What Are You Reading Week of January 7

I started Glory in Death by J.D. Robb this morning after finishing Naked in Death last night. Absolutely fabulous book!

I finished Pride and prejudice last night and started Someday my Prince by Christina Dodd.

Julia

I just finished Mary Balogh's Slightly Sinful (very good) and am ready to start Wulfric's story (at last!!) in Slightly Dangerous. Unfortunately, that pesky job of mine is going to cut into my reading time tonight... ;)

I'm currently reading Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund. It's a historical novel about Marie Antoinette. So far I'm really enjoying it; Marie Antoinette is a little too sweet at times for my taste, but there's some very nice scenes that show her youthful exuberance and the self-involvement of the young and the royal and how these excesses helped lead to the Revolution. And all of that without making her a saint or a callous villain.
I'm really interested in getting to the Revolution and seeing how that aspect is handled.

I am reading The Virgin's Lover and am almost finished with it, and then I'm going to read, Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb.

I'm most of the way through Coming Undone by Susan Andersen which I believe I picked up at the suggestion of CC a few months back. It has been pretty good so far and I'm enjoying it.

I am presently reading The Texan's Reward by Jodi Thomas. Then I just picked up Mary Balogh's Devil's Web so that will be next up.

I'm reading Walk into the flame by Ronda Thompson, it's pretty good so far.

I just finished Dark Tides by Celia Ashley. She's apparently an ebook writer, as I couldn't find anything by her on Amazon. (I was curious to see the reviews.) The book was really surprisingly good. It's romantic suspense with supernatural elements. I could have done without the supernatural part but she's definitely a talented writer. The characters were very attractive, the sex was great, and the story line kept me guessing. I didn't care for the way she resolved the mystery, but the rest of the book was really good. I wish she'd write regular romantic suspense.

Next up for me are 4 new releases: Cheyenne McCray's Moving Target, Cheryl Holt's Mountain Dreams, Catherine Anderson's Morning Light and Anna Jeffrey's Sweet Return. I'm going to start with Moving Target. Has anyone read it or the any of the others? Anderson has got to get back on the winning track. Her last few have been disappointing. I'm hoping Morning Light is fabulous.

Edited to delete touchstones, since they don't work anyway!

CC

Finished Coming Undone which I thought was very good. Now reading a novellette called Immortality by Maggie Shayne.

I finished Slightly Dangerous last night (*sigh). Wulf's story was great. Now that I've finished the Bedwyn family series, I'm not sure what to read next. I don't have all the other books in the "Simply" series, so I'm not ready to start that one yet...

I am just about to start Miss Lindel's Love by Cynthia Pratt so i hope it is a good one! Have Finished Mine til Midnight and i have to say i cant wait for more books involving the Hathaways. I live in the UK so they get released slightly later over here but well worth the wait! Oh and the 'Slightly' series was really good, Very enjoyable reads!

Hi, Emmie. Welcome to the group!

CC

Now listening to All About Passion by Stephanie Laurens.

I finished Someday my Prince by Christina Dodd, which was better than the previous one.

Next I'll start The Jane Austen book club, since it's coming out at the movies in Germany soon.

Julia

Thankyou CC, its nice to have found likeminded people who are as interested and fanatical about romance novels and reading.

I have finished since I last posted...
Alluring Tales by Vivi Anna, Sylvia Day, Myla Jackson, Sasha White, Delilah Devlin, Cathryn Fox, Lisa Renee Jones
The Price of Desire by Leda Swann
Wild, Wild Women of the West by Delilah Devlin, Layla Chase, Myla Jackson
Dangerous Lover by Lisa Marie Rice

I am currently listening to Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts.

LoriTori, what did you think of Dangerous Lover? It's in my TBR pile.

I just finished The Accidental Vampire in the Argeneau series by Lynsay Sands. I like the series, and this one had an intriguing premise. I'm not sure it was one of her best, though.

I love LMR. I read Dangerous Lover a couple of months ago and thought it was very good, although not as good as her Midnight Series.

CC

Okay, this is getting bad. You all keep posting books that sound really good! How to decide what to read? How to get more hours in the day? Where to get more room for the books I want to get? It is one of those times where I want you to stop, but don't want you to stop! :D

Xor, me too! I just bought a new bookcase and now have run out of space to put all of these good recommendations. I may have to resort to the basement which is my least favorite place to store books.

I wish I had a basement or an attic. The downside to living in a warm climate is no basement! Too many books, so little time. :D

Have just come back from the bookshop and bought 3 books, The Secret Pearl by Mary Balogh also To tame a renegade by Connie Mason and a good old Mills and Boon.

Was wondering if anyone had read The Secret Pearl and whether it was as good as The Slightly series?

I also live in a very small house (UK size) so its like a box. Seriously run out of room for my books!
:(

I finished Glory in Death last night & started Immortal in Death this morning. Unfortunately, I am not a fast reader at all, but I am really enjoying these re-reads.

Lori, I'll be interested in hearing what you think of Blood Brothers; I've heard mixed reviews about it. I have it, but have not read it yet.

I liked The Secret Pearl. It has plot! I haven't read it in a while but I seem to remember thinking it was a little dark. (Compared to most regency.)

I haven't started Blood Brothers yet either. I bought it when I was listening to Pillars of the Earth and I can only take so much violence. And Nora Roberts doesn't write a light romance anymore. Usually good, but not light. So I'd like to hear reactions to this one too.

Enjoyed Pillars of the Earth.

I have started The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey. It is very good so far! It is a SantaThing recommendation.

emmie-loulou : I've got The Secret Pearl on my TBR pile also and have also been thinking about reading it soon. And you're right: Balogh's Bedwyn family series was great!

I think I'm going to start The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer today.

Thanx xorscape for the info :)
Have to finish Miss Lindel's Love first and then will get straight into The Secret Pearl

I dont know if anyone has read The Bad Man's Bride by Susan Kay Law but i found this to be an extremely good book, in fact i might re-read it again soon.
:D

I'm reading Prince of Fire by Linda Winstead Jones. I picked it up because I enjoyed her book in the Raintree trilogy she wrote with Linda Howard and Beverly Barton. (In fact, I liked her book better than Linda Howard's book, which really suprised me because I'm a huge fan of Linda Howard.) This one is also paranormal and quite good, though the eroticism pales in comparison with the Celia Ashley book I finished earlier this week.

Hi, Emmie. I'm a big historical western romance fan. I read SKL's The Bad Man's Bride and agree, it was great! What other Western romance writers are on your favorites list?

CC

Hi CC
I think thats the only western one i have read, i do have Louisiana Caress and Outlaws Kiss by Terri Valentine on my TBR pile though.
Do you have any suggestions on good ones you have read?

I tend to have read more of the Regency books, I dont know whether its because i live in the UK near London but i can just imagine living here in those times, although i would like to have had a fair amount of money if i lived then as i dont think the poor faired very well at all :(

Hi, Emmie. There is a Western thread here somewhere and also a Regency thread with tons of my recommendations.

As for TBR stacks, I think mine takes the prize. I counted them last weekend. 422 as of Saturday. LOL

CC

I read Price of Passion (no Touchstone) by Susan Napier. It's a Harlequin Presents, so relatively short and sweet. I really enjoy her books.

Wow CC thats a lot of unread books, but just think all those hours of great reading to come.

I wish i could dedicate a whole entire room to books but alas my house has few rooms as it is and my purse strings would be seriously stretched trying to fill it...lol...it would be great fun though!

I love Harlequin Presents, Mills and Boon and Silhouette. I think my favourite Author from those would have to be Miranda Lee

:)

Just finished Whirlwind Marriage by Helen Brooks, another Harlequin Presents. (The only good thing about a bad cold is all that time curled up in bed reading!) It was good. All her books are very emotional -- very focused on the relationship between the hero and heroine and their efforts to get beyond the problems their pasts bring.

I'm going to have to try Miranda Lee now, emmie-loulou! I've tried Sara Craven and Emma Darcy now and didn't care for either. So far my favorites are Susan Napier and Helen Brooks.

I just finished Anna Campbell's second book, Untouched. I was a little disappointed. The first 1/3 of the book was riveting, but I lost interest in the remaining 2/3. Her first book, Claiming The Courtesan, is on my all-time favorite list and I will still buy everything she writes. I'm sure she will only get better. I love the complexity of her plots. This one just didn't deliver for me.

Mountain Dreams by Cheryl Holt was also disappointing. It wasn't awful, just so-so.

CC

I just finished Kathleen Woodiwiss' Everlasting. I really liked it. It had some ups and downs but overall it was very good.

Hi anamuhandis,

I agree about Sara Craven but i quite like Emma Darcy you should definitely give Miranda Lee a go, her Hearts of Fire series was really very good.

Contains 6 books;

1. Desire and Deception
2. Fantasies and the Future
3. Passion and the Past
4. Scandals and Secrets
5. Seduction and Sacrifice
6. Marriages and Miracles

I'm not quite certain if that is the correct order because i dont have the collection anymore but they are the 6 books, also referred to as the Secrets and sins collection as it was re-released.

:)

pmpayne - I was wondering if anyone had read that last Woodiwiss and if it was as good as her older works. I haven't read it yet, but plan to.

Emmy-loulou, maybe it was the Emma Darcy that I read (His Bought Mistress). I didn't finish it because I was so disappointed in the beginning. (The heroine was betrayed by her boyfriend so flew off to Hong Kong -- I think -- with the hero after just meeting him. It wasn't romantic at all, and I really look for romance.) I actually liked the Sara Craven a little better. (I finished it at least :->.) I'll look for Miranda Lee.

I finished Wicked Ways of a Duke by Laura Lee Guhrke. Sigh. She's such a good writer. The ending fell apart a bit for me but I loved the rest of it. I love the characters she writes. Prudence was just right, and of course the Duke....another sigh.

Message 19: Dangerous Lover was good. I actually could have taken a few more chapters! It is my second LMR book to read and so far I am enjoying them.

Blood Brothers: I am not thrilled with the narrator since I am listening to it on CD. I usually like it when the narrator changes "voices" for the different characters, but this guy is not that great at it.

As for the content, the beginning was good then it got slow and since it got to modern day it has been pretty good. I am not done with it yet so more to come!

anamuhandis, You have probably read it if you like Laura Lee Guhrke but i really enjoyed His Every Kiss by her. I agree she is a very good writer and definitely keeps you turning the pages!

I have just started The Secret Pearl by Mary Balogh and it is very promising from the first few chapters, looks like it will be an interesting story :)

I am swept away by Scottish romance. I just finished Marsha Canham's My Forever Love which was a nice read. I am now reverting back to Lynn Kurland's rereads, beginning with the McLeod seires, Dance Through Time which I absolutely love.

emmie-loulou, I haven't read that one -- thanks for the recommendation! I started with the ones I could get as ebooks, then have found a couple more at the used bookstore. I looked on Amazon last night, and see there's still quite a backlist for her that I can look forward to.

Hi Schotzy, Just wondered if you had read The Beautiful Stranger by Julia London its part of the Rogues of Regent Street series but is set mostly in Scotland and is a very good book on its own, you dont necessarily have to read the two previous books.

:)

I finished The Jane Austen book club and am glad I read it so shortly after P&P. It made all those little refrences to her book that more special.

I'm feeling very Austenish write now but am afraid, if I pick up another one right now I would probably drag out the reading, because I can't take to much heaving reading while working. I like to have time to enjoy the books fully, so I guess I'll wait till my Easter break to pick up another one.

I'm ashamed to say I still haven't read Emma and Mansfield Park, I guess mostly because I've already seen the movies and the excitment of the story is missing because I alredy know what it's about. But I won't give up their time will come and my tbr pile can't alway be that big.

Emmie and Ana, I have also a lot of Harlequin Presents and I also like Susan Napier but Helen Bianchin, Carole Mortimer, Charlotte Lamb.

My all time favorites are His Baby! by Sharon Kendrick and Body and soul by Charlotte Lamb.

Next one for me is probably Almost like being in love by Christina Dodd.

Julia

julia,

You should read Emma. That is my favorite Austen book. I know people will usually say the tired and true Pride and Prejudice of course as their favorite, but I really like Emma better. Emma is a delightful character, naive and somewhat clueless (not to mention a bit stuck-up, but still loveable). The secondary characters are *hilarious* (especially Emma's father!).

Right now I'm not reading any romances. Reading In Death Ground by David Weber and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The next book I'll read will be The Down Home Zombie Blues by Linnea Sinclair

Just finished The Wedding by Julie Garwood last night, and started The Pursuit by Johanna Lindsey.

Hi, Schotzy and Studentmidwife, welcome to the group!

Schotzy, if you like Medieval Scottish romance, I highly recommend Susan King's Maiden series, The Stone Maiden, The Swan Maiden, and The Sword Maiden. They are complex, intensely emotional, epic love stories.

CC

#49 CC - I'm into Scottish romances as well, so I'll take those recommendations as well, if you don't mind. I'm always on the lookout for new ones! Thanks!

I just read The Gifts of Christmas, an anthology by Mary Balogh, Merline Lovelace and Suzanne Barclay. I don't remember reading anything by Ms. Lovelace nor by Ms. Barclay before this (Ms. Balogh's books I love). I really enjoyed their stories. Are these authors I've just managed to miss? Does anyone have recommendations of their other books? (I know. I should look at the LT records and I will.) :)

Oh BL79, I definately will and also this year. Just not right now. I might pick up Pamela Aidan's sequels to P&P if the feeling lasts. But I'm still missing one of the books, so maybe even not that until I have them complete.

Julia

Last night I read Star Shadows by Colby Hodge. I have to say I'm actually really disappointed. There was just too much going on. If the book had been another 300+ pages I think she could have made it work. I will buy the next one, mainly because she's still a good writer and I think the series has great potential.

Don't bother reading it if you haven't read the first two---it's not really standalone. It felt more like a placeholder novel, passing time and rearranging characters for a real showdown in the next book. She just happened to drop in two romances, one which is unfinished, and the main one, which I felt fell flat. Hopefully the showdown will be worth the wait!

Just finished reading Lord Ryburn's Apprentice and was pretty sorely disappointed this time around (I had read it before at some point).

The story isn't really anything special. Poor distant relation taken in as a ward. Elderly woman determined to make her the belle of the season to spite her erstwhile rival. Nephew determined to investigate her background to make sure she won't dishonor the family name... but slowly falls in love with her (of course).

All that would be well enough, but there isn't so much as a single kiss in the entire book! Not one! Nor is there a tingle-worthy dance scene to make it up to me. The closest we get to sexual tension is him tucking a curl behind her ear... which is unforgivable in a romance novel in my book.

So I'm sulking and have turned to The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James in order to get in the mood for the Jane Austen special on PBS starting tonight! I think Persuasion is up first.

I finished Hannah Howell's Highland Champion last night, and Rachel Gibson's Simply Irrisistible this morning.

That's only my third of Howell's, and I think she's hit or miss. Any suggestions of must reads by her?

As far as Rachel Gibson is concerned, I think I read all of her older stuff a few years ago, and wasn't impressed. However, I got re-interested in her after her newer stuff has come out, and I'm impressed! I still have True Confessions and It must be love.

ktleyed, you're welcome. I have a few more Scottish Historicals on my favorites list, not all medieval. If nothing else, I'm good for a recommendation or two, or a hundred! :)

Xor, I've never heard of Barclay, but Merline Lovelace has been writing a long time. Hers is a name I've heard for years. My favorite books by her are a couple of her historicals, The Captain's Woman and The Horse Soldier. She also writes Contemporary suspense thrillers, but I haven't like them as well.

Ireland, I have also found Howell and Gibson to be hit or miss. Rachel Gibson's best effort in my opinion is The Trouble With Valentine's Day. If you love contemporary romance, try Erin McCarthy. She writes consistantly good books and her The Pregnancy Test is my favorite so far. It is hilarioius and tender, with a fabulous hero and a strong heroine. It's full of sharp, snappy dialog.

You also can't go wrong with Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Her Match Me If You Can and Natural Born Charmer, both part of the Chicago Stars series, are two of the best contemporary romance novels ever written. Can I get a witness? LOL

CC

Oh, Susan Elizabeth Phillips is absolutely the best! I originally bought all her books in ebook form, and then went out and bought them again in print form, because they're so good. I re-read them all the time. (Though I love ebooks, it's easier to skim print books for parts I like to reread.) I can't wait until Natural Born Charmer comes out in paperback. The Chicago Stars series is outstanding, but her standalone books are amazing too. I reread Breathing Room and First Lady recently. Her books are so funny, touching, quirky, sexy....definitely a unique voice.

I just finished Helen Kirkman's A Fragile Trust. I can't figure out why she's not better known. I read Captured by her not long ago and was really taken aback at how different it was. She sets her books in the 8th century (if I'm remembering right) when the Vikings were invading southern England. Not the usual romance time period, and not the usual characters either. Both books had more moral ambiguity than usual because the characters are under extreme stress, but were beautifully written and so interesting. (Erotic also -- she does great descriptions of men's bodies!)

I'm reading His Captive by Diana Cosby now. Scottish kidnapping story...good so far.

Today I read Night of the Huntress by Kathryn Smith. It took a little getting into, but after the first several chapters I really liked it. Certainly it was better than the first one. I'm really looking forward to the next one.

YAYA! That sounds so fabulous! Thanks for the info! I'm going right over to Amazon!!!!

CC, I forgot to say that I also consider both Match Me If You Can and Natural Born Charmer to be two of the best contemporary romances ever written, which is great since it means she's just getting better! The scene in MMIYC where she has the football players at her house and Heath comes to help is one of my favorite book scenes of all time. I have that chapter marked so I can reread it whenever I want.

Mark me down as a SE Phillips lover. She is really funny and writes a great book! First Lady and Ain't She Sweet in audio are two of my favorite audio books of all time (so much so that I have them in both audio and print).

I just started The Courtesan by Susan Carroll, another writer I enjoy.

Jane Austen on tv tonight! Masterpiece Theater. I'm there!

I just finished The Dewey Decimal System of Love by Josephine Carr. It was kind of quirky and fun and librarians, especially, should pick it up to see what they think of the stereotype!

Decided to give the Cynsters a break for a bit, so I am now listening to one of my Christmas presents: Dark Secret by Christine Feehan from Recorded Books.

I just read A Distant Magic by Mary Jo Putney... part of her fantasy-romance series. I thought she was interesting as a brief introduction to the fight against the slave trade in Britain and a fairly interesting time-travel story with added bits of African magic, but was not much for people who wanted more romance in the tale. An admirable effort, however.

I'm having trouble settling into a book lately for some reason. First I tried to read Georgette Heyer's The Black Moth, but found that I wasn't up for something with a slow pace. Then I started Simply Unforgettable by Mary Balogh - but I got sidetracked and re-read/skimmed Dreaming of You in the middle of it. I'm normally a one book at a time kind of reader, but I just can't seem to focus in on anything this week.

I don't know - maybe I'll read a few magazines for a couple of days and that will clear my reading palate. Or maybe I'll be re-energized after watching Persuasion tonight! (I had to work last night so my husband taped it for us to watch tonight)

Katybear, I know you're just starting to read Georgette Heyer so I wanted to mention that The Black Moth is probably my least favorite of hers. In fact, I didn't like it....and I love Heyer. So don't judge her by that one! (Now watch, you'll love it :->)

katy, I know that I have trouble focusing on books right before the holidays, a trip, etc. My mind just won't focus on the story or I am impatient with it. So maybe you have something to do/think about and it is distracting you? And, then, sometimes I just get restless and get impatient with whatever I am reading. It is annoying. Hope you find the answer soon. :)

Hi! I just now joined this group. I just read 2 books by Deanna Raybourn which I enjoyed very much: Silent in the Grave and Silent in the Sanctuary. Has anyone else read them? If so, what did you think?

arrr: Welcome to the group!

xorscape: Thanks for the moral support - I feel the same way when there's a lot going on. I think it might be that I've recently left my full time job as a librarian to stay home with my young children and then turned around and took a seasonal/part-time job at my local used bookstore. It's just a few hours at night and on the weekends, but I'm finding that it takes me away from my family a little too much and I feel kind of worn out all the time. Fortunately, it's only for a few more weeks and then I think things will finally settle down and we can establish a more stable routine.

anamuhandis: Thanks for the input. I started with The Black Moth because it was the only one I could find at the bookstore. A lot of people recommended Venetia, but I haven't been able to get a hold of it yet. I've been trying at the bookstore as well as via bookmooch. Guess at some point I'll have to suck it up and order it from amazon... :)

katybear, you might want to try Paperback Swap for Venetia, I just noticed that there is not one available currently, but there is no one on a waiting list for it either. You'd probably get it pretty quickly! I read all the Georgette Heyer's when I was in high school and loved them, The Corinthian is also very good and The Nonesuch.

Hi, Arrr. Welcome to the Group!

I read Silent In The Grave but passed on Silent In The Sanctuary. I'll read it eventually. SITG was okay, but didn't hold my interest. I flipped through half of it to get to the ending.

CC

I adore The Black Moth, but have to admit that most others find the Regencies such as Venetia a lot more fun.