2009 Challenge

So, I was reading on Mom's blog...a while back, and she linked to Becky (who I don't think I know...), who talked about reading challenges. Including one where you pick xx amount of topics, and read xx amount of books in them. The "xx" is the last 2 numbers in the year.

So, in 2009, you have 9 categories and you have to read 9 books in each category. I thought this sounded like fun, so I chose my own categories.

1. 9 Award Winners-- Doesn't matter what kind of award, so long as it's won one.
2. 9 Re-Reads-- This one will, of course, fill up the fastest.
3. 9 Books by Men-- I tend to read books written by women. I should work on that.
4. 9 Classics Everyone Should Read (But I Haven't)-- AKA the books I should have read in my college classes, but read the Cliff-Notes instead (No...I only read the Cliff-Notes for one book, I promise)
5. 9 YA Novels-- YA= Young Adult.
6. 9 New Vampire Books
7. 9 Books That Take Place in the South
8. 9 Biographies
9. 9 Books Starring Librarians.

So...here we go!

Blood Sins

Okay, so before now (and excluding the Thief Series), Kay Hooper has written books that are supernatural stand-alones. I mean, they're all about the in the same vein, but you don't need to read one before the other. Some times they mention the same people, but it's different.

Well, this time, it's not like that. I'm assuming that the third book in this set is going to be...well, more complete, but this one was kinda...weird.

It's shorter. It seems more like an outline than a the real book.

The storyline was fine, but underdeveloped. We never really find out what it is that Cody can do, but it's good. And what's up with the romance thing? Tessa and Sawyer never really get together. They just kind of skirt around it.

But I'm glad they took Samuel out. I'm really hoping that she fleshes that out more next book.

Which won't come out for a year.

I was disappointed. But it was okay.

Random Epiphanies and Why I've Been So Quiet

So, I had a really random epiphany today.

I'm re-reading Tribute by Nora Roberts, and I realize why I'm not such a big fan. I don't want to be Cilla, and I don't want a guy like Ford. I don't want their jobs, their cars, their lives.

Not that I want to be every character I read, but Nora Roberts has a way of making everything seem so cool.

One of the big reasons I always wanted to try playing the cello again was because Callie plays it in Birthright. A crazy awkward guy like Bo from Blue Smoke? That'd be cool.

But Cilla is a house rehabber, and Ford is...well, not my favorite NR man ever.

So that was my epiphany.

And why have I been so mysteriously absent lately? Well, I was working on homework, and then I re-read Divine Evil, then tried to read Broken by Kelley Armstrong, but decided that I'm really not that into her books. They take too long to get into, and I'm not sure how much I like the characters. Too much emotional drama, and I have enough of that in my own life, thanks.

And re-reading Tribute has taken me days, though who knows why. Nothing like today where my lunch break ended and I had something like 8 pages left. Makes me crazy.

Working Stiff

Tori Carrington is a husband and wife team who get together and write mystery novels starring Sophie Metropolis. Working Stiff is the 4th of this series.

Sophie is a Greek-American living in Queens. Specifically, she lives in Astoria, which (at least in the book) is like New York's own Little Greece.

Sophie is a private investigator, and she's had her share of odd cases. She mostly finds lost pets (see Sophie Metro for the reasons why...) and cheating spouses cases. She has a loud family who's always in her business, an office manager who is afraid of a lot of things and Puerto Rican, and having trouble deciding between two men.

Does this sound like any other fictional PI to anyone?

Anyway, in this book, Sophie has two major cases. The first is to find a missing body that disappeared from her aunt's mortuary. The second is to prove the innocence of a kid who's about to go on trial for killing his girlfriend.

As usual, she stumbles around, finally figuring things out...in an odd, round-about way. She and Dino (her Greek boyfriend who has great husband potential) get into a big fight, and she finally hooks up with Jake (a man of mystery who's not really husband material, but for one night he's pretty amazing. Oh, and he frequently gets her out of trouble).

And, she solves the mystery. Thankfully. Both of them.

I like these books. They're Stephanie Plum meets "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"

I'm serious. She even has an annoying dog.

Oh, and she and Rosie (her office manager) believe that there is a vampire family.

And she is continually having run-ins with the Mob (where she was actually fitted for cement shoes in Dirty Laundry).

The End of November

So, November is over. You know what that means here at Have Pen, Will Travel (huh...maybe I should change it to Have Book, Will Travel...)

Time for the monthly recap.

Here we go.

27 books. 2 non-fiction. 11 re-reads (impressively short!).

Oh...and 1 that I'm half through. Which is not included in the list, because in order for me to count a book, I have to have finished it.

Revelations

You know, I used to hate series books. Because I'd always accidentally start in the middle of one, and I'd have to go back and read up to where I started...

So would someone please explain to me why the last 9 books I've read have been part of a series.

The most recent one was Revelations, the third in Melissa De La Cruz's Blue Bloods series.

It was...odd. In a really good way. Schuylar has been forced to move in with the Forces, which means that Mimi is driving her crazy and Jack is fully ignoring her.

Meanwhile, her grandfather has taken over the vampire clan, which is driving Mimi crazy.

Now, I don't get who didn't see some of these things coming. Bliss is bleeding after something important went missing? Weird... (right...)

I like Bliss. I'm sad that she's such a psycho. And in some totally weird way, I understand that Mimi just loves Jack, and can't live without him.

And what is up with Ollie being all...woo-ey and in love? It's weird.

Anyway, I liked this one. The big fight scene, the beginning of the second war, the unknown history... it's really fun.

Salvation in Death

I promise you, I've been reading a lot lately, I just haven't been blogging about it.

That said, I just finished the latest J.D. Robb novel, Salvation in Death. I have no idea what I thought it was going to be about, but whatever I was expecting, it was so much better.

It starts out with a priest. He dies after drinking the sacrificial wine during a Mass for a dead man (I have no idea what that would be called...).

Just pitches over, mid-Mass.

And here I start thinking, oh, some guy who hates the church. Expect a bunch of priest killings.

Nope! Turns out...he's not really a priest.

So the whole book focuses on this one murder, though it branches out into old murders, and then there's the one mid-book. It was a little weird, another preacher (evangelical, this time) who is poisoned during his big preaching time. So then you think it's about killing religious leaders who are making bad choices.

Still not.

It was really good. I enjoyed it...even though I found some of it hard to follow. I know where the girlfriend comes in, and I know all the stuff she did, but it's still a bit confusing for me.

There was something else too.

Oh! Right! Ariel, from Creation in Death came by with a giant cake, and later Eve said something about Roarke going around the law to bring down the killer, and I couldn't for the life of me remember what he did! And I can't just go back and read Creation right now, because I've got (a) homework! and (b) tons of other new books in series that I'm supposed to be reading right now.

So confused!

Anyway, I really liked this one.

100 Posts

Okay, so at the Sardonic Girl, I just mentioned that I found the best, most inappropriate quote that I love.

Since I was reading it, I thought I'd mention it here.

I found this book... The Official Nora Roberts Companion.

Too funny. So I'm flipping through reading polls and glancing at pictures, when I see a quote relating to French fries. So I pause.

"How can one live without French fries? Not well, I say. In fact, I've been known to say that a day without French fries is like a day without an orgasm." -Nora Roberts.

Dime Store Magic

So, Dime Store Magic is the third in Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series (the first is Bitten, the second Stolen). If you remember, the first (and second, though I haven't read that one yet) starred Elena, a werewolf.

This one stars Paige, a witch. A lot happens in the second that leads up to this, but Paige is in custody of Savannah, a 13 year old witch.

When a half-demon tells Savannah's dad (Kristof) of Savannah's mother's death, she also convinces Kristof to go after Savannah.

Paige knows that it's best for Savannah to stay with her, and goes about fighting for her. She employs a human lawyer (Kristof has a sorcerer for a lawyer), but he's killed (by Leah, the half-demon).

Lots of things go wrong after that, most of them involving police action. Between stealing grave dirt, killing a boy, bringing an entire mortuary of dead bodies into zombiehood, and a police chase, Paige has her own problem.

Lucas Cortez, a sorcerer, has shown up, volunteering to be her lawyer.

The only other really important thing you're missing? The sorcerer's have their own mob-type families, called Kabals, and both Kristof and Lucas are heirs to their own Kabal thrones. Lucas doesn't want it, and Kristof does.

So Paige is also trying to keep Savannah out of that kind of trouble, and falling in love with Lucas.

It's a lot to follow sometimes, and it's a little slow (it took me a while to really get into this one...maybe because I read Haunted, the 5th in the series starring Eve, Savannah's mother, before I read this one). Other than those things, I liked it.

For A Few Demons More

You know, one day, I'm going to look back at this time in my life and laugh at all the things I read.

Anyway. I just finished For A Few Demons More by Kim Harrison. It's a supernatural mystery novel where vampires, werewolves (and all other weres), witches, humans, demons, and elves all coexist.

Of course, it takes place in Cincinnati, which is always fun.

Anyway, in this one Rachel (our main character and a witch) is trying to save everyone around her from going postal, maintain some sort of balance with her roommate (Ivy, a living vampire who's in love with her), her boyfriend (Kisten, another living vampire), keep herself from getting killed or turned into a demon's familiar (it's a complicated story), and solve the case of who's killing the weres.

I did mention this is part of a series, right?

Anyway, it's fun. Rachel is a little crude, a lot crazy, and a total adrenaline junkie. It's kind of awesome watching her work.

This one is intense, both emotionally and physically. Everything will, eventually, be okay, but right now it's all a little crazy. And then, Kist...oh, Kist. I love him. Have I mentioned how glad I am that they killed Piscary? Because he was a real jerk (that happens to really old vampires...)

Paying Attention

So, I bought a book today.

I thought it was Destiny Kills by Kay Hooper.

Turns out it's Destiny Kills by Keri Arthur.

They both start with a "K" and end with an "R"...that's the only reason I can even remotely come up with for why I confused the authors.

Lean Mean Thirteen

Lean Mean Thirteen is the thirteenth novel in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Man...I bet guessing where it was was tough.

Anyway, have mentioned lately how much I like these books, right? Because I do. They're fun and funny and just a trip.

In this one, Stephanie's ex-husband (Dickie) goes missing. Since Steph attacked him the day before he went missing, she's at the top of the suspect list.

Of course, then all the other people associated with Dickie's law firm start showing up dead, and she's suddenly not nearly as worried about being framed for murder as actually into the investigation.

And she has to move in with Ranger while Joe is working. I love it when she has to live with Ranger.

And Tank gets shot. I swear, the more Steph hangs out at RangeMan, the more dangerous it gets.

And I did mention how much I love Ranger and Joe, right? Because they're freaking awesome.

Bitten

Okay, so I was looking at the Amazon 4-for-3 lists the other day, and came across this series by Kelley Armstrong. The first was Bitten, so I decided to read it. I requested it from work, and it came in yesterday.

Of course, yesterday I was in the middle of Hunting Fear, so it had to wait.

Oh my gosh. I really liked this novel. It's about a woman (Elena). When we first meet her, she's living in Toronto with Philip. And she sneaks out in the middle of the night, changes into a werewolf, and runs to a ravine.

Then Jeremy calls. And she has to go back to New York, see her old "family."

Including her old fiancee, Clay.

Poor girl. She's put through an absolute emotional wringer, but finally figures out who she is. And who she loves.

Let's just say, she moves out of Toronto in the end (Which, of course, made me really, really happy. I like her and Clay together).

I was sad to lose Logan though, even though I don't know him at all.

This was her first novel, it became a series. One that Elena doesn't narrate the whole time (which makes me sad...I like Elena!).

Anyway...I'm going to see if anyone near me has the second one... I like Kelley Armstrong.

Oh, and I want to mention that it's a little graphic. The killing scenes are a little graphic, it includes references to torture and child sexual abuse. Just a warning.

Hunting Fear

Hunting Fear is another Kay Hooper Bishop/SCU novel.

I like this one. Like the others, it takes place in a small town, stars a psychic (or two...), and revolves around a serial killer. Bonus--about a couple who had been together before and are getting back together. And you wonder why I love these books.

Anyway, in this one, Lucas Jordan is our FBI agent (though Quentin has a secondary role...I love Quentin. He stars in Chill of Fear), and he can sense fear. Samantha Burke tells fortunes in a carnival. But when they find themselves in the same city again (Golden...what kind of city name is that? Probably a real one...), and a kidnapper/murderer on their hands, they have to work together to hunt him down.

Lucas is a little distant...until you find out why (at the almost-very end). Sam is really out there with her feelings, no matter how much she pretends not to be. Jaylene has a terrible name, but they usually call her Jay (Oh...she's Lucas's partner).

Bishop also makes his special appearance, both at the beginning (recruiting Lucas, trying to find Miranda), and at the end (see, our fearless leader really does have everything under control!). Miranda's there at the very very end too.

Anyway, as they're trying to find the victims (the 3 that get kidnapped in this part of the story...apparently the kidnapper has been doing this for 18 months before we come into the picture), Sam and Lucas are also coming to terms with each other...again.

Oh, I did mention that they met 3 years previously on another case, right? Right.

I'm a fan.

The Excel List

So, I have this really complicated Excel list that I keep about the books I read.

There's the main spreadsheet, which includes all of the following (in order) on any book I read: Title, Author Last Name, Author First Name, Stars?, Last Read, Genre, Sex, Violence, Language, Religion, Fiction/Nonfiction?, Other Authors, Own?, Series?, Personal Notes.

Most are pretty self explanatory, but personal notes is where I put an abbreviated version of this.

I'm going to have to add a new column, though. Blogged. Because I'm going to start re-reading things that I've blogged (I already have for a few, in fact), and I don't want to double blog, or have to go check the stupid records.

Oh, the other spreadsheets in the file are Read in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, Books I Own (though I now have a new list in a separate file), and Thieves.

How did you think I kept up with how much I read every year and every month? It's on the list...

Blue Bloods

Okay, one of the girls at work recommended this to me. A post-Twilight teen vampire novel.

Blue Bloods is the first the series (so far, there are 3 out). Schuyler is an outcast teen at an overpriced, rich-kids school.

Oh, and in case you're wondering...she's a vampire. She just doesn't know it yet.

Yeah, all those rich, perfectly-pretty plastic type people? All vampires. Makes you hate them.

Anyway, a whole group of kids are inducted into their new lives (again, a lot of the usual vampire propaganda is not true...used to throw off humans).

But there is something hunting the vampires (they call themselves Blue Bloods, while humans are just Red Bloods). And it's the only thing that can cause true death in them.

And what choice does Schuyler have but to hunt down the thing hunting them? None, none at all. Especially after it...well, I can't say that. Revels a major plot point.

Anyway, well written (if a little confusing). Vampires, by the way, are angels that got kicked out of heaven. So there's an interesting tidbit.

It's odd, and doesn't end on the best of notes. I respect it for that.

But I'm certain she'll find her grandfather.

And I really, really hate Mimi. She's a moron. And Jack needs to wise up.

Divided in Death

Okay, so Divided in Death is a J.D. Robb novel. It stars Lieutenant Eve Dallas, and her oh-so-sexy husband, Roarke.

This one is kinda late in the series, and they've been together something like 2 years at this point.

One morning (around 2 am, when no good calls come in), Roarke gets a call. One of his employees (one with a high security clearance) has just found her husband and her best friend in bed together, dead. This is not good.

So Eve and Roarke go over there and Eve does her job (I did mention she's a murder cop, right?)

Murder, mystery, and mayhem ensue.

Also--lots of things come out about Eve's past.

Now, the problem with some of the J.D. Robb novels is they tend to focus on either the emotional stuff, or on the murder. She usually has trouble blending the two.

Oh my gosh--not this time. This time, it is so well done that the story would absolutely suck without the other stuff. They feed off each other. It's amazing.

One of my favorites in this series because of the way the two work together.

Re-Reading

You know one of my favorite things about re-reading books? When I find really random things shoved in the book.

Nothing like finding an old bookmark (I use index cards most of the time) at some really random point, or an old grocery list.

Today, I found a poem in Chapter 7 of Divided in Death, called "Thoughts Pressed Between Pages"

Now how freaking appropriate is that?

The USA Patriot Act Reader

Get ready for a bunch of these types of posts, I still have 4 more books to get through, and if they're this interesting, you'll be hearing about them. This one was edited by Alphonse B. Ewing.

This one goes over the Patriot Act (oh so long), then talks about libraries. But not in defense of libraries, but in defense of the Patriot Act. It was weird.

But really good. He addresses what the libraries were saying, and actually made me look at it a different way. The fact that libraries are never specifically addressed, for one thing. The wording is a little questionable too.

Something new to think about.

Anyway, I have to give it a 3 because there is a lot of boring for just a little insight. But what insight it is.

The Intellectual Freedom Manual

Okay, so the book I just finished up is a huge book on the policies and statements of the ALA on intellectual freedom, including the ALA Code of Ethics, the Library Bill of Rights, and a huge chunk of information on the ALA's views of patron privacy.

I'm researching for class. Give me a break.

Okay, it was actually interesting, if you're interested in politics, laws, ethics...oh my gosh, I'm into boring things.

I found a lot of good information, and a lot of things I would have never thought of. Bravo, ALA!

Oh, and I can't rate it, because it's not that kind of book. It's a manual.

Chesapeake Blue

There are all kinds of classics. There are the classics that they say are the ones that everyone should read, and there are the kind that you just fall in love with.

Chesapeake Blue in the last of 4 by Nora Roberts, and is my kind of classic.

You have to read the first 3 before you can read this last one, because otherwise a lot of this doesn't make sense. You can read it, and get a lot of the back story, but it's more fun if you know the background.

Seth was adopted by his brothers when he was 10. He spent the rest of his life fighting with his mother, a junkie who wanted everything she could get. Hoping to throw her off his back, he runs away to Europe to paint.

There, his work flourishes, and he becomes a widely known painter. But when Gloria (his mother) shows up at his door, he decides to go back home to Eastern Maryland.

Once there, he meets Dru, a woman who owns a flower shop. He talks her into posing for him, and they end up falling in love.

But Gloria isn't content to let Seth be happy. She threatens to tell a false story to the tabloids, but Seth, his brothers, their wives, and Dru all set her straight.

It's a really fun story. I've always been a big fan of Seth...he's a sweetheart. And Dru, because she's so prim and proper. It makes me laugh. Oh, and Aubrey. She's a spitfire.

Anyway, in case you missed it...I'm a huge fan.

Moby Dick, Part 1

As I recently mentioned on The Sardonic Girl, I've been reading too much trashy pop news and watching too much TV, so in an effort to keep my brain from going to complete literary mush, I'm going to be reading Moby Dick for the next 37 days or so. 20 pages a day. But there's so much, that I may need to talk about it here.

So, part 1. Chapters 1-3. I love what he says about the sea being the thing that keeps him from killing himself. That's interesting. Not to mention that, Ishmael is right. Meditation and water are wedded very close to each other.

The creepy painting in the hallway at the Inn he stays at? The one that's dark and hard to make out what it's supposed to be? Why does that seem like so much foreshadowing to me? Is it?

Also, what does it say that he wanders into a church thinking it's an inn?

Never mind he ends up sharing his bed with a cannibalistic headhunter who is possibly a white man covered in tattoos (did anyone else read Typee?). And! My favorite line! "Better sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian." What the heck does that mean?!?

If There Be Dragons

What can I say, I'm going through an old romance writers kick. As of recently, I've been reading a lot of old Sandra Brown and Kay Hooper novels.

Most recently was If There Be Dragons by Kay Hooper.

What you need to know: This is straight paranormal romance. By that I mean she (Brooke) is psychic, and the entire story is her getting over her issues so that she can fall in love with Cody.

And, yeah, they both refer to her issues as dragons.

The dialogue is cheesy, the temporary pet wolf is weird, and neither of them are very convincing characters, but it's a cute story. She barely uses her psychic ability, which is sad, but a little expected. I really like KH's mystery series better, if only because they use their gifts.

Anyway. It's cute, though a little trite. It was fine. Not stellar, but I'll probably end up re-reading it again in a year or so.

Bowled Over

I just finished Bowled Over, the 6th and latest book by Kasey Michaels, starring Maggie Kelly.

What you need to know about these books? You absolutely cannot start with number six. You have to read number one (Maggie Needs an Alibi) first. After that, go to town. Read what's handy. But you have to read it first.

Maggie is just your average, everyday, neurotic New York Times best selling Regency-Era romance writer living in New York when the series starts.

That is, until her hero, Alexandre Blake aka the Viscount Saint Just aka Alex Blakely, and his Watson-esque sidekick, Sterling Balder, show up on her doorstep.

In this sixth book, Maggie is going home for Christmas, but staying with her father in his bachelor pad while her mother's condo (only a block away) is taken over by siblings and their friends.

But when Maggie's dad is accused of killing a man, Maggie and Alex once again have to solve the crime and save the day (as they have for the last 5 books).

The great part about these books? Aside from being over the top and rather hilarious, they are almost a mete-novel. This book, in fact, has about 3 chapters devoted to the meta-novel. Talking about the killer, of course, and why he's doing what he's doing. It's fun, and funny, in a really odd way.

Anyway, as much as I'd love to say that it's perfect and amazing, it's not. I guessed the motive well into the book (though I thought someone else was the killer, apparently they at least had that right).

And...how did Maggie buy a 4 story house at such a "great price"? There has got to be a catch (and no new Maggie books on the horizon), I'm curious.

And this whole evolving thing? Weird. Though appreciative (because KM almost waited too long to get Alex and Maggie together) to see the characters grow, (a) the whole concept is weird and kind of hard to wrap your mind around (though, there is always "Stranger Than Fiction"), it's also (b) annoying to see how perfect Alex is. Grey hair is a mean (albeit fun) way to show him evolving.

Haha

I love it when popular authors cite other popular authors.

I'm reading Bowled Over, a Maggie Kelly/Saint Just mystery right now. It's an odd series (Maggie is the writer, and Saint Just, or Alex, is the main character in her novels. That is, until one day he shows up on her doorstep in New York...)

And Maggie's talking about marrying off Saint Just in the books, and she cites Nora Roberts, who has this great series about a man and his cop wife.

The In Death series, written under the pseudonym of J.D. Robb, starring the ever sexy, debonair Roarke and his lovely wife, Lt. Eve Dallas. Never mind the books are mostly centered around Eve's cases...not around Roarke (which means she should have top billing, not him).

So there you go. Who doesn't love this type of random reference?

Or I was reading a Janet Evanovich once that cited a woman reading...some romance author that I had heard of... Joy.

8 Minutes

I have (at the time of beginning this post) 8 minutes until the end of October.

That said, it's time for the monthly round up.

The grand total this month? 31.

And I just realized that means I'm averaging a book a day.

Grand total for the year (so far): 208.

Which says a few things.

The biggest and brightest being, what the heck am I doing with my life?

The second being, when do I do homework?

Oh, yeah, right now.

Homeport

Homeport is an older Nora Roberts book.

It stars Dr. Miranda Jones, a...well, she does something with verifying dates on old pieces of art, and Ryan Boldari (great names, both of them), an art gallery owner and gentleman burglar.

Miranda is an uptight, cautious woman who only believes in science. When she's called to Italy by her mother to authenticate a bronze statue, she believes she's found an undocumented Michelangelo.

Somehow, the press finds out, and the piece is transferred to another facility. She's sent home to Maine in shame, only to be robbed (you'll never guess by who...).

When the small bronze statue that was taken from the museum Miranda works at is found to be a fraud, Miranda and Ryan have to work together to find out who hates Miranda so much that they would kill 3 people and steal priceless works.

It's a fun romp, seeing Miranda and Ryan get together. She's so...anti-everything unorganized, and he...well, he's a second story man. Going with the flow is essential.

Also, I really like Andrew, Miranda's brother. Yeah, he's an alcoholic, but he's trying so hard to get over it! That doesn't mean that I support him looking to Annie as his savior, but he's trying. Which is important too.

Good story line. I remember not being able to figure out who it was the first time, and even forgetting the second.

This is way past the second time I've read it, so I'm sitting here reading it going, "I know who did it! I know who did it!"

But can I mention that it drives me crazy that the killer has to be crazy? It makes me sad.

Oh, and the kind of ick factor when you finally find out who it is? Big time shudder.

Eloquent Silence

When I can't sleep, I have a bad habit of picking up a book and reading until I can. Tonight I picked up Sandra Brown's Eloquent Silence because it was shorter.

Okay, here's what you need to know. She (Lauri) is teacher for deaf students. He (Drake Rivington, which I thought was awesome) is a (you have to be ready for it) soap star. He also has a daughter (Jennifer) who is deaf. He hires Lauri to move from New York to Arizona to privately tutor Jennifer.

Of course, there's this really strong attraction right from the beginning. Both are widowers. The difference? Drake is still in love with his dead wife, while Lauri was glad (in a non-creepy, non-black widow kind of way) that her husband died (she was sad at first, I swear).

Anyway, as Drake is in New York, filming, Lauri and Jennifer are bonding in Arizona.

Then Drake comes to Arizona. They (of course) become lovers after (many annoying) near misses, and (are you ready?) when her parents (a minister and his wife) show up unexpectedly at the house, Drake tells them (as to save her reputation) that they got married!

Oh my gosh. It all kind of spirals out of control from there. A reporter shows up, and suddenly everyone knows.

And she's mostly okay with it until Jennifer goes through the boxes of the dead wife's things, and Drake flips.

He leaves for New York, and when he come back, they hash it all out.

The best part of this book? The cheesy romance lines. "Drown me in your love, Drake!" (Oh man...so inappropriate...).

I can't even keep going, because the best ones are really, really inappropriate (especially given the context...oh my gosh), and I try to keep this (at least mostly) family friendly.

Anyway, it was fine. Good for an (inappropriate) laugh, but a fine story line too. Characters who were a little annoying, but not overly.

I liked it just fine.

The Spellman Files

Ok, so I heard about this one from my mother. The Spellman Files is the first of the series by Lisa Lutz. Curse of the Spellmans is second, and the third is coming out next March (Revenge of the Spellmans).

Let me just tell you...hilarious. So funny.

It's about a family (the Spellmans) who are PI's. Well, all of them except David.

Let me explain. There's Olivia, the mother who hates dentists (for good reason). Al is the ex-policeman-turned-PI. David is their oldest son, and he's "perfect" who's a lawyer. Isabel (out heroine and the one who tells the story) is the "problem child" who didn't attend college but stayed with the family business. Rae is the youngest, and the product of having two much older siblings. There's also Uncle Ray, who's an unabashed nut and addictive...well, everything.

Anyway, it's so funny. Izzy starts dating a dentist (and, I know he's Guatemalan, but when he says he's a dentist, I always think of the elf from Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer), but she tells him she's a schoolteacher. Not a PI.

And such follows the madness of the wars between Ray and Rae, between Izzy and her parents, between Izzy and Rae, and watching David pay off his little sister.

Until, that is, Izzy gets caught up in a 12 year old missing persons case, and Rae goes missing.

Then they meet Inspector Henry Stone.

Did I mention some of Izzy's odd character flaws? She's addicted to old episodes of "Get Smart" (I'm wondering how she felt about the movie...), keeps track of her ex-boyfriends by listing their names, their professions, and what their last words are. Oh, and she prefers to enter by a window instead of by the door.

Numbers 6 and 9 need explained, but it's funny.

Oh, and privacy? Completely overrated in other people, but utterly necessary in your private life. Without it, madness occurs.

Out of the Shadows

Out of the Shadows is a paranormal romance/thriller by Kay Hooper. It's part of the FBI/Bishop Special Agent group.

Actually, this is the one starring Bishop, making it one of my favorites.

Anyway, Sheriff Miranda Knight lives in a small town where teens are being murdered. After the third teen has gone missing, she calls in the FBI's new department, one that's a little...unorthodox.

Noah Bishop, Tony Harte, and Dr. Sharon Edwards all come.

The trick? The new department is all psychics, and Bishop is the one in charge.

Of course, Bishop and Miranda have a past...one that makes Miranda the only person left for her little sister Bonnie.

And while a madman is trying to clean-up after his mistakes in this town, Bishop and Miranda are not only trying to find him, but trying to protect Bonnie from him, dealing with a creepy and angry spirit that's haunting all the local Ouija boards, and trying to figure out their relationship (I still think it's creepy when Bishop calls her "love." He's not that kind of guy.)

You can pick up any of these novels and not be too lost (I started with the latest one published at the time, Sleeping With Fear, which continues to be my favorite), though apparently the newest trilogy actually have an overarching story line. So there you go.

Valley of Silence

And the conclusion. In this third novel, Nora Roberts pits light against darkness, as with all great tales.

Yeah...they speak with that old English type-talk, and it tends to run through my head very well. Sorry if it comes out.

Anyway! This one takes place almost exclusively in Geall, with only a brief side trip to New York at the very end.

Moira become queen (something no one expected, right?), and the big battle happens.

Lilith and Lora (who I always want to call Lorna, and I don't know why) spend a lot of time together (they're close), plotting and planning to take over the world. Thankfully they kill off Davey. Kid gives me the creeps.

Anyway. With all the fighting, preparing for battle, and loss, there is a bright spot. You got it. Cian and Moira fall in love. Though, both know it's going to end with the battle. Either they'll die there, or they can't be together (he's a vampire, and she's a queen. It would never work).

So come the big fight, many are lost (over 500, but all the vampires, save Cian), but they win (of course. It does have to have a happy ending. It's a NR novel), and all 6 of the circle live.

Larkin and Blair move to modern-day New York, Glenna and Hoyt to the home that Hoyt grew up in, but in modern-day Ireland, not the 12th century. Cian goes to New York and spends almost 2 months drunk and wallowing. Moira tends to her country (her country. She's a queen).

Then, of course, Morrigan comes and offers Cian a choice. And what can he do except accept a boon from the gods?

Sigh.

I always like the big battle scenes the best.

Dance of the Gods

In the continuing series that is utterly unbelievable in the Circle trilogy, I just finished Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts.

In this one, our six continue to train in modern day Ireland, including numerous trips to the cave to irritate Lilith (our big bad vampire). After rescuing some of the humans, almost killing Larkin more times than I can count, and trying to kill Blair off just a couple times for kicks, they head to Geall, the land of Moira and Larkin.

Oh, did I mention that Larkin is a shape-shifter? Not just one animal, he can turn into anything from a unicorn to a rat to a dragon. A big, gold dragon. It's pretty fun.

Oh, and he and Blair get together in this one.

Anyway, in Geall Moira is waiting for her time to try to pull the sword from the stone (a la "The Sword in the Stone") to see if she is going to be the next ruler. Her mother was queen, until she was killed by vampires and Moira went to Ireland to learn to fight.

Every one else is trying to help the Geallians train to become an army worthy of a vampire army. Well, everyone but Cian. He's busy just being a vampire and trying not to scare too many of the locals. He does, however, now have a cloak (that either makes him look like Zorro or like a bad B movie vampire impersonator, depending on who you ask) that lets him go out in the sun. How fun!

Again, more visits from the goddess, more fighting, more coming to terms with the fact that you really can have someone who loves you, no matter what your profession is (Blair is a demon hunter. Her last fiancee didn't take to well to that...he died this book).

Anyway, I'm a big fan.

Oh! And, Nora Roberts has started doing this thing where in her trilogies, in the second book, the two remaining characters (you know, the two who haven't fallen in love yet, but will in the third book, you just know it) kiss.

So, after Moira has killed one of the vamps who killed her mother, she tries to kill the second, but Cian kills him for her, and she gets mad to yell at Cian, and to shut her up, he kisses her.

And then you know...

Morrigan's Cross

Okay, so sometimes, you just have to re-read a book.

The thing about Nora Roberts is that she really likes books that take place in Ireland. They're second only to New York, but that's because she has an entire series that takes place there (running over 25 books at this point, I believe).

Anyway, I was trying to figure out what to read this morning (because I was so disappointed by Temperatures Rising yesterday, I wanted something I could count on), and I grabbed this one just out of fun.

So, I re-read it. Now, it's a little odd, I'll give you that. It's about 6 people who have to make it work to keep an evil vampire from taking over the worlds. They're charged by Morrigan, an Irish warrior goddess.

The charge starts with Hoyt, a sorcerer from (are you ready for it?) Ireland in the 1100s. He goes to modern day New York to find (here we go) his twin brother who was turned into a vampire about a week before he left.

Confused yet? In New York, he meets Glenna, a witch. The three of them, along with King, who's a friend of Cian (the brother...I love his name), head to Ireland to set up camp in Hoyt and Cian's old house.

It's keeps going. There they rescue Moira (another great name) and Larkin. Moira is a scholar and soon to be queen of a different world (probably more like Ireland mid-1500 or so, without the potato famine, and if they had never been thrown over by the English) called Geall. Larkin is her (ready?) shape-shifting cousin.

After a time, Blair comes to find them as well. Blair is a modern day Buffy, but she's not the only one. It's (come on now) the family business.

Now, all that unbelievableness aside, it's a great story. A little overdone in some parts, but oh-so-much fun.

Plus, when Glenna and Hoyt (not so great names, either one) get together (you know, have sex, fall in love, get hand-fasted, which is like marriage), flames have a bad tendency to burn hotter and brighter.

Not to mention, in the first book, we almost kill Hoyt twice, Glenna at least twice, Moira and Larkin at least once, Blaire is good at holding her own, and Cian at least twice.

Plus, there's the infighting, emotional family crap, reluctance, fighting of emotion, and all sorts of joys things they need to get through.

So much fun.

Temperatures Rising

So, I went from surprisingly stellar CF to a huge letdown romance. I'm just that kind of person, I guess.

Anyway, I just finished Sandra's Brown Temperatures Rising, an old one (1989!), so a straight romance.

Let me just say, Scout was very obsessed with Chantal's breasts. They came up at least once a page.

Anyway, Scout is an engineer working on a resort in the islands off Hawaii when he's kidnapped by Chantal, a beautiful native woman. He's accidentally shot, knocked out, and dragged to their village.

Chantal is a brilliant geologist who's village needs a new bridge. She kidnaps Scout so he'll build it for them. It's a rocky road (he doesn't want to, she ends up burning the bridge down so he will), never mind the fact they're both so attracted to each other that it's practically killing them.

I wasn't all that impressed. The writing was only okay, the plot line despicable, the characters unbelievable and annoying.

None of the great twists I've come to expect from a Sandra Brown, but then again, it is an early one before she had her style set.

Let me just say, I doubt I'll be reading it again.

Something New

So, on her website, when Mom talks about a book she read, she puts the author in the labels section.

I decided that could be a stellar idea.

That way, instead of having to search through all my posts to find out if I've reviewed anything else by them, you can just click on their name at the end of a post.

Of course, I read a lot of things that don't end up here, or other books by authors I have reviewed. I have a documented amount of over 600 books read. If you're curious, just ask me. I'm always more than happy to talk books with anyone who wants to.

Embrace Me

So, Carter, who is Lola's fiancee, lent Lola the book Embrace Me by Lisa Samson. Lola read it, and then told me that I had to read it, so she left it on my bed yesterday. I'm done with it now, and let me tell you---amazing.

Okay, so the story goes back and forth between a man and a woman. The man (Drew) happens in 2002/2003, and the woman (Valentine) happens in 2008/2009.

Here's your warning--this is a blatantly Christian novel. Big talk about Jesus and praying and redemption and the Church.

That said...

Drew is an ex-pastor who did everything wrong. He was kind of in it for the right reasons, but mostly for the wrong ones. When we meet him, he's left his mega-church and is living at the beach. He's detailing his sins for Father Brian, even though Drew isn't Catholic. It's a sad story of a man who wants power and approval, and will do anything to get it.

Valentine works in a Sideshow. Her face has been burned, and she dresses up in a green costume to become the Lizard Woman. Her best friend is Lella, the legless-armless woman. Val is bitter about her past, and churches in general.

It's the off-season in Val's time, so they're hanging around Mount Oak at the owner's house. A bunch of them who work in the sideshow stay together in the off-season.

Anyway, while Drew is working through his issues, so is Val.

It's amazing. Well written, well twined together, the story line is amazing. While the end gets a little cheesy, it is still poignant and beautiful.

I was a little sad that Gus stuck to his vows, but that's the (usually pushed aside and beaten up) romantic in me.

Oh, and let me just say that, for the record, the sins they deal with are things we all deal with. Wanting more. Greed. Unforgiveness. A likelihood of putting ourselves and our wants before anyone or anything else.

I loved it.

The Crush

So, in my hurry to get to work today, I forgot to bring the book that I'm nearing the end of. Good thing there was a book sale nearby and I picked up 20 (20!) books today.

I started reading The Crush by Sandra Brown when I had 15 minutes before my shift started.

When it starts out, you know exactly who the killer is, who the woman is, and who the man is. It's kind of nice, knowing all that right off.

With all that in mind, all you have to look out for in this book is the emotional twist.

Here's what's different about this book. They (Rennie and Wick) don't get together until really, really close to the end. It's refreshing, and a little disconcerting. The killer is a sane sort of crazy. The twists in his case (I really thought he was still with them by the beach when they get called away!) are very well done as well.

What's not so stellar: killing the other doctor right off. A little sad. The 4 page into on the security guard's issues...we only see him in the second chapter and never again. Waste of time, in my book.

Oh my gosh! Where Wick shoots Oren? Amazing! I couldn't believe it!

Yeah, in case you missed it, I'm a fan.

A Question

So, here's my problem, followed quickly by the question I am pondering.

I've been reading a bunch of those Nora Roberts early novels, the ones that they've re-released as 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 novels. The one I'm currently reading has 3, and the third one I've read before.

At least 3 times.

So here's my question.

If I skip the last book in the book, does it still count as reading it?

Because, normally, I don't count something if I don't finish it. Whether I have 100 pages left or just 10, it doesn't count until I close the book, every single chapter read.

So, does it count this time, or still not?

I'm thinking not.

The Hollow

As promised, I just finished The Hollow by Nora Roberts.

In this second one, we meet (get to know better, really) Fox and Layla. Fox is a lawyer who is best friends with Cal (Blood Brothers) and Gage (The Pagan Stone) has been fighting the Big Bad Evil the last 21 years of his life.

What's different about Fox? He fell in love before, with Carly. And she came to Hawkin's Hollow during the Seven.

Layla works at a boutique in Mew York, until she ups and leaves to come to Hawkin's Hollow to fight the Big Bad without even knowing why. She's a little scared (being the only outsider with no close ties), but determined.

In this one they have a lot more attacks, but they aren't all that scary. Don't know if it's my already low expectations (I was seriously disappointed the first time I read this one), or they just weren't stellar.

Even the last one, the one that's supposed to be huge and the ultimate scare of the book was...well, a little flat.

So now we wait for The Pagan Stone starring Gage and Cybil, who have promised each other that they won't fall in love. Yeah...that's going to happen.

Blood Brothers

Blood Brothers is the first in the latest trilogy by Nora Roberts (look for a review of the second, The Hollows coming soon, and the third, The Pagan Stone sometime in December).


So, it starts out telling you about the killing of a man in the 1600's. Then it moves on to 1987 (Wow...the 80's...), and telling you about a really bad thing that happened when three 10 year old boys met in the woods.



So, there's this big, bad, evil demon out to get everyone, and for a week every July, every seven years, everyone in their town goes absolutely violently nuts.



So the three boys have to take care of the town.



Well, this time (the third time) is coming, and three women come to town. (Who's not surprised?)


Book 1 is about Caleb and Quinn. He's the responsible boy-scout, who gets visions into the past. She's writes books about haunted places, and she's come to Hawkin's Hollow to tell the story of what happens.


She never expects to be part of the equation on how to beat the big-bad-evil, though. And she doesn't plan on falling in love, either.


Who doesn't love the curve balls that get thrown into the lives of characters?


Anyway--what I like about this one. Cal's a really good guy. All the time. Gotta appreciate that.



What I didn't like-- So incredibly easy to see what's happening. All the major plot points are transparent. Not to mention, Quinn is brash, even for a NR character. She needs to take a chill pill.


These books could be so much stronger! I hope the last one is better.

Best Kept Secrets

I really am on a Sandra Brown kick.

Okay, so this one was...weird. In a kind of creepy way. Alexandra Gaither (Alex), a public defender in Austin (I think), Texas, goes back to her hometown when her grandmother falls into a coma. Her reasoning? She wants to figure out who killed her mother, Celina.

It's one of three men. Angus Minton, ruling patriarch and general good ole boy; Junior Minton, his lackadaisical son who just isn't up to his standards; or Reede Lambert, the sheriff and son that Angus never had.

Of course, Reede and Junior were both in love with Celina, and all three were best friends. And no, neither was Alex's real father (Thankfully. That would have been icky).

Anyway, Alex is uncovering all sorts of bad things, including the wretched truth about her mother, all the while (let's all say it together...) finding herself wildly attractive, then falling in love with Reede.

Yeah, a slight ick factor. Even worse is the fact that Junior totally wanted her.

I'm amazed Angus didn't get in there and confess his wild lust as well.

Anyway, the story went well. I was vacillating between the actual killer and the other one who it might be.

Well written, though a touch slow. Again, the slight ick factor of Alex and Reede getting together. Not to mention that Reede is really kind of an ass. Junior is a playboy.

It's not that they don't have redeeming qualities, I just had trouble with them getting together. She seemed smarter than that.

It's always nice to be wrong though.

Anyway, not stellar. Not terrible, but not stellar either.

Charade

Apparently, I'm on a Sandra Brown kick. A new Sandra Brown kick. That's impressive for me.

Okay, just I just finished Charade, a mid-90's Sandra Brown novel.

It starts out detailing the last days of 3 patients who give up their hearts for organ donation, and the first day of a heart recipient. From there it gets odd.

We're following Cat Delaney (who else used Delaney as a last name? And Gannon? I swear, repetition will make me crazy until I figure this one out...), the recipient. She's a soap opera actress before her transplant, and after does a 4 minute piece on a news show to help kids in need of adoption. He is Alex Pierce, ex-cop current writer.

While Alex and Cat are falling in love, she's being stalked by a person who has killed everyone that has had a heart transplant on the day that Kat did. He's killing them to set one heart free.

Okay, so I liked this book. A little slow at first (the first 5 chapters totally threw me...kept going in and out of characters that I didn't see the point to, plus I didn't realize it was a medical drama). After that, when it finally settled into it's rhythm, it was good. Cat is a spitfire, which is always fun (and a redhead...just like Allison from Thursday's Child...hmm...wonder how many redheads Sandra Brown writes about...), and Alex is haunted.

Anyway, they (somehow) figure out a myriad of things, which leads to the big revelation...that I'm not going to give you. Needless to say, I totally forgot about it until they brought it back up.

However, when everyone thought Alex was the killer (of course he's not...it's a Sandra Brown novel. They just have to accuse him to get the heroine alone so the real killer can find her!), I'm sitting here going, "It's not him! You're looking for the lover, it's not him! I don't care what the evidence says, you've got it wrong!"

And!! I was so excited! I knew who it was! Though, at the end, she did throw in a minor twist as to who it could have been, but instead, it was who I though! Yes!!

Anyway, I approve.

Thursday's Child

While I like the newer Sandra Brown novels, the old ones tend to annoy me. I picked up Thursday's Child because I am a child of Thursday (as in, I was born on one).

Anyway, in this one Allison and Ann are twins, and Ann wants to get a breast enlargement, so she convinces Allison to be her around her fiancee for the next few days.

The only problem is that when Davis, Ann's fiancee, introduces "Ann" to his best friend, Spencer, they fall immediately in lust. "Ann" (really Allison) is trying to pretend like she doesn't feel it, and Spencer is trying to figure out why she's faking it with Davis.

About halfway through it comes out that "Ann" is really Allison, and when Ann actually is.

After that, Allison and Spencer spend their time on his boat, trying to prove one of Allison's theories right. That two superior parents can make an intellectually superior baby.

When Spencer has to leave for work, Allison is desolate. They meet up again at Ann and Davis' wedding, and when Spencer finds out she's pregnant, he's thrilled. Love declared, marriage proposed and accepted, all's well that ends well.

Again, it was cute, but not all that challenging (something I actually missed).

Oh, and I agree with Allison. The title is based on an old poem that goes like this:

Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go,
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for a living,
But the child born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe and good and gay.

Allison says, 'Thursday's child has a long way to go to catch up with everyone else."

Anyway, it was cute, but not stellar. Be wary of explicit sex scenes, because that's what Sandra writes.

Smoke Screen

Smoke Screen is the latest novel by Sandra Brown.

As with all Sandra Brown novels, you can’t trust anyone, except of course the one you’re falling in love with. Don’t mean to be rude, but that’s how it always works.

Anyway, in this one, Britt Shelley, a TV reporter, wakes up next to a dead man, Jay. When she can’t remember the night before, or how he ended up dead, things take a dark turn. She’s accused of killing him, but before she can be arrested, is kidnapped by Raley Gannon.

Gannon tells her his story of waking up next to a dead girl after a party at Jay’s house, with a lot of similarities, they agree to go hunting together to find out just what happened.

As usual, there are a million twists and turns that no one saw coming. From the party-boy who just wanted to clean his conscience, to the Attorney General who may or may not have played a part in the cover up, you’re never quite sure what Sandra is going to throw at you. But I liked this one.

Identical

Why I expect any Ellen Hopkins novel to be rather straight forward is absolutely beyond me, at this point.

I know, after reading all of her books, that there's going to be a major twist. And I mean major.

I just finished her latest, Identical, about twin girls who are living in the wake of a brutal crash. We know that someone didn't make it, but we don't know who.

Kaeleigh is "the good girl." She dresses well, doesn't smoke, doesn't sleep around, but is also quiet and keeps to herself. Her only friend is Ian.

Raeanne is "the bad girl." She sleeps around, does drugs, causes trouble, and has no real friends either.

It's what's below the surface of their Normal Rockwell lives that is disturbing.

The truth behind the accident, behind their grandparents, about what goes on behind closed doors with their father.

Ellen Hopkins is not your average writer. Stylistically, she doesn't write like anyone else. Instead of paragraphs, chapters, and the usual, she writes in the form of poetry.

It's something I found appealing from the very beginning.

Breaking Dawn, Part 2

I re-read Breaking Dawn today.

Yes, I started at lunch and finished just now. Yes, I worked for a while in there, and did some homework. I even took a break to eat and count change and a couple other things. But I still read the whole thing today.

Anyway!

I re-read Breaking Dawn today. It's much better the second time around. The first time, you're too busy going, "What do you mean Bella's pregnant? Jacob imprinted on Nessie? And why wasn't the battle scene...well, a battle?"

After letting it marinate for 2 months (hey, I waited to required amount of time. Even 2 extra days. Give me a break), and reading Stephenie Meyer's answers to reader's questions, it was much better.

You just have to suspend belief for a few hours. What's great about some books (the Anita Blake series, for instance), is that you can almost see it actually happening. It's realistic. Even the vampires and were-wolves, you can see how it just might happen (the Sookie Stackhouse books do this really well too).

The problem with kids/young adult books? They ask you to suspend reality more often. So after giving myself to the book, letting my world fall away and replace it with Bella and Edward's world...it was better.

Easier to see happening, easier to believe.

Of course, knowing what happens doesn't hurt.

The week before Breaking Dawn came out, I literally called Mom and said, "I'm worried that Bella and Edward won't end up together. Stephenie wouldn't do that to us, would she?"

Mom laughed. I was serious.

I'm really glad they end up together.

And I laughed out loud when Bella found out about Jacob calling Renemsee "Nessie." It's just too funny that that is what sets her off.

This Could Be A Problem

Okay, so here's the problem. I read really fast.

Wanna know how fast? I read A Lick of Frost by Laurell K. Hamilton in under 3 hours. Yeah, I've read it before, but still. 274 pages in under 3 hours. I was even a little horrified (by my reading speed, not the book).

I'm not going to recommend it, not because I didn't like it, but because it's probably not anything that anyone I know would read. If you ever want to know my opinion on LKH books, or even just on one series or the other, ask me, but not here.

The End of September

The end of September brings about a rather disappointing monthly list. At least, compared to last month.

Although, it's the second best month I've had all year, so I can't even complain about it.

22 books this month. 10 of which I've already read. Which means that there were 12 new ones. 12! Very nice.

Of course, it's all fiction. One of these days, I really am going to get around to reading more nonfiction. Probably more after I graduate. Or something.

Books Into Movies

Here's my question: when a book turns into a movie, does that up the books' sales?

I know that many do reprints with the actors on the covers (see Nights in Rodanthe, Pride and Prejudice, or The Pelican Brief), but does that mean they actually sell more?

And, what's more, how does that affect how we read the book?

I don't like books on tape (CD, iPod, whatever), for one specific reason. That's not how I hear the people in my head.

Shut up about mental issues. You know what I mean.

Take Harry Potter, for instance. When I say the name Harry Potter, you probably picture Daniel Radcliff right off the bat. But what about what J.K. Rowling thinks? What about what you thought before the movies came out? And what did Snape sound like before we had Alan Rickman's (amazingly well done) monotone?

Of course, my favorite example is the Twilight movie. While Robert Pattison is attractive, he is not what I pictured for Edward. (See my rant on this one here). So why is it that now, whenever I think of Edward and Twilight, I think of Robert Pattison?

It makes me sad.

Also, there are those times that a movie is based on the book. This little phrase has a very specific meaning. It means that they probably took a little from the book, and went their own way with the movie. Also very sad.

I don't know. Sometimes I wonder about weird things. And then I blog about them, because I don't know how else to talk about them.

Die in Plain Sight

Elizabeth Lowell writes random, kind of related series books. By kind of related, I mean they all work for the same company or they are all related or something.

This one is Rarities, Inc.

Ian Lapstrake is guarding Susa Donovan, a famous artist, who is doing a showing in Moreno Valley, California (California!!). When Lacey (our heroine) brings some painting for Susa to look at...well, she finds out not all is well in Moreno Valley.

Between the Savoy Curse that kills the rich of the County to the weird painting and awesome fires, Lapstrake and Lacey just can't help falling in love.

Yeah, it's one of those. But the mystery is really good! I mean, really good!

Obsidian Butterfly

We all know that I love vampire books, right? At least, vampire books that aren't full of stupid, overly friendly, too nice vampires (don't get me started...it's a soapbox I wrote a paper on once).

Anyway, Laurell K. Hamilton writes the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. It started out Anita hunting vampires, at some point turned into that and her crazy love life, and went on and on like that. Just when it's getting too much about her love live, there's a great one like this.

In this, Anita goes to help Edward (not Cullen) in Santa Fe. Edward is a sociopath (but an oddly lovable one) that is a friend of Anita's (we've met him before). He needs help finding something (some preternatural creepy-crawly), and that's Anita's speciality.

There is almost no annoying emotional crap, but lots and lots of violence. Lots and lots and lots. Shooting and killing and bloody crime scenes.

Let me warn you-- don't read these books if you don't like the following: vampires, werewolves, sex, blood, violence, guns, magic...okay, you really have to be an odd duck to read these. But given the fact they're being bought (and read), means that there are a lot of odd ducks out there.

But what can I say. Of all the Anita Blake books, this is one of my favorites.

Hidden Riches

I admit it...I took 2 NR books with me on my trip. No J.D. Robb's (even if they are written by the same person), just the regular ones.

Okay, so this one is about an antique dealer (Dora), and an ex-cop (Skimmerhorn). When a shipment of smuggled valuables accidentally gets shipped to an auction, and Dora buys some of them, it's the usual madness, mayhem, and reluctant falling in love.



Dora is (of course) strong willed and able to take care of herself. Skimmerhorn has a history and a tough outer shell, though he's really a softie with those he loves. And, of course, the guy who the shipment actually belongs to is a power-hungry, absolutely crazy, homicidal/sociopathic killer.


As Dora and Skimmerhorn work out their relationship and their mystery, they fall in love.


It's fun, not overly complicated, but a good read. Nice to get you out of your own mind for a while. Of course, I think that about most Nora Roberts books...

Of course, I'm telling Mom which one I'm reading, and we go through the 3 or 4 other NR books that include a lost shipment of stolen items and antique dealers...it took a few minutes to straighten out which was which.

Mumbo Gumbo

Jerrilyn Farmer writes a series starring Madeline Bean, a caterer/chef.

Mumbo Gumbo is the 4th (I think) in the series. I, of course, started with the 6th (Perfect Sax), and randomly picked up Mumbo Gumbo. I remembered Perfect Sax as being cute, though not challenging or particularly stellar, but I tried it anyway.

In this one, Mad Bean gets picked up to work on a television series when the head writer goes missing. Not a good idea. Her detective on-again-off-again boyfriend, Honnett, tells her about the weird Wednesday gang murders, when suddenly all the details start falling into place.

Maddie is cute, but kind of annoying. She thinks everything through. About 15 times. Out loud. With everyone. Including people who shouldn't be up on murder investigations.

And how she ends up with the murderer alone? Beyond me. It makes absolutely no sense.

Although, I do like the sheep. Their names, especially.

Digital Fortress

I loved Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, Deception Point, and Angels and Demons. While I was looking for light and fun this trip (sorely disappointed, let me tell you), I took this along for a change of pace.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Written long enough ago to make me laugh at the changes (back when people didn't know what the NSA was...), creepy enough to wonder if the NSA really does read all of our emails...

Anyway, Susan is a cryptographer (I wonder if that's what Dan Brown really does...) with NSA, helping reading people's email, trying to keep America safe from terrorism.

When a bug is loaded into their uber-machine that holds all the state secrets, she's called in to help fix it.

Her fiancee, David, is a language professor, is pulled in by Susan's boss to go find a key, and he goes without telling Susan. When she finds out that he's in serious danger, and thinks he's been killed, it does not go well.

Everything starts going very, very badly. People dying, things exploding, computers exploding, and really bad pick-up lines.

Just when all is almost lost ("Hackers will soon be privy to all state secrets...all of them!!!") they...solve the mystery!

Did you really think they wouldn't?

Anyway, well done.

The Big Bad Wolf Tells All

Donna Kauffman caught my attention with The Cinderella Rules, a cute book about a billionaire who didn't want the family business and a millionaire's daughter who ran away from the rich and famous scene.

The Big Bad Wolf Tells All is about a rich girl (Tanzy) who makes her own as a catty romance columnist who thinks that women should be allowed to love-em and leave-em the same way men do.

While all her friends are getting married and having babies, she's finding herself dissatisfied with life. And then her stalker gets kinda serious. Her aunt hires her a bodyguard, without telling her.
Her bodyguard (Riley) has been warned of Tanzy's romantic wiles, and tries to avoid, but can't help himself. Tanzy finds herself oddly attracted to Riley, and when the truth finally comes out, they get together.

The writing isn't amazing, but it's cute. There are some great lines in it. The plot is kind of predictable, and I guessed a part of the who-dun-it. Her friends are a trip, and the Wolf/Sheep metaphor Tanzy uses to describe men (and, eventually, concedes that works for women too) is interesting, if incorrect (she corrects it, eventually).

Anyway, it's cute. Didn't love, didn't hate it. I would probably read it again...in a year or two once I've forgotten the plot (hopefully).

Body Language

I read Body Language by Millie Criswell.

Oh my gosh. It was terrible. She (Ellie) works at the UN, and when her boyfriend decided he hates their dog, they break up. She moves out, finds a (gay) personal trainer, her mother moves in with her, and her ex-fiancee (Michael, that she never got over) becomes her boss.

All hell breaks loose from there, and her life pretty much falls apart. Because, of course, Michael still loves her, and her life is going crazy, and her parents marriage is falling apart, and her mother is dating...

Oh, it's a weird book about love and women's empowerment and dogs.

But the chapter titles! Ugh! Terrible!

It's just...not well written, not all that interesting, and the plot line...don't even get me started.

A lot Done

I took 12 "fun" books on the trip with me, and I read 8 (9 if you count the one I'm in the middle of).

Yay!

Okay, so I don't have time to update you on all of them (I will tonight...after I finish my homework), but let me just say one thing.

I was spoiled. My introduction to romance novels was Nora Roberts. She has good dialogue, interesting plots, and writes well. A lot of her older ones aren't always amazing, but they're better than some of the stuff I read this week.

Ugh.

With that lovely thought to all of you, I'm going to get some breakfast. See ya tonight!

Winner Takes All

Winner Takes All is a Nora Roberts Silhouette double-header.

The first is the tale of a baseball player and a director. They fall in love (rather unwillingly on her part, I might add) over shooting commercials and baseball games (how freaking American is that?!?) and then get married. Finally, when a fire (as in "California's on fire again" kind of fire, not like a kitchen fire or arsonist fire) almost kills them and they have to sacrifice their house, she realizes that all she ever wanted was him.

It's cute. She's a little over-the-top with her resistance, he's really laid-back until he gets to that point. You know, rather classic NR characters. It's cute though. Nice to read, not too demanding or complicated. A little slow, but still nice.

The second is a producer and an actor. Again, she's hesitant (this time based on her parents marriage, not her past love experiences), and he's willing to go along to a point. He sends her flowers while he's away on a shoot, and is there for her when her father has a heart attack that almost kills him (though not in that order).

Again, cute. She's freakishly against falling in love, eats antacids like they're candy, and basically needs to take a chill pill. He comes from a big loving family and though doesn't understand hers, still loves her. She comes after him right before he goes crawling back to her, so both of them keep their dignity.

All in all?

The Book List, Part 2

Going on another trip! Sorry I haven't been around...reading has been slow going. I got distracted by "Gilmore Girls" and was then recovering from being distracted.

So, I'm going on a cruise next week. I leave Sunday and get back Friday. I'm not taking my laptop unless I absolutely have to (still undetermined), but am taking lots and lots of book.

Here's the list (also in my reading list on the side of my blog here).

Nonfiction, already read
1. On Writing Stephen King

Nonfiction, unread
1. The Majesty of the Law Sandra Day O'Connor

Fiction, already read
1. Obsidian Butterfly Laurell K. Hamilton
2. Gods in Alabama Joshilyn Jackson
3. Die in Plain Sight Elizabeth Lowell
4. When Crickets Cry Charles Martin
5. Lord of the Night Robin T. Popp
6. Sacred Sins Nora Roberts

Fiction, unread
1. Digital Fortress Dan Brown
2. Body Language Millie Criswell
3. Mumbo Gumbo Jerrilyn Farmer
4. The Big Bad Wolf Tells All Donna Kauffman
5. Making Waves Cassandra King
6. The Drowning People Richard Mason


Also, I'm taking my Sudoku book, my management book, my foundations in library sciences book, and a couple research books for my papers.

4 days on a boat, 2 plane rides, and what ever is left of Sunday. 14 books for pleasure, 2+ for homework, and a game book. I can't get too bored, right?

If I take my laptop, expect a myriad of reviews on Saturday. If not, I'll get them done when I get them done.

Born O'Hurley

It's a time to go back, okay?

I'm sitting around reading old Nora Roberts books this weekend. Well, that is, between work and homework sessions.

I'm starting with Born O'Hurley, two tales of sisters who fall in love.

The first, The Last Honest Woman, is about a single mom who's dead husband was a race-car driver and an asshole. And a terrible father. So when Abby (the mom) finally authorizes a biography, we meet Dylan, the writer.

Blah, blah, blah...they irritate each other, then like each other, then admit to loving each other. The boys (her sons) love him, he loves them, let's all applaud for the happy ending.

The second in Dance to the Piper, about Maddy, a Broadway dancer, and Reed, a music mogul who's backing her latest show. She can't help but fall in love with him, but he doesn't want to get hurt.

So, blah blah blah they fight, but can't resist, he keeps distancing himself, she pretends like she can just let it be until he loves her, he realizes he loves her, and tries to tell her but messes up horribly, the show is a smashing success, and then he proposes properly.

Okay, so the bad thing about these two books is that...they're just your basic love story. I like the angle, I just miss the intrigue of the bad guy we have to fight. I like multifaceted books, but when you're looking at early Silhouette books, you can't really expect greatness.

But you can expect good, which I will recommend these as.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have homework to finish.