Some stuff I need to tell you...

Nope no July book list yet. I had such high hopes for today too because I took the day off from work and thought... You know I might get to do some fun stuff. No such luck.

I do have a couple of things I want to say about some recent reading though because I haven't had time to do proper reviews and because I don't want to lose the "feeling". Do you ever have feelings that linger long after you read a book? Sometimes I want to exercise more, or cook, or get to work earlier, or make something with my kids or... it can be just about anything. Something will grab me and just not let go.

As I think I mentioned when I first got back from DC I began reading my ARC of INDISCREET by Carolyn Jewel right away. I'm making big assumptions about this writer from the very kind and sweet woman I've met only a few times, but I'm telling you, a lot of stuff is going on in that brain of hers. Her characters are so human and real. She reminds me that a bigger than life dilemma doesn't have to be created when surviving the REAL life stuff is hard enough. I'll be posting this review closer to the release date of the book, but obviously I'm still loving her work.

Another of my favorite writers, Jenna Kernan, had a release this past week. This one is called SIERRA BRIDE. I stopped reading it. The hero was too schizo for me. The heroine too self sacrificing and not in a good way. SL Wendy was 100 pages in and liking it. I put it down thinking maybe I wasn't in the right mood for it because I normally adore Kernan's books.

It took me the better part of a week but I finished TASTING FEAR by Shannon McKenna. Regular visitors to my blog know that she's one of my favorites. Yes, I know that her heros are sometimes what is considered well, jerks. BUT, they are jerks with heart. Anyway, I've vowed I'm not going to apologize for liking the over protective hunky brutes. However this book of 489 pages is actually three books. It was like reading three Blazes back to back. I think I might have liked it better if she'd intertwined the stories more, but I won't swear to that.

Here's the thing. There are three parts, one for each sister, who in turn has her own hero. However, the sisters, who are not biological sisters as they were each adopted, seem exactly the same to me. I also felt that Ms. McKenna was trying too hard sometimes to write in answer to her critics who found her previous heros a bit too neanderthal. I, of course, wasn't one of those people, so making the men more sensitive and the women more independent and self sufficient didn't bother me. What bothered me was the sameness. That bummed me out. GG on the other hand, has just discovered McKenna. Yes, you read that right.

He just finished reading BEHIND CLOSED DOORS and gave it a 'B'. He asked for the next one but sort of backed up a few steps when he saw that the trade size book, STANDING IN THE SHADOWS was hot pink in color. Dunno if that one will get read or not.

My first book of August is THE FIRE KING by Marjorie Liu. Damn she's good. Now her characters...no two alike. Karr and Soria are wonderful. While the book proudly wears a DIRK & STEELE NOVEL on it's cover, in my so very humble opinion it stands on it's own very well. Good book people.

I think that's everything I wanted to get off my chest. Now I have to go get ready to go out. Tonight I'm off to my niece's bachlorette party. I haven't been to one in years. What does one wear to bachlorette parties these days?

I love my niece. Adore her in fact. I'm thrilled and happy for her, but don't you think it's odd she wants her aunt at her bachlorette party? Of course, I'm not saying there aren't some things I could teach her...

Rapture

Can't believe my last post was on Wednesday. This past week is a blur. But not to worry. Today was aces.

First, swimming. Yeah, we all know I like swimming. Then we took care of Shmoo's uniform. He's gotten into a program that preps you for the fire service. Big Surprise! They wear a uniform.

Next was a trip to my favorite Borders. You know what's coming next...right?

Books baby! That's right I scored a couple of books I've been dying to see released. I hardly know which one to announce first. So here they are...

Could you just scream!!!!!

MINE TO POSSESS by Nalini Singh and DEMON NIGHT by Meljean Brook. I'm literally breathless with anticipation because both of these books are on my "most anticipated" releases for 2008. Don't know which one to read first. What a great dilemma to have though, huh?

After the book store we went to see 27 Dresses. Shmoo went with his girlfriend and, of course, I dragged GG along. Beanie's girlfriend is out of town, but he came along stag. Being out altogether always makes me happy.

The movie was cute and engaging. It was light, funny, and that James Marsden is one handsome guy. Katherine Heigl lights up the screen. I think she's got a big career in front of her. Seriously, she can really light up the screen. Have you seen she and Ed Burns on the MovieFone Unscripted interview? Very entertaining.

Despite my crazy week. I did manage to read a book. It took most of the week but that didn't take away from my thorough enjoyment of EXTREME DANGER by Shannon McKenna. Don't ruin for me by talking about what's PC or appropriate. Hey I know people have issues with Shannon McKenna's heroes, but I love the big alpha louts. Certainly some books work better for me than others but this was one of the good ones. It's sexy, moving, a bit over the top and HOT! Seriously hot. I commented on its hotness so much that GG wants to read it. Heh, heh... I'm not stupid ya know. *wink wink*

Anyway, that's my fabulous Saturday. I love days like this.

You know what I miss? Part III

THE EDGE OF MIDNIGHT (excerpt) by Shannon McKenna. We all know from my review last year that I'm a fan of Ms. McKenna. Sometimes McKenna females are not as well drawn or developed as they could be. However, for the most part I've enjoyed her books and look forward to each release. You know why don't you? Because the way she writes the men really rocks my boat. So sue me, they're my guilty pleasure. So you'll understand my own surprise when I read this book. I don't know if my reading bar has been raised over the past year, or just what has happened, but the hero in EOM, Sean McCloud just didn't have the same impact or have the same zippity doo-dah as McKenna's heros usually do.

The story, in a nutshell, is about a guy, Sean McCloud who cruelly dumped his sweetheart, Liv Endicott years earlier in order to protect her. He returns to his small hometown to save Liv from a stalker and solve the mystery of his twin brother's death, a supposed suicide.

Sean McCloud is the youngest of the McCloud brothers. Ms. McKenna has previously written about Connor McCloud in STANDING IN THE SHADOWS (excerpt) and Davy McCloud in OUT OF CONTROL (excerpt). Since those books came out in 2003 and 2005 respectively it's been awhile since I've read them. But I have to tell you I don't remember either Davy or Connor being as irritating as I found Sean to be.

For one thing he was just so damn immature. It's hard for me to believe that a man who supposedly has gone on security missions around the world and learned survival techniques at his daddy's knee can take so little in life seriously. While I know Ms. McKenna did intentionally write Sean to be a bit more wild and carefree than his brothers, I do feel she went a bit too far for my taste with Sean.

Since I like to read about controlled and confident men that may be part of the problem. Controlled being the operative word there. Sean McCloud isn't really either of those things. He's reckless, obnoxious and a man-whore. Of course, Sean is only a man-whore because he's a commitment phobe and has only ever loved Liv Endicott who he knows he can't have. Poor Sean has loved Liv for years and years never believing they can be together since he engineered the end of their relationship.

Anyway, when Sean returns to his small hometown Liv's bookstore has just been burned to the ground by her stalker, T-Rex. Sean decides he needs to offer unsolicited help to Liv with her stalker. Of course, you know right away these two seemingly unrelated things are really all part of the same nefarious plot.

There were a couple of scenes between Sean and Liv that had me grinding my teeth. I think they were supposed to be witty banter between the characters. They amounted to little more than "Yes, you do." "No. I don't." "Yes, you do." "No, I don't" exchanges that were a bit over the top. Sean addressing Liv as 'Princess' didn't do too much for me either. Liv also pretty much lets Sean bully her.

There is some good stuff. As always Ms. McKenna does deliver sizzling hot sex scenes. If you've liked her books before and like 'em hot, you'll probably be okay with this one as well. Although I do have to make a side note to Wendy. I don't think the sex was hot enough to save this book for you. Liv will probably give you a headache... even if you are sitting in your new deluxe lounger with a cabana boy rubbing your feet. :)

Another note to any and all who have read or will be reading the book. Please go to pages 170-171 and after you read it please drop me an email. Or, you can come back and comment here. All I want to say is that I had a "Huh?" moment and had to read those two or three pages over a couple of times. Definitely something different. If you've read it, or have read something like it elsewhere, please I'm begging you email and tell me where. Is that even possible? Wait. Never mind. I don't want to know.

So, I know it sounds crazy, but I have to sum this book up by saying, "Well, I didn't hate it." I know myself well enough to know that I will certainly continue to buy McKenna because every once in awhile she really hits it out of the park for me. I know. I know. It's crazy, but I can't help myself. I need rehab.

Characters from other books do make appearances in this one, but I don't think enough to be a problem and you should be able to read this as a stand alone.

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I'd thought to do a small review of UP CLOSE AND DANGEROUS by Linda Howard. But I pretty much agree with Zeek's review almost verbatim, so I'm not going to bother. I'm glad I read it and think if it was anyone else besides Linda Howard we'd all be talking about what a good book it is. I think most romance readers hold LH to a very high standard because we love some of her older books so much.

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I read two books over the weekend and both of them were quite good. I read my first Jessica Bird book (aka JR Ward) her new SSE THE BILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR. This is a lot of book for a category romance. The title doesn't do the book justice either. The Jessica Bird website needs to be updated desperately so I didn't put an excerpt in for you.

The other book I read and really enjoyed is a 2004 Silhouette Desire by Eileen Wilks called MEETING AT MIDNIGHT. MAM is part of a series about the McClain family. I read it out of series sequence and it was a good little story and stood well on its own.

I haven't decided what to read next, TIED TO THE TRACKS by Rosina Lippi or BREATHLESS by Laura Lee Guhrke. Both are waiting for me on my night stand. I can't wait!

What to do....What to do?

So I spent almost $150 at Borders last Friday. Yes, I blew my whole month's budget in one fell swoop. Sometimes when I think of what I'd have in savings if I didn't buy books...but that's a blog for another day. Now between the new purchases and the TBR I have probably 50 books to choose from. I just finished HEART MATE by Robin D. Owens but don't know whether to read another in that series (which would involve a purchase) or just choose something else. Zan Duncan from HOT NIGHT still has me aglow as well. I'm thinking I should go for something completely different to get me out of THAT head space.

For now I'm going to leave you with some JOHN MAYER. We are going to see he and SHERYL CROW in concert this week. Can't wait. Take a listen while I ponder my next book choice.

HOT NIGHTS by Shannon McKenna

Here's the set up and blurb from the back cover of the book:

THE PREDATOR
Gold. The most precious of metals. And someone would kill to get at the dazzling exhibit of priceless Spanish treasure Abby Maitland just landed for the museum. Too bad Zan Duncan had to show up to protect her, but someone’s waiting—and watching. She’s in the crosshairs and she doesn’t have a clue.

THE PREY
Abby is mesmerized by Zan’s untamed strength and his very sexual vibe. From the long dark hair, the thick, hard muscles, and the black leather jacket right on down to the honed fighting skills and the tattoos, Zan is everything a bad boy oughta be . . . and everything Abby has sworn to avoid. Yet he’s a master of subtle seduction, pushing her buttons with tantalizing promises of night after hot night of secret, endless pleasure. Promises that he keeps, to the letter . . .

But danger stalks them both, for a lethal game of deception, greed and murder is underway—a game more sinister than Abby and Zan ever imagined. And when no one can be trusted and no place is safe, passion may be the only thing that can save them . . .

Okay, I'm going to say it and just get it out of the way, I know that I shouldn't like Zan Duncan in HOT NIGHT by Shannon McKenna. In moments of intimacy he becomes, to quote Abby in the book, "Dominator Guy". No, not in a BDSM way, but in a very sexually aggressive way he is sort of dominate...no he IS dominant. But Abby likes it...ALOT. Turns out I did too.

In many ways Zan is just not politically correct. He screws up in his relationship with Abby over and over again and offers a lame "I'm sorry" just one too many times. Which to Abby's credit she calls him on and sends him packing. He deserves it too, even understands that he's screwed things up and probably deserves to be sent out of her life.

The thing is I really liked this story. The sexual tension between Abby and Zan is so thick I, for one, could hardly breathe a couple of times. From a real life perspective if a girlfriend told me about a guy like this I would probably tell her to run for her life. A wild card sort of guy rarely works out in real life. For all the "bad boys" friends and family have linked up with I can recall only one time it's worked out.

Fortunately, this is Romancelandia and for me, in this book, it just worked. I totally bought that Zan was a different type of lone wolf/bad boy. Yes, he makes mistakes, is obsessed with Abby and acts out inappropriately, but we are sympathetic to it because we know who the real bad guy is.

This is another story where I was intrigued by the characters' past and how it influenced who they are when we meet them. I was glad that Zan wasn't independently wealthy, or a CEO, but a working stiff ... a lock smith and computer consultant. I also really liked Abby defending her territory whether it was her apartment or her job. Even though we, and Zan, know she is vulnerable to him and his wily seductive ways.

In short I loved this book and couldn't put it down. That just hasn't been happening much lately. I was glad it was my off night from yoga, because once I started reading I didn't want to stop.

In general I'm a Shannon McKenna fan and I think she is getting better at bringing more character elements into her books. These elements are things that as readers we often think about but many authors rarely address. For instance, Abby's demand that Zan respect her, trust her and give a crap about her "professional dignity". We don't very often see a character worry about the fallout in her real life when she takes a leap or choice that to any right minded person seems a little nuts.

This is a Brava release, so it has very hot and erotic love scenes. I was in just the right mood and it was a captivating read...