January 2010
Here it is...finally! January 2010 list. It was an eclectic month with oldies, categories, historicals, westerns and little bit of paranormal, a touch of contemporaries, and a couple of military suspenses. Just about everything I think. It looks like 14 is the magic number for January.
A MATTER OF CLASS by Mary Balogh
This was a clever piece and one I enjoyed quite a bit. When an Earl's daughter besmirches the family name in a foiled elopement her parents fear she is ruined forever. Their neighbors, people the Earl has disdained since they moved in 12 years previously, are wealthy but not gentry. They do, however, have an eligible son and ambition enough to marry him to the hapless Annabelle.
I bought the book because I was interested in the premise and did enjoy it quite a bit. However, I don't see why it had to be released in the "mini" hardcover for $15.95.
My Grade = B+
TOO HOT TO HOLD by Stephanie Tyler
Book 2 of the series, this is Nick and Kaylee's story. Nick is a former SEAL who is constantly pushing the envelope both in his personal and professional life. While on a mission he stumbles across Kaylee a reporter who is investigating information with global political implications.
Still enjoying the series.
My Grade = B
PIECES OF SKY by Kaki Warner
A western more on an epic scale. I liked this book a lot for it's scope and depth. Jessica has come west all the way from England to find her brother and get his help to take back their ancestral home and assets from their younger sister's shady husband. On her way she meets rancher Brady Wilkins. Brady is tough, honorable, stubborn and one of the hardest working men Jessica has ever met.
It's obvious Ms. Warner is a lover of the western herself with the loving details she has in this book. This is the first book of of the Blood Rose trilogy and I'm looking forward to reading the next two installments.
My Grade = B+
SWITCH by Megan Hart
Suggestions. On notes. Notes not meant for her... Megan writes such interesting stories and always gives us a peak into ourselves in the process. If you received an open note in your mailbox that didn't belong to you, would you read it? If you did, do you think its contents could change your life?
My Grade = B+
COMING UNDONE by Lauren Dane
The second book in what I call Ms. Dane's "tattoo" series, this story is about oldest sibling Brody Brown. Brody is a tattoo artist, a talent that helped him support and raise his two younger siblings. Not allowing himself to become involved with anyone seriously while raising his younger brother and sister, he's surprised to find himself enmeshed in his neighbor Elise and her young daughter's lives. LAID BARE was such a great read for me that I was a little let down that Brody's story was so tame. At the same time it provides a nice balance to the overall arc Ms. Dane has. I'm looking forward to Adrian Brown's book.
My Grade = B
STREET GAME by Christine Feehan
Another installment in Ms. Feehan's Ghostwalker series. No new ground, standard fare, but it fits the bill if you know what to expect.
My Grade = B
THE MANE EVENT by Shelly Laurenston
Is it telling that when I came to write a snippet about his book I couldn't remember a single thing about it without picking up the book? Pretty standard shifter fare here. Competently done.
My Grade = C
TENNESSEE MOON by Norah Hess
Once upon a forever ago I read Norah Hess. I don't have any on my keeper shelf which should have been my first clue before I picked up this re-release. I did muddle through this and recalled parts of it as I read as being one of Ms. Hess's tamer (no forced sex) stories. Another case of not enough meat to the story for me.
My Grade = C-
THE STRANGER AND TESSA JONES by Christine Rimmer
SIM # 1945 January 2009. I've read several of the Jones Gang books over the years and it had been awhile when I picked this one up at at a UBS during our December SoCal blogger UBS crawl. Tessa Jones takes in a beat up stranger in a blizzard who isn't what he appears to be. This is a Jones/Bravo crossover book.
My Grade = B
THE WEDDING PROMISE by Carolyn Davidson
This story about a young woman abandoned with her two younger brothers by the wagon train she was traveling with is taken in by a stranger and offered a marriage of convenience. Another UBS find this was a sweet western and I like mine with a bit more grit.
My Grade = C
BEAST by Judith Ivory
This is another book that's been in my tbr for forever. I also know it's on a lot of people's "best" lists. It's a DNF for me. I am putting it back in the tbr and plan to give it another try someday to see if it was one of those right book at the wrong time sort of things.
My Grade = DNF
THE BOUNTY HUNTER by Cheryl St. John
Another western "lite" this is a story of a bounty hunter turned sheriff who try as he might can't stop thinking about one particular saloon owner. Lily Divine is a mover and shaker in her little community and involved in many aspects of its welfare.
This book worked for me when it concentrated on the characters. I had a tough time believing a woman could be as successful in business with all men (the other saloon owners) as Lily was.
My Grade = C+
SCENES OF PASSION by Suzanne Brockmann
Living at home with her parents at 29 Maggie Stanton's life gets a well deserved shake up when a friend from her past comes back to town. Another UBS find and an old Brockman Silhouette Desire I'd missed previously.
My Grade = C
HOLD ON TIGHT by Stephanie Tyler Book 3 of the series. This is Chris and Jamie's story. I was anxious to see where Ms. Tyler was going to take us with Chris and Jamie after introducing them to us in TOO HOT TO HOLD. I liked the story starting out with Chris so vulnerable, wounded and struggling to remember the details of a mission gone terribly wrong. Could it get worse when Jamie shows up to investigate what happened? My Grade = B
A MATTER OF CLASS by Mary Balogh
This was a clever piece and one I enjoyed quite a bit. When an Earl's daughter besmirches the family name in a foiled elopement her parents fear she is ruined forever. Their neighbors, people the Earl has disdained since they moved in 12 years previously, are wealthy but not gentry. They do, however, have an eligible son and ambition enough to marry him to the hapless Annabelle.
I bought the book because I was interested in the premise and did enjoy it quite a bit. However, I don't see why it had to be released in the "mini" hardcover for $15.95.
My Grade = B+
TOO HOT TO HOLD by Stephanie Tyler
Book 2 of the series, this is Nick and Kaylee's story. Nick is a former SEAL who is constantly pushing the envelope both in his personal and professional life. While on a mission he stumbles across Kaylee a reporter who is investigating information with global political implications.
Still enjoying the series.
My Grade = B
PIECES OF SKY by Kaki Warner
A western more on an epic scale. I liked this book a lot for it's scope and depth. Jessica has come west all the way from England to find her brother and get his help to take back their ancestral home and assets from their younger sister's shady husband. On her way she meets rancher Brady Wilkins. Brady is tough, honorable, stubborn and one of the hardest working men Jessica has ever met.
It's obvious Ms. Warner is a lover of the western herself with the loving details she has in this book. This is the first book of of the Blood Rose trilogy and I'm looking forward to reading the next two installments.
My Grade = B+
SWITCH by Megan Hart
Suggestions. On notes. Notes not meant for her... Megan writes such interesting stories and always gives us a peak into ourselves in the process. If you received an open note in your mailbox that didn't belong to you, would you read it? If you did, do you think its contents could change your life?
My Grade = B+
COMING UNDONE by Lauren Dane
The second book in what I call Ms. Dane's "tattoo" series, this story is about oldest sibling Brody Brown. Brody is a tattoo artist, a talent that helped him support and raise his two younger siblings. Not allowing himself to become involved with anyone seriously while raising his younger brother and sister, he's surprised to find himself enmeshed in his neighbor Elise and her young daughter's lives. LAID BARE was such a great read for me that I was a little let down that Brody's story was so tame. At the same time it provides a nice balance to the overall arc Ms. Dane has. I'm looking forward to Adrian Brown's book.
My Grade = B
STREET GAME by Christine Feehan
Another installment in Ms. Feehan's Ghostwalker series. No new ground, standard fare, but it fits the bill if you know what to expect.
My Grade = B
THE MANE EVENT by Shelly Laurenston
Is it telling that when I came to write a snippet about his book I couldn't remember a single thing about it without picking up the book? Pretty standard shifter fare here. Competently done.
My Grade = C
TENNESSEE MOON by Norah Hess
Once upon a forever ago I read Norah Hess. I don't have any on my keeper shelf which should have been my first clue before I picked up this re-release. I did muddle through this and recalled parts of it as I read as being one of Ms. Hess's tamer (no forced sex) stories. Another case of not enough meat to the story for me.
My Grade = C-
THE STRANGER AND TESSA JONES by Christine Rimmer
SIM # 1945 January 2009. I've read several of the Jones Gang books over the years and it had been awhile when I picked this one up at at a UBS during our December SoCal blogger UBS crawl. Tessa Jones takes in a beat up stranger in a blizzard who isn't what he appears to be. This is a Jones/Bravo crossover book.
My Grade = B
THE WEDDING PROMISE by Carolyn Davidson
This story about a young woman abandoned with her two younger brothers by the wagon train she was traveling with is taken in by a stranger and offered a marriage of convenience. Another UBS find this was a sweet western and I like mine with a bit more grit.
My Grade = C
BEAST by Judith Ivory
This is another book that's been in my tbr for forever. I also know it's on a lot of people's "best" lists. It's a DNF for me. I am putting it back in the tbr and plan to give it another try someday to see if it was one of those right book at the wrong time sort of things.
My Grade = DNF
THE BOUNTY HUNTER by Cheryl St. John
Another western "lite" this is a story of a bounty hunter turned sheriff who try as he might can't stop thinking about one particular saloon owner. Lily Divine is a mover and shaker in her little community and involved in many aspects of its welfare.
This book worked for me when it concentrated on the characters. I had a tough time believing a woman could be as successful in business with all men (the other saloon owners) as Lily was.
My Grade = C+
SCENES OF PASSION by Suzanne Brockmann
Living at home with her parents at 29 Maggie Stanton's life gets a well deserved shake up when a friend from her past comes back to town. Another UBS find and an old Brockman Silhouette Desire I'd missed previously.
My Grade = C
HOLD ON TIGHT by Stephanie Tyler Book 3 of the series. This is Chris and Jamie's story. I was anxious to see where Ms. Tyler was going to take us with Chris and Jamie after introducing them to us in TOO HOT TO HOLD. I liked the story starting out with Chris so vulnerable, wounded and struggling to remember the details of a mission gone terribly wrong. Could it get worse when Jamie shows up to investigate what happened? My Grade = B
Labels: Monthly List
Posted by Rosie at 12:01 AM
2 Comments:
We got an ARC of the Balogh in at work, and I set it aside to read....uh, which I haven't done yet.
I liked Pieces of Sky but wasn't "wow-ed" by it. And I desperately wanted to be "wow-ed." That said, I'll be reading the rest of the trilogy.
OMG - I still have Deeper AND Switch in my TBR! I am SO behind!
I read Scenes of Passion around the time it was re-released and all I can recall about it now was that I found it rather "dated." Like the author should have kept it buried in her desk drawer or else reworked it extensively....
Yay, the list is up!! :D Better late than never :)
Looks like January was a bit of a so-so month, right?
I've finally got my hand on A Matter of Class. I agree with you, did it have to be a mini-HC? Ugh.
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