JADED

Off and on there's discussion about whether or not because we read so much we become more difficult to please and jaded. I think this is probably more likely to happen to those of us who read one specific genre almost exclusively.

GG and I were talking about this over the weekend. Since I've been on a reading binge, so has he. In fact he asked me to give him a book to read. Now normally he reads military, courtroom suspense, or westerns. However, he gets a kick out of reading one of my books every now and then. Surprisingly, in the last two weeks he's read DANGEROUS LOVER by Lisa Marie Rice and he just finished FORCE OF NATURE by Suzanne Brockmann. I can't remember his reading two of my books back to back before...ever.

FORCE OF NATURE was the second Brockmann book he's read. He liked the book well enough. He sort of rolled his eyes a bit over Jules and Robin's love story but he wasn't put off by it at all. He wanted more action! Hands down he liked DANGEROUS LOVER better for it's spiciness and the alpha male. My sweet, kind, considerate husband thinks he's an alpha male. Yeah...NO! But let's keep that between us. It makes him happy to believe it and it amuses me to no end.

It's fun hearing his reactions to books because he's a more eclectic reader than I am not to mention a news junkie so he always has an interesting perspective to offer me. Of course, the drawback is I don't think the book has been written that he thinks has too much sex and not enough story. Oy!

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that sometimes when we talk amongst ourselves I think we are a little jaded. My theory goes something like this. Because we read such a high volume of books maybe we don't savor and appreciate a book that someone who reads less frequently might. Or, because we read so much we have higher expectations. Either way, those of us who are prolific readers are discriminating and hard graders I think. That's why having a discussion with someone who reads our favorite genre so infrequently is so much fun. And interesting. And, uh...stimulating.

Meanwhile since GG's on a roll he asked me for another book. I wanted to give him THE HOLDING by Claudia Dain because Jane at Dear Author said Ned liked it. But alas my copy is in one of the tubs in the storage shed and way too much work to rescue. So I'm thinking of giving him HIGH NOON by Nora Roberts or CROSSROADS CAFE by Deborah Smith. I don't think he's ready for FAIRYVILLE by Emma Holly, do you?

What do you guys think? Is there a favorite book of yours that your DH or brother or Dad or best male friend read that I need to be handing over to GG? What would you recommend?

Bless me Father for I have sinned...

So for months I've been buying books like there's no tomorrow. I've been reading but in August my reading was dismal. Dismal not because I was in a funk but because I was either too dang busy or too dang tired to read. Well, after making a declaration to read, read, read I can't stop! I've finished Jo Goodman's IF HIS KISS IS WICKED and Emma Holly's FAIRYVILLE.

I have to say Ms. Goodman is an excellent writer. I'm left with the impression of her thoroughness in her story telling. She also does an excellent job creating full characters. My big 'but' is that the story did drag a bit for me in places. Just not enough going on. However, it was never so slow I wanted to put it down or not finish. Which was smart because the last third picked up very nicely and it ended up being a very satisfying read.

FAIRYVILLE...what to say. Very erotic and Holly at her very best especially with the men. I, as I've said many times, am not a big fan of the fey and fairy stories (or ghosts). Not that Ms. Holly particularly cares what I think, but I would have loved this book and been shouting about it every where if it were a straight up contemporary erotic novel. But Emma Holly fans don't despair. If, like me, you are unsure about the whole magical mystery tour part of the book let me assure you that the story takes place on a human plain, even if the town is called Fairyville, Arizona. The story sets a brisk pace and the characters were interesting, at least they were to me.

As we speak I'm more than half way through Laura Lee Guhrke's BREATHLESS. I was very torn about stopping to blog hop and write a post but I've been neglectful the past couple of days and with over 100 posts to read I decided to check out the blogosphere and catch up a bit. Besides I needed to give my eyes a rest and, you know, sleep maybe.

It's hard not to feel like a contented glutton. Is there such a thing? Especially after reading Holly's post about moderation I have a bit of the guilts about all my reading. I ate doughnuts today too. I haven't done that for ages. Oh and I didn't swim. Although this was the first Saturday lap swimming was available, so I won't make a habit out of skipping, okay? Uh, what else? Oh yeah, I only did two loads of laundry.

So that's it. That's my confession. For my penance I think I'll read only ONE hour before going to sleep. What do you think?

Menage by Emma Holly

Menage by Emma Holly (Excerpt)



I already have a couple of Ms. Holly's Black Lace titles and liked them alot. I've previously read VELVET GLOVE and IN THE FLESH. In fact, VELVET GLOVE was the first of her books I read and enjoyed and was a gift from GG, but I digress.


I purchased Menage on my own cheesecake/sugar high with a certain "super" reader egging me on. (A side note: Did you know that librarians compulsively straighten and turn books out and reshelve books in a book store? They do!) Okay, I admit it, she didn't egg me on, she merely pointed to it and commented it had recently been newly released. I snatched it off the shelf all by myself.

Now I'm not someone who automatically picks up and buys every book with a menage in it. Nor do I buy every book with an erotic romance label. Which is hard to believe since I read this one hard on the heels of FORBIDDEN PLEASURE by Lora Leigh and my recent raves about Megan Hart's books. In any case, I bought it because Emma Holly is a proven good read for me and I like to think I'm pretty discerning about my erotic romance.

I decided to do a review and make a commentary about this particular book because I think Ms. Holly did such a great job of realistically presenting the prurient interest and fantasy part of a menage along with the difficult and emotionally messy part of being involved in a relationship where there are three people. Haven't you ever been reading a book and thought where's the doubt, the worry, the emotional insecurity? People, as a rule, just aren't that well adjusted. We all bring our sack of rocks to whatever we do...especially relationships. Ms. Holly addresses those questions and the characters' motives in MENAGE.

Kate is a woman firmly established in a career and business that she loves and is sharing her flat with two younger men. Both of the young men are just finishing advanced degrees and starting their careers. As the story and the relationship begin Kate arrives home one day to find her two attractive flatmates engaged in sexual shenanigans in her bedroom. It seems that Joe has some interest and hot fantasys where Kate is concerned. Sean, just wants to keep Joe happy and maybe help himself by helping Joe.

Reading this book so soon after reading FORBIDDEN PLEASURE just emphasized the difference between a book that is more pure fantasy (FP) than reality (Menage). Certainly when it comes to the real issues of possessiveness, love, jealousy, anguish and acceptance that has to be a part of any threesome, Ms. Holly is head and shoulders above any other book I've read on the subject.

The sex is hot, the dynamics of the trio interesting and thought provoking. Seriously. Completely original (to me) in her take on a menage relationship and the happily ever after, I really enjoyed this book.

What I've been reading lately

So, I'm cleaning up this weekend and sorting through all the books I've piled up that I've read recently to decide whether to save 'em or send 'em to the used book store. I realized I had quite a stash accumulated in the process. I thought I'd share a quick review of this latest group. You're getting bare bones here. I'm too tired and lazy to get links or covers.

1. Kathy Love - A trilogy GETTING WHAT YOU WANT; WANTING WHAT YOU GET; and WANTING SOMETHING MORE. I probably would not have read all three of these if I was waiting for them to come out individually. However, this was one of those rare instances when a cover caught my eye and all three of the books were out already. Reading them one after the other was great. They aren't the sort of read I would rave about, but were an enjoyable way to spend a weekend. Straight up contemporary romance about three misfit sisters and how they manage to make a life for themselves when the "grow up".

2. Michele Albert - HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT. I have all of her books...even those as Michele Jerott. I like her voice. Considering some of the unsavory and unpleasant things the protagonist has in his past it would have been more interesting to be a little more in his psyche. Grif Laughton is a complicated guy. I liked the book though. Fast paced enough, even if I would have liked seeing more of the dark side of Grif.

3. Kresley Cole - A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER. If you know anything about me you know I'm a complete pushover for werewolves and vampires. While I'm partial to these two kinds of stories, I do have standards. I like intensity and new twists to the same old legends. I liked this book alot because probably the only thing I'm more of a sucker (no pun intended) for then weres and vamps is a tortured hero. This book has that all wrapped up in one guy. Of course, I can't over look his single minded focus to find and keep his mate. Yeah...my guilty secret a man's intense focus of energy on one woman. It gives me shivers. I'm curious to read a second book of Ms. Cole's to see if this was a one time thing or not.

4. Lucy Monroe - READY; WILLING; AND ABLE. This is actually three individual books. This is another trio I've been ignoring but started reading part of the second book in the store and got hooked enough to give them a whirl. I read all three back to back. Again, I don't know if I had read the first one all by itself if it would have stood out in my mind long enough for me to buy the second and third books, but all together they were very satisfying. The guys are mercernaries which always intrigues me. It's interesting to me when an author tries to give us a reason why a man would choose that sort of life...it's pretty hard to justify selling yourself to the highest bidder. Of course, these guys belong to a "good guy" merc group doing good for the world. There are some far fetched scenarios, but I don't read romance for a dose of reality...I get that from CNN. So all in all they were a fun read.

5. Lucy Monroe - TEMPT ME. So I liked the contemporaries enough to give this regency of Ms. Monroe's a try. I wasn't as captivated by it as I was the contemporaries, but if you are the mood for a decently written regency, this one is pretty good.


6. Eloisa James - THE TAMING OF THE DUKE. I've enjoyed this series and was disappointed in this installment. It was predictable and I had trouble finishing it. I've enjoyed several of Ms. James books very much, but this one made me feel like she wasn't sure what she wanted to write. It was too tepid for the build up we've had of these two characters.

7. Emma Holly - ALL U CAN EAT. I liked this book, but not as much as some of Ms. Holly's books. I loved both of the main characters and was very invested in both of them. But this is another one of those occasions when a book was missing something for me and I can't put my finger on what it is. Satisfying ending though. Even though Frankie Smith has a boyfriend when the story starts, I can't think why she wasn't flirting her ya-ya's off with Police Chief Jack West. He's a memorable guy...kind of like Patrick in Ms. Holly's VELVET GLOVE. Both these guys make their individual books worth reading. All that intensity and focus (again!) just makes a chick shiver!

8. Katie MacAlister - EVEN VAMPIRES GET THE BLUES. This was an enjoyable addition to this series of Ms. MacAlister's. By itself it wouldn't be a recommend for me though. Her earlier books are much better I think. I would have liked more of Paen's background explained. Also, it's hard to be too invested in soul saving when the person whose soul is at risk never makes an appearance in the book. Yeah, that was weird. Even so, if you liked her other vampire books and enjoy this series, you'll like this one too.

9. Sarah McCarty - CONCEPTION: THE OTHERS. I just re-read this book because I bought it in print. You know I'm so taken with her PROMISE series that I didn't remember how much I liked this particular book. What can I say? *G* I'm a huge fan of Ms. McCarty's. I am anxious now to read more of this series. (Bohdan's story if you must know). Character, character, character...she writes them with so much depth and accessibility. Even when writing about the supernatural, like she is here, she is one of those writers that make her characters seem so real. Good, good book. If you haven't read it, you really should.

With the exception of Ms. McCarty's book, none of the other books are something I would stop someone in the romance section and tell them to read. However, none of them made me go screaming into the night either.

Psst...Sarah...what's the latest with UNCHAINED: ZACH'S OBSESSION ?

Lots of Stuff...

Have you ever been in a situation where your employer keeps offering you a promotion to a job that while you are flattered to be asked, you really don't want the job? It's been happening to me for a couple of months now. It actually began when I turned in the ill fated two week notice and got sucked back into my original job, albeit with a lot more money.

As for the promotion, I have emailed, phoned and had face to face conversations being as polite and firm as I can refusing. I've finally gotten blunt. It's heady stuff that ego boosting "we can't do it without you" pitch. But I think they finally know I really, really, NO REALLY don't want the job. In fact, I'm holding on to my original agreement to leave in another 5 months (of the 6 month term I agreed to come back for).

You know I've had some tough employers, nice employers...all whom have given me great reviews and references, but I don't think I've ever had an employer seem so genuinely anxious to retain my services. Like I said...very heady stuff. Have to keep your eyes or your personal goals and ideals or you end up prostituting yourself for more money and hating your life. Okay I totally said that to remind myself of same. ; )

Next on the agenda...book news.
I'm pretty excited about some recent book purchases. First of all I'm a Lisa Kleypas fan and her latest IT HAPPENED ONE AUTUMN was a fine read. I admit that I try to refrain from having too high expectations with authors I like because it never seems to fail that as soon as I get hyped they pen a real clunker. This was good though.

OTOH, I usually enjoy Christina Dodd's books and her latest which was a part of her governess series was, to borrow Karen's phrase, a real snooze fest. Bummer!

Off and on I read Erin McCarthy books which to date have pretty much fallen into the "okay" category. However, I really enjoyed THE PREGNANCY TEST. For those of you who don't know, Erin won a writing contest put on by Lori Foster and that's how she started her publishing career.

Right now I'm anxious to read the second Lynn Viehl book in the Darkyn series, PRIVATE DEMON. I'm anxious to see if she can continue the intrigue and uniqueness she created in the first book.

Lastly I just purchased Emma Holly's COURTING MIDNIGHT. I've read Emma Holly books that I absolutely love and other's I've finished scratching my head and saying WTF? So I've got my fingers crossed on that one.

By the way since I know I haven't mentioned it before. I think Suzanne Brockmann did an awesome job with the Gina and Max story line in her last release BREAKING POINT. If you go to the Amazon link it only show 3 1/2 stars with a lot of complaints about how she handled the age difference, etc. If you are a fan I think she did a great job. Most people would be conflicted if they were Max about the circumstances of their meeting. If you don't know the history and haven't read the book that set their story up I think you may have a problem with the book, but as a fan with high expectations, I thought she did a great job with their story line.

Don't be fooled by this paltry list. I've got a TBR pile that is shameful, but I just can't stop buying a new release that catches my fancy. I'm damn lucky I have such a generous book allowance and a very indulgent husbink.