I've always been an avid reader, reading a minimum of two books per week and an average of four per week for probably the past, well gosh, 29 years of my life! (I'm 34, if you were wondering.) Since I started writing, however, I've read less than ever, as I don't want to 'contaminate' my mind with other authors' works. There have been days when I wanted nothing more than to sit down and read a book, especially if it was one I had been waiting for from one of my favorite authors, but I used all my willpower and strength to resist until after I had reached a particular goal in my writing.
Now that I've started book two, I've had a few days here and there where I have been able to sit down and read, and I thought I would share the thoughts on what I've read recently. Here goes:
"The Girl Who Chased the Moon" Sarah Addison Allen. First off, I will read anything this woman writes. She has a true gift, the ability to make the ordinary seem magical, and the magical to seem ordinary and enchanting at the same time. This is her third book, "Garden Spells" and "The Sugar Queen" being the first two, and it did not disappoint. I would dearly love to see these books made into movies, not just because they are charming books, but because they would be suitable for families. There is romance, but it isn't vulgar. The characters aren't perfect, but their flaws enhance them instead of detract. For me it is just an added bonus that SAA is an Appalachian writer. I would recommend her books to anyone.
"Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake" by Sarah MacLean. Oh, I was disappointed to find out that this is only Ms. MacLean's second book. Her first, "The Season", was a young adult novel, and to my surprise, I enjoyed it as much as "Nine Rules". They are both Regency romance, which is my favorite romantic genre, and they are extremely well-written. My heart went out to the leading lady in "Nine Rules", and the characters were so believable. I will definitely keep an eye on this author's upcoming projects, and may even spend my allowance on her new titles when they are released. (Yes, hubby and I give each other an allowance - helps with budgeting.)
"Savor the Moment" by Nora Roberts. Let me preface this by saying that I have been a NR fan for years, and I own copies of most of the books she has written. I have liked most of her series, with the exception of the Morrigan’s Cross trilogy, and this new one - the Bride Quartet. The first book was acceptable. Not anything really special to write home about, but a decent way to spend an afternoon and not have to exercise my brain overmuch. The second book - not so good. This latest? Oh, my. Lots of style but absolutely no substance. I admit that I panned it in a review on Amazon.com, giving it only one star. I won’t go into the detail here that I did on that site, but I will say this - Nora Roberts can do better. I don’t know why she is cranking out book after book these days with no plot, but it seems to be a pattern she has fallen into. I am heartily disappointed by this, as I have always enjoyed her work prior to the last few that I’ve read. The basic premise for this book was a good one, and could have been done so much better than it was.
Well, that’s what I’ve been reading, and I’ll probably do more of these types of posts in the future. Hope you all enjoy them
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