Once Upon a Reviewer: Gwen

Once Upon a Time I was one of those kids who was always reading books until the wee hours, under the covers, with a flashlight.  My mom never did understand why I always seemed so tired.

I’m still a voracious reader, normally going thru 2-3 a week. I’ve been thru a fantasy phase (Tolkien’s Middle Earth were my first “adult” novels), a sci-fi kick (couldn’t get enough Heinlein and Bradbury when I was in college), deluged myself in suspense (Kay Scarpetta is a hero/antihero of mine), and I’ve dabbled in Allende (my daughter’s name is Isabel), Morrison, and other terrific fiction writers.

All thru each of these phases was the constant thread of romance novels. I seem to gravitate back to romance no matter where I’ve been. It can be contemporary, historical, action, paranormal, sci-fi, urban fantasy, you name it.  I think I’ve read them all.

If I had to say I had a favorite, it would be sci-fi and futuristic romances.  To be honest, though, I like all sub-genres IF they’re well written. I love Moning’s paranormal, Ward’s hunky vamps, Kleypas of all flavors, and O’Shea’s sci-fi romances. If I find a writer who knows how to write a steamy love scene, a good action scene, and still make me cry, I’m their bitch forever.

I’m a picky reader and good editing and careful proof-reading mean a lot to me. I get too distracted by simple errors. I remember one particularly poorly proofed novel when “brooch” was used when it was obvious the author meant “broach” — it totally threw me out of the book and I kept going back re-reading that sentence to make sure I saw it correctly.  I can handle the occasional simple errors – it’s when the same errors, or the sheer quantity of errors, jump up and slap me over and over again that I just want to throw the book at the wall.

I hope to offer you an alternative look a romance novel reviews. Something a little from the darker side. And huge thanks to Sybil for providing such a terrific forum for sharing ideas in an adult, thought-provoking manner!