Month: September 2008

RITA Award Winners

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Many of you who read this blog regularly know that I like romance novels, good romances.  I think some people look down on romances without having read a good one or maybe none at all.  I usually suggest that the cover can tell you a lot about the book.  Is there one (or more) scantily clad person on the cover?  I might not read it unless it was recommended to me by someone whose opinion I trust or it’s an author I like.  But, here is another way to choose a romance.  Romance Writers of America gives out awards every year to the best of the best.  This is taken from their website…

“Romance Writers of America proudly sponsors the romance-publishing industry’s highest award of distinction — the RITA Award. RITA awards are presented annually to the best published romance novels of the year.  Up to 1,200 romance novels from 12 different categories are entered each year in the RITA competition. Novels can be entered either by their authors or by the books’ publisher.”

Although I haven’t read any of these yet, I will choose one or two to read soon.  If you haven’t tried a romance novel or it has been a while maybe you should try one too.

And the RITA Awards go to…

Best First Book…Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey

Best Contemporary Series Romance…Snowbound by Janice Kay Johnson

Best Contemporary Series Romance:Suspense/Adventure…Treasure by Helen Brenna

Best Contemporary Single Title Romance…Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins

Best Historical Romance…Lessons of Desire by Madeline Hunter

Best Inspirational Romance…A Touch of Grace by Linda Goodnight

Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements…Silent in the Graveby Deanna Raybourn

Best Paranormal Romance…Lover Revealed by JR Ward

Best Regency Historical Romance…The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn

Best Romance Novella…”Born in My Heart” by Jennifer Greene in Like Mother, Like Daughter

Best Romantic Suspense…Ice Blue by Anne Stuart

Best Young Adult Romance… Wicked Lovelyby Melissa Marr

 

Ohio State vs. Ohio football

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All I can say about Ohio State’s 26-14 win over Ohio University today is…I’m glad I attended last week instead of this one.  Yikes!  For those who were not watching, OSU was losing until the fourth quarter.  I would like to say ‘Bring on the Trojans’, but I think it may be foolish to taunt them 🙂

Play Dirty, by Sandra Brown

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Cover ImageFinished audio 9-5-08, rating 2.5/5, fiction, pub. 2007

Millionaire and wheelchair bound Foster Speakman hires disgraced, fresh out of prison, ex-NFL star, Griff Burkett to ‘make his wife wife pregnant the old fashioned way’.  Laura, the wife, goes along with the plan and meets Griff monthly at a rented house to do the deed.  Laura loves her husband and her job at the Speakman’s airline.  Griff wastes no time in falling in love with Laura.  Griff also has a detective following him around trying to put him back in prison. 

This is the first Sandra Brown book that I have not liked.  None of the three main characters were appealing, even if she tried to make it so by the end, and the weak plot was very predictable.  I was listening to this in the car and in the time it took me to drive from one block to the next Griff and Laura were in love.  I thought I’d missed a cd or something, but no, it happened just as quick as that. 

If this had been the first Sandra Brown book I’d read I would not read another, but since I usually love her books I will put this in the miss column and consider it an anomaly.  Don’t bother with this one, choose another Brown book if you are a fan.

Shameless, by Tori Carrington

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Book CoverFinished 9-5-08, rating 1/5, romance?,  pub. 2008

“In this day and age, is it bad for a woman to yearn for some good, hot, anonymous sex?”  –opening line of the book

Um…I picked this Harlequin Blaze #377 up because I love the Sophie Metropolis series by this husband/wife writing team and was curious about their romances, they’ve written over 35.  So, as you can see from the opening line, the plot is thin.  Nina has two hot partners who also happen to be friends.  Nina has a problem confusing sex with love, so one of the guys suggests a night of anonymous sex with one of them.  She won’t know which because she will be blindfolded.

I’ve already given this more time than it deserves.  I’m sure people read the Harlequin Blaze series because they want sex, but I felt gross reading it.  But I do recommend the Sophie Metropolis series, it’s quite good.

Sweet Caroline, by Rachel Hauck

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Sweet CarolineFinished 9-4-08, rating 4/5, inspirational fiction, pub. 2008

This is the first inspirational fiction book that I’ve read.  I’m not sure what my expectations were, but I’d have to say I was pleasantly surprised.  I guess I thought that inspirational fiction would offer a sanitized view of the world, but instead of that being a bad thing I found it to be a sweet look at the world, even if that sweetness was unbelievable at times.

Caroline is in her late 20’s, single, and floating through life by helping other people with their lives instead of making one of her own.  The owner of the cafe where she works has died and left the cafe to her.  The place is a money pit and Caroline struggles with whether to stay and save the cafe or to take a plum job in Spain.  Her life is further complicated by her dating a reformed ladies man while her first true loves comes back to town.  And it is during this time that she attends church and feels the presence of God in her life.

This is a nice story that feels like the South Carolina low country it is set in.  The writing was good and kept me reading into the night.  There were many storylines woven together with real skill.  The finding God storyline was one that I found moving without being preachy.  That being said, some things were a little too good.  I’ve never had a car dealer make a deal with me and then throw in an extra $1000 because he thinks I’m a good person and I know there are many virgins in their late 20’s, but they and their dates have issues with it that never really came up in this book.  So there were a few things that didn’t ring quite true for me.

I would recommend this book.  I think you’ll really like Caroline and her story.  Essentially, it’s one woman’s quest to make her way in the world on her own terms.  I will gladly read more inspirational fiction, especially when I need to be reassured that the world is not always the cynical place it’s made out to be.

Pride & Prejudice, BBC 5 hour miniseries

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Cover ImageI should start by confessing that I have never read a Jane Austen novel.  I have a stack of her titles waiting to be read and I think I’ve seen all of the movie adaptations, but I have never sat down and read one.  I have no excuse.  I’ll make it my goal to get one read before the end of the year. 

I saw the most recent Pride & Prejudice with Kiera Knightly and liked it very much, but I had heard and read from many that the BBC miniseries was the very best adaptation to date.  So, as my husband has been out of town for a few days, I thought there would be no better time to check out the dvd set from the library.

It was wonderful and I highly recommend it.  I have a soft spot for Colin Firth (not sure why, but it can’t be helped) and I thought he was a perfect Mr. Darcy.  I thought a few of the dancing scenes in the beginning were a little too long, but that is my only slight complaint.  If you have only seen the 2 hour movie you really should rent this version.  I understand the story so much better after having seen it.  The characters that were only mildly annoying in the film became only more stridently so in the miniseries, but in a mostly entertaining way.  The relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy  became much more clear.  The actors were great and it was a much less ‘hollywood-ish’ movie. 

Great miniseries, but don’t expect your husband or boyfriend to sit through it, unless he really, really loves you.  But, beware, you never know what he may expect you to watch.

FREE BOOKS for September

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Be the first to leave a comment and I’ll get the book to you for FREE either by mail or personally if I’ll see you soon.  They are all in good shape and have been read once or twice.

Once you’ve ‘won’ the book I can get your shipping address if I need it.  Also, you can come back and get a free book every month if you want. 

1. Ricochet by Sandra Brown (hardcover book club copy) Brown is always reliable for a fast paced thriller  for Yessenia

2. When the Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman (paperback) the first of the Alex Delaware mystery series for Donstuff

3. Range of Motion by Elizabeth Berg (paperback) Berg is one of my favorites for womens fiction for bermudaonion

4. Lady Be Good by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (paperback) If you like romances you must read Phillips.  She’s one of my favorites.

Thanks for helping me make room for new books on my bookshelves.  Happy Reading!

Inside Out Girl, by Tish Cohen

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Cover ImageFinished 8-31-08, rating 4/5, fiction, pub. 2008

“Wasn’t that one of the cardinal rules of the road?  If someone needed help and you weren’t prepared to offer any, glance away and feign ignorance.”      Chapter 4

Rachel Berman is head of a Perfect Parentmagazine and single mother of a 12 year old boy and a 14 year old girl.  Len Bean is a widower and father to a ten year old daughter, Olivia, who suffers from NLD, nonverbal learning disorder.  Rachel and Len meet and suddenly their lives and the lives of their children are blending into a family, if not a dysfunctional one.  Olivia is a joke at school and Rachel’s kids, Janie and Dustin, are not  inclined to make her life any easier.  Janie is dealing with her own hormonal and sexual issues that take center stage.

There are a few surprises here and there, but I don’t want to give any away.  This was a very enjoyable book about issues that most families are dealing with.  I loved her writing style and the story moved at a fast pace.  I think you will enjoy getting to know Olivia, as I did, and becoming a little more informed about a disorder that is closely linked to autism (but not the same).  And Janie’s story will bring back the early teen years when whatever someone said about you at school one day had the ability to ruin your whole life.  My only complaint is that some things were a little too convenient.  As readers, we are agreeing to suspend our disbelief, but that only goes so far. 

I received this book for free to review and it exceeded my expectations.  I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good family-oriented story, or someone interested in reading about a child with special needs.  Olivia is a wonderful character and you will fall in love with her.  Tish Cohen’s first book, Town House, is being made into a movie.   www.tishcohen.com