*Sobs* T_T
October was a very pitiful month for me... 12 "books" read *gasp* How sad is that? I know, for some it's a lot, but for me, it's kind of low... Especially considering that 2 were novellas and not full-length T_T I could say it's my trip to L.A. that put a cramp in my reading... but it's the third month in a row I don't make it to 15 or over.
So let see what I actually read:
1) On the Edge by Ilona Andrews: B
I guess I was just expecting to be wow-ed... and I wasn't really. Oh, it is a good and enjoyable read, quite solid. However, it took me almost a week to read it. Never got entranced... Perhaps if I've read it in one sitting, the grade would have been higher. I think that Ilona Andrews's strength in her novels is really the characters. Enjoyed Rose, Declan, Jack and Georges and William. The world building though, I have more difficulty. It's weaved better than the Kate Daniels books in my opinion, Ilona Andrews definitively took greater care of it. But I still have difficulty with it. Loved the twist with Declan's identity at the end LOL :) For now, I'm looking forward to William's book... although I have to admit, Kate Daniels' more :P
2) Sliding Home by Kate Angell: B
This was a book that I was looking forward to. Took a while to get my hand on it, but I finally did :D It was a light, fluffy and enjoyable read :) I enjoyed it quite a bit and it seems Ms Angell finally took my comment to heart - she focused a lot on the main H/H in this book :) So that was great. Fun, but not ground-breaking.
3) Under the Christmas Tree by Robyn Carr: B
This was a novella in That Holiday Feeling. It was a cute novella. Grade would probably have been higher if the book has been a full-length, although I guess the plot wouldn't have worked as well. Anyway, I really liked Annie and Nathaniel and how their relationship develop :) It was also good that the story didn't take place right in the middle of Virgin River. It allowed some characters to appear, without over-shadowing the whole story. Looking forward to the next trilogy! :D
4) Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran: C+
Lots of buzz for this book on blogland and in a way, I do get why. The writing/prose is indeed very good. Ms Duran definitively has a way with words. I'd like to say flowery, but it's not... However, the main problem I had with this book was I had difficulty connecting with the H/H... Especially Lydia. I hated how her character was holier than thou. She was also very quick to jump to assumptions, making judgments on other characters. I mean, it's okay when your gut is usually right, but not in her case. At one point, I think she tells Sanburne that he doesn't know her, that's he assuming stuff... but she's doing the same!! So yeah, didn't like her much... the storyline was okay. Some people really like the exotic stuff in historicals, but I'm meh about them. Finally, the last thing that bother me was the mention of Toronto and Canada LOL :) The date isn't indicated in the novel, but given the fact that Lydia was a scholar and kind of had a job, it was probably in the late 1800's which means that Canada would have existed... so I guess it's okay... and I bet the names Canada and Toronto were used even before the country was founded. However, it's soooo rare to read those two words in a historical romance... it kept bothering me ^_^;
5) The Spellmans Files by Lisa Lutz: B-
Buddy review to come at Breezing Through
6) Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wiggs: C-
I'd almost like to say this is my last Susan Wiggs in this series, but I know myself... I'm most likely going to cave at the next release, especially if it's Daisy's book. Or perhaps I could just skim to know who she chose. Anyway, the series definitively has lost a lot of momentum. It used to focus on the Bellamy family and not anymore. We're introduced to new characters, and they feel meh. I even think there's a new police chief in Lakeshore Christmas, so my question: what happened to Rourke McKnight, the hero in The Winter Lodge?
Okay, back to Lakeshore Christmas. I think the main problem was there was too much going on. Also, I know it's a holiday book, but the ending? Totally didn't buy it. How can you save a library's future with donations? I mean, a full year of budget? I don't think that's possible, unless they get very little books ^_^; As for the characters, Ethan and Maureen, they were actually quite well developed, but just not interesting ^_^;
It wasn't a bad book, but it just lost its charm.
7) Untouchable by Kresley Cole: B
I've been looking forward to Murdoch's story and was a bit disappointed to find out that it was a novella. Luckily though, Untouchable is almost 300 pages, so it was actually long enough to be satisfying :)
The first half of the story was great in my opinion. Loved Murdoch and Danii together. They literally lit up the pages LOL. Also, Ms Kenyon, this is how you incorporate previous scenes into a storyline :) I didn't feel bored re-reading some of the scenes and I think that the whole storyline actually flowed really well, connecting all the storylines together. I thought it was interesting to see Murdoch deal with the fact that he couldn't touch Danii. I think he had every right to be pissed off. I mean, you wait hundred of years to meet your mate and you can't touch her?!?!
Unfortunately, it went downhill with the second half. It just wasn't as intense as the first half. Everything was resolved way too easily... and Danii abdicating? It was quite anti-climatic. That's basically why Untouchable doesn't get a higher grade. Great beginning, just too bad Ms Cole couldn't keep it up.
8) Hot on Her Heels by Susan Mallery: B+
9) Naked in Death by J.D. Robb: B+/A-
10) Reunion in Death by J.D. Robb: A-
11) Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb: B
12) Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts: B/B+
Buddy review to come at Breezing Through
Okay, I'd like to say that these books were graded with my current reading mood... so it is possible I've been a bit tougher than I usually am. See, lately, I start reading a book and it takes so bloody long. Most of the time, I really enjoy the first half, but the second half feels meh. So it is highly possible it's me and not the book. Of course, usually the second half is where conflict arises and is resolved... so it could be the book... or a combination of me and the book ^_^;
Ah well, I only hope that this month, I'll be reading more! :D
