Crazy world out there!

OK, I couldn’t right anything although I have been reading constantly. Why? I explain at the end of this post.
Been reading:
“Dragons Luck” by Robert Asprin. In this story Griffin is supervising a conference or alcove of supernaturals and thinks he is in way over his head. His mentor Mose is piling more responsibilities on him. Val, his sister; is hiding something and a bunch of crazy supernautrals have hit town. There is also some new dragon in town who is offering advice without asking for any payment. Huh? Strange!
I loved the book! I adore Mr. Asprin’s funny style and unexpected surprises along the plot. This was the book I was bragging about in the last post!
“Undead and Unwelcome” (Queen Betsy, Book 8) by MaryJanice Davidson was OK. Much better than the last book of the series this one actually had a story. Betsy and Sinclair are taking Antonia’s body to werewolves and Jessica and baby John are with them. Back home Marc is trying to help Laura with her devil worshiper problem and Tina has disappeared.
I’m getting tried of this series but can’t help myself following it!
“Being Nikki” (Airhead, Book 2) by Meg Cabot didn’t have the expected ending. I still don’t understand the reason behind everyone’s action but hey, it’s a story and sad to say; a very weak one at that!
“Men of Otherworld” by Kelley Armstrong was great. A quick chronicles of werewolves pack and somehow Jeremy’s life-story, it is a collection of stories about Jeremy and Clayton before and after Elena joined the pack.
I enjoyed it although I’d read some of the stories online in Ms. Armstrong website. I was so in the mood for other world that went to the website and read every thing online including the 20005 collection.
“Bond of Darkness” (Texas Vampire Novels) by Diane Whiteside was very confusing and I had the feeling very rushed. The relationship between Steve and her vampire was not well defined and much of their story was filled with the vampire boss and his lady’s story. Didn’t like it! Also it was reading like a patriotic ad for National Guard of Texas.
I also read a mystery book happening in England (Welsh, really) in the time of a cattle disease outbreak. Can’t remember the name but was a great book! I go look for it in the library and post the name later!
“The Host” by Stephanie Meyer was great. I wasn’t sure after that fiasco with Edward Cullen series that I want to read anything else from Ms. Meyer but the first couple of chapters of Host proved that this story is different. A great read, strong plot and realistic characters and emotions, Ms. Meyer proved herself a capable author.
Another going back on my promise was reading the three books of Fever series by Karen Marie Moning: “Darkfever”, “Bloodfever” and “Faefever”. This time around I liked the story and I’m impatient for the next book! I think Barrons is the Unseelie King and Mac is changing drastically with mixing and changing her morals. But still accepting a southern belle to turn Fae-killer and vicious is very hard!

Now one of the reasons I haven’t been posting has been: http://www.mythadventures.net/memorials01.html

Yes, sadly Mr. Asprin has passed away and the Dragon series is unfinished. It was shocking to end the book and read author’s biography and found out that the humorous wonderful person writing the story you just enjoyed is not alive anymore.
I am really sad and wish his family great patience.
Rest in peace Robert, We remember you.

Neglected Poor Baby, Part 2

Ok, back from hanging with friends and lots of shopping (or window-shopping as the case is!), I got to finish 4 books just this last couple of days, which considering all the catching up I have to do; is a good head start!
“Secret life of a Vampire” (Love at Stake, Book 6) by Kerrelyn Sparks was not better than the last one in the series. This one is about the son of legendary Casanova and a NYPD police officer.
Also I had read the stories by my favorite authors in “Blood Lite”, this time I went ahead and read the whole book which was kinda weird! I mean I am OK with vampires and werewolves and ghosts and everything but chainsaw killers?! Come on!
Loved loved loved “Grave Goods” by Ariana Franklin. Adelia is changing her outlook, maybe out of necessity may be out of her love for Rowley. Also a coffin has been found with what Henry II prefers to be labeled as reminders of King Artur and his Queen and Adelia has to face unpredicted dangers and find the truth. I however found Adelia’s change of heart about Rowley a little out of character but hey… I loved the story and the suspended ending is killing me, so I will be really thankful if Ms. Franklin hurries and write the next book!
Else? Huh… “Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress” by Elizabeth Boyle was the third book of the series The Bachelor Chronicles and it happens some twenty years after the previous story. Lady Philippa (Pippin) has two grown children but her heart is still beating fast whenever she sees a rakish sailor. When a young stranger visits her with memories from her past, she knows it is time to pack her infamous red gown.
I was a little bored by this story mostly because half of the book was revisiting the past which we had read in the other books of the series and well this Dash was not as Dashing as before… rather thick I thought!
The two books of Darkest Powers series “The Summoning” and “The Awakening” by Kelley Armstrong were great. Chloe is a teenager who starts seeing things one day and her life goes belly up completely. She is send to a special house for troubled teens and meets a bunch of strange kids with stranger claims there. What happens afterward is an amazing although sometimes frustrating story. I cheered, cried and got angry with Chloe and I think I’m falling in love with Derek (if his acne clears of course!).
Loved the series and can’t wait for the next book!
Oooh, how can I forget?! “Dead and Gone” (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 9) by Charlaine Harris was so worth the wait but oh so short! Ms. Harris got rid of a couple of extra characters and cleaned the slate and we can safely assume that new characters are coming into the story. Somehow the great-grandfather Niall was getting tiresome! And we have to wonder what Jason is going to cook up now… also we are back to square one with Sookie not knowing which one she likes better: Eric or Bill… I however will be very happy when Bill bites the dust permanently! I hate his guts! Why can’t Sookie tell him Sayonara forever?!

Am reading a well awaited book and won’t say a word until I am finished but it is such a delight after all the serious books I’ve been reading!
So now I can say my poor neglected website has been getting enough attention these days and I’m gonna go and finish my books with a happy conscious!

Neglected poor baby!

I know I’ve been neglecting my weblog and if it was a living breathing entity, it needs years of therapy to recover but hey… I was on vacation! (And I haven’t been reading much!) So there, that’s my excuse…
Anyway a month and half ago on my way to my parents and during the twelve hours flight I finished the latest of Molly Murphy Mysteries “In a Gilded Cage” by Rhys Bowen. And a month later on the way back I re-read it!
Molly is engaged to Daniel Sullivan and gets into action for women’s voting rights by her two best friends Sid and Gus. She meets a couple of spoiled rich (and well-educated) girls and gets a couple of new cases to solve. She does well for herself and only twice is being threatened and in danger. I think she is learning!
After getting back I started on my “to be read” list and made good progress although I still have a lots of books on hold.
“Kitty and the dead man’s hand” (Kitty Norville, book 5) by Carrie Vaughn was great however a little rushed. Of course everything happened during a weekend so… but there are still some questions unanswered: Did Rick knew about the situation with Las Vegas vampires? Did the master of Vegas send Kitty to Panthers’ show on purpose?
What’s the deal with those two hunters? And how Cormac is going to react to hearing Ben and Kitty are married?
I think I just have to wait to get the next book. It is on hold and I am impatient.
Read the latest book of The Dresden Files: “Turn Coat” (Book 11) by Jim Butcher. It was a very sad story although the lesson at the end is that life goes on! I seriously hope the next book of the series has a happy ending, else I forecast a very unhappy ending for Harry Dresden.
“Confessions of a Little Black Gown” by Elizabeth Boyle was wonderful. However a little too busy… was that French spy character really necessary? And also back the there were nothing Little about gowns so why should we have to pretend it is the equivalent of our Little Black Dress? Sounds like I was not happy with book! Well maybe, a little; I was disappointed anyhow!
“Second Chance” by Jane Green: Way boring! I was not in the mood for slow motion stories!
“Turning Japanese” by Cathy Yardley was good. I always wondered about Japanese culture and this book took me to the heart of this culture and how it is to live in Tokyo for some time. It would be a wonderful opportunity and great experience. The story is about a half Japanese woman who leaves her life and family and fiancé, to take an internship in Tokyo Manga industry. It leads her into some new decisions and a new outlook on life. Great life altering experience, I guess!
Well I have to go pick up some friends, so stay tuned for the second part of this post!

Weblog, what weblog?

Believe it or not, I totally had forgotten about my weblog! I hadn’t checked it for a whole week and then tonight when I was looking for the title of a book I remembered… ooh, yeah, my weblog!
However it was no loss to anyone as I didn’t read anything this week. Can you imagine it… a whole week gone without reading? Well not completely, but almost!
The not complete part comes from my reading “The nice girls don’t have Fangs” by Molly Harper. It is the story of Jane, a small town librarian and how in a day her whole life gets screwed up. Yes, you guessed right, she gets fired from her job, then is shot at and dies and then is turned into a vampire all in the first three chapters. The rest of the story is the funny account of how she adjusts and what kind of troubles she is facing in her new life (unlife… ummm, death?...ok, what about “her new existence”?… yeah, that works!). First is her controlling mother and then her grabby greedy sister and her crazy best friend and after that a whole new group of undead friends…
I liked the witty narrative of this story and I very well could relate to Jane’s problems with her parents. As I’m going to see my own sweet and controlling mother in less than a week let’s not dwell on the issue! Just kidding! I haven’t seen any of my family in a very long time and I'm looking forward to this trip. I’m very excited!

I keep adding to my “on hold” list in the library but non of the books are yet available for pick up and with my trip coming this weekend I don’t know what will happen to my books! Some sympathy please!
By the way I'll be gone a month and if I don't read anything new, there won't be a post!

Absence makes the heart founder or my spring break gone too long!

Well here I am, absent for a month, have not done anything special and have not read much either.

I spend a week or so reading the first four books of The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert. In the first book “The Tale of Hill Top Farm” we get to know the human and animal characters of “the land between the lakes” and learn of why and hows of Beatrix’s purchasing a farm there. In other books small and large mysteries are solved by humans and animals both. Second book “The Tale of Holly How”, the third “The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood” and the fourth is “The Tale of Hawthorn House”. I had read the fifth book “The Tale of Briar Bank” before. These stories are enchanting and sweet. You can lose yourself in peacefulness of the village life, cuteness of cats and dogs and badgers and guinea pigs and even fall in love with a fox. As for human characters I liked Beatrix and Mr. Heelis and Captain Milles and his sister, also the little children were endearing. Wish Ms. Albert would hurry and write the last three books of the series too.
Else? “The Courtesan's Wager” by Claudia Dain was lovely. I was laughing really hard at all that verbal banter and those stubborn characters. I really enjoyed it and hope that Ms. Dain would continue with the series.
“Accidental Human” by (Accidental Friends, Book 3) by Dakota Cassidy was fun. I liked Marty’s story the best, Wanda’s was good and Nina’s story (the second book) was so so.
Anyway, here Marty is pregnant, Nina is enjoying the life as Elvira and Wanda is hiding a deep dark secret and a very cute new guy!
“Lulu in Marrakech” by Diane Johnson was boring. Somehow I was expecting more action in a spy thriller. The narrative for this novel was boarder line yawn and snore! The characters were detached and incomplete and the finale was like the author has run out of paper and decided to wrap things up in a hurry. Somehow I was expecting more from Ms. Johnson.
The best of my readings this month was rereading Kim Harrison’s “The Hallows” series and finishing it with the latest book (number 7) “White Witch, Black Curse”. I loved it. In this one, Rachel is getting to a balancing point in her relationship with Ivy, she get to find Kisten’s killer and put her grieving to rest. And yes, she is dealing with demons and everyone knows it and people are unkind to her, but what the heck! She is alive and kicking and powerful. Ooh, there is also a new character (an old brief character coming back to the main series, actually) and all new twists in her love life. I think both Big Al and Trent have hots for Rachel and also this new Rachel Candy! I so love these romantic tensions!
With this good note let’s wrap up and look for new things too read!

P.S.: Still can’t get my mind around my spring schedule. I have a long “To be Read” list and were not been able to put my hands on any of them.

Gregory Maguire

My long over due post on Gregory Maguire goes like this:
I’ve always been cautious of stories written using already existing characters. I assumed lazy unimaginative noncreative writers use these ready characters and write second tries, sequels or whatever they are called to disguise their lack of talent. I can name two series as sequels to “Pride and Prejudice” and one sequel to “Gone with the wind” that were more than disappointments.
Anyhow that the case, I tried not to read Gregory Maguire books, second hand characters and all that. But somehow (call it not finding anything else in the library!) I checked out a few weeks ago four of his books and started reading “Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister” right away. I was hooked! By the second chapter I was preferring his version to classic Cinderella. I totally forgot that I’m reading a story which I know the ending of. The characters were endearing even the most crass and cruel ones. The historical view point was refreshing and the narrator engaging. And at the end when we find out who the actual narrator is, who the real villain is… I only can tell the story builds up expectations and it precedes them.
So it was with this new found love that I started the Wicked Years series. Although I knew the story of “Wicked” through that famous Broadway play and the “Wizard of Oz”, I enjoyed the book much more. It is a well written story with amazing characters and multiple perspectives. The only critique I can think of is when Dorothy and her team enter the scene. The rational controlled Elphaba changes drastically and behaves way out of character. “Son of a Witch” is not as great as “Wicked”, Liir appeared very weak, however I think that weakness was in his make up and character from the beginning, he was not as strong or driven as Elphaba, he was always on the fringe. “A Lion Among Men” continues with side characters of Yackel and Cowardly Lion Brrr and Nor (Liir’s lost half sister). There is not much about Elphaba or Liir in the book but a couple of puzzles are solved and we know for certain that Elphaba is gone, her life story finished. Now is time for other characters. This third book was not as engaging as first or second, a little boring and lengthy perhaps. The thing is I was not interested in reformation of Cowardly lion! I hope for the next book of the series to be more interesting.
“Mirror Mirror” is the re-telling of Snow White fairytale. What I like about the book were multiple narrators, four to be exact! It made the story a little confusing at firs but when I got the hang of different voices, it made for an amazing read.
The only book of Gregory Maguire that I didn’t like was “Lost”. It is supposed to be a reference to "A Christmas Carol" and a bunch of other books but I was so lost half way into the book with all the mental pictures and dialogs and stories going through main character's head that I gave up reading the book for good!
Consequently Gregory Maguire is an author that I look forward to read more from, well; I’m waiting for the next book of Wicked Years anyway!

This week headlines!

Still not ready to write about Gregory Maguire. I have another two of his books on hold in the library and can’t wait to start. So bear with me here!
Have been reading latest books of some great series:
“Brisinger” by Christopher Paolini was perfect. But I was expecting this one to be the last book of Inheritance series, sadly it is not! OK, I’m becoming a little bored with this series!
The story was full of brave actions of Eragon and Sephira, also Eragon learnt a lot about his family and is becoming a strong force against emperor.
“One night of Passion” by Elizabeth Boyle is another book in Danvers family series. Colin is a captain who has been discharged from service with shame and Georgie is an orphan with a money hungry uncle and a careless guardian. She wants to get rid of her virginity in order to avoid getting married to an old man, he wants to forget honor and duty and have fun for just once! Read the book, although I liked Ms. Boyle’s later books better, this one was entertaining too. I specially liked Georgie’s sharp wit and her sharper tongue!
“One Fifth Avenue” by Candace Bushnell was not my type. I didn’t read “Sex and the city” but I have tried in vain to read “Lipstick jungle” and “Four Blonds” and have not gone passed third or fourth chapter. The same should be said for “One Fifth Avenue”. I put the book down after third chapter and for the life of me; I couldn’t pick it up again! That says a lot about her writing, doesn’t it!
“The Tale of Briar Bank” by Susan Wittig Albert is of the series The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter. It was the fifth book and had a children story/fairy tale format which I enjoyed. Talking animals and village life go hand in hand and make a very peaceful story.
If you are a fan of Beatrix Potter this series may appeal to you specially!
I bought my copy of “The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter” from an antique shop in New Orleans almost two years ago and I love it dearly!
Then my favorite this week: “The Temptation of the Night Jasmine” by Lauren Willig. Lady Charlotte (Henrietta’s friend) is welcoming back her long lost cousin, Duke of Dovedale; Robert. But the reason Robert is back in family home is not to take up his responsibilities but to find the killer of his mentor in India. After charlotte’s disappointment with Robert, She takes up her mandatory position in the court of King George III right when King’s madness is back. With the help of Henrietta and Miles, Charlotte and Robert look for French agents and spies whom try to take advantage of confusion and …. Well go get your own book!
I had waited so much for this book and it was too short in my opinion. Also Pink Carnation was not directly involved which kinda disappointed me! Other than that, loved it!
Also finished Annette Blair’s third book of Triplet witch Trilogy: “Never Been Witched”. The third sister Destiny and King’s third friend Morgan get together and work out their issues and fell in love. I read the book out of a sense of completion and obligation (somehow!). Well it was not that great, a simple love story with a little spell and a few ghosts and angels and an ex catholic priest…
Why should all witches make ridiculous lyrics and have multiple tattoos and at least one suitcase full of sex toys?! I have read six of Ms. Blair books and all of them had these in common! Can’t you be a witch without tattoos and sex toys (Bad poetry optional!)?
Makes me mad!

Books, at last!

I’ve been reading very little this past… um, month (?!)! Although I have discovered a great author and I’m going to tell you about him in a separate post and after I finished all of his books!
Aside from that here is the list:
Found “Bone crossed” by Patricia Briggs a couple of days after release and finished it in five hours! I adore Ms. Briggs Mercy Thompson series. Right after her rape, Mercy is facing hard decision of choosing a mate and entering the pack of werewolves for good. Then her mother shows up and dried corpse of Stefan ends up in her living room. The mistress of vampires is furious and looking for revenge. In the middle of all these, Mercy’s old college friend is contacting her from another city and asks her to help with her ghost problem. Poor Mercy, everything is turning for the worse as she learns of all the hidden agendas everyone is harboring. At least she knows how to multitask!
I loved the book, it was action packed and Mercy appeared very capable and strong but also more human. She accepted help and admitted weakness when she needed help. She has grown and evolved. Somehow that rape incident has made her stronger. I loved the story. What I didn’t like was why the publisher switched to hardcover mid-series! I had to buy a hardcover and I can’t fit it beside the rest of the series on the bookshelf!
Finally finished “Night huntress” by Yasmine Galenorn. It was action packed and fast paced, also kinda rushed. Delilah is not the same spoiled little girl and the darling of her sisters anymore. Chase is taking up with another woman and Delilah calls Zach for back rub, sorry; back up! The fourth seal is found, that awful demon Karvanak is killed and Delilah finds about her strange heritage and still stranger responsibilities. I like the series but at the end I was becoming fed up with all the strangeness crammed into the story!
“Deja Demon” (Kate Connor, Demon Hunter) by Julie Kenner is book 4 of the series and I had read books 1 and 2. It is not a series I want to follow further. Kate was a retired demon hunter from Vatican who lost her first husband a follow hunter in an accident, had married a politician and was raising her teenage daughter and toddler son in a peaceful small town until demons started to show up and her old life came crashing back. She is doing her wife duties by throwing parties for her husband campaign, driving her daughter to cheerleading practices and killing the pesty demons, whom are all looking for something or someone in her family; on the sly until apparently in book 3, when she brings her dead husband back in the body of a high school teacher.
OK, honestly this is getting too weird for me and I read the fourth book more like daydreams of a very bored middle aged housewife (or soccer mom, may the case be!).
“Cat playing cupid” by Shirley Rousseau Murphy was the nth book of Joe Grey Mysteries. This series about the talking cats in a small village and how one of the cats is playing detective and helping local police department. Way way boring! I read only for my love of cats!
Then two books by Christopher Moore:
“Coyote Blue” is the story of a former Indian (yeah, former!) and how he learns to get back to his roots and finally becomes the local shaman.
“The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove” is about a small town (very much like Carmel!) and how a weed addict local policeman, an obsessed biologist, local bar owner, town shrink and town’s crazy lady join forces and solve town’s most important problems including finding and dispatching a drug ring, solving a murder, feeding and saving a five thousand years old dinosaur and curing the residences’ severe depression.
I love Moore’s satirical writing style. He looks at life with such a funny and light hearted humor that you forget you are being made fun of because of your mindless habits! Love it!
And then finally four books by Gregory Maguire who has become my favorite of the month which I’m going to write a separate post about! Keep tuned!

Chocolates and Hearts

With Valentine’s Day comes chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate. Many of these love signs have cute and tempting packaging but the quality of chocolate is bad. Too much chocolate butter and not enough cocoa and lots of sugar make for a very unhealthy gift.
I personally prefer to get a regular box of good quality chocolate and nice card than a heart-shaped red box of bad chocolate! But to each, his/hers own!
Check these chocolates for nice pakaging. (I don't know about the quality though!)
Recently I’ve got chocolate from friends far and near, and been wondering about quality of chocolate a lot!
A friend brought us a box of Macadamia nuts covered with milk chocolate from Australia (the box had a picture of Qualla bear on it) and it was phenomenal! Not too sweet, not too oily and very tasty. Australian chocolate lovers, you have a gem in your hands!
Then dear hubby picked a box of chocolate from “The Fudgery” in Banff, Alberta, Canada. These chocolate pieces are huge! Although the quality of chocolate is great, the sweets have only a chocolate shell and are filled with a very sticky caramel taffy too sweet and sugary to eat. The box is still sitting half full in the cabinet!
Later another friend gave us a huge box of “Kirkland” chocolate cover biscuits. Although titled with premium quality Belgian, these chocolates are not better than Hershey bars. I think I’m becoming a chocolate snob because I didn’t like any of the chocolates in the box. They are all too sweet and too oily for my taste. The thick biscuit adds to overbearing sweetness of these chocolates. Half a box is still full and whenever friends are dropping by I beg them to eat as much as they can!
My recent discovery though is keeping my faith in chocolate industry. Truffles from Starbucks come in four different flavors, Coffee, Chai tea, Vanilla and Caramel; and taste great. I’m in love with coffee truffles and chai tea ones, high quality chocolate, great flavor and nice packaging; all good! These chocolate truffles are almost as good as Godiva in fraction of the cost.
Speaking of Godiva, dear hubby had ordered two box of Godiva for Valentine but made a mistake and the boxes were delivered a month earlier! I finished the last truffle last weekend, now he has to go out and hunt chocolate!

Happy Valentine and enjoy your chocolate!

I’ve got Cabin fever!

Last week it rained almost non stop. As I have lots of cat-like qualities, I don’t like cold and I don’t like getting wet either; so I stayed home the whole week surfing web! But finally this week despite cold, I braved the elements and headed to school. I so missed all my unsocial grunting office-mates! Just sitting at my desk, shivering in the cold (there are lots of equipments and chemicals in our building so AC is set somewhere around 60-65 degree for the whole building!), staring at my computer, I was feeling … like crap! Worse is getting dressed each morning. It is not warm enough to wear tops and a light cardi, let alone skirts and dresses! (I wonder how some undergrads are wearing shorts and minis!) I have to layer at least three tops and usually add another one to it in the office and then wear a coat over it all! I feel so stuffed! Am so tired of winter and cold and heavy fabrics and knits! I want light flowy tops and cotton skirts… a couple of outfits in white and ivory, made of chiffon and silk… oh, when is it gonna get warm?! I need to get out and walk around, preferably somewhere with lots of shops; enjoying the sunshine and blooming trees!

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Well economy is bad, what do you think? Should I list my recent sins? Yes? No? OK, truth is I’ve been trying to spend less this past couple of months; I’ve been sooo goood… I controlled my urges to buy a couple of new handbags. Boy, oh boy, it was hard! Specially that sweet one from Betsy Johnson at half price; I still lust after it!
To reward myself for my good behavior I bought two cheap handbags and a couple of belts! Well you get more work out of belts and two bags than one bag, right?! I feel very proud of myself! I’m so money savvy! (Yeah, right!)
And there was that silk top for only 25 and that silk dress for 30… I mean it is a bargain, right? You shouldn’t miss it! My advice: Head to “Heritage 1981” stores and check their stuff. They have some cute pieces with prices close to “Forever 21” but with better quality.
Anyway I’m thinking of what I need to complete my spring wardrobe and the list is getting longer and longer! How am I suppose to hold on to my new found sainthood and not over spend?

Bad books, good books and other stuff!

When some style of writing becomes attractive, every author apparently thinks she/he can master that style. Case in point: remember “Angels and Demons” and “Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown? Sure! Now, try to remember that style of writing, all those looking for treasures and paintings and all those master pieces and those histories, religions, background stories and information the characters were talking about?! OK, there are a couple of authors who do a great job with a mystery thriller and lots and lots of history, philosophy, and art lessons… well, they are masters, but my recent reads were not written by these masters (unfortunately!).
“The Illumination” a novel by Karen Tintori and Jill Gregory was about a charm necklace found in Iraq and all the people who were looking for it. An American reporter finds it and sends it to her sister an archeologist and there is a trail of death following the foot steps of Natalie from New York to Israel where she is looking for the history of the necklace…
Well, aside from all the blunders and errors in the story, the authors were not able to convey excitement, danger or cruelty very well, the narrative was boring and all the characters had the same voice…ah, and the history lessons were very boring!
The other book, “Caravaggio’s Angel” by Ruth Brandon was even worse. The story is about three paintings and their history and an art curator who wishes to exhibit all three…
The author’s description of paintings and … well, basically; her overall narrative was dry, unimaginative and un-art-like! Which art specialist likes a painting because the angel is sexy?!!! Come on!
Now, let’s talk about good books. Had listen to Boris Akunin fourth book of Fandorin series “The Death of Achilles” on audio and it took two days! I can read much faster! Anyway, the book was great and the reading good although it shattered my picture of some of the characters…
Else? The first book of Dark swan series “Storm Born” was great. I totally heart all Ms. Mead’s work! A half fey half human shaman, Eugenie; is going after an abducted teenage girl into otherworld and finds a lot more! She learns some secrets about her past, finds two sexy powerful suitors and a lot of power! A great book and I can not wait for the second one!

We went to see the “Inkheart” last night and liked it a lot. I kept thinking if I could read characters out of the books whom I like to bring into the real world and if I could go into the stories which books I like to travel into… some very pleasant and unpleasant picks!
Hey that’s just like real life!

Adventurous reading!

Have finished “Spooky Plum” and liked it. I’m not saying Plum series is great but it is sweet and uncomplicated.
Then have started “Night huntress” (Sisters of the Moon, Book 5) by Yasmine Galenorn. I’m reading it very slowly!
I read another of Elizabeth Boyle books. “It takes a Hero” was the fourth book of Danvers family series, in which after the war with France; Rafe the half Spanish Danvers brother is working as a private investigator and looking for a murderer and an author! Miss Tate the author of Ms. Darby series has more important secrets than her identity. Why should she care the debutants of London are refusing to get married and are in mourning for the hero of her books when a villain is killing people from her past. Enter Rafe Danvers and all her problems take a nose dive!
Else: yeah, “Uncommon Reader” by Alan Bennett was a novella about when Queen of England finds the joys of reading! Hey, we’ve all been there and blew up our obligations to finish the wonderful book we’ve been reading, right?! What I liked about the book was how the queen started adding her life experiences to her reading summaries and how she regretted not reading books sooner and losing the opportunity of talking with a lot of interesting people.
Ooh, and also I’m reading “The Turkish Gambit” by Boris Akunin. It is the third book of Erast Fandorin series and quite full of war and spies and adventures!

My Boris Akunin phase

He is my favorite this week or this past couple of weeks. Anyway, I’ve been reading his Erast Fandorin series: “The Winter Queen” is the first book. It is 1876 and 19 years old Erast -in his third week in Criminal Investigation Division- is given his first case, a simple suicide. But as the observant young officer starts collecting details for his report his curiosity is aroused and his acute observations prove the case much more complicated. It is also Erast’s love story, how he meets his sweetheart and what will follow. I loved the book but the finale left me very very sad. It was unfair… I know, I know, Erast has to grow and harden but like that?!! So unfair so heartbreaking… OK, the second book is “Murder on The Leviathan”. When Erast is send to Japan as a diplomat, in 1878 on a ship going from France to Calcutta; he encounters a Parisian detective looking for a murderer. Eleven people were killed in a mansion in Paris, a golden statue of Shiva and a silk scarf were stolen. Now on board of Leviathan, Detective Gauche has Erast and ten other people under suspicion and Erast is helping him find the killer.
I have the third and fourth books on hold and the fifth is “Special Assignments” containing two novellas. In first one “The Jack of Spades”, Erast is trying to find a charlatan and con man who has tricked people and stolen thousands and thousands of rubles. Also Erast finds and train Anisii as his very loyal assistant. It is a humorous story with lots of twists and cons! In the second novella “The Decorator”, Erast and Anisii and the whole Moscow are facing a horrible terror in the shape of Jack the Ripper or Ivan the Ripper… Yes, a couple of months after those horrible murders in London; the mutilated bodies of women starts to turn up in Moscow right when Tsar is coming to visit. This story has successful but sad ending.
What I like most about Akunin’s writing is his power of story telling. You never get bored reading his scenes and I guess we should thank Andrew Bromfield for his great translations of Akunin’s work. You get to hear two very distinctive and different voices in Sister Pelagia series and in Erast Fandorin series. The style of narration is completely different and shows the mastery of both writer and translator. Although some of the mysteries are not original, the plots are mesmerizing and fascinating and some times humorous. This two series have been two of the best I’ve read in past few months.

More romance, less work!

I have been reading a little romance but also had two books half finished. I got to finish the “Sister Pelagia and the white bulldog” by Boris Akunin and really enjoyed it. His funny old fashion type of story telling narrative in Sister Pelagia series has me quite impatient for the third book of the series whenever it will be out (Aug 11th, apparently).
Else? Yeah, the romances! I said good romance books are hard to find and here is the proof:
“Just like heaven” by Barbara Bretton was very bland. A priest (not catholic, thank heaven!) and a workaholic business woman meet under unusual circumstances and fall for each other. The book had a great start but 1/3 into the story and I started feeling bored. (Grade: 3/10)
“Just desserts” also by Barbara Bretton was much better and I can grade it 5/10. Nothing special though, good people are good and helpful and the bad one is bad from the start. An ageing rock star is looking for her lost daughter (which is a divorced mother of a teenager) with the help of his gorgeous lawyer.
“A wedding in Paris” by Barbara Bretton, Marie Ferrarella and Cindi Myers. Out of three novellas you would expect a good one, right?! Non! Well the third one “Picture Perfect” was better than others in my opinion.
But the last two novels by my currently favorite romance writer were great. “Stealing the Bride” by Elizabeth Boyle was the third book of Danvers family series. This is the story of Lord Templeton (Temple to his friends) and Lady Diana and how for 11 years they play cat and mouse until Temple finally accepts his heart and is persuaded to marry Diana. Good story, a little long maybe but Ms. Boyle wrapped it quite well. Also Temple is not as interesting as her other heroes in my opinion. I like Mad Jake better, ooh and Sedgwick and that duke Felicity was in love with… they were much more interesting than Temple. He is kind of cowardly if you ask me!
“His mistress by Morning” also by Elizabeth Boyle was great. This is the story of first Marlowe son, Sebastian Viscount Trent and Charlotte (a wallflower) and Milton’s ring! Read it, it is great!

Am also reading “Spooky Plum” by Janet Evanovich and loving it. Her humor is simplistic and great for times when you just want to relax and don’t think and kinda go with the flow!

“Stealing Athena”

“Stealing Athena” is by Karen Essex and I needed a whole day after finishing it to collect my thoughts and start writing.
The story is about Lord and Lady Elgin ambassadors to the Ottoman Empire and collectors of Greek art. It starts with Lord Elgin obsession with Athens Acropolis and his greed in collecting marble statues and sending them back to England. The only problem is he doesn’t have the necessary founds to do so and that’s where Mary comes in. She is beautiful and has a great fortune. So Elgin marries her but poor girl thinks it is for love. It is also the story of Aspasia the mistress of Pericles the most powerful man of Athens and the one building the great pantheon for the Goddess Athena. As years passes we read the happenings in both women lives, the dangerous pregnancies Mary goes through and how she begs her husband to have no more children and how he ignores her. His disfiguring disease and his pressure for more money and his imprisonment in France. How Aspasia becomes a great intellectual figures in Athens society and what dangers she faces.
At the end both women go through trails: Lord Elgin sues Mary for adultery and divorce, hoping to get more money out of her and her parents and Aspasia’s enemies sue her for improper behavior and her power over Athens’s governor. But while Mary’s legal husband (a 19th century gentleman and aristocrat) does his best to destroy her name and reputation in society, Aspasia’s lover defends her and respects her openly. Why? She was a foreigner and a powerless courtesan in Athens. Pericles valued her for her wisdom, for her brain and for her heart. He loved her. On the other hand, Lord Elgin never loved Mary despite all her wonderful qualities, her cleverness, her love and all the hardship she went through for his sake.
One should ask which man was more civilized, a 19th century count or a general from two thousand years earlier. Which one was more human, more respectful? Dare we conclude that these two millennia added nothing to the fairness and purity of human heart?
You can see why the book had me quite shaken, don’t you?!

Good Romance is hard to come by, grab it when you find it!

Ok, I know I’ve said it time and again, I don’t like romances, you all know it, right? Now I have a confession to make: I have been enjoying Elizabeth Boyle novels way too much! The thing is these are not some sexed up badly written stories with cheesy plots, no they are not! These books have great dialogs and lots of funny twists. Even the secondary (and tertiary!) characters are well developed and real.
Anyway as it is always with my finding a new author or series, this time -again- I started with Ms. Boyle’s latest book, “Tempted by the night”. But after that I read “Love letters from a duke” which had Felicity Langley and her sister Tally and their cousin Pippin as main characters. As it happens most of the characters appearing in this book had been acting center roles in Ms. Boyle’s other books. I think it all started with “Something about Emmaline” when Lord Alexander Sedgwick is inventing a wife for himself named Emmaline. What he didn’t think about was Emmaline actually turning up in his London house. His best friend is Lord John Tremont (or mad Jake) who has his own book “This rake of mine”. It is in this book that we encounter Langley sisters for the first time and Felicity starts matchmaking. Here is Elizabeth Boyle's website with her different series and characters:
http://www.elizabethboyle.com/books/main.html

I am so waiting for the next book of Marlowe series (still no mention of it in the website) and for April to read Tally’s story from Bachelor chronicles.
There is also a book of three novellas “Hero, come back” which has the “Matchmaker’s bargain” by Elizabeth Boyle in it but I have to say this one was not as good as her other stories.
Anyway I put hold on three more of her books (the Danvers family series) which I know I will enjoy as much.

Last post of 2008

Here I am this New Year Eve, looking back at all the books I read this year (about 245 given or taken a couple) and thinking: Could I read more?! There should be a way! And yes, I have to expand my horizon and look at other genres, not just SiFi, Fantasy, Paranormal, (A little) Romance and Historic novels. I know there has been lots of book that go simply under Fiction title and a lot more that are basically Mysteries. Well it is very hard to characterize some books, for example: A witch heroine solving the murder case of her best friend which happens to be bionic woman! Is it a mystery, a SiFi, a Fantasy or whatnot?
Anyway here are my last books read in 2008:
“Fish Out of Water” (Fred the Mermaid, Book 3) by MaryJanice Davidson: Fred is engaged to Prince Artur and renting a huge beach house and every one is dropping by to enjoy her extra bedrooms including her supposedly dead banished biological father.
Thank goodness, this series is finished! I was so tiered of Fred’s grumpiness and bad language!
“The King's Favorite: A Novel of Nell Gwyn and King Charles II” by Susan Holloway Scott was a great book. Although it is named a novel, I read it more as a biography of Nell and I came to love her character. She is the kindest, most considerate and less ambitious mistresses of Charles II. The 1660’s were beautifully pictured and the writing was great. It is a true Cinderella story and for that truly enchanting.
“Casting Spells” by Barbara Bretton was funny. A descendant of a great witch and mayor of Sugar Maple, Vermont; Chloe Hubbs is under pressure to marry and extend the protective spell her great great grandmother cast over the city to protect its supernatural residents. Imagine the whole town playing matchmaker! Oh, and Chloe is half human and doesn’t have any magic of her own. Enter one sexy detective and…Well, Welcome to Sugar Maple!

Happy New Year and more reading to you!

Hot Sexy Vampires (please line up!)

I found out last night that two of my good friends have become vampire fans courtesy of Edward Cullen (Can you believe it!).
Now I see it my duty to introduce them to some hot sexy delicious vampire heroes whom are much more manly than that little love-sick boy! I actually did a post last year on my favorite vampire series at “Beware, Vampires are coming!” and that list has expanded considerably over this year. But this post is all about my favorite vampires. In order of hotness, Ladies; I give you the top ten:
- Eric Northman from Sookie Stackhouse Southern vampire series by Charlaine Harris. Eric is a blond Viking, he is arrogant and bossy and power hungry but very protective and loyal. When he loses his memory and ends up in Sookie’s, he is the ideal lover.
- Kisten from Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison. He is leather clad, can go out during the day, has lots of cool cars and motorcycles, is a total badass, and is fiercely loyal to Rachel and Ivy.
- Henry Fitzroy from Blood series by Tania Huff. He is the bastard son of Henry IIIV and more than 500 years old. He is a romance writer and has great taste. He is fair and just and kingly and protective of his people. He is very loyal to his friends.
- Ty Bonner from Vampire Love series by Kimberly Raye. He is bounty hunter and a made vamp. He is a cowboy and has the whole tall and dark and handsome thing.
- Stephan from Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. I so heart him! He is cool and casual. He is old and European. He is kind and considerate to his entourage and is looking for a way to benefit humanity from vampirism. Bonus features: some super sexy werewolves!
- Eric Sinclair from Queen Betsy series by Mary Janice Davidson. He is the tall and dark and handsome and the king of all vampires. His best feature: he ignores Betsy!
- Mircea from Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance. He is wiling to suffer for his love (and he is tall and dark and handsome too!)
- Thomas from Dresden files by Jim Butcher. He is an emotional vampire so no blood drinking. He loves his brother and is super strong. He is keeping away from the woman he loves in order to protect her and he is tall, dark and handsome! What else you need?!
- Adrian from Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. He is from royal family and a prince, very cool and arrogant and selfish and loyal, extremely rich and has cool magic too.
- Jean-Luc from Anita Blake vampire hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton. He is a sharp dresser, a master vampire and totally powerful. He is a great politician too. He has dark long hair and doesn’t matter how many triangles Anita forms and how many new man she sleeps with and how stupid Richard is, I still heart Jean-Luc!
Oooh, and how can I forget! My ultimate arrogant selfish sexy crazy vampire is Lestat. Even when applying for sainthood, he is arrogant. How can you not love him?! And no, I’m not talking about that blond Tom Cruz like person (I so hate Tom!), I’m speaking of the true character of Lestat in Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles series. He is so deliciously selfish you have to love him!

So what do you think? Any vampire you like to add to this list? Anyone I forgot?
Drop by and give me names and books and authors! Maybe one day we do a survey and find the most popular vampire ever!

A long holiday post

Have been living (barely!), reading (a lot), taking exams (what a nightmare!) and having flu (so awful!) this previous month so, I say I’ve pretty busy.
Right after final exams, dear hubby and I got stomach flu and a bad case of cold on top of it and have been resting (read being imprisoned!) at home for two weeks. Imagine you have only three weeks vacation time and spend 2/3 of it in bed sneezing!
Have read a lot though. Here is the list in order of genre:

Paranormal/Fantasy/SiFi (romance)
“Succubus Dreams” (Georgina Kincaid, Book 3) by Richelle Mead. Georgie is having troubles, her recruiting imp is back in town trying to sabotage her, she has an apprentice, lots of weird dreams, and yes she is losing her energy strangely. Also she is pushing her boyfriend and best friend together, no wonder Seth cheats on her! Poor Georgie!
“Dark Light” by Jayne Castle is the fifth or sixth book in Planet Harmony series. A guild boss and a reporter join forces to solve the mysterious disappearances of retired ghost hunters.
“Kitty and the silver bullet” (Kitty Norville, Book 4) by Carrie Vaughn. Kitty is back in Denver because her mother is diagnosed with cancer. There is a vampire war and she has to choose sides, also it means facing those two assholes alphas of Denver pack Cal and Meg. I liked this book better than the previous one. Kitty is growing, she is more responsible and she isn’t all talk anymore!
“Underground” (Greywalker, Book 3) by Kat Richardson. I didn’t like it (you can read it if you like!). There is so much going on in the story and the main character is unpolished and weak.
“Bone Song” by John Meaney was dark mystery full of death and zombies and wraith and bones and stuff. I liked the book, the writing, the plot, the characters but not the overall theme. It is a great book if you are into morbid stuff!
“Dragon Wytch” (Sisters of the Moon, Book 4) by Yasmine Galenorn. Camille and her sisters are facing another squad of demons and looking for the third seal. She loses Tristian and spends sometime with smoky the dragon. A unicorn, a pixy and an incubus are in the story (and no, they don’t go into a bar!).
“The Bride of Casa Dracula” (Casa Dracula, Book 3) by Marta Acosta. Milagro
is preparing for her wedding but it looks like the universe is against her! For better I say, because Oswald is not in love with her anymore and Ian (ooh, fabulous Ian) is back!
“All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire” (Love at Stake, Book 5) by Kerrelyn Sparks was OK. Ian has grown 12 years in 12 days and is ready to find a bride. When he tackles a thief finds his love!
“Living with the Dead” (Women of the Otherworld, Book 9) by Kelley Armstrong was great. A human friend of Hope is in trouble and Hope and Carl are helping. A ghost seeing detective and his sidekick are investigating a murder and a new race of super-naturals are introduced.
The Vampire Babylone series by Crystal Green: “Break of Dawn “ and “Night rising” (reread) were truly boring! I hate Dawn’s character, the busy plot and the untied treads of story. Not good, not good at all!

Romance
“The Beach house” by Jane Green was a great read. So full of beautiful landscape and a great house and interesting characters. I loved Nan!
“Secret desires of a gentleman” by Laura Lee Guhrke was a good romance. Good plot, great dialogs, good characters but a historic romance it was not! Sorry, it was hard to imagine the story happening in 1850 or whatever date was given in the book. The characters were straight from a contemporary romance dressed in 1800s-something clothing and riding coaches and carriages and being dukes and duchesses!
“Tempted by the night” by Elizabeth Boyle was great. Had a little supernatural in it as well. The story was funny, the dialogs great and Ms. Boyle writing style enchanting. I liked it so much that I went ahead and read another of her book’s “Love Letters from a Duke” too. This one is also funny with an entertaining cast of characters. You want to laze in the bed and enjoy times long gone and have a laugh, read something from this author!

Mystery
Should I put “Bone song” here again?
“Sister Pelagia and the Black Monk” by Boris Akunin was perfect. I loved the translation, the style and the plot. I hadn’t been reading anything from Russian authors (except the classics: Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov) and this book was great. I’m reading the first book of the series now, “Sister Pelagia and the white bulldog” and enjoying it a lot.
Akunin is such a great writer, I’m thinking of starting a Russian phase and reading all I can find from his books and other contemporary Russian authors. Let’s see what happens!

Books, work, depression!

I’m gonna nag! Yeah, I have a presentation (and of course I knew about it for 2 months and still didn’t do anything!), I have a paper and two finals, couple of quizzes and at least 4 more sets of home work for next couple of weeks and I’m too depressed to do anything!
Now back to books:
“The Magical Christmas Cat” by Lora Leigh, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, and Linda Winstead Jones. Four Christmas novella with cat themes, all were good. Some big cats, some small cats, some cats as lovers, some cats as monsters, some cats as cute and meddling.
“Wolfsbane and Mistletoe” by Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner had 10-14 small stories by different authors and some were amazing. My favorites were from Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs, Carrie Vaughn and the last two stories by authors I can’t remember the names of.
“Buckingham Palace Gardens” (Charlotte & Thomas Pitt Novels) by Anne Perry was the first book I read from this author and it would be the last. I have read much better mysteries and this one seemed kind of pale in comparison.
“The Moneypenny Diaries” by Kate Westbrook was very interesting. I’m not a big fan of “Bond, James Bond!”; but this book was quite interesting and well written. I’m going to look for the rest of series.
“Shadow Kiss” (Vampire Academy, Book 3) by Richelle Mead had a sad ending. Rose was having a tolerable time at the end of her academic life and was looking forward to her future adventures. Why should it happen like that, why?! I hope, very seriously hope; that Ms. Mead will find a way to bring back the lovely hero of the series or I will be very heartbroken and disappointed and sad and mad and…!
Two books by Jennifer Rardin: “Biting the Bullet” (Jaz Parks, Book 3) and “Bitten to Death” (Jaz Parks, Book 4). Well, they were OK. I mean Jaz is this superhero secret service assassin and got lots of cool gadgets and powers and all… her character is very hard to believe. She has a genius inventor and a vampire boss and a seer in her team! Yeah, and she is in love with her boss. I didn’t like Jaz's character, too far fetched, too powerful, too perfect… but the style and adventures and plots of the stories were good. Very well written, I should say. I couldn’t put the books down (and I didn’t like Jaz!).

Long time, no post!

Despite having midterms a couple of weeks before, I’ve been reading a lot. I also was able to finish some of the books I had unfinished like:
“The confections of a werewolf supermodel” by Ronda Thompson. Lou has man-trouble and can not decide between three hot guys, a serial killer is on the loose and there is something strange about a research lab, also her family is missing. The story is unfinished at the end of the book, too many loose ends, so I’m thinking there is going to be a second book.
“Accidentally Dead” by Dakota Cassidy. Yeah, Nina is finally accepting her undead status and marrying Greg.
“Noah” (Nightwalkers, Book 5) by Jacquelyn Frank ends well. Noah goes back in time (with the help of two years old Leah) and saves his mate Kestra. They face deadly enemies together and end up happily in love and organizing an army.
What I didn’t like was when Kes hears about Nightwalkers, one minute she is thinking there are no such things and in the next instance she is using her druid powers to see through Gideon! So unbelievable! Aside from this, the rest of the book was quite good actually!
“The Rogue Hunter” (Argeneau Vampires, Book 10) by Lynsay Sands was not bad. A lawyer and an enforcer meet and fall in love and the rouge vampire is a good guy! The series is not finished and hey we all want to see all the vamps get their happily ever-after, right?!
“The Dark One” by Ronda Thompson is the first book of Wild Wulfs of London. The story of three brothers cursed to be werewolves. In the first book the love perishes the curse. I’m not too curious about the rest of the series!
“Frost Bite” (Vampire Academy, Book 2) by Richelle Mead was good. Rose is being responsible, Lissa is growing in power and Dimitri… Well, he is busy with new people! Rose’s mother also makes an appearance.
I have to hunt down the next book!
The last book of The Last Man Standing series, “Seduction of a Proper Gentleman” by Victoria Alexander was good. Well, you had the feeling it is not1854, but 1980’s but hey, the story was good! Oliver, after all his friends have married in a six month period; is kind of depressed and his family is trying to make him choose a woman. Lady Kathleen comes from a family of witches and wants to break a curse. Some meddlesome aunts and mothers and butlers and cousins later, they are in love.
A YA book from Elle Woods’s series, “Beach Blond” by Amanda Brown was a pre-teen love story! Do not read it!
Four books of Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, books 4-7 were great: “Summer Knight”, “Death Masks”, “Blood rites” and “Dead Beat”. Well Harry is well and alive, his left hand is burned, he has a vampire brother, Suzan is not coming back and a fallen shadow is seducing Harry in his mind…. Else? Too many monsters slayed and too many favored owed, too many risk taken but worth it…
“Queen of babble gets hitched” by Meg Cabot. One word: BORING!
And finally my favorite of the month: the latest book of Merry Gentry series, “Swallowing Darkness” (Meredith Gentry, Book 7) by Laurell K. Hamilton was amazing. Merry is facing lots of enemies, but she has grown in power and she has confidence, she has become a queen in her heart and protecting her people and fighting for them.
I loved it. I think this one was one of te best books in the series.

Little by little!

I am reading very little and very slowly. In last couple of weeks I’ve finished “Accidentally Fabulous" (The Fashion-Forward Adventures of Imogene) by Lisa Barham and Sujean Rim. Imogene goes to LA and is starting to rise as a star… oh, she is not humble and modest either! OK, no worries! She will learn a lesson at the end!
Then “Dark light” by Jayne Castle. The sixth (?) book of planet Harmony and ghost hunter series. A guild boss and a cute reporter’s cooperation over a project results in a permanent romance!
I find a little novella from Nalini Singh in “The Magical Christmas Cat” by Lora Leigh, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, and Linda Winstead Jones. It was short and sweet, a human school teacher falls in love with a leopard from Dark River pack.
And finally I’m reading “Noah” (Nightwalkers, Book 5) by Jacquelyn Frank. Too soon to have a opinion on the book, but this Noah is not the nice kind king of demons, I tell ya!

Mom is always right!

My mother hates man-made fabrics (nylon, rayon, polyester,…) with a passion. But her pet-peeve is polyester! I remember so many times gushing about so and so’s dress (the nice pattern, the style, the fit) but she would wrinkle her nose and say” It was polyester!” with the same disgusted tone of someone saying it was leprosy or a decaying roadkill! From when I was eight, she thought me how to read clothes label and “yes honey, the more percentage of cotton, wool, or silk the better, aim for 100%!”
Well, I had my share of rebellion and have gone for garments containing nylon, acrylic (how else you are suppose to stay warm?) and of course Lycra (what a wonder!) but always in a mixture with natural materials.
I mean I should know better, right?! Well, this September I found the cutest little blouse/top in my favorite store. It had a separate bowtie under the collar and you have the option of making the collar bowtie or just button down. And it was sheer, and best of all, it was in this gorgeous navy and purple plaid. The too good to be true part was the price: only 16$! Wow, imagine the trendiest top for fall for only 16$! So the fact that label read as 100% polyester was of little concern. I started making excuses as I was looking through other racks and browsing (the top in my hand): I can wear a cotton cami underneath; I wear it layered under a vest or cardigan when it is cold and only use it for the collar, I… Excuses excuses…
I can’t believe how naïve I was! I have worn the top the total of four times, it is itchy, it is hot and it is suffocating! The worse lose of 16$ ever! Mom was so right!

For the love of a good Bag!

Hey follow Bag-lovers, check this video and enjoy the spectacular handbags.
And if your cash is burning holes in your pocket why not go out and spend it on a great handbag (or three for that matter)?
To encourage you, I confess to buying four bags in four months and am still looking for a good looking patent leather in a deep navy or cobalt or Prussian blue. If you find any just let me know!

Back to school

Yep! It has been a couple of weeks now and life is not easy, let me tell you! Homework, research, just commuting to school and back, eating, sleeping,… yeah, it is tough!
Just have read two teeny tiny books: “Happy Hour at Casa Dracula” (Casa Dracula Series, Book 1) by Marta Acosta. The first book of Milagro’s story. She says how she was bitten, her changes and adjustments. The other book “Midnight Brunch” is when she is meeting her boyfriend’s parents and the rest of the extended family. Over night she is becoming too popular for her own good!
The second book was “Hostage to pleasure” (Psy-Changelings, Book 5) by Nalini Singh. Oh my god, it was great! The council is losing its power. A group of humans have started to gather power and are trying to attack Psy and Changelings and Dr. Ayasha and Dorian are falling in love! I can’t wait for the next book. There are so many things happening, like Sasha gaining power and Fait's different visions, and all that conflict inside the council!
Am looking for a good book despite all the homework I get.

Young Adult books

Nothing special really! Two of Meg Cabot books, “Airhead” about a geek girl who get the body of a supermodel and “Victoria and the Rogue” when a Lady Victoria comes to England from India to look for a husband.
And a very simple and childish book by Todd Strasser, “How I Created My Perfect Prom Date”.
Well, I’m wasting my time!
It is the first week of classes and it’s hard to get adjusted.

More about Molly!

While waiting for the rest of Molly Murphy’s series, I leafed through three other books and was kinda disappointed. Why these rubbishes get published? Ohh sorry, that was so un-PC! Well, “The Bearskin Rug” by Jennifer Stevenson was not even romance, a jumble of ugly scenes and lots of porn-ish situations; the book has no story and no plot! Real rubbish indeed!
“Don’t make me choose between you and my shoes” by Dixie Cash was … ah, should I say cheesy? All this Texas this and Texas that, it reads like a commercial! Also it has been written for 80plus olds with a heart condition!
“Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander” by Ann Herendeen was different. Telling of a love triangle from a different perspective I have no authority to judge the subject but the story telling, the plot and the cast of characters were enchanting.
Then of course I got the rest of Molly’s books and spend four days finishing them. “In like Flynn” starts when Molly finds out her Jewish suitor has issues. She accepts to go undercover on an assignment from Daniel. She goes to a senator’s house to expose a team of fake mediums but four murders later she lets the fake spiritualists walk free and arrests a killer. In “Oh Danny Boy” Daniel is in trouble and Molly is trying to help him, finds a serial killer and track a missing girl. She finds a new ally in a policewoman detective and her friends are helping her anyway they can. Then “In Dublin’s Fair City” Molly goes back to Ireland to track a missing child but on her first day on the ship she gets a new assignment, lots of excitement and a murder. Then in Dublin she gets mixed up with freedom fighters, finds out about her family and leaves the Ireland again under suspicion. Back in New York and with Daniel out of work, she gets more cases in “Tell Me, Pretty Maiden”. One is an opera ghost, the other a traumatized girl and an old lady also asks Molly to find her nephew. With Daniel’s help Molly is working really hard and finally making some money too.
Ms. Bowen has created a wonderful series and each book is thrilling and better than the last one. Her characters are thriving and growing with each book and her narrative is still fresh after seven books.
Then I’ve started “Midnight Brunch” (Casa Dracula Series, Book 2) by Marta Acosta. After reading a great mystery this book seems lukewarm. I better wait until the book ends!

Spies and adventures

Have read the second book of A Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen. In “A Royal Pain” Georgie has another assignment from the Queen. She is to entertain a Bavarian Princess and attracts the attention of Prince of Wales. David the crown prince is paying too much attention to a certain American lady (yeah, the infamous Mrs. Simpson) and the Queen is unhappy. Several murders later, Georgie has found out some interesting facts and has stopped an assassination.
Then the third book of Molly Murphy’s series “For the love of Mike” by Rhys Bowen. Molly is establishing her detective business, is thrown in jail a couple of time, working in sweatshops and finding a sweetheart (maybe for real this time, not that scumbag Daniel Sullivan!) and is catching murderers. She is uber busy!
Finished the sixth book of Nic Costa series “The Garden of Evil” by David Hewson. Such a sad tale! Poor poor Emily is killed by a ruthless crazy murderer while she is helping Nic just three months after their wedding. The whole team is enraged, Leo goes above and beyond law to find her murderer and every one is bringing their best to the table to catch that powerful privileged killer.
Finally read “Undead and Unworthy” (Queen Betsy, Book 7) by MaryJanice Davidson. Betsy and Sinclair are back and facing a new upraise in their subjects. The Fiends have gained their mental powers back and want to kill Betsy. Detective Nick is asking Betsy to help with a case. Betsy’s dead stepmother is hunting her and … yeah, go read it! After all the other great books I read, Ms. Davidson’s writing looks very simplistic and childish and her story has lots of holes in it. Hey, we are fans and we won’t criticize, right?!
Else? Been reading the rest of Pink Carnation series, books two and three “The Masque of the Black Tulip” and “The Deception of the Emerald Ring” by Lauren Willig. I also went back and reread the fourth book “the Seduction of Crimson Rose”. Well, in the first book you meet Lord Richard (the Purple Gentian) and Amy and Jane two young cousins who travel to France to become spies and stop evil plots of Napoleon to take over Britain. Amy and Richard fall in love, Richard is unmasked by French and thrown in jail, Amy saves him and they go back to England to train more spies and live happily ever after. In the second book Richards’s best friend Miles and Richard’s sister Henrietta are helping the famous Pink Carnation when some French Spies start killing their messengers. With the help of Pink Carnation who is still in France, Miles and Hen arrest the elusive Theresa and think they have found the deadly Black Tulip. They get married too! Then in the Emerald Ring book, Geoffrey another friend of Richard is trying to elope with Marry Alsworthy the love of his life but when he opens the carriage door, he finds Letty, Marry’s little sister. Hey the girl is ruined and he has to marry her. Out of rage Geoff takes of to Ireland right after the wedding and without telling Letty. She follows him and finds him flirting outrageously with a beautiful heiress. Well, what can she do when the Black tulip is there? The Pink Carnation asks them for help in stopping an Irish revolution and Geoff and Letty fall in love! In the Crimson Rose book, we meet Lord Sebastian Vaughn and Marry Alsworthy. Marry has the exact beauty that all the Black Tulip petals had. Pink Carnation asks for Vaughn’s help in requiting Marry and ….
I liked Lord Vaughn’s character more than all the other heroes of the series. Richard was a spoiled child, Miles was like a large shaggy dog and Geoff was too brooding for my taste. But Sebastian, oh, he was perfect, sharp wit and sharp tongue, lots of teasing, really brave, totally pragmatic, self centered and utterly selfish… the perfect hero! I’m so in love!!! Can’t wait till January for the fifth book.
Also read "The moneylender of Toulouse " a Fools' Guild mystery by Alan Gordon. I didn't like it. The author didn't pay any attention to the time frame. People in 13th century surly were not talking and teasing and behaving like modern people, right?

So yummy, so good…

What am I reading? A lot of good things!
First, do you remember those three Iranian sisters in Ireland? Yes, Marjan, Bahar and Layla are back in “Rosewater and Soda Bread” by Marsha Mehran. Marjan is helping a mystical creature and cooking her way into the heart of a very handsome landlord. Bahar is acting strangely, becoming very strict and maybe hiding secrets and Layla is up to no good with her boyfriend… should read the book, I can’t tell you everything!
Again remember that group of police detectives in Rome? Nic Costa, Leo Falcone, Gianini Peroni, Theresa Lupe and Emily Deacon are facing some unsolved cases and looking for vicious murderers in “The seventh sacrament” by David Hewson. Everyone is looking forward to a summer wedding and some happy times but before that there are lots of obstacles to go through. Again, read the book, you’re gonna love it!
Two books on Constable Evans series by Rhys Bowen: “Evan's gate” and “Evanly bodies”. Didn’t like the setting and characters. Reminded me of Miss Maple, too much Welsh countryside!
But Ms. Bowen’ other series Molly Murphy mystery is a treasure I’m savoring book by book. So far in “Murphy's law” I got to know Molly, her reasons for going to New York City and how she is dealing with life in a big city in 1930’s. Then in “Death of Riley” we see how Molly chooses her career, what inspires her and how she is going to make money and be independence. Can’t wait to read the rest of series. These books have great mysteries, lovely funny cast of characters and very interesting look at life at the time. A joy to read!
“Her royal spyness” is the first book of another historical series also by Rhys Bowen. A great read, a lovable character and a fun time frame, what else a fan of historical novels and mysteries can ask for?
Finally read the nth book of Blackdagger Brotherhood “Lover enshrined” by J.R. Ward. It was much better that V’s story. Phury is changing the tradition, gets over his addiction, falls in love, blah blah…. Had a lot of though sounding dialogues. Thor is back… John is growing up… Omega has a son, Scribe Virgin has a daughter… one question, if she had a son and a daughter why she is called Virgin?
Am still following the series but don’t like it anymore, just in interest of science,… you understand?
A great new series (new for me anyway) is the Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig. My favorite period of history, after France revolution and during the napoleon regime, this series explores the life of one great English spy who protected the England against ambitions of Napoleon. We get to know so very interesting characters and hear a couple of romances in “The secret history of the Pink Carnation”. The good thing is, you get to know who the elusive Pink Carnation is and you are one step ahead of every one else in the series!
Due to my just finding out about the series I actually read the fourth book “The seduction of the crimson rose" before the first or even second and third! Oh, well, I just have to go read it again after finishing the second and third book I guess. But let me tell you this much, there are a lot of great adventures ahead and I guess Ms. Willig can continue the series with success. Her story telling is mesmerizing and all the twist and time frame changes? It makes for a wonderful read. Hope you enjoy it as much as I!

Beezy bee, beezy bee, yeah; that’s me!

Well, hello there! Did you miss me?! Been really awfully busy!
How is it that for months and months there is nothing exciting in life and you get bored out of your mind and then suddenly your schedule is bursting with appointments and meetings and parties and travel and…. I’ve been attending meetings and seminars, lots of parties and lunch dates and dinner engagements and quite some great traveling and sight-seeing these past few weeks and still have lots planned for coming weeks.
Have you heard that Chinese proverb: “May you live in interesting times”? Yeah, that’s me, living the interesting life! And yes, it is true what they say about that proverb, it is not something you wish for usually! I feel like a highly charged battery, very hyper and kinda lost! Too many pictures in my mind, too many words in my head, too many new people…
Anyway, been visiting the nation’s capital and all the greatness it had to offer. Gosh, I so want to live in a big city again! All that museums, wow; I was a kid in a candy store, a bear in a honey pot, a … OK, enough!! I lived in a green dream for five days and am still dreaming about deer and caverns and grand buildings and green mountains and great works of art. My eyes are still full of sparkles of all those gemstones and crystals I’ve seen, how am I suppose to go back to living the unglamorous life of dear southern California?!
No shopping opportunities though and NO, I’m not regretting! My eyes had been feasting enough and also I have a shopping spree planned right here (ha ha ha!).
Have been working on a bar of “Green and Black’s Organic” dark chocolate before leaving for east coast and my good choice was confirmed by my sophisticated friend there too! How cool is that!
Readings? Not much in the past three weeks but have discovered a couple of great series last Thursday. Full account requires another post! Keep tuned!

Not writing!

Wow! Long time, no writing! Ammmm…you know… I have summer depression and …. Yeah, sure! Anyway, I haven’t been reading much so there was nothing to write about.
Finished “Just One Bite” (Dead End Dating, Book 4) by Kimberly Raye. In this book, Lil is helping demon brothers to find a fugitive demon, is helping her secretary and is finding the perfect match for local vampire hunter. Talk about conflict of interests!
Then “Cry Wolf” (Alpha and Omega, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs. It was great. Anna and Charles get to know each other and make their bond stronger.
“Lady Killer” by Lisa Scottoline was good too. Remember that good Italian catholic girl Marry in that all women Philly law firm? This is another story for her in which she gets closer in some aspect of her life and may be is getting ready to fall in love again.
And last but not least was “Blood Noir” (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 16) by Laurell K. Hamilton. I didn’t like it! This series has lost its sparkle and freshness and is getting cheesy! I’m still a fan of Ms. Hamilton’s Merry Gentry series but Anita Blake is finished! Yeah, yeah, she is such a top bitch and getting more powerful and people are killing themselves to be with her…. Sheesh, Give me a break!
What else? Nothing much! Still trapped in our remodeling project, not gone shopping in ages, can’t eat much chocolate due to warm weather, and am watching all the movies I’ve missed this past couple of years. What a productive life I’m having!
Ooh and today due to getting bored in a seminar, have started to compose a couple of lists and now can’t stop my self and am making “To Do”, “To Read”, “To buy”, “To change”, “To wait for” and … lists!

Going back to favorites!

Well, so many things to read and so little time to write! Now, where should I start?
I checked out six of “Gossip Girl” series by Cecily Von Ziegesar to see what the hoopla was about: “Gossip Girl”, “You know you love me”, “I like it like that”, “Because I’m worth it”, “You are the one I want” and “The Carlyles”. I liked Blair and Serena and even Vanessa but not Nate! The guy is totally spineless! Oh forget it…
“Because your vampire said so” (Broken Heart, Oklahoma, Book 3) by Michele Bardsley. I’d read the first book and it was OK, this one is OK too. What kind of review is that? I couldn’t notice why all the singles in that little town were out in the night of attack! Very convenient I say! And all single parents? Come on! Do they really have to have each a couple of teenagers? Aside from that, this mixing of races and Blood wolf thing had me a little bored. In conclusion, although Ms. Bardsley has some great ideas for her series, she is not a very good storyteller or writer and mixing the folklore into the story has not improved the plot much.
“Secrets in the Shadows” by V.C. Andrews was another book about teen anguish and unhappiness. I didn’t like it; you are entitled to your own opinion!
“Seduced by magic” by Cheyenne McCray the second book of “Magic series” was fun. Too heavy in Celtic folklore with some changes from author but the story was sound and the characters interesting. I had read the first book upon publication and the second one did not disappoint. Should I go look for third and fourth?
Ooh yes, I finally got to read “The chocolate lovers' club” by Carole Matthews. I had started the book nearly a year ago and thought it is about problems of a group of chocoholics. Not that much! I was surprised, the book ended up being very funny with happy ending and a nice plot involving a great robbery! Loved it! Wish we had a "Chocolate Heaven" around the corner!
“Fool Moon” by Jim Butcher from Dresden Files was great. Harry is solving a mystery involving werewolves.
“She went all the way” by Meg Cabot was another of her cheesy romances, very simple and cute and without much complication.
“Le divorce” by Diane Johnson was worse than the movie. I was disappointed. It felt much unconnected and report like. Although one reason for my dislike might be that I don’t like lose unfinished stories that try to sound noire.
And finally reread for ten thousandth times “Pride and Prejudice” by all time genius Jane Austen. I can’t have enough of stuffy England aristocrat and their mossy manors in my current frame of mind. But don’t you all get frustrated with likes of Mr. Collins and embarrassed by Mrs. Bennet ramblings? Don’t you wish for a Mr. Darcy?
Austen is such a master (sorry! Mistress) of describing stuffy frustrating characters, you never get tired of reading her novels.
OK, this was my essay on how I’m spending my summer. What about you?

Reading Junk!

When you are depressed, the whole world is going against you. You can’t even find good books. I have no problem with junk foods (love them actually!) but junk book? No way Jose! A famous guy once said “every written word is worth reading at least once!” and I had the quote printed and hanged on my bookcase but after reading these books I changed my mind:
“She's no angel” by Leslie Kelly, a story happening in a town named Trouble. A New York cop going to his grandfather’s house meets a girl without shoes, car or a cell phone by the road. Well he has Hero syndrome and has to save her and the rest is history.
“Someone like him” by Karen Kendall is a modern day Cinderella story happening in Manhattan. Yeah, you guessed it: BORING!
“The Penwyth curse” by Catherine Coulter was a historical-paranormal romance. The characters were savage and rude, the story had a loose foundation and was all over the place. Very cheesy indeed!
Oh god, I hate romances! Why did I waste my time reading this junk? I feel sick!
Then “Unlucky in law” by Perri O'Shaughnessy, a bad murder-legal mystery. It was bad, story was cliché, take this one as a sample: the murderer killed because he had stolen something and he stole that thing because he just liked to look at it! What the heck!
“The black tattoo” by Sam Enthoven is a YA adventure book. The characters are fourteen and the book is written for teen and preteen boys. It is just like a computer game, all actions and swords and kicks and bangs: demons want to destroy the world, a teen gets super powers over night, angry teen hates his family…. Blah blah blah….
It is such a sad state, but actually this book was the best I’ve read this week! Yuck!

Five out of seven is not bad!

Did I ask for some good new books? Well, I found them at least for a week!
“On account of conspicuous women” by Dawn Shamp happens in 1920 and is the story of four women: Bertie a feminist, Ina a school teacher who was widowed in her honeymoon, Doodle a farmer girl and Bertie’s cousin, a girl who think modernism is in wearing the latest fashion. At the end, each has learned a lesson and has taken a big step toward independence.
“Miss Pettigrew lives for a day” by Winifred Watson and no! I didn’t see the movie! Anyway the book was great fun. I hope the movie is half as good because I put it in my list!
“Murder melts in your mouth: a Blackbird sisters’ mystery” by Nancy Martin. I love the Blackbird mysteries. In this one Nora’s best friend is entangle in a murder, Nora’s parents are back, Mike is there and not there. Libby is regrouping in a push hotel on someone else money and Emmy is pregnant. Talk about action packed.
Also it looks the series is finally going to end in a book or two.
“The anatomy of deception” by Lawrence Goldstone, a mystery which take place in 1880s. A team of medical students and their professor are trying to find a missing girl and find the killer of one of their colleague.
“Matala” by Craig Holden was boring, a tale of bored spoiled children looking for mischief all over Europe and con men and women doing everything for a little money.
“Enlightenment for idiots” by Anne Cushman was a cliché. Such a waste of time! A yoga instructor with a messed up life goes to India to find enlightenment. She is commissioned to write a travel book and keeps going from one ashram to another and practicing strange disciplines all over India. Her trip is caught short because she is pregnant by her on n’ off irresponsible boyfriend. She comes back, gives birth, turns in her book later than deadline and still has not found enlightenment. The moral lesson: stay right where you are.
My conclusion: take responsibility and get your act together before going on spiritual journeys!
“Dragons wild” by Robert Asprin. Oh gosh, this book was good, better than good, it was great. It was fun and entertaining; the story was well written and new. Loved the characters and the setting too! Imagine, it was happening in French Quarters in New Orleans and you get to take nightly strolls on the Moonwalk. How fun! Anyway, college graduate Griffen and his sister Valerie found out that they are the last of pure breed dragons and are in danger because other powerful dragons want to kill them or force them to join their organizations. Griffter (Griffen’s nickname) and Val escape to New Orleans, learn about their new powers and find a support group and yes, do illegal gambling! It is a great read. I recommend it to everyone, guys and gals both will enjoy it!

Long time, No post!

I’m getting a little depressed, all this hot weather’s fault! Had a long list of reading to do, but still am enjoying “Fearless Fourteen” (Stephanie Plum, No. 14) by Janet Evanovich.
Read “L’ Affaire” by Diane Johnson. Had seen the movie of “Le Divorce” and liked it, so it was with high expectations that I started “L’affaire” and glad to report, it didn’t disappoint me! Loved the characters, Amy specially; but why should we admire that womanizer Emile?
“Wolves in chic clothing” by Carrie Karasyov and Jill Kargman was much better than their “The Right Address”. Julia, Douglas, Lell, Polly, Hope and … were delightful.
Then “Momzillas” by Jill Kargman. Ms. Kargman showed she is a master in this book. But do people really go this crazy after they have kids?
“L.A. Woman” by Cathy Yardley was OK. The story of three women in LA, each with her own issues had a nice happy ending.
Two waste of time books by Victoria Laurie: “A Vision of Murder “(Psychic Eye Mysteries, Book 3) and “Demons Are a Ghoul's Best Friend” (Ghost Hunter Mysteries, Book 2). Very simplistic and cliché. Am not going to read anything from this author ever again!
Needing good books! Any recommendations?

Summer Hibernation

What you can do when it’s 80-90 degree outside? Read of course!
Read and re-read “Green riders” series by Kristen Britain. In “Green Rider”, Karigan who is suspended from school is running away to home when on the way meets a dieing Green rider with two black arrows in his back. The Green Riders are special force of messengers for the King and have special secret talents. The dieing rider asks Karigan to carry his urgent massage to King Zachary and Karigan story starts. She endures various adventures and hazards and delivers the massage, takes part in saving the king from his traitorous brother and kills a dark sorcerer. “First Rider’s Call” happens a couple of years later. Karigan has finished school and gone back to her merchant clan to run the business for her father but the ghost of the first rider keeps calling Karigan back to the King’s service. A dark spirit is awake behind the magical walls that protect the realm and the small crack the dark sorcerer made in the wall is growing. Also the descendants of imperial forces (a group of magical warriors who came to Karigan’s country a millennia ago with their dark leader Morhovan the Black and destroyed the land and people) are gathering and plotting. They call themselves the second empire. There is also the little matter of why every enemy Green Riders face somehow knows Karigan! Then in “High King’s Tomb” these Second Empire people have gathered and have a necromancer for a leader and making all sorts of trouble. Karigan has an apprentice, goes on a date, sword plays with a famous thief and rescues a kidnapped princess.
All great and everything, just one complain: Ms. Britain is such a slow writher. It will take years for the next book to come out!
Then the fourth book of Nightwalker series: “Damien” by Jacquelyn Frank. The story of shapeshifter princess Syreena and vampire prince Damien. the nightwalker races unite against Ruth but she is collecting powerfull allies too! It was much better than “Elijah” the last book, I tell ya!
Finally finished “Embrace the Night” (Cassandra Palmer Series, Book 3) by Karen Chance. Someone please tell me if this was the last book of the series. Cassandra finally breaks the geis and frees the vampire lord Mircea from going mad. She also learns that not all offers of help are sincere!
Another book of Dresden files: “Grave Peril” (The Dresden Files, Book 3) by Jim Butcher. I’m in love with Harry! he attendes a party and some one gives him his tombstone as a gift! His godmother wants to turn him to a hound and his frinds are facing a nightmare! Full of action!
What else? Oh yeah! How can I forget?! “The Courtesan's Secret” by Claudia Dain. It was great. I enjoyed it enormously! It was so delicious (wink!).
And three book of Elizabeth Adler: “Meet me in Venice”, “Summer in Tuscany”, and “The Hotel Riviera”. Her plots are uncomplicated and her characters simple but it is a joy to read about beautiful landscapes and romantic setting and great provincial food. Her books are like mini vacations, you get to relax and unwind. So refreshing!

In a fine summer afternoon

I have been reading nonstop this week. Oh, yes, I had a paper to finish and send to my professor and I was worrying about it. I wish I could learn to work harder instead of worrying … Anyway I took half day out of my precious readings and finished the darn thing. Then, what I read this week:
Two more books of Jim Butcher 's “Dresden Files”: “Storm Front” and “Small Favor”. My favorites this week! I’m so falling in love with Harry Dresden! Am thinking about buying the whole series!
“Queen of Dragons” by Shana Abe is the third book of Drakon series. Haven’t read the other books and this one was entertaining but not exceptional. I very much liked the character of Maricia but Kim’s character was lame. Contrary to what author wanted us to believe, he came out very weak minded and not a good leader.
“Friday’s Child” by Georgette Heyer was badly written. As I said about another book of her, Ms. Heyer writes like an eighteenth century author and a bad one in that! But the plot and cast of characters were great. Hero (Kitten) was crazy and delightful. Anthony was a model of 18-19 century noble Englishman, simple, honest, brave and honorable. Freddy was a fun coward and George was very Lord Byron (passionate, romantic, handsome). Miss Milborne reminded me of Miss Blanche in “Jane Eyre” and Gil… Oh, I wish he was real and I could travel back in time and meet him! Well, I also wish this story was written by a master of dialogues. It could have been so much better, but is a delight even now.
“The Last Twilight” (Dirk & Steele, Book 7) by Marjorie M. Liu: well, I can not say I didn’t like it, but… hmmmm, it could have been better. I have a problem with damaged scared heroes, so sue me! Anyway Amiri finds his love in a tortured and hunted doctor Rikki, Rictor makes an appearance and a new type of shapeshifter is introduced. I’m liking this series less and less, don’t know why!!!
“Legally Blonde” by Amanda Brown. OK, don’t laugh now! I loved the first movie. Elle Woods was fun and when I saw the book, I grabbed it. Actually I like the book much more and am planning to read the whole series. What? It is fun and lighthearted, kindda like chocolate mousse!
“Secrets of a Proper Lady” by Victoria Alexander is the third book of “The Last Man Standing” series. I loved it! The dialogues where great, all those oral sword plays between Daniel Sinclair and Lady Cordelia. Well it had a funny plot too, but I couldn’t feel a little cheated at the end. The finale let me down! I guess you can’t have everything, right?! So now, the last man is Oliver and the question remains: Is he going to have his book or not?
Then “The Accidental Mother” by Rowan Coleman which was a disappointment. Old plot, a friend dies and leaves the custody of her two small girls to her single career-oriented best friend. The father is missing. The career girl has lots of challenges, finds the father, make peace between father and girls and falls in love with the man! It was awful! Should she really leave everything and go to her dead best friend’s husband? Doesn’t it remind you of that little problem some women have? The problem of falling for their friends’ boyfriends and husbands and fiancés? The one which has its roots in jealousy? Yeah, that one! How convenient it was in this story! It just makes me mad! Ms. Coleman could have Sophie happily married to Jake but nooo!!! She should go for Louis, how totally stupid! The only lovely character was Artemis the cat, let me tell you!

I need some good books! Help!

Miss Me?

Ah, it’s not easy typing one handed! I have a fractured wrist and I’m trying to live my life normally! Huh, fat chance! It happened last Friday, before that I was busy with exams and visitors from out of town. And I’ve been reading a lot:
“Weekend in Paris” by Robyn Sisman. A shy and timid English marketing assistance finds out her promised weekend conference in Paris is her boss’s attempt to get her into bed and she quits her job. But she takes the train to Paris and meets new friends, a gorgeous French artist, and an older doctor who is very interested in her family name. Some revelations about her childhood and problems later, she is back to London with a brand new job!
Wish real life was that easy!
“Cupidity” by Caroline Goode is a YA. A brainy highschooler girl wants to fall in love and have a boyfriend so she writes to Jupiter the lord of gods and because the gods haven’t got a help request in a thousand years they take it way too seriously. It was simplistic and honestly bad written. Such a waste of topic!
Two books from Victoria Alexander “The last man standing” series: Four bachelors in Victorian England make wager to see who is going to marry last.
In “A Little Bit Wicked” Gideon and Judith meet and fall in love. He is a lord with land and title and a wicked way with women. She is a widowed lady with money of her own who values her independence. A selfish manipulative ex-wife, an opinionated aunt, four silly friends, a bitter sister-in-law and an abusive late husband later they are happily married and honeymooning in south of Spain.
“What a Lady Wants” starts when Lady Felicity is wishing upon a star for an adventurous man to fall in love with. Well, at that exact same time Nigel falls into her garden. The rest is up to Felicity to tame a man with Peter Pan syndrome.
Well four months after the wager two out of four are married, happily and in love. I usually don’t read romances and if I do it is often a disappointment. But I liked these books, the sharp dialogs and the crazy idealistic heroes. Am going to look forward to the last two books of the series, although I still think Ms. Alexander could do a better job with her heroes and plots.
“The Darcy Connection” by Elizabeth Aston was a disappointment. I was in mood for stuffy English writing but Ms. Aston’s plots and writing style left a lot to be desired. She had a bunch of interesting characters and she did nothing with them, just a luck warm copy of Jane Austen’s novels.
“Death of a Darklord” by Laurell K. Hamilton was dark, bitter and unhappy. Didn’t like it and I think the finale was disappointing and rushed.
“The little lady agency and the Prince” by Hester Browne was funny although the story was cliché. Maybe because I haven’t read the previous two books. Anyway out of 5, it makes a 2.
And finally my favorite this week was “Waking Brigid” by Francis Clark. In Savannah after the Civil war, strange murders are happening and the Catholic Church gets involved. Brigid, a nun now; was raised in Ireland and based on the Old ways. She knows to stop these crimes she needs a power stronger than church. She learns about “Walkers” and …
What a pity the author passed away and can not continue the story of “Walkers”.