What I Read Last Week

Posted October 10, 2011 by Tracy in Features | 5 Comments

Hey there!

I’m writing this lovely post straight from lovely downtown Madison, Alabama. Ok, maybe not exactly downtown but close enough. 🙂 I’m here visiting my sister before I head down to NOLA GayRomLit. I flew in yesterday and got here in the afternoon. My sister and her hubby then took me on a personal tour of United Launch Alliance (where my b-i-l works) and I got to see where the Delta and Atlas rockets are built. I actually stuck my head into a rocket that was about 90% built.

My head was in the center part near the top. lol

It was pretty freakin cool to walk through that huge place and see how each piece is made. I have to say a lot of it was WAY over my head (my brain just doesn’t work that way, ya know?) but I loved it. We then went out for some great German food and I got to eat schnitzel for the first time.

I had to get up at 2:30 in the morning to catch my 6am plane yesterday so I was asleep pretty early (for me) but now I’m rarin to go. We don’t actually have plans for the day but when we do…I’m up for it! Lol

I’m sure there was stuff that I want to tell you about this past week but frankly I can’t remember a thing right now. Lol

Since my brain’s in stall mode I’ll just get to what I read last week:

First up was Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh. The story continued from the last book but this one wasn’t about Elena and Raphael this was the story of Dmitri, Raphael’s second. Dmitri gets involved in a case with Honor is a Guild Hunter and they have an amazing connection. They also investigate some murders. I loved this book. I thought Dmitri was a great character and I loved seeing him in a closer way than we’ve seen him in previous books. I read this one for The Book Binge so I’ll let you know when my review posts. 5 out of 5

Next up was What a Duke Wants by Lavinia Kent. This was a great historical that I really enjoyed reading. You can read more about the book and my review here if you’d like. 4 out 5

Next up was Chicken Ranch: Hunger by Amanda Young. The story is about an 18 year old guy who comes out to his father and gets kicked out of the house. After being on the street he finds out about an all male brothel called Chicken Ranch. He decides to check it out as he’s desperate and ends up working there. He’s a virgin until Killian comes along and makes it great for him. Killian and Declan run into each other later and actually start dating though Declan is still working at CR. They have their issues but still fall in love and deal with it all. It was a great story of love and hope and I really liked it. 3.75 out of 5

Next was a free story called Once Upon a Dragon by Jambrea Jo Jones. This was a choose you own m/m story from Kris’s blog and it was a good one. It was simple, short and a destined mates story and it just hit me the right way. About shapeshifting dragons and one finds his destined mate living in a tower that he thought was deserted. 4 out of 5

My next read was If It Ain’t Love by Tamara Allen. Also a free short story, this one took place in the great depression and is about two men who meet in the Bowery and decide to share some time. That time turns into a relationship that sweet and loving. The story was quite poignant in the descriptions of the desperation felt by the people living in that time – the bread lines and need for a job – just very realistic. A great read. 4.5 out of 5

Next was Bridges by M.J. O’Shea – another free short. The story follows Dallas and Brooklyn in their hatred for each other starting in the 3rd grade. The pair grow up hating each other but then start working together after high school graduation. They find that they really can get along and end up falling in love. I loved this story so much! There was just something about the boys and their hatred turned love that really got to me and I couldn’t get enough of them. 5 out of 5

Angels of Darkness by Meljean Brook, Nalini Singh, Sharon Shinn and Ilona Andrews was a book about angels. I really liked all of the stories in this book. I adore Andrews, Brook and Singh’s writing so I knew I’d like those. Shin’s and Andrews ended up being a bit of a surprise. Shin I’d never read but I really liked the story about a blind angel and the woman who helps him deal with life. Andrews’ story was a bit of surprise as well as it was a new world that they introduced about demons and aliens and though it was different I really liked it and can’t wait to read more about it. I read this one for The Book Binge. 4 out of 5

Last on the list for the week was another book I read for The Book Binge called A Bride Unveiled by Jillian Hunter. I really liked this book. It even had some things in it that I usually don’t care for and I still really liked it. It was the story of childhood friends finding each other again. Yes, the woman is engaged when they meet but it’s like she hardly knows her fiancé. No excuse to cheat on him but it still worked for me. I’ll let you know when my review posts. 4.5 out of 5

My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:
Serpent’s Kiss by Thea Harrison

Happy Reading!!

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Tagged: Amanda Young, Ilona Andrews, Jambrea Jo Jones, Jillian Hunter, Lavinia Kent, M.J. O'Shea, Meljean Brook, Nalini Singh, Sharon Shinn, Tamara Allen, The Book Binge, What I Read Last Week, What I've Been Reading This Week

Guest Review: Appealing Proposal by Jambrea Jo Jones

Posted July 16, 2010 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 1 Comment

Judith’s review of Appealing Proposal by Jambrea Jo Jones.

Attorney Becca Scott doesn’t have time for a relationship. She’s worked hard to prove herself to the old boys’ club and now it’s her time to shine. She certainly doesn’t have time for the tempting Samson Roust. He’s totally lickable, but sex with the boss is never a good idea, unless you draw up a contract to protect yourself. At least, it seems like a great idea to Becca.

Samson, however, knows his passion can’t be contained by a silly document. He lures Becca to his house for a meeting and the case of Scott vs. Roust gets some much-needed deep probing of the personal kind.

This is one of those “quickie” reads from Ellora’s Cave and it a very cute story. But this lady really could take the prize for one up-tight female, although those women who are active in the legal field and the corporate world know that no matter how many power-red suits one owns, the gals still get stuck with most of the grunt work. Becca is determined to be at the top of the heap, just like her mother.

Now the rub comes like this: Becca and Samson were up for promotion to partner in this law firm just about the same time. Their achievements were just about equal, and they had each been with the firm about the same amount of time. Guess what? Samson got the promotion, and Becca is really angry. She has fought her attraction to Samson for two years and he has managed to keep his distance from Becca, even though they really would like to “mix it up” personally. So what’s the solution?

I have never read anything by this author but I thought this was a well-thought-out short story. Some who write short stories really don’t seem to get the fact that it is a truly different literary form and keeping it simple as to the plot and story development is a must. This author has certainly done well in letting us see the inner workings of Becca’s mind and how her need to measure up to her mother’s expectations has driven her all her adult life. A contract for starting an affair? Now maybe that’s not really a bad idea, but it surely takes the joy out of it.

Perhaps the real value of this little story is not only its entertainment factor—and it is really entertaining—but also a way for the reader to see what happens when a person allows the expectations of others to control one’s decisions. Do we need rules for living? I think so, but when the rules become the end-all-be-all, then I think all of us are in trouble. I think that’s the point of this delightful little story.

I give it a 3.75 out of 5.

This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.

You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place