Pretty quiet week this past week. The most excitement we had was my girls getting their hair cut – big event in Tracyland. lol I took my youngest because she had attempted to cut her own. I have to say that she did a damned good job but it still needed fixing. She figured if she was going to get a little cut then she wanted a new style. She pulled one off the internet and off we went (oldest was in Saturday detention at the time – oh joy). Here was the end result. (you can see all the hair that was cut off in the background of picture on the left – it was a lot!)
Then when we went to pick up my oldest she wanted her hair cut as well. We went home and ate lunch and watched a movie and then she too picked a style off of the internet and away we went. My girls don’t have a regular stylist they go to but the one that cut my youngest’s hair did such a good job and subsequently cut my oldest’s as well I think she’ll be their new girl. She did a fabulous job with both girls incorporating the pictures to fit their tastes and their hair. This is the oldest. (and yes, if she smiled her face would crack, in case you were wondering *sigh*) but she was thrilled with the result even though she doesn’t show it:
I think they’re both adorable!
I’m not sure if I mentioned it perviously but before I went down to Holly’s a couple of weeks ago I took the bull by the horns and went through my TBR and tried to be brutally honest with myself. I had a lot of books that I had gotten from book swaps or that people had sent me and I had to ask myself, “am I really going to read this any time soon…or ever”? Well when it was all said and done I’d taken almost 100 books off of my shelves. I took them to Holly’s and let the girls take whatever they wanted. I then took them to my friends Jen and Jenn and let them go through them and then I donated about 50 books to the library. So this Sunday I spent some time (ok, a long damn time) going through all of the books on my shelves that were left over as well as all of the books on my stick drive where I keep my ebooks and added all of the books that I have, that I haven’t read, to my Goodreads TBR. I ended up with 601. That’s just wrong – especially since I’d just gotten rid of 98 or so! lol There were also some ebooks that I had read that weren’t rated on Goodreads so I did that too. One more thing that I get to mark off my to do list!
So on to what I read this past week:
FYI – I completely failed on my Tracy’s TBR challenge read for this past week. I’ll try to do better next week. *hangs head*
I started off with Passion: Erotic Romance for Women edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel. This was a collection of short erotic romance stories. Some were really good – some disturbed me a bit but overall it was a good set of stories. I read this for The Book Binge and will let you know when my review posts. 3.5 out of 5
Next up was Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt. The story of Temperance who runs a foundling home with her brother, Winter, in a very bad part of the city. Temperance is approached by Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, who wants Temperance help him find someone since she knows the area of London, St. Giles, very well. Temperance helps Lord Caire but she gets more than she bargains for since there’s a powerful person in St. Giles who doesn’t want Lord Caire finding the killer of his mistress, and wants Temperance out of St. Giles completely. I loved this book. I thought it was so well done with the romance as well as the suspense portion of the book. Then there were the secondary characters that we got to meet – one that stood out the most, Silence, Temperance’s sister. Her story was heart wrenching and I ached for her by the end of the book. So good! 5 out of 5
My next read was a novella called Arctic Winds by Sondrae Bennett. This was the story of a fox shifter who is shunned by her skulk (fox pack) and has been on the move for the past 4 years. She makes her way into a town but since she has a cold can’t pick up the scent and the fact that she’s landed right in the middle of a wolf pack town. And who wants her from the minute he catches her scent? The alpha of the wolf pack, of course. The story covers their romance and it was cute. 3 out of 5
Next up was Primal by Lora Leigh, Michelle Rowen, Jory Strong and Ava Gray. This 4 story anthology was a good one. I hadn’t read either Strong or Rowen so they were new to me. I really liked all of the stories except the Strong one didn’t agree with me very well but even that was well done. I read this for The Book Binge so will let you know when my review posts. Overall rating 4 out of 5
RiverTime by Rae Renzi was my next read. This was a really good story about 2 people who are stranded in the Grand Canyon, what they experience and how that experience changes their lives when they get back to civilization. I’ll be posting my review this week so keep your eyes peeled. 🙂
I was so excited that my copy of Notorious Pleasures by Elizabeth Hoyt came into the library since I’d just finished the previous book in the series. This book was just as good as the first. The romance between Hero and Griffin was just wonderful and again the secondary characters were great. We got to read more about Silence, we got to know more about Hero’s brother who’s a Duke and her sister – Phoebe. Poor Phoebe, I certainly hope we get to know her a little better in future books. This also included an excerpt to Silence’s book which releases in Nov. and I just can’t wait to read it! 5 out of 5
Last for the week was Hammer & Air by Amy Lane. This was an amazing story/fairy tale that is about 2 boys from an orphanage who find themselves on the run. The more I think about this story the more I think I need to review it so I think I’ll post it on Wednesday.
My Book Binge review that posted this past week:
Happy Reading!
Tracy! The girls look gorgeous! Those great haircuts make them shine even more! Such pretty girls. Even the eldest without the smile. My youngest is the same. 😉
As for the huge TBR… embrace it! I happen to think it is awesome. 🙂
I am SO reading the Hoyt series asap. Hilcia gave me her copy of Wicked Intentions last fall… why oh why is it still sitting there unread!??
River Time sounds good.
I have Hammer & Air. Why haven't I read it?!?
Their hair turned out really cute! It almost makes me rethink my "no layers" rule (why, yes, I was deeply scarred by the 80s, why do you ask?).
Christine – Thank you! I thought the cuts turned out really cute.
Embrace the HUGE TBR? Hmmm…a new concept – something to think about. lol
I passed by Wicked Intentions too when I saw it in the book swap boxes…several times. What the heck was I thinking? lol
Chris – Read Hammer & Air. So good!
The layers do look good on the girls and makes me rethink shorter layers. I normally (when my hair is cut properly) long layers otherwise my hair is too thick and bulky. Of course since my hair is falling out at the speed of light I may get to do shorter layers. lol I'm getting my hair cut in another week or so, so we'll see.
They look cute, even if not smiling. LOL
Looking forward to your review of Hammer and Air. I have it in my TBR, must get to it soon as I love Amy's work.
Your girls are cute 🙂
I LOVED those two Hoyt books!!! Can't wait for Silence!
The girls look great! I ove the haircuts! So sassy.
And the Hoyt books seriously rock. Christine – you MUST read them!
Your girls are beautiful!
Looks like you had a good reading week. I haven't read any of these although Amy's sounds interesting.
You need to stop tempting me with these m/f historicals. I love Elizabeth Hoyt, but I already bought the one you recommended last week so no more for now or I'll end up with a TBR pile as big as yours :P.
Your girls look lovely with their new hair cuts and they also look so much like you, especially your youngest!
Love the haircuts, very cute!
I had to laugh out loud at your "her face would crack if she smiled" comment because my teenager is exactly the same way!
The expression on your oldest daughters face is what I see reflected on my teens face daily! I keep telling me teen to stop looking like she wants to gnaw someones legs off- she responds with a growl. *shakes head in despair*
Teens! What are we going to do with them?! LOL
Great post!
🙂
MsM
New haircuts are so much fun, how did you resist getting one for yourself?
Hammer & Air caught my eye a while back. I look forward to your review.
😀
Tam – Thanks.
Yes, the Hammer & Air was good. It's a shame it had to sit in my TBR for even a month but there are so many books to read! lol
Mandi – Thanks!
Yes, the Hoyt books are just wonderful. I love her writing. Silence *sigh* poor girl – I can't wait for her to get her HEA!
Lori – Sassy – good word for my girls and their hair! lol
Yes, Christine MUST!
Lily – The Lane is really great. Not a fast paced read but so beautiful.
Jenre – Well my job here isn't done unless I tempt SOMEONE to read the books I read! lol
You think the kids look like me? Funny – most people say they look like my hubby. I think my youngest looks like my oldest sister and her oldest daughter but who am I to say? lol
Ms M. – Seriously – why can't they be less belligerent? lol Teens are crazy – it's amazing that we turned in to such wonderful adults. 😉
SVZ – I resisted because I have an appointment with my girl on the 15th. For a myriad of reasons I haven't had my hair cut since last August which is crazy since I usually go every 6 weeks. I'm debating – should I just trim it or cut it all off? I need to decide! 🙂
I love getting new haircuts! It's like a whole new version of myself… Miranda 5.0!
The haircuts look great! Love the layering on both. My teen is long over due for a cut & she'll probably have the same expression as your oldest does. LOL
The Renzi sounds really good – I'll have to add that to my list.
Loved, loved, loved the Hoyts! Just finished Notorious Pleasures & want Silence's book now please!
The girls are sooo cute, Tracy!! LOL at your oldest not smiling 😉 She's really in that phase, right? ^_^;
Another great reading week 🙂 The Hoyt books are really getting good reviews 🙂