It's time for another round-up, mostly because I don't think I can stretch any of this stuff into a full-fledged blog post. Aren't you all the lucky ducks?First up, Major League Baseball announced their Rookies Of The Year, and my boy, Austin Jackson got hosed. The worst part about it is that My Man was right. He said because Jackson didn't finish the year hitting .300 he didn't stand a chance. But bitter girl that I am, I threw back that if Jackson had stayed a precious, precious Yankee - the media would have been touting him as the second coming of Mickey Mantle and there wouldn't have been a question. He would have had RotY, MVP and New York probably would have made up some more awards to bestow on him.
OK, maybe not Mickey Mantle. I don't see Jackson ever having those kind of power numbers.
But still....
++++++
The SoCalBloggers have gotten together two weeks in a row thanks to visiting dignitaries. A couple of weeks ago it was Kris, and last Saturday it was SonomaLass. We met up in Pasadena and had a grand time. This time of year is always slightly nuts for everybody, so I imagine that will be the last organized gathering until after the new year.On the book shopping front (because, you know - there's always book shopping at these things), I picked up The Lovers by Eden Bradley and A Christmas Waltz by Jane Goodger. The Bradley because she's a SoCal'er, Jill Sorenson liked it, and because I'll admit to enjoying the rare bird that is the F/F/M pairing in erotic women's fiction (romance or otherwise). The Goodger got bought because it's a western (although the heroine is English) and a little birdie told me that the hero is....wait for it....gasp...a virgin!
+++++
I weeded the TBR Mountain Range several months back. Some books got sent off to new owners thanks to Paperback Swap. The SoCalBloggers took a few off my hands. But I still had a ton sitting in my home office and I'm at the point where I just want them gone. Where are they now? Well about 40 of them are sitting on my desk at work where I'll farm them out to poor unsuspecting branch libraries. Hey, it's all fairly new stuff and this is me we're talking about - so the books are in disturbingly pristine condition.+++++
I've got two audio books going right now. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich and The Search by Nora Roberts. The Evanovich is a lather, rinse, repeat, and honestly I have no idea why I'm still keeping up with this series via audio. Oh wait, yes I do. It's because they're undemanding listens. The turn-your-brain-off kind of listens. Sometimes I just need that.
The Search was chosen because the ARC of the book sat on my desk for months, unread. Generally speaking, I cannot listen to romance on audio. Having someone read me sex scenes tends to squirk me out seven ways 'til Sunday. And while this particular book isn't doing a whole lot of me (It's OK. A little of the "dog stuff" went a long for me, and I've found the pacing slow in spots) - I think I'll be able to listen to Nora's single titles on audio. Why? The way she's written the sex....at least in this book. It's pretty straight-forward with not a bunch of flowery goo-ga mucking up the narrative. Also, the hero pretty much acts like a guy. No poetry spouting Care Bear. Thank the good Lord. So while, so far, The Search, hasn't lit my world on fire, it's been a nice, pleasant listen and glory, glory - I think I've found at least one romance author I can listen to on audio.YeeHaw!
13 comments:
I enjoy Nora on audio. Almost more than on paper. She does tend to go straightforward for sex, which I appreciate.
I highly recommend Three Fates (art theft) or The Villa (wine making) as good listens, as well as True Betrayals (Derby horses).
I also have mad love for her JD Robb series on audiobook, but I've heard from other readers that they don't like the narrator's version of Peabody. But I love them, and listen to them routinely on audio.
Then again, I'm a huge Nora fan. I'd imagine if you're not, a little goes a long way.
The last thing I need is more books. I'm dying to click buy on the two new books you picked up, but I'm going to wait until you review them, which I hope you do.
BTW, I just picked up the first JD Robb series on audio (love the books wanted to try audio). It's okay, but not how I expected Eve to sound so trying to get over that.
So glad you had fun at the blogger get together...the second one. :) Sorry I couldn't be there with you all.
Good for you for going through your book pile and finding them new homes. I think it's great that you can farm them to unsuspecting libraries. :)
I recently sent a big batch to a rummage sale. I'd read most of them, but didn't plan to read them again, and the clutter was getting to me.
I had such a good time on Saturday! Definitely the highlight of my trip, and I really appreciate you ladies making the time to come out a second weekend in a row.
I liked The Search better than you. My favorite thing about Nora's recent books is the world building. I like how she gets me into whatever business her main characters are into (dogs, weddings, tourism, home renovation). The romance, like the sex, is pretty straightforward, but that's what I expect, so it's all good.
Kati: Am jotting down your suggestions. I listened to the first JD Robb on audio many moons ago, and while I found it pleasant, it didn't light my world on fire to get invested in the series. But at the point the series was already sizeable, and Naked In Death would have had to have ROCKED my world for me to take that plunge :)
Lynette: I hope to read both soon -especially the Goodger since it has that Christmas theme goin' on.
Tracy: Purged a lot of things I picked up at conferences and just know I'll never read now. Also, quite a few single title contemporaries. I just don't seem to gravitate naturally to those. When I want contemporary, I tend to go category.
Victoria: That's where I'm at. Half of them came to work with me. The other half will get offered up to the SoCalBloggers again and what doesn't move will likely end up in a library used book sale.
SonomaLass: I like dogs, but apparently not enough :) I'm about halfway through this one, and this is entirely on me - I think I suspected more "suspense." It's coming now - but I guess I suspected it right out of the gate? Which explains a lot of why I think Nora is still so insanely popular with romance readers. If this single title is any indication, she hasn't "abandoned" the romance for the sake of hitting a wider audience. My Nora experience prior to this was some of her earlier trilogies....
I liked the Search on audio--like Sonomalass, I really enjoy the "world-building". I also really enjoyed Northern Lights and Angels Fall. I have got over the weirdness of sex scenes on audio, and even enjoy narrators who ham it up (Simon Prebble doing Stephanie Laurens? LOL!) but it's weird when I run into someone I know at the dog park or something while a voice is murmurming in my ear about "weeping furnaces."
I only started listening to audio books this year but I got used to the sex scenes quickly. I did enjoy The Search and also the Vows series.
I haven't listened to Simon Prebble yet because I started the Black Cobra quartet in PB and I simply can't change formats in the middle of a series. I wanted to get the early Cynsters on audiobook too but due to geographic restrictions (I HATE them!!!) I can't.
The biggest problem I have with audiobooks is that I listen to them on the go which means public transport. I kind of get weird looks when I just grin or have to suppress laughter for seemingly no apparent reason...
I totally agree with Kati. I love the JD Robb series on audiobook and check them out from Overdrive frequently. I'd start about Book 2 or 3 in the series, if I were you.
Re your bitterness about Austin, hey, don't ya know that there is this vast wasteland between NY and LA call the "flyover country" where nothing interesting or important ever happens. The only real place where news (except for possible gruesome murders) happens is, of course, in the only important city in the US, New York City. Or at least so they believe in NY. Wait, wait I've heard that there is Florida down south somewhere but other than that their map of the US is pretty strange.
'Visiting dignitaries'? *ponders* I like it. :P
It was terrific meeting all of you. I had a great time chatting about books with like-minded readers. :)
I tend to find Nora pretty formulaic. But I still read her books, because I just absolutely love her men. They're not generally over-the-top superhero guys, they're just regular alpha guy guys.
I can't do the audiobook thing, because my mind wanders too much, and then I get lost and have no clue what's happening!
I'm with Kati - love the In Death audiobooks. I've got all the characters voices in my head and would hate if they changed narrator.
I've always got an audiobook going and the sex scenes can be comical but with the right voice, man they can be hot!
I'm curious about The Lovers. I'm trying to expanding my reading scope & that looks like one that would do it. :)
Elizabeth: Yeah, I'm thinking Nora is the way to go to get my romance fix on audio. Her sex scenes are straight-ahead, with no language that will stop me cold. LOL - "weeping furnaces?!"
Anon: I have changed formats, but have done so rarely. Also, once I change, I never go back. I started on Tess Gerritsen in audio. Listened to the first three books. Switched to print with book 4 in her series...and have enjoyed "reading" so much, that I can't see myself going back to audio now.
Joy: It just kills me because I honestly think if he had stayed a Yankee, he would have gotten more love. People like to toss out the excuse that Detroit isn't on national TV all the dang time - but that's no excuse for the writers. I mean, hello? Internet! MLB TV packages! Dang.
Kris: You're also now an honorary member of the SoCalBloggers! We like to adopt our visiting dignitaries :)
Christina: I go through audio jags. I'll listen to several in a row, gorge on them, and then not listen to one for like 6 months. And yeah, Nora writes great guys. Just good, solid, everyday guys.
Leslie: LOL - yeah, I'm thinking The Lovers does have the potential to be an eye-opener. I'm hoping to get to it before the end of the year.....
Post a Comment