Skirmish by Michelle West This is the latest in West’s fantasy cycle and the first in a long time that got me extremely excited about events in this world. That’s mostly because this is the [...]]]> It’s a new year! That said, I feel like I haven’t done a whole lot of reading this month. Hmm.

Skirmish by Michelle West
This is the latest in West’s fantasy cycle and the first in a long time that got me extremely excited about events in this world. That’s mostly because this is the first installment since Sun Sword ended that takes place in the present time. No more flashbacks, no more expanding the past. Good read and got me excited about the world again. (Full review here.)

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The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
Is it just me or are there more books coming out recently set in Russia? Maybe I’m imagining things. Anyway, neat concept. The protagonist is a young duchess who wants to forego marrying well and become a doctor. That’s already a problem but in addition, she happens to be a necromancer. Oops. The worldbuilding was rather muddled and the romantic subplot needed better execution. The book had good potential but the reality was still rough around the edges. Review to come.

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Fracture by Megan Miranda
Neat book. I assumed this was going to be another YA paranormal and technically, it is that but it’s not really at all. This is essentially the story of a girl who went through a traumatic life event and has to pick up the pieces of her life after. What I liked best was how this one event revealed all these little cracks and fissures in her existing relationships. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. (Full review here.)

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Firelight by Kristin Callihan
I’d been hearing lots of good things about this one so I was excited to pick this up. I don’t know if my hopes and expectations were raised but I was rather meh about it overall. I didn’t care for the romantic storyline (the couple lies to each other for most of the book) and the worldbuilding drove me nuts because it made no sense. Or maybe it was just nonexistent. I’m not sure. I also thought the hero’s secret was kept for the sole purpose of plot contrivance because the actual reveal was anticlimactic. (Full review here.)

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Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
A Robin Hood retelling. This takes the angle that history and folklore muddled “the truth” and that Maid Marian and Will Scarlet were the same person. So-so. I know there are die-hard Robin Hood fans out there so maybe they’ll be more wowed by this one than me. Review to come.

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Right now, I’m in between books, trying to decide what to pick next. Maybe I’ll read something that I don’t plan to review! Good grief, what was up with that?

So what are you guys reading? Any books you’re looking forward to in 2012?

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins: I started this on the recommendation of a friend; it’s her favorite book. I’m about halfway through, and…it’s [...]]]> I haven’t been finishing books that quickly lately; first the holidays interfered and then work interfered. I read and reviewed The Lost Book of Mala R. and Lily. Here’s a rundown of what else I’ve been reading:

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins: I started this on the recommendation of a friend; it’s her favorite book. I’m about halfway through, and…it’s good. I wouldn’t say I love it the way my friend does, but it has a nice atmosphere to it. Wikipedia says it’s an epistolary novel; I had always thought epistolary=letters, but I guess it can include other documents (in the case of this book, diary entries and legal statements form a good part of the story).  I’m interested in the resolution and how the disparate elements come together. I had previously had some vague idea that this was a ghost story, but it’s really more of a mystery with an unusual structure and some intriguing characters (the affable yet menacing Count Fosco chief among them).

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Pure by Julianna Baggott: I’m still fairly early on in this dystopian YA novel. So far, so good, though I find the world-building a little confusing. That’s not unusual for me, though (one reason I am wary of fantasy and sci-fi books). I plan to review this one.

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Leningrad by Anna Reid: I’ve been reading this one for a while but haven’t made a huge amount of progress. I was expecting it to be more composed of personal anecdotes of those who lived throug the Siege of Leningrad, but so far, while there are some of those, there’s also a lot of big picture stuff about the war, troop movements, Hitler and Stalin, etc. This doesn’t interest me quite as much, especially when it gets very military-focused – battle stuff bores me to tears. I still have hopes, though. I am having trouble keeping all of the Russian names straight – I wish there were a glossary or something similar to help me with that.

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The Vizard Mask by Diana Norman: I have heard about this book forever – I think Jayne is a fan, perhaps? Having caught up with the late author’s medieval mystery series (written as Ariana Franklin), I broke down and ordered this from overseas. I’m about 2/3 through it and enjoying it a lot. Penitence Hurd, colonial Puritan turned London actress turned mistress to royalty is a unique and fascinating character. I have to say, I have read a lot of books featuring Charles II lately, and I swear I like him less each time I read about him. Seriously, he appears to have been a real douche canoe, both as a monarch and a man.

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Until next time,

Jennie

The rules for Author Promo Night Open Thread are as follows:

Don’t forget you can check out the new [...]]]> Got a book you want to talk about? Frustrated with a book or series? In love with a new one? Found a buried treasure? An issue that keeps popping up in the books you are reading? Just want to chat about stuff in general? Post away.

Don’t forget you can check out the new releases at our Coming Soon page.

Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla One day I’ll find a female assassin book that satisfies me. One day. And maybe the heroine will [...]]]> Despite all my hopes for more time to read, I still managed to get swallowed up by the holidays. Oh well. Still, here’s what I read during the month of December.

Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla
One day I’ll find a female assassin book that satisfies me. One day. And maybe the heroine will be something other than a redhead! (Full review.)

Agony/Ecstasy edited by Jane Litte
I will of course offer the disclaimer that this antho is edited by DA’s owner, who is my fearless leader and also my friend. I figure anyone reading this already knows that but just in case, for transparency’s sake. The anthology offers a variety of stories in different genres and categories, which I liked. It might have been nice to see more types of kink — I do feel like spanking might have been overrepresented but that might be more a personal perception than due to any hard numbers.

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
Maybe I need to accept the fact that soft fantasy is not for me. Is soft fantasy even a category? What I mean by this is fantasy with very weak, hand-wavy worldbuilding that depends very strongly on a reader’s assumption that all fantasy takes place in a pseudo-medieval European-esque setting. Obviously, I take issue with that on several levels but honestly, the world was so generic and vague. Combined with a romantic relationship I detested (sorry, it’s not in me to cheer for a hero who physically abuses the heroine and no, I do not think he was “justified” at all) and a plot that hinged on a mistaken assumption that really should not have been assumed in the first place, this book was a whole lot of fail. I don’t even know how I finished it. Full review to come.

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A few months ago, Michelle West released six previously published short stories related to her DAW books in digital format. I’d already read a couple of them but it was nice of her to offer me the chance to reread them as well as the other four I hadn’t. I figured it’d be an excellent way to prepare for reading Skirmish, the next installment in her House War series. (Freebie download here)

“Echoes” – This is one of the two stories I’d already read. It’s technically set during Sea of Sorrows (part of the Sun Sword series) and is a glimpse into Kallandras’s past and how he first became an assassin. I think the thing that surprises me the most about this story was the revelation that Kallandras was originally born in Annagar. A lesser clan, to be sure, but Annagar, nevertheless.

“Huntbrother” – This is my favorite story of the six. It tells the story of Lady Cynthia and what happened to her after the Hunter duology. We did catch a peek at her godborn son in The Sun Sword but I always wondered what happened to poor Cynthia after Stephen died and she made her deal with the Hunter god. It’s a graceful story and one I greatly enjoyed, of a woman who loved, lost, learned to love again, and raised the son of a god in a way that broke all tradition.

“The Black Ospreys” – This is the story of how Duarte formed the Black Ospreys. Self-explanatory. It didn’t really hit any of my buttons, which is a surprise because I loved the Ospreys in the Sun Sword books but then I realized that’s because I loved Auralis, Kiriel’s interactions with them once she joins, and how Valedan insinuates himself into their circle and the force that was created to kill Annagarians now must protect one. Since that’s not the focus of this story at all, it’s no surprise I was ambivalent.

“Weapon” – An origin story about the foundations of the Empire and what drove a woman to vanish and then come back with two half-god sons who’d go on and become the Kings of Justice and Wisdom.

“Warlord” – I recall hearing about this story several years ago and how it told Avandar’s origins. Because of that, I’m not sure if I built it up in my head but this was kind of underwhelming. And also, somewhat irritating because it tells the story of Jewel and Avandar’s meeting again. I don’t know. I apparently have a tic about this sort of authorial retreading.

“Memory of Stone” – This is the other story I’ve previously read and it focuses on the Makers Guild, which is the group that’s rarely featured in the books. It’s a story about genius and madness that reminds me about the one stable truth of this fantasy world: there is always a price and that when it comes to saving the world, sacrifices must be made even if they are at your own expense.

Right now, I’ve started to read Skirmish by Michelle West. I’m reading it a little slowly, mostly because I’m torn between excitement and dread. Excitement because this is the first novel set in the present timeline of the universe (finally). Dread because I’m not sure I can handle all the tension (ha). Has anyone else ever felt that way when reading a book?

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So what about you guys? Have you read any of these? What about other memorable reads this month?

The first commenter in December was Jia (334792) and the last one was Anonymous (342603). According to mysql database, the comments started at number 334792 and ended at 342603. Using random.org and those numbers, the winning comment number was 337694 and that was a comment made [...]]]>
The winner of the December electronic reading device is DM.

The first commenter in December was Jia (334792) and the last one was Anonymous (342603). According to mysql database, the comments started at number 334792 and ended at 342603. Using random.org and those numbers, the winning comment number was 337694 and that was a comment made by DM on The Villian:

A good villain is the hero of his own story. There’s no reason we can’t have nuanced villains in romance–other than the time and effort it takes to create them. Quite simply, they are harder to write. You can’t just throw them against the hero and heroine time and time again–you have to figure out exactly why they are doing what they are doing–and why they continue to do it. What is their goal? The hero and heroine must stand in the villain’s way. If they don’t, then why is the villain hunting them across the country or hatching ever more elaborate plots to kill them? The problem with Snidely Whiplash villains is that the reader knows on a deep and instinctive level that the danger they pose is not real.

We are going to continue to give away one device on month.  Do you guys like having one random commenter picked? I feel like it rewards the regular visitors but if you have other ideas, I’m open to them.

We do the giveaway as a thank you for using our affiliate links.  There are links in the sidebar and I added an Amazon search bar for your convenience.  The links at the bottom of each review post serve as affiliate portals as well.  We appreciate you using those links for your purchases.

The rules for Author Promo Night Open Thread are as follows:

The book has to be [...]]]> Welcome to the January Promotional Thread for Authors. What’s this you say? I read quite a few blogs outside the romance blogosphere and many of the big ones have a daily open thread where the commenters drive the bus.

The rules for Author Promo Night Open Thread are as follows:

The book has to be released in that month (i.e., anything released during the last week of December would be a January release)
You can post for yourself or you can have a friend post for you if the idea of posting about your book paralyzes you .
No self published authors unless you write romance. No, I am not a POD hater, I am just thinking about the manageability of the thread.
Think about the readership. I.e., does your non fiction book about psoriasis really fit?
This one is more of a guideline than a rule, but be smart about your comment because if it is just a link to your website and the title of your book, I doubt you are going to get any interest.
DA reserves the right to delete the post if it promotes objectionable content (i.e., no daddy/daughter incest recommends are going to be allowed. Sorry.)
That’s it. Post away.

Don’t forget we have the coming soon catalog here [...]]]> Got a book you want to talk about? Frustrated with a book or series? In love with a new one? Found a buried treasure? An issue that keeps popping up in the books you are reading? Just want to chat about stuff in general? Post away.

Don’t forget we have the coming soon catalog here where you can see a listing by covers. We’ve created an Amazon Store where you can buy both the print and kindle versions as well as see our Recommended Reads (this will be updated). Finally, if you would rather just see a simple list, check out this page with links and this list for the backlist titles released by Harlequin in January.

The first commenter in November was Las and the last one was Angie. According to mysql database, the comments started at number 322059 and ended at 334713. Using random.org and those numbers, the winning comment number was 325979 and that was a comment made by Kaetrin on [...]]]> The winner of the November electronic reading device is Kaetrin.

The first commenter in November was Las and the last one was Angie. According to mysql database, the comments started at number 322059 and ended at 334713. Using random.org and those numbers, the winning comment number was 325979 and that was a comment made by Kaetrin on The Virtuoso.

In December we will be giving away a Kindle Fire and I’ll announce that on January 1. I’ll be doing it the same way by using random.org to choose a random number between the first commenter in December and the last one.

We will continue to give away one digital reader away a month in 2012 as a thank you for all the readers who use the affiliate links.  Thank you all for making Dear Author a great place.  The comments really elevate Dear Author and make it into the vibrant community that we all love.

Steampunk! edited by Kelly Link and Gavin Grant An anthology of steampunk stories that covers the spectrum. I like the variety of settings, characters, genres, and ideas but overall, [...]]]> Apparently a vacation was exactly what I needed to kick me out of my reading funk. Here’s what I’ve been reading the past couple of weeks.

Steampunk! edited by Kelly Link and Gavin Grant
An anthology of steampunk stories that covers the spectrum. I like the variety of settings, characters, genres, and ideas but overall, there were only a couple standouts. On the other hand, there were only a couple stories I didn’t like. The rest were average. That tends to be about right in terms of how well anthologies work for me. I rarely love every single selection for an anthology. I just wish I could have discovered new authors I’d love to seek out rather than confirming what I already know. (Full review)

Open Minds by Susan Quinn A | BN | S | K
This is my first foray into the world of self-published YA fiction but it worked out well. It’s a SF novel in which due to mutations, humans have become telepathic. Unfortunately, this sucks for anyone who isn’t telepathic, such as the novel’s protagonist. It’s action-packed and there’s a lot of plot. Not a whole lot of the emo introspection you usually find in YA so if you’re looking for a change, this might be worth a try. Lots of good ideas and I definitely liked how the SF aspects were worked into this, showing how society changed with everyone becoming telepathic. Full review to come.

Hot as Hades by Alisha Rai
I felt like I’d been reading nothing but YA and fantasy for a while, so I wanted a change. I remembered January reviewing this a couple weeks ago and decided to give it a try since I was in the mood for a quick read. I’m a big fan of the Hades and Persephone myth despite all the twistedness about it. I enjoyed this and the whole uncle and adopted niece reminders didn’t really bother me. True, the tone was more modern than not but I guess in my head, they were still gods and I let it go.

Burning Skies by Caris Roane
I’ve had this one in my TBR pile for a while after joining the circle of shame several months ago and reading the first book, Ascension. I suppose I needed a crack replacement after giving up on the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Since the Alisha Rai novella put me in the mood for a full-length romance, I pulled this up on my Fire. I actually really enjoyed this a lot. As Jane mentioned in her review, this isn’t a cracky as its predecessor. I was a little surprised by that. I don’t think it’s entirely because I was inured to the badness so I’m not sure what the difference was. Did the writing improve? Or was the plot just not as over the top? The jury’s still out on that and now I have to get the next installment.

The Fallen Queen by Jane Kindred | A | BN |K | S
I made a note to read this after having enjoyed “The Devil’s Garden,” the novella Kindred wrote for Carina. As I’m coming learn, the beginning of Kindred’s works and I never get along. This time, I was presented with several pages of social hierarchy for the worldbuilding with lots of names and locations, and I was seriously wondering what I was getting into. But I made an effort to forget the glossary and just read the book, which worked out much better. (After I finished the novel, I went back and looked at the glossary and that was much easier to take since I had context.) As for the novel itself, it’s hard to describe in a few sentences. It’s sort of an angelic retelling (mirroring, really) of the Anastasia story in which the ruling angelic family is usurped and everyone is slaughtered except for one survivor who’s hidden in the world of men by a pair of demons. It’s very much an epic fantasy (and reads that way) but also takes place in modern times. It draws quite a bit on Russian lore and for the first time in quite a while, there’s a Faerie character who actually demonstrates how beautiful, frightening and disturbing the Fae can be. Overall, an enjoyable read for people wanting a little something different in their fantasy. Full review to come.

Currently, I’m reading Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla, which is either an urban fantasy or paranormal romance. I’m not completely sure which it’s supposed to be or if it’s a hybrid. It’s going all right so far. There are some parts I like and some parts that really annoy me. The big question in my mind, however, is why are there so many redheaded assassins?

So what about you guys? Read any of these? What did you think? Are the holidays, past and upcoming, treating you well in terms of reading time or has it been a struggle?

Another in my sporadic updates on what I’ve been reading…

Still reading Bleak House. Still. But: I finished The Brothers Karamazov and it was awesome! Okay, awesome is a bit strong, but finally, a big, important Russian novel that I felt connected to. It makes me want to read The Idiot soon. But not too soon. Also read:

Stories I [...]]]>

By Jennie

Another in my sporadic updates on what I’ve been reading…

Still reading Bleak House. Still. But: I finished The Brothers Karamazov and it was awesome! Okay, awesome is a bit strong, but finally, a big, important Russian novel that I felt connected to. It makes me want to read The Idiot soon. But not too soon. Also read:

Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe: Not sure why I picked this up, except that I’d heard it was better than the average star autobiography. I didn’t really think it was (better, that is). It was okay, but it read the way I imagine Lowe to be in real life: glib and a bit shallow. He sure was pretty when he was younger, though. I still remember all the girls at my middle school going to the first showing of The Outsiders when it premiered, and swooning over Soda Pop.

Goodreads | Amazon | BN | nook | Sony | Kobo

Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne: I was disappointed in this one. In Christine’s review, she touches on the equality of Adrian and Justine, but it was what I perceived as the lack of equality that continually frustrated me. It was one of those romances where the hero has to best the heroine constantly, just a little bit. That is something that bugs me enough in the normal course of things, but when the heroine *is* supposed to be the hero’s equal (in this case, in spying), and yet the reader is shown in a million little ways that he is more competent than she, it damn near maddens me. It reminds me of Anne Stuart’s Ice Storm, and then it’s “flames, flames on the side of my face!” time for me. Seriously, that book makes me want to punch a kitten, and I love kittens.

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 Bess of Hardwick by Mary S. Lovell: Man, if The Tudors didn’t prove it, I am reminded once again that life in Tudor England was dangerous. Not just for the poor and downtrodden, subject to all sorts of fatal diseases, but to the upper classes, who were also at the mercy of those diseases (though perhaps a bit better protected from them), and as well in danger of getting their heads lopped off. What I find strange is all the scheming people did back then, knowing what the consequences might be. I mean, I get the idea of ambition, in theory (in practice I find that ambition gets in the way of napping), but if decapitation is one of the possible outcomes, I’ll just stay at home in my drafty castle and mind my own business, thank you very much (note: some people did try this and STILL got their heads cut off; it wasn’t a foolproof system). So, Bess of Hardwick is especially noteworthy for being ambitious, successful, and so far, in no danger of being snuffed (unlike numerous poor souls around her). Of course, I’m not quite halfway through this biography yet, so who knows what might happen? So far, so good.

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 Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich: I managed to avoid the Stephanie Plum series entirely for the first decade and a half of its existence. I followed the Ranger-Morelli wars at a distance, but the series didn’t really interest me (I’m not a big mystery reader). Then I got sucked into reading the first book a couple of years ago for a book club thing. I was surprised to find that I actually rather liked it. It wasn’t my usual sort of book, to be sure. But it was very readable. Very easy and quick, and it didn’t require much brain power. I am sure that sounds like damning with faint praise, but darn it, sometimes that’s what I really want in a book. When I finished the first book, I wanted to read the second. And then then next, and the next, and the next. So now I’m on book 15. The weird thing is that whenever I start one of the Plum books it takes me a few chapters to really get into it. At first I kind of roll my eyes at the recitation of familiar Stephanie facts and the stereotypical behavior of the secondary characters. I find myself annoyed at Stephanie’s inevitable bumbling as some pathetic skip manages to outwit and escape her. But after a while I remember what I like about the world Evanovich has created – how familiar and comfortable it is, how I really do like most of the characters quite a bit. The humor is too broad and unrealistic for me to say that I find it very funny (I tend to like broad humor more on screen than on the page), and the mysteries are not usually hugely involving (though again, I’m just not much of a mystery fan in general), but somehow these books work for me. For the record, I am Team Ranger, though I like Morelli fine.

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 The September Queen by Gillian Bagwell: Earlier this year I read and reviewed Darling Strumpet so when the opportunity came along to read about another one of Charles II’s mistresses, I thought: sure, why not? Of course, if I read a book about ever woman he ever screwed, I will be reading about them for the rest of my life. Jane Lane (I think her parents might have given a bit more thought to her Christian name, but that’s just me) was actually an early conquest of Charles (at least according to this story); they met when he was on the run from Cromwell’s forces, before the Restoration. Anyway, I will be reviewing this, but so far, I’m finding Jane a little annoyingly googly-eyed over hot Charles. At 25, she’s actually several years his senior, and practically ancient for a woman of that era, so I have little patience for her swooning. But there’s a lot of book left, and I’m curious to see where the story will go from here.

Goodreads | Amazon | BN | nook | Sony | Kobo

Until next time,

Jennie

The rules for Author Promo Night Open Thread are as follows:

The book has to be [...]]]> Welcome to the December Promotional Thread for Authors. What’s this you say? I read quite a few blogs outside the romance blogosphere and many of the big ones have a daily open thread where the commenters drive the bus.

The rules for Author Promo Night Open Thread are as follows:

The book has to be released in that month (i.e., anything released during the last week of November would be a December release)
You can post for yourself or you can have a friend post for you if the idea of posting about your book paralyzes you .
No self published authors unless you write romance. No, I am not a POD hater, I am just thinking about the manageability of the thread.
Think about the readership. I.e., does your non fiction book about psoriasis really fit?
This one is more of a guideline than a rule, but be smart about your comment because if it is just a link to your website and the title of your book, I doubt you are going to get any interest.
DA reserves the right to delete the post if it promotes objectionable content (i.e., no daddy/daughter incest recommends are going to be allowed. Sorry.)
That’s it. Post away.