Weekly Reading Round-Up
My reading this week is cloaked in a veil of mystery. Nope, nothing quite that exciting. I’m judging a contest and, for obvious reasons, have to keep mum about which books I’ve reviewed.
In the meantime, though, I’m dying to know what you’ve been reading! What have you been reading this week?
I’ve read The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simsion and it was fabulous! I can’t recommend it enough to every one!
I also finished Bet Me, by Jennifer Crusie and loved it…
Someone loaned me The Paris Wife, so I’m reading that, and still working on The Girls of Atomic City (which I bought at The Poisoned Pen last summer). Oh, and lots of emails. 🙂
Ack website ate my comment so apologies if this posts multiple times. I wish I could be at the Brooklyn event on Tuesday because I read new books by both Beatriz/Julianna (How to Master Your Marquis) and Susanna (Splendour Falls). Loved them both!
I finished up Edith Wharton’s The Buccaneers, which I enjoyed though strongly wish she had lived to finish writing it. Also, totally didn’t know how much people disagree about the two endings that were created after her death.
Now I’m reading Ravenscliffe by Jane Sanderson, Yorkshire, coalminers, grand house party, the king being randy, the cook dying while dinner isn’t on the table… totally awesome!
Maryn Balogh recommended an author new to me, Sheri Cobb South, and I read a series of three: The Weaver Takes a Wife, Honeymoon in Brighton, and French Leave. They were absolutely wonderful. I also read two fun thrillers, Daniel Silva’s The English Girl, and White Fire by Preston/Child…great fun. I had a hard time getting into the Rosie Project, but once I did , it was very funny.
I love “The Rosie Project!” Halfway through “Keowee Valley” by Katherine Scott Crawford.” It reminds me quite a bit of “Into the Wilderness” by Sara Donati. I am loving it. It bucks a lot of irritating cliches, the writing is beautiful and very descriptive, it has an independent heroine and strong hero. Seriously, what’s not to like!?” I hope she writes more books soon!
I finished my Courtney Milan marathon. Read Countess Conspiracy and went back and bought the other books in Courtney’s Brothers SInister series. Loved each one!
Read a contemporary by Candis Terry, Anything But Sweet and enjoyed it.Great characters and a sense of community.
Am reading two books for a contest, too. ( not the same as Lauren’s contest!) and enjoying them!
I read The Lady Most Willing, which was very cute.
I also read The Black Hawk, one of the best spy romances of all time. If you haven’t read Joanna Bourne, you’re missing out. I recommend starting with The Spymaster’s Lady and reading them in order.
Joanna Bourne has been on my list of authors I must get round to reading one day for a long time – thanks for the reminder to actually get round and reading her. I’ve read a few things. Dark Witch by Nora Roberts – I enjoyed it but 12% of book (you can tell I was using an e-reader) as prologue in the 12th century, and same plot as Three Fates series, meant not her best effort. The Perfect Match by Kristan Higgins – good, but still can’t beat Just One of the Guys for me. I also dipped my toes into the world of steampunk for the first time, thanks to Miss Eliza’s If you Like post – I tried Soulless by Gail Carriger. I found the world quite confusing at first, but once I got into it, I really enjoyed it – as Miss Eliza said, it really was channeling Elizabeth Peters once you’d stripped away all the werewolves and vampires, so you can’t go wrong there.
Then, I started reading another author that lots of people on this thread love – the first Tasha Alexander book. I just couldn’t get into it – I think because I kept comparing it unfavourably to the Deanna Raybourn Julia/Brisbane series, which I love (also discovered through this thread) – please someone tell me it gets better and I should persevere. Instead I went for a reread of Mr Impossible by Loretta Chase – still as brilliant as on first reading.
Some of her books are great, some not so much, maybe because her heroine has such an inflated opinion of herself
The plotting of the mysteries gets more adept but the heroine remains really insufferable and, perhaps because we see it all through Emily’s eyes and hear it through her voice, the writing feels forced and overly flowery. I also kept unfavorably comparing them to the Lady Julia series, which I adore, and just couldn’t warm to Lady Emily or to the books. If you’re curious to read further but unsure if you want to make the investment you can probably find them in your local library, which is what I did.
Ditto ditto. I agree that the mysteries improve with each book but I also feel that the character development suffers in the later books. Deanna Raybourn does both equally well which is why I love her series.
Anna Lee Huber is another author who writes similar books. Lady Kiera had a first marriage to a much older gentleman who is now deceased, she solves mysteries, assisted by a charming man her own age who she may or may not hook up with. I enjoyed the first one (The Anatomist’s Wife) and the second is sitting on my Kindle (Mortal Arts). The heroine needs a little “snap out of it” every so often (people talk about her because her husband was… odd), and it’s not as dark as the Lady Julia books, but I think you’ll like it.
I loved both the Lady Emily and the Lady Julia books, but you really can’t compare them. The Emily books are much lighter in tone and I find myself laughing out loud at them in public places often. I get lots of strange looks at that. The Julia books are much darker and have a different atmosphere altogether. I quess one appeals to some readers over the other and everybody is different.
I do feel that the Lady Emily books get better and better as they go along. The last 2 have been fabulous. I am really disappointed that Deanna Raybourne has stopped writing the Lady Julia books. I thoroughly disliked A Spear Of Summer Grass and only got through the first third before i ditched it.
Suzanne, you might want to try Spear of Summer Grass again – it does get much better after the original character and story setup – that took some time. I, too, am disappointed that Deanna has stopped writing the Lady Julia books. I saw her at a panel discussion, and this is her publisher’s idea. They wanted her to do a series of Lady Julia novellas to later be printed together – the novellas are just too quick. There are several of my favorite authors whose publishers are trying to steer them away from what made them popular. Maybe the publishers need to hear from fans!!
Rachel, I actually enjoy both authors…. although you are right in that it might take a while to get into the one…… you might like Anna Lee Huber if you like Historical Mystery series and I love Kate Morton’s books….. just a suggestion…. 🙂 Laura
I’ve been on a Robert A. Heinlein rereading jag while I wait for new stuff. This week it was The Door into Summer and The Fantasies of Robert A. Heinlein.
I read The Book Thief by Zusak, Catherine Cookson’s The Maltese Angel, and Sharpe’s Escape by Bernard Cornwall.
I read “In Falling Snow” by Mary-Rose MacColl – very good, but intense at times. Also, Diana Palmer’s “The Winter Soldier” – modern day western romance, easy to read, but everything happens a little too quickly.
I finished The Ashford Affair and thought it was seriously fabulous. Really, really fantastic with gorgeous writing. You managed to make a sprawling plot (sprawling in a good way) very tight and the characters and settings were so evocative and alive. I just loved it!
There hasn’t been much reading going on in my world the last couple of weeks. I did read When Gods Die by C.S. Harris and have the next book waiting at the top of my reading pile.
I read the first Lady Emily book and plan to read the next one. I just had to return it to the library before I got to it. I enjoyed it. I thought Lady Emily was a little bit like Emma Woodhouse in that she thought highly of herself and her own opinions…personally that didn’t put me off the book.