As I was putting together a list of books I wanted to review (not the list PamP was asking for but hey a list *g*) I noticed a few odd things
Yes first is the fact, I do plan to start reviewing again. Well that isn’t odd to me since I had hoped to start in January, if the Topamax would let me. (If you wonder what I mean by that look up that side effects) To borrow a phrase from my neuro more on that later…
The thing that *I* found most shocking was there are so many books coming out on January 27 (yes that is today) that I thought were rather awesome books. Since it must be in celebration of my birthday (yeah it was the 22nd but really it is close), I thought I would use the 4pm review spot to make a list! Well and because I can *g*
The Sins of Lord Easterbrook by Madeline Hunter – I was going to put this review up today at 4pm, I know isn’t it like so cool how I just change the rules for myself (generally 4pm is older book reviews 🙂 ) but tis a duckies choice to change her mind and I decided to showcase all the releases today. And it should be NO shock that I adored this book. For historical fans you really need to get your feathers on down to the bookstore and get this, or download it or whatev. Easterbrook demands to be read. Trust me on this.
ETS: if you didn’t already know this… Madeline has joind the ever delightful women over @ The Goddess Blog
(almost didn’t put this summary cuz is SO doesn’t fit IMHO)
Only a desperate mission could bring Leona Montgomery face-to-face with the scoundrel whose dangerous sensuality once sent her fleeing from his arms. But she has under-estimated Christian, Marquess of Easterbrook. As irresistible as ever, his past swathed in mystery, Christian has his own plans for the woman he has waited seven years to claim. Yet once desire reignites, bringing a dangerous secret into the open, Leona will find herself bound to the seductive nobleman in ways she could never have imagined. Seven years have changed nothing: this man can tempt her to ruin with just one touch. With Leona’s reputation and hopes for her family’s salvation in tatters, she must follow the only course left to her…even as each step brings her closer to a shattering truth and a passion she can no longer live without….
Montana Creeds: Logan by Linda Lael Miller – wasn’t sure if I should include this or not but it does show ‘in stock’ at amazon. It is the first in a back to back trilogy from HQN. I read all three books around the end of December beginning of Jan and adored them all (Dylan the next was my fave). LLM is an old fave of mine who is very hit or miss so it was a delight to read three books in a row that were really all hits. It is a contemp western trilogy with three very estranged brothers. It is a great mix of what I loved in LLM older novels and what still is wonderful in her recent work without slamming any doors. And she does some great men, Holly you really need to read these and tell me what you think ;).
Descendants of the legendary McKettrick family, the Creeds are renowned in Stillwater Springs, Montana—for raising hell…
After years of wandering, Logan Creed, a cowboy with a dusty law degree, has returned home. To put down roots, to restore his family’s neglected ranch…to have kids of his own proudly bearing the Creed name.
Divorced mom Briana Grant has heard the stories about her gorgeous neighbor. So Logan’s kindness with her young boys is a welcome surprise, especially when her ex reappears. And when an unknown enemy vandalizes her home, Logan shows Briana—and the folks of Big Sky country—just what he’s made of.
Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis – One of Jill’s best contemps yet and grand fun. You can step over to Book Binge and get some an awesome look at the book with some excerpts, reader questions answered by THE Jill and reviews already done by Holly and company.
Accountant Katie Kramer is a quintessential good girl – working hard, recycling diligently, all the while trying to ignore the feeling that she doesn’t fit in anywhere. That’s all she wants. Well, that – and amazing sex, and the kind of daredevil escapade she can look back on when she’s crunching numbers in a dusty cubicle. Which explains why she just took a job in Wishful, California, working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. Waking up to find a magnificently built stranger towering over her bed – that part defies explanation…After wandering the planet for months following a life-changing accident, Cameron Wilder has come back to the only home he knows. Under other circumstances, he might be thrilled to find a gorgeous woman sleeping in his cabin, but now, while he’ll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits. Still, Katie’s killer smile triggers something deep in his gut…among other places. Showing her how exhilarating it can be to stop balancing her life as if it was a check book is the biggest rush he’s ever felt – and an adventure Katie’s wishing would never end…
Dark of Night by Suzanne Brockmann – OUT TODAY and I admit I have gone back and forth with reviewing this cuz you people scare me. I am a spoilerwhore. I have read like oh three of these books. I liked Dark of Night, ask holly *g* who I texted repeatedly while reading it cuz I KNEW she would lurve that heeeee. But I am guessing what happens is gonna get a whole hellalot of omg how could SUZ!?!?! And I was just too dumb to be upset cuz I wasn’t invested enough to be… ::shrug:: and uh was that a spoiler?
Badly shaken after the loss of one of their own, the men and women of Troubleshooters Inc. go up against their most deadly opponents yet —- the clandestine organization called The Agency. Blackmail, extortion, murder: The Agency’s black-ops sector will apparently stop at nothing to achieve their objective. But this time they’ve gone too far and hit too close to home.
Led by former Navy SEAL Lawrence Decker, a team of investigators —- from FBI agent Jules Cassidy and former CIA operative Dave Malkoff, to Troubleshooters Sophia Ghaffari, Tess Bailey, and even receptionist Tracy Shapiro —- band together to uncover the truth, and bring the killers to justice.
But the stakes are raised even higher when Decker barely escapes an attempt on his life. It soon becomes clear that the hunters have become the hunted —- and the Troubleshooters are no longer just solving a crime -— they’re fighting for survival.
also out today I am currently reading for review but can’t rec one way or the other cuz I am not far enough into so buy at your own risk:
Highland Warrior by Monica McCarty
Sandy’s first Duck Chat Author!
I have just started this so I can’t say much about it yet. So no need to start worrying yet Monica ;).
Night After Night by Kathryn Smith – This is the last of Brotherhood of the Blood series and I am pretty sure I have read it but the time I got the ARC hits about the time I was in the hospital so before I review it I need to reread it. Yes better living through chemicals. (this would be why I spent most of Nov and Dec rereading older romance novels but that is a list for another time)
My Man Michael by Lori Foster
I know many here do not care for Lori Fosters books but I do so have a soft spot for her. I have loved this series and really enjoyed the last book. I am only a chapter or so into this so can’t at all say if this one will work for me or not.
I am sure there are more books coming out today. Like the SEP (that I really should make sure got to the reviewer it was suppose to go to… see my memory not so good) So what are you looking forward to that hit the shelves today? What have you read that you want to shout about that came out today? What did you write that comes out today? Feel free to pimp… it you know you wanna
I’ll cheer you on cheerfully whatever your opinion is on the Suz Brockmann – I’ve been a bit shocked by the, well vitriol and rudeness of some people’s reactions to the spoilers. Seriously, you’d think she was Bernard Madoff the way some people have reacted. I can see why you’d hesitate.
Can anyone industry related say why this week is such a big books week?
Lois Mcmaster Bujold’s Horizon is out today too. Everyone should read it. Having first read the preceding three of course. 😀
I started to read My Man Michael and got about oh, a third of the way in when I gave up. Maybe it’s just me, but I think she should stick to the contemps, because her attempt at sci-fi? FAIL.
Oh holy hell, it is sci-fi? For serious? really? no way!
It is labeled contemp romance. Lori Foster wouldn’t label her book wrong and lie to me would she? That would oh so annoy me. Isn’t it a SBC book? grrrr off to email
oh but uh where for are the people getting pissed about spoilers
Seeeee I am of two minds on it, personally I WANT to be spoiled all to hell and it pisses me off if I can’t be. But at the same time I can get those who ‘don’t’ wanna be so ok warn them… here be the devil called SPOILERS
BUT I can’t see the name of the h/h being a spoiler. ::shrug:: that is just me maybe?
You must warn about spoilers! If people want to be spoiled, fine…but some avoid like the plague. :-p
And somebody reviewed the new Foster book on her blog (KB?? – off to check) – and yup, tis sci-fi. A time travel, actually.
http://kbgbabbles.blogspot.com/2009/01/changing-mid-stream.html
This hmmm dunno… I will still try it but the incorrect labeling makes me one annoyed duck.
I so want the Shalvis. And the Foster. And the Hunter. (Can you believe I don’t know that I’ve ever read a Hunter?)
And of course the SEP – which… I don’t have my hands on yet. Doubleyou tee eff. (Or however the hell you spell “w.”)
re: monica’s book – for the love of god, people, buy it!!!!
okay, I know I may be a teeny bit biased, but seriously, this is Monica’s best book ever.
so there.
On my want list: The Sins of Lord Easterbrook (been wanting to read more about Christian through the series), Monica’s Highland Warrior, When a Stranger Loves by Julianne MacLean, Darkness Unknown by Alexis Morgan, A Highlander of Her Own by Melissa Mayhue, Night After Night by Kathryn Smith (this one I have to read this week), Devil of the Highlands by Lynsay Sands, and Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis (so many historicals and paranormals yet to get to, but I keep reading such good things about this one, so a contemp for a change of pace). All these released on just one day, no wonder I can never get caught up on my reading pile!
Still curious about that other list of yours Syb, since sometimes we agree on the same books.
Sorry love, but it’s sci-fi. Lori said so herself. See:
http://ahhhhhromance.blogspot.com/2008/11/please-tell-me-im-wrongplease.html
Interesting… well she is a big enough name with a big enough fanbase to survive jerking them around. Maybe they have enough money to where they won’t mind paying for a contemp and getting a paranormalish TT. And the next in the series will go back to normal… uh woot.
Uh just got to be loyal man!
Seriously though I guess it isn’t her fault since she just writes the books doesn’t label them. Does Berkley even have a TT label now days? But if it would be the kiss of death and if Lori’s name alone sales books (which I would bet it does) why not label the fucking thing right. Yes the writer can take her character to the moon in the middle of the series ‘If she JUST HAS TO” but be honest about it.
This crap is what people should return books for.
Lori’s My Man Michael is science fiction? I thought it was a contemporary. No…? So sad.
It would be labeled Contemp Romance… it is in the middle of a contemp romance series… it is a character in a contemp romance series… the next book will be returning to the regular format that people are buying
but for this book from what I have read lori forster decided she need to tell a different story in the middle of the series… and it goes off in a sci fi/TT/paranormal wave
She understands if people don’t want to read it but I am not sure how that is fair to the everyday reader who is just a fan of the series who doesn’t:
A. read reviews
B. read newsletters
C. pay attention to the internet
Lori Foster is a big enough name that I don’t think she needs to be underhanded to sell a book so I don’t think that is what went on here. But overall I don’t see how it was a good idea but I am still trying to wrap my arms around it.
The characters are first and foremost yours – as the author you do with them what you want. I figured the LL Foster was a name I couldn’t read. They were labeled wrong – paranormal romance when they should have been urban fantasy. I wasn’t willing to ride that train. No sweat off Fosters back but as a fan I could still read and enjoy Lori Fosters books, now I am not sure about that name either.
And I am looking at it is this JUST a Lori Foster issue or a Berkley we the word ‘romance’ moves issue. As a reviewer I have a hella lot of room because I can read the book and judge it without worrying about being screwed out of money first.
BUT it still annoys me because I happen to really like Berkley/Signet/NAL and all under the Penguin line and thinking they might be doing something to move books at the expense of the reader at a time when money is TIGHT for a lot of people…
As well as that will end up hurting the author, series and publisher in the long run because readers do NOT like to be fucked and that makes me sad when it is a publisher I happen to think puts out amazingly good books.
yeah I plan to blog about this at some point… maybe LOL
Sybil, you illustrate my annoyance perfectly. I bought it because I couldn’t get hold of Lois McB’s newest, and Lori Foster is usually reliably entertaining. I’ve read the other SBC’s and so I thought I knew what I was getting. I won’t take a chance on her next time.
I think SEP’s new one looks interesting. I really need to read the rest of her Chicago Stars series. And I need to read some more of the Brockmann’s Troubleshooters. So many series, so little time … I’m also interested in Crash Into Me, the surfer book by Jill Sorenson.
But the book I really want is Smooth-Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas, even though it doesn’t come out for a while yet. Sugar Daddy was one of my favorite reads last year, and I’m eager to read the next two books in the series.
Late to the party, but the SEP book… I want. Too bad I am, as Sybil points out, perpetually behind.