Here are my totally random updates, in no particular order....(okay, well maybe the first one is the best!)...
1.) I'M GOING TO THE NKOTBSB CONCERT THIS SATURDAY WITH MY SIS! (I don't often use all caps, but I thought that tidbit of news deserved it). Should a 44 year old suburban housefrau be embarrassed to attend a concert with a bunch of over-the-hill former boy band cuties, who are now bald, out of shape, and can hardly sing worth a lick? Hell no! Can't wait! These guys are adorable--they might get sort of breathless when they try to sing and dance at the same time, but they still got the moves, baby. (Pass the ice pack!).
2.) I am in a reading funk. I hate that! First, I finished the trio of Elizabeth Lowell beardy hero books. I loved the first two, Untamed and Forbidden. But the last one, Enchanted, was a super big bummer.
Reading books about raped heroines is not my favorite, but sometimes it's okay if.....(a) the rape is not described in gory detail, and (b) the "healing" part is appropriate for a "rape" book (in other words, don't have a rape victim get it on with a BDSM master, etc.) and (c) the HEA is really satisfying. My major problem with this book is that the Big Misunderstanding went on WAY too long...practically until the bitter end of the book. First, the hero thinks his intended bride is a frigid virgin (Misunderstanding). Then, he thinks she's a slut who had an affair with a knight (Misunderstanding). And after she tells him the truth....that she was drugged, brutally raped by the knight, and then humiliated by her father and priest, who did not believe her, her husband still refuses to believe her. Talk about adding insult to injury. This poor woman has been crushed by betrayal, and her stupid freakin' husband won't believe her. (This is after the heroine has risked her own life to save her husband!). I seriously wanted to kick his ass. She doesn't earn his trust until almost the end of the book, and by then, I already hated him.
3.) I absolutely adored the book Warrior by Zoe Archer. So, I was really looking forward to reading Scoundrel, the second installment of the Blades of the Rose series. Just wasn't feeling it this time. The first one was magical. This one felt flat. I made it to 35% in, and I gave up. I might just skip this one and go straight to Rebel (#3) which I heard is great. We'll see. :^(
4.) Continuing with my "bearded hero" theme, I read Yours, Mine and Howls by Kinsey Holley. The hero is a bearded werewolf. (I totally approve of bearded werewolves). Anyhow, there were some things I did like about the book, but overall, it was really bogged down by too much werewolf pack political stuff. And way too many characters. It sort of reminded me of Shelly Laurenston's series. (I think I'm the only person on the face of the earth who doesn't like that series.) Too many characters, too much crap about how everyone is related, inter-related, etc. Criminy. Just give me some hot wolfy lovin' and I'm happy!
5.) I always read an excerpt of any "new-to-me" author I'm checking out. Wanna see what kind of writer she is. What I discovered this weekend is that certain things might throw me off when reading an excerpt. Stuff like....grammatical errors, typos, and phrases like "carpet muncher" and "shoving his c*ck into her chatterbox." hee hee hee....are you kidding me? I can safely say that any excerpt with the term "carpet muncher" in it is automatic grounds for the "never gonna buy" list. "Carpet muncher" is just....not....that romantic. Oy.
6.) My window boxes look fab! I will post photos soon. Got a huge flat of Johnny Jump-Ups to add in, and then they're done. They're my favorite part of gardening!
7.) Coming up soon (the week of June 13), I will be hosting a Celebrate New England party on my blog. I have incredible give-away baskets from some amazing New England romance authors...including books from Jessica Andersen, Caroline Linden, Annette Blair, Pat Grasso, Meg Maguire, Judith Arnold, Mia Marlowe, Sherri Erwin, Barbara Wallace, Marie Force, Amber Skyze, Ashlyn Chase, Shirley Ann Howard, Kate George, Kristan Higgins and more! Get ready to rumble!
Hope everyone had a nice weekend,
Penelope
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