Reading Christmas Titles

Okay so the holidays are here. Do you grab every new Christmas book out? Do you read them this time of year or do you only read the ones by your favorite authors? Do you look forward to the Christmas titles every year?

I find I enjoy some, but I don't grab every book out. I'm a bit picky. Now I'm eager to read Debbie Macomber's ANGELS EVERYWHERE, as I love those angels of hers.LOL

But I honestly just keep reading as normal. But I do find that I enjoy books that seem to match our real life timeline, ie Christmas at Christmas, or whatever.

So tell, what Christmas book are you most eager for? Are you looking forward to them all?

If you've read one was it all you expected?

WendyK

Thou surly hasty-witted horn-beast!

I'm reading DESPERATE DUCHESSES, the first book in a new Georgian series by the incomparable Eloisa James. (Book two, AN AFFAIR BEFORE CHRISTMAS, btw, is due out in November.) James' voice is simply fabulous! PEOPLE magazine says that 'romance writing does not get any better than this,' and they're right. James is delicious, sophisticated, fun...The duchesses James writes about indeed rival our own times' "Desperate Housewives" in their scheming and affairs of the heart and pleasures of the body...If you like the bawdy days of the Georgian period, a time when real men wore lace and heels, then you'll love this series. In real life, Eloisa James is a professor of Shakespeare, and her books include lots of Shakespearean references and quotes. I love Shakespeare, so when trying to track down where one of her quotes came from within the Bard's works, I came across this delightful site, a Shakespearean Insult Generator:

http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/Shaker/index.html

Need something to bamboozle the telemarketer with? How about 'come, come, you talk greasily; your lips grow foul!' Need a satisfying epithet for the guy who cut you off in traffic? Try
'Thou bawdy plume-plucked lout!' Is your boss on your nerves? 'Thou puny fen-sucked strumpet!' I suggest you only think this last one if you want to keep your job...

Enjoy!

Debora

Book Survey

I was blog surfing today, just wasting time. And found this. I enjoyed reading the answers and thought I'd post it here and see if anyone will answer. I would love to read everyone's responses.

Book survey --


What are you reading right now?


DEAD SEXY by Kimberly Raye (just started it today)

Do you have any idea what you'll read when you're done with that?

Nope, have no idea.:)

What magazines do you have in your bathroom right now?

I think there's a Cabelas in there and a Carolina Country and I think I saw Sportsman and some magazine with building plans.

What's the worst thing you were ever forced to read?

hummm.....I'd rather not say, but I will say it was a Christian Fiction with characters I couldn't relate to.......

What's the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?


A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR by Jude Deveraux
and
BORN IN SIN by Kinley MacGregor or FANTASY LOVER by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Sorry can't do just one.

Admit it, the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don't they?

Not really. Since I have to pay for the libraries closest to me, well the one in my town has less books than I do. But the others I either have to pay to join, or the one for my county is out of the way for me. So I go once in awhile, but not often. Does it count if BN knows you? Or the lady who puts out the books at Wal-Mart?

Is there a book you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don't like it at all?

Can't really think of one right now. I know there was one, but for the life of me I can't think what it was.

Do you read books while you eat? While you bathe? While you watch movies or TV? While you listen to music? While you're on the computer? While you're having sex? While you're driving?


While I eat, no. While I drink a little Mello yello, yes. While I bathe..NEVER While watching movies or TV, of course. While listening to music, of course. While on the computer, yes I have dial-up so I read while waiting for the pages to load. While have fun:), nope that time is for my hubby. While driving...NO. While waiting at the light for the light to change or will sitting in traffic waiting for it to move, okay yes I do that. But not while I'm actually driving.

When you were little, did other children tease you about your reading habits?


Yes, mostly because I'd read 2/3 books at a time and I read boring historical books, or they were boring to them. And I loved the original Grimm's Fairy Tales and anything Disney or about North Carolina. So while they hated history and English I loved it. So yeah, but there were probably 4 of us, who read like that and we'd just ignore the teasing.

What's the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn't put it down?

HIGH STAKES by Dana Warren Smith. I started out not really caring for the heroine but like a car wreck unable to not look. Then I wanted to see how the hero, Ren would handle things. He, I feel for like a ton of bricks. Hubby layed beside me on the couch while I read last night and just let me pet him while I read.LOL Poor thing.

Okay let's hear your answers!

WendyK

Do we like the same books?

I just joined Shelfari to connect with other book lovers. Come see the books I love and see if we have any in common. Then pick my next book so I can keep on reading.

Click below to join my group of friends on Shelfari!

http://www.shelfari.com/

Wendy Keel

Shelfari is a free site that lets you share book ratings and reviews with friends and meet people who have similar tastes in books. It also lets you build an online bookshelf, join book clubs, and get good book recommendations from friends. You should check it out.

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Recent Reads

Since moving in with my mil, I haven't been able to read as much as I would like, but I have read two books that I can recommend.

First, Jane Porter's ODD MOM OUT. This book works on every level for me--Porter's wonderful voice, the characters, the setting, the story, the ending...If you enjoy mom-lit or chick-lit, or a good contemporary romance, then this book hits the spot. Jane Porter also writes for Harlequin Presents, and if you're not a category romance fan, don't let that stop you from reading ODD MOM OUT, Ms. Porter's single title from Five Spot. And I can highly recommend Porter's Presents...
To learn more about Ms. Porter's books, visit her at http://www.janeporter.com.

The temperatures have been warmish in northern Delaware, so I was more than ready to enjoy a holiday romance with snow. Janice Kay Johnson's SNOWBOUND, a November Harlequin SuperRomance, is an enjoyable and thought-provoking read. There hero's wounded--both inside and out from his National Guard tour in Iraq. All he wants is to be left alone in the quiet of his rustic lodge in the mountains of Washington state. What he gets is a busful of teenagers stranded with their teacher during a fast-moving blizzard...and a chance at a love that will help him heal.

What I've Been Reading

I'm still in the process of moving...but I have to take time to read or I get cranky...

If you're looking for a great paranormal series, I can recommend Jaci Burton's Demon Hunting trilogy. SURVIVING DEMON ISLAND and HUNTING THE DEMON are the first two books in the trilogy and they're out now. Burton's heroines are beautiful and sexy yet are strong and are kick-ass women as demon hunters. There's some gore, but it's not too graphic and it's always those nasty demons who become gore-bait. And let me tell you, these books are HOT and it's not from them being set in the tropics! :) Book three in the trilogy is due out in the summer of '08.

If you're a Harlequin Presents fan, I recommend veteran author Sandra Marton's Billionaires' Brides trilogy. THE ITALIAN PRINCE'S PREGNANT BRIDE was an August release, THE GREEK PRINCE'S CHOSEN WIFE is out now in September, and THE SPANISH PRINCE'S VIRGIN BRIDE is available in October. This trilogy sizzles, and the three alpha heroes are to die for!

Demon hunters and billionaires...gotta love 'em!

Debora

What has gone wrong with my genre????

So, I read the "trashy" ones. I want to get that out front. The more heaving bossoms the better, the sharper the sword, the higher the squirm factor, I NEED THE SMUT!!! I also like a clear line between what is smut and what is not. It has gotten so hard to tell the difference these days. Now, to be honest, I love a good romance with an alpha male and plenty of sexual tension along with the "deed" getting done. I don't want continuous sex and I don't want gratutious getting it on. I want it to mean something to me , oh! and the characters, of course! I like my contemps to have the tension and all that. I want my "romantica" to have that, as well, just a little bit more dirty! Gimme the details!

Ok, so smut might be too strong of a word. I like the sensual aspect and the sex, I just don't want it without feelings from the participants. It seems that more and more, the publishers that I loved for their blending of the romance and the erotica have forgotten what they originally created. I just read a book( and no! I will not tell which one) that was a proported romantic erotica story and there were little to no emotions. They were hinted at, but never explored! How unsatisfying!

If any authors or publishers are out there reading, please take note of my plea. We really do like to read about the "good" stuff, but we want it wrapped in a pretty package with a bow. It can be rife with grief and drama, there can be trials and tribulations, but give it to us with love, passion, emotions! Stimulate me, in my heart, in my head and well, the other places!

Thanks for listening to my rant!

Thia

Reading? Or not?

Okay so school has begun. I know for alot of readers it began a while back. But for me school just started this week. So I'm curious do your reading habits change when school starts again? Do you read more or less? Do you find the types of stories you read changes? What are you reading?

I'm about to start a historical romance. I know that my reading habits will change with school starting. Mostly I'll have a little time during the school hours to read once I get over the thrill of shopping without kids that is.LOL I can't say the types of stories change, at least no more than normal.

So what's on your bookshelf? What are you reading now? What will you read next?

hugs,
WendyK

sexual tension?

Recently in a yahoogroup I'm part of, a discussion was started as to what works for sexual tension in a romance. It got me to thinking. Some authors are experts at creating sexual tenion without the actual act taking place. Some stories seem to fall short on the tension but have tons of sex. That doesn't work for me. I want the tension and I want it to mean more than just sex. But I still haven't been able to come up with an exact reason some stories work better than others in the sexual tension aspect. It's something I believe I'll have to think on more. But I'd like to know what you all think makes a story's sexual tension work. Are there things authors do or don't do that make things work better than others? Are some stories trying too hard to be sexy and fall short? What book you think of as the best for sexual tension, with or without the acutal act taking place?

hugs until later,
WendyK

Christmas in August

I'm on hiatus from reviewing as we prepare to move in with my mother-in-law and handle her home care. I spend all my time going back and forth between houses and when I'm home, packing up almost thirty years of accumulated stuff. I won't even go in to the thousands of books I'm packing up to go with me...anyway, I needed something cheery and quick-reading. What can be more uplifting than a Christmas-themed romance? So I grabbed one of Debbie Macomber's annual Christmas books, Buffalo Valley. Macomber's a favorite of mine and I always look forward to each year's new new Christmas offering, but somehow I overlooked this one when it first came out in 2001. I'm a sucker for a Christmas book and buy a zillion every year... if it has snow, carols, and a small town, I'm in bliss! It is the most wonderful time of the year!

Merry Christmas, um, Happy Reading,
Debora

Searching For The FRASERS

It's taken more than a month but I finally have the books I need to start the Ana Leigh "Fraser" series. I'm mainly a contemporay romance reader but I never pass up a good historical western romance. Last month I was in Target and the book section had copies of THE LAWMAN SAID I DO for $3.99. The cover has a shilouette of a great looking cowboy and of course I snatched it into my cart only to find out later that the book is part of a series.

I was able to get book one, THE FRASERS: CLAY through PaperbackSwap. But the second book, HIS BOOKS UNDER HER BED, remained elusive until yesterday. Borders had one last copy and I snagged it but as I was sitting looking through the books later, happy in the fact that I have all three, it dawned on me. I have never read anything by author Ana Leigh and I have no idea if she's a good writer or not. What's even more interesting is that all three books were released into stores at the same time, all in January 2007, which is strange. I'm about to leave on my last vacation of the summer in a few days, and these are the three books I'm taking with me (I hear air travel is lengthy this summer so I want to be prepared). I surely hope I won't be dissappointed but just in case maybe I need to throw in a contemp romance to make me feel better.

Livia

Re-Discovering A Delightful Series By A Top Author

I was in a suburban Walmart last weekend looking for a new single title contemp romance when my eyes fell on a newly released favorite, Nora Roberts' THE MACGREGOR BRIDES. The paperback has a new more flattering cover and despite the fact I have the original book on my keeper shelf. The eye-catching cover caused me to pick the book up and peruse it for a few minutes. I hadn't read the three stories inside since 1997 and I made the mistake of reading three pages and in my shopping basket it went. Now I'm hoping there is going to be a reprint of THE MACGREGOR GROOMS. Yes I have this one on my shelf as well, two copies in fact, one autographed by Nora herself, but the Macgregors are addicting. Needless to say the reading of the brides stories have caused me to start a reread of the entire series, Oh well, the Macgregor and his clan will do that to us won't they? This is not a task to be rushed through despite the fact I have so many books waiting for my attention. So for the time being I'm out of the land of single titles and back into the world of category romances.

Livia

Category Romances

There is a place for every genre, every storyline, and every reader in romance. I tend to enjoy contemps and paranormals, myself. Throw some down and dirty sex in there and I am in LOVE! Lately, however, I have rediscovered my roots. I was born into the world of romance from the pages of 1980s Harlequins. I loved the smell of them (they remind me of my Granny I pilfered them from) and I love the instant gratification I get when I escape into one. There is nothing better than a hero and heroine that defy all the odds and live happily ever after, especially if I can read it all in one sitting. Quickies can be soooo satisfying. I even have a preferred plot. I like when there is a demandingboss and a shy/misunderstood employee. Oooh, make him Greek, Arabic, or Australian and I am not coming up for air!

Do you have a favorite plotline for a quick read? What is your take on category romances?? Share!

Thia

ROYALTY & ROMANCE

I recently passed the catagory romance rack in one of the discount stores and was drawn by the bookcover for MATRIMONY WITH HIS MAJESTY, a Harlequin Romance #3944 by Rebecca Winters. It's a really cute cover that depicts an atrractive couple and a really sweet romance. I bought it! I read it! I loved it! It was the first Harlequin Rom I've read since the passing of Betty Neels. These books tend to be no longer in my league but I'm really glad I got my hands on this one.

Turns out it was the second book in the "Royal By Appointment" series and I decided if I loved this one I'd probably like the previous book as well. Thanks to Paperbackswap, I quickly found a copy of THE PRINCE AND THE NANNY by Cara Colter and guess what? I loved it too! Both books are very well written and the storylines are very entertaining. What is also nice is that the books are individual stories with principalities that are not connected.

While investigating these two, I also found that Silhouette Desire and Harlequin Presents are also running mini-series on Royalty. Silhouette Desire's series is called The Royals and Harlequin Presents, By Royal Command. I think I'll have to do a quick search and find copies of the books I've missed in this series. Hopefully they will be as much fun to read as the other two.

Livia

Brenda Novak's diabetes auction

If our readers want a treat they need to visit author Brenda Novak's website and join her auction. She does an auction every year for diabetes and offers some great items. I've been having a ball bidding myself so be sure and stop by.

www.brendanovak.com

Until later,
WendyK

Truth meets fiction?

Over at the TRRC yahoogroup, (just visit www.theromancereadersconnection.com and click the link to join or go to, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TRRC ) Anyway over there we got to talking about meeting spouses. And one poster has a story that would make an awesome romance book someday. It got me to wondering, just how many romance stories are based at least in some small part, on fact? How many authors take stories of themselves or someone they know finding love and fictionalize it? Most aren't listed as "based on fact" or "a true story of love". It's all cast as fiction, but is it not possible to be truth? Is that part of what makes us love these stories so very much? The fact that somewhere someone could meet and fall in love in just this way? Or find a love once lost?

Do you know of any stories that are based at least in part, on a true story? Do you know any authors who have taken their own stories of love and wrote them into a fictional tale?


WendyK

Category books

I'm reading Maureen Child's Desire book, THIRTY DAY AFFAIR. And it's good, really good. These books usually take me a couple of hours, if I have nothing else to do. But while I'm reading this book it brought to mind how many readers grab category books as quick reads, for either waiting at the doctor's office or while on commute, if they ride and don't drive of course. Or do some readers actually read only categorys like my Aunt does. She reads the American Romance and Presents I believe and rarely if ever reads a single title book. So I have to wonder who benefits from the changes in the lines, those of us who seek quick reads or the faithful readers who only read these lines. Is there a difference? Should there be?

I also have to wonder if there's more of a humm what word, an issue with others when they see us reading these books. I get looks when I'm seen reading a category book taht I don't always get when reading a single title. It's a look that somehow these books make me less of a reader. Why? Many of them offer outstanding storylines and you get the feeling you are reading a longer story. Things just progress quicker.

So readers, what do you think of the category lines? Do you love them all? Only read certain lines? Don't like them? What are your feelings?

WendyK

FINALLY I"M HERE

Hi All!

I'm the member of the FOUR LADIES that had to be dragged kicking and screaming into blogging. Let me introduce myself, I'm Livia and I love to read categories, single title contemporary romances and romantic suspense. My favorite authors? I'll give you the top ten, J D Robb, Cindy Dees, Merline Lovelace, Diana Palmer, Linda Howard, Catherine Mann, Vicki Hinze, Betty Neels, Cheryl St, John and Lindsay McKenna.

You'll notice that five of my top ten authors write military romance and they're the best at what they do, which brings me to what I want to blog about today, Military Romances. Write a romance where one of the main characters is a member of the armed services and it immediately becomes an automatic buy for me. I'll buy it whether the author is well known or not, the only thing I ask is that the author make an attempt at researching to get the background facts straight. With the five authors in my top ten, this is not an issue. Three are ex-military and two have ties close enough that they know the facts. Their books are always exciting to read and you can bet the story line will contain interestings facts and tibits that are authentic. Let's not forget that the romance will always be emotional and intriguing, in short a book that satisfies.

Now, in my opinion, it's not always necessary to be heavily connected to the Arm Forces to write a good military romance. Debbie Macomber did it early on with her Navy series, one that I keep close by to read repeatedly. Suzanne Brockmann did it with a minimum amount of authentiction, but her characters are so fascinating one reads the books and puts the questions of realism on the back burner. We all know that Ms Brockmann creates Navy SEALs that do extraordinary things and whether the scenarios are real or not is just not the issue. There are however some newer authors that have taken up the challenge of writing romances that deal with military characters, and are failing miserably.

SEALs and Special Forces sell but only if the right components are used in creating the characters. If you think it's possible to develop a following by putting the military figure in a romance and ignoring the occupation, it doesn't work; at least not for this reader. I want more military romances on my keeper shelf but I also want a little truth to help the story along.

Okay, as my first blog post comes to an end,I'm breathing a sigh of relief. I'll be back often to share my thoughts and comments on books and I look forward to hearing from you.

Livia

American Christian Fiction Writer's Book Club

Announcement:

Want to read some great books and chat with the authors? Then check out the American Christian Fiction Writers' Book Club. The ACFW Book Club gives fans of Christian fiction the opportunity to communicate with each other, chat with ACFW authors, and discuss books.

Book Club participants are invited to join an e-mail group set up to facilitate announcements and host discussions about the current reading selection. Members will be eligible for monthly free book drawings. To join, send a blank e-mail to acfwbookclub- subscribe@ yahoogroups. com or visit http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/acfwbookcl ub and click "join this group." You will receive a confirmation e-mail after joining. Follow the instructions given in the e-mail to complete your subscription to this e-mail list.

Each month, club members have an opportunity to participate in an on-line chat with an ACFW published author. Chats will be announced in advance so Club members have the opportunity to read the featured book. Book Club chats will be held on the ACFW website in the chat room at 7:00 p.m. CST on the first Monday of the month following the month the book is read.

Currently, the club is talking about Rachel Hauck's Lost in NashVegas. And then it's on to Mary Connealy's Petticoat Ranch before tackling sci-fi for some variety. Previous authors have included: Robin Lee Hatcher, Tracey Bateman, Colleen Coble and Liz Curtis Higgs. Check it out.

Series? Do you follow forever?

Okay I gotta know, do you follow a series forever or do you just have to say enough is enough. Doesn't matter if it's a continuity series by different authors or long-running series from one author, is there a time when it's over? When the stories have run their course and you can't take another one?

Do you buy a series completely before you read it? What about a series that is started again after it's been completed? Say the take it from historical to contemporary, do you buy the books without really knowing about them?

Do you hate series and wish all books even if they are connected had the ablity to stand alone or do you love a series that starts at a certain date and keeps going on following the lives of the characters?

How about a series that characters are continually killed off as they age? Is that realistic or too much so for your reading pleasure?

WendyK