It’s time for the most expensive, tempting comment thread, where we ask what you’re reading, talk about what we’re enjoying, and then we all buy a book or six because temptation.
Ready? Ok, we’ll wait.
Ready now? Ok!
Sarah: I’m speaking at Duke University (inside Sarah: OMGSNORTWHEEZE) on Monday at the Unsuitable Event Series about female sexuality in romance, and the students who will be there will have recently read Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale.
RedHeadedGirl: Oh Jesus.
Carrie: I adore that book. Cried like a baby.
Sarah: I’ve read it before. I knew what I was getting into.
I have already read this book. TWICE.
I should be able to have WORDS.
And not just gaping-fish-mouth-arm-waving gestures.
And yet, here I am.
There’s one scene that get me every time, when Jervaulx is talking to a group of men about a plot to harm Maddy?
And they all start echoing Jervaulx’s manner of speech in the dialogue?
It’s just….
So, yeah. That’s what I’ve been reading.
You know how, in a historical, if one of the characters is hung over, the cook or the valet or the valet AND the cook have some magical tisane or home remedy and it’s always foul smelling and nasty tasting and some very unnatural color like puce and magenta swirled in a glass and whoever has the hangover holds their noses and drinks it and two pages later they’re totally fine and shopping or skipping through a garden or banging someone on a desk or against the bookcase or something?
There should be a hangover remedy that strong JUST FOR THIS BOOK.
RedHeadedGirl:
I’m about done with In Bed with a Rogue by Samantha Grace( A | BN | K | G | AB ), and just finished His Wicked Reputation ( A | BN | K | G | AB | Au ) which were both perfect beach reads. I did a science.
I am also finally starting Louisa May Alcott’s A Long Fatal Love Chase, which is basically a Jane Eyre AU where she did marry Rochester before finding out about the mad wife.
Elyse:
I’m reading Dead Wake by Erik Larson ( A | K | G | AB | Au ) and it’s really good. I’m listening to it actually.
Also reading The Courtesan Duchess by Joanna Schupe which is delightfully crazy.
And I’m reading Dress to Impress Knitted Scarves ( A | K | G | AB | Scribd ).
Carrie:
I’m reading Liar, Temptress, Soldier,Spy. Fabulous non fiction, review pending. I also just finished Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne.
Also I spent today binging on Girl Genius ( A | BN | K | G | AB ).
Amanda:
Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit and it is FABULOUS.
I’m also reading Mercy by HelenKay Dimon ( A | K | G | AB ), prompted by Elyse’s recent podcast with you and HelenKay Dimon. I’ve been on an erotica/romantic suspense kick, and it hooked me from the first chapter. We’ll see how the rest pans out.
Carrie:
I’m about to finish Turn Coat by Jim Butcher and start Changes ( A | K | G | AB | Au ). Have been informed that I’ll need tissues, chocolate, possibly a kitten, puppy, baby hedgehog….
Elyse:
I’m not going to lie, I sobbed like a fucking baby at the end of Changes. But I’m here for you, Carrie.
Carrie:
Goddammit you got me into this series and now it’s gonna destroy me, isn’t it?
Elyse:
Yup.
So what about you? What are you enjoying this month? Anything you’ve been loving, or think someone might want to avoid? Whatcha reading?
Shopping note:
After a Whatcha Reading? discussion, Lisa M emailed me to ask if I could link the books mentioned in the comments to the various retailers to make shopping a little easier. I wish I could! But alas, that isn’t possible.
However, I can drop some retailer links for you right here, so that if you feel like shopping, you can select your preferred retailer. Some of these links are affiliate-enabled, and SBTB receives a percentage commission from purchases made. If you use them, many thanks. If you don’t want to us them, no worries, mate! (And if your preferred retailer isn’t here, let me know and I’ll add it for you if I can!)
I’ve been reading strings of historicals including a couple by Vanessa Kelly, whose Renegade Royals series I just started. Last night, I finished His Saving Grace by Sharon Cullen. A soldier comes back to his wife from the Crimean War and the couple has to make a new life together because of his injuries. Luckily my husband was watching a Bond movie in the family room while I sniffled my way through the ending.
I did step away to a contemporary dog-and-horse story with For Keeps by Rachel Lacey which I loved. Her next book comes out in the fall.
Not sure what will be next. I borrowed Roulette by Megan Mulry through my Amazon Prime and Grace Burrowes’ Douglas keeps catching my eye when I scroll through my TBR file on my Kindle. I also have First Time in Forever waiting in contemporaryland….
Ever heard of Baronness Orczy? Yep, a baroness, writing in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I started with Lady Molly of Scotland Yard. Pretty good. Then I discovered she wrote The Scarlet Pimpernel. I always thought it was a boy book and so hadn’t read it. All of the ones I’ve read so far are whodunits with a good whiff of genteel romance. Somewhat dated, and so that has to be taken into account. And all are dirt-cheap ebooks. Even $0. I definitely recommend them for themselves and for reading as precursors to people like Heyer.
I am reading Claire Boston’s “What Goes on Tour” and thoroughly enjoying it. The characters are people I could be friends with and are believable. There is another book advertised on Amazon coming out soon and can’t wait.
I just finished Elle Kennedy’s. The Deal which was so good I could not put it down. I also read One. Night Stand by JS and Helen Cooper.. It was good for the contemp erotic that it was. It had some funny parts. I attempted to read the sequel about the heroines brother and that was a DNF for me. I am now reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah which is AMAZING. Sorry to use all caps it’s that good.
Alessandra – The Kleypas series “the Hathaway’s” is awesome. My favorite from the series is the first one your reading as well as “Love in the “Afternoon” and “Married by Midnight”, the latter is quite witty and funny. Enjoy
Just finished Timeless by Gail Carriger and can finally cross that series off my TBR list! Thought it was a great ending to the series and was closer in spirit to the first book. I love how Alexia looks at the world and laughed a lot at her observations, though I did almost cry on the train near the very end when Bad Things happen.
Re-reading Rock Hard by Nalini Singh because I raced through it too quickly the first time. Love Charlie and T-Rex and am so glad that they got a full-length book. I kind of want Gabriel’s brothers to get their own stories now (at least the single one!).
I read Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach for my book club and really loved it as well. Great sci-fi romance that is truly good on the sci-fi side. Mercenary heroine who fights in a powered armor suit and a hero is much more than the simple cook he appears to be. Reminded me a little of Firefly, Alien and Mass Effect all rolled into one. Will definitely be reading the other two in the series!
‘Dragonfly in Amber’, by Diana Gabaldon.
After nearly a month, I only have 25% of it read. Part of it’s the pacing, but I think it’s mostly due to family drama going on IRL. So I’m not really motivated at the moment. Has nothing to do with her writing however, just a lot on my plate. ; )
I ripped through Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series (“Halfway to the Grave” is the first) and really enjoyed them. It scratches my paranormal itch without having the heroine be totally steamrolled by the supernatural hero. Also, the Red Reaper is a bad ass nickname. Recommended! I’m looking forward to getting Magic Bites from the library to keep the PNR streak rolling… I tried the first Kate Daniels novella and liked it, so I’m pretty confident that this will be another winning series for me.
I’ve mostly be enjoying ticking off my TBR via Scribd, which I like MUCH better than Kindle Unlimited. Even though I’m currently in Canada, there’s a ton of titles available, and when I return to the States in a couple months, there will be even more. I will definitely keep it after the trial runs up (thanks again for the coupon!).
I’m so relieved I’m not the only one in a slump! I feel much better now. After several unsuccessful attempts to re- read old favs I tried “Precinct 13” by Tate Halloway again and really liked it. Also read “Shades of Milk and Honey”. LOVE. As for the Dresden and Kate Daniels books, you can’t go wrong and you will be amazed how those authors can break your heart over and over – and keep you coming back for more. “Burn For Me” also by Ilona Andrews was wonderful. Their humor just cracks me up!
For #6 Laura Jardine (sorry I don’t know how to make that a pretty link):
Thanks! And for diverse books, I enjoyed Tell Me Something Good by Jamie Wesley after I saw it in Jill Sorenson’s post on her favorite diverse reads of 2014. (In case the link doesn’t work – it was Dec 31, 2014 at Love in the Margins Blog — good list).
Jill Sorenson’s Reading Challenge: Diversity
Right now, I’m doing something I don’t usually do – reading two books at once, both of which I intend to finish. I have Grace Burrowes’s The Captive by my bed, and Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz’s Otherwise Engaged in the car, so I have something to read when I have 10 minutes at school/ball diamond/pool/etc. I decided I was tired of carting books around in my bag, and tired of not having one with me, so I just thought I could maybe still keep two separate books in my head. I can’t cart around the Nook b/c then the passengers will whine about playing minecraft.
I’m enjoying both books, although I’m farther along in The Captive b/c it’s inside the house – I was a little disappointed that the spoiler about the bad guy was SO EARLY – I had guessed it was a possibility, but didn’t want it quite confirmed at that point. But I am enjoying the character development and the oranges, oh, the oranges.
The fan the heroine carries in Otherwise Engaged is superb – I love her. I want to be her, and I want that fan. So I’m happy with both books.
I just finished a reread of Lord of Scoundrels. It was of course wonderful – the second time through, while I read it super-fast, I could appreciate more of the details I had forgotten and more of the perfect language. And I remain astounded by the success of the different pacing. To have the marriage occur by the middle of the book! And yet the tension remains! I want to stand up and clap. While I had remembered the great outline of the story, I had forgotten how it departs from basically all the conventions and yet completely fits.
I have Dirty Filthy Boy next in the library stack, which I just realized is NOT a Regency, unlike everything else.
I’m in a slump as well. I’m currently reading my way through the Jennifer Estep Elementals books, but not enjoying them as much as I thought they would – for starters, I can’t work out why everybody adores the heroine so much and wants to do so much for her, as she seems wildly self-centred. I can understand why people want to do things for Kate Daniels or Anna Cornick – less this girl.
I think I’m going to go re-read all the Poldark books while waiting for the new TV series to find its way across the Atlantic.
@Tam and all others in reading slump, I’m telling you, pick up The Martian!! I was looking at the tbr pile and feeling unmotivated myself. Now I have to force myself to put it down after an a chapter or two and get on with the day, otherwise I’ll surface hours from now dehydrated and wondering why it’s dark out.
I just finished The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas. While I enjoyed her historical romances, I’m loving her YA fantasy. Wonderful world building, great storycraft, covers to die for–it’s got it all. Can’t wait until the next one. BTW, when some critics sneer that grown-ups shouldn’t read YA I want to whap them upside the head with a Sherry Thomas or Maggie Stiefvater or Sharon Shinn. Good writing is good writing, no matter who your intended audience is. I wish some of the books on the adult audience bestseller lists were this good.
@DonnaMarie: Agreed. Reading the comments here about a slump, I immediately thought of THE MARTIAN, which I read and then immediately re-read, and am delighted to see others make the same recommendation.
There isn’t any romance, but the entire premise of someone stuck alone on Mars and how he copes is fascinating; plus it’s funny as hell. While the science may not be perfect, the story/theory of what it takes to get to Mars–let alone survive and return–had me glued to the pages.
I’m almost finished with Deadly Spells by Jaye Wells, which is the third in the Prospero’s War series, which I greatly enjoy. I tried to read No Good Duke Goes Unpunished and the heroine made me want to start punching throats, so I tossed it aside (metaphorically, because Kindle) and read A Bollywood Affair instead, which made me feel much better (though occasionally Samir also gave me face-punchy feelings, he was awesome at times and a douche at others). Still sitting awaiting my attention is Etiquette and Espionage and Prudence by Gail Carriger, Three Weeks with Lady X by Eloisa James, and Trade Me by Courtney Milan. While this looks like a lot to read, I am having spring break with my kids this week and should be able to make a decent dent. Especially since my daughter already blew through half the books I got out of the library for her for spring break. I guess we’re going back. Oh, darn. Hardship.
I’m currently reading Jayne Denker’s 2nd Marsden book, Picture This immediately after finishing the first one, Down on Love. The adjective that comes to mind is soothing. The main characters have some really irritating traits, but they are realistic irritating traits. I couldn’t help but feel that, yes, I could be friends with this person, but I would sometimes have to wrestle with my need to bitch slap him/her.
I just finished reading entries 10-12 of Singh’s Psy-Changeling series. I have a touchy relationship with this series. I absolutely adore the world building and am in awe of Singh’s creative imagination, but I find I cannot tolerate more that two or three of her books in a row. Nalini Singh’s prose style follows definite patterns, and when I find myself highlighting single words (feral, visceral, primal, male) because of how much they annoy me, I know it’s time to stop. I’d blasted through 1 through 7 some time ago, hated 8 (I think–Dev’s story anyway), read 9, and took a lengthy break. Coming back to the series, I enjoyed Kiss of Snow (10), thought Tangle of Need was extremely meh, and was disappointed by Heart of Obsidian. I’d really looked forward to Kaleb’s story and was underwhelmed by the heroine. The character was less a problem than the way the author presented her. There were all these overwhelming hints about her amazing snowflake especial powairs and it just came across as very, very contrived. By the way, I do not think this is a series to jump around in if world building is important to you. Characters are pretty hard to comprehend without the elaborate buildup from earlier books.
I also read and loved Miss Grimsley’s Oxford Career (thank you, SBs). Before that I schlepped through Molly Harper’s Bluegrass series, punctuated by Wanted: Wife. Enjoyed the former, found the latter decidedly problematical. How ya gonna keep ’em down on the farm now that they’ve seen New Yawk. . . or whatever urban hell it was. I started and didn’t finish Hearts of Fire. Though I loved L.H. Cosway’s Painted Faces, I’ve been progressively less charmed by her heroes and that includes Ronan from the Cosway/Penny Reid collaboration The Hooker and the Hermit. While undeniably sexy, they seem kind of scary and almost bully-like to me. So while I’ll probably finish HoF somewhere along the line, but right now, after this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad winter, I want fluff and nothing but fluff.
Apologies for the italics. . . sigh.
I finished the whole Wallflowers series by Lisa Kleypas. For a break from Kleypas, I’m reading The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. I have Flowers from the Storm next on my TBR list because it’s another book that I’m ashamed that I’ve never read.
I’m really looking forward to the next book in Chris Marie Green’s Jensen Murphy, Ghost for Hire series to come out in April, as well as Loretta Chase’s new novella, “Royally Ever After”. I started on Faith Hunter’s “Skinwalker” because I’m starting on a paranormal/urban fantasy kick for the first time in at least 5 years. I have a ton of historicals, but I need to mix other kinds in there, otherwise I’ll get burned out and bored.
@LauraL, I also greatly enjoyed “His Saving Grace” by Sharon Cullen. I think it would appeal to anyone who likes historicals with wounded war veterans, like Carla Kelly’s, or Mary Balogh’s current series. Going to pick up more of Cullen’s books.
Scribd did a really smart thing with the 3 month free trial, because I’m going into my last month, and I think I’m hooked. I’ve got too much stuff on my Scribd TBR to give it up now. I discovered Carola Dunn, plus they have lots of Caroline Linden and Miranda Neville and Heyer books that I want to read.
“Rogue With a Brogue” was meh, I adore Enoch’s early books but the last few haven’t done anything for me. “Trust No One”, the new JAK contemporary, was her standard formula, no surprises, but as long as her writing maintains its wit I’ll keep reading them. I read “A Test of Wills” which is British mystery taking place in the WW I era, very well done, and I just started Tracy Grant’s new novella “London Interlude” which was released a few days ago. It’s .99 and I snapped it up instantly.
I will add to the growing list of those who’ve read and loved Soaring. I’m about to start Bone Deep by Lea Griffith (book 3 in the No Mercy series). Is anyone else reading those? They are harsh but I’m loving them. Then I’m starting Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink series, all of which are on sale right now.
I’m a historical romance reader:
A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant – excellent and different in that the heroine didn’t fall for a good set of abs. I’ll be reading her other books.
Simply Sexual by Kate Pearce – the sex got to be boring!
The Duke’s Guide to Correct Behavior: A Dukes Behaving Badly..
Megan Frampton – couldn’t finish. way too silly.
At Last Comes Love by Mary Balogh – this is the 2nd time I’ve read it and I’ll probably read it a 3rd time.
A Debt Paid in Marriage Georgie Lee – a bit of old school romance. Liked that it was about the middle class and a professional I wouldn’t have thought I’d be interested in reading but glad I got the chance.
To Charm a Naughty Countess by Theresa Romain So glad I found this author and will be reading more of her books.
Beyond the Sunrise by Mary Balogh – I think this might be a re-release. Excellent.
@Laura, that Georgie Lee book you just mentioned set off my catnip alarm, and from your reading list I think we have similar tastes. Sometimes I need one of those Harlequin Historicals that I can whip through in a few hours.
A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh — sweet in a good way, and it was kind of like a heist movie.
The really exciting read I’ve had lately was A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery by Kris Tualla. It’s set in 1760s (I think) Norway. The hero is a noble who was basically disinherited by his family because he became deaf so he makes his living as a “gentleman of discovery” or private investigator. Mystery and romance ensue, and it is awesome.
I tried to listen an audiobook, Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Pike, but I don’t know wether it was the book or the narrator (who was so slooooow) but I just couldn’t get in to it. I stopped after listening about 50% when my mind started to wander and I started to compile my shopping list rather than listen to the story. Book summarised in one word: yawn.
And of course I meant Rosamund Hodge, not Pike. Mind was wanderind again :).
I don’t remember a ton about A Long Fatal Love Chase because I read it almost 20 years ago. I do remember being ecstatic that there was a lost Louisa May Alcott being released and I devoured it. Then my grandma tried to read it but gave up because Louisa, “must have been on the dope” when she wrote it.