What Are You Reading Week of April 13

I finished Bound by contract by Carole Mortimer and will start next No choice but seduction by Johanna Lindsey.

Happy Easter everyone!

Julia

I'll be finishing up Dragon Actually tonight (unless an emergency comes up) and think I'll probably move on to The Pirate Lord for this month's read.

Finished up Ride the Fire yesterday, and I loved it! 5 stars. I should be writing a review soon, but I've been so busy lately, it may be a while...

Moving on to Book of Scandal by Julia London. I'm only about 50 pages in, and although I've loved all of her previous novels, this one is a bit slow, and I'm having a hard time getting into it. Has anyone else read it? Does it get better? Should I stick with it, or set it aside for now and pick up another book, come back to it next week or something?

I'm on to Dark Guardian by Christine Feehan - I'm still waiting for my Amazon shipment - I ordered 2 books on 4/5 & they haven't been shipped yet grrr.... well, for now I will continue my re-reads.

Scrpo1027--I hate when shipments get delayed-- it's one of the main reasons why I like to buy my books in store. I hope they come soon, but until then, re-reading old favorites isn't too bad of a way to go, right? ;) It's been a while since my pile has been that low, I don't even remember what it's like to be out of books to read!

I decided to put Book of Scandal off for a few more days, see if it can hold my attention better then. Usually, I love her books, but this time, for whatever reason, I had a hard time getting into and enjoying the book.

Instead, I decided to pick up an Angela Knight book, Warrior: The Time Hunters. Mmm, I love Knight's romances, they are always very action-driven, yet still romantic at times, and always very steamy! Perfect combination anyday! :D

TBQ

I did finish Dragon Actually but opted to read Fangs 4 Freaks because it is short and is a library book. The Pirate Lord will definately be next after this.

TBQ> I usually try the book stores first but it seems lately Im finding that they never have the book in that I'm looking for. If they do have the author then they dont have the 1st in a series or they only have the most recent published. Soooo, I've just been ordering from Amazon or Borders.
I do agree on re-reads though - it's nice to refresh on old stories but I'm itching for something new now lol... :) Hopefully I'll get them this week??

That's true-- I know what you mean. But when you can't find what you went in for specifically, that's when I start to browse for new ones! Which is also why I end up with over a hundred in my TBR pile! LOL. I think if I stuck to order things online only, I would go broke much quicker-- only one click away from having the book in your hands? I wouldn't be able to control myself very easy!

I haven't had time for a re-read in a while, but when I get the chance, I love doing so! I hope your orders come soon-- what books are you expecting, by the way? You might have said before, and I didn't catch it....

I've been on a roll of disappointing new releases lately. I just finished Lora Leigh's Nauti Intentions, and have to say to the Leigh fans, don't bother. Inane and ridiculous.

Another disappointment: Then Comes Seduction. I'm wondering what has happened to Mary Balogh lately? This Huxtable series so far has tanked for me. I find myself comparing them to my favorite Balogh books, One Night For Love, Slightly Married and especially Slightly Dangerous. They don't, compare that is.

Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like it was too much work trying to get through this one? It was tedious and flat. I couldn't muster any feeling for Jasper or Katherine.

And I'm not happy that Meg doesn't end up with Con, either. Her hero is someone named Duncan apparently.

Yikes! I've got to cleanse my palate with something besides romance, I think. I may have an old algebra textbook lying around here somewhere.

CC

TBQ> Well Im doing re-reads because I started to spend to much on my Amazon acct *hehe* but, I just can't stand it any more *AAHHHHH* so, I ended up ordering The Bride by Julie Garwood since I have seen it several times mentioned I thought I would give it a shot and Guilty Pleasures(Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter) by Laurell K. Hamilton it's the first in the series. Several people had stated that the first several books are really good. We will see :)

Never Romance a Rake by Liz Carlyle never read anything by her but it sounds good, how could it not with a husband winning his wife via card game.

scrpo, I envy you reading The Bride for the first time. Please let us know how you like it.

I'm reading The Loving Seasons by Laura Matthews - still on that sweet Regency kick.

10> scrpo, I think Charlaine Harris' series about Sookie Stackhouse is much better than Laurell K. Hamilton. I quit reading Anita Blake and am hooked on Harris. The Harris series is funny.

PS. Avoid the HBO version. No humor and stupid interpretation of the books.

edit: and I love Julie Garwood too. I think you will enjoy her books.

Ok so I found out why my books have not arrived yet - The Anita Blake book was not in stock *grr* so I cancelled it & told them to rush The Bride lol... and I went ahead and ordered Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian -

12> ana, I totally will. I have seen so many people mention they love it so I had to get it. This is a main reason why I love this web site - I get so many great new book ideas :)

13> xorscape, I heard the later books got bad & since I cancelled the order I may try Harris next - I actually like the HBO show but that is most likely because I haven't read the series. Usually works thats way huh :)

Finished Warrior: The Time Hunters by Angela Knight, and I, of course, loved it. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series!

Moving on to another paranormal, Eternal Pleasure by Nina Bangs. I've had it for a while, but it got misplaced in my towering TBR pile...

Also, reading the YA novel, The Secret Circle: The Captive Part II and the Power by L.J. Smith. Also enjoying this one. :D

I finished The Spare by Carolyn Jewel. I loved the characters but I thought the plot was way too complicated. You had a third (?) son unexpectedly inheriting a title, yearning to go back to his job/the sea, looking for a wife to ensure the title, searching for his brother's killer. The heroine is poor gentry with short term amnesia, barely scraping by while supporting her mother, suddenly with multiple suitors, under suspicion by the hero. I think you could have taken one of these devices and written a novel. But the characters were really great - I generally go for characters more than plot so they saved it for me. I have another early Carolyn Jewel book in my wishlist on PBS so I'll definitely keep reading this author.

Next up is Jenna Petersen's Her Notorious Viscount - I used to love this author but her last couple were disappointing for me so I'm hoping for something a little different.

This week I am rereading Mystic Memories by Susan Leslie Liepitz. An unusual and quite good Time travel!

CC - That's too bad about the new Mary Balogh series. I haven't read them yet - but you know I'm not sure anything else she writes is going to compare to the books you mentioned. I think that, for me, by and large most of her books are fairly good - but when she's really good, she's absolutely phenomenal. I enjoyed most of the Bedwyn books, but there were only a couple that I thought were exceptional. Maybe this new series will have at least one or two gems in it...

I'm still re-reading Bridgertons. I'm up to Romancing Mr. Bridgerton now (one of my favorites).

*touchstones don't seem to be working this morning...

#9 CC,

I have been loving the Huxtable books. I keep thinking Meg does wind up with Con, perhaps in the next book At Last Comes Marriage which is being released next week.

Sorry you don't like them.

scrpo1027-I was probably one of the ones that raved about The Bride it's one of my all time favorite books, def. my favorite Julie Garwood It was also the first I read of hers. I'll be interested to hear how you like it!

Katy, I don't mean to discourage anyone from reading the Huxtable series. They are good, and it is probably not fair to compare them with my very favorites of Balogh's books, but I can't help myself.

Although, since you mentioned the Bedwyns, I recall that I didn't like the middle books that much, either. I thought Freyja's (sp?) story was awful, but then, I've never liked her. She has always been portrayed as a shrew, and her story didn't change my mind about that.

Mama, it doesn't look like Con gets to be Meg's hero, but I'm going to browse around the internet and see if I can find out for sure. :)

My bad streak continues, and this one just floors me. I finished Jo Beverley's newest last night, The Secret Wedding, and was very, very disappointed in the plot.

Up next is Penny McCall's newest book, Ace is Wild. Here's hoping for a winner.

CC

Waiting for The Pirate Lord to come in to my library, so now I am reading Janet Evanovich's Plum Lucky, and I have a Debbie Macomber book (Mrs. Miracle), up on deck.

CC, I just read the blurb on Amazon and you are right. Ah well, they're cousins anyway.

I hope Con gets his own story because I don't believe he stole the money, etc.

CC - Oh no! I've been so looking forward to The Secret Wedding! I'll still read it anyway of course, because I just can't help myself when it comes to Jo Beverley. :)

And I totally agree with you on Freyja's story in the Bedwyn series. It was awful. She is precisely the kind of heroine that I most dislike. Mean-spirited, selfish, too rebellious, spoiled, and always hitting people. Why is it that we're expected to think it's ok for a heroine to go around punching and hitting the hero whenever he says something she doesn't like - but it would never be ok for the hero to do so??? I mean, it's one thing when the guy deserves a well-placed slap for overstepping the bounds of propriety or whatever - but not over and over and OVER throughout a story. It just smacks of disrespect and it really bothers me. (ok I'll get off my soapbox now!)

Katy, I'm glad you're going to read it anyway. I would love to know what you think of it.

I think my brain is oversaturated, if that's a word, with romances, and I'm going to take a break for awhile. Katy, you are so right about Beverley. If I don't like one of hers, it must be me! :)

I was also thrown off by Freyja's nose. It bothered me when it was described on the men, but on her, it just brought up a mental image of the classic halloween witch with the hairy wart on her nose.

CC

Started The Pirate Lord on my lunch today. I got to sit outside in the sun, relax, read and eat. The perfect break from work :-) So nice to be able to walk out the door and not freeze!

So, CC, if you're off romances what will you be reading?

Demon, my "real" bookclub book of the month for May is Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. I'm giving myself a total break from reading anything for a couple of days and then I'll start on it. :)

CC

Finished Eternal Pleasure and OH MY did I love it! It was amazing, IMHO, and I can't wait to get my hands on future books in the Gods of the Night series. Mmm....talk about sexy! ;)

Moving on to another paranormal (seems like I've had a para streak for the past week or so, not that I'm complaining!), Nightkeepers by Jessica Andersen. This is another one that's been in my pile for a while now, along with the sequel, Dawnkeepers (though it's only been in there a few months).

Ok, 1 of my books arrived today (finally) so I started Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian I was told it was a lot like J.R. Ward's BDB Series and since I loved that I figured I would enjoy this. Just started it but action already :)

I just finished Jo Beverley's The Secret Wedding and loved it! I was sorry it ended. I wanted more. I thought it had lots of plot and it has characters I cared about. I did want to smack Dorcas up the side of the head a couple of times, but it was a good read.

I too thought the last Balogh a little light. And I want Con to have a great love story!

I picked up Elizabeth Boyle's Black Dress book. Has anyone read it yet?

>27 CarolinaCatherine: CC, that one certainly looks like it will be much different from your usual romances!

I finished off The Pirate Lord this morning and have After Glow by Jayne Castle out for my next read.

CC, I've had my eye on Three Cups of Tea, so would be interested in hearing what you think of it.

I just finished several of Lynne Graham's Harlequins. Good, light reading.