April 2009 Reading List
Fifteen books in April. I can't even remember the last time I did that. My TBR Challenge Book for April was MOON CALLED. The only problem about getting the review done was that I got so hooked on the books I didn't stop to do the review. I'm not sorry though. I'm caught up with the series and am so glad I had them in my tbr to glom. I don't know who to thank, Keishon for the challenge or Nath for the contest that I won BONE CROSSED that finally kick started me reading the Mercy books.
PURSUIT by Karen Robards
Romantic suspense. Young, smart and ambitious Washington DC lawyer Jessica Ford gets sent by her boss to meet none other than the First Lady one evening. The next thing she knows Jessica is waking up in a hospital and the First Lady is dead. Secret Service Agent Mark Ryan wants to know what happened on his watch. While not all I'd hoped it would be. This was an engaging read.
My Grade = Solid B
NAUTI INTENTIONS by Lora Leigh
My crack entry of the month. I have to say I enjoyed this contribution to the Nauti series much more than any of the others. However, not enough to bring the series out of 'C' territory.
My Grade = C
BLUE DIABLO by Ann Aguirre
New series. New heroine. This time we have Corine Solomon who can tell the history of an object by holding it in her hands. As always in an Aguirre book there are a myriad of interesting secondary characters. I reviewed this one.
My Grade = B+
THE BRAVO BACHELOR by Christine Rimmer
Silhoutte Special Edition 1963 April 2009. Simple story about a good man and a good woman thrown together by circumstance. A quick read. But a good solid story.
My Grade = B
SEALED WITH A PROMISE by Mary Margret Daughtridge
I really really liked this one for most of the book. Somehow this very straightforward story got convoluted in the last 30 pages or so. I think the ending should have been easier. No worries. There's still the requisite HEA, it just took a twisty road to get there. The characters made this story for me, and ending notwithstanding, a very good read.
My Grade = B
EDGE OF HUNGER by Rhyannon Byrd
First book of new Primal Instinct Series for Ms. Byrd. Very hard core alpha hero here. There's lots of room for a gajillion stories in this world, and Ms. Byrd has lots more world building to do. This was a very basic and fundamental introduction to this world. I'm hooked and will be checking out the next couple of books to see if she can keep my interest.
My Grade = C+
MOON CALLED by Patricia Briggs
Book 1 in the Mercy Thompson series. In this book we are introduced to Coyote shifter Mercy Thompson who is trying to fly below the radar and just live as normal a life as she can as a shifter who repairs VWs and other European made cars. Life has been pretty quiet until a young newly turn werewolf shows up on her doorstep.
My Grade = B+
BLOOD BOUND by Patricia Briggs
Book 2 in the Mercy Thompson series. A blurb doesn't begin to cover the depth of these stories, the character and world building that Ms. Briggs does. The continuity is unbelievable and I read the books back to back. This time out Mercy is doing a favor for her vamp friend Stefan who along with her love from the past Samuel and a more than passing interest in her neighbor Adam further complicates her life.
My Grade = B
IRON KISSED by Patricia Briggs
Book 3 in the Mercy Thompson series. Mercy is nothing if not loyal to her friends and those she calls family. This time out she is helping her mentor and friend Zee beat a murder rap. While I think the first book will always be a favorite, this book packs an emotional wallop.
My Grade = B+
BONE CROSSED by Patricia Briggs
Book 4 in the Mercy Thompson series. For the first 3 books the reader is holding their breath about who Mercy loves and who Mercy is in love with. Frankly I was ready for some questions to be answered. Fortunately while Ms. Briggs does a great job of resolving the situations Mercy gets involved in, I was anxious to have some of Mercy's personal issues resolved.
My Grade = B
CRY WOLF by Patricia Briggs
Reading about Charles a quasi-brother to Mercy having been raised in the same wolf pack, I was naturally curious to know more about him. In fact I was down right anxious to read this story. It's well written, but I think by this point I was just ready for more straight up romance. I just didn't get as engaged with this story as the Mercy books. Although thinking about it while I type this I'm thinking it's more about me than the book. I'm even thinking of reading it again.
My Grade = C
TO BEGUILE A BEAST by Elizabeth Hoyt
This was an excellent addition to Ms. Hoyt's soldier series. Alistair Munroe has isolated himself in his ruin of a family castle hiding himself and his scarred face from people who turn away in horror at the things that have been done to him. Emma Fitzwilliam is escaping the tyrannical and neglectful lover she's been with for several years with her two children. A friend sends her to Munroe to be his housekeeper. The mystery of who betrayed the soldiers remains to be solved, but I'm salivating to read the next book, TO DESIRE A DEVIL. Looks like there are lots of surprises in store for us.
My Grade = B
DEADLOCK by Iris Johansen
This was a good romantic suspense book AND all the characters didn't sound the same! Yay! Ms. Johansen can be counted on to take an ususual tack while still handing us the strong characters we romance readers crave. Emily Hudsen recovers cultural artifacts in worn torn countries for the UN and helps preserve them until the country is ready and able to take stewardship of them again. She and her co-worker Joel are captured by bandits and need rescuing. The CIA calls in freelancer Jon Garrett.
My Grade = B
IN CARE OF SAM BEAUDRY by Kathleen Eagle
I was hoping for more from this book and I freely admit that my grade may reflect high expectations. This was a competent book and well written, but I just didn't feel that interested in the characters because it seemed like a story I'd read before.
My Grade = C
BURNING WILD by Christine Feehan
I really enjoyed this book. Maybe I shouldn't have considering how alpha Jake Banaconni is in it. Ms. Feehan does a bang up job of telling us about Jake's upbringing. I would have liked to know a bit more about Emma's. This is 443 pages and I couldn't put it down. The back has a bang up excerpt of her next Drake Sister book HIDDEN CURRENTS. If you like shifter books, this is a good one.
My Grade = B+
PURSUIT by Karen Robards
Romantic suspense. Young, smart and ambitious Washington DC lawyer Jessica Ford gets sent by her boss to meet none other than the First Lady one evening. The next thing she knows Jessica is waking up in a hospital and the First Lady is dead. Secret Service Agent Mark Ryan wants to know what happened on his watch. While not all I'd hoped it would be. This was an engaging read.
My Grade = Solid B
NAUTI INTENTIONS by Lora Leigh
My crack entry of the month. I have to say I enjoyed this contribution to the Nauti series much more than any of the others. However, not enough to bring the series out of 'C' territory.
My Grade = C
BLUE DIABLO by Ann Aguirre
New series. New heroine. This time we have Corine Solomon who can tell the history of an object by holding it in her hands. As always in an Aguirre book there are a myriad of interesting secondary characters. I reviewed this one.
My Grade = B+
THE BRAVO BACHELOR by Christine Rimmer
Silhoutte Special Edition 1963 April 2009. Simple story about a good man and a good woman thrown together by circumstance. A quick read. But a good solid story.
My Grade = B
SEALED WITH A PROMISE by Mary Margret Daughtridge
I really really liked this one for most of the book. Somehow this very straightforward story got convoluted in the last 30 pages or so. I think the ending should have been easier. No worries. There's still the requisite HEA, it just took a twisty road to get there. The characters made this story for me, and ending notwithstanding, a very good read.
My Grade = B
EDGE OF HUNGER by Rhyannon Byrd
First book of new Primal Instinct Series for Ms. Byrd. Very hard core alpha hero here. There's lots of room for a gajillion stories in this world, and Ms. Byrd has lots more world building to do. This was a very basic and fundamental introduction to this world. I'm hooked and will be checking out the next couple of books to see if she can keep my interest.
My Grade = C+
MOON CALLED by Patricia Briggs
Book 1 in the Mercy Thompson series. In this book we are introduced to Coyote shifter Mercy Thompson who is trying to fly below the radar and just live as normal a life as she can as a shifter who repairs VWs and other European made cars. Life has been pretty quiet until a young newly turn werewolf shows up on her doorstep.
My Grade = B+
BLOOD BOUND by Patricia Briggs
Book 2 in the Mercy Thompson series. A blurb doesn't begin to cover the depth of these stories, the character and world building that Ms. Briggs does. The continuity is unbelievable and I read the books back to back. This time out Mercy is doing a favor for her vamp friend Stefan who along with her love from the past Samuel and a more than passing interest in her neighbor Adam further complicates her life.
My Grade = B
IRON KISSED by Patricia Briggs
Book 3 in the Mercy Thompson series. Mercy is nothing if not loyal to her friends and those she calls family. This time out she is helping her mentor and friend Zee beat a murder rap. While I think the first book will always be a favorite, this book packs an emotional wallop.
My Grade = B+
BONE CROSSED by Patricia Briggs
Book 4 in the Mercy Thompson series. For the first 3 books the reader is holding their breath about who Mercy loves and who Mercy is in love with. Frankly I was ready for some questions to be answered. Fortunately while Ms. Briggs does a great job of resolving the situations Mercy gets involved in, I was anxious to have some of Mercy's personal issues resolved.
My Grade = B
CRY WOLF by Patricia Briggs
Reading about Charles a quasi-brother to Mercy having been raised in the same wolf pack, I was naturally curious to know more about him. In fact I was down right anxious to read this story. It's well written, but I think by this point I was just ready for more straight up romance. I just didn't get as engaged with this story as the Mercy books. Although thinking about it while I type this I'm thinking it's more about me than the book. I'm even thinking of reading it again.
My Grade = C
TO BEGUILE A BEAST by Elizabeth Hoyt
This was an excellent addition to Ms. Hoyt's soldier series. Alistair Munroe has isolated himself in his ruin of a family castle hiding himself and his scarred face from people who turn away in horror at the things that have been done to him. Emma Fitzwilliam is escaping the tyrannical and neglectful lover she's been with for several years with her two children. A friend sends her to Munroe to be his housekeeper. The mystery of who betrayed the soldiers remains to be solved, but I'm salivating to read the next book, TO DESIRE A DEVIL. Looks like there are lots of surprises in store for us.
My Grade = B
DEADLOCK by Iris Johansen
This was a good romantic suspense book AND all the characters didn't sound the same! Yay! Ms. Johansen can be counted on to take an ususual tack while still handing us the strong characters we romance readers crave. Emily Hudsen recovers cultural artifacts in worn torn countries for the UN and helps preserve them until the country is ready and able to take stewardship of them again. She and her co-worker Joel are captured by bandits and need rescuing. The CIA calls in freelancer Jon Garrett.
My Grade = B
IN CARE OF SAM BEAUDRY by Kathleen Eagle
I was hoping for more from this book and I freely admit that my grade may reflect high expectations. This was a competent book and well written, but I just didn't feel that interested in the characters because it seemed like a story I'd read before.
My Grade = C
BURNING WILD by Christine Feehan
I really enjoyed this book. Maybe I shouldn't have considering how alpha Jake Banaconni is in it. Ms. Feehan does a bang up job of telling us about Jake's upbringing. I would have liked to know a bit more about Emma's. This is 443 pages and I couldn't put it down. The back has a bang up excerpt of her next Drake Sister book HIDDEN CURRENTS. If you like shifter books, this is a good one.
My Grade = B+
Labels: Monthly List
Posted by Rosie at 12:01 AM
6 Comments:
That's a really good reading month Rosie! I am looking forward to reading To Beguile a Beast, and I really should read more Patricia Briggs!
Great list Rosie. Did you read Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs before you read Cry Wolf? I don't think it's an absolute necessity but it does explain how the h/h meet, etc. A great novella.
Great list, Rosie! And nice to see you blogging :) (says the woman who can't blog right now to save her life)
We missed you on Saturday.
Marg, I really like these characters in the Soldiers series by Elizabeth Hoyt. If you've enjoyed the other books in the series you'll like this one too. They aren't cookie cutter and seem genuine, which to me is high praise.
Tracy, I'm a rank amateur compared to your reading. You are awesome. It's good to be getting back in my groove.
Lori, it's nice to be out and about again. I'm still behind with my blog hopping. Miss you too!
LOL, I'm soooo glad that you enjoyed the Mercy Thompson series :) LOL and I take the credit for you starting the series :) Getting Bone Crossed was the catalyst :D I do prefer the Alpha and Omega series better though, but I seem to be in the minority.
Oh, I bought the Rhyannon Byrd - a bit disappointed that you gave it a C+, but then you're hooked... so that's a good sign, right?
Nathie, you totally get the credit for Mercy. 8) I think I better give Alpha & Omega another look-see. I was so forward to Charles story and then was sort of deflated. Hmmm...
As for Rhyannon Byrd, I've been looking for the May release in the series. I haven't found it yet, but I did enjoy the first book, it just wasn't ground breaking for me.
Post a Comment
<< Home