ugh, it must be something in the air.
You need to whip out those emergency Harlequins ;)
TM: Yeah, pretty much. This is going to sound pat - but in a nutshell, the characters aren't very nice to each other. But the writing sucks me in, coupled with the soap opera vibe, and there you have it.
Barbara: I'm doing better. Since last week I've read 4 Harlequins. Could finish up another one today :)
Dude. A former lawyer turned bar owner heroine? I'm so going to be all over that.
Katie: I was asleep at the wheel and forgot to mention it in my post - His Secret Agenda is book three in a series. I do think it stands alone just fine though - as I've only read books 2 and 3 now. Heck, I'm not even sure I've got book 1 in the TBR. Need to check on that.....
You do realize that in most people's lives a book a week or 4 books in a month is quite reasonable and in fact awesome. We are so crazy with what we think is a respectable reading month.
Hell, the fact that you read is more than can be said for 76.4% of the population these days (I totally made up that statistic.)
Rosie & Lyndee: You're both right of course. This is what happens when you spend so much time around other romance readers. I'm always in awe of how much some of them manage to read every month.
And then there's me. Heh.
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