Total Randomness

I have a bunch of random, most likely useless, thoughts swimming around in my head and wanted to blog about some of them. Consider that your warning.

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First, like how totally awesome was that Super Bowl last night? Not only was it a fantabulous game, but the Patriots lost! Let's put it in perspective for longtime Bat Cave readers. You know how much I hate the Yankees? I hate the Patriots more. Yes, more. I know, it doesn't seem possible. But while I have a grudging respect for some in the Yankee organization (Jeter, Posada, Mariano, Bernie before they kicked his ass out the door), I hate, loathe and downright despise everything about the Patriots. It also doesn't help matters that my Buffalo Bills are in their division and have been stuck in Mediocre Hell. They're not even bad, they're just boring. Sometimes I think boring is worse.

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My reading has slowed to a crawl. It took me a week to read Yours, Mine...Or Ours? by Karen Templeton, a Harlequin-length novel for cripes sake. And I loved the book, so it's not like it was a slog or anything. No, just my real life is getting in the way. Work has been slightly chaotic because we're thisclose to opening a new library and it's been a total time suck.

Speaking of Karen Templeton, I downloaded a few more of her titles this weekend - A Husband's Watch, Baby Steps, Pride and Pregnancy. Here's an indication of how much I've enjoyed her last two books - I bought one title that has a satanic looking baby on the cover and another that features the "Whoops! We Had Sex Once And Now I'm Knocked Up" plot device. That's saying something folks.

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April 5th is just around the corner and that means it's time for Literary Orange. For those of you who live around Orange County, California, this event is worth checking out. It's a day filled with authors, discussion, book signings and food. I'm once again going to be moderating the romance panel discussion and I hand-picked all of the authors this year (Go Team Me!). Sylvia Day, Susan Squires and Mary Castillo will be joining me, which I think makes a wonderfully diverse group. Also for those who read outside of romance there's some other really great authors lined up. To name just a few - Elizabeth George, Janet Fitch, Stephen J. Cannell (the guy who gave us the A-Team y'all!), Larry Niven, Susan Vreeland, Earlene Fowler, and Denise Hamilton. Plus, you can rub elbows with me - The Super Librarian! Cost is $75 for the day-long event, but trust me, you'll make up that cost in the authors attending and the food. Last year there was an incredible amount of food. I might bring along an extra purse this year. Of course this also means I have homework reading coming up. I want to read more by Squires and Castillo, but I've never read Day before. Time to pull her out of the TBR...

2009 RITA Nominees

Romance Writer's Of America announced the RITA nominees this morning, and yes - I'm doing a blog post about it. Some things to remember before we get started: 1) Only 2008 books were eligible 2) Authors had to submit their books for consideration. So no bitching about why SoAndSo wasn't nominated because they might not have entered the contest. Although if you know they entered? Feel free to bitch. I wish RWA would publish a list of all the titles that were entered for consideration. It would make these blog posts a lot more lively me thinks. Anyway....

(Title links will take you to Amazon)

Best First Book
Her One Desire by Kimberly Killion
No Good Girls by Jean Marie Pierson
Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs
Passionate by Anthea Lawson
Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas
Strangers in the Night by Kerry Connor (Harlequin Intrigue)
The Secret Soldier by Jennifer Morey (Silhouette Romantic Suspense)
Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley

Wendy's Commentary: This category is always a hodge-podge, this year being no exception. We have everything from category romance to women's fiction to historical romance. I've only read Private Arrangements, which was wonderfully, amazingly written, even though I spent 98% of the novel wanting to bitch-slap the hero and heroine.

Contemporary Series Romance
A Mother’s Wish by Karen Templeton (Silhouette Special Edition)
Adopted: Outback Baby by Barbara Hannay (Harlequin Romance)
Antonides’ Forbidden Wife by Anne McAllister (Harlequin Presents)
Falling for the Lone Wolf by Crystal Green (Silhouette Special Edition)
Last-Minute Proposal by Jessica Hart (Harlequin Romance)
Texas Heir by Linda Warren (Harlequin American)
The Children’s Doctor and the Single Mum by Lilian Darcy (Harlequin Medical)
The Cowboy’s Christmas Miracle by RaeAnne Thayne (Silhouette Special Edition)
The Right Mr. Wrong by Cindi Myers (Harlequin American)

Wendy's Commentary: Happy, happy, joy, joy for Karen Templeton getting nominated! I really enjoyed this book, although the epilogue was totally unnecessary and hit on one of my pet peeves. Emotional, wonderful book though. Just skip the epilogue. Also happy to see Crystal Green get nominated. She's going to be at my library's literary event wearing her Chris Marie Green paranormal/urban fantasy hat and this is something cool I can add during my introduction.

Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure
A Sexy Time of It by Cara Summers (Harlequin Blaze)
Cold Case Connection by Kathleen Long (Harlequin Intrigue)
Danger Signals by Kathleen Creighton (Silhouette Romantic Suspense)
Lethal Attraction by Diana Duncan (Silhouette Romantic Suspense)
Strangers in the Night by Kerry Connor (Harlequin Intrigue)
Tall, Dark and Lethal by Dana Marton (Harlequin Intrigue)
The Man Behind the Cop by Janice Kay Johnson (Harlequin SuperRomance)
The Secret Soldier by Jennifer Morey (Silhouette Romantic Suspense)
Twin Targets by Jessica Anderson (Harlequin Intrigue)

Wendy's Commentary: OK, the Janice Kay Johnson book rocks the house - although it's kinda light in the suspense department. Oh sure, it's there, but it's more of a secondary plot thread. Still, it's an awesome book. I gave it an A-.

Contemporary Single Title Romance
No Good Girls by Jean Marie Pierson
Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson
Out of Time by Samantha Graves
Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs
Sweet Talk by Susan Mallery
Tall Tales and Wedding Veils by Jane Graves
Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber
Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley

Wendy's Commentary: The Jane Graves is in the TBR. Wasn't Sweet Talk the book in the Mallery trilogy that a lot of people really, really disliked? I think I have that one in the TBR too. Oh and neither here nor there, Out of Time not only sounds suspense-y, it has paranormal elements. Just sayin'.

Historical Romance
Duchess by Night by Eloisa James
In Bed with the Devil by Lorraine Heath
Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas
Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas
The Edge of Impropriety by Pam Rosenthal
The Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne
To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt
Where the Heart Leads by Stephanie Laurens

Wendy's Commentary: OK RWA, I was totally on board when you gave Regency Historicals their own category. I foolishly thought it would open up the Historical Romance category to books that weren't set in England. Yeah, Epic Fail! Congrats to Sherry Thomas again though - whose Private Arrangements is a Victorian. And yeah for Joanna Bourne who I kept running into at RWA San Francisco last year and is really a top-notch fabulous chick. Still, All England All The Time Makes Historical Romance A Dull Girl.

Inspirational Romance
Deep in the Heart of Trouble by Deeanne Gist
Faking Grace by Tamara Leigh
Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren
Love Starts with Elle by Rachel Hauck
Mulberry Park by Judy Duarte
The Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter
The Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher
Where Love Abides by Irene Hannon

Wendy's Commentary: OK, so I don't really read inspirational. But I'm pleasantly surprised by how many of these I've already bought for work. Go Team Wendy!

Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
Last Dance at Jitterbug Lounge by Pamela Morsi
The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
The Paper Marriage by Susan Kay Law
The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
Tribute by Nora Roberts
Where Serpents Sleep by C.S. Harris

Wendy's Commentary: The Morsi and Roberts are in the TBR. Has the Kearsley been released in the U.S.? Anyone know? I've got a couple of her older titles in my TBR, thanks to recommendations from a reader and HH author Nicola Cornick.

Paranormal Romance
Dragon Wytch by Yasmine Galenorn
Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh
Moonstruck by Susan Grant
Seducing Mr. Darcy by Gwen Cready
The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter
The Healer by Sharon Sala
The Undead Next Door by Kerrelyn Sparks
Thunder Moon by Lori Handeland

Wendy's Commentary: Um yeah. Paranormal burn out. Major burn out. I need to pick up the Grant book though. I buy all her books, brand new - and this one slipped through the cracks.

Regency Historical Romance
Duke Most Wanted by Celeste Bradley
Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn
My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne
The Dangerous Duke by Christine Wells
The Edge of Desire by Stephanie Laurens
Three Nights of Sin by Anne Mallory

Wendy's Commentary: I've got the Bourne in the TBR. Kinda surprised to see the Quinn here, since I know several readers who weren't wild about it. Still, it is Julia Quinn.

Romance Novella
“All He Wants for Christmas” by Jill Shalvis in Heating Up the Holidays (Harlequin Blaze)
“Blame It on the Mistletoe” by Terri Brisbin in One Candlelit Christmas (Harlequin Historical)
“Only You” by Jacquie D’Alessandro in It Happened One Night
“Our Day” by Jean Brashear in The Valentine Gift (Harlequin SuperRomance)
“Penance” by Sharon Sala in Aftershock (Silhouette Nocturne)
"Snowy Night with a Highlander” by Julia London in Snowy Night with a Stranger
“The Fall of Rogue Gerard” by Stephanie Laurens in It Happened One Night
“Thicker Than Blood” by Meljean Brook in First Blood

Wendy's Commentary: One Candlelit Christmas, It Happened One Night and Snowy Night With a Stranger are all in the TBR. Kinda surprised I don't have The Valentine Gift. I mean, it is a HSR.

Romantic Suspense
Killing Fear by Allison Brennan
Night Secrets by Cherry Adair
Now You Die by Roxanne St. Claire
Scream for Me by Karen Rose
Stop Me by Brenda Novak
Take No Prisoners by Cindy Gerard
The Angel by Carla Neggers
Triple Exposure by Colleen Thompson

Wendy's Commentary: I'm reading the Cherry Adair right now, and hello? It has paranormal elements. Although yes, technically it's also romantic suspense. So far? I'm not hating it, but I'm also not loving it. Very much meh. The Karen Rose, Allison Brennan and Carla Neggers are all in the TBR.

Young Adult Romance
Hell Week by Rosemary Clement-Moore
How to Hook a Hottie by Tina Ferraro
Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs

Wendy's Commentary: I think it's great that RWA has a category for YA, but something has gotta give. Only three nominees? And I suspect it's because they get few entries. Maybe there needs to be more promotion about RWA within the YA writing community? Of course, I'm almost positive you have to be an RWA member to enter the RITAs, which is probably the major stumbling block here. ETA: From RWA web site: "The contest is open to members of RWA and to non-members as well. Any lapse in membership during the course of the contest shall result in the entrant being required to pay the higher non-member entry fee."

That's it. One thing I'm struck by (besides the total absence of any historical not set in England?) is how few of these I've got collecting dust in the TBR. My book buying really has slowed down. Who knew?

Watch, This Will Go Straight To Her Head

Sybil and I chatted a couple of weeks ago, and sometime during the course of the phone conversation she mentioned, in passing, how much she enjoyed Dear Santa by Karen Templeton and had I read it? Karen is a semi-regular commenter on various online forums, and being as I'm always on the lookout for good category romances, I decided it was time to inaugurate my new Sony Reader.

I'm glad I did, and big-fat-wet-sloppy kisses (but not in a gay way) to Sybil for recommending this one. I really, really enjoyed it.

Grant Braeburn is the very definition of eligible bachelor. He has a great house in Greenwich, Connecticut and an insane amount of money thanks to his prowess at making sound financial investments. He's divorced from upwardly mobile lawyer Justine, but together they have a beautiful, almost-four-year-old daughter, Haley. Then on one of his weekends with Haley, he gets a call that Justine has died in a car accident. Grant goes into panic mode. How to break the news to his daughter? And while he's a passable father, he's not exactly close to the little girl thanks to his quiet, reserved nature. Now he has to raise Haley on his own and he is beyond terrified.

Desperate beyond words he reaches out to Mia Vaccaro, Justine's best friend. Mia used to work at the same law firm as Justine, until she decided to start her own party-planning business. A lot of people think she's a flake. I mean, who gives up a lucrative career at one of the most prestigious law firms in Manhattan to plan parties? Plus, she's not exactly Grant's biggest fan. She thinks he's a major cold fish. But she does love Haley, and if helping Grant become a better father helps that little girl, she'll do it. Little does she know that Grant is hiding a Big Secret, one that could rock her faith in her now deceased best friend.

Dear Santa is a perfect example of why I love the category romance format. Grant and Mia are both extremely likable characters and don't fall victim to cliche. It would have been so easy for Templeton to write Grant as the aloof, dour, emotionless bachelor stud, but that's not what she gives us. Grant isn't cold, he's just the sort of man who keeps his emotions in check. He doesn't do well with theatrics. A drama queen would probably damn near kill him. But that doesn't mean he's cold or unfeeling - it just means he doesn't put his baggage out on display. I don't know about you all, but I've known a number of men like this in my life. I think it stems from The Boys Don't Cry philosophy.

Mia is a smart girl, from a boisterous family, who just doesn't "get" Grant - at first anyway. But the more time she spends with him, she realizes that she has judged him poorly. And it doesn't help matters that she only saw Grant through Justine's eyes.

The Big Secret here packs a wallop. Readers know what it is almost immediately, and it's devastating enough that I was chomping at the bit for Templeton to reveal it to our heroine. The resulting fall-out doesn't disappoint.

I do have a couple of quibbles. I found some of the chapter transitions a bit abrupt at times. This can probably be chalked up to personal preference. The sexuality level in this story probably falls somewhere around PG, and the author fades to black a couple of times regarding love scenes. Now, I don't need hot, kinky sex in every book I read - but the sexual tension between Grant and Mia was so well done that these moments of the door slamming in my face were a tad disappointing. Hey, romance readers are nothing if not voyeuristic. Also, there were moments when I thought Haley sounded a little too mature for her age - but hey, what do I know? I don't have my own almost-four-year-old to compare her to and at least the precocious tot doesn't have a lisp. Thank God for small miracles.

Minor quibbles aside, I really enjoyed this story. And goody goody - it's the first book in a trilogy. Book two, Yours, Mine...or Ours? featuring Mia's former cop, single father brother is out now with book three, Baby, I'm Yours about another brother, this one a recovering drug addict, due out in the spring. Needless to say, book two is getting downloaded to the Sony Reader this weekend.

Final Grade = A-

Football Schmootball

I'll admit I was eye-ing the Chicago Bears as a possible football bandwagon, but during last night's game where Jay Cutler threw four interceptions and Brian Urlacher suffered a season-ending injury, I wasn't much in the mood to keep watching. So I improvised and read a book instead.

Karen Templeton is one of my go-to category romance authors, mostly because I think she writes "real" characters. Characters that don't come off as silly or contrived, and act like "normal" people. From Friends To Forever is part of Silhouette Special Edition's on-going Famous Families promotion and is book four in Templeton's Guys & Daughters series (which I adored).

Lili Szabo is a nice Hungarian girl visiting relatives in the States. After taking care of her for several years, her mother has passed away and Lili is at loose ends, not sure what to do "next" with her life. A vacation to visit distant relatives seems like just the ticket, and it's there that she crosses paths with Tony Vaccaro, her cousin by marriage.

As teenagers, Tony and Lili spent a lot of time together when she visited one summer. They bonded, over the fact that a broken leg had effectively ended his athletic aspirations and that she felt like a square peg in a family full of colorful circus performers. Now they're all grown up, and Tony finds himself attracted to Lili. Unfortunately the timing sucks for everyone involved. Lili is set to return to Hungary in a few weeks and Tony is still coping with being a single dad to three young daughters after his wife's death.

One thing I've noticed about many of the Famous Families books is that they are very series "heavy." This book is no exception. Several past characters from previous books turn up in this installment and as a "fan," I got a kick out of seeing all of them. But for newcomers? Yeah, probably not going to care all that much and I suspect it'll feel like "series-itis."

The conflict takes a while to get moving, and it involves The Dead Wife and a secret from her past that effectively throws Tony for a loop. This bit of conflict is compelling, and has a ton of emotional juice to move the story forward. However it's really complicated, and so fraught with heartache, that I felt the matter was resolved a little too conveniently at the end.

Lili seems like a nice enough girl, although she spent entirely too much time in this story cleaning Tony's house. She wants to "feel needed" and Lord knows Tony needs an army of help. I like home and hearth as much as the next girl, but I also need some fire. Luckily the author gives Lili some of that, which is illustrated in the form of a conversation Lili has with Tony's mother-in-law. That sealed the deal for me. The gal had gumption and I like gumption.

Besides the conflict with The Dead Wife, there's the small matter of the happily-ever-after which is a little complicated since Lili is Hungarian and not an American citizen. The author glosses over this aspect, and while most readers aren't likely to give a damn, all I could think about was my Lil' Sis and Super Genius Brother-In-Law, who practically had to fill out INS paperback in blood after they got married. Just sayin'.

All in all? This was an OK read. This wasn't a dud, but it didn't have quite the same magic for me as some of Templeton's earlier titles - especially the other books in the Guys & Daughters series. If you're a fan, it's worth a look. If you're a newcomer? Start here instead.

Grade = C+

ISBN 9780373654703, Silhouette Special Edition #1988, August 2009, $4.99

2008 Year In Review: The Best Of The Best

Despite my sad and pathetic reading totals in 2008, I managed to read quite a few quality books this year. Here's a look at the books I graded in the A range. Click on the titles to see full reviews.

His Secret Past (Harlequin SuperRomance 1491) by Ellen Hartman. This is only Hartman's second published book, and it knocked my socks off. Two characters with mountains of personal baggage, a compelling Big Secret-style plot, and oodles of emotion. She's now officially on my autobuy list.

Fathers & Daughters series by Karen Templeton (Silhouette Special Edition). Sybil nagged me to read the first book in this series, Dear Santa, and after that it was all down hill. Characters that felt and acted like real people, along with compelling conflict, have made Templeton one of my go-to authors for series romance. Books in order are Dear Santa, Yours, Mine...Or Ours?, and Baby, I'm Yours.

Outlaw Bride by Jenna Kernan (Harlequin Historical). What I so love about Kernan's work for HH is that she writes westerns pre-Civil War. Her stories have a wonderful frontier quality to them, and she generally writes heroines with some gumption. This story features a heroine pushed to the edge and a hero who is determined to give up on life. Great stuff.

Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain (Suspense). The second book in Cain's Gretchen Lowell serial-killer saga, this book literally was a white knuckle read for me. I know a lot of readers who poo-pooed the twist in this one - but for me, I loved it (and felt Cain did some foreshadowing, so y'all shouldn't have been all that shocked). This was one book I literally could not put down, and in a year where I read only 64 books? That means something. I was putting a lot of books down this year, this wasn't one of them.

Revenant by Carolyn Haines (Suspense). Another suspense story, this one featuring a damaged heroine that knocked my socks off. Loved the Deep South setting, which gave this story a gothic tone. Also enjoyed the tabloid news angle, the cold case and the heroine's destructive nature. I really hope Haines continues to revisit these characters in future books. Review was on now-defunct Paperback Reader blog, which has been dismantled. Take my word for it - great suspense novel.

In Too Deep by Portia Da Costa (Erotic Romance). Definitely one of the lighter and more fun reads I had this year. Adored the librarian heroine, and I'm always a sucker for a hero who pines after the heroine from afar. Smokin' hot love scenes, that never ventured into Bizzaro World (which seems to have over run this sub genre of late).

The Man Behind The Cop by Janice Kay Johnson (Harlequin SuperRomance 1489). I adore series romances that feature emotional story lines, so it's kind of amazing I hadn't discovered Johnson prior to this year. This one packs real emotional punch, with a heroine who has only seen the worst in men, and a hero who thinks he's nowhere near good enough for her.

The Rebel And The Lady by Kathryn Albright (Harlequin Historical). I'm beginning to think I'm in the minority on this book, as I've yet to find a reader who adored it as much as I did. I suspect the reason I loved it so much was I read the author's first novel, which was pleasant but nothing all that special. This story though? Wow! Loved that she used The Alamo as a backdrop for the romance, that the story featured honest-to-goodness, not cliche-riddled Mexican characters, and a hero who doesn't start out all that hero-worthy.

Princess Mia by Meg Cabot (Young Adult). The second-to-last book in the Princess Diaries saga. This one was mainly graded an A because I found it a marvelous return to form. Mia has grown up a bit (finally!), Tina Hakim-Baba continues to rock my world, and there's little to zero "Lily Bullshit" in this installment. A great entry in the series. Sorry, no review.

Next up? The best of the honorable mentions. Stay tuned.

Running Down A Dream

Well it's official. I haven't been reading nearly enough Karen Templeton.

Yours, Mine...Or Ours? is the second book in a trilogy featuring the Vaccaro family. Rudy Vaccaro is a cop with a dream. After his wife abandoned ship when their daughter, Stacey, was six months old, Rudy did the only thing he could think to do - he ran home to Mom and Dad. But now Stacey is twelve, and Rudy is tired. Tired of putting his dreams on hold, tired of listening to everybody's advice on how he should parent his own daughter, and very tired of being a cop. So he empties his savings account and buys a dilapidated bed-and-breakfast in New Hampshire. Rudy knows it won't be easy, but he sees this as his ticket to a better life.

Of course once he arrives in the small town, chaos smacks him in the face. Stacey is convinced her father has ruined her life, and then he meets Violet Kildare. Violet used to work at the inn Rudy bought, and the old lady who used to own it swore to Violet that she'd inherit it after she died. Of course no will was ever found, the inn went to the old lady's daughter, and she couldn't unload the albatross fast enough to Rudy. After her ex-husband abandoned her and their two boys two years ago, Violet thought it couldn't get any worse. Big surprise, it has.

Rudy feels like a major shit-heel. OK, Violet's predicament isn't his fault, but he still feels responsible. Wanting to right a wrong, and realizing he needs the help, he asks Violet to come work for him. He needs someone to help restore the inn, plus a cook once they open for business. Violet loves that old house, and frankly with no other options, she agrees.

What I love about this book is that Templeton gives us characters that behave like real people. Rudy is a painfully nice guy who just wants to do the right thing. He wants to raise his daughter without interference and he wants to start having a life of his own. The minute he lays eyes on Violet he knows he's in trouble. He's basically been a monk for the past eight years, and one look at her wild red hair and sad eyes and he's practically begging. The snag is that Violet can't make up her mind.

Violet's husband Mitch was steady as a rock. He saved her from a horrible childhood, was a good husband, and wonderful-beyond-words father. Then two years ago - poof! Vanishing act! Even in hindsight Violet can't find any signs or signals she missed. When she asks for a divorce he doesn't contest it, but it doesn't keep the clueless moron from writing the occasional letter home. Leaving Violet in virtual limbo, and unable to move forward or back. Then Rudy comes along and all her pesky hormones start doing the mambo. And Lord knows the fact that he's so incredibly nice isn't helping matters either.

Everything about this story is really fantastic. The kids behave like kids, and while Stacey sulks like a typical 12-year-old, her angst doesn't last the entire story, nor is she used as the sole source of conflict (Thank you baby Jesus!). No, most of the conflict arises from the question of the inn and Violet's uncertainty about what she really wants out of her life. There were moments that I thought she should have been more angry at her idiot ex-husband, but the author handles the conflict in a believable, mature manner and the resolution wraps everything up beautifully.

I enjoyed this story just as much as the first book in the series, Dear Santa. I cannot wait until April when Kevin's story, Baby, I'm Yours, makes it's appearance. Really, an excellent series thus far.

Final Grade = A

The Month That Was September 2009

Brace yourself. I'm going to whine.

I've been mired in a horrible reading slump. The kind of slump where I don't feel like picking up a book. At all. I'm trying to power my way through it, but it's been rough going. It doesn't help matters that my reading lately has been pretty lackluster. A lot of "C"s and I've read a grand total of two "A" books for the entire year.

Seriously, I'm dying over here people.

I'm trying. I really am. But at this point I sort of feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water. Worse still, is that this reading malaise is starting to spill over into my blogging. I just can't seem to find my groove. At all.

Oh well. Suck it up Wendy. Nobody likes a whiner.

Which brings us to my pathetic recap of the reading I got done in September. I read seven books last month, two of which were short stories - so I'm not sure they count. Title links will take you to full reviews. Here's how it breaks down:

Highland Rebel by Judith James, historical romance, Restoration England, My Grade = B+

• This would be the best read of the month. The heroine started out rocky, but after I got past the first 50 pages, this book really cooked for me. I loved the history and setting, enjoyed the devil may care hero, and yes - the heroine grew on me once the author filled in her back story. I wasn't enamored with the author's debut novel (which was almost a DNF for me), and I was happy that me giving her a second chance paid off.
  

The Daddy Audition by Cindi Myers, Harlequin American, Contemporary Romance, My Grade = C-

• Myers' last several books have all been set in the same small mountain resort community. Earlier this year I read a previous book in the series, and really enjoyed it. So I thought I'd try the next book in the series. I'm sad to say it didn't work nearly as well for me. When the heroine wasn't self-absorbed, she was pretty dense. I couldn't figure out why the hero spent the last 10 years mooning over her.
  

The Countess's Client by Alison Richardson, Spice Briefs, Historical Erotica, Short Story, My Grade = D+

• This erotic short story started out with such promise thanks to an engaging narration style, but it quickly went down hill with snobbish, boorish characters and a bizarre twist at the end. I think the author can write though, so I'm going to read the next short story in The Countess Trilogy. What the heck, right? It's a short story!
  

The Warrior's Forbidden Virgin by Michelle Willingham, Harlequin Historical Undone, Medieval Romance, Short Story, My Grade = B

• The heroine is marginally rocky here (pining for another man) but the hero is so wonderfully deliciously Beta that he picks up the slack. Lots of action and derring-do keep the plot humming along, and I'm looking forward to reading the full-length tie-in to this short story, Taming Her Irish Warrior.
  

From Friends To Forever by Karen Templeton, Silhouette Special Edition, Contemporary Romance, My Grade = C+

• I really enjoy Templeton's category romances, and sadly this one was just OK for me. I felt there was a fair amount of series-itis going on here (it's book four), and the conflict surrounding the hero's dead wife was a little too conveniently wrapped up. Nice characters, but thought the conflict needed some more juice.
  

Silent Watch by Elle Kennedy, Silhouette Romantic Suspense, Romantic Suspense, My Grade = C-

• Ultimately it was the cliches that sunk this book for me. The hero is a damaged FBI agent who blames himself for his fiance's death. The heroine is a drop-dead gorgeous swimsuit model (blah), who has a serial killer stalking her but that doesn't stop her from doing dumb shit that puts her in danger. Swear to God, she keeps wanting to go outside to do inane shit like play in the snow! Hello? Serial killer on the loose? Remember him? Some of the relationship stuff was OK, and I liked that the heroine called the hero on most of his bullshit. Too many bad romantic suspense cliches though.
  

Texas Wedding For Their Baby's Sake by Kathryn Albright, Harlequin Historical, Western, My Grade = C-

• My most disappointing read of the month, and if I'm honest with myself now, I probably should have graded this a D+. The characters don't talk to each other - to the point where the hero keeps pushing the heroine away "for her own good" and the heroine, who travels from South Carolina to Texas to find the hero!, doesn't come right out and tell him he's her baby daddy the moment she lays eyes on him. The revelation is dragged out until towards the end of the book, where the hero proceeds to continue his pity party. Luckily the heroine reaches down deep, finds her damn spine, and that saved the last third of the book for me. I was also mightily annoyed that the hero in the previous book I adored was a raging jackass for most of this story.
  

Four C grades. That probably has something to do with my slump. Also the fact that three of those C grades were attached to books where previous books in the same series worked really, really well for me.

Oh well.

Suck it up Wendy. Suck it up.

Attack Of The Normies

Brace yourselves, I'm about to say something really unpopular amongst romance readers. Ready? Sometimes I get really tired of the "fantasy." You know, how every romance hero has to be a Duke, vampire, tycoon or Navy SEAL. Which might explain why when I'm reading category romance I tend to gravitate towards Silhouette Special Edition and Harlequin SuperRomance. Because they're stories about "normies." Characters who feel authentic and real.

Now I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the escapist fantasy, and I understand a great many readers have the "normie" at home. So why would they want to read about him? For me? Personally? There's something very appealing about a nice, dependable, normal guy trying to figure out how the heck to tell a nice, dependable normal woman that he adores her. I know, I'm silly.

I don't just suspect, but I know, this is why Karen Templeton's latest trilogy for SSE has worked so fantastically well for me. Her characters are "real." Sure, they've made mistakes. Sure, life hasn't been all sunshine and roses - but they behave like adults. And dang, grown-ups are sexy.

Baby, I'm Yours is the last in the Vaccaro family series, and this time around black sheep, Kevin, is the one getting blindsided by love. A recovering alcoholic, and former drug user, Kevin has spent the last year stone cold sober and putting his life back together. But he has unfinished business in New Mexico. He left a girl behind, Robyn, who was also a user. Kevin couldn't convince her to go to rehab, and he had reached the point where he wanted help. So he left her to get himself clean. He feels badly about this, even though he really shouldn't (I subscribe to the school of thought that the addict has to want to help themselves). So now, a year later, Kevin returns to New Mexico to check in on Robyn, only to get the shock of his life. When he left, she was pregnant with his baby.

Pippa has been raised for the last six months by Robyn's father, self-help guru Victor Booth, and his oldest daughter, Julianne. Julie lost her husband and unborn child in a car accident, and when her father finds out Robyn is pregnant, he asks for her help. They force Robyn into rehab, watch her like a prison guard, and Pippa is born healthy and happy. Unfortunately, her baby girl wasn't enough to keep Robyn off of drugs, and she eventually dies in an accident while she's high.

Needless to say, Kevin doesn't get the warmest reception. Victor Booth is determined to blame someone for Robyn's troubles. It's up to Julie to tell Kevin he has a daughter, and once she does, Kevin is determined to prove to the Booths' he's a changed man.

Baby, I'm Yours is just as fantastic as the first two books in this series. Kevin is a man determined to prove himself, and along the way he finds himself helping a shell-shocked Julie move on with her life. Julie's essentially been in shutdown mode since the death of her family. Her father, while saying all the right things in his career as a therapist, has never been able to say the right things to his own children. Kevin's arrival on the scene is not only a threat to him losing his granddaughter, but he really begins to worry when he sees a spark between Kevin and Julie.

What is so admirable about this book, and in the other books in this series, is that it would have been so easy for Templeton to give us cliches. How easy it would have been for Julie to be a shrew towards Kevin, or Victor to be the villain. Instead, she throws these three people together, and they have to learn to work together to figure out what is best for the child they all love so desperately.

So yeah, it might not be flashy and it might not have a brooding Greek tycoon who favors punishing, bruising kisses. Kevin is just a normal guy trying to fix his life, and along the way he falls in love with Julie. Which might sound boring to some readers, but in actuality is anything but.

Final Grade = A

Note: This is an April release, but is available now both in print and electronically at eHarlequin. I gots mine really early thanks to my kick-ass connections. Thanks girlie!

2008 Year In Review: Final Thoughts

Hang in there gentle blog readers, I'm finally in the home stretch. It's now officially time to sweep 2008 under the rug, and begin looking ahead to all the fantastic books I'm convinced I'll read in 2009. But before that, one final post to make your eyes glaze over. Here are some final thoughts about my reading year that was 2008.

• Karen Templeton wins the award for the author I read the "most" this past year. I read four (count 'em four!) books by her, in 2008! She also wins the award for Best Author Wendy Discovered Last Year. She's now on the autobuy list.

• Another great author I discovered this year was Nicola Cornick. For several years (too many to count) I've suffered from extreme burn-out on anything Regency. It's never been my favorite time period in British history anyway, and the glut on the market didn't help matters. For that reason, I've read very few Regency historicals in the past 5 years (at least!), and I'm sure I've missed out on some great writers. I discovered Cornick because she wrote an Edwardian this year, and hot damn, I love Edwardians. Then I read her Harlequin Historical Undone story and I was hooked. I hit the nearest UBS and bought all the Nicola Cornick titles they had on the shelf.

• Damn Harlequin, but they got me hooked and good. I know a lot of readers don't care for anthologies or short stories, but I adore them to bits. Probably because they allow me to fool myself into believing I'm a "fast" reader. Also, I have little patience for verbosity in writing. Don't use 25 words to say something when 5 words work just as well. So when Harlequin introduced their new Harlequin Historical Undone eBook-only short story line? Oh yeah, I was a goner. I've read all of them so far, and discovered several new authors that way.

So what's ahead in 2009? Oh, the usual. I want to read more out of the TBR. I want to read more period, preferably getting my reading totals back up to 100 books on the year (which hasn't happened since 2005). Which means less TV, more reading in the evenings, and generally kicking my ass into gear. Yeah, let's see how long these resolutions lasts.

Dancing In September

Rosie and I had a very brief conversation recently about anticipating book releases. I confessed that I don't tend to get all jazzed up about romance releases. You know how some of y'all count down the weeks until the new Lisa Kleypas, Linda Howard, Nalini Singh, whomever book? Yeah, I just don't do that with romance. I don't know why. I just don't. The closest I've ever come is with Maureen McKade. After reading A Reason To Live, I was thisclose to selling a kidney to get my hands on A Reason To Believe. And while there are many authors I like quite a lot (Cheryl St. John, Karen Templeton, Cheryl Reavis to name a few) - I don't plan my entire life around getting their latest book. Sorry ladies.

Although I told Rosie that if Maggie Osborne ever comes to her senses and "un-retires," all bets are off.

That being said, I do get that anticipation itch (wonder if there's an ointment for that?) when it comes to mystery/suspense novels. I suspect it's because that genre consistently gives me "white knuckle reads." The kinds of books that I do not want to put down. The kinds of books that are so exciting, so thrilling, so.....so.....unstoppable, that I consider calling in dead to work just so I can read more. I've read great romances in my day. Wonderful, fulfilling, emotionally wrenching romance novels. But they just don't "speak" to me on the same level as a great suspense book.

And vice versa, suspense doesn't speak to me on the same level as romance. Romance is the genre I love to reread. Romance is the genre that is currently taking over the Bat Cave. Suspense? Yeah, not so much. Go figure.

All of this is a long-winded lead-up to say I uncovered a plot description online for Chelsea Cain's September release, Evil At Heart. Oh. My. God. I sort of feel like one of those half-crazed girlies who will be camping out to get the DVD of the Twilight movie. I'm trying to think of what I wouldn't do to get my hands on a copy of this book - and frankly, it's a little scary. It's March and I'm already starting to drool out of the side of my mouth. Seriously. I might need help.

I found this description over at Fantastic Fiction. Hopefully it's accurate, since Amazon is showing the exact same one.

Description:

This is the blistering new serial-killer thriller in Cain's "Gretchen Lowell" series. A college student is found dead, floating in a rowing boat on a lake, a gaping wound in his abdomen. The autopsy reveals that his spleen was removed while he was still alive. A media frenzy ensues, the press reaching the same conclusion as the local law enforcement: Gretchen Lowell, the 'Beauty Killer', still at large following her prison escape, is back and she's killing again. But Detective Archie Sheridan, on medical leave following his last run-in with Gretchen, isn't so sure.

The more he discovers about the murders the more convinced he is that they could be the work of a copy-cat. Plus Archie has other things to worry about - his health is declining sharply and he is being stalked by a strange young man. At first Archie dismisses him as one of a disturbed group who are obsessed with Gretchen and romanticise Archie's ten-day ordeal with her. But as the young man's attentions begin to intensify, it becomes clear that this group will go to great lengths to feel close to the Beauty Killer...

Archie, along with journalist Susan Ward, is desperate to find the truth behind this new spate of killings. But it is Gretchen who holds the answers and copy-cat or not, she still has one more victim in mind.

:::drooling::: I need to snap out of it. I do need to be able to function between now and September.

2008 The Year In Review: The Honorable Mentions

The highlights from my 2008 reading year continue, this time with the best of my honorable mention reads. These are the books I graded a B+, were excellent reads, but lacked that tiny mysterious little something that elevates a book into A territory. It's hard to describe, and hard to explain, but most hardcore readers know what I'm talking about. "A" books just feel differently don't they? But that doesn't mean the "B" books are "bad." They're still pretty darn good. And here's the best of the pretty darn good ones. Click on titles to see full reviews.

A Mother's Wish by Karen Templeton (Silhouette Special Edition 1916) - This was one seriously emotional read about a woman checking up on the child she gave up for adoption several years before, and the boy's adoptive father, who just lost his wife to cancer. The sugary epilogue dangerously teeters into Wendy's Huge Honkin' Pet Peeve Territory, which is why this one didn't end up a true keeper. Still, it just about damn near ripped my heart out.

Money Shot by Christa Faust (Crime) - The older I get, the less patience I have for verbosity. Which is probably why I'm a hopeless squeeing fangirl for pulp crime novels. I likes 'em fast, hard and lean, with characters of dubious reputations and femme fatales. Fausts' debut for the old boy's club, Hard Case Crime, puts the femme fatale in the starring role. A former porn star, raped and left for dead in the trunk of a car, who rescues herself and begins a mission of revenge in search for the truth.

The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen (Suspense) - The latest novel in the author's long-running Jane Rizzoli/Maura Isles series. After being disappointed in the author's last couple of books, I found this entry a marvelous return to form. Lean, economical, with a compelling suspense thread. It's also a very strong Jane installment, and our girl continues to be the smartest person in the room. Love her!

Layover by Megan Hart (Erotic Romance eBook-Only Short Story) - I'm a sucker for quick, sexy reads and this one hit the spot. Hart's full length novels for Harlequin Spice tend to be heavy, emotional affairs and this short story was fast, charming and sexy with a take-charge heroine and a hero who is hopelessly infatuated with her. Download this one, and read it in bed. Your partner will thank you for it ::wink, wink, nudge, nudge::

What a Scoundrel Wants by Carrie Lofty (Medieval Romance) - I read so few medievals, mostly because it's just never been my favorite time period in history. But I was compelled by Lofty's choice in a hero (Will Scarlet of Robin Hood fame), and appreciated that she wrote a heroine who is allowed to be just as morally ambiguous as the hero (hey, why should the boys have all the fun?). I did find the first half of this story a bit of a slog, but the second half really cooks.

The Promise Of Jenny Jones by Maggie Osborne (Western Romance) - OK, so this isn't my favorite Maggie Osborne. And I'll admit, it took a while for me to warm up to this story since hero and heroine spend very little time together for the first half of the novel. But once these two hook up? Whoa doggie, was this little story great! Fabulous, wonderful, tough as nails heroine. Seriously, I'm totally gay for Jenny.

As Darkness Falls by Bronwyn Parry (Romantic Suspense) - Currently only available in Australia, I continue to hold out hope that Parry will find a publisher here in the States. Winner of the 2007 RWA Golden Heart for Best Romantic Suspense Manuscript, this book is a real winner. Wonderfully damaged characters, a compelling suspense thread, and a beautifully drawn locale of the economically depressed Australian Outback. A skilled romantic suspense novel that effortless juggles both romance and suspense. A must read, if you can get your hands on a copy. C'mon U.S. publishers. Step it up!

And that's it. Next up? My final closing thoughts on my 2008 reading year. Hang in there folks, the finish line is in sight!

The Last Day

By Saturday my butt was dragging. The wake-up call came at 7AM, and my first thought was "how badly do I want to get up to attend the NAL and Ballantine booksignings?" Seriously. Exhausted. But I wanted to get my hands on Tessa Dare's debut novel, Goddess Of The Hunt, and I had heard she was going to be signing some copies at the Ballantine signing. I was in luck! She did have copies, along with more of her cute promo pins for her trilogy. Rosie had been coveting mine, and since she was running a little late, I swiped a set for her.

Next up was my video debut. Romantic Times is apparently looking to revamp their web site around the first of the year, and they're shooting video interviews to be posted. They asked me if I would consider interviewing an author. Carrie Lofty and I both jumped at the chance! It went fairly well. Carrie and I didn't have spinach stuck in our teeth, and hopefully we made enough coherent sense that when they go through the editing process we'll come out looking mighty fine. It's going to be a long time before it's posted though! Not until sometime around the launch of Carrie's second novel, Scoundrel's Kiss, which won't be released until January 2010. I'll keep y'all posted!

Carrie and I were on such a high after that shoot that we briefly hit the Sourcebooks publisher signing (which was jammed!), then got a drink at the bar to celebrate. She hadn't eaten all day and one more panel discussion to attend, so after downing my cosmopolitan, I left her to mail my final box of books and goodies before FedEx closed.

Then it was time to beautify for the RITAs! I attended a cocktail party beforehand (the joys of being a librarian who orders a crap-load of books for a living), so I found myself getting all fancied-up before the others. I went up, schmoozed, and left the party around 7:30PM to connect with the other bloggers so we could sit together at the award ceremony.

By now the RITA winners have been posted. I was so happy to see Karen Templeton win. I was sad that Janice Kay Johnson didn't win for the most awesome The Man Behind The Cop, but I did think she was a bit of a dark horse in the Suspense/Adventure category. The biggest shock of the evening (I thought) was a YA novel winning the best first book category. Note to self: have Lil' Sis check book out. Might be good to add to her classroom.

There was a small gathering of bloggers after the RITAs, but as detailed in previous posts, I was dog-tired from lack of sleep. Plus I had to get up early the next day to catch my flight. So I made an appearance, then went back to the room to get some sleep.

Rosie, Kristie and I shared a cab to the airport. Our flights home were uneventful, although the flight to Dallas found us sharing a plane with several other conference attendees. Among them? Stephanie Feagan (RWA Treasurer and writer), Sharon Lathan (Sourcebooks author) and Sharon Sala. Yeah, Sharon Sala. We really only chatted with Sharon Lathan, since she was literally sitting right behind me and Rosie!

Our flights home were just as uneventful as our flights to D.C. My Man met me at the airport, we got my luggage, and he promptly informed me we would be ordering a pizza for dinner (yeah, I looked that good). I was in bed by 7PM last night....and slept the whole night though. Seriously. That tired. It's a full rich day today with laundry and errands. Then it's back to work tomorrow. Coming up? Pictures! Look for an entire post devoted to them tomorrow.

The Month That Was August 2008

I read six books in August, which is kind of sad when you factor in that three of them were shorter Harlequins. On the other hand, six in August is a huge improvement over the measly two books I read in July, so maybe I should count my blessings. Here's a recap:

• Lifelines by C.J. Lyons - This book was a real slog for me. I just could not get into it. Personally I felt the author had "too much" going on in this story and it detracted from me "getting to know" the main players. That said, if you dig medical drama and like "big" stories, this one is worth a look. First in a series. My grade = C. Review up at TGTBTU.
  

• A Mother's Wish by Karen Templeton (SSE 1916) - I really loved this book until the epilogue, which was too precious for my blood. If it weren't for the fact that the author practically ripped my heart out over the course of this story, I might not have been as forgiving on that epilogue (it comes dangerously close to pushing one of my big hot buttons). But dang, did I mention how emotionally draining this story was? Seriously if I were the type to cry over books (and generally speaking, I'm not) this one would have had me bawling. My grade = B+. Review up at TGTBTU.
  

• Bound To Please by Hope Tarr (HB 407) - The first ever historical Blaze novel. I have a feeling this one is full of historical inaccuracies (I don't know and didn't care enough to dive into research mode), but it was short, sexy and steamy enough to keep me entertained. It didn't change my life, but I enjoyed it while I was reading it. My grade = B-. Review up at TGTBTU.
  

• What I Did On My Summer Vacation by Thea Devine, Debbi Rawlins and Samantha Hunter (HB 405) - Another one that didn't change my life, but that I enjoyed while I was reading it. Devine reins in her writing excesses here (although if it had been a full length novel it would have made my head hurt). The Rawlins story was very good, although the Big Secret wasn't that big of a deal in my opinion. The Hunter story was the hottest, but way too short given the emotional baggage of the hero. My grade = B-. Review up at TGTBTU.
  

• Murder on the Eiffel Tower by Claude Izner - I really wanted to love this historical mystery, but I couldn't get behind any of the characters. Great setting though (late 19th century Paris). A more thorough review is forthcoming over at TGTBTU. My grade = C-.
  

• Velvet Glove by Emma Holly - I'm a huge Emma Holly fangirl, but this book fell flat because the heroine annoyed me. Also there were too many Help Me, Save Me, I'm Young And Cute vibes getting tossed around for my tastes. My grade = C+. Full review can be found here.

Three Bs and three Cs. Not the greatest reading month I've ever had, but certainly not dismal. Now to see what's in store for September....

I Wish I May

Karen Templeton has a well-done post over at Romancing The Blog today that talks about missing-in-action authors and why they "quit." It's nothing that I didn't already know, but how about the rest of the mainstream romance reading public? Let's face it, there are only a handful of us that are seriously plugged-in through the Internet. I'd wager there are countless romance readers out there who have never entertained the notion of posting on a message board, joining an e-mail loop, reading or starting a blog. And to a certain extent, I think that makes them a tiny bit less savvy. Mind you, I didn't say "stupid" or "naive" - just not as aware of some of the inner workings and behind the scenes brouhahas that occur in the business.

And I think we all know by now that publishing is a business. Heck, I might not like the direction certain publishers have taken over the last few years (cough, Avon, cough) - but obviously it's working for them. I mean, they must be making money or else you think they would have gotten a clue by now.

So who do we blame it on? Honestly, I think it's mainly us - the reader. Ultimately we decide. We decide what sells and what doesn't. Now I know what you're thinking, "I can only buy what publishers offer" and that's certainly true. But you can also not buy. Tired of watered down historicals? Well stop buying them. Get them from the library, start reading mainstream historical fiction or book trade online or with friends. This might require you as the reader to make some hard choices - but let's be honest here, if you stopped buying books tomorrow would you run out of stuff to read? If you're a typical genre fiction reader the answer is no. Hell, I'm personally drowning in unread books. I could stop buying tomorrow and I'd be set for years.

There is always talk online of what readers are tired of, what they want more of, how Publisher X could offer more variety (cough, Avon, cough). To aid in the discussion, here is Wendy's Handy List Of What She Wants. Find me in a bookstore and chances are I'm working with this unofficial list of rules.

• Regency is a hard sell for me anymore. Unless it's dark. I'll do dark.

• England as a whole is hard sell for me anymore. Unless it's dark. I'll do dark.

• Western = YeeHaw! I tend to buy these new, no questions asked.

• Westerns that take place pre-Civil War = YeeHaw and Hell Yeah!

• American-set historicals late 19th century, early 20th = gimme, gimme, gimme

• Dark romantic suspense = good thing (or as I like to call it, Where Have You Gone Katherine Sutcliffe. Answer = she retired)
  

• I'm tired of paranormals now unless the back cover blurb really shouts out at me.

• Emma Holly needs to write more erotica and faster.

• I'm really, really tired of erotica mixed with paranormal.

• Gimme more gothics that don't feature any woo-woo.

• Maggie Osborne needs to come out of retirement. Seriously, I need her more than her family does.

• Harlequin Historical really should publish more than one western a month. I love that line and they have several good western authors writing for them.

• Don't you think the French Revolution is a great setting? Why isn't it done more? Too depressing? Is the guillotine not sexy enough? Or is it because the book would feature French people?
  

• Campy reads. Thea Devine at her best writes wonderful camp (at her worst that's a different story). A girl just needs over-the-top camp every now and then.

• Heroines who don't give birth to triplets in the epilouge. Seriously publishers - women can decide to never have children and that doesn't make them freaks.

• Historicals that "feel" different. Everything has been reading the same to me in this sub genre for the last year (at least). I can't believe it's run its course. I think it just needs fresh voices, and authors/publishers willing to take some risks.

That's all I got for now. Hey, it's a Monday - give me some time to cook up some more. In the meantime, what is on your wishlist?