October 2009 Reading List

Don't faint. It's my October list before the month of November is over. A-mazing! Fourteen books for October. I'm happy with that. I sometimes wonder why I torture myself doing these lists, but I love reading everyone else's and in the end I like to have a chronicle of my own reads that isn't dry spread sheet statistics. Is that weird?

I finally posted my September reading list. For all of you who don't have a feed reader, you can find it here. I buried it in chronological order. Hey, it makes sense to me. I was stunned when I realized I read 17 books in September. It's been literally years since I've done that. Naturally this phenomenon made me wonder whether it was a spate of great books, my mood or the planets being in Scorpio or Libra, or Aquarius or something. At any rate, I'm enjoying the boon while it lasts. As of the writing of this post I've read 150 books in 2009. Ho-lee! That took me by surprise.

Here's October...

Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole & Gena Showalter

I found Ms. Cole's tale interesting and wondered frequently how in heck she was going to resolve the whole "freeze you with a touch" between the H/H. OTOH she writes strong and compelling characters. I'm a bit waffle-y on this one.

My Grade on Kresley Cole Story = C

Blood Game by Iris Johansen

This is a return to the Eve Duncan world. This outing finds Eve and Joe matching wits with a very scary and wholly evil serial killer. Although as I think about it, is there any such thing as a NOT evil serial killer? *shudders*

The good news is I could read the whole thing without scaring the total be-jeebus out of myself. I'm calling this a solid read because I got exactly what I was expecting from the experience.

My Grade = B

Shadow Wranglers:Caleb by Sarah McCarty

Man was I disappointed with this book. It came close to a DNF and it is a testimony of my love of the PROMISE books that I stuck it out hoping. This my friends is a paranormal western and a big miss for me.

My Grade = D

No Greater Pleasure by Megan Hart

After being wowed by the first of the Pleasure Maiden books, last month's PLEASURE AND PURPOSE, this was sort of a let down. Skimming back through the book while doing this list I realize that it's because I didn't much like Quilla, the heroine.

My Grade = C

Holding Out for a Hero by Helen Kay Dimon

This is a book was a lovely surprise. I picked it up because I've been wanting to try Ms. Dimon and the back blurb sounded good. Some very nice tension and believable by-play between heiress Deana Armstrong and cop Josh Windsor and a heart breaking story. We have the requisite HEA, but it's not without it's twists and turns.

My Grade =B

Lady of Persuasion by Tessa Dare

When I read the excerpt for this book and Lord Toby was considering taking a bit of revenge on the younger sister of the man who stole his fiancee, I didn't quite buy it. Toby was such an affable and nice guy in the other two Dare books of this trilogy, it just didn't ring true for me. Nefarious bastard, Lord Toby is not. While this isn't a story that stands out, it was an enjoyable historical and very competently written.

My Grade = B

Covet by JR Ward

I expected more. Something new maybe. Nothing 'new' about this Fallen Angels series at all.

My Grade = C

Shadowlight by Lynn Viehl

This is an off-shoot of Ms. Viehl's Kyndred series. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to see what she does next.

My Grade = B+

Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre

Third book in Sirantha Jax series. I had so hoped to do a separate review of this book. It was so good. Sirantha Jax finds herself as an ambassador for the Conglomerate trying convince the Ithorians to become allies. The catch? Ithorians have an almost genetic distaste for humans and look and talk a lot like great big bugs. Knowing that going in I wondered if my deep love and appreciation for all things Jax would be enough to carry my interest through the book. I don't know how she does it, but Ms. Aguirre held me rapt to the end.

There are some incredible scenes in this book. Once again the world grows and the characters change in response to what happens to them. I love Ms. Aguirre's writing even more. Me and science fiction, who knew?

My Grade = A-

Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Looking at the book sitting in front me trying to write something here, I tried to remember something about it. I skimmed a bit, remembered I liked it, but I couldn't tell you why. Hmmm... a toughie...

My Grade = B or C???

Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh

Here's a whole new corner of the Psy-Changeling world to explore that of the Shadownet, the Shine Foundation and of course our H/H Dev Santos and Katya Haas. I was intrigued and hooked from the first word. A worthy addition to the series.

My Grade = B+

Nightlife by Rob Thurman

Don't faint I don't think there's been another month in the 30 or so I've been doing these lists where I had 3 "A" grades in any single month.

Rob Thurman is another author I've been curious about reading each time I see a review pop up. Thanks to a conversation with Renee at our last SoCal blogger get together I picked up NIGHTLIFE. What a great writing voice and, at least for me, a completely unique story line with two brothers as central characters. Far from a traditional romance, I was charmed and hooked by the smart writing and characters.

My Grade = A-

Skin Game by Ava Gray
Loved this. See my review.
My Grade = A

To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt

This is the fourth installment in The Legend of the Four Soldiers series. I was really looking forward to this one. A character who's been talked about and remembered throughout the previous books I was salivating and anxious to read his story. Reynaud St. Aubyn rises from the dead, so to speak. Assumed dead for seven years after his regiment is attacked by Indians, Reynaud returns home to find his father dead, his sister married and his uncle in his home and assuming his title.

I do think Ms. Hoyt could have done more with the adjustments that Reynaud had to make returning home to assume a life that is almost completely foreign to him, however this was ultimately a decent read.

My Grade = B