I know Sheri was reading Evanovich's Plum series from the beginning last month (sorry I goofed on your name originally, Sheri, my apologies), as was Alina, and Booklight said Amanda Quick's backlist was on the reading schedule – how are you enjoying them?
This week I've tried to read two self-published works, one full length and one short story, and had problems with both. But this weekend I'm spending about 10 hours in the car, and it's audio book time for me, which I'm looking forward to more than I expected. I am curious to see if I recall the story enough to review it when I'm done listening.
So what are you reading this week? Are you embarking on a massive backlist read-a-thon? What books are you loving right now?
I’m reading a book my husband picked up for me at a deep discount store. Apparently the cover led him to believe I would like it. He’s so sweet! The book is “Taken by the Laird” by Margo Maguire. I’m only a few chapters in and finding it a chore to read—-the foreshadowing is annoying. Plus, there’s a cast of thousands (a ghost, smugglers, a run-away bride, a dead first wife, a conniving uncle, and more!).
I’m feeling a bit low this weekend and so am re-reading Persuasion by Jane Austin. It’s my warm snuggly blanket.
Hi Joan, if you like Sci fi fan with humor, you might try Terry Pratchett – the older the book, the less convoluted the plot. The Stephanie Plum series got frustrating for me eventually but the first few books were pure brain candy, lots of humor. There’s dark stuff in book 1 but then it lightens up. I second Bujold and Civil Campaign is a sci fi regency romance by her that is hilarious.
Also, Joan, forgot to say Julia Quinn does very funny regency romance, I esp like the humor in “What Happens in London”.
I am reading Cinnamon roll murder
Just about finishing 50 Shades of Grey and am loving it. I know I have the next two to go but I’m going to have a hard time letting this go once I read the last page. It recieved so many mixed reviews but I’m glad I stuck to my instincts and bought them. I bought them for my e-reader but next month when they come out I’ll be buying the actual books so that I can add them to my collection.
I have been totally sucked in to Dance With Me by Heidi Cullinan and can’t believe how late in the day it is. So much for groceries or library today.
This morning I reread Paula Danziger’s “The Cat Ate My Gymsuit” for the first time in about twenty-five years. I loved it so much as a kid, and I think I love it even more now. So honest.
Joan, I just finished Sherry Thomas’ “His at Night” and “Private Arrangements” and would recommend them both. They’re historical romances that reminded me of Loretta Chase and Laura Kinsale. “His at Night” made me laugh out loud several times, which is high praise. All my best for your recovery.
I love romantic suspense and haven’t heard about “The Witness.” I’m reading Leslie Tentler’s Chasing Evil trilogy.
I just finished Life, Over Easy by K.A. Mitchell. It’s a male/male romance with a paranormal twist. Very interesting.
True. But they do have romantic elements and those elements are not working for me the same way they did when i was 12. Like many things, really.
I’ve been so busy writing romance since I’m on a deadline, I’ve stepped away from reading it for a while. Am devouring several Ann Rule true crime books—And Never Let You Go, Every Breath You Take, and Too Late To Say Goodbye.
I’ve been devouring Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey. Finding it very engaging, with a nice ensemble of characters.
Oooh! She’s sneaky like that, going to have to make it to the bookstore this week.
Hey Joan, all the best to you! I second the Julia Quinn and Lauren Willig recommendations. I’d also suggest Meg Cabot’s ‘Boy’ and ‘Heather Wells Mysteries’ series. And Sarah Mason’s ‘The Party Season.’
@Hestia’s Hearthfire: My love of reading began with Paula Danziger’s ‘Can you sue your parents for malpractice?’ and ‘There’s a bat in bunk five’ and thanks to your comment, I’m looking forward to rereading them 🙂
Right now, though, I should be studying but ‘The Count of Monte Christo’ is so much more interesting than reading about motivation theories. Still loving it the third time around!
Just finished amazing debut novel, The Rook by Daniel O’Malley. Not a romance, but with a wonderful, gonzo female protagonist, Rook Myfanwy Thomas. Imagine “Men in Black” melded with Harry Potter, Terry Pratchett and a dose of Thursday Next. It was awesome fun.
I’ve been on paranormal romance kick as of late. I’m currently reading Midnight Rising by Laura Adrian. It’s book four of her Midnight Breed series. So far this one is my favorite out of the series. I’m really enjoying it! I’m also reading Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon it’s growing on me slowly. I find the idea of a sex therapist who never really had real sex before kind of unbelievable but I am told the rest of the series is really good so I’ve decided to ignore that part. I just finished listening to Elijah book three of Jacquelyn Frank’s Nightwalkers series. I bought the rest of the series in Audio during Books on Board Sale last week after I got the first one for $5 during an Audible sale. The narrator Xe Sands really makes this series! I also love the world Ms. Frank has created in her books. I’ll be starting the next one which is Damien on Monday.
I LOVE Devon Monk! TY for reminding me she had a new book out. There was a bit of a wait for this one, wasn’t there? Regardless I’m now champing at the bit to read some more of Allie Beckstrom adventures and love life! 🙂
Joan, I like Eloisa James for light, sweet comfort reads, especially her quartet about the four Essex sisters (Tess, Annabel, Imogen and Josephine).
I just whipped through the Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series and then through her Edge novels, and now I’m disconsolate, and in need of new suggestions. I’ve downloaded a few of the Nalini Singh books from the library, but it’s like eating those low-fat protein bars which taste oddly chemically when you’ve just been gorging on Belgian truffles.
Best wishes on your treatment and recovery! You might try some Linnea Sinclair, Joan. She writes some fun SF Romance. Devon Monk’s Magic series is more post-apocalyptic UF with magical theme, heroic/tragic woman lead and a strong romantic thread eventually, but it’s gritty. I love it because the characters are so well drawn. Same with Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series. But I found both to be keepers! 🙂
I finally picked up A Discovery of Witches and am enjoying it so far.
If you like Caroline Linden, then you may also enjoy Meredith Duran (in fact I think Duran is a slightly better writer—Linden’s middle novel in her Duke series was a bit meh, but I love the Earl was gorgeous!).
And I wish you all the best with the treatment!
Finished The Hunger Games trilogy in about as many days (could NOT put them down once I started) and have moved on to Extremely Loud, Incredibly Close with The Help next on the list.
I just finished a non-fiction book by Charles Duhigg – “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business” – a fascinating book which I borrowed from the library but may have to actually purchase for myself! I am so not into non-fiction, but this one grabbed me. I’m “reading” the JD Robb series on audio, in order. I’m now into the third one, and very much enjoying them (I’ve read them all in paperback, but this is a nice way to spend the commute to work). I’m half way into “Marry Christmas” by Jane Goodger, which I picked up after being enchanted by her latest (When a Duke Says I Do). I’m not enjoying this one so much. After that – well, my TBR pile resembles a mountain, so I’ll go browsing there next.
Last night I finished Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie and now I’m looking at my TBR pile and contemplating hiding from it. All those books are making me feel guilty for not reading them yet
I’m reading Julie Kagawa’s new novel, THE IMMORTAL RULES. After that, I *should* start a Margaret Atwood novel I’ve been sitting on, but… I’m tempted to do a re-read of THE HUNGER GAMES instead.
I gave in to all the fanfare around Stephanie Laurens’ Devil’s Bride and somehow I’m on the 10th in the series. Now I’m just amused at by possessive men with crisp mats of chest hair who can’t say I love you to women with lustrous curls and pebbled nipples, and a sudden suspenseful outside conflict that provokes their happy ending.
Good luck Joan! As far as sci-fi / fantasy goes, I recently read the Tairen Soul series by C.L. Wilson and loved it. It doesn’t exactly have an easy to follow plot, but there are other cancer patients who’ve said her books have entertained them during their treatments.
I’m still on Scandal by Amanda Quick. (*is a slow reader as it is & has been busier lately) But, I’m enjoying it, and will probably be checking out other recs of her novels that I’ve read on here. 🙂
This past week, I started, and then put down, Rhys Bowen’s Bless the Bride. Maybe, I’ll come back to it, but I’ve become increasingly frustrated both with the Molly Murphy series and the Royal Spyness books so it may just be time to part ways.
On the plus side, I read (and enjoyed) C.S. Harris’s When Maidens Mourn, Kim Harrison’s A Perfect Blood, and C.E. Murphy’s Raven Calls.
I just started (finally!) Seanan McGuire’s Rosemary & Rue.
Now I have to go back and read everyone else’s lists and see how many books I have to add to my TBR list. Thanx, everyone! 🙂
With six weeks until the movie premieres, I’m letting myself descend into my Avengers fugue by reading a boatload of fic on my Nook, using the handy “Download” button at An Archive of Our Own. I’ve had Mary Balogh’s First Comes Love open for a week but keep abandoning it for more fic. Apparently, I am powerless when faced with Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, a.k.a. Jeremy Renner. I’m sorry, Ms. Balogh.
Damn, borked the italics. Sorry.
@Joan, for sci-fi, I see that someone has already recommended Linnea Sinclair, which I second. Also, Ann Aguirre’s Sirantha Jax series.
All the best to you during your treatment/recovery.
I have just begun rereading (again—possibly again again) the first of the five released A Song of Ice and Fire books. Not quite 200 pages into A Game of Thrones but I am already so happy—awesome books; I am made of love.
And with season two of the show starting up in a little over a week I’m totally in happy land. (Granted, this Happy Land is a land of tragic romance, tragedy, blood and gore and weird food, but it’s also magical, mysterious, and terribly beautiful and full of characters I adore beyond words…and somehow I still have a faint hope for my favorite would-be couple(s). Hope springs eternal. :P)
Thanks to the bad influence of dabwaha, just read my first category romance- “Here Comes the Groom” by Karina Bliss. Wow, I couldn’t have picked a better one I think! So amazing!
I’m beta-reading a time-travel romance novel written by one of the clerks at My Local Indy Bookstore. It’s fun. Modern young woman is timeslipped into 1834, and runs into Ada Byron. And, oh, a viscount out for revenge ends up asking her to pose as his betrothed because he needs some slight stain of social acceptability to keep the revenge plan up. He’s honestly a decent guy. Enjoying it so far.
Reading vol. 3 of a manga romance set in Victorian era England. It is called Emma. I’m not usually a fan of manga but this story has me sucked right in. I can’t wait to finish it.
Right now i am plowing through Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation series (thanks for the most part to the Queensborough Public Library, which actually had most of the series—surprise surprise). Currently, I am reading The Deception of the Emerald Ring, and I am loving it.
Actually reading a print book – Naomi Novik’s “Crucible of Gold”. Yay for Napoleonic wars & dragons!
I’m re-reading the absolutely wonderful The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Shaffer & Barrows. I read it again every 6 months. Waiting in the wings when I’m done is old school romance series, The Donovan Legacy series by Nora Roberts. Then I’m re-reading the Family Found series by Gina Ferris (a.k.a. gina ferris wilkins)
For lighter reading, I’m reading some young adult fiction—the Circle of Magic series by Tamora Pierce. I’ve Hunger Games waiting, but can’t decide if I’ll read before or after the movie.