Here is what we talked about at Smexy Books this week:
D Review of Sweet Reward by Christy Reece (Romantic Suspense)
Mandi’s Favorite Books of 2011
B Review of Defying the Odds by Kele Moon (Contemporary)
Helyce’s Favorite Books of 2011
B+ Review of A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant (Historical)
News from Mandi: I had an up and down reading week. I made it halfway through How to Dance With a Duke by Manda Collins but it was just too slow for me to continue. I just couldn’t get invested in the characters and thought the build-up to the romance lacked. I also DNF’d One Wicked Night by Kelly Jamieson. I didn’t like how the characters were written in this one. I finished A Town Called Valentine by Emma Cane but had a very hard time with the heroine. Did not warm up at all to her throughout the book. I’ll have a full review of that one in February. On a good note I did really enjoy Defying the Odds by Kele Moon (listed above) and I’ve started Not Wicked Enough by Carolyn Jewel and I’m completely in love. I’ve only read a few chapters but the interaction between the hero and heroine in the first two chapters is so well done. I hope it continues!
News From Tori-My week has been a hodge podge of reading. I seemed to have picked books where the hero is so alpha that I was turned off by them. I was really looking forward to Christine Feehan’s Spirit Bound, second in her Sisters of the Heart series, but the hero and heroine disappointed me. Same with Demon Crossings by Eleri Stone and Cate Rowan’s A Source Of Magic. Nothing in these books convinced me that they should have met much less fall in love and have a happy ending together. I will have full reviews of these books in January. I did manage to sneak in a few books just for my reading pleasure. One was Kele Moon’s Defying The Odds. I had heard so many good things about it on line I decided to give it a chance and so glad I did. A wonderful hero and heroine who actually work through their issues and fall in love in a realistic fashion. I re read Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels series from start to finish. If you haven’t read this series, you are missing out. A character driven fantasy that will rip your heart out and just when you think you can’t take anymore, it begins to heal you. Jennifer Estep’s By A Thread completely rocked my world. The heroine Gin takes some major steps in dealing with her personal life and those around her. I do believe this is the best one in the series; at least for me.
News from Helyce: I totally overdosed on K.A. Mitchell this week and it was a wonderful escape from reality. Months ago, when I first broke my m/m romance cherry, I read her Florida Series, Diving In Deep, Collision Course and No Souvenirs. When Mandi mentioned this author recently and her other series, I was intrigued and blew through, Bad Company, Bad Boyfriend, (Baltimore series) and Regularly Scheduled Life and Not Knowing Jack (Ohio series). I could not put these down! I love her writing style and the depth of intense feelings pulled from me as I read these books; especially in Not Knowing Jack which took me by surprise in a very good way. Just loved it! Additionally, after hearing so much about this book, I’ve finally started Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James. I am completely wrapped up in it, but at the same time I question why. I do not like bdsm stories where pain is involved and quite frankly, I shy away from most bdsm erotica. Honestly, I don’t get it. The whole pain/pleasure thing is just too foreign a concept for my brain I guess. Having said that, my kindle is literally glued to my hand. I even read it while I was standing in line at the bank today. Christian Grey–I have no words. I keep anticipating the inevitable explosion where I won’t be able to go on, when it just gets to be too much. We’ll see I guess. For review, I’m finishing up Midnight Reckoning by Kendra Leigh Castle which I really am enjoying. Vampires and werewolves, oh my! A really fresh take on the vampire and were world.
News from May (although written by Mandi): As we read, May and I like to text quotes or vent or drool over the books we are reading. Here is the highlight of our texting this week:
May texts me this cover:
May: I need more beasts on covers. This gentle boy is so not the Marquess I’m reading about. I want hair on chests. Muscles bulging. Scars even. *wipes brow* Getting worked up over here.
Mandi: He looks 17. Not sexy!
May: The lack of moob offends me. Don’t show me bony man nipple.
Heh! We also chatted about how hot “rage sex” can be. Maybe we’ll save that discussion for a later date. *grins*
Happy weekend and feel free to share your news with us!
He does look way too young, give me hairy chests too!
Bony man nipple for the fail. I want a nice moob to rest my weary head on and be able to squeeze late into the night.
Great round up. :) Happy New Year!! xoxo
I definitely agree about shiny, waxed, little-boy-boobie, but at the same time, he looks a lot more like a real Englishman than the sexy guys we see on most covers!
I’m back (she says hopefully)! One of my New Year’s resolutions is to try and be more consistently online (which means strengthening my wrists so no time outs :)
As for the cover of How The Marquess Was Won, I don’t see the man, I just see…the dress! That colour is…WOW!
@Heylce – I read mostly m/m books this year and WOW! You have so many good books to look forward to :) Happy reading! *grin*
*sigh* he probably does look more real englishman than usual – guess that’s not my type. LOL!
Book was good though – hoping to have some more to send in as ‘update’ for this week!
Great wrap up ladies. I don’t read m/m so can’t join you in the squeeing. But I do love Anne Bishop and her Dark Jewels series. Heartily recommend those as well. If you like the genre, did you read C.L. Wilson?
I loooove CL Wilson!!! That series of hers…omg. So good :)
So I finally remembered that I had this account. I side eye myself all the time.
Anyway, TORI. I love you for re-reading Black Jewels. They’re beyond the cool scale, as we’ve discussed previously. *signs up for her own Daemon*
And Heylce, I don’t get the BDSM erotica, either. I can’t quite make my way through it. It’s a good author to keep me interested.
The book cover reminds me of Jeremy Darling from Dirty Sexy Money…but without the hot.