Reading Survey ~ Thoughts about Popular Romance

I'm working on my final research paper for my English class, and am talking about the popular romance genre. Part of the paper is our own research, so I've created this survey.

If you don't mind taking a few minutes to fill it out, I'd really appreciate it! I'm trying to get as diverse answers as possible - from readers and non-readers, those that read romance and those that don't.

If you do take it, feel free to say as much or little as you'd like in the comments sections - everything is appreciated!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Thanks so much!!

Best of 2010 - Books

Overall this year I've read a lot of fantastic books, some of them from authors I follow, but most of them I found through fantastic recommendations. Because there were so many books and authors I discovered this year through older releases I'm going to break this list into two parts, the first part will have my 'best of' for books released in 2010, the second part will be the books that I discovered late – for whatever reason. Also, because it will, most likely, be rare that I read anything released in December actually in December, I'm going to include through the previous year's last month.

Also, these are in alphabetical order by author, as it would be impossible for me to rank them.

Part I – Published in 2010
Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels 4) by Ilona Andrews (review to come)

The Kate Daniels series is one that was recommended to me by a very good friend around a year ago. I, of course, went and bought the first book right away. And then it sat on my bookshelf until about a week ago. I don't know what it was about starting that series that scared me. Now I want to kick myself in the a$$ for not starting it sooner. I devoured all four books, as well as all the short stories I could find, in a week. And I want to go read them again right away. I'm bouncing already with the wait for the fifth book in the series - Magic Slays. If you haven't read this series yet, I highly recommend you start (books one through three are in the second part of my list). Because I've got a review to come, I don't want to say too much...just read it.

Scoundrel (Blades of the Rose 2) by Zoë Archer (review)

Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson 5) by Patricia Briggs

Patricia Briggs is one of those authors whose books I look forward to, and jump on at release day, every time. Mercy Thompson is one of my favorite series and it's always a pure pleasure to read.

The Iron Duke (Iron Seas 1) by Meljean Brook (review)

"Here There Be Monsters" in Burning Up anthology by Meljean Brook

The short story that made me fall in love with steampunk. Rarely before have I ever read a short story that made me go out and buy the next book, as well as most of her backlist. Definitely impressive. (P.S. Nalini Singh's short story is well worth it in this book too.

Demon from the Dark (Immortals After Dark 8) by Kresley Cole (review)

Mockinjay (Hunger Games 3) by Suzanne Collins (review to come)

The Hunger Games trilogy is another one that I devoured in a short weekend. I couldn't get enough of Katniss and everyone else in Panem. This, for me, was an eminently satisfying end to a extremely well written trilogy.

Quinn's Hart by Cassandra Gold (review)

The Taste of Magick by Riley Shane (review)

Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunter 2) by Nalini Singh (review)

Bonds of Justice (Psy/Changeling 8) by Nalini Singh (review)

Play of Passion (Psy/Changeling 9) by Nalini Singh (review)

Part II – Published Prior to 2010
On the Edge (Edge 1) by Ilona Andrews (review)
Magic Bites (Kate Daniels 1) by Ilona Andrews
Magic Burns (Kate Daniels 2) by Ilona Andrews
Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels 3) by Ilona Andrews
The Turning (Blood Ties 1) by Jennifer Armintrout
The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie (Highland Pleasures 1) by Jennifer Ashley
The Hunger Games (Hunger Games 1) by Suzanne Collins (review)
Catching Fire (Hunger Games 2) by Suzanne Collins (review to come)
Breaking Free (Club Shadowlands 3) by Cherise Sinclair
Master of the Mountain (Mountain Masters 1) by Cherise Sinclair

So, there you have it.  My best of 2010 list.  It's far more than a Top Ten, but I couldn't stop until I'd gotten everything that really captured me this year.

What are some of your favorites?

Deserted Island

Nicole at The Betrayed Writer decided to desert me on an island LOL. To quote her:

Imagine you're suddenly ripped through a time warp and stranded on a deserted island. A fairy godmother comes to you and offers you 5 books and 5 cd's to have with you on this island until help can arrive- in the form of one lean and cut hulking vampire or 'other' that is mad, bad and out of control until he saves you.. I'll let you imagine the way you could occupy your time on this deserted island once he arrives on your own... (Yes, I said fairy godmother, no one ever said I was actually good at writing!) What would your five and five be? Be sure to tag 5 others!

Wait. First question - and it's important. Do I get to choose my savior?? Because I already have my choice here....

Oh, this is seriously hard! I can barely narrow down to my top ten at any given time. Now I gotta narrow to my top five??

Five Books
1. Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
2. Queen of the Damned - Anne Rice
3. Slave to Sensation - Nalini Singh
4. Lover Eternal - J.R. Ward
5. Fever Series - Karen Marie Moning*


Five CDs
1. Digital Versatile Doom - HIM
2. Screamworks - HIM
3. Absolution - Muse
4. The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
5. A Beautiful Lie - 30 Seconds to Mars


I'm Deserting
1. Straylights @ A Certain Slant of Light
2. Janna @ E-Romance Reader
3. Heather @ Little Squeed
4. Missie @ The Unread Reader
5. Wicked. Sexy. Books.


*Yes I know I cheated with my last choice, but I seriously couldn't help it. Honestly I wanted to put several books by Nalini Singh, and J.R. Ward and Anne Rice. And I really wanted to have The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook in there too....But I absolutely could NOT just have one of the Fever series. And I would absolutely HAVE to know the ending. So. All of them ;)

Third Quarter Round Up

Earlier this year I took on two challenges for reading. Here's the Mid Year Round Up. And this is what I've done since then:

2010 Reading Challenge
I haven't made any progress on this. I think I'm going to have to look for books that begin with E, N, Q, X and Y.



New Author Challenge
The other challenge I took on was a retry from last year. I never did manage to even get more than one or two new-to-me authors tried last year. And while I'm not at the halfway point yet this year, I have expanded my horizons by 15 authors already. I've added a few more since the last update. Here's the new stuff since the Mid-Year Round Up:

16. Victoria Dahl (as Holly Summers)- The Wicked West
I grabbed this book on a recommendation from Sarah at Dear Author. I enjoyed it. It was a quick, intense read. I liked the female knowing exactly what she wanted, and not afraid to go after it. I'll definitely look for more of her work.

17. KC Sehlhorst - Hel Hath No Fury
I loved what the author did with the concept of Lucifer. He was handled absolutely brilliantly. I felt there were things in the storyline rushed, and not explained, but I definitely enjoyed being along for the ride and look forward to reading more by this author.

18. Vicki Lewis Thompson - Blonde With a Wand
I've heard of her Nerds books before, but this is the first one I picked up, on the recommendation of a friend. I really enjoyed it. I liked seeing the growth that both characters went through, and definitely look forward to more.

19. Anne Stuart - Ruthless
I enjoyed this historical romance novel. The characters and setting were very different to me, which was actually nice. See my review here.

20. Eve Silver - Sins of the Heart
Definitely not going to be the last book I read by Eve Silver. She set up a fascinating world, with great characters and an interesting plot. Read my review here.

21. L. Shannon - Amethyst Bound
Interesting world, but I didn't feel there was enough character building, nor enough to keep the story moving. It was relatively easy for me to put this down, and only force of will kept me going (until I met a character that I really want to know more about at the end!!) Read my review here.

22. Meljean Brook - "Here There Be Monsters" in Burning Up anthology
I loved this novella. Fantastic, fresh, interesting world and characters that are fully developed which is always impressive in a novella format. Can't wait for the full length The Iron Duke and have started on a glom of Meljean's backlist, her Guardian series.

On top of these I thought it'd be fun to keep track of all the books I've read this year. 2010 Year In Books.

Here's the stuff I've read since the middle of the year to now. More of these were re-reads than in the first half of the year. I've bolded the ones that I'd previously read. Also it doesn't seem like I'm on the same pace I was previously....wonder how the end of the year will finish out.

1. "Here There Be Monsters" in Burning Up anthology (Iron Seas 0.5) by Meljean Brook
2. Demon From the Dark (Immortals After Dark 10) by Kresley Cole
3. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
4. The Wicked West by Victoria Dahl
5. Run For Your Life by Andrea Kane
6. Star of the Morning (Nine Kingdoms 1) by Lynn Kurland
7. The Mage's Daughter (Nine Kingdoms 2) by Lynn Kurland
8. Princess of the Sword (Nine Kingdoms 3) by Lynn Kurland
9. Blood Brothers (Sign of Seven 1) by Nora Roberts
10. The Hollow (Sign of Seven 2) by Nora Roberts
11. The Pagan Stone (Sign of Seven 3) by Nora Roberts
12. Hel Hath No Fury by K.C. Sehlhorst
13. Amethyst Bound by L. Shannon
14. Sins of the Heart (Otherkin 1) by Eve Silver
15. The Dom's Dungeon by Cherise Sinclair
16. "Whisper of Sin" in Burning Up anthology (Psy/Changelings 0.2) by Nalini Singh
17. Slave to Sensation (Psy/Changelings 1) by Nalini Singh
18. Visions of Heat (Psy/Changelings 2) by Nalini Singh
19. Caressed by Ice (Psy/Changelings 3) by Nalini Singh
20. Mine to Possess (Psy/Changelings 4) by Nalnii Singh
21. Hostage to Pleasure (Psy/Changelings 5) by Nalini Singh
22. Branded by Fire (Psy/Changelings 6) by Nalini Singh
23. Blaze of Memory (Psy/Changelings 7) by Nalini Singh
24. Bonds of Justice (Psy/Changelings 8) by Nalini Singh
25. The Wicked House of Rohan (House of Rohan prequel) by Anne Stuart
26. Ruthless (House of Rohan 1) by Anne Stuart
27. Blonde With a Wand (Babes on Brooms 1) by Vicki Lewis Thompson

I've also linked to my reviews where applicable.

Speaking of top reads for the year so far, here are my top ten...in no particular order, because that's just too hard. There's only been 1 change. Added Bonds of Justice.

Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh
Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh
Silver Born by Patricia Briggs
Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
Breaking Free by Cherise Sinclair
Lover Mine by JR Ward
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley
Master of the Mountain by Cherise Sinclair
The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout

My Shelf of Awesome

A friend of mine (Kat at Wit and Sin) posted about her Shelf of Awesome. Not merely a 'Keeper' Shelf, it's something a bit more. To quote her:

The Shelf of Awesome is a shelf of books that, in brief, inspire me. No, you won’t find any “inspirational” books on The Shelf of Awesome. By inspire I mean these books are the ones that always inspire me to write, to read, to imagine, to do, to love, to smile, and to find happiness. I’ll even let you in on a little secret: not all the books on The Shelf of Awesome are favorites of mine and some of my favorites aren’t on the shelf.

This made me start to think. What books would make up my own Shelf of Awesome. This is what I've come up with. These are all physical books that I own paper or hard copies of. Like Kat, perhaps later I'll add to it with some of the ebooks that make the grade too. Some of these fall into multiple categories, but I put them in the one that makes the most sense to me.

The Classics

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

This is a classic for a reason. Smart and witty, it's a one that I return to again and again, each time falling for Jane Austen's sharp writing.

The Illiad by Homer

The Odyssey by Homer

These two together started my fascination with Greece. It's never stopped, and I credit these two novels with my continued fascination with all things in ancient (and more recent) history.

Poetry Some of my favorite bits are listed below. This is nowhere near a comprehensive listing of my favorites by each of these authors.

Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay

***

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could

William Butler Yeats

When my arms wrap you round I press
My heart upon the loveliness
That has long faded from the world;
The jewelled crowns that kings have hurled
In shadowy pools, when armies fled;
The love-tales wrought with silken thread
By dreaming ladies upon cloth
That has made fat the murderous moth;
The roses that of old time were
Woven by ladies in their hair,
The dew-cold lilies ladies bore
Through many a sacred corridor
Where such grey clouds of incense rose
That only God's eyes did not close:
For that pale breast and lingering hand
Come from a more dream-heavy land,
A more dream-heavy hour than this;
And when you sigh from kiss to kiss
I hear white Beauty sighing, too,
For hours when all must fade like dew.
But flame on flame, and deep on deep,
Throne over throne where in half sleep,
Their swords upon their iron knees,
Brood her high lonely mysteries.

William Blake

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.

***

Never seek to tell thy love,
Love that never told can be;
For the gentle wind does move
Silently, invisibly.

John Keats

When I have fears that I may cease to be
Before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain,
Before high-piled books, in charactery,
Hold like rich garners the full ripen'd grain;
When I behold, upon the night's starr'd face,
Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,
And think that I may never live to trace
Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance;
And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,
That I shall never look upon thee more,
Never have relish in the faery power
Of unreflecting love;--then on the shore
Of the wide world I stand alone, and think
Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.

Edgar Allen Poe

In visions of the dark night
I have dreamed of joy departed
But a waking dream of life and light
Hath left me broken-hearted.

***

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee

Favorite From Childhood

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Anne Rice - Yes, she deserves her own category.

The Vampire Lestat

Lestat just immediately jumped off the page, demanding to be heard, understood, loved. I couldn't help but give him everything he asked for.

The Queen of the Damned

Fascinating and rich, this novel is filled with the vampires' history - going back to ancient Egypt, one of my favorite times. I loved how it was written from multiple points of view, with Lestat returning 'full flair' at the right moment.

The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned

Ramses the Second waking up in modern day 1914. Cleopatra, his ancient love. Julie, his new love. Intrigue, romance, suspense. A whole new take on 'the mummy.'

Servant of the Bones

Rich with history and mythology this book follows a fascinating djinn that has been forced to do much evil, and is now looking for redemption. I think this is a truly under-appreciated novel by Anne Rice

The Witching Hour

The Mayfair witches are haunted by a mysterious ghost who shows himself to a select few. The intricate, complicated relationships between the ghost, Lasher, and the women of Mayfair bring them untold riches, and untimely deaths. This first novel in the trilogy is by far the best, and the one I re-read the most

First Fantasy

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

I still re-read this rich, beautiful novel at least once a year. It's just a fantastic novel, a history with it's own history, people, languages and trials.

Other Fantasy/Urban Fantasy

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

While it's easy to see where Paolini got his inspiration, this book tells a very interesting story of a young man, his dragon and the fight to save the world. I'm patiently waiting for the final(?) novel

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

This is the third novel in the Mercy Thompson series. Patricia Briggs hooked me with the first book, but Iron Kissed firmly put her in my favorites. It has an extremely interesting storyline that is filled with fantastic characters that she continues to add depth and layers to.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

I read this after The Lord of the Rings and loved every word of additional information I got about the history of Middle Earth. Bilbo's journey will forever hold a special place in my heart

City of Golden Shadow by Tad Williams

A book I picked up completely on a whim, and couldn't put down once I started. Tad Williams built a whole new world - in our minds. Travel anywhere, be anyone, do anything - just hook into the 'net in this futuristic novel. Except just like the real world, the rich have more power, and the annonymity of the 'net gives them an almost free reign. I didn't know going into this book that it was the first of a (long) four-book series. I turned the last page and my eyes nearly popped out of my head at the cliff-hanger ending. I was lucky enough that the next two books were already out. This book is very heavy on description and internal thoughts, but I loved every moment spent with each character.

Star of the Morning by Lynn Kurland

A rich fantasy world with magic, shieldmaidens, evil creatures, mages, swords, horses and a lot of interesting characters. For me the characters themselves are what I love most about this (continuing) series. They're so richly drawn that I'd love to know them in real life. They have doubts and loves, fears and ideas, they make mistakes and keep on pushing through, against all odds sometimes. With a strong romance wending its way through each trilogy, I dare you not to fall in love with Morgan and Miach.

First Romance

Carolina Moon by Nora Roberts

My first Nora Roberts. Definitely not my last.

Other Romance

Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

Truthfully, I love this entire series, but I go back to this book time and time again for the sweet love story between Rhage and Mary. I especially love watching Rhage, a male that has a (rightly deserved) reputation as a philanderer, fall in love. You can't go wrong picking up a J.R. Ward Black Dagger Brotherhood novel.

Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

I have to add this one as well. Zsadist and Bella's story always gets me. It's so emotional, so heart-wrenching, so fulfilling. There are a lot of moments that make me tear up, still, after several dozen re-reads, and I love that I always finish the book not only happy, but content and sure in their love for each other. It's just such a touching story. I can't even begin to do it justice here.

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

*sigh* The first novel in Nalini's fantastic Psy/Changeling series. I fell in love with the world, the Changelings and even the Psy. Nalini is at the top of the game for world building and characters that feel like they could walk off the pages. Sascha is one of my all-time favorite heroines.

A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught

By far my favorite by Judith McNaught, this book has an abundance of love, loyalty, betrayel, forgiveness and heart-wrenching moments. With it's hard, yet caring, hero...it's fiery, independent, loving heroine...the beautiful backdrop of medieval England and Scotland...it never fails to make me laugh, make me cry, and make me fall in love all over again.

Run For Your Life by Andrea Kane

A contemporary romantic suspense with a reunited couple that are thrown together in a dangerous search. She searching for her sister, he for the truth. Sparks fly, and love blooms anew. The plot is driven not only by things that happen, but by the thoughts, desires, fears and shared history of Victoria and Zach.

Dreams of Stardust by Lynn Kurland

Another book that I found entirely by chance. On a book-exchange shelf at a previous job I picked it up one day because I needed something to read. I didn't expect much, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Lynn Kurland weaves a sweet, romantic, funny tale with characters that seem very real. I immediately went on a glom of all her backlist, and follow her still. Closed door romances that aren't lacking anything by not having those steamy scenes so common in most romances today.

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

A plus-sized heroine that doesn't magically become skinny by the end, but learns to love her body, herself, and the hero. Min is smart and someone that I instantly related to. Her sharp tongue, sweet nature, and loving character just make it impossible to not like her. Cal, her hero, is definitely hero worthy, smart himself, strong, sexy and absolutely, irrevocably falling for Min. This is a sigh-worthy romance that I'm always happy to revisit.

Other Young Adult

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

A young boy that's a genius, in the true sense of the word, who's also a criminal mastermind and comes up with a cunning plot to relieve the fairyfolk of their gold. His plan is to capture one of the fairyfolk and hold them for their ransom. But when he gets his hands on Holly things start to take unexpected turns. Artemis Fowl is an anti-hero that you can easily root for!

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

The first book in His Dark Materials trilogy. Enter a world much like the not-too-distant past of ours, but it's a place where magic, religion and science are all closely enter-twined. Lyra Belacqua is an orphan, growing up at Oxford University, with her daemon - the manifestation of her soul in animal form. Lyra isn't concerned with much but entertaining herself with her close friend Roger. Her precociousness leads her to learn of dust, a thing that those in power would do a lot to hide, and she's suddenly thrust upon an epic journey. Searching for her kidnapped friend takes Lyra north where she meets friends and enemies alike, including gyptians, witches, an armor-clad polar bear, and a nefarious plot involving many more missing children. This book is rich with emotion and adventure.

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

A young boy as a magician-in-training, Nathaniel, is visciously betrayed and vows revenge. Devouring texts he finally amasses enough power to summon a djinn, Bartimaeus, to steal the powerful Amulet of Samarkand and prevent his nemesis from his own designs. The story switches between third-person narration of Nathaniel, and first person narration (complete with footnotes that I loved immensely) by Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus is full of a wry wit that kept me grinning almost constantly when he was 'on-screen.' He alone is reason enough to read this, though it's filled with much, much more.

The One Two I Can't Figure Out Where To Put

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I read this book when it first came out, and absolutely loved the rich historical detail that Diana Gabaldon wove through the story. Sometimes a bit wordy, but that doesn't mean that every word isn't worth reading. Definitely an interesting look at the history, and people, of Scotland and England. I loved this book so much, and even though it's a true tome, I still pick it up to re-read. Side note - I didn't read, or even know, there were sequels to this book until the fifth book was out, so I definitely didn't feel like it was a cliffhanger ending. I have since picked up the following books, but am still working my way through them, as each of them is just as richly detailed as Outlander is.

Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

The first book I ever read by Jodi Picoult and I was absolutely amazed by her ability to make me truly think about where I fall on certain values and thoughts that I have. It's something that she does in every book I've read of hers. She'll easily show two sides to every story, and makes me think about both sides. I always walk away from her books with a new view on something.

The I-Can't-Pick-Just-One-Of-This-Series

Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning

I started reading Darkfever, the first book in this series, when it first came out in 2006 and have loved every minute of speculating since. The final book is coming out in January of 2011 and I'm so looking forward to the conclusion of this wonderfully complicated, intricate, fascinating series. It's mostly set in Dublin, Ireland and follow Mac's journey to find her sister's killer and she's suddenly thrust into a richly built world she knew nothing about, filled with fae, that are nothing like the fairies from our childhood tales, ambiguous characters and plots that Mac has to work through just to survive.

Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

A deftly written series in a magical world set just on the fringes of our world. If you haven't read these, or don't know about them, I highly recommend that you start now (the movies just don’t do them enough justice, though I enjoy them too). Following Harry Potter on his coming of age journey with fantastic characters that I love totally.

So, there you have it. My very own Shelf of Awesome (and yes I can fit all these on one shelf, if I really have to. ;) I hope you find something new here to pick and enjoy, if you do, please let me know! I'd love to hear what you think about any of these books.


And I'd LOVE to hear what makes your Shelf of Awesome!

Is There a Place for Negativity in Reviews?

Karen had a post over at Karen Knows Best asking about the 'If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all' ideology. I responded there as well, but my response got rather long and slightly off the main topic, and I decided to bring the rest of it over here.

Like I said at Karen's blog, I used to be one of those people. You know, the ones that never have a bad thing to say about, well anything. It even went so far as to my jobs. I had a job once that I absolutely hated. The pay was bad, they were giving more and more responsibility without the commiserate raises and titles, and the managers micro-managed everyone to the point where I constantly felt they were looking over my shoulder. When I quit, after finally finding another position, I told my bosses that the reason I was quitting was because the other job was closer to home, better pay, and a more advanced position. These were all true, but it wasn't the whole truth. Before my last day I'd talked with plenty of friends and family about the situation they convinced me that if I didn't say anything then nothing would ever change. So when the Human Resources department called for my exit interview I told them ALL the reasons. That was the start of it for me.

I realized that sometimes the negative can be just as good and helpful as the positive. Perhaps even more so. I've tried really hard to apply that to every aspect of my life. There's a way to say negative things and still remain respectful - I don't like to 'bash' anyone. I try to just say what problems I had, whether it's with a job, or a movie, or a book.

I know how much goes into writing a novel, so if an author put in all that effort don't they deserve my honesty at least? If something didn't work for me, don't they want to know about it?

I still have a hard time writing negative reviews because I know the effort that goes into it, and that even if it didn't work for me there are often others out there that it'll work wonderfully for. But I know that I can't gloss over the things I didn't like and only say good things. Then I wouldn't be being honest.

Plus, if I'm going to take the time to do a review for other readers to look at and use to help them make a decision, I feel that I owe it to them to tell them truthfully what I thought about it and why.

I do think negative reviews have their place, and shouldn't be looked upon as bad just because they're negative. I know that negative reviews have sometimes made me buy and read the book because what they said intrigued me.

I've heard it said that any press is good press. Talking about a book is better than being ignored completely, isn't it?

What do you think?

Mid-Year Round Up

So here we are, just over halfway through the year. Summer's just started and it's time to enjoy the long days, sunny skies and warmth.

I wish I could say I have been. But it's rained 14 of the last 23 days...most of those being pretty impressive thunderstorms. I love a good thunderstorm as much as (and probably more than) the next person, but I'm very tired of the humidity that just won't let up. I'm sure most people wouldn't think humidity when they're thinking Wisconsin. And yet I can't remember a summer without it. It's a damp climate up here, so while our heat and humidity doesn't begin to touch on most of the southern climes, it's certainly more than enough for me.

It's been a fairly good year for me so far. I've had time to read, watch movies, see the end of favorite television shows, or story arcs (and get hooked on some new ones) and go to a couple of great concerts.

Earlier this year I took on two challenges for reading, and I think I'm doing pretty well at this point. So here's the update:

2010 Reading Challenge
I've read one book beginning with each letter, except for E, N, Q, X and Y. I haven't been purposefully searching out books that begin with the letters, just reading what's come naturally to me. Here's my list as it stands right now:

A - Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunters 4) by Nalini Singh
B - Breaking Free (Masters of the Shadowlands 3) by Cherise Sinclair
C - Candy Coated Passion by Kat Alexis
D - Dark Desires After Dusk (Immortals After Dark 6) by Kresley Cole
E
F - From Dead to Worse (Sookie Stackhouse 8) by Charlaine Harris
G - Graceful Submission by Melinda Barron
H - He Loves Lucy by Susan Donovan
I - Ice Cream, You Scream by Kat Alexis
J - Judgement in Death (In Death 12) by JD Robb
K - A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught
L - Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood 2) by JR Ward
M - Mistral's Kiss (Merry Gentry 5) by Laurell K. Hamilton
N
O - An Offer From a Gentleman (Bridgertons 3) by Julia Quinn
P - The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Q
R - Roping the Wind (Turner Brothers 1) by Kate Pearce
S - A Spanking for Valentine by Evangeline Anderson
T - The Turning (Blood Ties 1) by Jennifer Armintrout
U - Undercover Submission by Melinda Barron
V - Veil of Midnight (Midnight Breeds 5) by Lara Adrian
W - Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? (Turner Brothers 2) by Kate Pearce
X
Y
Z - Zane's Way by Maggie Casper

New Author Challenge
The other challenge I took on was a retry from last year. I never did manage to even get more than one or two new-to-me authors tried last year. And while I'm not at the halfway point yet this year, I have expanded my horizons by 15 authors already. Here's the list as of today:

1. Jennifer Armintrout - The Turning
The Turning is the first book in Jennifer's Blood Ties series. I loved this first book, and pretty quickly went through the other three. And picked up the first book in her next series: Lightworld/Darkworld.

2. Kate Pearce - Roping the Wind
Roping the Wind is the first book in Kate's Turner Brothers series. It was a really good, fun cowboy read. I supremely enjoyed it. And quickly read the other two. I look forward to reading more of hers.

3. Lauren Dane - Giving Chase
A good fun read. I'm definitely gonna get to some more of her work.

4. Susan Donovan - He Loves Lucy
I really enjoyed this book. I thought the love story between Lucy and Theo was not only touching, but believable.

5. Melinda Barron - Graceful Submission
This was a fantastic book. I loved the development of the characters, and how BDSM was handled in it. I will definitely be looking for more of her books.

6. Kat Alexis - Candy Coated Passion
To be honest the sex scenes got a bit tedious, and it felt like there was little to no growth with the characters. I'd love to see the author do more with them, so it's not just sex scene after sex scene.

7. Maggie Casper - Zane's Way
Hmm. It had the potential for a really good book. The characters were interesting, the storyline was interesting, but it just seemed to rushed. I didn't get enough time of them together, much more time of them apart. Not enough time to see how their relationship grew. Pity, because I missed that.

8. Julia Quinn - The Duke and I
I absolutely adored this book. The characters are lively, quick, smart and interesting. People that I would love to know. The romance is sweet, hot, and beautiful. The dialogue is fabulous. The secondary characters (coming up in future books) are absolutely fascinating. I can't wait to read more from Julia Quinn. (Yes - I know I'm quite late to this party...lol)

9. Jennifer Ashley - The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie
What a fantastic book. I love the way that the author showed the hero having AS. How it wasn't a passed over part of the story, how it was completely integrated into the love story and the overall story. Fantastic romance with a real hero and heroine. I couldn't put it down, and can't wait to read more in this series.

10. Stacia Kane - Unholy Ghosts
Read my review here

11. Charlaine Harris - Dead Until Dark
I really enjoyed this first novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Enough that it made me immediately get the following 9 full length novels and devour them in a week.

12. Desiree Holt - Double Entry
This was a decent book that had some likable characters, although I can't remember much specifically about them. It was a short story, heavy on sex, and light on conflict. I did have some problems with one scene in particular that was just beyond unrealistic for me - not in that it couldn't be done, but in that it definitely shouldn't, and any woman would know that. There was also some unrealistic dialogue that felt more like the author trying to give distinctive personalities rather than the characters actually having distinctive personalities. Other than that, I'd be willing to try another novel by her sometime.

13. Kasey MacKenzie - Red Hot Fury
A debut author with a fresh new look at urban fantasy. I've been working on a review for this. The concept is awesome and intriguing, but there were some definite debut-novel issues I had.

14. Gena Showalter - The Darkest Night
First book in the Lords of the Underworld series. Interesting premise, good characters. A good read, and I look forward to seeing where she takes the series.

15. Cherise Sinclair - Club Shadowlands
The best thing I can say about this author is that as soon as I finished Club Shadowlands I immediately read everything else she has available. I find her characters believable, charming, interesting and hot. The end of Master of the Mountain still strikes me as perfect - just because of how realistic it was. And beautiful. I eagerly await anything and everything Cherise sends my way.

On top of these I thought it'd be fun to keep track of all the books I've read this year. It's been awhile since I've kept an eye on that sort of thing, and it's definitely been fun. I've already read 83 books. 2010 Year In Books.

Here's my list at this point. Some of these were re-reads, but not many. I've bolded the ones that I'd previously read.

1. Veil of Midnight (Midnight Breeds 5) by Lara Adrian
2. Ashes of Midnight (Midnight Breeds 6) by Lara Adrian
3. Shades of Midnight (Midnight Breeds 7) by Lara Adrian
4. Candy Coated Passion (1) by Kat Alexis
5. Ice Cream, You Scream (2) by Kat Alexis
6. A Spanking for Valentine by Evangeline Anderson
7. Deal with the Devil by Evangeline Anderson
8. The Turning (Blood Ties 1) by Jennifer Armintrout
9. Possession (Blood Ties 2) by Jennifer Armintrout
10. Ashes to Ashes (Blood Ties 3) by Jennifer Armintrout
11. All Soul's Night (Blood Ties 4) by Jennifer Armintrout
12. The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie (Highland Pleasures 1) by Jennifer Ashley
13. Graceful Submission (1) by Melinda Barron
14. Graceful Mischief (2) by Melinda Barron
15. Undercover Submission (3) by Melinda Barron
16. Sweet Vibrations by Melinda Barron
17. Amethyst Eyes by Melinda Barron
18. Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson 5) by Patricia Briggs
19. Zane's Way by Maggie Casper
20. Dark Desires After Dusk (Immortals After Dark 6) by Kresley Cole
21. Kiss of a Demon King (Immortals After Dark 7) by Kresley Cole
22. Pleasure of a Dark Prince (Immortals After Dark 9) by Kresley Cole
23. He Loves Lucy by Susan Donovan
24. Mistral's Kiss (Merry Gentry 5) by Laurell K. Hamilton
25. A Lick of Frost (Merry Gentry 6) by Laurell K. Hamilton
26. Swallowing Darkness (Merry Gentry 7) by Laurell K. Hamilton
27. Divine Misdemeanors (Merry Gentry 8) by Laurell K. Hamilton
28. Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse 1) by Charlaine Harris
29. Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse 2) by Charlaine Harris
30. Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse 3) by Charlaine Harris
31. Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse 4) by Charlaine Harris
32. Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse 5) by Charlaine Harris
33. Definitely Dead (Sookie Stackhouse 6) by Charlaine Harris
34. All Together Dead (Sookie Stackhouse 7) by Charlaine Harris
35. From Dead to Worse (Sookie Stackhouse 8) by Charlaine Harris
36. Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse 9) by Charlaine Harris
37. Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse 10) by Charlaine Harris
38. A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse collection of shorts) by Charlaine Harris
39. Double Entry by Desire Holt
40. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
41. Unholy Ghosts (Downside Ghosts 1) by Stacia Kane
42. A Tapestry of Spells (Nine Kingdoms 6) by Lynn Kurland
43. Red Hot Fury (Shades of Fury 1) by Kasey MacKenzie
44. A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught
45. Roping the Wind (Turner Brothers 1) by Kate Pearce
46. Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? (Turner Brothers 2) by Kate Pearce
47. Riding the Line (Turner Brothers 3) by Kate Pearce
48. The Duke and I (Bridgertons 1) by Julia Quinn
49. The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons 2) by Julia Quinn
50. An Offer From a Gentleman (Bridgertons 3) by Julia Quinn
51. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (Bridgertons 4) by Julia Quinn
52. To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgertons 5) by Julia Quinn
53. When He Was Wicked (Bridgertons 6) by Julia Quinn
54. It's In His Kiss (Bridgertons 7) by Julia Quinn
55. On the Way to the Wedding (Bridgertons 8) by Julia Quinn
56. Glory in Death (In Death 2) by JD Robb
57. Immortal in Death (In Death 3) by JD Robb
58. Rapture in Death (In Death 4) by JD Robb
59. Ceremony in Death (In Death 5) by JD Robb
60. Vengeance in Death (In Death 6) by JD Robb
61. Holiday in Death (In Death 7) by JD Robb
62. Midnight in Death (In Death 8) by JD Robb
63. Conspiracy in Death (In Death 9) by JD Robb
64. Loyalty in Death (In Death 10) by JD Robb
65. Witness in Death (In Death 11) by JD Robb
66. Judgement in Death (In Death 12) by JD Robb
67. The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld 1) by Gena Showalter
68. The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld 2) by Gena Showalter
69. Club Shadowlands (Masters of the Shadowlands 1) by Cherise Sinclair
70. Dark Citadel (Masters of the Shadowlands 2) by Cherise Sinclair
71. Breaking Free (Masters of the Shadowlands 3) by Cherise Sinclair
72. Lean on Me (Masters of the Shadowlands 4) by Cherise Sinclair
73. "Simon Says" in Doms of the Dark Haven by Cherise Sinclair
74. Master of the Mountain by Cherise Sinclair
75. Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunters 4) by Nalini Singh
76. Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood 1) by JR Ward
77. Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood 2) by JR Ward
78. Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood 3) by JR Ward
79. Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood 4) by JR Ward
80. Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood 5) by JR Ward
81. Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood 6) by JR Ward
82. Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood 7) by JR Ward
83. Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood 8) by JR Ward

I also managed to be here more frequently, and posted 3 new reviews. Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane - and after even more time passing, I have to say I'm looking forward to seeing where Stacia takes us (and Chess) in the next book (Unholy Magic due out July 6, 2010). Red Hot Fury by Kasey Mackenzie. And last (but most assuredly not least) Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh. Which is one of my top 5 reads of the year.

Speaking of top reads for the year so far, here are my top ten...in no particular order, because that's just too hard.

Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh
Silver Born by Patricia Briggs
Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
Breaking Free by Cherise Sinclair
Lover Mine by JR Ward
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley
Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole
Master of the Mountain by Cherise Sinclair
The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout



This is getting a little long, so maybe I'll leave the movies, tv and music for another post ;)

How has your reading been this year? I'm pretty happy with mine so far, and look forward to finding a lot more great books in the second half of it.

Judge A Book By It's Cover??

I long ago realized that I judge books by their covers.  This is just something I do, subconsciously. I used to be somewhat contrite that I did this. I would force myself to pick up books with awful covers and read the blurbs, or the first few chapters, but I never bought them. Ever. Okay, maybe I need to qualify this statement. If it's an author that I love, it hardly matters what the cover may look like. I may cringe while buying it, and not look at the cover while reading it, or carrying it, but I'll still buy it. But that is the only time it will happen.

A couple of years ago I stopped being ashamed and just realized this is how I am. I like visually pleasing covers. I don't have a 'type' or a specific standard that I can say what I like, I just know. It either grabs me or it doesn't. I stopped making myself pick up books to check them out despite their cover. Now I just grab what I like to look at, and if I miss out on something because of that, then I guess that's my loss. Usually this works for me. Sometimes it doesn't.

I think for me a big part of it is that if someone puts time and thought into a cover, making it aesthetically satisfying, then I know that they feel the book is worth it, and thus so should I. If a book has a crap cover with fake people, or a cartoon-y feel on an adult book, or something that is just plain 'ole ugly then I assume (yes, I know...one shouldn't assume) that the publisher didn't feel it deserved their very best. And if it doesn't deserve the very best cover, then it doesn't deserve my money either.

As an aside - I used to absolutely hate covers that had people on them.  It took me a long time to get over that - probably the reason that I came to romance so late.  My problem (still) with people on the cover is that they are never what I picture the character to look like.  Obviously as you look below, some of the covers I've picked up because I liked them have people on the covers, so this is no longer a hard and fast rule - though I still do prefer to have it be more vague instead of specific, or to not include the face.

I started thinking about this because I just started reading Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris, the first book in the Southern Vampire Mysteries series. I always heard people talking about this series, I've watched the last two seasons of True Blood on HBO, and I forced myself to pick up this book numerous times in the bookstore. I just couldn't get past the cartoon vampires on the cover.

I mean, really? This is what you think is going to draw people in? Well, obviously it has because they're wildly popular books so I must be in the minority. Even when they changed the cover after True Blood started I just couldn't make myself start reading it. I have never been able to get the corny covers out of my mind. In fact it's taken months of my best friend telling me to start reading the series for me to even turn to the first page in the first chapter of Dead Until Dark. It's probably a great book (I'll be sure to say when I'm done), but I've always passed it by for nicer looking books.

There are several instances where this worked particularly well for me. I picked up Dreams of Stardust by Lynn Kurland because I liked the way the cover looked. The colors were nice, the picturesque setting was nice. I was intrigued by the jewels and wondered what meaning they had to the story. All in all, a good cover. And I love this book. Love the entire series in fact. Here is the reading order.

The simplicity of the the cover for Outlander by Diana Gabaldon caught my eye and I was incredibly glad I read it. It’s still a favorite – even if I haven’t stayed caught up on the series.

Otherland by Tad Williams featured a golden city on the cover. Someplace fantastical and beautiful. I wanted to learn more about that place. This was a book I picked up not knowing it was part one of a four part series…

This cover led me to one of my all-time favorite authors, Nalini Singh. I think her Guild Hunter novels have some of my favorite covers.

















More books I picked up solely because of the cover and really enjoyed:

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Almost a total exception to my person/face rule...

Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe

Welcome to Tempation by Jennifer Crusie

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught





















Books I’ve picked up strictly based on the cover, but haven’t had the chance to read yet.

Sebastian by Anne Bishop

Steamed by Katie MacAlister

Greywalker by Kat Richardson

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Nightlife by Rob Thurman

Lord of the Fading Lands by CL Wilson






















Of course this isn’t always fool-proof. I can’t think of many examples of books where I loved the cover, but didn’t like the book (though I know there have been some). But I do have a very good example of a cover I hated, and a book I enjoyed. In fact, the author of this book became one of my very favorites.

On the left is the original cover for Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning. On the right, the more recent version. I strongly dislike the original version of the cover. I can’t even remember what prompted me to pick it up, but I like the newer version much better.

So I try to remember this when I see a cover I can’t stand, or don’t like…but I still find myself picking up more books based on the cover.

Anyone else do this? What are some of your favorite covers? Are there books you love, but covers that just don’t do them justice?

New Author Challenge

Well I tried it last year and failed miserably. I think I read, maybe 2 new to me authors all year. But I'm never one to give up easily, so I thought I'd try it again this year. And with all my other personal reading challenges - what the heck ;)

The Challenge: Read 50 new-to-you authors this year. I'll list them in the order I read them, and what book of theirs I read. As well as if I enjoyed it, plan to look for more, or any other details.

This year I'm already off to a decent start (especially compared to last year):

1. Jennifer Armintrout - The Turning
The Turning is the first book in Jennifer's Blood Ties series. I loved this first book, and pretty quickly went through the other three. And picked up the first book in her next series: Lightworld/Darkworld.

2. Kate Pearce - Roping the Wind
Roping the Wind is the first book in Kate's Turner Brothers series. It was a really good, fun cowboy read. I supremely enjoyed it. And quickly read the other two. I look forward to reading more of hers.

3. Lauren Dane - Giving Chase
A good fun read. I'm definitely gonna get to some more of her work.

4. Susan Donovan - He Loves Lucy
I really enjoyed this book. I thought the love story between Lucy and Theo was not only touching, but believable.

5. Melinda Barron - Graceful Submission
This was a fantastic book. I loved the development of the characters, and how BDSM was handled in it. I will definitely be looking for more of her books.

6. Kat Alexis - Candy Coated Passion
To be honest the sex scenes got a bit tedious, and it felt like there was little to no growth with the characters. I'd love to see the author do more with them, so it's not just sex scene after sex scene.

7. Maggie Casper - Zane's Way
Hmm. It had the potential for a really good book. The characters were interesting, the storyline was interesting, but it just seemed to rushed. I didn't get enough time of them together, much more time of them apart. Not enough time to see how their relationship grew. Pity, because I missed that.

8. Julia Quinn - The Duke and I
I absolutely adored this book. The characters are lively, quick, smart and interesting. People that I would love to know. The romance is sweet, hot, and beautiful. The dialogue is fabulous. The secondary characters (coming up in future books) are absolutely fascinating. I can't wait to read more from Julia Quinn. (Yes - I know I'm quite late to this party...lol)

9. Jennifer Ashley - The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie
What a fantastic book. I love the way that the author showed the hero having AS. How it wasn't a passed over part of the story, how it was completely integrated into the love story and the overall story. Fantastic romance with a real hero and heroine. I couldn't put it down, and can't wait to read more in this series.

10. Stacia Kane - Unholy Ghosts
Read my review here

11. Charlaine Harris - Dead Until Dark
I really enjoyed this first novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Enough that it made me immediately get the following 9 full length novels and devour them in a week.

12. Desiree Holt - Double Entry
This was a decent book that had some likable characters, although I can't remember much specifically about them. It was a short story, heavy on sex, and light on conflict. I did have some problems with one scene in particular that was just beyond unrealistic for me - not in that it couldn't be done, but in that it definitely shouldn't, and any woman would know that. There was also some unrealistic dialogue that felt more like the author trying to give distinctive personalities rather than the characters actually having distinctive personalities. Other than that, I'd be willing to try another novel by her sometime.

13. Kasey MacKenzie - Red Hot Fury
A debut author with a fresh new look at urban fantasy. I've been working on a review for this. The concept is awesome and intriguing, but there were some definite debut-novel issues I had. Update: Read review here.

14. Gena Showalter - The Darkest Night
First book in the Lords of the Underworld series. Interesting premise, good characters. A good read, and I look forward to seeing where she takes the series.

15. Cherise Sinclair - Club Shadowlands
The best thing I can say about this author is that as soon as I finished Club Shadowlands I immediately read everything else she has available. I find her characters believable, charming, interesting and hot. The end of Master of the Mountain still strikes me as perfect - just because of how realistic it was. And beautiful. I eagerly await anything and everything Cherise sends my way.

16. Victoria Dahl (as Holly Summers)- The Wicked West
I grabbed this book on a recommendation from Sarah at Dear Author. I enjoyed it. It was a quick, intense read. I liked the female knowing exactly what she wanted, and not afraid to go after it. I'll definitely look for more of her work.

17. KC Sehlhorst - Hel Hath No Fury
I loved what the author did with the concept of Lucifer. He was handled absolutely brilliantly. I felt there were things in the storyline rushed, and not explained, but I definitely enjoyed being along for the ride and look forward to reading more by this author.

18. Vicki Lewis Thompson - Blonde With a Wand
I've heard of her Nerds books before, but this is the first one I picked up, on the recommendation of a friend. I really enjoyed it. I liked seeing the growth that both characters went through, and definitely look forward to more.

19. Anne Stuart - Ruthless
I enjoyed this historical romance novel. The characters and setting were very different to me, which was actually nice. See my review here.

20. Eve Silver - Sins of the Heart
Definitely not going to be the last book I read by Eve Silver. She set up a fascinating world, with great characters and an interesting plot. Read my review here.

21. L. Shannon - Amethyst Bound
Interesting world, but I didn't feel there was enough character building, nor enough to keep the story moving. It was relatively easy for me to put this down, and only force of will kept me going (until I met a character that I really want to know more about at the end!!) Read my review here.

22. Meljean Brook - "Here There Be Monsters" in Burning Up anthology
I loved this novella. Fantastic, fresh, interesting world and characters that are fully developed which is always impressive in a novella format. Can't wait for the full length The Iron Duke and have started on a glom of Meljean's backlist, her Guardian series.

23. Zoë Archer - Warrior
A fun adventure story with bits of magic, a trek through the steppes of Outer Mongolia and wonderful characters - read my review here.

24. Courtney Milan - Proof by Seduction
A historical that made me laugh, and tear up, I clearly felt the emotions of the characters. Read my review here.

25. Ilona Andrews - On the Edge
Rustic Fantasy is what Ilona Andrews calls this book, and I loved it, so much that it was incredibly hard for me to put down. Read my review here.

26. J.Z. Colby - The Test
Interesting idea with a young male, obviously from a different world, traveling to a city to find a crew for his ship. But it moved slow and I never felt like I got to know the characters. There was also the abrupt cut-off at the end and the mediocre writing. It did finally start to pick up near the end and I would be interested in where the story went.

27. Melissa Schroeder - A Little Harmless Sex
A fun, erotic romp that made me eager to dive into more of her works. After quickly finishing the two other books available in this series, A Little Harmless Pleasure (my favorite of the three so far), and A Little Harmless Obsession, I will definitely be looking for more

28. Riley Shane - The Taste of Magick
A wonderful Halloween short story that's sexy, fun and deep. I definitely look forward to more by Riley Shane. Read my review here.

29. Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games
Review to come. Immediately upon finishing this book I had to go out and get Catching Fire (and then Mockingjay). Days later and I can't stop thinking about it.

30. Nicole Austin - Erotique
A 'Naughty Nooner' from Ellora's Cave. A quick short story. I enjoyed it, and liked Ms. Austin's writing style so I'll definitely be looking for more from her. I do think the end could have used another two or three paragraphs.

31. Sally Painter - Not Just an Orgy
Another 'Naughty Nooner' from Ellora's Cave. I think this had a good premise but in such a short format I think there was too much plot. There was deception, the first time the couple was together, supernatural thrown in there for good measure. It just had too much going on in such a short space. I think this story could have benefited from a longer format, or less busy-ness.

32. Cassandra Gold - Quinn's Hart
I absolutely loved this book! It was such a sweet love story and made me smile all the way through. See my review here.

33. Rebecca Royce - Yes, Captain
This was a quick, good read. While I would have appreciated a bit more development between the characters I'd definitely be interested in reading more by Ms. Royce.

34. Kristen Painter - Miss Bramble and the Leviathan
A quick steampunk read that I enjoyed. The author did a good job of showing the steampunk world and still developing the characters. Again, I would have liked to had more time there just to delve a bit deeper, but I look forward to reading more by this author.

35. Roxanne St. Claire - Edge of Sight
I don't read a lot of romantic-suspense anymore, probably because it all feels like 'been there, done that' to me. However I was pulled right into this book. And I really enjoyed it. Tortured, truly damaged hero, strong smart heroine - and they actually talk, imagine that. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.

36. Sabrina Jeffries - Never Seduce a Scoundrel
Yes, it's true. I've never read Sabrina Jeffries before this year. This was a fun historical to read. It had a few things that I'm not a fan of - prolonged deception on the part of hero AND heroine for one - but in the end I liked it. I've got the others in the series on my list.


Last updated 29 December 2010