Hush.
No words are needed.
I started with an Anthology to ease myself into the whole, 'I'm not moving for the next 8 hours because I'm reading a book' phase. It worked to keep my attention and also helped in that I still have things I am trying to get done so not a lot of commitment.
Ames actually does up a review of each of the stories in this anthology and since I'm way too lazy for that you might be better served over there.Here's what I can tell you (I just re-read Ames' reviews and we agree on many points).
Spellbound by L.A. Banks - I didn't get very far at all and it felt very childish. Also, the H/H are finishing university and are from the South but each ended up sounding like a backwoods person. You want to see Southern done right watch the TV show The Closer. Southern charm with extreme intelligence.
I skipped the Jim Butcher story. I have read his first in the Harry series and I enjoyed it enough but, I didn't see it becoming a romance and I guess I prefer first person narratives from a female perspective. Huh. I just figured that out.
I enjoyed Rachel Caine's Dead Man's Chest although I couldn't get Pirates of the Caribbean out of my head. Whatever. Turns out I really do miss those old pirate romances and wouldn't mind reading more as long as they aren't all described as 'Captain Jack'. I will read more by this author if she has written a romance with some sex at the very least.
None of these stories are what I would call 'warm' in the sex department (in fact, most are subtle) other than the Kenyon story and well, I didn't care (about the Kenyon story).
I can't find anything on the spine that categorizes this anthology so maybe it was a leap by me to think it was a romance anthology.
Probably the whole 'Wedding' in the title.
Judging a book by it's cover and title. Very Bad Cindy!
I'm actually surprised at what I did like in this anthology - I read the story by Esther M. Friesner and it was nice - I guess I liked the person narrating even though it took me a while to figure out that it was a man. Can't see reading this author again as I don't think they write romance or sex for that matter.
I liked Charlaine Harris' story also but I do have a thing for fur and fangs. I tried her first book in the Sookie series and it didn't click. I'm thinking of giving it another whirl.
To sum up:
I have finished my first book of the year.
It wasn't a romance book by my definition and I think the one short story should count as my 'literary fiction' for the year.
Yeah. No more literary fiction for the year. Oh wait, I have that philosophy book I want to read. Okay, maybe one more.
I was going to read Hell's Belles next but I heard it's more Chick-lit and I'm looking for straight romance with some good old fashion sexual tension.
I'll let you know when I figure it out.
I also have to tweak the blog - I need to add more of the blogs I visit to the sidebar and I want to keep a running total of the books I read under that one spot I'm not using right now. Since there is room for some info I'm trying to figure out what else might be pertinent.
Any suggestions?
Edited: More specifically - any suggestions for under the Just Stuff section - I think I'm stealing this idea from someone else but I can't find who had this layout on their blog.
7 comments:
Congrats on your first book of the year. I've finished two so far & they were both 'meh.' Ok I guess. Not great. Whatever.
Maybe you could do a link to before & after photos of the rooms you're redoing with Bob? Or of the guestroom/library? So we can be inspired? Or a cover of what you're currently reading?
Do you like anthologies in general, Cindy? I have a bunch of anthologies hanging around the house here and there, but I never seem to get to them. Even ones with stories by authors I love. The best I seem to do is read one isolated story after finishing a bigger book by a favorite author.
Here's to 2007 being a better reading year - I hear ya.
BTW, I love your bookshelves and book room. It's sort of a fantasy of mine that someone will come into my house and finish up all the projects I've got in mind and in limbo. When I come across something like this in a romance novel, I gobble it up. Give me that Phin from Welcome to Temptation - not (necessarily) for the sex, for his ability to hang wallpaper! Mmmmmmm!
LOL Cindy! That first story by LA Banks was childish. And the stories are warm-but that's ok-but only sometimes. :P
I am so jealous of your shelves. I rearranged mine again on Saturday. I can't help it. It doesn't decrease the numbers in anyway, but at least I'm not ignoring them. LOL
Ill Wind, the first in Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series, does has a sex scene in it; albeit brief and more subtle than most straight romances, but it's there!
As for Charlaine Harris, I had to read the first three before I became hooked. I wasn't as impressed with the first or even the second. But I enjoyed the third a lot.
And I love your bookshelves. They look awesome! :-)
Cindy!!!! Just overly excited to be here. ^_^
OK, I'm thinking a pic of your babies or the house as you redecorate? Or maybe a book recommendation. Some older or more obscure books that you think people would like. And then you can feature lots and lots of Anne Stuart! But you MUST rec A Rose at Midnight. Mehehehe. ^_^
Ohhhhh!!! Love the bookshelves!!!!
Bookwormom - ooooh, I like - I guess I would do that as a link to pictures of before and after shots. I was just online shopping for a piece of bathroom furniture that is dearly needed and when I saw the 500 dollar price tag I immediately thought that I could make it for less - much less. Course, I would have to get off my duff ;)
AARRachel - Hey! Thanks for dropping in! You know, you have given me an idea for a post - I used to read Anthologies fairly regularly because of one favourite author and then I would discover new ones - I'm finding that is hardly true with today's anthologies so I think I might have to figure out why ;)
Oh yeah, I do so love my Bob - even though he doesn't always get the vision of design - tonight he put a dark wood tray in my bookroom - my bookroom is supposed to be 'light and breezy' - no dark stuff allowed *sigh*. But I know I'm one lucky reader to have a hubby who respects the love ;)
Ames - I have been walking in an slowly re-arranging the shelves so that the books I have not read are the ones facing out - Bob just put them up as he found them. I can only do this buy puttering because I find so many books that I 'OMG, I forgot I had this!!!' and 'I still own this one?' so it's slow going. It's also the first time I've just spent time alone in the room and moved things around. Okay, Cody was there wondering what all the fuss was about but, that's okay ;)
DC - Thanks! Hmmm, not sure I want to try and read 3 books before I get into a series - Ill Wind has a subtle sex scene - uh, oh. Doesn't look like that one will be moving up the list. I need some flat out romance. I can tell by my mood.
Mailyn - I so glad you could drop in also!! I have a picture of Cody and I that I just love and have considered posting but then the 'illusion' of what people think I look like will be ruined cause I know you all know I'm a friggin' supermodel - NOT ;) I'm thinking of creating links and tags and such - maybe have a design area on the blog. Yum.
CindyS
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