Memorial Day Concert

Late yesterday afternoon we took Metro up to DC to watch the Memorial Day Concert from the lawn of the Capitol building. It was a beautiful night, cool & breezy, lavender tinted sunset right behind the huge tree beside the stage. Clear view down the Mall to the & glimpses of Arlington in the distance. Note, the view in this photo is exactly what we saw.

We'd packed all the fixins for chicken fajitas, plus a few snacks. A few years ago I bought a picnic backpack from LL Bean. It was the best buy- we use it all the time in the summer. Sidenote- having older kids is great. They're used to carrying backpacks all of the time so I have one of the older ones carry it. Back to the main event. The Capitol Area Scouts were giving out bottles of water. Not that it was overly hot (lower 80's) but there isn't any shade on that lawn.

We had a great time. Love to be outdoors at night.
Family Events, Washington DC

Locked In

It's finally air conditioner season here in metro DC. Until very recently- read a couple of days ago, it hadn't been hot/humid enough to put the extra air conditioner in the window. See, the problem is we live in an older (50+ years) building that has cheap single pane windows & a tiny AC unit.Together this means that it's colder inside in winter & hotter in summer than the resident (ie: my family) might like it. Dollar bills float through the windows at alarming speed.

So we bought a small window unit that helps take the load off of the main one. & surprisingly, our energy bills dropped signifigantly beginning that summer. The landlord has added small decks to some of the units (our complex has quite a few duplexes) rather than invest in substantial renovations like better quality windows or more powerful AC units. But I digress.

This morning Husband & Sons wrestled the little unit into the window & added the weatherstripping etc. I am officially locked into the house for the duration of AC season. *WAAAH* I like to be able to open doors & windows for fresh air. It gets stale in here- especially with three males around.

The only side benefit to the sweltering weather is that my hands & feet aren't ice cold all the time. The bad thing- I often 'feel hot' & don't want to be touched, hugged, etc. during the summer 'cuz everyone is radiating heat. It's yucky hugging someone you can fry an egg on. Husband hates summer for this reason & related ones..LOL.

Hope your house is cooler than mine!
Family Life, Summer Weather

Kiss of the Night; S.Kenyon

A long time ago I started stocking up on S. Kenyon's Dark Hunter series. I didn't read them, I just bought them. I have quite a little collection going now. Slowly I've read them usually several at a time. Today I had to take Son #1 to the dr. Last time I had to take one of them to the dr on a Friday I was there for over 2 hours. Today I grabbed this title on the way out the door & read a good bit of it. Between the dr & the lab I'd plenty of reading time.

You have your basic immortal Viking & your human hybrid girl. Normally archenemies, they're thrown together by feuding, manipulative Immortals. Lust paves the way though. Both of them being victims of external plotting, they now have common ground. That & the fact that the girl is pregnant with his child. In the end, it's all good of course.

You know. I had a lot of problems with the plot & with the characters, yet somehow it kept me curious & flipping pages. I wanted to know how they got to their HEA. I enjoyed seeing other Dark Hunters from previous titles. Not a keeper & yet a good adventure yarn. Kenyon is an autobuy for me despite the fact that I've yet to have a keeper title from her. Go figure.
Romance Review, Books

Thursday 13 #11- Road Rage

Driving pet peeves. I live in the DC 'burbs & driving here is pretty bad, although not as bad as the top 5 on this list I do not claim to be a 'perfect driver.' I am human & I lose my temper- HOWEVER- I did learn to drive in Boston. Which is city #5.

Leave a link to your Thursday 13 in the comments & I'll link to your blog. Click link above to see more TT participants.

1. Not using turn signals. I don't necessarily care if you pass me on the right, cut me off etc, but I do want to know where you're going.

2. Weaving in & out of heavy traffic at high speed. You're going to kill yourself & a few others as well.

3. Tourons (hybrid word consisting of tourist & moron & is therefore self explanatory) who decide they want that exit right there & veer over 4 lanes of traffic at 80 mph to get there.

4. Stopping in the middle of a merge lane because you're scared, intimidated, etc. If driving bothers you that much than don't put the rest of us in danger with your stupidity.

5. Not turning right on red when you're allowed to, even though there's no oncoming traffic.

6. Pulling out in front of me when there's less than 3 car lengths between us & no one behind me.

7.Driving down the emergency lane unless you're a cop or EMS.

8.Backing up in lanes, on ramps or on the highway. Are you crazy?! Go up one more & turn around!

9.Blocking traffic lanes for a fender bender. Pull over onto the shoulder. Jeez. It's just a car.

10.Blocking an intersection

11.Driving less than the posted speed on the highway. You're gonna get run over. For your own safety, if 55 mph & up is scary to you- drive on the secondaries.

12.Cell phone drivers. Note, this all the way down at 12. I've seen both really scary & surprisingly good driving while people are on the phone. It depends on the driver. Spend the extra $$ & use handsfree technology. Better yet- pull over or get in the slow lane.

13.Tailgating at high speed

Edited-Doug has his Thursday 13 up, as does Fiona

Thursday 13, Thursday Thirteen, Road Rage

2 Trad. Regencies

A Proper Marriage

Written by Debbie Raleigh & pubbed by Zebra in 2002. A classic case of opposites attract & then don't know how to get along. Enter Vicar Humbly, who married them, a drop in houseguest who pokes prods & asks gentle questions thus assisting the union of two truly happy hearts. Excellent portrayal of pastoral care & counselling, the terror of in laws & the need to loved as you are.

Devall's Angel

Written by Allison Lane & pubbed by Signet in 1998. A young woman has only one Season to find herself a husband because her brother's marriage is imminent & she refuses to live with their mother in the dower house. Does she marry the man the Ton deems the catch of the Season? Or the man everyone has condemned yet who seems to be around whenever she needs rescuing? Surprisingly deep characterization for a short format Regency.

Both are keepers.
Books, Romance Review

Miscellaneous

There's a great SmartBitch Day rant about American history in romances at JMC's. Very, very funny if only because it's so pathetically true.

Also, New York Times printed a list of the top American fiction of the last 25 years. Any opinions on the list? Love some? Hate some? Confused by some? Sense any literary snobbishness happening?

Winner

Beloved;Toni Morrison

Runners Up

Underworld; Don DeLillo
Blood Meridian; Cormac McCarthy
Rabbit Angstrom: The Four Novels; John Updike
American Pastoral; Philip Roth

Received Mutiple Mentions

A Confederacy of Dunces; John Kennedy Toole
Housekeeping; Marilynne Robinson
Winter's Tale; Mark Helprin
White Noise; Don DeLillo
The Counterlife; Philip Roth
Libra; Don DeLillo
Where I'm Calling From; Raymond Carver
The Things They Carried; Tim O'Brien
Mating; Norman Rush
Jesus' Son; Denis Johnson
Operation Shylock; Philip Roth
Independence Day; Richard Ford
Sabbath's Theater; Philip Roth
Border Trilogy; Cormac McCarthy
The Human Stain; Philip Roth
The Known World; Edward P. Jones
The Plot Against America; Philip Roth

books, NYT top 25,

Maili's Meme

Please click the link above to Maili's webpage to to get links to the other four participants & see the questions she answered. If you'd like to play along, leave a link to your blog in the comments here & I'll think up questions for you tonight.

1. Name a film you’d watch every week for a year, and your reasons for choosing this film.

Hmm. I can think of a few movies I'd agree to watch that often, actually. The first one to come to mind is the LOTR series, mainly because it's visually stunning (scenery & actors) & has enough 'going on' that it could be fresh each time. Other choices would be Casablanca because I'm a sucker for tearjerkers. Amelie & Chocolat because they're cute & happy & sensual.

2. What were your favorite subjects in school and why?

History & English. History because I was born an armchair traveler & I love to learn about people & places long ago & far away (to paraphrase another movie). English literature, not grammar! Much of my childhood reading was centered around children's classics & the literary giants (thanks to my grandfather's tutelage). I fell in love with words & language very young & I find books have helped tide me over many of the difficult periods in my life.

3.What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?

Ah. Hm. Leave them alone? Rant to the heavens that they are each endangered because of man's lack of appropriate stewardship on our little blue planet? Kill them both since they're unlikely to survive the lack of genetic diversity necessary to continue their species?

4. Barring being a mother, describe your greatest joy during your lifetime.

I will add the additional bar of being a wife, since I don't feel that either motherhood or wifehood defines the sum total of who I am.

I'd say the last visit I made to my childhood village was my greatest joy. I'd not returned to the area, other than flying visits for funerals, since I was a young teen. Both my father & my husband were military personnel & we moved often, but I always felt a very strong sense of place & belonging to my small village. I returned a few years ago with my husband & went hiking & took long walks & went to the last country fair of the fall. It sounds corny I know, but a part of my soul sighed in contentment & happiness & said, "You belong here. You will carry me in your heart forever."

5.If there was a time machine, which time period would you visit and why?

I think I'd probably go back to golden age of the Roman Empire. I'd love to see the Coliseum & the Forum in their glory. The US is often described as 'the evil empire' & I'd enjoy comparing & contrasting the two.

Miss Timothy Perseveres; E. Hendrickson

Much of this is standard romance scripting and yet it worked. Orphaned young woman used as an upper servant & companion, named Persys Timothy, is summarily kicked out of her aunt's home when her cousin gets married. Fortune smiles on Persys the day after the wedding when the Duke of Eddington hires her to be a companion to his invalided mother.

Although immediately attracted to her, Eddington realizes Persys needs time & space. His mother is an astute & friendly woman who isn't above scheming ( alot!) to bring Persys & Eddington together. Throw in Eddington's scheming cousins, Charlotte & George, Persys' attempt to start a school for girls & Eddington's reticence & you've a touching comedy of errors & manners.

I enjoy Ms. Hendrickson's work as it rarely fails to make me smile.
Roamnce Review

One GoodTurn; Carla Kelly

Color me slow. Carla Kelly has quite a following among traditional Regency fans. Yet somehow I'd not found her. Finally I found one at my one & only UBS. Scooped it up & brought it home. Then it got buried in my TBR. For a very long time. Yesterday, however, the Romance Goddess smiled upon me & said, "Go forth to thy TBR, pull out Ms. Kelly's book & READ it. Today. I demand it."

And all I can say is, wow. This book really worked for me. The heroine, Liria, is a Spanish woman traveling with her young son, Juan, a few years after the War. The mail coach overturns & she sets out in a driving downpour carrying her son & her luggage making for the next inn. Along comes the Duke of Knaresborough, Benedict Nesbitt. Traveling to his seat with his niece & his butler, Knaresborough stops to pick Liria & Juan up, although only after his butler prods him. From there, chicken pox, unexpected guests & fate step in.

Liria's character is revealed mainly through Knareborough's thoughts & observations as opposed to her own actions. She appears to be all that womanhood ought to be- loving, maternal toward her son, organized, a good nurse. Attractive, although not in the classic English mold. If I may say so (speaking from personal experience), Kelly did an excellent job writing a character who had all of the traits of an excellent military wife.

Knaresborough is not revealed in the best light- in love with a married woman he can't have, a recovering alcoholic, obsessed with Liria's supposed status as a 'fallen woman' yet is also a man who eats with his staff belowstairs. Even so, his love for his niece & Juan clearly comes across, his (eventual) concern for his men upon their return to civilian life all speak of a man returning to life after the horrors of a vicious war.

Knaresborough & Liria must reach across the bounds of culture, personal history, class & the long term effects of war to make their dreams come true. Liria's history becomes Knaresborough's obsession. Will she, can she, tolerate his digging into her past? Can each individual grow enough to allow love to flower between them? Can the horrors of war be healed?
Romance Review, Books

Thursday 13 #10- Keeper Authors M-Z

Finishing last weeks's theme, this week rounds out the alphabet M-Z on my romance keeper shelves. I've only listed authors who have two or more titles on my shelves.

1. Amanda McCabe

2. Judith McNaught

3. Nadine Miller

4. Karen Ranney

5. Marylyle Rogers

6. Anne Stuart

7. J.R. Ward

Obviously I've six more to go so I've decided to list authors in my TBR who have two or more titles on the shelves.

8. Rexanne Becnel

9. Jo Beverley

10. Marsha Canham

11. Loretta Chase

12. Claire Delacroix

13. Christina Dodd

Click on the link above to see a list of other Thursday 13 participants. If you leave a link in the comments I'll link to you here~

The ever efficient Doug at Balls & Walnuts has his 13 up. Fickle Fiona has hers up too!

Sidebar Addition

Please stop by Fickle Fiona's & say hello.

Sidebar Additions

I've added three more people to my sidebar, please stop by their blogs & say hello. Cranky and Evil Auntie Peril I found via Smart Bitches. Marg I've seen at Maili's & Avid Reader's (Keishon).

Great Book Covers

In Spain, that is. Squawkradio has a beautiful selection of book covers done up by Spanish publishers. I like many of them much more than ones I've seen here. Why must we suffer with such horrid covers? Obviously someone somewhere can compose nice covers! Just not here in the U.S. I think.

Which Squawkradio covers do you like & which are meh? My favorites are Lisa Kleypas' covers. Also the Christina Dodd cover on the very bottom. Medeiros' real estate covers are pretty too, but I always think they're (real estate covers, that is) a 'safe' choice. Maili has a beautiful first cover up on her blog.
Books, Book Covers

Pillars of the World; Anne Bishop

Remember a few days ago when I discovered I'd started Anne Bishop's Tir Alainn series third book first? Well, I finished the first one Saturday (The Pillars of the World) .

I enjoyed it after a while, but I discovered that the impressions I already had were very hard to set aside. It only goes to show how hard it is to overcome first impressions! Truly, first impressions are crucial. I also discovered that Bishop's villains are equally horrifying in this series as her other series (The Black Jewels Trilogy).

I enjoyed the background details offered, but so far my impression is that these aren't strung quite so tightly together. The characters are just as compelling, especially the pair who are in a position of responsibility to the wider community, but who allow their own frailties & foibles to lead them (& many others) down the road to hell. You know that road- the one paved with good intentions.
Fantasy Review, Books

Bewitching; Jill Barnett

Just a quick skim through for this one. None of it was truly appealing and yet I couldn't put it down. Compelling enough to skim through, but lacking enough oomph to cause me to read every single word.

Alec Castlemaine, the hero, emotionally abused & neglected through his childhood, has retreated into a cold & calculating shell. Joyous MacQuarrie, an inept white witch from the wilds of Scotland, becomes a wife of convenience through Alec's one impulsive act.

Things go downhill from there. Alec is overbearing, controlling & emotionally walled off from his wife. Joy, whom Alec calls 'Scottish' through the book, has no backbone whatsoever & tries whatever she can to attract/appease him without results.

There were several things I disliked about Bewitched. One- Alec cannot be bothered to call Joy by her given name or by her title. Two- she does not seem to have a backbone at all & accepts whatever crumbs he casts her way. Three- They finally come together through outside intervention, not their own efforts.

The positives- Alec's best buddies take Joy under their wings & help her as much as they can. Alec tries to protect Joy from the 'gossipy old biddies' of the Ton whenever he can. Alec & Joy both love, nurture & protect Stephan as much as they can, despite their estrangements.

So- enough to keep me occupied me for a couple of hours, but just barely.
Romance Review, Books

Reading Update

Wednesday Husband & I ran around doing this that & the other. Luckily, I'd brought The Pillars of the World with me to tide me over a long wait. The down side, I left the book under the seat of his car & didn't find it until just now. Meantime, I'd hunted high & low for it.

Thursday I gave up & started The Changeling, which is a reread & therefore doesn't count toward my annual book total. Changeling is another young adult fantasy. Light in tone, yet sounds & feels like a folk tale or legend.

Young serving girl in a fishing village becomes infuriated with the sea that took her fisherman father & won't return him. Peri determines to hex the sea, hoping it will return her father. The King's son, Prince Kir, discovers her plot & helps her having a hidden motive of his own. Who succeeds & who fails & how even the smallest actions can make large ripples round out this little tale. Well worth a quick afternoon read.

Book Review, Fantasy Novels

Sorcery & Cecelia; Wrede & Stevermer

What a treasure! A gothic, paranormal traditional Regency wrapped up in a young adult package. According to the copyright page, it was originally published in 1988 by Wrede (author of the series Dealing with Dragons). Stevermer has published a book called River Rats. In the authors' notes at the end, it seems it began as a type of creative writing exchange). Which by the end of the summer they realized might become a book.

Told in first person as a letter exchange between two cousins. Each girl's voice is unique & easily identifiable as her own. The period details are all there & I found this story to be very close to the tone & feel of a well done traditional Regency (Alison Lane & Judith Lansdowne come to mind) as opposed to a young adult paranormal.

Cecelia is mired in the country with her family while her cousin Kate is bundled off to London for her first season. They stumble into an odd little conundrum entirely by accident. Things develop from there. Quite well, as a point of opinion. Lady Jersey & the Countess Lieven both make appearances. I have to say though, Lady Jersey is less favorably portrayed than is common, while Almack's is descibed in altogether a rosy fashion. Which I supppose is only to be expected as Kate is from the country & does not pretend to have 'town bronze' as it is usually described.

The next book in the series is The Grand Tour already available. Another, The Mislaid Magician comes in November of this year. The back cover is sufficiently enchanting that even Daughter, the 14 year old anime fanatic, is intrigued.

Thursday 13 #9- Keeper Shelf Authors

Authors A-L whom I have two or more titles, on my romance keeper shelves, in alphabetical order:

1. Shana Abe

2. Mary Balogh

3. Jill Barnett

4. Jo Beverley

5. Christine Feehan

6. Gaelen Foley

7. Sandra Heath

8. Michele Jaffe

9. Lisa Kleypas

10. Lynn Kurland

11. Allison Lane

12. Judith Lansdowne

13. Elizabeth Lowell

None of the Laurens titles are Cynster series. The Lowell titles are very old historicals.

Hope you liked a little peek at my reading life!
*Edited to add- Balls & Walnuts has his 13 up!

Thursday Thirteen, Thursday 13, Romance Novels, Books

Do Over

Yesterday I said I'd started on the third book in Anne Bishop's Tir Alainn trilogy. This morning I started the first one. I hope filling in the backstory goes quickly, I want to return to the third book ASAP. I'm not as patient as I pretend to be!

Very interesting discussion over at Avid Reader's about Tearjerkers. Everyone had a different viewpoint, which is always fun.

I need to go out & find Paullina Simons' Tatiana & Alexander series. Which, according to Amazon UK, the third book will be out in the UK this summer. I've not heard of these, but they seem to have a loyal following & hopefully the third one will be just as great as the first two.

Off to the UBS & lunch out with Husband.

Webby Awards

The 10th annual Webby Awards have been decided- click the link above to see 'the best of the best.' I have to say, I surf quite a bit & have only seen a few of these, but it'll be fun visiting the sites & poking around.

Currently Reading:

The House of Gaian by Anne Bishop, book three of the Tir Alainn series. I guess I likely ought to begin with the first one, which is Pillars of the World, but I'm 140 pages into this one & don't want to stop. We'll see. I'm sure the story would arc & resonate better in order.
Webby Awards, Books

April Synopsis

Following is a list of titles I read during April. Some new, some old, some romances, some horror, & some fantasies. One DNF.


1.Silver's Bane by Anne Kelleher~Fantasy Romance

2.Solstice Wood by Patricia McKillip~Fantasy

3.Sunshine by Robin McKinley~Horror

4.Lover Eternal by Robin McKinley~Romance

5.Dark Demon by Christine Feehan~Romance

6.Minion by L.A. Banks~Horror

7.Love's Reward by Jean R. Ewing~Romance

8.A Noble Resolve by Sara Blayne~Romance

9-11.Lady Scandal, Her Perfect Earl & Under the Kissing Bough. Lady Scandal & Under the Kissing Bough by Shannon Donnelly. Her Perfect Earl by Bethany Brooks.~Romance

12.A Singular Lady by Megan Frampton~Romance

The DNF was Lady Scandal by Shannon Donnelly.

Game

Stolen from Tara. There's only one question, but lots of reading so I suppose it isn't a quiz, but game isn't quite right either.

You Are 52% Open Minded

You are a very open minded person, but you're also well grounded. Tolerant and flexible, you appreciate most lifestyles and viewpoints. But you also know where you stand firm, and you can draw that line. You're open to considering every possibility - but in the end, you stand true to yourself.

How Open Minded Are You?

Try it & see!
Games, Quizzes

The Black Jewels Trilogy; A. Bishop

In this series, the good guys are very very good & the bad guys are very very bad. I have to say though, that I felt the 'good guys' were more rounded, complex characters- fuller human beings. The bad guys, I saw as similar to historical people like Hitler & Stalin. Totally out of touch with their own humanity, morality, compassion. Completely warped out of recognition by the pursuit of power & wealth. People who enjoy the subjugation & suffering of others.

I only managed to read 'the bad guys'parts through the first book. After that I found them too ..evil, over the top, something like that. They made me too uncomfortable. Besides, I was too much in a hurry to see what everyone else was up to. Where they were going & how they wanted to get there.

The major themes arcing across these books, as I see them, are: proper use of governing power; relationships between men & women, humans & animals, magically gifted & 'regular' people, parent & child; the whys wherefores & how tos of maintaining faith in a person or idea during a time of struggle. Last, but not least~ we get to watch a man & a woman develop the friendship & trust & openness necessary to a strong relationship. Subsequently you alternately laugh & cry with them & for them as they & their relationship are pushed to the ultimate limit.

The plot is this- a variation of humans gifted with differing levels of magic rule over a small group of countries in a medieval type setting. In one particular country, the ruling women subjugate the men in their court via pain & torture & degredation. A pair of brothers is held separately, in different courts, in this manner. It turns out they are awaiting a prophesied all powerful queen who, according to legend, will restore the power balance & morality of the magical race.

She finds each brother while a small child & visits them in their cells. We then watch her grow & suffer until she accepts her tutor's offer to live with him in his court. The brothers manage to make their way either to her at her family estate or to their father's court where she ends up as both his adopted ward & his pupil. Once she has fully come into her power, she is obligated to cleanse her people of the evil taint. How she does this, the price she must pay & the price her loved ones must pay totally absorbed my attention & captured my heart.

I strongly recommend this series. I ran around like a crazy woman last week hunting for Anne Bishop's books & it has been well worth my time, effort & and money.

Fantasy Review, Book Review

Day on the DC Mall

My mom is visiting over the next day or so specifically so we could see the Cezanne exhibit at the National Gallery of Art. Advice- don't be cheap. Rent the audio tour. They're very good & well worth the money (in this case $5). My favorite is a watercolor, rarely seen, of a bridge with the barest of outlines of bathers in the water. Unfortunately, I could not find a print of this watercolor for sale in any of the books in the shops. *Waah* :(

It is also National Public Service Recognition Week- a fact I didn't know until we arrived on the Mall & saw a huge display of military & police vehicles, tents, police dog demos, helicopters, etc. Tons & tons of assorted vehicles to climb on, Navy divers in a tank to play tic tac toe with (via waterproof markers & plexiglass) who are VERY EASY on the eyes ladies. Mounted police. It's a kids heaven. Unfortunately, they weren't on any of the events calendars I looked at while hunting around for this post so whatever traffic they get will be purely by happenstance.
Washington DC, Family Events

Thursday 13 #8- Fav. Themes

Romance novel themes that is. Clink the link above to see more participants & their lists. Ready? Set..go!

1. Emotionally wounded hero
a)Lord of Ice Gaelen Foley
b)The Duke & I, Julia Quinn
c)Once A Warrior, Karen Monk

2. Guardian & Ward
a)Kissing Cousins, Nadine Miller
b)Four in Hand, Stephanie Laurens

3. Abduction/Captive
a)Promise the Moon

4. Highwayman/thief
a)My Lady Notorious, Jo Beverley

5.Time Travel
Any Lynn Kurland

6. Paranormal
a)Vampires- Susan Squires, JR Ward, a few Christine Feehan
b)Fairies- Marylyle Rogers, The Fairy Godmother Mercedes Lackey
c)Other Creatures- Melanie Jackson; Dream of Me, Lisa Cach; Smoke Thief, Shana Abe

7.Spies
a)An Arrainged Marriage, Jo Beverley

8.'Bluestockings'
a) Guilty Pleasures, Laura Lee Guhrke
b)Lord Stanhope's Propsal, Jessica Benson

9.Second Chances
a)The Bedeviled Duke, Judith Lansdowne
b)Borrowed Dreams, May McGoldrick

10.Adventure/road
a)My Lady Notorious, Jo Beverley
b)Promise the Moon, Linda Lea Castle

11.Governesses
a)Scandal, Brenda Joyce

12.Marriage of Convenience
a)The Reasons for Marriage, Stephanie Laurens
b)The Deception, Joan Wolf

13.Medieval
a)Dark Champion, Jo Beverley
b)Lord of Danger, Lady Fortune- Anne Stuart
c)Wild, Wonderful- Jill Barnett
d)Secret Swan, Shana Abe

IMO, what this list proves, more than anything else, is that sometimes even the most overused Romancelandia cliches can be well &/or uniquely done. Sidenote- none of my Laurens titles are the Cynster series. Hmmm.

Thursday 13, Thursday Thirteen, Books, Romances

Math Game

Fun & easy- I promise! I found this here. Ready? No calculators allowed.

1. How many times per week would you like to eat some chocolate? IOW, pick a number between 1-10.

2. Multiply by 2. After all, you can never eat enough chocolate!

3. Add 5

4. Multiply by 50. No cheating. Use scratch paper.

5. If you've had your birthday already add 1756. If your birthday is coming add 1755.

6. Subtract the four digit year you were born

You should end up with a three digit number. The first number is your original number from step one. The second two digits are your age. According to the site where I found it, 2006 is the only year this game will work. I don't know about that, but it was a fun few minutes. I tried this with our children last night & it works every time! Have fun!

Games

Mudslinging time

A big thank you to Lindy on the Romantic Times for bringing this to my attention. Click the link above. Read the section titled, Over the Ocean. The part you're looking for is at the bottom. Are you pissed off yet? You should be. Here, here's the most judgemental part, in case the link is bad. Ready:


"I don't write romances, where there is nothing more than the man and woman getting together and then being torn apart and the rest of the book is about their getting back together. My books are too complex for romance readers.."

This is a link to her website, in case you don't know who she is.

I'm actually surprised the magazine didn't edit out that segment of her reply. We may not get much respect *nods to Rodney Dangerfield*, but our dollars do. I would have thought (who knew I could think? I read those trashy romances after all) the editors of this magazine wouldn't want to offend a huge segment of the book buying public. Did they think this obviously inflammatory quote wouldn't get around?

Romance reading women are apparently stupid cows who lack the intelligence to buy superior fiction, ie: hers. Or could this be a slam on the editors who feel this woman won't sell in the US? A slam on the publisher's PR deptartment? In other words, if we (that is, US readers) haven't heard of her, whose fault is it- ours or her publisher & marketer's? Slamming the biggest spending segment of the book buying public is not the way to go.
Books, Opinion

Glomming

I think I'm in danger of becoming Tara's most despised creature- a rabid fangirl!As soon as I dropped Son #2 off at school & tidied up the house I rushed out to the UBS to grab up all of their Anne Bishop books. Luckily I found four of the six & scooped them up. So I only had to pay full price for two. Husband's sigh of relief can be heard all 'round the globe at eight pm tonight when he finds out. LOL

I bought a new to me author based solely on title alone- a very, very rare event for me I have to say. It's Sir Apropos of Nothing by Peter David. I love puns & word games & puzzles. I couldn't resist. Besides, I'd just saved all that money on the Anne Bishop books. Right?!

Books

Sebastian; Anne Bishop

Have you seen a print of Rind by MC Escher? Or maybe you like Salvador Dali's thought inspiring world where the usual laws of physics don't apply? Anne Bishop's new novel, published this past February by ROC reminds me strongly of these artists.

Ephemera (which means anything short lived or transitory, according to Random House) is a totally unique world & Bishop peopled it with strong individuals who must follow their own paths toward a common destiny. A world where gardeners hold the fate of many in their plots & where bridges are men. Where all of the usual rules suddenly no longer apply.

Sebastian, my favorite hero type of all- wounded & tormented- must think on his feet & with his heart when world shattering events begin unfolding all around him. Lynnea finds Sebastian's piece of the world & brings light & peace & humanity to the place more important to Sebastian than almost anything else. Together they will have to face their innermost hearts to defeat a common enemy. Will they have the courage to grasp their destiny?

I'd not read Anne Bishop previous to this. Boy, what I've missed, let me tell you. Now I'm compelled to run around like a maniac & glom all of her backlist. She reminds me of Robin McKinley or Anne McCaffrey. Sebastian is an excellent fantasy with strong roamntic elements. Highly recommended.

Books, Fantasy Book Review

A Singular Lady; Megan Frampton

One of the last Signet traditional Regencies, this was published in 2005. I feel this romance turns upon two individuals who manage to fall in love despite the fact that the basis of the hero & heroine's relationship is the classic "Big Misunderstanding." I realize certain topics were anathema for public discussion (especially with women), but I consistently felt that Titania & Edwin needed to 'fess up & get real.


Edwin Worthington recently returned to England after being exiled by his father, deliberately hides his life circumstances from as many people of the Ton as possible (including the heroine) the better to see who his "true" friends are. He seems to be a suspicious & bitter person, although I felt he has valid reasons.

The heroine, Titania Stanhope, an honor bound, responsible young lady of twenty three is burdened with an impoverished title for her younger brother, debts in their wastrel father's name far far beyond what she could ever hope to pay & the requisite evil family members threatening debtor's prison & humiliation. It is imperative Titania marry a very wealthy man while hiding her family's circumstances. Yesterday or perhaps the day before if possible. Yet somehow members of the Ton, including the hero, are under the impression Titania has a healthy dowery. How has this happened?

It was an enjoyable read, although I really felt the hero & heroine's relationship was based on lust & deliberate mutual disinformation until the very last pages. All of the loose strings were also conveniently wrapped up as well. Unfortunately, not one of the more stellar Regencies I've read recently.

Thursday Thirteen #7- 13 Heroes

From my romance keeper shelves, the following are thirteen of my favorite heroes. Chosen at random & listed in no particular order. Click the link above for more Thursday 13 participants.

1. Fitzroger of Cleeve from Dark Champion by Jo Beverley

2. Nicholas Delany from An Arranged Marriage by Jo Beverley

3. Valentine Corbett from Sin & Sensibility by Suzanne Enoch

4.Simon of Navarre from Lord of Danger by Anne Stuart

5. Lyon Pennington of Borrowed Dreams by May McGoldrick

6. Rudolph Denbeigh of The Bedeviled Duke by Judith Lansdowne

7.Nicholas Daventry of No Greater Love by Katherine Kingsley

8. Nicholas Sverayov of Splendor by Brenda Joyce

9.Durand de Marle of Lord of the Mist by Ann Lawrence

10. William of Miraval of Candle in the Window by Christina Dodd

11. Gareth Harcourt of The Emerald Swan by Jane Feather

12. Malcolm MacFane of Once A Warrior by Karen Monk

13. Michael Hawthorne of After the Kiss by Karen Ranney

Thursday Thirteen, Thursday 13, Books, Romance Novels

Library Sale Treasures

I found the following books on the library sale shelves (.25 apiece!!) this afternoon:

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

The Taming of the Duke Eloisa James

Yon Ill Wind Piers Anthony


Believe it or not I've not read DOY (I'm sure you're shocked, KristieJ!) I've a few Kleypas keepers, Midnight Angel & Stranger in My Arms. I tend to either really like her or to either be left completely cold by them. I'm hoping this one is a great one since I'm slowly going cold on romances lately.

Losing My Way

I spent some time wandering around the local big box bookstore last night and was dismayed that I couldn't find a single thing other than the two books I was looking for. I was in an odd mood I guess. Well, that's not strictly true.

I've been off kilter reading wise for about a week or so. I started & put down three separate romances in three separate subgenres. One was written in some wierd 'sailor's dialect.' I don't know what else to call it. It was a pirate/smuggler romance (which I've not read in ages) by an author I'd not heard of before, but it was only a quarter at the library sale. Tossed into the trade bag immediately. I hate dialect. Scottish. American Southern. Native American. Whatever. Just write in standard English, please.

So anyhow, I'm not reading much of anything. Bad sign. I'm slowly working my way through Piers Anthony's Bio of an Ogre, the first of his autobiographies. I love his touch. Light. Deft. Unique outlook. Turns out I am woefully behind in the Xanth series. And did you know- he's written two volumes of erotica! Knock me over with a feather.

Here's wishing better reading blessings to you~

Rain Date

Husband and I, with another couple, went to see the Washington Nationals game at RFK Stadium Friday April 21. We arrived about forty minutes early- time enough to grab a hot dog & some fresh pretzels. I needed something salty since I got motion sick riding the Metro- pathetic!

There were several sparrows nesting among the lights above our heads & as I watched them swoop & dart I realized it had started to rain. Which came down heavier & heavier. We were in the upper deck under the roof so we were dry-thankfully. I just had to shake my head at the die hard fans sitting along the edge of the third base line, out in the downpour. Pulling on heavy raincoats & clear trashbags. It was so funny! ;)

The game was delayed by just over two hours. We sat up there (under the roof) the entire time, chatting & eating & whining about the prices & how far away we were from the Red Hot & Blue BBQ across & down from us. Sitting up there reminded me of being out on the porch on a rainy night. Not in a big hurry & no particular place to go.

Anyhow, the game itself was good. Washington scored right off & held the Braves down until the seventh inning when they scored three runs all once. I think it was the seventh. It was waaaaayyyy past my bedtime by then & there was no coffee or tea to be had anywhere. Anyhow- the Nats came back & scored four more runs & won the game.

A wonderful times was had by all. Husband & I can't remember the last time we were out together past midnight. A sad state of affairs I admit.

MLB, Baseball, Washington DC Nightlife

Three More off the TBR

Lady Scandal

Written by Shannon Donnelly & published by Zebra in 2004. This is a DNF because I don't like the hero. He manages to hold a grudge for ten years & initiates plans to 'punish' heroine for what she did. Turns out they had a flaming, torrid affair while she was married to another. It ended badly after her husband dies & she chose to end the affair in order to spare her school age son the shunning & the gossip he (the son) would have suffered had the h/h married. Meanwhile, the hero alternates between petulant pouting & twisting the heroine up in knots of guilt & duty. He is remarkably self centered.


Her Perfect Earl

Written by Bethany Brooks and published by Signet in 2005. Esmeralda Fortune fancies herself a classics scholar & poses as a governess to gain access to a family who owns a rare scroll by a little known ancient Roman poetess. Unfortunately, the owner is in dire financial straits & is estranged from his children. Because of the money problems, Ashforth is very near to offering for the daughter of an obscenely wealthy Cit in order to keep the family seat & maintain their status. Then there are Ashforth's five rambunctious children. The youngest of whom persists in either climbing on the roof or jumping into the pond.

Will Esmerelda find the poem & complete her studies? Will Ashforth muzzle his conscience & marry the Cit's greedy daughter? Can anyone tame & educate the children? Contains excellent groveling at the end.

Under the Kissing Bough

Written by Shannon Donnelly & published by Zebra 2001. Meek & mild wallflower Eleanor Glover accpts an offer from Geoffrey Westerly, Lord Staines. Staines' father is dying & demands his son must marry Christmas Eve so he (the father) can die in peace. Eleanor is overwhelmingly shy and afraid of crowds, which makes it difficult for Staines to get to know her. Being a quiet observer, Eleanor slowly falls in love with Staines while realizing he plans to have a marriage of convenience only. Staines realizes Eleanor has more depth than he expected- if only he can get her to himself a little bit and figure out just what scheme his father has cooked up for him.
Books, Book Review, Romance Review

A Noble Resolve; Sara Blayne

Yet another traditional Regency published by Zebra in 1998. A May- December gothic tinged romance. Josephine Powell, youngest of seven & always frail, is on her way to Harrogate to take the waters &, hopefully, overcome a bout of melancholia. On the way, her carraige & that of Devon Roth, Earl of Ravenaugh very nearly collide, thus ensuring an overnight stay at Ravenaugh's medieval fortress.

Josphine, being the youngest of seven & an observer (rather than a participant in) of life because of her health, captures Ravenaugh's interest through a shared love of classic literature & because Josephine makes several shrewd comments regarding Ravenaugh's troubled daughter Clarissa. Josphine's parents are long and happily married & are concerned for & love their children deeply- a unique circumstance in Romancelandia. Will Josphine's health improve? Can she encourage Ravenaugh to believe in her enough to give them a chance at a relationship?

Ravenaugh is deeply scarred by the circumstances surrounding his wife's death. In addition, he has been absent from home frequently due to the War which led to emotional estrangement from his teenage daughter Clarissa. Now, Josephine tumbles into his life at a critical juncture. Can he grasp the second chance life has offered him? Can he protect both Clarissa & Josephine from the man who threatens them? Is he able to let go & move on?

Book Review, Romance Review

Love's Reward; Jean R Ewing

Jean Ross Ewing now publishes as Julia Ross. This title was originally published in 1997 by Zebra & is a traditional Regency.

Joanna Acton and Fitzroy Mountfichet are forced to marry because Joanna & Fitzroy's brother Quentin ran away to a posting inn together but were caught next morning. As Quentin is already married to a former stage actress, Fitzroy's father forced him to 'do right by the family'. Joanna's older brother despises Fitzroy due to an incident years earlier during the war. Robert's intense dislike for Fitzroy causes more mental anguish than Joanna already has, as they are close & she respects his opinion. Surely Robert wouldn't be wrong about a man's character? Fitzroy can't be loveable if Robert doesn't like him, right?

Fitzroy is entangled in government espionage & a plot among a few women of the Ton. As he desires this to be a marriage of convenience, he hides quite a bit of what's actually happening from Joanna. His sudden marriage causes difficulties all around- with his superior in the government, his wife & her family. Only the women plotting against him seem to relish the prospect of humilaiting Fitzroy's wife. The bright spot in his character that gives Joanna most cause for thought is Fitzroy's soft spot for his frail sister Mary. Can he be all that bad? Look at how he dotes on her!

One of my biggest issues with this book is that Joanna is supposed to be 'still in the schoolroom' which I took to be between 17-19. Her behavior other than the initial flight with Quentin, however, is decidedly more mature than most girls her age & I found this increasingly hard to deal with as the plot moved on. There was little or no levity in her at all- a trait rarely seen in girls of this age group.

My other issue is that I don't believe one action or series of related actions, committed while under duress, during a war, ought to permanently stain a man's character. I'm not saying one has a free pass in these or similar circumstances, but I also believe in new beginnings & dislike grudge holding.

Anyhow, this book reminds me of another with very similar plot lines which I have on my Keeper shelves. Love's Reward is not quite as heartwrenching, but is well plotted with rounded characters & is excellent to while away a rainy afternoon.

Book Review, Romance Review

Minion, L.A. Banks

This review is for Angie's April Challenge.


Title: Minion

Author: L. A. Banks

Year published:2003 & 2004~ This edition has extra scenes that weren't in the original

Why did you get this book? A recommend off of a message board, but I don't remember who it was or which board.

Do you like the cover? Yes

Did you enjoy the book? I had shelved this in my romance TBR, so naively, that is what I expected. HAHA This is horror. I enjoyed it very much though.

Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again? Yes, this author is new to me & yes, I'm likely to read her again.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Undecided

Anything else? The world Banks has built is well developed. Her alternate reality has an unique, & for me, odd combination of religion, astrology & paranormal elements. Minion skates the edge of my tolerance level for violence (even in books) though. I got stuck about two thirds of the way through & put it down for a few days. While I appreciated the thoughtful & truthful mother-daughter talk in the last few scenes, I'm unsure that the antihero will work for me over the arc of this series.

Book Review, Horror Review

Birthday Meme

I saw this over HERE & couldn't resist trying it. Yeah I'm a sucker for memes & quizzes & cute stuff. Sue me. No pet photos here though.

Your Blog Should Be Blue

Your blog is a peaceful, calming force in the blogosphere. You tend to avoid conflict - you're more likely to share than rant. From your social causes to cute pet photos, your life is a (mostly) open book.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

Maili posted this little meme a while ago & here is my contribution. Click link above for other memes.

15 May:

3 Events

1. 1252- Pope Innocent IV issues a papal bull allowing the torture of heretics. Thus assisting humanity's long slide into moral depravity with the weight of religious approval.

2. 1869- The Women's Suffrage Association formed in the U.S.

3. 1928- Walt Disney release the first short featuring Mickey & Minnie Mouse, titled Plane Crazy

Births

1. Claudio Monteverdi

2. L. Frank Baum- author of the classic Oz series

Deaths

1. Emily Dickenson


To participate, simply enter your birth month and day into Wikipedia. Post three events, two births & a death that may interest others.

Meme, Memes, Birth Day Meme

Thursday Thirteen #6

Thirteen random facts about me. Not that I'm truly an exhibitionist, but sometimes people wonder what your little quirks are.

1. I was born in the same area the movie On Golden Pond was filmed. I love to watch the movie & reminisce about my childhood.

2. I cry at the drop of a hat during movies & tv shows, but for a book? Very rarely. Thus nearly all books that I cry for/with I keep.

3. I am completely musically illiterate. The only way I am able to be in the handbell choir is because I'm able to count to four. Over & over & over.That & the fact that I'm only responsible for two dots. Don't ever ask me to sing.

4. I actually enjoy cleaning. No, I'm not German or Swiss either. Yes, I realize this makes me a freak. No, I won't come & clean your house. I dislike other people's dirt.

5. Related to #2- I love horror & science fiction novels, but rarely watch similar tv shows. Something about the translation from written to visual rarely works for me.

6. I prefer to exercise outside, at night. After 9 pm if possible. Not that I'm exercising much nowadays. No excuses. I'm just lazy by nature.

7. I love to bake pastries, thus I really need to return to #6. Desparately.

8. Back to #2 & #5; it can be hard to get me laugh out loud. I have an odd sense of humor I suppose. Dennis Miller & PG Wodehouse & the Piers Anthony Xanth books are funny. Sarcasm & irony are often very funny to me, even if they skate on the edge of cruelty. Visual or physical humor (ie the Three Stooges, Jim Carrey, Benny Hill) isn't funny to me, neither is crudity or stupidity. I'm hard to please.

9. The scent of lilacs, jasmine & old English roses brings me back to my grandmother's garden.

10. I only dated one man shorter than 6' & he was a Marine (which made up for it, lol). Don't get on my case about this either, Husband!

11. The only place to get great Tex-Mex food is Texas. Big surprise. I REALLY miss San Antonio. Taco Kitchen or Cristina's are fantastic. Avoid the Riverwalk 'cuz it's a huge ripoff. The best, most authentic regional foods are often cooked by people who barely speak English.

12. There isn't much fantastic regional food to be had in the middle of the US. The exception might be Blue Bunny ice cream & fresh beef. If you like fish or shellfish forget it.

13. Hawaiian pizza or mac & cheese finished off with ice cream & chocolate would be the perfect meal. My kids made all of these for me for Mother's Day last year & it was great! I think I gained 10 pounds that day though.

Thursday Thirteen, Thursday 13

Still alive

Sorry posting has been light lately. Family life has been on overdrive. What little free time I've had has been spent hiding in a boiling hot tub full of bubbles peeling off several layers of skin. I've missed you guys & plan to spend the remainder of this afternoon catching up on everybody's blogs.

I'm not dead yet, although some days I really wish the Star Trek teleporter existed. School vacation weeks are hell on wheels- literally. Drive them here drive them there. Drive them to this other place. We want to visit so & so at such & such & they are already expecting us. We can't cancel. No we did not bother to ask permission/inform the family chauffeur first.

What else has been happening? Oh yes- family members begged me to have Easter dinner. Other family members said nope, we aren't/can't come so don't bother. AAAAGGGHHHH!!!! No family coming in from out of town after all. The result of which- we were invited to friends' & hopefully we can eat with them. If not- ham & all the trimmings here. Just us & all of the DVDs we haven't had time to watch yet. And no I won't answer the phone so don't bother to call me.

Currently Reading

Minion by L.A. Banks. Yes, I know I'm waaayyyy behind. Yes, I very much regret allowing this great little book to become buried in my TBR. Scary , urban vampires meet religious, astrology & horoscope wielding guardians. Molotov cocktails made of vials of holy water. Bullets made of consecrated ground. Unseen entities that help you get it on in the shower. What's not to love?! Fantastic stuff. Especially after a hectic day.

Books, Family Life, Parenting

Dark Demon; Christine Feehan

I'd very nearly given up on Christine Feehan before this title. Her heroines were too tortured. I couldn't relate. Even as a reader who primarily relates to & falls in love with heroes, I had so much trouble with these chicks I decided this title would be my last one. If the heroines weren't a bit more, I can't say normal, but less tormented & less whiney than I'd drop Ms. Feehan.

This heroine worked for me, although I've read comments elsewhere that certain readers found Natalya Shonski 'too hard edged.' I guess this means I'm firmly on the Carpathian bandwagon, at least through the 'reunion' hardcover due. Natalya is part human, part mage, part Carpathian & blessed with a tigress as an alternate form. Her lifemate, Vikirnoff von Schreider is a Carpathian who'd been sent across the Atlantic to keep Natalya safe from a band of vampires.

Vik, as Natalya calls him, binds her to him right away; discovering afterward that this is no meek & mild miss willing to be his subservient doormat. Natalya has been on her own for a long time & is fully capable of taking care of herself. With the help of an impressive arsenal & some hairspray. She will accept an equal partner or no one. Natalya tells Vik he either moves into the twentieth century or else she's going to figure out a way to undo the Lifemate blood bond/spell he sicced on her.

The subplot that had been moving along at a glacial pace through the series is FINALLY coming to a boiling point- I hope. This book moves us signifigantly towards what I assume to be a sort of culiminating event in the forthcoming hardcover Dark Celebration due 5 September. Feehan, however, is gifted with creativity so all of this conjecture may be for naught.

If strong heroines & confident males are your dish, you like to revist old friends from previous books & the whole soulmate thing doesn't bother you than this is a great book. If you've hung in with Feehan until now because of the subplot, this pushes it along a goodly bit. If you like action adventure paranormal romance this may be to your taste.

For myself, I'm happy the Carpathians and their Lifemates are back in top form. Keeper.

Lover Eternal, J.R. Ward

If you like vampire romance, go buy this. That's the quick & easy version. This isn't overly dark, as far as vampire romances go, IMO. The heroine gets a tad whiney at the end, despite my understanding & agreement that in her circumstances she has every right to be the way she is. I just found her a little too.. I can't quite put my finger on it. She redeems herself in the end. Rhage (or however the hell Ward spells it) is totally believable. Yummy, delicious & I really wish the Husband's eyes would glow in the dark like his- but, hey, I guess we can't have it all. Too bad Ward didn't have the marriage ceremony at the end of this one as she did at the end of Dark Lover, but we did see more of the Scribe Virgin & get a better sense of how she operates. Keeper.

BTW- traveling this weekend, so I may not return until Monday. Have a great weekend all!
Book Review, Vampire romance review, Romance Review

Paranoid anyone?!

Yesterday Husband drops me off at the library & leaves to run a bunch of errands. One of my favorite things, a quiet library. Anyhow, when he returned he told me the most bizarre story. While on the way to Son #2's school he ended up following a white Land Rover covered with military special forces stickers for several miles. As we live in a heavily populated suburban area, this should not have been unusual.

While stopped at a particularly long light, an older man (driving said SUV) wound his window down & asked my husband, "Why are you following me?" Husband, who'd rolled his window down thinking maybe he had a tailight out or a tire flat or something innocuous, started laughing. See, this is the suburbs of DC. There are any number of truly powerful important peole who live here. This man however was clearly not one of them.

After catching his breath Husband answered, "Grandpa, the Vietnam war is over. There aren't any Viet Cong living in northern Virginia. I hope your flashbacks aren't too bad. For your information, I'm on my way to pick up my son at elementary school."
With that the light turned green & Husband drove off.

Now, this was on a major thoroughfare on a major commuter route. I have been stalked & it is a truly terrifying scenario. If this old man honestly thought he was being followed, why didn't he simply stop at a public place or drive to a nearly police station? What purpose would confronting a complete stranger at a stoplight do?

Road rage around here can be a very serious, occasionally violent event. Husband is not always the most patient & tolerant of men. He is also a large man (all the better to snuggle with, my dear!). What was the geezer thinking? Or not thinking, as the case may be. I mean really. We drive a very common commuter vehicle, same make & model & color etc. seen quite often. How many others has he accused this of? Obviously his ego & overly inflated sense of importance makes him suspicious. HAHAHA

Now I'm going to look at every vehicle similar to that one & wonder if this was the guy who is becoming a paranoid schizophrenic (sp).

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

The depressing part is, I'm done & there aren't any more books set in this world. Nor does it appear Ms. McKinley is spilling the beans about her next book. No info on her website or Amazon or anywhere like that. *sob*

The happy part being- Sunshine is a great book & I totally loved it & I am buying the hardcover new to add to the keeper shelves. A rare accomplishment in my little book world.

Sunshine is set in an alternate modern post apocalyptic reality. At least I think it is. Humans & assorted magical being had a huge destructive war. There has been tremendous damage done to both the physical world & to the institutions that govern the races living here. There are areas that are 'safe' from the bad guys & areas that aren't. Humans & magical beings have interbred enough that strictly by looks alone it isn't possible to tell who is human & who is 'passing'. Vampires however are always bad guys, for different reasons Ms. McKinley spells out clearly.

Sunshine and her newfound ally/compatriot must overcome both cultural & societal hurdles and unite to defeat a power hungry bad guy. Sunshine must grow hugely, which is depicted in all of its pain & difficulty &, sometimes, bitchiness. She moves fully out of childhood & its assumptions that what you see & what you're told is the truth, into adulthood. Which is to say, Sunshine realizes that one must leave the cocoon of the familiar. That the adult world is messy, more grey than one might wish for, things are never quite what they seem & that government agencies are often hamstrung by their own lurching need for paperwork & doing things the 'right way'.

A great book all around. Fully realized, fully though out & rounded. Plus, lots of possibilities for a sequel or two.
Book Review, Books

A. Kelleher News

We exchanged a couple of emails, Ms. Kelleher & I. The good news being she has another trilogy set in the same world as the Silver series. Publication date unknown as of yet. The prequel is coming in September though. And no she doesn't have a website.

Closer to home I've started reading Sunshine by Robin McKinley. It's written in a first person stream of consciousness type style. Which I find a bit hard to follow. It feels like she's sitting beside me talking a mile a minute & she won't slow down or take a breath & my attention is wandering. Sunshine caught & held me but I had to stop & reread a paragraph or two.

Tuesdays & Thursdays are drive all over creation, to hell & back type days. So if you've a mind to send some good thoughts (ie: that I manage to get everywhere I need to go safely) aloft on my behalf. And if you've a mind to, have a tipple or two for me!
Books

Solstice Wood, Patricia McKillip

This is the first book set in contemporary time Ms. McKillip has written in an age. Don't ask me what the most recent previous contemporary-time title is because I don't know. According to the Penguin website Ms. McKillip has two stories in separate anthologies coming this week. One book is Flights, Extreme Visions of Fantasy and the other is Firebirds Rising. So far as I can tell there isn't an 'official' website by her- which is fine with me since I want her to write more & surf less. LOL :P

Solstice Wood is about tradition & fear. How communities and individuals can perpetuate and enforce these same ideas almost (but not quite) to the point of no return. On another level it is a book about death & change & the flow of time and boundaries. The power of family, community & love. Forests, meadows, hearth magic & beings not of this world. Or are they?

Sylvia Lynn, a bookstore owner in the Pacific Northwest, must return to her childhood home upon the death of her grandfather. Events unfold from there. I won't say more except that things are not all what they seem to be.

Ms. McKillip writes a lyrical & beguiling blend of myth, allegory & fantasy just right for a spring weekend bursting with new life.
Books, Book Review, Fantasy Review

Seed starting

I've never tried this before, other than morning glory seeds. However, Son #2 is determined to attempt it. We've collected petunia, moonflower, zinnia & balsam seed packets. We started them on wet paper towels inside ziploc baggies in a south facing window. I got him to edge my beds yesterday. Quite a feat for a ten year old with more desire to help than weight to shove the spade (although it's sharpened) into the soil. Wish us luck!

The professional cycling season has begun. Husband & I now spend Sunday afternoon watching the races in Europe.

I'm about one third of the way through & so far it's typically excellent McKillip. More when I'm done. No website for her, unfortunately.

Also- a few people have begun a new romance oriented message board, still in its infancy.Link on the sidebar. Hopefully, it will grow & grow. Blogging & HTML help. Suggested books. Chat. Links to helpful sites. Etc. I'm very excited!

March Synopsis

March Reading lists

I read one mystery.

There were two wallbangers/DNFs, discussed here. Plus two more from the Song series are discussed here.

A medieval romance and a traditional Regency are here. Another delightful traditional Regency is here.

I read two books by new-to-me author, Anne Kelleher. Printed by Luna, they are strong fantasies with romantic themes, but not strictly romances in the traditional sense. Excellent books & I plan to watch for more of Ms. Kelleher's work. I talk about them here and here.
books

Review: Silver's Bane

I finished this late last night, so I hope it fulfills Angie's challenge! *trying to sneak in under the wire*

Title: Silver's Bane (second in a two book series)

Author: Anne Kelleher

Year published: June 2005

Why did you get this book? I wanted to see how the Luna titles fell- truly a hybrid of romance & fantasy or more of one than the other. This series falls more toward the fantasy side than the romance side, IMO.

Do you like the cover? Yes

Did you enjoy the book? Very much so

Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again? Yes, Anne Kelleher is new to me and, yes, I'm likely to read another title by her.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Keeping

Anything else?
The story arcs very strongly across both books, and they must be read in order. The peak of the action was in the end third or fourth of the first book, so Silver's Bane continues the action & then presents a conclusion.

It's actually a bit vague at the end, to be truthful. Superficially, each storyline is wrapped up, but there are specific bits left out that I'd like to have known exactly what was what. Beyond that I can't say without spoilers. Definitely an autor to watch, IMO.
Romance Novel Review
Book Review

Borrowed/stolen from Tara, who got it from..

1. FIRST NAME? Amanda

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No. My middle name is Mabel which is to honor my great great grandmother.

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Last week

4. WHAT IS ON YOUR DESKTOP BACKGROUND? Holly berries on a sky blue background

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Maple cured ham

6. KIDS? 3, BGB, 17 14 & 10

7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Er. Probably :)

8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL ? This is it, folks

9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? ME? No. Not me. I'm always very sincere.

10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes

11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Not on your life, LOL

12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Apple cinnamon Cheerios

13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES? Yes

14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes. Life has thrown a lot my way. I'm a fighter & a survivor. Reading romances helps!

15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Banana

16. SHOE SIZE? 7 1/2 wide

17. RED OR PINK? Red

18. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I'm a procrastinator & I need to lose weight.

19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My maternal grandfather.

20. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black knit workout pants (not that I'm going to work out) & brown suede shearling mocccasins.

21. LAST THING YOU ATE? McDonald's Filet O'Fish meal. With diet Coke so I won't feel too guilty! ROTFL

22. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Extreme Home Makeover I DVR'd
a few days ago.

23 IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Only one?! I'd want to be the entire box.

24. FAVORITE SMELL? Jasmine or old fashioned English scented roses. Lilac.Smells from my grandmother's garden.

25. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My husband. We've a ritual morning phone call to check in with each other.

26. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Height & then face.

27. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Sure- I stole it from Tara, who got it from Kristie, who..

28. FAVORITE DRINK? COFFEE!!!!

29. FAVORITE SPORT? College Basketball

30. HAIR COLOR? Very dark brown

31. EYE COLOR? Same as the eyes

32. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? I do, but suffer from dry eyes. In consequence the contacts stay in the case more than I wear them.

33. FAVORITE FOOD? Baked potato & all the fixins

34. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Either. If by scary you mean suspenseful as opposed to gory or horror. HEAs are always great.

35. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? In the theater? Harry Potter last fall. At home? Howl's Moving Castle.

36. COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Pearl grey

37. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter

38. HUGS OR KISSES? Hershey's kisses & hugs

39. FAVORITE DESSERT? Homemade New York cheesecake.

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? I'm finishing up Silver's Bane by Anne Kelleher.

41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? The Dell logo. *shrug* It came with computer & it works. So I'm cheap! All the extra $$ goes to books, darnit!

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? The National Invitational Tournament final (college basketball)

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Children laughing. Always makes me smile too.

44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Rolling Stones hands down.It's genetic, my mom is a rabid fan too.

45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? South Padre Island Texas. 1750 miles from our current home, if you believe Mapquest. Or Colorado Springs CO, which is 1675 miles away. It's a tie I guess.

46. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Reading!

47. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? May 15, Plymouth NH

48.WHY DID YOU ANSWER THIS SURVEY OF YOUR LIFE? I answered because I love these little questionnaires. Besides it's a great way to avoid laundry & vacuuming.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Quiz

Thursday Thirteen #5

Thursday Thirteen, a bit late. The first thirteen thoughts, unplanned & unedited:

1. Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream in the freezer.

2. I love college basketball, but March is always really looong

3. I'm glad Frank, my former work buddy, is still in the area. We'd lost touch for a long time & I was worried he'd moved.

4. I'm always too hot or too cold & I'm too young for such hormonal yoyoing, damnit!

5. I've started job hunting, but after being out of the market for so long I'm afraid it'll be a while before I'm employed again.

6. Husband's favorite outfits are soo gross- they've got to go. SOON.

7. I was given a huge bouquet of flowers this morning as a thank you gift for some of the charity work our church does- they're gorgeous.

8. I really want to take daughter up to the National Gallery of Art to see the Cezanne watercolors before they leave (which is 7 May)

9. Newest books purchased: Dark Demon by Christine Feehan and Working for the Devil by Lillith SaintCrow

10. Purged my TBR bookcase a little bit a few days ago. Not enough that it's all upright, but better than it was. OK?!

11. Son #2 has done well at his piano lessons. After one year, he's on his third set of primers & soon will begin practicing duets with his teacher.

12. Son #1 is planning for the Junior prom with his steady GF- whose name at our house is either Giggles or Glitter Gloss. Guess why. Nice girl, I like her; don't get me wrong.

13. Husband is gathering paperwork to support his claim that he needs a reevaluation of his pay grade based on duties performed & the fact that others with less training & education are in higher pay grades. Of course, this is the Federal gov't we're talking about, so it'll be a long uphill climb. We'll see. I'm not convinced it'll work. I believe he's correct & he ought to be bumped up at least one pay grade, but I'm not spending it yet.

Disjointed & rambling, but there they are.

Thursday Thirteen
Thursday 13

Mom & Daughter Time

Daughter & I went into DC (linking to this photo doesn't imply agreement with his views or proposals, BTW) to see the Cherry Blossom Festival. This is always one of my favorite times to go into town- nice & cool, not overly crowded (yet), beautiful.

The kimonos on display were absolutely magnificent.There aren't any photos online of the ones we saw, so the links are to similar items. Unfotunately we missed the swordsmanship expo- Metro was late *BOO HISS*. We did sit through some agonizing god awful speeches. Well, actually, the Japanese ambassador was funny, but he's the exception. We did listen to this guy and an amazing flutist whose photo & music I can't find online either. It's too bad really, I'd buy her stuff in a second if I could find it.

If you're in the area or thinking of coming into the area, April 8 is the parade & the street festival. Gonna be great.
Washington DC
National Cherry Blossom Festival
Tourism

Popping by

Hi there. Quick update on book two, Silver's Bane by Anne Kelleher. I'm on page 110 & things are moving along at deliberate speed. This series feels more akin to straight fantasy than romance which is fine with me- except that I'm at the point where I really just want to hide somewhere & finish it all. Only I can't because today is drive all over creation day. WAAAA

The story arcs strongly across both books, none of this wishy washy hybrid stuff for Ms. Kelleher. Somewhere last week or so there was an excellent debate on why everyone is sick to death of series romance. I think this conversation was at Maili's. Just wanted those of you who dislike unending romance or fantasy series to know that this little pair isn't like that. So far.

BTW- Your new site looks great Maili!

Romance Novel Review
Books

Review: Silver's Edge

After a difficult, impossible, exhausting four days, I unhooked the phone, brought out the laundry & dug out the book I had been lugging around- fruitlessly. Too distracted, too..everything. Couldn't concentrate.

Today, however, it worked. Engrossing. Good world & character building. Just complicated enough to prevent me from seeing the end clearly. Compelling enough that I'm grateful I already have book two, Silver's Bane.

Nessa's father disappears the morning a dead goblin is found in the lake beside the village. In the Faery realm, the magic is weakening & there are circles within circles within a conundrum. In the human Shadowlands there are political machinations whose ripples spread outward farther & wider than any realize.

Nessa's hunt for her father effects Artimour, whose own father was a human smith. The artifact that the Fae depended on may not have been such a good thing after all. The humans' political issues manage to become more complicated. Two couples move, slowly, slooooowwwwly toward deepening relationships. Parenting is revealed in all of its painful, complicated glory.

So, YAY 'cuz I have book two even as I type. Boo 'cuz I can't find a website for Anne Kelleher. I did find a message thread HERE which indicates that her next book is out in September & is a prequel. Not sure I'll go for that since prequels don't always work for me, but we'll see.
Romance Novel Review
Books
Book Review

Gone for several days

Due to an unexpected emergency (aren't they all?!) I won't blog for several days, most likely until Monday. I may stop by different blogs & say hi if I can, but more than that is unlikely. Have a great weekend & happy reading.

1st Blogiversary

It's hard to believe I've been blogging for a year already. Sitting here staring at the blinking cursor nearly daily is something I look forward to. I become anxious if I can't post an entry every day- "I've gotta run, there are things I need to do at home." That's my secret code for rushing home to sit on my behind and stare at the screen.

HERE is my very first post ever. I still have to stop & think about how much to share and how much to hold back. Blogging is very much an exhibitionist activity no matter how impersonal you try to make it. I would really miss my blinking cursor, so stay tuned. Not much chance I'll disappear anytime soon.

Other random thoughts

It's supposed to snow this afternoon. Sleet or snowshowers up to two inches on the grass. *HAHAHAHAHA* It was nearly eighty a couple of days ago.

Son #2 has a chorus concert tonight, he's very excited. It's a special after school project his music teacher initiated this fall.

The Tetris version playable on cellphones is really very good & is worth every penny of the $6 I paid for it. Yesterday we sat for an hour and fifteen minutes waiting our turn at the pediatrician's office. Tetris & Connect Four saved me from becoming a raving lunatic. I was totally surprised at how many kids over the age of five have no problems whatsoever throwing screaming temper tantrums.

'Nuff said. See you tomorrow~

Blogiversary
Family Life
Cell Phone Games

Fat chick romances

Where are they? Monica Jackson says it HERE and HERE TOO As a 'pleasingly plump' woman (as my great aunt Eileen used to say) skinny chick romances don't send me over the edge. Unless I'm PMSing & gobbling everything in sight- then I'm very righteous & angry. "Where the hell are the regular Jane women? Fewer & fewer women are smaller than size ten- which has been enlarged slowly but surely." Etc, etc etc. You get my point.

Scroll through the comments on both posts. There are some excellent thoughts running around out there. Personally, I tend to assume the heroines are all reasonably thin because they're often young & childless (twenty five or younger, usually). Maybe I don't notice weight very often because I'm more concerned with other plot & characterization issues.

It's too bad in our size obssessed & youth obssessed culture we are separating ourselves into narrower & narrower categories. Slice a pie into too many pieces & it isn't recognizable as a pie anymore. Maybe size obsession is a product of our lack of self esteem. A product of women pulling ouselves & each other down at all times & in all places. Maybe I'm just another stupid, no account white woman (read this one). I don't know. Probably.

Perhaps this is simply a cry against the all too common stereotypes plaguing Romancelandia. Remember the one where the hero can span the heroines waist with his hands? How realistic was that, for God's sake?!

Whatever. Sorry this is completely clueless & rambling & whatnot.

Body Image
Weight
women's issues

Review: Pursuing Priscilla

A Signet Regency written by Emily Hendrickson and published in 2003. Featuring Priscilla Herbert and Felix Sutton, Lord Latimer. Priscilla is in London acting as companion to her aunt Mercy. Lord Latimer, conveniently, is a neighbor. He agrees to squire Miss Herbert around the tourist sights in London after meeting her in an obscure museum that features one of his favorite hobbies.

Miss Herbert enjoys his company & begins to fall in love with Lord Latimer- just as his tactless friend Renshaw reveals that Felix is determined to marry 'the first respectable lady he meets' in order to repair his family's tattered reputation. Miss Herbert, therefore, is aware from the beginning that Felix will marry for respectability as opposed to love.

Slowly they fall in love- or at least, Priscilla does. Felix, however, is laughably obtuse to their mutual feelings & is stuck on the idea of respectablity to the point of irritation. Hendrickson uses this to her advantage, however. Felix's preoccupation serves both as plot point as well as reminding the reader just how emotionally illiterate many men are. Hendrickson does an admirable job showing how a stuffy, priggish man gets that way & then evolves into a more mature, understanding, accepting man.

Felix very nearly loses Priscilla over a perceived wrong, which in reality, is based on his feelings of loss and shame in his youth. Priscilla is, how do I put this? Surprisingly meddlesome in Felix's family relationships especially considering the formality of polite behavior in that era. However, she manages to acquire town bronze, keep her aunt company, heal Felix's relationships with his family & fall in love all in one book. Excellent reading!

Book Review
Romance Novel Review
Books

2 Reviews

Earth Song

Unlike the others in the Song series, I enjoyed this one thoroughly. Not a keeper, but it worked for me. The characterization was more realistic, thus less extreme than the other Coulters I've read. I like Ms. Coulter's voice & style & am always drawn to her novels. However, 90% of the time I have issues with her characters.

Phillipa de Beauchamp tends to act first and suffer the consequences. Thus when she overhears a private conversation she flees. After wading through the moat & then diving into raw cotton bales wet. EEWWW! Very memorable though & effectively details what type of person she is.

Dienwald de Fortenberry is a semi literate robber baron who lives in poverty. Philippa ends up in his domain due to her flight from her home. Desperate & determined to hide, she makes herself indispensible to Dienwald. He decides he might like to keep her. They spend much of the book verbally needling & poking at each other, although when the chips are down each knows they can depend on the other.

Their relationship is refreshing because Dienwald is gentle & honorable with Philippa, despite her sudden appearance in his domain & apparent poverty. Philippa has been well trained in her duties & is honest to a fault. She sees the best parts in Dienwald & learns to adjust to his foibles. Philippa is quick witted, smart & determined. And jealous of Dienwald's emotional attachment of Kassia (from Firesong).

I enjoyed this book quite a lot. Dienwald & Philippa are funny together. Coulter builds up the sexual tension very nicely.

Secret Song

Daria has grown up under the thumb of her physically & emotionally abusive uncle. Her mother is a widow who lives with the uncle also. Daria is kidnapped by her uncle's enemy while on her way to her betrothal & wedding. The uncle hires Roland de Tournay to rescue Daria. Which he manages to do. While fleeing her captor, they fall in love. She is recaptured & imprisoned again. Roland rescues her. Again.

I have serious characterization problems with this novel. In addition there are a few too many improbable coincidences in the plot. Roland is cruel, dismissive, emotionally unavailable & lacking compassion. Daria is quick thinking & a good actress, but too willing to forgive Roland- too close to doormat territory for sucha likeable woman.

I did read this all the way through, although it was very painful & heartwrenching at times. Not in a good way either. Often I like tearjerkers, but this novel is more a study of endurance & survival rather than a love story.

Thursday Thirteen #4

Thirteen plants in my garden:

1. Hyacinths

2. Tulips

3. Daffodils

4. Crocus

5. Narcissus

6. Daylilies

7. Asiatic Lilies

8. Irises

9. Butterfly bushes

10. Elephant Ear plants (the dark ones- very cool!)

11. Jonquils

12.Gladioli

13. Foxglove

Thursday 13
Thursday Thirteen

4 Meme

4 jobs you have had in your life:

1. Lifeguard
2. Salesclerk
3. Inventory/warehouse clerk
4. Program coordinator

4 movies you would watch over and over:

1. LOTR
2. Lion in Winter
3. Any Audrey Hepburn
4. Casablanca

4 places you have lived:

1. Colorado Springs
2. San Antonio
3. Kansas
4. New Hampshire

4 TV shows you love to watch:

1. Trauma, Life in the ER
2. Tattoo (National Geographic channel)
3. Boston Legal
4. Match Game reruns

4 places you have been on vacation:

1. Philadelphia
2. Cape Cod
3. South Padre Island TX
4. Bermuda

4 websites you visit daily:

1. Nearly everything on my sidebar
2. BBC News & BBC Radio
Isn't that enough?!

4 of your favorite foods:

1. Chocolate
2. Fish
3. Ice cream
4. Pizza

4 places you would rather be right now:

1. Island in the South Pacific
2. Greek Islands
3. Republic of Ireland
4. London

4 friends you are tagging that you think will respond:

1. Maili
2. Anne E
3. AG
4. Nicole