Random Musings

Hey, Whatcha Reading?

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Time for the most expensive comment thread of the month! What are you reading right now? How do you like it? Me, well, last month I said I was about the start the Tessa Dare that comes out in a week or so… and I haven't started it yet. That's my weekend treat. I found myself reading a lot of contemporary/erotic, especially the Delphine Dryden series, which I re-read after .  What about you? What … Continue reading Hey, Whatcha Reading?

Why I Broke Up With Paranormals

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Back in the mid-to-late nineties I picked ordered an Anita Blake omnibus from the Sci-Fi Book Club, and my teenage heart became hooked on paranormal romance. I hope you're gleaning two things from that sentence: 1. my approximate age and 2. the fact that as a teenager I belonged to the Sci-Fi Book Club. I was beating those boys off with a stick, I was. Anyway, Anita Blake represented this whole new genre I hadn't … Continue reading Why I Broke Up With Paranormals

Whatcha Reading?

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Time for our monthly open thread wherein I ask about what you're reading, and then you tell me, and then I buy 45,866 books. And put a few more on hold at the library. Like you do.  This month, if you're celebrating with family, that usually comes with travel time, or maybe time to hide from said family in a closet so you can read a book in peace (not that I've ever done that ahem). … Continue reading Whatcha Reading?

The Sibling Code: Love a Little Sideways and In the Clear

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I have read several contemporary romances in a row with the conflict resting in part on the idea that it's not acceptable to date the sibling of one's best friend. If, for example, the heroine's got it bad for her brother's BFF, said BFF is off limits to her, and more importantly, said sister is waaaay off limits to the BFF. On one hand, I understand that conflicts in contemporary romance are tricky because, really, … Continue reading The Sibling Code: Love a Little Sideways and In the Clear

Carrie Went to Convolution 2013

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What follows is Carrie's report on Con-volution 2013, which was held Nov 1-3 in California. I had the immense pleasure of attending Convolution 2013, a science fiction/fantasy convention in Burlingame, CA, during the first weekend of November.  For me and my peeps, Halloween never really stops.  As evidence I give you the fact that I reported for work every day in a cape and on one occasion responded to an offer of candy (chocolate eyeballs, … Continue reading Carrie Went to Convolution 2013

Whatcha Reading? And Cooking?

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It's the most expensive comment thread of the site, when I ask what you're reading, and how you like it, and then I buy about 3/4ths of the things you suggest.  (Please tell me I'm not alone in that problem, please.) I'm reading a mix of holiday titles, and am trying not to allow myself to read the Tessa Dare historical that isn't out until February, but I have a feeling I'm going to cave … Continue reading Whatcha Reading? And Cooking?

“It’s Not Really Like That” or How We Talk To Girls About Sex - A Guest Post from

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 Molly O'Keefe prevously wrote about her love of Bruce Springsteen, and is back with a discussion of how she – and we – learn about sex. I never had a discussion with my parents about sex. Or even a vague and confusing birds and the bees conversation. Which is odd considering my dad was a high school health teacher and my mom was a nurse. Instead what I got was a musical montage of pornography, … Continue reading “It’s Not Really Like That” or How We Talk To Girls About Sex - A Guest Post from

Historicals: They’ll Keep You Coming Back for More

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Former Intern Amanda is back, this time with the historicals she always re-reads. I do love me some romances and there are a few that I make an effort to reread every so often. They are books that remind you of why you read the things you do and why you love them. Those books that help instill faith back into the genre after a particularly harrowing reading of some new, glossy paperback that you … Continue reading Historicals: They’ll Keep You Coming Back for More

Characters Live Forever… In My Mind

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 I've often said that I prefer realism over accuracy in much of my reading. I don't care if the duke drives a Porsche to Almack's, but I do care if the dialogue is wooden and the characters are unrealistic once he gets there. But I've been thinking about how much reality I want, especially after seeing fan reaction to the news that in the next installment in the Bridget Jones series, Jones is a widow … Continue reading Characters Live Forever… In My Mind

Commentary on Reviews: I Like When The Averages Are Flipping Me Off

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I do a good amount of shopping for books, and looking at reviews, and reading about books, and I've noticed something. I really, and I mean REALLY like when the review averages are flipping me off. No, really.  Here's what I mean.  Suppose you see a book review average graph at GoodReads that looks like this:  EXHIBIT A:   Compare that to a ratings review that looks like this:  EXHIBIT B:   Now THAT is a … Continue reading Commentary on Reviews: I Like When The Averages Are Flipping Me Off

Commentary on Reviews: Negative Reviews and Readers

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There's been considerable discussion online lately about reviews, about authors reviewing other authors' books, and about how reviews work for book readers. With Goodreads deleting reviews, then apologizing for deleting reviews, and people migrating to other book review communities, there's been a good amount of discussion about what reviews specifically do.  You might imagine I have a lot to say about the topic of reviews, and how they work. I've written about the fact that … Continue reading Commentary on Reviews: Negative Reviews and Readers

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