Book Club Summer reading list

Hi All!  With the Christmas season well under way, I was lucky to finally meet with my book club friend and decide what we will be reading over the Chrissie period.

First on the list was Curtsies and Conspiracies, Book 2 in Gail Carriger's Finishing School series.  Then after knocking back a few more titles, we finally  chose the first book in Lilith St. Crows series, Iron Wyrm Affair, and Phillipa Bornikova's 2nd book, Box Office Poison.

I'm hoping that I can get my hands on them soon for some good Summer reading.  My copy of Curtsies and Conspiracies is already winging it's way to me from Book Depository (great deal for only $5.05!), but I might have trouble getting my hands on Box Office Poison as I'm sure it's not available in paperback yet.  Perhaps I'll leave that one till last!

Supernatural Fix

Well, I've been waiting for the season finale of Supernatural and it looks like it will be everything I could hope for... Sam v Dean (finally!). I suppose this is just a natural extention of my love for paranormal/urban fantasy stories, but being able to see things on TV that you can usually only picture in your mind while reading a book is a great boon.

So while I wait for the final episode of Season Four, I'll be also reading some of my new acquisitions. I've just gotten the new Chintz n China series by Yasmine Galenorn (haven't read it yet but will let you know what I think of it), and the new Nalini Singh. I did manage to get my hands on the new Lilith Saintcrow book, Strange Angels (written under Lili St. Crow) and I loved it. My review is posted on Amazon.com if you want to take a side trip :P

The other new book I've read is a Julie Kenner title called The Good Ghouls Guide to Getting Evan. It's about a very smart girl, Beth Fraiser, who gets turned into a vamp simply because the jock vampires want her to figure out the formula to making them immune to the sun's rays. Her mother doesn't notice when she doesn't come home that night, and her best friend freaks, but is cool about it... she is also the secret blogger who has the whole school jumping. Sounds like a so-so premise for a book, but it works well. Especially when Charlie (the guy who's runner up valedictorian behind Beth) turns out to be a Vampire Hunter's grandson. It's a good funny read, perfect for the bus or train. The second title Good Ghouls Do is out today!

YA books are sometimes overlooked by adults. They view them as childrens books, but actually they can be very much in the adult vein - just in a more innocent setting. If you like your books without sex and violence on every second page, but enjoy paranormal books, then maybe a YA series is just the ticket for you?

I've also made a slight departure from the world of Vampires, Werewolves and Witches. I was so bored at my local library, I haven't been able to find anything new to read there for ages. It seems that I have most of the books they get before they get them (oops!) and I tried to find a small mystery that I'd spotted on Amazon.com. It was a Death on Demand title by Carolyn Hart. Strange I know, but I picked up book 15 I think, and I really enjoyed it. I don't know if I'll read each and every title, but I will try and find the first one and see if its as good. If it starts out well, then I may just have to borrow them. I think you need to venture into some other genre every now and then, even if it's only to let you go back to you favourite books with fresh eyes. I know that if I don't take a break from it every now and then, I can't seem to find anything good to read. It all seems boring and repetative. But after a break, the same boring books actually become fabulous and I wonder how I could ever think that they were staid.

Ticked Off!

Well, it's time for me once again to fight with my internet connection to try and add something on this blog. When I first started, I was adding entries from work. But now that I'm no longer working, I'm relying on my crappy dial-up connection [sniffle, sniffle]
I can't believe that I live within an hour of a capital city, but can't get broadband or anyother kind of connection! What, doesn't the QLD Government think that people in a small town like mine actually use the net? In this day and age its just criminal that I can't access something fast and reliable. One of the reasons is that our phone lines haven't been upgraded, but I know for a fact that some of the surrounding small communities have access to broadband... but they also have council members living in them [grrrr!]
Anyhow, I've been reading one or two new titles, and have finally finished the last book in the Dante Valentine series by Lilith Saintcrow. To Hell & Back picks up about 6 months after book 4, but for some reason I found this last and very important instalment lacking. Call me crazy, but I was expecting more closure than we had. Saintcrow leaves a few threads hanging as if there was another book on the way... but honey, this was the last book! Now I have the first book in the latest series, Jill Kismet, called Night Shift. It was really good. Loved Saul Dustcircle, and am wondering how much longer he'll be hanging around - before his mum comes to town to check out her boys new mate! Should be fun...
I've just finished the latest book in the Monere series (Sunny) and loved the fact that a new guy is on the scene. Since she lost Gryphon and Amber moved away I was wondering what would happen. All the other guys love her, but they aren't a match for her personality wise. Then came Dante! Whew, they are fantastic together because here is a man that Mona Lisa can't push or order around. Dante does what he wants, when he wants it... and he's got enough power to actually order other Monere around! They have their personal issues, that whole being killed in a past life thing, but they sizzle when they are together. Look out Lord Halycon, Dante's in town! Try it, you'll love it.