So… I read 309 books.
In one year.
I really, really don’t want to know the answer to 309 times the price of a book.
And I’m entirely too pleased with myself for finishing this, seeing as it is nine months after the end of the list-making.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Fin.
Book three-hundred-and-nine: Under the Rose
Under the Rose (2007)
Diana Peterfreund
Last book of the list. Wahoo!
I sort of liked the first in this series, liked this one and really liked the next.
However, there is definitely something about them that makes me come away feeling a little, I don’t know… stupid? I kind of feel like I’ve missed something, while at the same time feeling like the characters are completely missing the point as well.
Maybe it’s that I don’t really understand the whole secret society thing. I mean, how big of a deal can it possibly be?
Or perhaps I am just jealous that I had to spend the majority of my time during my undergrad studying. I mean, really, you are not going to graduate from a normal university if you spend your whole time running around doing things for a secret society that no one is supposed to know you are a part of.
See, that’s the me not getting it part.
The good part of this series is the characters (very real), the writing and the fact that months after reading it and when I couldn’t even remember some of the other books, I am still sitting here pondering if Amy would graduate in real life.
Amy Haskel made it into elite Eli University. Then she made it into the ultraselective Order of Rose & Grave. Now a senior, Amy is looking her future squarely in the eye—until someone starts selling society secrets. When a series of bizarre messages suggests conspiracy within the ranks and a female knight mysteriously disappears, no member of Rose & Grave is safe…or above suspicion.
On her side, Amy has a few loyal Diggirls—her fellow female Rose & Grave knights. Against her? Certainly it's a group of Rose & Grave's überpowerful patriarchs who want their old boys' club back. As new developments in her love life threaten to implode, and the case of the vanished Diggirl gets weirder by the moment, Amy will need to use every society trick she's ever learned in order to set things right. Even if it means turning to old adversaries for help—or discovering that the real foes are closer than she'd thought….
Friday 29/2/08
Book three-hundred-and-eight: Kidnapped
Kidnapped (2007)
Jo Leigh
I found this very confusing.
Okay, it's certainly an unconventional way for Manhattan heiress Tate Baxter to conquer her fears. But when your whole life takes place behind the tinted windows of a limo and your household staff are all gun-toting ex-CIA, drastic measures have to be taken.
Especially when one member of that staff has got her all hot and bothered. Chauffeur Michael Caulfield has just one assignment-- keeping Tate safe. But when she's kidnapped for real, the only way he can save her is to become a prisoner with her. He may be just "the help," but as her take-charge protector, he's the Michael of her sexual fantasies. Maybe a man she can trust and even dare to love? Except once out of his uniform, he isn't exactly laying bare all his secrets…to Tate.
Thursday 28/2/08
more...
Book three-hundred-and-seven: Bad Boys of Summer
Bad Boys of Summer (2006)
Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy, Amy Garvey
Really quite good.
Lazy days . . . steamy nights . . . and sweltering guys with rippling muscles doing what they do best . . .
Luscious by Lori Foster
Bethany Churchill just quit her lousy job, dumped her lousy boyfriend and moved into a new apartment. She's not looking for love, but her hot new landlord is determined to change her mind. SWAT officer Lucius Ryder - known to the women in the building as 'Luscious', much to his chagrin - is one sexy lawman, and before long Bethany is tempted to find out if he's really as delicious as his nickname.
It's About Time by Erin McCarthy
County prosecutor Trish Jones has had it with smooth-talking, under-performing suits. And though she's never had a thing for big, brawny guys, one look at Caleb Vancouver's bulges makes her think she might have been missing out. One Harley ride later they're back at her place, and she realizes that she has been missing out . . . on quite a lot . . .
Wish You Were Here by Amy Garvey
Photographer Mackenzie Pruitt knows exactly what she wants her future to look like, and this summer that means renovating a dilapidated shed into a studio. But when hunky carpenter Leo Dawson shows up, she'd much rather have his capable hands on her than on a hammer. He's not the kind of guy she always thought she'd fall for, but when he touches her, she can't imagine wanting anyone else .
Wednesday 27/2/08 more...
Book three-hundred-and-six: Take Me I’m Yours
Take Me I’m Yours (2002)
Elizabeth Bevarly
Very funny.
Fleeing her date, who, unbeknownst to her, is both mob-connected and married, Ruby Runyon crashes a posh party for the rish and famous and finds herself drawn to the handsome Keaton Hamilton Danning III, the chief adviser to one of the world's most snobbish royals.
Monday 25/2/08
Book three-hundred-and-five: Slightly Sinful
Slightly Dangerous (2004)
Mary Balogh
All of London is abuzz over the imminent arrival of Wulfric Bedwyn, the reclusive, cold-as-ice Duke of Bewcastle, at the most glittering social event of the season. Some whisper of a tragic love affair. Others say he is so aloof and passionless that not even the greatest beauty could capture his attention.
But on this dazzling afternoon, one woman did catch the duke’s eye and she was the only female in the room who wasn’t even trying. Christine Derrick is intrigued by the handsome duke?all the more so when he invites her to become his mistress. What red-blooded woman wouldn?t enjoy a tumble in the bedsheets with a consummate lover?with no strings and no questions asked. An infuriating lady with very definite views on men, morals, and marriage, Christine confounds Wulfric at every turn. Yet even as the lone wolf of the Bedwyn clan vows to seduce her any way he can, something strange and wonderful is happening. Now for a man who thought he’d never lose his heart, nothing less than love will do.With her trademark wit, riveting storytelling, and sizzling sexual sparks, Mary Balogh once again brings together two polar opposites: an irresistible, high-and-mighty aristocrat and the impulsive, pleasure-loving woman who shows him what true passion is all about. A man and a woman so wrong for each other, it can result only in the perfect match.Saturday 23/2/08
Book three-hundred-and-four: Slightly Sinful
Slightly Sinful (2004)
Mary Balogh
Meet the Bedwyns--six brothers and sisters--men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality....Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction...where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal...and where Alleyne Bedwyn, the passionate middle son, is cut off from his past--only to find his future with a sinfully beautiful woman he will risk everything to love.
As the fires of war raged around him, Lord Alleyne Bedwyn was thrown from his horse and left for dead--only to awaken in the bedchamber of a ladies' brothel. Suddenly the dark, handsome diplomat has no memory of who he is or how he got there--yet of one thing he is certain: The angel who nurses him back to health is the woman he vows to make his own. But like him, Rachel York is not who she seems. A lovely young woman caught up in a desperate circumstance, she must devise a scheme to regain her stolen fortune. The dashing soldier she rescued from near-death could be her savior in disguise. There is just one condition: she must pose as his wife--a masquerade that will embroil them in a sinful scandal, where a man and a woman court impropriety with each daring step...with every taboo kiss that can turn passionate strangers into the truest of lovers.
Saturday 23/2/08
more...
Book three-hundred-and-three: Slightly Tempted
Slightly Tempted (2003)
Mary Balogh
Meet the Bedwyns - six brothers and sisters - men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality. Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction...where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal...and where Morgan Bedwyn, the willful youngest daughter, discovers that true love is a temptation no woman can - or should - resist.Young. Ravishing. Exquisitely marriageable. From the moment he spies Lady Morgan Bedwyn across the glittering ballroom, Gervase Ashford, Earl of Rosthorn, knows he has found the perfect instrument of his revenge. But wedlock is not on the mind of the continent's most notorious rake. Nor is it of interest to the fiercely independent Lady Morgan herself...until one night of shocking intimacy erupts in a scandal that could make Gervase's vengeance all the sweeter. There is only one thing standing in his way: Morgan, who has achieved the impossible - she's melted his coolly guarded heart. For Gervase, only the marriage bed will do, but Morgan simply will not have him. Thus begins a sizzling courtship where two wary hearts are about to be undone by the most scandalous passion of all: glorious, all-consuming love.
Friday 22/2/08
Book three-hundred-and-two: Slightly Scandalous
Slightly Scandalous (2003)
Mary Balogh
Meet the Bedwyns…six brothers and sisters men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality.Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction…where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal…and where Freyja Bedwyn, the wild-hearted daughter, meets her match in a man as passionate, reckless, and scandalous as she.
Growing up with four unruly brothers has made Freyja Bedwyn far bolder than most society ladies. From feisty manner to long, tumbling hair, Lady Freyja is pure fire, a woman who seeks both adventure and freedom. Adventure soon finds her on a visit to Bath, when a handsome stranger bursts into Freyja's room and entreats her to hide him. His name is Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, a man with a hell-raising reputation of his own who is quickly intrigued by the independent beauty. So intrigued, in fact, that he makes her a surprising request: to pose as his fiancée and help thwart his family's matchmaking schemes. For two people determined to be free, it's the perfect plan…until passion blindsides them both. For as Joshua sets out to achieve his complete seduction of Freyja, a woman who has sworn off love is in danger of losing the one thing she never expected to give again: her heart…
Friday 22/2/08
Book three-hundred-and-one: Slightly Wicked
Slightly Wicked (2003)
Mary Balogh
Meet the Bedwyns…six brothers and sisters--men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality…Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction…where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal…and where Rannulf Bedwyn, the rebellious third son, enters into a liaison that is rather risqué, somewhat naughty, and…Slightly Wicked.
With his laughing eyes and wild, rakish good looks, Lord Rannulf Bedwyn is a hard man to resist. To Judith Law, a woman in need of rescue when her stagecoach overturns, Rannulf is simply her savior, a heroic stranger she will reward with one night of reckless passion before she must become a companion to her wealthy aunt. Imagine Judith's shock when the same stranger turns out to be among England's most eligible bachelors…and when he arrives at Harewood Grange to woo her cousin. Certainly, they had made no vows, no promises, but Rannulf never did forget his uninhibited lover…nor did she forget that one delicious night. And as scandal sets the household abuzz, Rannulf proposes a solution…but when Judith refuses to have him--in love or wedlock--Rannulf has only one choice: to wage a campaign of pure pleasure to capture the heart of the woman who has already won his.
Friday 22/2/08
Book three-hundred: In Your Arms Again
In Your Arms Again (2004)
Kathryn Smith
Kathryn Smith writes really, really good stories of lost love reunited.
This cover makes me giggle.
Try as she might, Lady Octavia Vaux-Daventry cannot make herself fall in love with her groom-to-be. But a marriage to one of society's wealthiest noblemen will provide her a life so unlike her impoverished London childhood, and fulfill the promise she made to her grandfather so long ago. So it is more than inconvenient when the man who once possessed her heart bursts back into her world - at the request of her betrothed - and restarts a fire she thought was extinguished. Having earned a reputation as society's favorite criminal investigator, former Bow Street Runner North Sheffield cannot believe Octavia is the woman he's been hired to protect. If anything, she is more desirable than the day they were forced to separate - and even more unwilling to let the passion that still flares between them break the promises she must keep. But North is determined - not only will he do anything to keep his lost love safe, but he will risk it all to get her back into his arms again.
Thursday 21/2/08
Book two-ninety-nine: Let Sleeping Rogues Lie
Let Sleeping Rogue’s Lie (2008)
Sabrina Jeffries
Rating: 3.75/5
Obviously it goes without saying that I still can’t wait for Charlotte and Michael.
When Madeline Prescott took a teaching position at Mrs. Harris's School for Young Ladies, it was to help restore her father's reputation. Instead, she's in danger of ruining her own. The devilishly handsome Anthony Dalton, Viscount Norcourt, has agreed to provide "rake lessons" to Mrs. Harris's pupils so they can learn how to avoid unscrupulous gentlemen, and Madeline is to oversee his classes.
She has always believed that attraction is a scientific matter, easily classified and controlled -- until she's swept into the passionate desire that fiercely burns between her and Anthony. Nothing could be more illogical than risking everything for a dalliance with a rake -- even one who's trying to behave himself. Yet nothing could be more tempting....
Wednesday 20/2/08
Book two-ninety-eight: Slightly Married
Slightly Married (2003)
Mary Balogh
Rating: 3.75/5
Another I remembered to rate. My favourite in this serious is definitely Slightly Dangerous, but this one is very good too.
Meet the Bedwyns…six brothers and sisters--men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality…Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction…where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal…and where Aidan Bedwyn, the marriage-shy second son, discovers that matrimony may be the most seductive act of all.…
Mary Balogh
Rating: 3.75/5
Another I remembered to rate. My favourite in this serious is definitely Slightly Dangerous, but this one is very good too.
Meet the Bedwyns…six brothers and sisters--men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality…Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction…where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal…and where Aidan Bedwyn, the marriage-shy second son, discovers that matrimony may be the most seductive act of all.…
Like all the Bedwyn men, Aidan has a reputation for cool arrogance. But this proud nobleman also possesses a loyal, passionate heart--and it is this fierce loyalty that has brought Colonel Lord Aidan to Ringwood Manor to honor a dying soldier's request. Having promised to comfort and protect the man's sister, Aidan never expected to find a headstrong, fiercely independent woman who wants no part of his protection…nor did he expect the feelings this beguiling creature would ignite in his guarded heart. And when a relative threatens to turn Eve out of her home, Aidan gallantly makes her an offer she can't refuse: marry him…if only to save her home. And now, as all of London breathlessly awaits the transformation of the new Lady Aidan Bedwyn, the strangest thing happens: With one touch, one searing embrace, Aidan and Eve's "business arrangement" is about to be transformed…into something slightly surprising.
Tuesday 19/2/08
Book two-ninety-seven: Burning Up
Burning Up (2008)
Sarah Mayberry
I only read this because the author was Australian. And it was set in the Blue Mountains. Apart from the whole bushfire thing, it did not strike me as particularly Australian.
Somebody get some ice… it's steamy in here! Spending a month as personal chef for an overindulged--and mouthwatering--man? Sophie Gallagher is so up for the challenge. She's immune to charm…or so she thinks. Because when big-screen star Lucas Grant turns up the temptation, she discovers--up close and personal--he's earned the name hottest man alive. Sophie is fun, vivacious and couldn't be further from Lucas's bimbo bombshell type. Much to his surprise, she's captivated him. But as sizzling as they are between the sheets, once his hiatus is over, the credits will roll on this fling. Saying goodbye, however, isn't as easy as he'd thought. Will this production be The End of the Affair… or Love Actually?
Monday 18/2/08
Book two-ninety-six: My Surrender
My Surrender (2005)
Connie Brockway
Charlotte Nash is the most impulsive of the Nash sisters. Using her position as one of London's most popular and naughty debutantes, she assists English spies in conveying messages that will help them infiltrate Napoleon's inner circle -- and fulfill the mission her father died trying to achieve.
But only as a courtesan can she infiltrate London's most notorious gatherings and retrieve a crucial document. Is she ready to take part in a deception that will leave her reputation in shreds? And when Highlander Dand Ross -- a dangerous, disreputable blackguard -- reappears in her life and offers his aid, dare she accept it? The exquisite pleasure she finds in his arms might be worth the price of her surrender, but is the dark Highlander who loves her so passionately really just luring her toward the ultimate betrayal?
Saturday 16/2/08
more...
Book two-ninety-five: My Pleasure
My Pleasure (2004)
by Connie Brockway
By day, celebrated beauty Helena Nash works as a proper companion to one of London's most disagreeable ladies. By night she acts as an illicit messenger between two separated lovers.
Masked and disguised, she falls into the path of a shadowy stalker. Fearing for her safety but unwilling to halt her nocturnal forays, Helena seeks out Ramsey Munro -- one of three men who pledged years earlier to serve her family in times of need. Handsome and elusive, the notorious Scotsman is London's most accomplished swordsman and represents everything Helena wants but can't have -- freedom, adventure, and passion. Now she demands that he teach her his formidable skills, a commission that may prove cool, collected Helena's undoing. For Ramsey has seen through her disguise...and soon vows to teach her both the way of the sword and the deliciously wicked pleasures of the flesh.
Friday 15/2/08 more...
Book two-ninety-four: Desperate Duchesses
Desperate Duchesses (2007)
Eloisa James
Re-reading.
Welcome to a world of reckless sensuality and glittering sophistication . . . of dangerously handsome gentlemen and young ladies longing to gain a title . . . of games played for high stakes, including—on occasion—a lady's virtue.
A marquess's sheltered only daughter, Lady Roberta St. Giles falls in love with a man she glimpses across a crowded ballroom: a duke, a game player of consummate skill, a notorious rakehell who shows no interest in marriage—until he lays eyes on Roberta. Yet the Earl of Gryffyn knows too well that the price required to gain a coronet is often too high. Damon Reeve, the earl, is determined to protect the exquisite Roberta from chasing after the wrong destiny. Can Damon entice her into a high-stakes game of his own, even if his heart is likely to be lost in the venture?
Thursday 14/2/08
Book two-ninety-three: Shameless
Shameless (2008)
Tori Carrington
I remember finding the “hero” very unheroic.
An indecent proposal. A friendship betrayed.
One-night-only anonymous sex with a stranger? Seems too wanton even for Nina Leonard.
Until it's insinuated that the mystery man might be one of her business partners--two guys she adores who also happen to be complete hotties. Out comes the blindfold, and Nina has the steamiest night of her life.
Now she's got to have more--only, no one's fessing up. One of her two best friends rocked her world that night. But which one was it? If she guesses wrong, she could lose them both….
Wednesday 13/2/08
Book two-ninety-two: Your Bed or Mine
You’re Bed or Mine (2008)
Kate Hoffman
I have blocked all knowledge of reading this from my mind, so I have no idea if it was good or not.
Caley Lambert didn't expect that a few nights at the family cottage for her sister Emma's wedding would turn her life upside down. But that was before she got lost in the dark, was propositioned by a cop and ended up in the wrong bed with the brother of the groom.
When she and Jake Burton were teenagers, Jake had been the perfect boy next door—and the object of Caley's most daring fantasies. But that was back when she was a kid. Caley's definitely over him now. Or so she thinks…
Because the perfect boy is all man now. Not to mention an endlessly inventive lover…
Tuesday 12/2/08 more...
Book two-ninety-one: Tex Appeal
Tex Appeal (2008)
Kimberly Raye, Alison Kent and Cara Summers
Rating: 1.5/5
Hmm, I gave this one a rating at the time of reading. I must have felt strongly about that 1.5 to have noted it down so diligently. Why I didn’t do that for all of them, I have no idea. I’m just not that organised.
What do you get when you take a hunky former rodeo star, a real good old boy and a randy Ranger and pair them with three women who desperately need to get some action between the sheets? A Valentine's Day with tons of Tex appeal!
Real Good Man by Kimberly Raye Cheryl
Anne Cash is now an official "carnal" coach! And she can't wait to show her former lover exactly what he's been missing….
Unbroken by Alison Kent
Dr. Tess Autrey is no buckle bunny. But a certain wickedly sexy rancher may change her mind!
I Can Still Feel You… by Cara Summers
Months ago, Macy's Texas Ranger lover disappeared in the night. Now he's back--and she has some very naughty ideas about evening the score….
Monday 11/2/08
Book two-ninety: Girl at Sea
Girl at Sea (2007)
Maureen Johnson
Rating: 4.5/5
Most excellent.
Sometimes you have to get lost.
Sometimes you have to get lost.
The Girl: Clio, seventeen, wants to spend the summer smooching her art-store crush, not stuck on a boat in the Mediterranean. At least she'll get a killer tan.
The Mission: Survive her father's annoying antics. Oh, also find some underwater treasure that could be the missing link to a long-lost civilization.
The Crew: Dad's absentminded best friend Martin, his scary girlfriend Julia, her voluptuous daughter Elsa . . . and then there's Aidan, Julia's incredibly attractive, incredibly arrogant research assistant.
What's going on behind Aidan's intellectual, intensely green eyes, anyway?
As Clio sails into uncharted territory she unveils secrets that have the power to change history. But her most surprising discovery is that there's something deeper and more mysterious than the sea—her own heart.
Sunday 10/2/08
more...
Book two-eighty-nine: Upon the Midnight Clear
Upon the Midnight Clear (2007)
Sherrilyn Kenyon
This was very short and rather formularised.
Ever think Scrooge had it right before the ghosts ruined his life?
Meet Aidan O'Conner.At one time he was a world-renowned celebrity who gave freely of himself and his money without wanting anything in return...until those around him took without asking.
Now Aidan wants nothing of the world—or anyone who's a part of it. When a stranger appears at his doorstep, Aidan knows he's seen her before…in his dreams.Born on Olympus as a goddess, Leta knows nothing of the human world. But a ruthless enemy has driven her from the world of dreams and into the home of the only man who can help her: Aidan.
Her immortal powers are derived from human emotions—and his anger is just the fuel she needs to defend herself…One cold winter's night will change their lives forever…Trapped together in a brutal winter storm, Aidan and Leta must turn to the only power capable of saving them—or destroying them both: trust.
Saturday 9/2/08
Book two-eighty-eight: You’ve Got Male
You’ve Got Male (2005)
Elizabeth Bevarly
I really liked this. I hadn’t read anything by Beverly before, but have tracked down a few of her books since. I like her writing style because she is very funny and witty, but sometimes I get a bit bored by the pages and pages of thinking and deciding. Its usually worth it, though.
AveryIsIn: hi HJFan -- you'll never guess what happened. Supposedly I'm a dangerous cybercriminal, and the feds have come knocking down my door. They think I'm in contact with some supervillain -- but I never leave the house, and you're the only one I talk to. Lv it to the govt, huh? LOL
DixonOPUS: Avery Nesbitt made e-mail contact with target today. Although suspect seems unaware of target's true identity, I can't be sure she's uninvolved. My next move: get inside. Time to rattle Ms. Nesbitt's perfect online world.
Friday 8/2/08
Book two-eighty-seven: My Wildest Ride
My Wildest Ride (2008)
Isabel Sharpe
I have recorded this as “Stupid Martini Diaries book”, so I guess I didn’t like it that much.
"Seduce the man you are most attracted to. Tonight."
Boston bar owner Lindsay Beckham is in shock. She created the M&B club for all the feisty females who frequent Chassy. She has to fulfill her dare. Why not with Denver Langston, who mixes a mean Sex on the Beach cocktail? "
Slowly get to know the woman you are most attracted to. Think long-term."
Denver's fallen hard for Lindsay, but he knows she's vulnerable and hiding something. When she's suddenly seducing him over martinis, he's not about to complain. But can this wild sexual ride go drastically off course?
Thursday 7/2/08
Book two-eighty-six: My Seduction
My Seduction (2004)
Connie Brockway
From booklist (because I am lazy):
Katherine Blackburn has little use for heroes. After being married less than a year, her husband was killed in battle and her father died rescuing three young men in war-torn France.
Now Kate has one chance to regain financial security for herself and her two sisters, but her carefully wrought plan is threatened by Kit MacNeill, one of the young men her father saved. Determined to repay the debt he owes her family, he insists on accompanying Kate on her dangerous trip through Scotland, where she intends to charm a distant relative into providing for her family. Kit objects to her plan, but he has pledged not only to protect Kate but also to obey her.
Readers who relish witty, outspoken, and slightly stubborn heroines, and dark, dangerous heroes possessed of a lethal form of grace, will find much to savor in RITA Award-winning Brockway's latest, the first in a promising new trilogy. With this wonderfully complex, compelling Regency historical, Brockway demonstrates not only that she can fashion frothy romps but that she is equally adept at crafting dark, edgy, and sublime romances. John Charles
Tuesday 5/2/08
Tuesday 5/2/08
Book two-eighty-five: Never Deceive a Duke
Never Deceive a Duke (2007)
Liz Carlyle
Rating: 2.5/5
Better than the first in the series, I guess.
They call her the porcelain princess...
With her fragile beauty and regal bearing, the Duchess of Warneham knows how to keep her admirers at a distance. Twice wed and twice widowed, Antonia has vowed never again to marry; never again to surrender her freedom. But when her husband's death is deemed suspicious, and his long-lost heir returns to seize control of the dukedom, she finds that fate has placed her future in yet another man's hands -- but not just any man.
They call him a cold-hearted bastard...
Deep in London's docklands, Gareth Lloyd runs Neville Shipping with an iron fist. Unrecognizable as the starving orphan who was abandoned by his family and sent an ocean away from home, Gareth has put his troubled past behind him. That is, until the Duke of Warneham is murdered, and Gareth turns out to be the dynasty's last living heir. Wrenched from his solitude, Gareth neither wants nor needs the honors and obligations of nobility -- especially the Duke's all-too-tempting widow.... Or does he?
Sunday 3/2/08
Book two-eighty-four: Murder on Astor Place
Murder on Astor Place (1999)
Victoria Thompson
Rating: 4.75/5
Since finishing (or not finishing) this list, I have read the rest of this series and am waiting impatiently for the next one. Soooo good.
From Publishers Weekly:
Sprinkled with fascinating details of turn-of-the-century New York City, Thompson's old-fashioned mystery takes the reader from the mansions of Fifth Avenue to the flophouses of the Lower East Side. Sarah Brandt is a midwife who has been estranged from her wealthy family for years. When Alicia VanDamm, a young woman from a prominent family, is murdered, Sarah must return to the upper-class society she has scorned to find the killer. Haunted by her past and disgusted by police department corruption, Sarah takes it upon herself to avenge the girl's death. Annoyed at first by her interference, Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy asks for Sarah's help only when he has been taken off the case at the request of the victim's scandal-fearing family. The feisty midwife and the ambitious policeman grudgingly become allies in their search for justice. Sarah and Frank are appealing characters, and the author develops their rapport subtly and believably. In this first installment in a new series of historical mysteries, Thompson vividly re-creates the gas-lit world of old New York, concluding her mystery with revelations that will shock even 20th-century readers.Saturday 2/2/08
Book two-eighty-three: Highlander Untamed
Highlander Untamed (2007)
Monica Mccarty
Hmm, I have just remembered that I wanted to read the second in this series… At least I think it was this series….
Rory MacLeod is a bold and powerful Highland Chief with only one allegiance–to his clan. He vows revenge against the rival MacDonald clan, though duty demands a handfast marriage to Isabel MacDonald–a bride he does not want and has no intention of keeping. But Rory couldn’t have anticipated the captivating woman who challenges his steely control, and unleashes the untamed passion simmering beneath his fierce exterior.
Blessed with incomparable beauty, Isabel MacDonald is prepared to use every means possible–including seduction–to uncover her husband’s most guarded secrets. Instead Rory awakens Isabel’s deepest desires and her sweetest fantasies. Now Isabel has found the happiness she’s always dreamed of with the very man she must betray, and discovers that passion can be far more dangerous than revenge.
Friday 1/2/08
more...
Monica Mccarty
Hmm, I have just remembered that I wanted to read the second in this series… At least I think it was this series….
Rory MacLeod is a bold and powerful Highland Chief with only one allegiance–to his clan. He vows revenge against the rival MacDonald clan, though duty demands a handfast marriage to Isabel MacDonald–a bride he does not want and has no intention of keeping. But Rory couldn’t have anticipated the captivating woman who challenges his steely control, and unleashes the untamed passion simmering beneath his fierce exterior.
Blessed with incomparable beauty, Isabel MacDonald is prepared to use every means possible–including seduction–to uncover her husband’s most guarded secrets. Instead Rory awakens Isabel’s deepest desires and her sweetest fantasies. Now Isabel has found the happiness she’s always dreamed of with the very man she must betray, and discovers that passion can be far more dangerous than revenge.
Friday 1/2/08
Book two-eight-two: Strokes of Midnight
Strokes of Midnight (2004)
Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L. A. Banks and Lori Handeland
So, I’ve finally decided to finish updating my list. Only nine months late, but whatever.
No ratings as I cannot remember really what I thought. I do remember this book though, which I suppose is a good thing....
Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L. A. Banks and Lori Handeland
So, I’ve finally decided to finish updating my list. Only nine months late, but whatever.
No ratings as I cannot remember really what I thought. I do remember this book though, which I suppose is a good thing....
In an unseen world that lurks in the shadows, they roam the night-feral, passionate, and dangerous. And when their world touches ours, a primitive desire takes hold, leaving mere mortals powerless in its wake...
Four of romance's most intriguing authors have come together to create a mesmerizing anthology-unforgettable tales of vampires, shapeshifters, and were-wolves. At the heart of these deeply sensual tales are everyday people facing extraordinary events-men and women thrown together by fate and an irresistible desire. In this world, your eyes can betray you as myth becomes reality, curses are vanquished, and love is the only weapon that can stand in the face of evil.
Finished: Friday 1/2/08
more...
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Book two-eighty-one: One Wild Wedding Night
One Wild Wedding Night (2008)
Leslie Kelly
Rating: 2.5/5
I really just wanted to find out what happened with Bridget and Dean, so I am happy now. This was different in that each story only went for about forty pages. The thing I was really impressed with was that each of the stories had enough background and realistic characters that they could have been a full length novel.
This is one super-sexy wedding night these five women will never forget! Meet the lucky bridesmaids:A totally hot FBI agent offers his full-body protection to very willing witness Bridget Donahue…Stripper Leah Muldoon bares it all for a sexy stranger in a limo, much to their mutual satisfaction!Wild big-city attorney Mia Natale is in for the best sex of her life. But who is that other guy?When dancer Vanessa McKee unexpectedly sees a man from her past, they rediscover their insatiable lust!A breathless night in the arms of a seductive European lover should definitely spice up Gloria Santori's marriage….
Finished: Tuesday 29/1/08
Book two-eighty: Scandal in Spring
Scandal in Spring (2006)
Lisa Kleypas
Rating: 2/5
At first I was disappointed that this was about Cam. Hadn’t he been groping her in the book I just read in this series. By the end of the third chapter, however, I had decided I like Matthew for Daisy better.
I think I would have enjoyed this more if I had read the first book in the series (or may be the first two for that matter). As it was I wanted to slap Lillian for the majority of this book and it wasn’t even about her, so I don’t think I’ll be reading her story any time soon. Anyway, my point was, that if I knew more about her or was invested in her character in anyway, I may have understood why she was so selfish and controlling and mostly mean.
After spending three London seasons searching for a husband, Daisy Bowman's father has told her in no uncertain terms that she must find a husband. Now. And if Daisy can't snare an appropriate suitor, she will marry the man he chooses—the ruthless and aloof Matthew Swift.
Daisy is horrified. A Bowman never admits defeat, and she decides to do whatever it takes to marry someone . . . anyone . . . other than Matthew. But she doesn't count on Matthew's unexpected charm . . . or the blazing sensuality that soon flares beyond both their control. And Daisy discovers that the man she has always hated just might turn out to be the man of her dreams.
But right at the moment of sweet surrender, a scandalous secret is uncovered . . . one that could destroy both Matthew and a love more passionate and irresistible than Daisy's wildest fantasies. Finished: Monday 28/1/08
Book two-seventy-nine: The Princess and the Hound
The Princess and the Hound (2007)
Mette Ivie Harrison
A very good fairy tale.
He is a prince, heir to a kingdom threatened on all sides, possessor of the animal magic, which is forbidden by death in the land he'll rule.
She is a princess from a rival kingdom, the daughter her father never wanted, isolated from true human friendship but inseparable from her hound. Though they think they have little in common, each possesses a secret that must be hidden at all costs. Proud, stubborn, bound to marry for the good of their kingdoms, this prince and princess will steal your heart, but will they fall in love?
Finished: Sunday 27/1/08
Book two-seventy-eight: The Forever Summer
The Forever Summer (2007)
Suzanne Macpherson
This book was weird. I don’t know why, but it just didn’t read like a whole book, more like the summary of another, longer, more in-depth book that might have contained some character development.
Emily Ruth Griffin is dead.
Perfectly beautiful, perfectly rich and perfectly bitchy until the day she keeled over in the local supermarket, she’s now happily haunting the fresh produce aisle.
Lila Abbott sees dead people.
She also has a knack for convincing them to quit haunting places and go rest in peace somewhere else. But getting Emily Ruth to give up the ghost is tough. There’s something suspicious about her death and Lila needs to find out what. Surely it can’t be anything to do with Emily Ruth’s ex-husband, the jaw-droppingly gorgeous Lucas? Maybe Lila should investigate him more closely. Just in case…
Finished: Saturday 26/1/08
Book two-seventy-seven: Secret Admirer
Secret Admirer (2002)
Michelle Jaffe
This wasn’t as scary as Lady Killer, but I did spend the whole time wondering why they didn’t remove themselves from her house. I mean, come on, the killer has broken in multiple times, proven that he can come and go without them noticing and they still decide to stay there? WHY?
There is this whole weird bit towards the end of the story, where you think its all over, then there’s a whole other drama. That being said, this didn’t seem to twist all over the place like the other one did.
She still has over-foreshadowed the end of most chapters, but the very funny and witty dialogue makes up for it.
I wouldn’t mind reading more about the secondary characters, but I think all the books about them are out of print.
He wanted to be her dream man... Lady Tuesday Arlington seeks refuge from the horrible nightmares that invade her sleep by doing what she does best--she paints them. But when her husband is found dead in a setting identical to one she has painted, she becomes the prime suspect in his murder. Lawrence Pickering, special investigator to Her Majesty the Queen, takes over the inquiry and cannot help but fall for the beautiful and talented Tuesday. But a cruelly sinister presence waits in the shadows to turn their picture perfect love into a masterpiece of murder.
Finished: Saturday 26/1/08
Book two-seventy-six: Devil in Winter
Devil in Winter (2006)
Lisa Kleypas
Rating: 3.5/5
I really enjoyed this. I thought it started at just the right place: with her asking him to marry her. No boring background or build up or prologue. It started at the start of the story and I was sucked into the story straight away.
Also, I pretty much laughed at anything Sebastian said.
A devil's bargain
Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, once her inheritance comes due. Because she must first escape the clutches of her unscrupulous relatives, Evie has approached the rake Viscount St. Vincent with a most outrageous proposition: marriage!
Sebastian's reputation is so dangerous that thirty seconds alone with him will ruin any maiden's good name. Still, this bewitching chit appeared, unchaperoned, on his doorstep to offer her hand. Certainly an aristocrat with a fine eye for beauty could do far worse.
But Evie's proposal comes with a condition: no lovemaking after their wedding night. She will never become just another of the dashing libertine's callously discarded broken hearts -- which means Sebastian will simply have to work harder at his seductions...or perhaps surrender his own heart for the very first time in the name of true love.
Finished: Friday 25/1/08
Book two-seventy-five: Overexposed
Overexposed (2007)
Leslie Kelly
Rating: 2.5/5
This was all right. I really want to find out what happens with Bridget and Dean – who have a bit of a sub-plot going on. I guess she is going to write a book about them… ooo, I think it’s a short story. Oh well.
Isabella Natale is living a double life. By day she turns out desserts in the family bakery. But at night she transforms into The Crimson Rose, Chicago's hottest exotic dancer, an enigmatic siren whose velvet mask and G-string drive men wild. Nobody knows about her secret—not even Nick Santori, the strip club's hot new bodyguard…and her first crush. He'd always treated little "Izzy" as just another sweet kid. But there's nothing sweet about his sizzling reaction to Rose….
So what's a girl to do but show the man of her dreams that while it's okay to look, it's much better to touch?
Finished: Thursday 24/1/08
Book two-seventy-four: Casey
Casey (2007/2002)
Lori Foster
Rating: 2/5
Okay, found out. This was also pretty good.
I had to buy this one in a bind up with another Lori Foster book, hence the different cover.
As a teen, Emma Clark was the girl with the bad reputation— and trying to get Casey Hudson into bed hadn't helped! Not only was he the cutest guy in town, but he was also the only one who'd really seemed to care about her—so much so that the usually hot-blooded teen had resisted all her awkward advances. Now, eight years later, it's a different story.
Finished: Wednesday 23/1/08
Book two-seventy-three: Jasper
Jasper (2007/2000)
Lori Foster
Rating: 2/5
This was all right. I really just want to find out what happens with Casey and Emma.
Jordan Sommerville was a healer of helpless animals, rescuer of strays, a man who could seduce a woman with his voice alone. Yet he didn't use that power often. His brothers kidded that he was holding out for a paragon of virtue and not many in Buckhorn qualified. But then he met Georgia, and broke all his own rules.
Georgia Barnes supported herself and her kids as a dancer—an exotic dancer. If Jordan Sommerville didn't like it, he could take a hike. So what if he was the most caring, gentle, desirable man she'd ever known—he was still a man like all the rest. Surely he couldn't be as perfect as he looked—or could he?Finished: Wednesday 23/1/08
Book two-seventy-two: Gabe
Gabe (2007/2000)
Lori Foster
Rating: 2/5
This was my favourite of the series, because I thought Gabe was the funniest.
Gabe Kasper, heartthrob of Buckhorn County, could have had any woman he wanted— if he'd had a mind to settle down. Which he didn't. The freedom of being a jack-of-all-trades with no one to answer to suited him just fine. And then a prickly, uptight, red-haired college woman showed up.—
Elizabeth Parks needed Gabe to complete her thesis on heroism, but he didn't seem to think saving a couple of lives made him a hero. She was inclined to agree that he seemed like the exception to the rule. Until he rescued her heart and soul with his fearless passion.
Finished: Tuesday 22/1/08
Book two-seventy-one: Morgan
Morgan (2007/2000)
Lori Foster
Rating: 2/5
I bought this series in one book, so I suppose I will just keep reading… this one was also pretty funny.
Morgan Hudson commanded a lot of respect as Buckhorn's biggest, baddest sheriff. How one petite city woman could turn him on his head was a mystery, not to mention being downright aggravating. But Misty Malone did just that, and Morgan couldn't wait till she went back where she belonged. But then he discovered why she'd come in the first place.
Misty Malone had hoped to take refuge with her sister, who'd just married into a family of sinfully attractive brothers. They all treated her like gold— all but one. Morgan seemed to think she was some sort of femme fatale, out to seduce his brothers. But seduction was the last thing on her mind. Foremost was the baby she was secretly carrying. And then, how to avoid the sexual sparks flying between her and Morgan.
Finished: Tuesday 22/1/08
Book two-seventy: Sawyer
Sawyer (2007/2000)
Lori Foster
Rating: 2/5
Continuing my foray into category fiction… this was pretty good. Although some scenes had so many characters in them I had trouble keeping track, it was pretty amusing.
Honey Malone was on the run, fleeing a dangerous predator, when she lost control of her car, drove into a lake—and found herself up to her neck in breathtaking men. After the brothers nursed her through her injuries, she tried to leave, but she hadn't bargained on their stubborn protectiveness. Or the passionate bond that tied her to Sawyer.
Finished: Monday 21/1/08
Book two-sixty-nine: Marked
Marked (2007)
P.C. Cast and Kristan Cast
This has a very interesting premise and a lot of intrigue (who exactly is evil?). Hopefully it will gain a bit of momentum as the series continues, because not that much really happens in this...you know, besides her becoming a vampire. Whatever.
The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.
Finished: Monday 21/1/08
Book two-sixty-eight: The Queen of Cool
The Queen of Cool (2007)
Cecil Castellucci
Rating: 3/5
Good, but it was so short I felt like it was over just as I was starting to get to know the characters.
On the outside, Libby Brin is the most popular girl in school. But on the inside, Libby is dying — of boredom. In a moment of desperation, Libby signs up for an internship at the Los Angeles Zoo, much to the dismay of her friends, who’d prefer she spend her time with them, shopping, partying, and making fun of everyone else. Oddly, Libby realizes that she actually enjoys her new job and that she may even like the two "nerds" she works with. Will the Queen of Cool be forced to give up her crown?
Finished: Sunday 20/1/08
Book two-sixty-seven: Lady Killer
Lady Killer (2002)
Michelle Jaffe
This is the scariest book I’ve read in ages. I don’t like books about serial killers.
Rabid vampires, sure. Psychopathic werewolves, why not. Maniacal zombies intent on eating the brains of innocent bystanders, may be.
Normal human killing other humans, no thank you.
I don’t know why the paranormal twist make it less scary/gory to read about. May be because its just that – para, not normal.
This freaked me out completely. In a sleep with the lights on, wake people up to talk to me until I fall asleep kind of way.
It was well written, though I could have done without a few of the plot twists at the end. They just seemed to keep going and going.
Another thing is the foreshadowing at the end of almost every chapter. It left me constantly on edge. Which was probably the point.
Three years ago Miles Loredan believed he had killed the bloodthirsty fiend known as the Vampire of London. When a beautiful sleuth named Clio Thornton stumbles upon what can only be the Vampire's latest victim, Miles is drawn into a terrifying race against the clock. Captivated at once by intelligent, lovely Clio, his first impulse is to protect her. And every clue points to the Vampire's next victim: Clio herself.
Finished: Sunday 20/1/08
Book two-sixty-six: Bobby Fays Very, (Very, Very, Very) Bad Day
Bobbie Fays Very, (Very, Very, Very) Bad Day (2007)
Toni McGee Causey
I can’t say I enjoyed reading about Bobbie Fays’s day any more than you’d imagine she enjoyed living through it. I didn’t like old Bobbie all that much. She was frustrating. And everyone around her loved her, even those who hated her. It was all a bit too Betsy for me.
Cajun beauty queen Bobbie Faye Sumrall is having a bad day: after a burst water pipe breaks her sorry-excuse-for-a-trailer in half, she accidentally robs a bank, tries to free her good-for-nothing brother from kidnappers, takes a hostage (also accidentally), flees with him through the treacherous swamps of Louisiana, eludes an angry bear as well as her disgruntled cop ex-boyfriend, hotwires a speedboat, and kills a dangerous snake with her knife. And the day isn’t even over.
Finished: Saturday 19/1/08
Book two-sixty-five: Know Me Off of My Feet
Knock Me Off of My Feet (2002)
Susan Donovan
Rating: 2.5/5
Pretty good.
Autumn Adams never planned to follow in her mother's footsteps as Chicago's answer to Martha Stewart--she can't cook, doesn't clean, and would rather play soccer than discuss the joys of white bathtub grout. Then some lunatic starts sending her threats in the mail and Audie finds herself under the protection of simmering, sexy Detective Stacey Quinn, a man determined to examine her every nook, cranny, and ex-boyfriend in his effort to find the stalker. A disarming combination of macho cop and sweet charmer, Quinn is hard to resist. But with Audie's bad luck at finding and holding on to Mr. Right, she think it's best to keep her distance...Quinn soon discovers that the real Audie is an alluring blend of fantasy babe and tender-hearted female all wrapped up in what he can only hope is leopard-print underwear. She's not what he's always pictured for himself, but could she be everything he'll ever need?Digging through Audie's many layers could turn out to be the hottest, craziest, sexiest bit of detective work Quinn has ever attempted...if it doesn't kill him first.
Finished: Friday 18/1/08
Book two-sixty-four: Splendid
Splendid (1995)
Julia Quinn
While it isn’t as sharp as her more recent books, it is still very funny. I’m pretty sure this is the first book she published.
Alexander Ridgely, the Duke of Ashbourne, is determined to avoid marriage. Unfortunately, his family is just as determined to see him wed. Emma Dunster, in London for a season, is determined to return to Boston to run her father's shipping company. But Emma's British cousins are just as determined to see her settle in England. Sparks --and laughter-- fly when all these terribly determined people cross paths during one very splendid London spring.
Finished: Friday 18/1/08
Book two-sixty-three: What She Really Wants for Christmas
What She Really Wants for Christmas (2007)
Debbi Rawlins
Rating: 1/5
I didn’t really enjoy this. I didn’t think the premise was plausible… why would you give up your whole life and personal safety just so you didn’t have to admit one tiny mistake to one of your best friends, who if they were a decent (and normal) person wouldn’t’ have cared any way?
Thanks to a spectacularly bad ex-boyfriend, Liza Skinner is in one heck of a mess. She's lost not only her amazing job at Atlanta's hottest TV talk show, but also her best friends and her share of millions of lottery bucks! Frankly, a blackmailing ex is the cherry on Liza's misery sundae! But then an unexpected date with Dr. Hunky-Hunk, Evan Gann, turns Liza's life around again, especially when she suspects the good doctor is quite a bit naughtier than she first thought. So that whipped cream from her sundae might come in handy for those sinfully delicious nights… Nights that will end for certain if Evan discovers what she's been hiding!
Finished: Thursday 17/1/08
Book two-sixty-two: Prince Charming
Prince Charming (2000)
Gaelen Foley
Rating: 2.5/5
This was pretty good too. I was just annoyed by some of it.
Reforming the Royal Rakehell
Destiny casts its hand one perfect moonlit night when Ascension’s most elusive highwayman, the Masked Rider, chooses the wrong coach to rob. For inside is Rafael, the prince of the kingdom, renowned for his hot-blooded pursuits of women and other decadent pleasures. The failed raid leaves the equally notorious Masked Rider wounded and facing a hangman’s noose. Then Rafe realizes his captive criminal is Lady Daniela Chiaramonte, a defiant beauty who torments him, awakening his senses and his heart as no woman has before.
Dani can only wonder if she’s been delivered to heaven or hell once she agrees to marry the most desirable man in the Mediterranean – until forces of treachery threaten to destroy their tenuous alliance and bring down the throne itself. . .
Finished: Thursday 17/1/08
Book two-sixty one: Princess
Princess (1999)
Gaelen Foley
Rating: 3/5
I really liked this one.
The Only Woman He Wanted . . . Was The One He Couldn't Have
Darius Santiago is the King’s most trusted spy. He is charming, ruthless, and he has one weakness – the stunning Princess Serafina. She is all he has ever wanted and everything he cannot have. Serafina has always worshiped Darius, knowing that deep in the reaches of her soul, where she is not royalty, but a flesh-and-blood woman, she belongs to this dangerous man. Unable to suppress their desire, they are swept into a daring dance of passion until a deadly enemy threatens to destroy their new love.
Finished: Wednesday 16/1/08
Book two-sixty: When It Happens
When It Happens (2006)
Susane Colasanti
Rating: 3/5
This was really funny, although I found the opening few chapters a little confusing.
At the start of her senior year in high school, Sara wants two things: to get into a top college and to find true love.
Tobey also wants two things for his senior year: to win Battle of the Bands and to make Sara fall in love with him.
However, a popular jock named Dave moves in on Sara first. But Tobey’s quirky wit and big blue eyes are hard for Sara to ignore. Plus, he gets the little things that matter to her. Can a slacker rock-star wannabe win the heart of a pretty class brain like Sara?
Finished: Tuesday 15/1/08
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