Sunday 9 February 2014

I'm in So Much Trouble

I've discovered Joanna Wylde's Reaper series. I've only read the samples, but I'm in so much trouble already.

I can't tell from the lengths of the samples just how good the writing will be exactly, but I have a feeling that it's going to be sexy.

But how sexy? Sexy enough to warrant the price of buying them? They're 6 and 8 dollars. That's my it-should-be-a-real-book price. But their real-book price is 19, so maybe 6 isn't so bad for an eBook. . . .

Sigh.

How about this: get through at least half of what's on my piano, and the rest of what's unread on my Kindle, and then I can get them.

Yeah. Losing ten pounds by the end of the month is more likely.

Saturday 8 February 2014

Busy Mom Book Review: Melissa Foster's Love in Bloom Series

Confession: I've only read one sample and the two free ebooks on Kindle.

I read a sample of Foster's latest Braden novel, and while I didn't lose any brain cells, I can't say that I learned anything, either. Not that I expect to learn anything from Romance novels, but sex tips at the very least are good. Even better than that is that amourous feeling some books give me. You know, the feeling that makes my newfound addiction to these books justifiable purchases to my husband. IE, he's not complaining because they get me in the mood. Way in the mood. As in his clothes are the ones being ripped off. And the only thing better than that is that feeling and great sex tips.

Anyway, I didn't really get any of that from the sample, but I didn't hate it, so I thought I'd see if the library carried Foster's books. Nope. Price for Kindle? Too expensive. But look! Two free ebooks in the series, so I read them, hoping for at least some great sex scenes as promised by whoever voted these books as a best new series in the Amazon review.

First of all, what sex scenes? Foreplay scenes, yes. Sex scenes, implied. Or rare. And really tame like Foster is actually embarrassed by the act and doesn't want to be dirty in public or something.

Which would be okay. I've read lots of books that allude to or gloss over sex, but make up for it with great and sometimes even sexy writing, even writing that still makes you feel sexy reading it.

Love in Bloom kind of misses that mark. And really, it's more like you're reading an episode of Dr. Phil. Seriously, even the guys are so touchy feely that they put most women I know to shame. Even Jennifer Crusie doesn't blah, blah, blah that much, and if she does, it's intelligent, humorous and entertaining, not a transcript for a self-help TV show on how to be so introspective and self-aware and in touch with your feelings that you too could go from complete slut (male or female) to perfect life mate in a few short chapters. Oh wait. Take a couple chapters to fall to pieces again, then get it together again. Then go back and forth endlessly until the last chapter, where true happily ever after awaits.

BOTTOM LINE: It's not the worst stuff I've read, and if they were priced at less than $3 an eBook (okay maybe 2), I'd think about buying them, but there is so much better out there. They're worth a free look though. Especially if you want some free therapy.

The Joy of Sunshine in the Winter

There's nothing quite so beautiful as a bright sunny day in the winter. The sun shines brightly against the snow, it glistens on the frost on the trees, and it makes you want to go outside to enjoy life to its fullest.

So you check the temperature, and hey! It's only minus eighteen!! Much more doable than the minus thirty that it was earlier.

Thursday 6 February 2014

The Land of Painted Caves

I'm currently reading the last of the Earth's Children Series by Jean M. Auel.

I'm not done, so this isn't the official review, but I have to say, WTF? I started reading these books when I was eleven. Now that I'm not eleven, I'm wondering if they were all written as though we're stupid readers. I don't usually mind lots of detail, but come on, do you need to point out that not only did so-and-so have rope in their carry-bag all the time, but that you never know when it will be needed?

And sometimes I wonder if Auel's trying to "dumb down" the thought processes of the people of the time.

Case in point: Ayla leaves her baby sleeping in a meadow under the protection of Wolf while she pokes around the nearby shrubs for roots etc. She comes back and Wolf's growling at the grass. "Was something wrong?"

Really? Not, "What was wrong?" but "Was something wrong?"

Uh, your wolf's fucking standing over your baby and growling at something in the grass. Get your sling-shot out!

Oy.

Book Reviews by a Super Busy Mom

Yeah, so I haven't been here much. Sorry. I've been busy. It's T4 season. Guess what my day job is?

I've also been sick. As in, I slept for two days. And my husband looked after everyone. He's awesome. But I digress.

Part of the reason I haven't been here is that there's too much to write about (whah, I know, I know), especially book reviews because I've been reading a lot, and the idea of doing justice to the reviews was daunting.

Until I came up with a plan of attack. Or a method. Yeah, a method. Short, sweet reviews, Busy Mom Style.

There are 5 different "calibers" of books that I read (IE will I recommend them to you, and if so, how much should you spend on it?).

5. I lost brain cells from the sample sent via Kindle to my phone. I did not buy this book; I did not download it if it was free. And if I did, it was an error, and I'll blame the length of the sample. Yeah. It's the sample's fault.
4. The sample seemed okay. I checked to see if the library had copies, because I'd read it for free. But I wouldn't pay for it.
3. As in Number 4, but the library didn't have copies, but it's available in ebook form for less than $3.00.
2. I loved it. Or maybe just enjoyed it. And I'll Kindle it. (But I don't generally spend more than $5 on ebooks. For more than that, I want a real book in my hands, thank-you very much.)
1. I have to own this book in real form. I will wait until it's in a more affordable paperback form, but an ebook just won't do.

Sometimes series get grandfathered in to one category or another, and sometimes they get bumped to the Kindle from the real bookshelf.

I'll talk to you more about it this weekend.