Weekly Reading Round-Up
In keeping with the Friday Night Lights
I have no idea how I wound up with a football themed reading list when I have zero interest in football. Although, to be fair, I have equally little interest in nitty gritty nautical details and I still adore Horatio Hornblower
What have you been reading?
I just finished Frances Burney’s 900+ page Cecilia: Memoirs of an Heiress and I’m now into what looks like another 900+ page epic: Edmund Persuader. I approached this one with a cautious eye but by chapter 9 I was seriously hooked. It is SO much better than I anticipated.
Such a coincidence! I read Ain’t she sweet by SEP and I absolutely loved it! 🙂
Then I read The Last Letter from Your Lover, by Jojo Moyes and I can’t recommand the book enough to you, Lauren, and to all the willig-fans… it’s soooo good! Two eras, one in 1960 with star crossed lovers, one in 2003 when a young journalist finds a love letter and tries to find out what happened to them… I spent the week burried in the book and really loved it!
Just started Practice makes perfect, by Julie James, a contemporary romance, two lawyers… (might interest you, Lauren, given your background!)
Slowly working through the biography The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris. I find him such an interesting character!
The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obrecht.
Just finished re-reading The Temptation of the Night Jasmine, and reading The Favored Queen, by Carolly Erickson. I have Kathleen Flinn’s The Kitchen Counter Cooking School to tide me over until Thursday the 16th… 🙂
I just finished reading Colin Meloy’s Wildwood. It is an absolute must-read for anyone who liked the Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, or Harry Potter! It was very imaginative and am written and I was very sad when it was over! A similar book is John Stephens Emerald Atlas. It is also excellent and I am anxiously waiting for the next book in both series!
Just finished “Believing the Lie” by Elizabeth George (all 607 pages). I’m exhausted! A wonderful writer!
My book for the weekend is “No Mark Upon Her” by Deborah Crombie. Her last book “Necessary as Blood” was incredible, so I am very happy to finally get the new one.
I have a copy of “Believing the Lie”, but I’ve been rereading my collection of Lynley mysteries before starting it. (Just finished “With No One As Witness”) Before I get there, I can’t wait to dive into my pre-ordered copy of “Garden Intrigue”!
Weekend with Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly. I have invested too much time in it to stop reading hoping it would get better. It’s really rather silly. It was highly recommended on my book blogs…………….
Another Heyer, The Convenient Marriage.
Ingrid, “With No One As Witness” was astonishing, “Careless in Red” blew my socks off! Last two books not so much. I love Lynley and Havers, but I’m not keen on George’s new direction. I’ll be interested in your impressions.
Crazy For You by Jennifer Crusie
I really loved this one, even though I wished the plot had been different. Loved the characters.
Still reading I Capture the Castle started last week and I am about half through. Tell what I think next week.
Leslie & Ingrid, I’m so curious to hear how the new one is! I loved the early Lynleys but petered out a bit with the more recent ones.
Jessica S.: How are you liking the Favored Queen? It’s been on my to-buy list for awhile now.
I’ve been reading Two for the Dough by Evanovich. I am loving this series so far.
Bridget Erin: it was excellent. You can’t go wrong with Carolly Erickson, and it’s fascinating to see things from Jane Seymour’s point of view, since most books look at either Catherine or Anne (or the later Katherines and Anne).
Just finished Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami this morning. Loved it and NO idea why. It just kind of draws you in and you’re turning pages, and you just keep turning pages. Starting A Play of Heresy by Margaret Frazer now. Karen H–I also recommend River of Doubt, about TR’s participation in exploring a previously unknown tributary of the Amazon. Fascinating and reads like an adventure novel.
I got captured by Eloisa James and read the Essex Sisters series, Desperate Duchesses series, Duchess in Love, and the three Fairy Tales books in the last week and a half. Good fun! (just trying to tide myself over until Garden Intrigue appears on the horizon 🙂 )
Finished the Girl Bachelor series by Laura Guhrke. First one was the best, but they were all good. 3rd book book, the couple is a little Darcy/Lizzy-ish.
Also The Regency Rakes Trilogy by Candice Hern. These books’ heroines are also older / non debutante types who find love with older (upper 30s) titled rakes. Fun books, a bit stereotyped, but likeable characters.
I’m still on a Dave Barry kick. Earlier this week I read Dave Barry Turns Forty and Dave Barry’s Only Travel Guide You’ll Ever Need, and now I’m on Dave Barry is Not Making This Up.
Here’s what I’ve been up to for the past week or so. (Sorry in advance for the long post.)
Aleksandr Voinov/Rachel Haimowitz: Break and Enter (a futuristic m/m).
Mercy Celeste: Behind Iron Lace (m/m).
Jordan Castillo Price: Several shorts (m/m).
Connie Suttle: The first 6 Blood Destiny books. I’m a little leery about the direction they’ve gone in, but I’m still in for the ride. Waiting for the next books in the series.
Faith Hunter: Raven Cursed. I had delayed reading this since I was underwhelmed w/ the previous book, Mercy Blade, but this one was terrific.
Mary Balogh: One Night for Love, A Summer to Remember, Slightly Married. I’ve read some of the Bewyn books, but didn’t remember Married. I’m going to finish (re)reading the series. And maybe the Simply series, too, if I don’t get sidetracked.
Heyer: Finished A Civil Contract, which was a re-read for me. I enjoyed it far more this time around than I did the first time. Am currently reading The Foundling, which is new to me. Reserving judgement since I’ve just started it, but I hope Gilly grows a pair.
Started Madeleine Roux’s Allison Hewitt is Trapped (a zombie book). Set it aside, but will probably come back to it. Same w/ Lord Logic and the Wedding by Melynda Beth Andrews. Both were good—I just wasn’t in the right mood at the time.
There are SO many books in my TBR pile; there’s just not enough time in the day. In addition to all of the new books, some older books are just now being released on Kindle. I suppose I’ll want to reread Candice Hern’s Merry Widows trilogy. Also, Madeleine Robins’s books are now on Kindle, so they’re in the queue. (I started Point of Honor in PB, but will want to finish in ebook.)
So. . . will someone *please* come clean my house for me so I can have more reading time???
(Also, Lauren, if you want some nautical swashbuckling, you might check out Dewey Lambdin’s Alan Lewrie books. Lewrie is more earthy and morally ambiguous than Hornblower. In some ways, he reminds me more of Cornwell’s Sharpe, but more humorous. I’m slowly making my way thru the series.)
Loving Tasha Alexander and Lady Ashton!!! Started A Posioned Season the other day!!