Little Thoughts About Books and Stuff

The Results: I failed to read all 12 of my books. I did start and finish 6 books (linked below). I started and did not finish 3 books (crossed out below). I didn't get to 3 of the books on my list and will try to read those in 2016.   I'm always upset by not finishing books, and this year was no different. I had really high hopes for the 3 DNFs and was upset that I just couldn't get into them. I will start a book and if it takes me more than a week to pick it up (but I keep starting new books) then I know I'm not going to get into the book and that's what happened with all three.  They'll stay on my TBR list on Goodreads, but the books themselves have already been passed on to others who may enjoy them. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel The Dead Beat by Marilyn Johnson American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld Truth about Mr. Darcy by Susan Adriani The Physician's Irish Lady by Susan Macatee Against the Tide by Elizabe...

I have been feeling like I've been lagging behind, it was June and I had only read three books off my list.  I had read an ARC of another Alex Beecroft book and really enjoyed it so I went back and downloaded these three onto my Nook.  Then they sat there and sat there, and I kind of forgot about them until I put together my list for last year. I never got to them so I made sure they were on this year's list.  I feel like I caught up after reading these three in one month! Alex Beecroft writes male/male romance set during the Age of Sail. Her books are set during the 1700s. They all involve sailors and life on these ships. At the time any sexual relations between men was punishable by death, most commonly hanging. These men all live in fear of being discovered and facing an end at the gallows. (some spoilers) Blessed Isle by Alex Beecroft My rating: 4 of 5 stars This novella is told through the perspective of both Captain Harry Thompson and First Lieutenant Garr...

Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden My rating: 3 of 5 stars This book wasn't what I expected, I was thinking it would be about military intelligence and Lydia's job of translating. This was part of the story, but the bigger story was about the hard work at getting people to stop using opium and the fight the opium addiction that seemed to be very common during the time period. Lydia is orphaned when her father's boat doesn't return to port one day after she gets done school.  Growing up in an orphanage, she is scared of ending up back in those low points in her life. She keeps everything uber organized and Alexander loves to mess with her. Every time he visits the office he moves something on her desk. They have both been warned off each other, but they are both really attracted to the other. They start working together, Alexander needs a translator and Lydia is the best in Boston.  This leads them into trouble. All the trouble in this book is pretty much Alexand...

The Physician's Irish Lady by Susan Macatee My rating: 3 of 5 stars I don't know where I got this book (I'm thinking free download) but I have been wanting to read it for awhile now.  I knew putting on my TBR Pile this year would mean I would get to it and I was happy to finally get to it, but as you can see by my rating I wasn't thrilled. The story idea was good. An Irish lady escapes from indentured servitude in Australia and ends up in NYC. There she escapes being forced into prostitution and ends up on a train leaving Philadelphia.  She treats herself to an upgraded ticket and faints.  On the train is a doctor, who is very upstanding and he can't leave this poor girl alone at the train station.  So he take her home with him to his little Pennsylvania town where he lives with his aunt. The bad guy who tried to force her into prostitution shows up and claims she's his wife but with no proof the sheriff won't let him take her.  In order to protect her...

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean My rating: 5 of 5 stars I started off this year with some heavy reading (and listening) so I picked a lighter read off my list.  A friend highly recommended this book so I guess at some point I purchased it on my Nook.  I have to say I agreed with my friend that this book is worth a 5 star rating.  It was the perfect light read to balance out the heavy reading on my plate. Lady Calpurnia is firmly on the shelf and wants some adventure in her life.  She comes up with a list of things that men enjoy but ladies are barred from enjoying. Along the way she comes to the attention of notorious rake Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston. Scandal surrounds the house of Ralston and more is on the way with the arrival of a half-sister. Gabriel needs Callie's perfect reputation in order to bring his sister into society. I love a good Regency romance.  This one had a lot of the good key characterist...