This weekend I read Night Keepers by Jessica Anderson. I'd been hearing about this book for a while mostly because Jessica Anderson is J.R. Ward's critique partner, and they had created quite a buzz with their session at RT, so I was interested to read Anderson's debut novel and see what it was all about.
Of course, I won't know until my niece, Lauren, weighs in.
So, I'm sitting in my office listening to All Summer Long by Kid Rock from his most recent album Rock-n-Roll Jesus. Here's my secret. There's something about Kid Rock to me. OK, I know, he's a ho. He dates and inappropriately marries women named Pamela who have the Hep. And yet, I kind of dig him. Now sure, part of it is I really do very much enjoy his music, even though I'll agree with pretty much anyone who says he's a misogynistic idiot. And yet, if I hear Bawitidaba on the radio, you can count on the fact that I'm cranking it up and singing along. Like wise Cowboy. I'm not proud of it. But secretly, I have kind of a crush on him.
The Three Fates by Nora Roberts. This isn't even my favorite Nora romantic suspense book. But it is a wonderful taste of her style of writing. It features three different couples searching for some missing art. And it has all of her trademarks: hot heroes, fun and highly intelligent heroines, an eeeevil bad guy, and terrific sexual tension. It's the book that I recommend over and over as a great example of the brilliance of Nora. If you prefer a trilogy, my personal favorite is the Born In trilogy, set in Ireland, but I also love the Key trilogy.
This is in my top 10 romances of all time. The heroine, Anne is a thief and she is confounding the hero, Captain Jack Seward. She masquerades by day as a proper lady and at night becomes the scourge of London. Jack is tasked with capturing her. The cat and mouse game she engages in with Jack is wonderful. They are constantly circling each other, him getting closer, her throwing him off the scent. The book features one of my all time favorite scenes in a romance novel. It involves some rope and a chair. That's all I'll say. If you haven't read this classic story, I can't recommend it enough!
Oh issues, let me count them. First of all, the fact that The West Wing, a television program that has won more Emmy's than any other program ever to air in the history of television, is not even in the Top 20 is a travesty. It informed pop culture by teaching people about government and illustrating a passion for public service. It featured brilliant writing and snappy dialog and characters who were pretty much universally adored, no matter what side of the aisle you sat on.
Last, in my opinion, there has never been a television program that was more tightly written, fraught with tension, and featuring more metaphors for life than Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's my all time favorite television program and frankly, should have been listed higher. But I also realize it's considered to be "cult" television, so perhaps the broader public doesn't agree with me.
Entertainment Weekly has had a list going for the last few days compiling the top 100 "New Movie Classics" from the last 25 years.
PPS - Happy Birthday to Katie(babs)!
If you haven't stopped by the Desert Island Keepers blog that Sarai and Tracy started. It's kind of more on the exercise that we did earlier this year where a bunch of only slightly psychotic bloggers chose: first books that they would take to a desert island, and then a group of seven heroes. Perhaps some all-in-good-fun squabbling ensued (Katie(babs), I'm looking at you!), but we had a great time.
I think we can all agree that Gerard Butler is one of the best looking men on the planet.
And then there's Adam Levine, the lead singer of Maroon 5. I think he is absolutely sex on a stick. Although a stiff wind could blow him away. I think we'd describe him as "slight."
Mmmmkay. I've heard all over the blogosphere that this is the BEST. BOOK. EVAR.
First, I finished Colleen Gleason's When Twilight Burns. It was fantastic. Well written and plotted, fast paced and fun, and continues the story of Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy. The thing I like about these books is how well researched they are. Colleen does such a great job of working her story around real historical events.
I actually let out a totally girlie SQUEE when I got this package in the mail, along with a note from the publisher saying that the author had requested that I receive the book. OK, fine, the author requested it because the fabulous Marisa O'Neill from Romance Novel. TV requested it for me. But that's irrelevant. Yes, it's Nalini Singh's September release, Hostage to Pleasure. This is the story of Dorian, the latent leopard of the Dark River clan. I will say this, everything you think Dorian is...he's more. And even more than that, his heroine, Ashaya (how do you pronounce that? I was pronouncing it "A-SHY-A") has surpassed Sascha Duncan as my favorite Singh heroine. The thing that I love about Singh's heroines is that I believe that they are appropriate foil for the heroes, who all have VERY dominant tendencies. I believe that they can stand up to their men. Either because they are powerful in their own right, or because they have a backbone that can't be broken. Ashaya is deeply damaged, and yet she goes toe to toe with Dorian over and over. It's just an extremely satisfying book. On top of that, there was a little sneak peak into Mercy's book which is next up, and looks like it will be just as hot as Singh's others.
hypersmart, hilarious women who I just love. Every time I hang out with her, I think, "I love Donna! Why don't I hang out with her more?" Just busy lives, I guess.
Look at the pretty new cover for Lara Adrian's next Midnight Breed book. Awesome cover, I think. I wonder if it's foiled?BOUND BY BLOOD, ADDICTED TO DANGER, THEY'LL ENTER THE DARKEST--AND MOST EROTIC--PLACE OF ALL . . .
A warrior trained in bullets and blades, Renata cannot be bested by any man--vampire or mortal. But her most powerful weapon is her extraordinary psychic ability--a gift both rare and deadly. Now a stranger threatens her hard-won independence, a golden-haired vampire who lures her into a realm of darkness . . . and pleasure beyond imagining.
A combat-loving adrenaline junkie, Nikolai dispenses his own justice to enemies of the Breed--and his latest quarry is a ruthless assassin. One woman stands in his way: the seductive, cool-as-ice bodyguard, Renata. But Renata's powers are put to the test when a loved one, a child, is threatened and she's forced to turn to Niko for help. As the two join forces, as desire fans the flames of a deeper hunger, Renata's life is under seige by a man who offers the exquisite pleasure of a blood bond--and a passion that could save or doom them both forever. . . .
I adore this series. I think Adrian is a marvelously consistent author. Her books are well written, fast paced, hotter than hell and feature a delicious band of warriors. Some compare her books to JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood, which in a sense is accurate. Both series feature a group of vampires who are warriors. But in my opinion, the Midnight Breed series is better plotted, and they ARE romances, much less focused on the urban fantasy storyline and pretty much completely focused on the romance, which honestly is what I like to read.
For some reason, I look like a drag queen in this picture. I'm not sure why.
(L-R) Laurel, AndreaC, me, Ann, Diane Gaston, Colleen, Diana Peterfreund
news is, I got a bunch of reading done and had good visits with several friends. The weekend kicked off with what can only be described as yet another first date train wreck.
this series. It is masterfully designed with a complex mythology, a heroine who is both sweet and terrifying, and a hero who is beyond what you'll find in any romance novel. I still haven't figured out exactly where I would place Daemon Sadi in my pantheon of heroes, but needless to say, were I to play DIK-heroes again, I would have added him directly after Roarke. He is both heroic and deeply, deeply flawed. But the love he has for Jaenelle is so intense he will literally sacrifice everything in his life for her. The romance between the two of them is drawn in broad strokes. As in, there's no super hot love scene between them. But their internal monologue, especially Daemon's, describes a love so intense and so sweet, it'll make you swoon. The beauty of it is that Bishop builds the love story over three books, so the pay off is undeniable and all the lovelier for the build up. I don't believe it would be possible for me to have enjoyed this series more.
I finished with the romance crack, otherwise known as JR Ward's Lover Enshrined, which came out on Tuesday. Here are my thoughts:
Today EW has a list, according to their viewers, of the worst romantic comedies ever made. And I embarassed to say, first that I've seen EVERY. SINGLE. ONE, and also, that I disagreed with many of their choices.
Someone please, please reassure me that Naomi Campbell is just a super model, and not an actual arbiter of fashion, because I'll be damned if I'm wearing MC Hammer pants again.
Yay! My good friend and genius author of The Gardella Chronicles, Colleen Gleason, will be in DC next week for a writers workshop and will be at the Barnes and Noble and Tysons Corner on Wednesay, June 11 from 7-8:30 to sign books and chat up readers. Also, you'll have an opportunity to win a copy of her new Gardella book, When Twilight Burns, in which, yes, Victoria will chose someone (MAX!).
This will be the first weekend in three weeks when there has been no movie out that I'm desperate to see. Which is a refreshing, and it means this will be a stay at home weekend for me. It follows then that I'll be reading a lot. I also have a TON of TV to catch up, including 5 episodes of Battlestar Galactica and three episodes of How I Met Your Mother.
I did my part, I donated $11 to the cause of Sex and the City last night. And it was worth every penny. I saw the movie with five girlfriends (as did pretty much every other woman in America). I loved every second of the story. I laughed, I cried, I gasped, I marveled at the fashion (especially the shoes!) and intermittently wondered what the hell Carrie was wearing. But mostly, I just loved every second of it. The movie itself is paradise for someone starved for the series after three years away. The characters are back in full force, and absolutely were true to themselves. Mr. Big is still wonderful, Steve is still kind of a goober, Harry is a dream husband, and Smith is, delicious. The movie does feature some twists and turns, especially for Carrie and Big. And when tragedy strikes for Carrie, her reaction couldn't have been more genuine to me. I bought it whole heartedly, and I cried with her.
Wow. Well this weekend brought me the opportunity to finish Book 2 in the Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop, Heir to the Shadows. I am utterly blown away by this series. The heroine, Jaenelle is wonderful, she's damaged and nuanced and at turns difficult and easy to love. The image of Saetan as the put upon, indulgent father is continued in this story. We have the opportunity to fall utterly for Lucivar, for all intents and purposes is Jaenelle's brother. And we see Daemon, complicated, difficult Daemon, struggle back from the insanity brought upon him at the finale of the first book, Daughter of the Blood.
