For several weeks in a row there I was getting a TON of reading done- but I wasn’t being very good about reviewing it. It’s sometimes hard for me to get motivated to post a review of a romance novel when I know it’ll get no response. It’s like throwing a rock in a bottomless well and waiting to hear the plink- not very satisfying! The books themselves weren’t bad, for the most part, and I thought I’d do a quick run down. One of them isn’t even a romance!
The Heavens Rise by Christopher Rice- Offer me a book about New Orleans, bayous, and Hurricane Katrina and I’ll almost certainly accept it. Make it one written by the son of Anne Rice, who wrote one of my favorite New Orleans books (The Witching Hour) and I’ll be even more excited. This one was about an evil in the swamp and a couple teenagers, and I was certain it would be a winner. However I found the flashbacks jarring, most of the characters flat flat flat, and the evil so one dimensional as to make me uninterested. On top of this, it was just so so sllllloooooooooow. I wanted to enjoy it, but in the end I had to force myself to read it. Source: NetGalley
The Conquest by Edith Layton- This one came highly recommended by a friend, and if I’m not mistaken is my first Layton. Most of the action takes place in a small cottage away from high society between an injured nobleman and a country maid. I read this one long enough ago that I don’t remember the details, but I enjoyed it very much even tho it made me cry. There wasn’t much flashy or hurried about it at all, and the romance developed really nicely. I’m not at all sure what the title has to do with the book, so disregard that. I made a mental note to DEFINITELY read more Layton. Source: purchased.
Love Overdue by Pamela Morsi- A romance about a librarian? Ok! I have mixed feelings on this one, some parts of it were really well done, like the romance itself. I could really buy that these two were falling in love, and the ultimate resolution was terrific. There were two big flaws tho, namely the heroine’s complete hangup with her (their) past and the entire weird side story with the hero’s mother/heroine’s landlady. I don’t want to say more about this second bit, as it would be spoilers, but it was completely unnecessary. I thought Morsi did a pretty good job of resolving the bit about their past though and would be happy to try another by the author. Source: library.
Treachery in Death by JD Robb and New York to Dallas by JD Robb. I don’t remember one detail about Treachery and New York to Dallas is fading fast. Despite this, I still enjoy the series very much and will continue reading them as long as she keeps writing them. Source: library
Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas. This one was a reread of an old favorite. DoY was my introduction to Lisa Kleypas and has always has a prime spot in my affections. I was worried that it wouldn’t stand up to time, and honestly, it’s not as wonderful as I remember. It’s still very good, but I suspect past of that is nostalgia and not the book itself. This is one of the few romances I’ve read where the hero has relations with another woman after meeting the heroine, and while it is shocking, it’s not a deal breaker for me in this instance. This book also has one of the most emotional slides into love that I can remember- it’s just so so lovely to see Derek fall for Sara. Derek is a terrific mix of honor and selfishness and it makes him one of my favorite heroes ever. Source: Oyster app for iPad.
As always, I’m reading quite a few books at the same time, and I’m having a hard time focusing on anything lately, so I find myself in the middle of the following books:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’engle. I’m reading this one because the Pirate is, and LOVES it. I had read in loved it when I was a kid, but my memory of it was very vague. I am enjoying it very much, but am shocked that the Pirate, who is 8.5 and in 3rd grade, is enjoying it as much as he is. Source: a PAPER book from the library!
A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway. A steampunkish mystery with a love triangle. I enjoy this immensely when I’m reading it, but find myself not so interest in picking it up again. There is a lot of world building info at the beginning and my lazy brain hates that, but I seem to be over the curve and into the story now. Source: NetGalley
Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss. I started this one earlier this year and didn’t get it done before it poofed off my e-reader. We’ve started a new diet plan in the house again lately tho, which always makes me interested in books about food, so I checked it out again. So far so good, but I do find myself dozing off over it in the evenings. Source: library
His Uptown Girl by Liz Talley. Another New Orleans romance! This one features an older woman and a musician and is also very enjoyable (with all these enjoyable books, it’s hard to blame the books for the slump!) Source: Purchased (or perhaps it was free, I don’t remember.)
The most amazing thing about this entire list of books is that ONE of them is a paper book. The rest are all e-books. In fact, the other night in the car I was reading A Wrinkle in Time as it got dark and I had the thought “someone should really invent a book that glows in the dark…” and then I mentally slapped myself, cause duh. I had to fight with myself not to spend the $7 on that one as an ebook when I could get it for free at the library, and frugal won, but it was a close fight.
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Wow, you have been doing a lot of reading! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteI have the Heaven's Rise to read. I haven't been hearing good things about it, unfortunately. I read another of the author's books years ago and really liked it (A Density of Souls), so was hoping this one would be good too. Maybe I will like it still . . . I'll keep my expectations low.
ReplyDeleteI need to review A Study in Silks. I'll likely do what you've done here, and write a little mini review. I really liked it as well, although it took a little while for me to get into it. I bought a copy of the second book and hope to read that soon. I'm kind of in a steampunk mood.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving, Lisa!
i've been whipping thru the edith laytons. many of 'em are available as ebooks, with no wait list, at the NYPL. all have been delightful. why had i never heard of her?
ReplyDeleteThey have invented a method for that... book lights. :) I have about 10 and hardly ever use them, but they do exist. lol I loved A Wrinkle in Time and wish I had read it so young in life. Lucky Pirate! I got a bit obsessed when I did, though, and own all of her books (well, except for some of the more religious ones) and refuse to get rid of them...
ReplyDeleteOkay so I don't think that I'm past the slow world building part in A Study of Silks. And I can easily set it aside to read just about anything else (or even nothing at all) but I'm still interested if that makes sense. I think that I just need to sit down and read it. I've never read a Kleypas book which just seems awful when I think about it since I love romances and have heard good things about her. Should I start with this one or is there a better starting point with her books? I know I've told you this before but I don't get a lot of comments on my romance reviews either (or really any of my reviews compared to my other posts). I still like to hear your thoughts on them though because then I find new authors to try...for instance Layton :)
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