Tag Archive | romance

Seven Deadly Sins of Reading

Tag: Seven Deadly Sins of Reading

I was tagged by Romance4thebeach to participate, and it has taken me a while to get my act together to respond.

Defined as: An intense and selfish desire for something.

What is your most expensive book?

I am a cheap person when it comes to buying book. I usually by books at thrift stores and the clearance rack at bookstores or in compilations on Amazon. My most expensive book that I can remember is Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. It was a book club choice and had a long waiting list at the library. I have not started it yet but I think I will read it next weekend.

Defined as: Extreme anger.

What author do you have a love/hate relationship with?

Eve Langlais. I need her to write faster or longer books. Or give me little short cyborg stories to tide me over until she gets the next book finished. From the first book, I fell in love with her cyborg series. But the book is over too soon! I need more. I don’t want to leave the world she created, but the book is finished and I have to wait months before I get the next book.

Defined as: Intense over-indulgence.

What book have you devoured over and over with no shame?

Dangerous, Ravished, Rendezvous and pretty much any of those one word title books by Amanda Quick that she wrote the 90s. Her heroines are pretty much the same independent women with ingenious ideas that may not always go according to plan. Thank goodness there is a strong, silent, honorable hunk of hero to assist. It was all that I wanted my own romance life to be. And to a certain extent, I think that I display some of the characteristics of Quick’s heroines. And my hubby is very similar to Quick’s heroes.

Defined as: a reluctance to work or make an effort.

What book have you neglected to read due to laziness?

Any books from the Outlander series. I was excited about getting into her books because my friend said they were “awesome!”. I went to Amazon to buy it and saw it was 800 pages. Nope. Nope. Not for me. I like to read a whole book in one sitting. So the most I can read is about 500 pages a day. I am not trying to read a book like it’s a job. I got tired thinking about reading Outlander.

Defined as: satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.

What book do you talk about most in order to sound like an intellectual reader?

I think that I sometimes drop Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte into a conversation to let people know that I do not JUST read trashy romance novels.

Defined as: a strong sexual desire.

What attributes do you find attractive in male characters?

I love an alpha male. He is intelligent, witty, has a touch of a bad attitude, and comes across as a little cocky, but no one can argue because he has it going on. However, he becomes a softy in the hands of the heroine. He takes care of what is his and is fiercely loyal. While being rich (i.e. billionaire status) does not have to be part of the equation, it does help if money no object.

Defined as: a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck.

What book would you most like to receive as a gift?

So, I have to admit that I am a little greedy. I cannot just choose one book. I would LOVE it if someone would gift me the rest of the Billionaire’s Obsession Series by J.S Scott. I have read Simon, Sam, Max, Travis, Jason, and Tate’s stories. I NEED the rest. Even the ones that have not been published yet. I know the stories are going to great.

I nominate any bloggers that reads this to participate if they so desire. Let me know if you do this challenge because I would like to read your answers. Leave your link in the comments below.

Accidental Abduction – Blood, Boobs, and Carnage #Blogfest #bloodboobscarnage

May18

I am participating in a blogfest called Blood, Boobs, and Carnage

The terms were simple- choose a movie, book, or television show that fits the theme. It can be any genre that fits the bill – fantasy, science fiction, action, adventure, western, thriller, etc. This Blogfest is hosted by Alex J Cavanaugh andHeather Gardner.

I chose the book Accidental Abduction

Synopsis
Tren is an alien that thought he was beaming up some fish from earth to sell on the universal market. He didn’t mean to abduct the human female too, but now that he has her, he wonders what to do with her.

Megan was drowning in the ocean after her boyfriend pushed her off a boat. Instead of dying, she is beamed up on to a space ship. While she knows she should be more subdued, she cannot resist being mouthy.

Tren prides himself in staying in control of his emotions and actions, but Megan pushes all his buttons and ignites his baser instincts. When she is kidnapped on purpose, he will stop at nothing to get her back.

Opinion
This book. Where do I even start? I guess I should explain why I chose it for the challenge.

Blood

When Tren decides that he is not going to deny how he feels, his enemies see kidnapping Megan as a way to manipulate him. THAT does not go well for them. He has no mercy when it comes to eliminating his enemies. Funny thing, Megan is gets a guilty thrill on the fact that he killing all these aliens to save her. She is trying to be shocked, but at the same time, she is like

Boobs

It is a romance.
Tren has no nipples!
And he says she is weird for only having two breasts.

Carnage

There is a line of entrails from evil villains that tried to kidnap Megan, but failed miserably. It is the wild, wild west in the universe and no one messes with Tren’s mate and gets away with it. She gets kidnapped twice and both times Tren is like

Overall, the book made me laugh. Tren was not trying to pick up a human to be his mate, it just happened. Megan was cheeky, brazen, bold, and audacious as ever. Tren tried to intimidate her, but she had nothing to lose. To be fair, he did keep threatening to sell her. She was just calling his bluffs. With all that sexual tension going on, there was only one way it was really going to go.

Book details
Accidental Abduction (Alien Abduction Book 1)
Length: 142 pages

Z is for Zero Factor #atozchallenge #ABCofRomance @AprilA2Z

Apr30

Zero Factor (Cybershock) ♥♥♥♥

Synopsis

Via is a psionic. This is a person who can see future events by touching a person. The government required all psionic persons to register and become government property to be used as the government sees fit.

Locke is a man with mechanical enhancements working as a soldier in a militia to keep order and protect the general public. He takes his job very seriously.

Via sees Locke’s death because of a tear in her glove and her skin touches his. She kisses Locke so that he can see her vision. From that point on, the Locke is trying to avoid being killed while trying to figure out how to deny how Via makes him feel.

Opinion
This is a sci-fi story and the setting is in a dystopian future and made me think of the Hunger Games (no other book/plot similarities though). I rated this book 3 hearts and then 4 hearts and was going back and forth, but decided to stay with 4. I am stingy with my hearts, but in this case, I thought it deserved 4 hearts because it was a story that I kept thinking about long after I finished the book. The story is short (only 68 pages), but it is action packed with a cute little love story.

I liked the characters too. Via is trying to survive and has a “Woe is me” attitude in the beginning. Soon enough she develops enough to embrace her gifts to the fullest. Locke believes that has to be order and the psi cause confusion. But when a psi woman saved his life and his commander tried to kill him, his world is turned upside down.

The villain’s reasons for causing havoc and mayhem was as usual insane-in-the-membrane. No real logic as to why he wanted to do what he did, but the reader is suppose to take it for granted that it needs no explanation.

But I thought it was weird that he was so over the top crazy and no one else noticed. How was he able to do all those outrageous things and the government not know about it. Of course, the book ends with all ends tied up neatly.

Should you buy? I thought it was a great book but I do think it was overpriced for the length. I probably would not have got this book if it had not been for the A-to-Z challenge and I needed a “Z” book.

Book details from Goodreads
Unknown Binding, 68 pages
Published August 1st 2011 by Samhain Publishing
Available on Amazon

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So this is the last post for A-to-Z blog challenge hosted by http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

I am so happy that I was able to stick with it and post every day. I met a lot of great bloggers that I am sure I will keep in touch with in the future. I am tired but in a good way. This makes my usual posting schedule of every 5 days seem easy. I wanted to challenge myself more this year and the feeling of accomplishment shows me that it was worth it. So now, I share with you some of my favorite celebratory gifs.

I is for “In the…” #atozchallenge #ABCofRomance @AprilA2Z

Apr10

In the Doctor’s Bed (Harlequin Kimani Romance\Hopewell Genera) ♥ ♥ ♥

After reading Hidden Pleasures a few years back, I had to read another Brenda Jackson novel to make sure that other book was a one off. In the Doctor’s Bed embodies what I am used to reading from Brenda Jackson.

Synopsis

Lucien is a doctor and Jocelyn is an intern reporting to him. The hospital has a very strict fraternizing policy that could cost them both their jobs if they are discovered to be in a relationship. Once it is revealed that the attraction each one of them has is not one-sided, the heat is on. Lucien is a sexy Jamaican (I could imagine his sultry accent). Fine chocolate men are one of my weaknesses 🙂

Opinion

I like the fact that they got to know each other during the months that they were concealing their true feelings for one another. So when they finally declared their love for one another, it was not as if they went from being strangers to madly in love with each other in less than a week. Once they acknowledge what they felt for each other, it was like a ball rolling downhill. There was no force that could keep them apart. How romantic!

I can imagine the heat and intensity of the relationship. Understanding the frustration of having to balance the need to keep it secret and wanting to celebrate their love openly. Fortunately for them, all things end well.

Happily ever after.

Book details from Goodreads
Mass Market Paperback, 216 pages
Published July 19th 2011 by Harlequin Kimani (first published January 1st 2011)
Available on Amazon
Series Hopewell General

G is for Going #atozchallenge #ABCofRomance @AprilA2Z

Apr8

Going Down (Holding Out For a Hero Book 1) ♥♥

Synopsis
Eleanor (Ellie) is from Chicago but is hiding in Oregon from her drug trafficking ex-boyfriend and the dirty cop making threats against her life.

Tyson is the sheriff in the small town in Oregon where Eleanor ends up staying. He is attracted to her but is suspicious because her story does not add it.

Opinion
The story was okay. The trope girl-on-run-falls-for-law-enforcement was overdone. Maybe I am jaded because I read a lot of books, but there was nothing new.

Tyson is so intrigued by her secrets that he cannot keep his hands out of her pants…

This turns to love a few days later.

It is funny to me that in these types of books, the policeman is so sure of his judgement of the heroine’s character. The girl is acting suspiciously and her story seems like she invented on the spot.

Dude, you are blinded by lust.

Another thing, I did not like Tyson. He was supposed to be the law-abiding man who could get kinky with his lady. I do not mind kink, but something about his character put me off, like he was too grimy for my taste. I actually read the book twice because I was trying to identify what exactly it was that I did not like about him. Logically, it would seem that I should have liked him especially when he said stuff like:

“I can go from vanilla to red velvet in under ten seconds.” -Tyson

Maybe it was the insta-love. After 1 day, he is already taking her to meet his family?

Should you buy? If you can get it on sale, it is not terribly bad. It is a time filler but do not expect too much in relationship development. If you like the girl-on-run-falls-for-law-enforcement trope, then this will appeal to you. The love scenes were (to borrow Tyson’s expression) more red velvet than vanilla. That might appeal to you.

Book details from Goodreads
Kindle Edition, 105 pages
Published July 20th 2010 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (first published July 17th 2010)
Series Holding Out for A Hero #1

Available on Amazon