A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas
Just when I thought I had read the whole Wallflower series I found a new one! Since all of the original four Wallflowers are happily married (and this book provided a nice peek into their married lives) this book features Daisy and Lillian's brother Rafe. Which is a great name. He is coming from America to marry a rich girl but instead - spoiler alert - falls madly in love with someone (gasp) inappropriate! I don't know why, but this story line never gets old to me, I just love it!!!
I also see on Amazon that there are several new books out this week that I very much need to read including but not limited to a Nora Roberts wedding series book and a Linda Lael Miller Stone Creek series book. Very exciting!!!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
No. 94: Match Play
Match Play by Merline Lovelace
This is another in the OMEGA/spy series. This time, it is a former olympic athlete - Rogue, who is supposed to befriend a North Korean female golfer to assist her in defecting to the US with her nuclear scientist father. So, in order to do so she participates in a charity golf tournament in the UK (luckily she is super awesome at golf) where coincidentally, her ex boyfriend who is a stealth bomber pilot is stationed secretly (don't want anyone to know the bombers are in the UK) Of course they run into each other but at first they hate each other because of how they broke up - right before the Olympics - but after she is poisoned by a masseuse and almost dies and is also kidnapped, they realize their love for each other didn't die and they are going to give it another chance.
These books are definitely not my favorite, but they are amusing - heck, just writing a brief summary of the plot kind of cracks me up - and they are quick reads, which is always kind of nice if you don't have a lot of time.
This is another in the OMEGA/spy series. This time, it is a former olympic athlete - Rogue, who is supposed to befriend a North Korean female golfer to assist her in defecting to the US with her nuclear scientist father. So, in order to do so she participates in a charity golf tournament in the UK (luckily she is super awesome at golf) where coincidentally, her ex boyfriend who is a stealth bomber pilot is stationed secretly (don't want anyone to know the bombers are in the UK) Of course they run into each other but at first they hate each other because of how they broke up - right before the Olympics - but after she is poisoned by a masseuse and almost dies and is also kidnapped, they realize their love for each other didn't die and they are going to give it another chance.
These books are definitely not my favorite, but they are amusing - heck, just writing a brief summary of the plot kind of cracks me up - and they are quick reads, which is always kind of nice if you don't have a lot of time.
No. 93: Undercover Wife
Undercover Wife by Merline Lovelace
Yet another OMEGA book. This time Gillian has become an agent and is paired with Mike for an op in China where they are trying to figure out who is smuggling sick monkeys into the US for use in religious sacrifices. Awesome, no? But wait, it gets better - their first contact in China is a woman who ownes an export business who just happens to secretly be Mike's love who he thought was murdered in the jungle but instead was only almost murdered but was then kidnapped and kept captive by some creepy English guy - who she later murdered and then used his money to have extensive plastic surgery and start an export business in China all in an elaborate plot to get her revenge on Mike who she thought abandoned her in the jungle. Also, there are two con artist kids, their grandfather, a kidnapping, a mudslide and did I mention sick monkeys? And Mike and Gillian fall in love and live happily ever after.
Yet another OMEGA book. This time Gillian has become an agent and is paired with Mike for an op in China where they are trying to figure out who is smuggling sick monkeys into the US for use in religious sacrifices. Awesome, no? But wait, it gets better - their first contact in China is a woman who ownes an export business who just happens to secretly be Mike's love who he thought was murdered in the jungle but instead was only almost murdered but was then kidnapped and kept captive by some creepy English guy - who she later murdered and then used his money to have extensive plastic surgery and start an export business in China all in an elaborate plot to get her revenge on Mike who she thought abandoned her in the jungle. Also, there are two con artist kids, their grandfather, a kidnapping, a mudslide and did I mention sick monkeys? And Mike and Gillian fall in love and live happily ever after.
No. 92: Stranded With a Spy
Stranded With a Spy by Merline Lovelace
This book was free on my kindle! I love free books! It is actually part of a series that I have read before about a secret special operations group called OMEGA.
In this book, a woman is pursued by OMEGA agents when a CD with classified financial information is found in her luggage by TSA when she travels to France. OMEGA thinks she is going to sell or otherwise provide the information to a terrorist called The Russian so they send an agent to follow her and retrieve the CD and catch the bad guy. The FMC, Mallory, is the former aide of a US Senator that she accused of making inappropriate advances towards her. It was kind of a scandal and she left the country to get away from the attention. The agent made contact with her, they fell in love and it turns out she is not a bad guy after all - surprising!
This book was free on my kindle! I love free books! It is actually part of a series that I have read before about a secret special operations group called OMEGA.
In this book, a woman is pursued by OMEGA agents when a CD with classified financial information is found in her luggage by TSA when she travels to France. OMEGA thinks she is going to sell or otherwise provide the information to a terrorist called The Russian so they send an agent to follow her and retrieve the CD and catch the bad guy. The FMC, Mallory, is the former aide of a US Senator that she accused of making inappropriate advances towards her. It was kind of a scandal and she left the country to get away from the attention. The agent made contact with her, they fell in love and it turns out she is not a bad guy after all - surprising!
No. 91: Closer Encounters
Closer Encounters by Merline Lovelace
This was a weird one, a lady was haunted/possessed by the spirit of her deceased "Uncle's" fiancee who died after she was pushed off the balcony of a hotel at the begining of WWII. I didn't really get into it as much as the others in the OMEGA series because I am not really a fan of ghost stories. A little too weird for me.
Although, I did recently like another book where there was a ghost/spirit. Interesting...
This was a weird one, a lady was haunted/possessed by the spirit of her deceased "Uncle's" fiancee who died after she was pushed off the balcony of a hotel at the begining of WWII. I didn't really get into it as much as the others in the OMEGA series because I am not really a fan of ghost stories. A little too weird for me.
Although, I did recently like another book where there was a ghost/spirit. Interesting...
No. 90: With Every Breath
With Every Breath by Lynn Kurland
This was actually the first book I read on the Kindle. I was surprised to find this book - it is by one of my favorite authors and I thought that I had read everything from her. But I had not, it was a nice surprise.
This book was about Sunshine who is the sister of a character in a previous book. She is in Scotland to help her sister (in the present day) while she had her baby and does not want to go back to Seattle. She is living in the witch's cottage. One night there is a knock at her door and a man asking for her help to save his brother. When she steps through the doorway she goes back in time! Yeah! Time travel!
This was actually the first book I read on the Kindle. I was surprised to find this book - it is by one of my favorite authors and I thought that I had read everything from her. But I had not, it was a nice surprise.
This book was about Sunshine who is the sister of a character in a previous book. She is in Scotland to help her sister (in the present day) while she had her baby and does not want to go back to Seattle. She is living in the witch's cottage. One night there is a knock at her door and a man asking for her help to save his brother. When she steps through the doorway she goes back in time! Yeah! Time travel!
No. 89: Secrets of a Summer Night
Secrets of A Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas
This is the first in the Wallflower series. Annabelle is a beautiful girl from a poor family and she has no dowary but she needs to marry someone rich to save her family and it needs to happen fast because her Mother is having an affair with a disgusting guy who helps pay some of her family's bills in exchange.
Annabelle meets Simon hunt and a house party in the country, he is not a peer, but an industrialist that is a friend and business associate of their host. Simon pursues her and is determined to have her but she resists. But of course later they fall in love and get married. Before that happens though she gets bitten by a snake, accosted by her mom's creepy guy, and plays rounders in her knickers.
This is the first in the Wallflower series. Annabelle is a beautiful girl from a poor family and she has no dowary but she needs to marry someone rich to save her family and it needs to happen fast because her Mother is having an affair with a disgusting guy who helps pay some of her family's bills in exchange.
Annabelle meets Simon hunt and a house party in the country, he is not a peer, but an industrialist that is a friend and business associate of their host. Simon pursues her and is determined to have her but she resists. But of course later they fall in love and get married. Before that happens though she gets bitten by a snake, accosted by her mom's creepy guy, and plays rounders in her knickers.
No 88: It Happened One Autumn
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
This is Lillian's story - she is the eldest Bowman sister, so this is the second book in the series. The books starts when Lillian and Daisy visit a perfume shop and Lillian has them make her up a special perfume that she designed. The store owner says he added a special ingredient that would make the perfume magical.
Shortly thereafter they go to a house party in the country - the owner is the friend of Annabelle's husband (from the first Wallflower book) and he is an Earl. He does not get along well with Lillian and she does not care for him either. Nevertheless, they become attracted to each other (which Lillian thinks is a result of her perfume) and have a hard time staying away from each other despite their apparent mutual dislike. But of course, they fall in love and he proposes. But then, someone (and I won't say who) has Lillian kidnapped so she can't marry the Earl and instead she is taken away to be married against her will to Lord St. John who needs her money. But she is rescued in time and it all ends happily - except for the kidnapper who gets the crap beat out of him.
This is Lillian's story - she is the eldest Bowman sister, so this is the second book in the series. The books starts when Lillian and Daisy visit a perfume shop and Lillian has them make her up a special perfume that she designed. The store owner says he added a special ingredient that would make the perfume magical.
Shortly thereafter they go to a house party in the country - the owner is the friend of Annabelle's husband (from the first Wallflower book) and he is an Earl. He does not get along well with Lillian and she does not care for him either. Nevertheless, they become attracted to each other (which Lillian thinks is a result of her perfume) and have a hard time staying away from each other despite their apparent mutual dislike. But of course, they fall in love and he proposes. But then, someone (and I won't say who) has Lillian kidnapped so she can't marry the Earl and instead she is taken away to be married against her will to Lord St. John who needs her money. But she is rescued in time and it all ends happily - except for the kidnapper who gets the crap beat out of him.
No. 87: The Devil in Winter
The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
This is the third book in the Wallflower series about Evie. Evie has been trapped in the clutches of her evil family who after realizing that she is unlikely to marry a peer that will improve their social standing, decides they want to marry her off to a fat and repulsive cousin so that they can keep all of her money for themselves. Evie, despite being very shy and timid, escapes her family repeatedly so that she can visit her father who is on his death bed. Her family (on her mother's side) will not allow her to visit because they disapprove of her father because he is the owner of a gambling club (coincedentially the same club that employs Cam Rohan) and they never approved of his marriage to Evie's mother.
But Evie loves her father and decides to escape her family once and for all by marrying someone. She finds someone as desperate to marry as she is and proposes a deal - they marry, she can stay with her father and take care of him and he can have her money which he desperately needs. He agrees and they run off to Gretna Green to get married.
He is a rake who has done something terrible to his closest friend in an effort to get a rich wife to save his family's fortunes. This is a great book - it has syphilis (which they call another name that I can't remember now) and fighting and attempted murder and friends reuniting. All good stuff!
This is the third book in the Wallflower series about Evie. Evie has been trapped in the clutches of her evil family who after realizing that she is unlikely to marry a peer that will improve their social standing, decides they want to marry her off to a fat and repulsive cousin so that they can keep all of her money for themselves. Evie, despite being very shy and timid, escapes her family repeatedly so that she can visit her father who is on his death bed. Her family (on her mother's side) will not allow her to visit because they disapprove of her father because he is the owner of a gambling club (coincedentially the same club that employs Cam Rohan) and they never approved of his marriage to Evie's mother.
But Evie loves her father and decides to escape her family once and for all by marrying someone. She finds someone as desperate to marry as she is and proposes a deal - they marry, she can stay with her father and take care of him and he can have her money which he desperately needs. He agrees and they run off to Gretna Green to get married.
He is a rake who has done something terrible to his closest friend in an effort to get a rich wife to save his family's fortunes. This is a great book - it has syphilis (which they call another name that I can't remember now) and fighting and attempted murder and friends reuniting. All good stuff!
No. 86: A Scandal in the Spring
A Scandal in the Spring by Lisa Kleypas
Obviously I have been on a bit of a Lisa Kleypas kick lately - she had two good interconnecting series and I can't resist that. I actually just bought another book in this series that I didn't even know existed! It is taking a lot of will power to work on catching up the blog rather than just reading the book - so you are welcome :)
This is actually the fourth book in the series, about Daisy. This is the Wallflowers series which is about a group of 4 girls who had very unsuccessful seasons and found themselves wallflowers sitting together at every ball. They become friends and make a plan to find themselves they husbands they want. The decide to go in age order - Daisly is the youngest which is why her book is last.
Anyway, Daisy gets an ultimatium from her father - she needs to find an acceptable husband or he will marry her off to Matthew Swift who is his protege. Daisy hates the idea (obviously) so sets off to find someone else to marry. She goes to a house party to meet an eligible man. While she is there she meets Swift who is much better looking and more interesting than she remembers. Also he has a mysterious past that catches up with him. Very interesting and good - don't want to spoil it :)
Obviously I have been on a bit of a Lisa Kleypas kick lately - she had two good interconnecting series and I can't resist that. I actually just bought another book in this series that I didn't even know existed! It is taking a lot of will power to work on catching up the blog rather than just reading the book - so you are welcome :)
This is actually the fourth book in the series, about Daisy. This is the Wallflowers series which is about a group of 4 girls who had very unsuccessful seasons and found themselves wallflowers sitting together at every ball. They become friends and make a plan to find themselves they husbands they want. The decide to go in age order - Daisly is the youngest which is why her book is last.
Anyway, Daisy gets an ultimatium from her father - she needs to find an acceptable husband or he will marry her off to Matthew Swift who is his protege. Daisy hates the idea (obviously) so sets off to find someone else to marry. She goes to a house party to meet an eligible man. While she is there she meets Swift who is much better looking and more interesting than she remembers. Also he has a mysterious past that catches up with him. Very interesting and good - don't want to spoil it :)
No. 85: Sugar Daddy
Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas
I am not writing about these books in the order I read them (I am too far behind and I can't even remember the order I read them in!) but rather in the order they are listed on my new best friend the kindle.
I just read this book yesterday - it took me longer to finish than the others for a couple of reasons - one the girls were home all day, two I took an afternoon nap with Ella, three we had to carve pumpkins which took FOREVER and four, this book is not as good as the historical series I have read previously by this author.
Turns out this is the second contemporary novel I have read by this author and I feel kind of the same way about it. It was an interesting story with interesting characters, but it was kind of depressing, and not in an emo, obsessive, kill-my-self-if-you-die way, but more in a lots of bad things happen to one person and it makes me sad way. I don't want to be sad when I read, I want to be happy. Also, I was kind of pissed about the way she handled Hardy - I don't want to spoil it, but seriously, not cool!!!
I am not writing about these books in the order I read them (I am too far behind and I can't even remember the order I read them in!) but rather in the order they are listed on my new best friend the kindle.
I just read this book yesterday - it took me longer to finish than the others for a couple of reasons - one the girls were home all day, two I took an afternoon nap with Ella, three we had to carve pumpkins which took FOREVER and four, this book is not as good as the historical series I have read previously by this author.
Turns out this is the second contemporary novel I have read by this author and I feel kind of the same way about it. It was an interesting story with interesting characters, but it was kind of depressing, and not in an emo, obsessive, kill-my-self-if-you-die way, but more in a lots of bad things happen to one person and it makes me sad way. I don't want to be sad when I read, I want to be happy. Also, I was kind of pissed about the way she handled Hardy - I don't want to spoil it, but seriously, not cool!!!
No. 84: Seduce Me at Sunrise
Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas
This is the third in the Hathaway series, about a middle daughter Win who was an invalid after having scarlett fever. But the book starts before she gets sick when Meripen (a gypsy) comes to live with her family after being left for dead by his own tribe as a youth. Win and Meripen have an instant connection when the meet despite their young age and the fact that Meripen is seriously injured.
As they grow up the connection remains and turns into attraction although neither of them act on it. And then, Win gets scarlett fever and she is so sick she could die. (this is my favorite part - very Twilight-y) Meripen mixes up some medicine that is also a deadly poison and he keeps enough of the poison so that if Win dies, he can drink it and die too!!! I have no idea why I like this so much, it is kind of crazy and depressing - and I know that - but it is also very Edward going to Italy to die after he thinks Bella is dead and God knows I love Edward. Anyway, Win survives and so does Meripen. Win goes off to a clinic in France to try and recover her health and does, coming back to England with the Doctor who helped her. Making Meripen extremely jealous and angry. And I will leave the rest up to your imagination but I am sure you know it ends happily ever after.
This is the third in the Hathaway series, about a middle daughter Win who was an invalid after having scarlett fever. But the book starts before she gets sick when Meripen (a gypsy) comes to live with her family after being left for dead by his own tribe as a youth. Win and Meripen have an instant connection when the meet despite their young age and the fact that Meripen is seriously injured.
As they grow up the connection remains and turns into attraction although neither of them act on it. And then, Win gets scarlett fever and she is so sick she could die. (this is my favorite part - very Twilight-y) Meripen mixes up some medicine that is also a deadly poison and he keeps enough of the poison so that if Win dies, he can drink it and die too!!! I have no idea why I like this so much, it is kind of crazy and depressing - and I know that - but it is also very Edward going to Italy to die after he thinks Bella is dead and God knows I love Edward. Anyway, Win survives and so does Meripen. Win goes off to a clinic in France to try and recover her health and does, coming back to England with the Doctor who helped her. Making Meripen extremely jealous and angry. And I will leave the rest up to your imagination but I am sure you know it ends happily ever after.
No. 83: Mine Till Midnight
Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas
This is the second book I read in the Hawthaway family series. It is about Amelia the eldest sister who in her attempts to find her brother meets Cam Rohan who is the manager of a gaming house and is also half gypsy and also involved in the Wallflower series of books! Anyway, Cam is wildly inappropriate (see half gypsy and manager of gaming house) but he is also wildly attractive. Which, from the description I can totally see - tall, dark and handsome with a mysterious tattoo.
Anywhoozle, despite all the reasons they should not be together, they fall in love. Also, there is the return of a former love, a ghost and a large number of bees. And a house fire. All very exciting.
This is the second book I read in the Hawthaway family series. It is about Amelia the eldest sister who in her attempts to find her brother meets Cam Rohan who is the manager of a gaming house and is also half gypsy and also involved in the Wallflower series of books! Anyway, Cam is wildly inappropriate (see half gypsy and manager of gaming house) but he is also wildly attractive. Which, from the description I can totally see - tall, dark and handsome with a mysterious tattoo.
Anywhoozle, despite all the reasons they should not be together, they fall in love. Also, there is the return of a former love, a ghost and a large number of bees. And a house fire. All very exciting.
No 82: Tempt Me at Twilight
Tempt Me at Twilight by Lisa Kelypas
This is a new author for me, but since I am always ready for a historical romance I thought I would give it a try. Turns out I really like her historical stuff (more on the contemporary stuff later) and I especially love that she has two series that interconnect! My favorite thing!!!
I unfortunately did not read this series in the right order, I have to confess I bought this book for two reasons - the FMC's name is Poppy which I like very much and the title has Twilight in it and I was in a Twilight-y kind of mood when I saw it. Which is actually interesting because while this book is nothing like Twilight, a later (technically earlier) book is!
Anyway, this book has a lot of the things I like in a romance - the MMC is dark and mysterious and kind of grumpy (I have no idea why this is appealing but it is) and he desperately wants her despite being somewhat inappropriately matched. Very good stuff. This book is also surprisingly funny, the characters are very witty and intelligent which makes the dialouge MUCH better than many other romances wherein the dialouge is painful.
*edited to add - turns out I have read something by this author before, I just forgot about it! Blue Eyed Devil which I didn't love - maybe because in my opinion her contemporary stuff is nowhere near as good as her historical.
This is a new author for me, but since I am always ready for a historical romance I thought I would give it a try. Turns out I really like her historical stuff (more on the contemporary stuff later) and I especially love that she has two series that interconnect! My favorite thing!!!
I unfortunately did not read this series in the right order, I have to confess I bought this book for two reasons - the FMC's name is Poppy which I like very much and the title has Twilight in it and I was in a Twilight-y kind of mood when I saw it. Which is actually interesting because while this book is nothing like Twilight, a later (technically earlier) book is!
Anyway, this book has a lot of the things I like in a romance - the MMC is dark and mysterious and kind of grumpy (I have no idea why this is appealing but it is) and he desperately wants her despite being somewhat inappropriately matched. Very good stuff. This book is also surprisingly funny, the characters are very witty and intelligent which makes the dialouge MUCH better than many other romances wherein the dialouge is painful.
*edited to add - turns out I have read something by this author before, I just forgot about it! Blue Eyed Devil which I didn't love - maybe because in my opinion her contemporary stuff is nowhere near as good as her historical.
No. 81: The Guinea Pig Diaries
The Guinea Pig Diaries by AJ Jacobs
I have read this author's other two books and I enjoyed them very much. This book is in a similar vein as it is all about his many experiments doing weird things. For example, he outsourced his life, hiring two different Indian companies to act as his assistants. He pretended to be a famous person and a beautiful woman. And my favorite chapter and experiment he decided to do everything his wife said for a whole month. If only I could get Aaron on board with this!
As I have probably mentioned before, I like Jacob's writing style, it is very wry and conversational but I also enjoy how much research he includes and how committed he is, despite the frequent number of times he ends up looking like an idiot.
I have read this author's other two books and I enjoyed them very much. This book is in a similar vein as it is all about his many experiments doing weird things. For example, he outsourced his life, hiring two different Indian companies to act as his assistants. He pretended to be a famous person and a beautiful woman. And my favorite chapter and experiment he decided to do everything his wife said for a whole month. If only I could get Aaron on board with this!
As I have probably mentioned before, I like Jacob's writing style, it is very wry and conversational but I also enjoy how much research he includes and how committed he is, despite the frequent number of times he ends up looking like an idiot.
Catch Up and Kindle Review
I am SO FAR behind in posting!!! I got my kindle and I love it so much that I cannot do anything but read. I have read about 15 or so books since it came so there are many more posts coming. I thought I would do a quick Kindle review in case anyone is considering one.
If you are a reader, go to the store and get one immediately!!! Seriously, I love it. It is very easy to read, the screen looks like a page from a book, my eyes do not get tired like they do reading a computer screen. Some of the features that I like are the page turn buttons on both sides, and there is a little progress bar on the bottom of the screen. It is very lightweight and easy to hold while reading, even easier than a book!
But the best thing about it is how easy it is to get new books!!! This may also be a drawback as I have purchased about 20 books in 2 weeks which could get spendy (although less expensive than buying actual books I have found) If you are reading a series, as soon as you finish one you get online and buy the next and read it - and so on until you have read 2 series of books in 3 days :) It has also helped me discover a new author that I enjoy just from browsing the kindle store.
So, in sum, buy a kindle if you like to read. Or, have a wonderful husband buy you one as a present and then read so much that he later regrets it - which is what I did :)
If you are a reader, go to the store and get one immediately!!! Seriously, I love it. It is very easy to read, the screen looks like a page from a book, my eyes do not get tired like they do reading a computer screen. Some of the features that I like are the page turn buttons on both sides, and there is a little progress bar on the bottom of the screen. It is very lightweight and easy to hold while reading, even easier than a book!
But the best thing about it is how easy it is to get new books!!! This may also be a drawback as I have purchased about 20 books in 2 weeks which could get spendy (although less expensive than buying actual books I have found) If you are reading a series, as soon as you finish one you get online and buy the next and read it - and so on until you have read 2 series of books in 3 days :) It has also helped me discover a new author that I enjoy just from browsing the kindle store.
So, in sum, buy a kindle if you like to read. Or, have a wonderful husband buy you one as a present and then read so much that he later regrets it - which is what I did :)
Monday, October 12, 2009
No. 80: The Lost Symbol
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
I read this about a month ago - clearly I have not been inspired to write about it. It was okay but not awesome like I was hoping. That is all I have to say because I don't want to spoil it for anyone.
In other reading news - the next book I read will be on my Kindle!!! Aaron ordered it for me as a present because I am unable to buy myself anything that costs more than $40. So he surprised me with it! I am so so so stinking excited!
In other non-reading news - I am now happily unemployed. I quit my job and today was my last day. So hopefully I will have more time to read.
I read this about a month ago - clearly I have not been inspired to write about it. It was okay but not awesome like I was hoping. That is all I have to say because I don't want to spoil it for anyone.
In other reading news - the next book I read will be on my Kindle!!! Aaron ordered it for me as a present because I am unable to buy myself anything that costs more than $40. So he surprised me with it! I am so so so stinking excited!
In other non-reading news - I am now happily unemployed. I quit my job and today was my last day. So hopefully I will have more time to read.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)