Little Thoughts About Books and Stuff

Book Club This month we read Lady Sophia's Christmas Wish by Grace Burrowes 2011 Support Your Local Library Challenge I checked out six books and renewed a bunch too. Ice by Linda Howard (aduiobook) The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories by Dr. Seuss The First Husband by Laura Dave London Under by Peter Ackroyd Jane Austen's Emma by Nancy Butler and Janet Lee The Scandal of Lady Eleanor by Regina Jeffers Men in Uniform - 2011 Reading Challenge I read one book for this challenge this month: Ice by Linda Howard

Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish (2011) Author: Grace Burrowes Series: #1 in  Windham Sisters Published: October 1, 2011 Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca # Pages: 416 Description: "Grace Burrowes passes 'the hair rose on the back of my neck' test...{her} voice embeds itself in your brain." -USA Today A luminous  holiday tale of romance, passion, and dreams come true from rising star Grace Burrowes, whose award-winning Regency romances are capturing hearts worldwide. All she wants is peace and anonymity... Lady Sophie Windham has maneuvered a few days to herself at the ducal mansion in London before she must join her family for Christmas in Kent. Suddenly trapped by a London snowstorm, she finds herself with an abandoned baby and only the assistance of a kind, handsome stranger standing between her and complete disaster. But Sophie's holiday is about to heat up... With his estate in ruins, Vim Charpentier sees little to feel festive about this Christmas. ...

Book Club For October we read Divine Evil by Nora Roberts. This is one of my favorite books of her and I was happy to suggest it and glad it seemed to be well received. 2011 Support your Local Library Challenge This was a big month I checked out 13 books (as well as a few DVDs). One of the last ones I checked out was the Steve Jobs biography. This book is massive, I have no idea how I'm going to read it and write my NaNoWriMo novel in November. Men in Uniform 2011 Reading Challenge I read one book this month and technically he was a cop so I counted it but he was never in a real uniform.

Book: Divine Evil Author: Nora Roberts Description: Famed sculptor Clare Kimball has commanded the attention of the New York art world, but troubling memories from childhood have drawn her home to Maryland, to the town where she grew up and where her father died so long ago in circumstances never really explained. Nothing much has changed in Emmitsboro—except Cameron Rafferty, the onetime high-school bad boy turned town sheriff. The only hint of Cam’s wild nature is the light in his eyes when he looks at Clare. In Cam’s strong arms Clare is seduced into falling in love—and into believing that her small-town world is safe. But within the dark woods of Emmitsboro, something evil is spreading its poisonous power. Now Clare must pay the price for digging up the secrets of the past . . . and confront an evil that may be unstoppable—because those who practice it believe it is divine. (from Goodreads.com) Review: I'll be honest I almost forgot to do this post (kinda like last mo...

Book Club It was when I sat down to do this month in review that I realized I never did a book club posting. Then I couldn’t remember what we read, then it hit me, we read the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance book by C.L. Wilson and I obsessively read them all in like 2 weeks because the series was so good, but I didn’t like the first book all that much.   I soon came to remember that we really didn’t talk about the book at our meeting, so I’m going to blame that on why I didn’t write a post. I’ll make sure I write a really good one for October. We read the Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson. 2011 Support your Local Library Challenge I checked out seven books this month (as well as a few DVDs). I had a little bit of everything mixed in this month. Lady of Light and Shadows by  C. L. Wilson Queen of Song and Souls by  C. L. Wilson Crown of Crystal Flame by  C. L. Wilson Tea and Destiny by Sherryl Woods Save as Draft by Cavanaugh Lee Ready P...

Book Club For August we read A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man by Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan. I really liked the part written by Celeste Bradley. 2011 Support your Local Library Challenge I checked out seven books this month (as well as a few DVDs). I had a little bit of everything mixed in this month. Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai Cook this, not that! by David Zinczenko WeightWatchers new complete cookbook The good neighbor cookbook by Sara Quessenberry King of Sword and Sky by C. L. Wilson Men in Uniform 2011 Reading Challenge I didn't read any Men in Uniform books this month, but I did read quite a few about Highlanders in Kilts.

I found this over on the blog read this! : The Personal Libraries of Celebrities Diane Keaton's Home Library Some of these libraries are absolutely stunning.  I'm very green with envy, seeing as my own personal library is a few wooden book cases and baskets filled with books crammed into any available space in my house.  I will say that not all of them are my taste. I think a home library should be warm and inviting some place you want to curl up in and read a book, for me Keith Richards' would be my ideal followed by Nigella Lawson's but only if there's a big comfy chair to sit in. Click here to see the 19 other libraries that made the list . 

Now I'll be honest I'm not a huge James Patterson fan.  I've read a few of his books and I've enjoyed them, but I'm not reaching for his novels first.  I know he's very popular, his books are in constant circulation at the library and the holds list for his new book is always incredibly long.  That being said I don't think he should be considered for this list because of this co-author deal with his novels. I know authors use ghost writers and I'm fairly certain that some of my favorite authors use them too, but they still have novels coming out at a normal pace of one or two a year, sometimes three. But in this one year span James Patterson is credited with 10 books. He released 9 in 2010 and has currently 6 books out in 2011. I just question how involved he is in the writing of all these books and how much is the co-author and how much is him.  I kind of want to be cynical and think that it's the co-author writing the book and he just approves ...

I saw this over at Gallycat yesterday and just laughed. I laugh because it's absurd that one Sherlock Holmes book would be challenged over another when both would have questionable material.  I can understand challenging a book and I can understand when a book is removed (though I don't always agree it was the right decision). I don't understand why they would only challenge one book for one character's thought and not all Sir A.C. Doyle's books for the main characters continual use of drugs. Sherlock Holmes is a drug addict. If you've read the books, you know this fact. I can understand not wanting sixth graders to read about a man who uses cocaine when he's bored. If the book was challenged and banned from the reading list for this reason I'd accept it, it's understandable. The book wasn't. I've done some digging and found that A.C. Doyle apologized for his portrayals of Mormons in this book and admitted that he had been misled by the...

A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man Author: Celeste Bradley, Susan Donovan Published: 2011 Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks # Pages: 384 Plot Regency London’s most celebrated courtesan, The Blackbird, was a woman before her time—uninhibited, financially independent, and free to live by her own rules. Schooled in the sensual arts by the one man she loved the most, she recorded every wicked detail in her diaries… When Boston museum curator Piper Chase-Pierpont unearths The Blackbird’s steamy memoirs, she’s aroused and challenged by what she finds.  Could the courtesan’s diaries  be used as a modern girl’s guide to finding love and empowerment? One curious curator—and one very lucky man—are about to find out… (Goodreads.com) Review The book was written by two authors and from two points of view and was divided into four volumes. The historical story was about Ophelia Harrington, or as she was known for a time The Blackbird. The contemporary story was about Pi...

Book Club For July we read The Bride by Julie Garwood. Normally characters and plots like this one annoy me but I really enjoyed reading this book. 2011 Support your Local Library Challenge I checked out sevenbooks this month (as well as a few DVDs). I had a little bit of everything mixed in this month. I had a mystery, a historical romance, a nonfiction selection and cookbooks. Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an elite Navy Seal Sniper by Howard Wasdin  The Pleasures of Cooking for One by Judith Jones Solo Suppers: Simple Delicious Meals to Cook for Yourself by Joyce Goldstein The Wedding by Julie Garwood The Filter Bubble by Eli Pariser Beyond Heaving Bosoms by Sarah Wendell & Candy Tan Men in Uniform 2011 Reading Challenge SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an elite Navy Seal Sniper by Howard Wasdin  The Cop Next Door by Jenna Mills

The Bride Author: Julie Garwood Series: #1 in Lairds' Brides Series Published: 1989 Publisher: Pocket Star # Pages: 384 Desciption By edict of the king, the mighty Scottish laird Alec Kincaid must take an English bride. His choice was Jamie, youngest daughter of Baron Jamison...a feisty, violet-eyed beauty. Alec ached to touch her, to tame her, to possess her...forever. But Jamie vowed never to surrender to this highland barbarian. He was everything her heart warned against—an arrogant scoundrel whose rough good looks spoke of savage pleasures. And thought Kincaid's scorching kisses fired her blood, she brazenly resisted him...until one rapturous moment quelled their clash of wills, and something far more dangerous than desire threatened to conquer her senses... -- From Amazon.com Product Description Honestly, I can't really pick up what I liked and disliked from this book.  Normally I don't like books where I cringe over most of the actions of the ch...

Book Club For June we read Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh.  I loved it and quickly read through the rest of the series finishing Kiss of Snow while on vacation this month.  2011 Support your Local Library Challenge I checked out three books this month (as well as a few DVDs).  I’m still working my way through The Help and I love the three voice actresses they have for the audio book.   Three in Death by J. D. Robb The Help by Katheryn Stockett [audio book] Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares Men in Uniform 2011 Reading Challenge I didn’t r...

Slave to Sensation (2006) Author: Nalini Singh Series: #1 in Psy-Changelings Published: 2006 Publisher: Berkley # Pages: 352 Description In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of "rehabilitation"- the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was.... Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy co-existence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion-and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must ...

Book Club For May we read Cain’s Reckoning by Sarah McCarty.  This was quite an interesting discussion group.  Our one member didn't show, this book would have been very much NOT to her liking. Overall I think we liked the book, there was complaint that she was a rape victim and how the sex scenes just didn't fit with that part of her.  There was also a lot of discussion on who would or wouldn't be reading more of the series to find out about Desi's sister and the other men of Hell's Eight.  I might, but it would be down on my list of series to read.   2011 Support your Local Library Challenge I checked out eight books this month (as well as a bunch of DVDs and a magazine or two).  I passed my goal for the year of checking out 30 books.  I don’t know why I set my goal so low, so let’s move on and see how many I do check out this year.  I finished reading two of the books I checked out last month and I’m still working on finishing Final Jeopardy...

Caine's Reckoning (2007) Author: Sarah McCarty Series: #1 in Hell's Eight Erotic Adventures Published: 2007 Publisher: Spice # Pages: 480 Description The Hell's Eight is the only family he's ever needed, until he meets the only woman he's ever wanted? Caine Allen is a hardened Texas Ranger, defini ... more tely not the marrying kind. But when he rescues a kidnapped woman and returns her to town, the preacher calls in a favor. One Caine's honor won't let him refuse. From the moment he beds Desi, Caine knows turmoil will follow. Desi might have the face of a temptress, but she also has a will of iron and while she needs his protection, she's determined that no man will control her again. They establish an uneasy bond, but it isn't enough for Caine. He wants all Desi has to offer. He wants her screams, her moans, her demands; everything. Yet there's still a bounty on...

Book Club For April we read Lie with Me by Stephanie Tyler.  This was the first book in her Shadow Force series.  Overall I really liked the book and when I finished the book I put the next one on hold.  I have since read both and I’m patiently waiting the release of the next book in the series. Jane Austen Society of North America – Central NJ For April we read Lady Vernon and Her Daughter by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway.  The Authors were present at the meeting and it was great being able to discuss with them the changes and choices they made with Jane Austen’s Lady Susan. 2011 Support your Local Library Challenge I checked out six books this month (as well as a bunch of DVDs and a magazine or two).  I broke down and got Lover Unleashed because there was no way I could wait for the paperback in November to read it, and it was great! I read two more of the books I checked out Promises in the Dark and Invincible and I’m currently reading Final Je...