Praise be I finished a book!

I finally finished MOUTH TO MOUTH by Erin McCarthy. Cute. Sexy. Predictable. One different twist was the heroine was deaf. Made for some interesting moments in the book. I haven't liked Ms. McCarthy's Vegas Vampire series too much. Just not for me, but I've enjoyed a few of her romantic comedy contemporaries. This sort of falls in that category.

Now I have Lucy Monroe's new book DEAL WITH THIS staring me in the face, but I think I'm going to dig a couple of westerns out. Yes, I know I've mentioned this about six times (more?) recently but I haven't gotten the books out yet. But I'm really in the mood. Anybody's guess why Christmas puts me in the mood for a western?

You know I feel like my reading has been paralleling my eating habits. I seem to be indulging in a lot of desserts and not anything I can really sink my teeth into. It's not for lack of choices. I think I just need to sit my butt down and honestly go through my tbr and choose.

Having said that I'm eagerly anticipating BLOOD BROTHERS by Nora Roberts which is due out on Tuesday. I so enjoyed HIGH NOON that I have high hopes for BLOOD BROTHERS to be something I can really dive into.

We are hoping to make a Christmas holiday trip to Disneyland this afternoon. Both GG and I are off and the boys each only have classes in the morning. I love seeing the seasonal decorations so that will be a highlight for me. Besides we all seem so busy lately that I've learned to really embrace and enjoy the moments we can all be together these days.

I think I finally have my top ten favorite heros list put together and hope to put it up tomorrow. I hope none of my favorite literary romance heroes feel slighted. Rather than have trouble picking ten like I originally thought I would I actually had to whittle the list down. I think I'll work on a top ten heroines list next. This was fun and gave me a chance to reminisce about some favorite heroes. Can you have a favorite hero and the book not necessarily be a favorite?

Giving Away Books

Since my local UBS has closed I'm thinking of giving away books as opposed to trying to find a place to drag them to trade. At least until I find a decent new UBS that doesn't involve travel that would equal a trek down the Oregon Trail. Like how I got that western reference in there?

So, right now I have eight books to give away. All but the Cheryl St John were purchased new by me and have been gently used and are in good to excellent condition. The St. John was purchased used and is in good condition.

If you want one of these, leave a comment telling me which book you'd like. First come, first serve and all that. Since I have no clue about postage rates to Canada or outside the U.S. I will only be able to afford to ship to people in the U.S.


The books available:
THE LAWMAN'S BRIDE by Cheryl St. John

ONE REAL COWBOY by Janette Kenny

BE STILL MY VAMPIRE HEART by Kerrelyn Sparks

CHOSEN PREY by Cheyenne McCray

IN THE THRILL OF THE NIGHT by Candice Hern

TOUGH ENOUGH by Michele Albert

THE SECRET PASSION OF SIMON BLACKWELL by Samantha James

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED by Lucy Monroe

I'm late, I'm late for a very important date...

Busy interviewing and with life. I took a brief moment yesterday to stop and shop for some books. The new haul:

1. WILD THING an anthology with Maggie Shayne, Meljean Brook, Marjorie Liu and Alyssa Day

2. NIGHT LOST by Lynn Viehl which is the 4th Darkyn book

3. I'M WATCHING YOU by Karen Rose This is a new to me writer because I usually like authors that both Tara Marie and Wendy like. This isn't a book that either of them mentioned, but it was one of two titles available at my B&N so I'm giving her a try.

4. CASTLE OF THE WOLF - Sandra Schwab This is totally Sybil, Sybil, Sybil. Another new to be author brought to my attention by Sybil and whose story premise intrigued me.

5. THE DEMON YOU KNOW - Christine Warren I've read some of her stuff from EC in the past and am interested to see how she does with a single title. I read the prologue in the store and figured what the heck.

6. BLED DRY - Erin McCarthy I've mostly enjoyed her books as entertaining romantic comedy. I've been sort of hit or miss with these vamp books, but this was the next installment. I'm crazy because these are expensive trade sized books, but there it was in my hands... I'm weak!

Right now I'm finishing up SATISFACTION GUARANTEED by Lucy Monroe. This book has been a change of pace from the more intense and involved books I've been reading. Not a bad book, but nothing new either. I guess Megan Hart and Meljean Brook have spoiled me...huh?

No links today. I've got alot of regular household stuff to do before a call back interview. Try to stay out of trouble out there, okay?

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 ?