Monthly Reads: September 2011

Posted October 13, 2011 by Holly in Features | 24 Comments


Holly: September was another slow reading month for me. I did read a better balance of contemporary and historical, though. Last month I kind of binged on contemps and I was close to burnout. I’m not fully recovered yet, but I’m working on it.

  1. Hearts and Swords by Robin D. Owens 4/5
  2. Isabella and The English Witch by Loretta Chase 3.75/5
  3. The Pirate Prince by Gaelen Foley (re-read) 4/5
  4. To Wed a Wild Lord by Sabrina Jeffries 4/5
  5. England’s Perfect Hero by Suzanne Enoch (re-read) 4.75/5
  6. Real Men Will by Victoria Dahl 3.25/5
  7. Heartstrings and Diamond Rings by Jane Graves 3.5/5
  8. Baby, Don’t Go by Stephanie Bond 3/5
  9. Changing the Game by Jaci Burton 4/5
  10. Stand-In Wife by Karina Bliss 3.75/5
  11. Never Enough by Lauren Dane 3.5/5
  12. The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashely (re-read) 4/5
  13. Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase (re-read) 5/5

As you can see, I re-read some of my favorite books this month. England’s Perfect Hero and Lord of Scoundrels are two of my most favorite historical romances ever. There aren’t many books I finish that I could immediately start again, but these fall into that category. Neither is perfect, but the flaws are overshadowed by the amazing characterizations and beautiful story lines. I highly recommend you read them if you haven’t already.

My favorite read of the month (that wasn’t a re-read) was To Wed a Wild Lord by Sabrina Jeffries. I’m starting to get sad that the series is nearing its end. Just one more sibling to go! An honorable mention goes to The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley. This is another historical series that’s not to be missed. My least favorite read of the month was Baby, Don’t Go by Stephanie Bond. I was hoping it would be more on par with the first book in the series, but alas, no. Too bad, because the premise is such a good one.

Rowena: September was a pretty good reading month for me. Can’t really complain, I read a lot for Book Binge this month so that’s always a good thing for the blog. I enjoyed a lot of the books I read but there were a few that I wanted to chuck out my window. Here’s my list:

To the Moon and Back by Jill Mansell. (4.5 out of 5)
Past Perfects by Leila Sales. (5 out of 5)
In the Arms of a Marquess by Katharine Ashe. (3 out of 5)
Black Ties and Lullabies by Jane Graves. (4.5 out of 5)
Cosmo’s Sexiest Stories by Jane Green, Jennifer Weiner and Meg Cabot. (1.5 out of 5)
Something So Right by Elyse Mady. (4 out of 5)
Don’t Mess with Texas by Christie Craig. (4 out of 5)
The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross. (3 out of 5)
Unclaimed by Courtney Milan. (4.75 out of 5)
Only His by Susan Mallery. (3 out of 5)
In Total Surrender by Anne Mallory. (4 out of 5)
What a Duke Wants by Lavinia Kent. (4 out of 5)
Conspiracies (Shadow Grail #2) by Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edghill. (DNF)
There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones. (3.25 out of 5)
In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster by Stephanie Laurens. (3 out of 5)
If I Tell by Janet Gurtler. (3 out of 5)
Heartstrings and Diamond Rings by Jane Graves. (4.5 out of 5)

My favorite read of the month goes to Past Perfect by Leila Sales which is a YA book that had me laughing throughout the entire book. I enjoyed getting to know both the main character and her wacky co workers but my favorite romance novel of the month goes to Unclaimed by Courtney Milan. Mark Turner is super sexy and I heart him big time. My least favorite reads go to Cosmo’s Sexiest Stories Ever by Jane Green, Jennifer Weiner and Meg Cabot which was too short and too eye roll worthy and the other book that I didn’t even like enough to finish was Conspiracies by Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edgill. That book was too much of a downer for me and I finally gave up a little more than halfway through. Oh well.

Casee: I’m late adding to this post and I blame it completely on work. My big total for the month was eight books read. Yep.

1. Sweet Justice by Christy Reece
2. In Close by Brenda Novak
3. The Heart of a Killer by Jaci Burton
4. Garden of Secrets by Barbara Freethy
5. Never Enough by Lauren Dane
6. Within the Flames by Marjorie M. Liu
7. Blood and Fire by Shannon McKenna
8. Cheri On Top by Susan Donovan

This month we’re giving away:

The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley
Unclaimed by Courtney Milan
Blood and Fire by Shannon McKenna

If you want to be entered to win, leave a comment on this post telling us what your favorite – and least favorite – reads of the month were. Also, be sure to tell us what book you’re interested in reading. You can put your name in for more than one book, but you’ll only be allowed to win one, so choose wisely.

So…what was your favorite read of the month? And your least favorite?


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24 responses to “Monthly Reads: September 2011

  1. There are so many books in my TBR pile that I haven’t read anything new in the last couple of months, so I don’t have a favorite or least favorite that I have read. I love almost all of them. I am looking forward to reading Sabrina Jeffrie’s book, To Wed A wild Lord. I have reaally enjoyed the series. As for which book I would like to win, I guess I will say The Many Sins of Lord Camereon by Jennifer Ashley.

  2. I had 4 5✭ reads in september, according to my Goodreads:
    Tana French’s In the Woods (Mystery)
    Mira Grant’s Feed (Horror/Zombie)
    Bill Willingham’s Fables (graphic novel)
    Zoe Archer’s Stranger (historical pnr)

    I love how The Stranger tied up the Blades of the Rose quartet!

    I didn’t have any reads that I didn’t like. More like a couple of “meh” reads. Maggie Stiefvater’s Forever stands out for me, since it was the conclusion to a trilogy, and I LOVED the 1st book in it.

  3. Luci

    September wasn’t a bad reading month -its October that is turning out to be dismal. My favourite September read was Vonda Sinclair’s My Wild Highlander. My least favourite Michele Sinclair’s The Christmas Knight.

    I read both books you are giving and they were great!

  4. I didn’t read much this past month. I re-read Jeaniene Frost’s Halfway to the Grave(with bonus material) on my Kindle, so it was nice to revisit the beginning of Cat and Bone’s romance. A historical romance I enjoyed is Sylvia Day’s Seven Years to Sin.

  5. Best read of the month is a tie between Catherine Anderson’s KEEGAN’S LADY – a re-read favorite of mine and Kathryn Kennedy’s MY UNFAIR LADY.

    My worst read was Laurie London’s EMBRACED BY BLOOD. I would love to read The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Ashley – I’ve loved the others in the series. annhonATaolDOTcom

  6. Kim

    My favorite book of the month was Serendipity by Carly Phillips and my least favorite was Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen.

    @Holly – I’ve never read Lord of Scoundrels, but keep hearing good things about it.

    If I win, I’d like Unclaimed by Courtney Milan.

    penfield716(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

  7. MD

    Hmm… September was a slow month for me, entertaining too many visitors. So little to choose from. My favorite would be J D Robb “Treachery in Death”. Least favorite – Balogh “The Secret Mistress”. I in general love Balogh, but I found two of her last books, “Secret Affair” and “Secret Mistress”, much too preachy and bothersome.

    And I would love to win the Milan’s “Unclaimed”. Though both of those books come from the authors I love 😉

  8. Been reading a mix of both old and new books lately. A favorite was Sweet As Sin by Inez Kelly. A very intense read. My absolutely least favorite was Care Package by Jazz Steele. A m/m story with weak character development and a storyline full of nonsense. I do have the Sabrina Jeffries book on my reader and look forward to reading it.

    I’d love to win the Jennifer Ashley book. Love that series.

    joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com

  9. Di

    I haven’t read anything latley that I haven’t enjoyed. Right now I’m reading Stephanie Sloane’s Young Corinthian books (#1-3) and will look for the rest when they come out (I think we have to wait til next year).
    Before that I was reading Lori Foster (When You Dare & Trace of Fever). Before that was Nora Roberts Bride Quartet. It’s been a great reading run!
    Both books this month look great, but if I have to choose I’d say The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley

    sallans d at yahoo dot com

  10. Anonymous

    Three books that I really liked in September were One Grave at a Time by by Jeaniene Frost, Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh, and Pirate King by Laurie R. King. The least enjoyed was Shadow Fall by Seressia Glass – and that’s only because I felt I should like it better than I did. (Which sounds stupid now that I think about it, btw!)

    The Many Sins of Lord Cameron is my choice if I win.

    Mickie T
    mdturett at juno dot com

  11. I had a great reading month in September. My favorites were Noble Intentions by Katie MacAlister, a hilarious Regency farce that I picked up for $.99, Fatal Consequences, romantic suspense by Marie Force, and The Battle Sylph, a fantasy romance by LJ McDonald. Really didn’t have any bad reads in the month, which is pretty rare for me.

    I’d be thrilled with either Unclaimed or The Many Sins of Lord Cameron. Both are on my wishlist.
    jen at delux dot com

  12. I read 16 books in September, and liked them all. My favorite was Nalini Singh’s Archangel’s Blade. If I win, I’d love Unclaimed. Thanks.

  13. I think my favorite was an older book that I just read, The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley. I also really enjoyed The Many Sins of Lord Cameron. Please enter me for Unclaimed.
    mce1011 AT aol DOT com

  14. Favourite this month was Unclaimed by Courtney Milan. So good!

    Least favourite Lightning that Lingers by Sharon and Tom Curtis – too dated for me I think.

    I’d love to win The Many Sins of Lord Cameron. 🙂

  15. I’m currently re-reading Eloisa James’ Much Ado about marriage. Just finished Ashley March’s Romancing the Countess which I enjoyed very much and I’m waiting for The Many Sins of Lord Cameron to be delivered.

    So if I won I’d like a copy of Unclaimed.

  16. Anonymous

    loved blazes by debbi rawlins
    extra innings love baseball

    did not enjoy vicki thompsn
    blaze

    gret prizes thanks
    would like to read shannon mckenna whoo
    kim h

  17. Ina

    I had a pretty good month and therefore no least favorite book, but the book I enjoyed the most was Skinwalker by Faith Hunter – it was an amazing read and I can’t wait to read the next books in the series!
    I would love to win Blood and Fire 🙂
    greetings, Ina

    inale87 at gmx dot at

  18. I’ve read a lot of good books in September. I think my favourite would have to be a tie between Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead and Make Me, Sir by Cherise Sinclair, because both were great books from authors I love. Least favourite would be Desire’s Edge by Eden Bradley, it was just really disappointing and I didn’t connect with the characters at all.
    I’d love to enter for any of the books, though particularly the Courtney Milan one (oh and I’m internation, but is that okay??). Thanks!

    jessicamariesutton(at)msn(dot)com

  19. Anonymous

    Oh, so hard to choose… Unclaimed was wonderful, so was Attachments — but that happened to also be the month I read Sunshine and Shadow by Sharon and Tom Curtis and that one’s hard to top.

    For least favorite, I’d go with All That Glitters by Linda Howard. I was in the mood for a fabulous wallbanger, but just got a wallbanger.

    I hope this entry isn’t too late (am still catching up after a trip.) Would love a chance to win the new Shannon McKenna.

    — willaful

  20. i seem to be in reread mood lately. I’ve read only six books in September and four of them were rereads. My favourite was England’s Perfect Hero by Suzanne Enoch. I love that book! My least favourite was a SuperRomance by Helen Brenna. It was ok but nothing I would read again.

    I’d love to win either The Many Sins of Lord Cameron or Blood and Fire, please.
    Thank you for the giveaway!

    claudigc at msn dot com

  21. Pam S (pams00)

    I’ve not gotten to read as much this month unfortunately. I’d have to say one of my fav recent reads was The Heart of a Killer by Jaci Burton. I can’t say that I really had a least as the others were all enjoyable.

    I’d be happy to win any of the three :).

    pams00 @ aol.com

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