What Are You Reading Week of April 23

I read Raintree: Inferno by Linda Howard yesterday; anyone else read it yet? I'm a HUGH fan of Linda Howard, but I thought this book was only okay.

edited to correct dumb spelling mistake :D

I read Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas over the weekend. It was pretty good. I'm waiting for the sequel to come and then i will start that.

Up next for me are two new historical Westerns, Nightsong by Carolyn Davidson and Her Outlaw by Geralyn Dawson.

Book, isn't Raintree Inferno a paranormal romance? I think that's why I didn't order it.

Hey, Amanda. Is TCY your first Kleypas book?

CC

hi CC, yes it was my first! (and definitely not the last)

I was just posting in another thread that my mom gave me the wallflower series. So i have those to read also.

Just finished Rules of Engagement by Kathryn Caskie over the weekend. I was disappointed. I loved the meddling aunts, but I thought the heroine was annoying. One noble self-sacrifice I can handle. Two is iffy. And four is just irritating beyond all rational belief. Geez.
Plus I hated the sister - she was self-centered and seemed to constantly be blaming everything on the heroine, even when it had nothing to do with her. Ick.

That said, I'm highly amused by the aunts, and the writing style was fun. I liked that the heroine had another interest than finding a husband, and especially that it was art. I'll probably pick up something else of hers in hopes of finding characters I like more.

And Lady in Waiting seems like it would be fun.

Amanda - There's a Lisa Kleypas thread here you might want to check out where everyone's discussing her works. She was a new author for me also when I joined this group. She quickly became one of my favorites. You're going to love the sequel to Then Came You! It's Dreaming of You and it tells Derek Craven's story.

edited for touchstones

CC, Yes Raintree: Inferno is a paranormal, but it's not too whoo-whoo out there. The raintree are a race of people, but they are more along the lines of the psychic genre; no vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, etc. There are two more books in the series; the next by Linda Winstead Jones & the 3rd by Beverly Barton.

I'm currently reading the 3rd book in Allison Brennan's evil trilogy, Fear No Evil; started it this morning.

CC - oh good, i can't wait to read Dereks story!!! I was hoping Dreaming of You would be his story.
And i will check out that other thread. Thanks

I finally finished Falling for April by Lisa Plumley. I didn't like it that much. The romance itself wasn't so bad but I didn't like the heroine.

She had some serious issues about her families flightyness and even including herself in it, although she was the only level headed of them.

Next one is going to be Tender is the storm by Johanna Lindsey.

Julia

Hey, Amanda. I think Katy was the one who steered you in that direction, but I'll gladly take the credit. There are Lisa Kleypas comments on several threads. Maybe I ought to round them up and c&p them into the official thread for her!

Derek is an awesome hero, but wait until you meet Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent, in Devil In Winter!

CC

I'm reading Audrey Niffenegger's book The Time Traveler's Wife due to the amazing number of recommendations for it.

Oh dear, I'm emotionally involved. I have a paper due tonight at midnight and a big project...I'm trying desperately to fit in enough time to finish it. Looks like it's going to be a late night for me!

I concur on that Sebastian of Devil in Winter, CC, because I was certainly emotionally involved with him too.

Ashley

oops, don't know how i did that.

Katybear - thank you for the suggestion. I got Dreaming of You last night and i was up til 12 reading it! I liked it even more than Then Came You.

CC - i'll give you some credit also;-) i've seen your posts on here about Devil in Winter and i can't wait to read it. Is it best to read that series in order, or does it matter which one i read first?

Ashley - I absolutely loved The Time Travelar's Wife! i don't think you can help becoming emotionally involved in that one.

With all these recommendations for Devil in Winter i better get crackin, i also just got Sara Donati's Into the Wilderness series. So many books, so little time!

Amanda, I would read them in order. That way, you will appreciate Sebastian's reformation that much more.

CC

I just finished Devilish, Rothgar's story and I loved it. I think you're a big fan of Jo Beverley's, CC? It's been awhile since I've read the other Malloren books and I don't recall enjoying them that much, but I really enjoyed this book. Rothgar was his own worst enemy but I liked how Diana refused to give up on him. They were an excellent match. And even the sinister plot didn't detract from their story. Rothgar reminded me a bit of Wulfric from the Bedwyns, actually.

Hey, Gracer. Yes, I am a huge fan of Jo Beverley's writing. Rothgar also reminded me of Wulfric. I thought the Company of Rogues stories were slightly better than the Mallorens, but I still loved them all. They stand "the test of time" very well, don't they?

CC

Amanda, I really liked Sara Donati's Into The Wilderness series. In one of her books she incorporates Jamie and Clare from Diana Gabaldon's books. If you have not read Gabaldon's series, I think it is a must read!

I am not usually a fan of comtemporary romance but I am rereading Marcia Evanick's Misty Harbor series. I love the setting on the Maine Copast (maybe because I live here) but I do like her characters. In some ways she reminds me of Elizabeth Ogilvie with more sex!

She has a new book coming out in October called Mistletoe Bay which I will look forward to.

Has anyone read any of her earlier works?

I finished Secrets of a Summer Night last night and absolutely loved it! It was sooo good.

Demon, wasn't Simon the best hero? I just loved him. He was at the top of my list until Sebastian came along. I cannot wait for Cam's story to be published.

CC

I just started reading Minx by Julia Quinn. I haven't read the other books with the hero, so I don't know just how devastatingly charming he has been... but I'm quite fond of him so far.
Looking forward to this.

>18 CarolinaCatherine: He was amazing! I've just loved all three of the Kleypas heros I've read about so far.

BTW-Thanks for mentioning Bookmooch on the other thread. I'm giving it a trial run and have listed some books to be "mooched". There aren't many that I own that I'm willing to give away but there were a few.

caramel -
I've been reading that series this week and am almost finished with Dancing at Midnight. I'll be starting Minx next. Dunford's pretty charming; he's a loyal friend to the other characters. He plays a part in both of the other books, but I think this is one series that you could read out of order and it wouldn't really matter a whole lot.

Demon, you're welcome. That's my problem. I have only done one "mooch" and I haven't decided yet if it is something I'll like or not. I understand there are other swap sites out there, too. There may be one better than BM someone else could recommend. In theory, though, it sounds like a great idea, doesn't it?

CC

I really like Paperbackswap.com myself. I haven't done BookMooch, but the part I like about PBS is that you can buy credits if there's something you really want, but just don't have the credits for yet.
Drawback for some is that it's only in the US. But I'm hooked.

Hey, Caramel. There are a couple of things I do like about Bookmooch, number one is that it's free; and number two, you can donate points to charity (or to another member). You can send points to children's hospitals, etc. or your favorite charity for it to mooch books for needy causes. I think that's a great idea.

If I am reading the rules correctly, the potential is there for a person to collect a lot of points. They seem to give fractions of points for just about everything. If I use it often, I'd like to be able to donate charity points. Does PBS do something like this, too?

CC

I don't think there are any charity points to hospitals, etc, though you can give other people points, and you can ship books to any address you specify - as long as that person then lets you know when it's received.
Also there's no fraction of points system - when you send out a book you get a credit, when you order one you lose one. Personally I prefer the simplicity, but that's why there's different sites, right? Something to suit everybody.

I've been a PBS swapper for one & a half years and I'm hooked. If I hear about a good book here and I want it, I will check PBS first.... and since I've joined LT, I've had to purchase a "few" more credits than usual... and my wishlist is almost to the limit!!

I've been getting Lisa Kleypas' books there & many others, too. I've got the Wallflower series, but I need some downtime to read them... too busy right now. I'm also getting the Bridgerton series right now... at least the first few books of the series... I had the Duke & I already when I read about it here.

Skittles, what is the limit on your wish list at PBS?

CC

200 books.

I've got some obscure books on there in addition to my casual reading...

I just joined PBS myself and ordered a couple of books with my free credits but they have yet to arrive. I am excited about it though and I think it's a great system.

Also, I read Tiger Eye last night and I really enjoyed it. It was a very well-written story and balanced the amusing and the serious very well. For those of you who are paranormal shy, I recommend you check it out anyway.

#29 gracer:

I've had books arrive in as little as a day (nearby/same state/area) but I also had a book from Hawaii take 5 weeks. The usual is around 10-14 days, but you also have to wait for the other member to mail it first.

If there's any downside to swapping it is having to wait for the books to arrive... but then you start looking forward to the mail delivery.... with GREAT anticipation.

I'm very very happy with PBS!!

I just joined Bookmooch. So far it's great. Already have 2 books coming!

I finished Tender is the storm by Johanna Lindsey.

I will start The right choice by Carly Phillips aka Karen Drogin tomorrow.

Julia

I'm excited about PBS, too.

I am reading To Marry the Duke and it is pretty good so far. I have a couple of quibbles regarding the heroine's background. She is an American heiress who has come to London in search of a title. She has a ton of money that I guess her grandfather and father made in trade. Her mother wants to be accepted in New York society, particularly by the Astors but the heroine claims her childhood was spent in a one-room cabin in Wisconsin. Furthermore, the father is described as having a southern accent. The heroine marries the duke in London, goes on a honeymoon to Italy, then up north to dreary Yorkshire to live with her husband and mother-in-law. It's a pretty good story other than the geography ADD. Anyone else read anything by Julianne Maclean?

Gracer, Julianne MacLean is another Regency author who is more miss than hit for me. I've read several of her books. They were okay, but not terribly memorable.

CC

I'm rereading Stephanie Laurens books this week...already slogged through four or five of them. I really liked her the first read through but second and third reads are not worth it. Did anyone else have this trouble with her?

First off, thanks for inviting me to join the group, looks friendly!

I just finished The Taste of Night by Vicki Pettersson, now I need to get the one that came before it.
Also finished New Moon by Rebecca York and Kisses to Go by Irene Peterson.
I'm about half through Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber.

Taste of Night was very good, I like grittier stories, personally. New Moon was ok, kind of simple and short. Kisses to Go was ok, I put it down a couple times. Something about it didn't catch me and hold. I like Debbie Macomber for straight forward contemporary life lesson type stories, she does them very well, and I usually end up crying at least once for each book.

I think I read 2 or 3 others last week, can't remember without looking at my piles. And I've got a few handfuls of books that I keep picking up and putting down.

AnjilaG, welcome to the group! We are very friendly, and fun.

CC

We are that and very communicative. LOL

Oh and you should increase your budget for books. Just a warning in advance.

Julia

I just picked up the new Loretta Chase book, Not Quite a Lady. It got 4 1/2 stars from Romantic Times. I am saving it to read on Sunday afternoon when I can curl up uninterrupted and read!

I also got Julie Anne Long's new one, The Secret Seduction. I have not read her before so I hope it is a good one.

Just started Secrets of a Summer Night - this will pretty much be my last fun book before exams descend upon me. I'm going to be in withdrawal, I'm sure. Wish me luck!

>40 Caramellunacy: Good Luck!! I hope you enjoy the book, I know I did!

I'm not in boot camp yet so I'm still reading. But basically I read these this week.

Summer Harbor (Susan Wilson)
Hot Target (Suzanne Brockman)
Diamond Spur (Diana Palmer)
Sweet Memories (LaVyrle Spencer)
Just Over the Mountain (Robyn Carr)
Watermelon (Marian Keyes)
Return to West Texas (Jean Brashear)
White Hot (Carla Neggers)
Unexpected Daughter (Suzanne Cox)
Bitter Sweet (LaVyrle Spencer)

And Now I'm reading

Sacred Sins (Nora Roberts)

and I'll read either 1 or 2 more books before the week is over. :)

Simply Magic - I am almost finished and can say I have really enjoyed it.

whoops! posted the same thing twice!

My inlaws are here---it's all I can do to keep up with the internet. No reading has been done. Next week I'll be gone... There are books waiting for me at the post office. I just know it! But I haven't been able to get away to get there. argh.

caramel - If Secrets of a Summer Night is your last book for a while, brace yourself. That book is really good and it will make you want to immediately read all the rest of the wallflowers series nonstop after you finish it! :P

I'm re-starting Demon Angel by MelJean Brook again and am determined to finish it this time. Then I'll be reading a Stephen King novel for another group. Then my other library books Never Too Much, Elantris, When Bruce Met Cyn and Flesh and Stone. Oh, and whatever we pick out for our group pick. I guess you can say I have my next couple weeks planned out :-)

I reread two very old Nora Roberts books this week, Blithe Images (1982) and The Welcoming (1989). The hero in the first was terrible. He just ran over the heroine - and she let him. The second was excellent. The hero was strong but sensitive and the heroine was her own person and knew her mind. I guess society changed during the 80's and what was acceptable in '82 would not have worked in '89. Actually, now that I think about it, I guess romance novels were just catching up. None of the ladies I dated in the late '70s would have put up with the guy in Blithe Images. If he had dated any of the ladies I dated, he might have ended up with a very high voice.

Richard

Now I am working on Not Quite a Lady. I love the Carsington's!

So far this week
Summer Harbor (Susan Wilson)
Hot Target (Suzanne Brockman)
Diamond Spur (Diana Palmer)
Sweet Memories (LaVyrle Spencer)
Just Over the Mountain (Robyn Carr)
Watermelon (Marian Keyes)
Return to West Texas (Jean Brashear)
White Hot (Carla Neggers)
Unexpected Daughter (Suzanne Cox)
Bitter Sweet (LaVyrle Spencer)
Sacred Sins (Nora Roberts)

But now I'm reading
Sins of Summer by Dorothy Garlock

I read The Lady Is Mine. It's horrible.

Thanks for the warning, Ria.

Sovereign, are you a big Brockmann fan, too? I have all her books, and I love them all. Have you read any of Linda Howard's suspense novels? Ihink you'd like her, too.

Next up for me is Satisfaction Guaranteed, Lucy Monroe's newest book. I have been impatiently waiting for it for months.

CC

Hey CC, I've read a few things from Linda Howard and I like what I've read so far. For Brockmann, I've only read 1 book of hers but I have another one I of her's I haven't read yet. I loved Hot Target and I can't wait to read the next one, I think she's a genius at Supsense so far. :)

Rich, LOL, I agree with the romance books written in the earlier 80's. I recently re-read Linda Howard's 1st two books, All That Glitters & An Independent Wife & I would say the same thing applies.

(touchstones loading slowly or not at all)