Does an ARC guarantee a review? I get a lot of the books I review from Netgalley. Others I buy myself. Very occasionally, I might get one from the author, but that doesn’t happen often. If I buy the book myself, I choose whether to review it or not. When I get the ARC for [...]

It’s probably not escaped your notice that there have been a few author blowouts recently about reviews and authors who review and reviewers in general. I’m not going there, I’m just not, although I’m prepared to explain what I do and why. I’m an author, I’m a reader, I review. Deal with it.

I’ve done a fair few things since I joined the writing world. I’ve edited (don’t do it anymore – the pay wasn’t brilliant and it detracted from my own writing time), I review and I write. And, of course, I read. When Syb asked me if I wanted to review for TGTBTU more regularly, I [...]

Liviania’s review of Hero at Large by Janet Evanovich Contemporary romance released by Harper 30 Mar 2010 I love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series.  Her other books have been more hit and miss for me, especially HarperCollins’s reprints of her old categories.  For the most part, Hero at Large is funny and entertaining.  In my [...]

Liviania’s review of Lured by Lori Devoti Paranormal romance released by Nocturne Bites 1 Jan 10 I enjoyed Lori Devoti’s Unbound series and Amazon Ink, so I happily picked up Lured for more of the same.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t more but less.

Liviania’s review of My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers, Book 2) by Rachel Vincent Young adult urban fantasy released by Harlequin Teen 29 Dec 09 My changing feelings about Rachel Vincent’s novels have been well documented on the internet.  What has been less documented is the fact that sometimes I read other people’s reviews before [...]

Liviania’s review of Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie Contemporary romance released by HQN 24 Nov 2009 I’m supposed to focus on new releases, not reprints.  I picked up this Jennifer Crusie because I know she’s a favorite of many.  (I’ve even seen her on my mother’s shelf.)  I figure it’s all right then, as there [...]

Liviania’s review of Dream Stalker by Jenna Kernan Paranormal romance released by Silhouette Nocturne 1 Dec 09 Jenna Kernan gets bonus points for using Lakota mythology. As urban fantasy and paranormal romance have become more popular, authors have diversified their interests from vampires.  But Native American myths remain sadly underused, possibly because many of their [...]

Liviania’s review of Rage: A Love Story by Julie Anne Peters LGBTQ Young Adult released by Knopf Books for Young Readers 8 Sept 09 Julie Anne Peters is known for writing novels about LGBTQ teens.  While the main characters of Rage are lesbian or bisexual, it’s not a focus of the story.  Johanna and Reeve [...]

Liviania’s review of Ice Song by Kirsten Imani Kisai Science fiction/fantasy released by Del Rey 19 May 2009 Sybil quickly figured out that I enjoy stories that play with gender.  Many people are intrigued by what separates men and women, but I enjoy that separation even more when it’s illuminated by a blending of the [...]

Limecello’s Duckies Do Series reviews of the Holidays Abroad Series by Merline Lovelace Contemporary romances released by Harlequin Nov 2008 – Jan 2009 I quite fancy the idea of Christmas in summer (especially during a sweltering heat wave), so when I read the Duke’s New Year’s Resolution, I realized I was in the middle of [...]

Liviania‘s Quick Quack Reviews of A Bunch of Category Romances by a Bunch of Authors Paranormal and contemporary romances released Jun-Jul 2009 That’s right, I’m back in the US and all moved into my apartment.  But . . . I’ve got a lot to catch up on.  So here’s some short reviews of various Harlequins I read [...]

Liviania’s Duckies Do Series reviews of The Wallflowers Series by Lisa Kleypas Historical romances released by Avon Oct 2004 – Jul 2006 Four girls approach the Season no longer believing they have any real chance.  It is not their first and they still have no prospects.  Annabelle Peyton has beauty, but no money.  Lillian and [...]

Sandy M’s review of The Bridesmaid Chronicles by Karen Kendall, Kylie Adams, and Julie Kenner Contemporary Romances released by Signet Jun-Sep 2005 I’ve had this series for a while, thinking I’d get to it soon, but, of course, never doing so. My 16-year-old niece visited me last month, the niece who, unfortunately, doesn’t want anything [...]

Sandy M’s Duckies Do Series reviews of the Langley Family Trilogy by Lucy Monroe Historical Romances released by Berkley Sep 2005 – Oct 2006 I’ve had this trilogy in the TBR pile for quite some time, and since I was lucky enough to find all three of them there at the same time, I had [...]