Slight updates

I've read two books before summer vacation finished, and I have to write up a review for one of them, not sure if I want to do the other.

Loretta Chase - Don't Tempt Me
Sherrilyn Kenyon - Acheron

Come to think of it, both of these books have some similiarities...in the sense that our main characters whose points of view the books are generally written in have both been trapped into slavery by their owners.  One gets horribly abused, the other is cherished but both of them just want to get out.

Additionally, I like how Facebook grants us the ability to directly communicate with our favorite authors.

School in the morning.  I'll bless my new laptop with writing up that book review tomorrow.  Right now I'm writing this on the old laptop.  Yes I do have a new laptop.  I got it last Thursday after ordering it the Friday before last.  It's pink.  And it's a VAIO.  But that doesn't mean I love this laptop any less.  It just needs to be fixed.

The Secret Wedding, by Jo Beverly

Holy crap, I'm not even that far into the book, like, maybe about less than 50 pages in...

I don't get it.  This is completely shitty and painful to read.  I need to get rid of this.  Ebay's got a lot of them on sale...I guess other people thought the book was shitty as well.

1 star.  I can't even.  1 out of 5.

Lessons from a Scarlet Lady, by Emma Wildes

This was one of the two most recent books I'd picked up at Barnes & Noble, and it's actually quite a good read.  It's blunt and straight to the point, very much so.

My Darling Caroline, by Adele Ashworth

Yes, it's that time again for writing another book review.  Today we have My Darling Caroline by Adele Ashworth.  At first I was under the impression when I bought the book that the husband and wife (Brent and Caroline) were estranged, just like the couple in Eloisa James' book, An Affair Before Christmas (I've read it, will review someday but not anytime soon).  But I was oh so very wrong.

FYI: This book is actually a reissue, originally published in 1998 (just found this out).

Oh my friggen book list...

Since I just finished Reese's Bride by Kat Martin (previous book review), I went to my shelf to see what books I had left.  Summer is ending at the end of this month, and I resume school on the 29th.  It turns out I have a lot of books to get through before then, and depending on my interest level, not all of them are going to be read.

Now normally I have a handwritten list that I put on an index card, but my pile of cards have gone missing for ages, and of course, my book collection just keeps growing and growing.  So here's everything I have to go through, via pictures.

Reese's Bride, by Kat Martin

The second volume in the Intoxicating Brides Trilogy (Honestly, what kind of a name is that?  So far they've been good reads but...Intoxicating Brides?  Come on!) and another speed-read.  I first read Royal's Bride sometime while I was doing cardio at the gym last year (I find it really, really hard to read romance novels where people can see me in public) and liked it so I decided that I'd buy the rest of the trilogy when the books came out...so I did.

Beguiled, by Shannon Drake

I read this one sometime last year or two years ago.  Most likely last year.  If you've seen Disney's Sleeping Beauty, you're definitely going to recognize elements from it.  I can't exactly say if it's good or not, so just to be safe, I'm giving it a 3.5 out of 5 rating.  Actually on my Book List chart I gave it a 4, so it must've been good.

How I Met My Countess, by Elizabeth Boyle

It's 3:46 AM.  I find myself still awake and reading this nice little pink book, which I picked because of the color and the artwork (Jon Paul, how can I resist?) some time ago in Borders when it wasn't bankrupt (sometime last year).

Anyway this book has two periods, first when the guy (Justin Grey, Earl of Clifton) actually meets the female that will become his countess (Lucy Ellyson), and second, seven years later when they meet again.

Yes, it's heart-wrenching.  Yes, it has my arms tingling (not because of numbness but because of the heart-wrenching).  I can't give it a five-star though, it doesn't deserve that.

The Promise by Brenda Joyce

Okay, I had actually read this book in the span of two days (the second being an overnighter that ended at 5:00 AM) sometime two weeks ago...I believe it was around the 18th.  I meant to write about it sooner but I've been swamped with stuff, mostly having to pack for my trip which was last weekend.

Good things come to those who wait

On some of my vlogs (DuchessPinkbunny via YouTube) I keep talking about romance novels and especially romance novel authors.  And I certainly talk about Brenda Joyce a lot.

Kinley MacGregor (Sherrilyn Kenyon) - Taming the Scotsman

I actually finished this book last week but don't have much to say about it.
FYI: I read this ages ago, but it saved as a draft.  Don't know why I never published it till now.

Sue-Ellen Welfonder's "Seducing a Scottish Bride"

From what I've read so far, this entire story takes place within two or three days.  Maybe even four.

Coming home to a lovely surprise

Shit, I don't even update what new books I get anymore...BUT

I don't even remember signing up for these but I'm pretty sure I did!  So yeah, I was coming home from the beach (beach day with one of the bestfriends) and there's this envelope on the table for me - already opened (thank you nosy Mommy) and and and IT'S FROM SABRINA JEFFRIES WHAT?

What is this?

I've come across an article link that Karen Hawkins posted on Facebook, where someone else wrote that, "studies show romance novels are bad for women."

The heck?

Karen Hawkins link to article
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jun/01/claim-romantic-novels-unbalance-readers?CMP=twt_fd

After my further Googling
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2011/06/romancekills.html

Oh yeah I'm currently reading Sue-Ellen Welfonder's "Seduction of a Scottish Bride."  It's summer vacation and I'm ready to lose myself in my fantasies.  That's not a crime, is it?

You might be wondering...

Just how did I survive Lent?  I don't know.  I didn't, since I bought books, and I wasn't supposed to.  BUT, I also didn't read any of them (which isn't a surprise, I have like, a billion books ahead of these new ones anyway).

I spent time doing homework and focusing on school (kind of), playing videogames (namely Persona 3 Portable and Lego Harry Potter - again), reading some of Harry Potter 1 (In all honesty, I have never read the book series - just got straight to the movies, and then read 7 for character research on Narcissa) and most of Victoria Gotti's book This Family of Mine.  That one's actually a good read, I really got drawn into it.  Bitch knows how to write, AND she's educated, despite what most people would assume for a mafia daughter with plastic surgery.  I dare y'all to read it.  I haven't finished it yet though but I'm like on the last 1/5 of the book.

I also bought this last Thursday, the 28th but forgot to mention it.

Kerrelyn Sparks - Vampire Mine

I dunno.  It's different.  I got it at Target for 25% off.  We'll see how it is in, oh, about a year xD

It is a sad, sad world...

...when you drop by your local Borders that's got nine days left till permanent closing and see all the signs posted on the walls that say "FINAL DAYS, EVERYTHING MUST GO!"

And it was even more sadder that there was not one single romance novel left for me to ogle over and buy.

I forget whether or not I mentioned this but the last time I went to Borders before this, I bought Brenda Joyce's Deadly Illusions and Karen Hawkins' The Seduction of Sara (artwork by Jon Paul, I know, I saw it on his site).  I haven't seen the Deadly Vows book in a while, never got the chance to buy it so that's gonna be next if I can ever locate it.

Tracy Anne Warren - At The Duke's Pleasure (UPDATED)

I finished it...and Tracy Anne Warren has indeed outdone herself again.  It's a battle-of-the-sexes thing going on here, but essentially it's also a story where, "whoever falls in love first loses."

That's not a quote from the book, mind you.  I'm just saying.

It's been a long road, so...

This morning as I was driving my mom and aunt to church (we're Catholic, go figure) I realized that Lent is over and I CAN GO READ MY ROMANCE NOVELS AGAIN!

Excuse me while I go dive into Tracy Anne Warren's At The Duke's Pleasure.


I'll be busy for the rest of the day : ) *happy happy*

Fat bunnies are fat!

This sinking feeling...

I was at Borders earlier, the one nearest my house.  It's a travesty to see my favorite store (and yes, this is my favorite store, for I shop more for books than clothes and food) closing, and right near my house.