Chasing Inspiration

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Books Read in June, July and August

I need to shake it up a bit since I haven't been motivated to post here lately. It's not you, it's definitely me. Anyway, I'm combining my books read in June, July and August. There are a lot of good books in here, so please, bear with me and read to the end. Who knows, there may be a book or two in my list you may enjoy.





Madhouse and  Deathwish by Rob Thurman -- books three and four of the Cal Leandros series. Wow, the twists and turns this series took. Deathwish was specifically a mind bender. There is another book in the series out now and I have to read it soon or I'll go nuts trying to figure out what happens next.

Darkfever, Bloodfever, Faefever, and  Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning -- the first four books in KMM's Fever series have been a reread for me this summer. Her fifth and final book is coming out in January 2011. Too long to wait!

Love is a Four-Legged Word by Kandy Shepherd -- a cute story that has a little intrigue and a lot of laughter. If you're looking for a fun and sexy contemporary romance, this book might do the trick.

Infamous  by Suzanne Brockmann -- her first original contemporary romance in years, this book was everything I love about Suzanne's early books. A definite treat.

Forsaken by Shadow by Kait Nolan --  A debut short story  in the paranormal romance genre by self published author Kait Nolan. I'm jealous of her storytelling ability and her moxie. I predict we will see a lot of Ms. Nolan in the future.

Love and War by John and Staci Eldridge -- I really enjoyed this book. A non-fiction look at marriage, spiritual warfare and building a love that lasts.

Liberty Starr  by Rebecca E. Grant -- This was the summer of debut authors for me. This was a solid erotic romance by Ms. Grant and I'm looking forward to what she writes next.

Chasing Perfect and Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery -- Books one  and two of Susan's Fool's Gold series, where men are a hot commodity and community is everything. This is a great contemporary romance series, book three is out now so you can read all three if you don't like to wait. *grin*

The White Queen  by Phillipa Gregory -- Before the Tudors there was the royal house of Plantagenet, consisting of the Lancasters and the Yorks. This is one interpretation of the beginning of the War of the Roses or the Cousin's war and tells the tale of Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen. A quick historical read that poses a lot of questions and promises much adventure.

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah --  A reread of Kristin's first women's fiction novel. Even better the second time around. Have I mentioned how much I love Kristin Hannah?

A Wild Light by Marjorie M. Liu -- Wow. I have no words for how amazing this story is and what it does for the world Ms. Liu has created for her Hunter Kiss urban fantasy series. If you like rich and lyrical storytelling and you haven't read this series, I highly recommend you try it!

Dreamveil by Lynn Viehl -- Book two of Lynn's  Kyndred series is amazing. I bow to a master and want her to write faster so I can read more!

If Angels Burn  and Private Demon by Lynn Viehl -- I started a reread of Lynn's Darkyn series. The books are a study in finely woven plot lines and superb character development. They have almost ruined me for other paranormal romance novels. Almost.

Beyond the Night, Embrace the Night Eternal and Abandon the Night by Joss Ware -- Joss, aka Colleen Gleason, writes  a terrific post-apocalyptic the Envy Chronicles romance series. The series does not end. Look for at least another book coming in 2011. And if you like vampires and the Regency era, you may enjoy Joss' alter ego, Colleen Gleason.

Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh -- Book 2 of Nalini's Guild Hunter series. I enjoyed the story and the continued world building and I hope the next book goes into even more depth of the politics and hierarchy of the archangels.

Spider's Bite and  Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep -- Ms. Estep is known for her tongue-in-cheek superhero series. She proves she's a master of the dramatic as well as the comedic. Her Elemental Assassin series takes an unlikely heroine - a professional assassin - and turns her into a heroine you want to root for. There are at least 3 more books forthcoming in this series and I can't wait for the final showdown.

Hush by Kate White -- this mystery was a quick read and just what I needed in between all the paranormal romance and urban fantasy I've been reading. Kate White is the editor-in-chief of Cosmo magazine and still manages to write entertaining mysteries. There is hope for the rest of us!

Finding the Dream  by Nora Roberts -- Since getting my nook eReader I've been collecting some books in electronic format and clearing out bookshelf space. Barnes and Noble need to get on the ball and offer the final book in Nora's Dream trilogy. I have the first two and had to get the final one from the library. Don't worry, I still enjoyed the end to a great trilogy.

The Search by Nora Roberts -- a stand alone novel about a woman, a man, a dog and a bad guy. Okay, it's not quite that simple. In fact, the story is very rich in character and setting, as only Nora Roberts can do. As a dog lover, reading a story about a search and rescue team and dog trainer was a treat. One of the best single titles she's written lately.

Destiny's Star  by Elizabeth Vaughan -- The final book in her Epic of Palins series takes us back to her beloved Plains (Warprize, Warsworn, Warlord). Each book in her Epic of Palins series was better and better, bringing us to the place where several of Elizabeth's worlds meet and gives fans of her Warlands series hope that she is not finished with Lara and Kier. Well done.

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen -- This is book 8 in Tess's Rizzoli and Isles series and the thrillers are getting better and better. This story had twists and turns that had me jumping up in surprise. It's not often a plot twist blindsides me but Tess did it not once but three times!  I read this on vacation in Canada. I bought it for my nook and read it on the plane. What a joy it was to not have to carry a million books with me and yet have around 30 on the nook I could choose from.

Thursday, September 02, 2010

Provocative Thought Wednesday

 “Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.”
~ Oprah Winfrey

There is a saying that no one is an island. I used to wonder what that meant and over time I have come to the conclusion that we don’t walk through life alone. To be successful we need people. People who will accept us. People who will accept us as we are - the good, the bad, the ugly. People who are willing to ride the bus with us when the limo of life breaks down and things get messy. People who will mourn our losses and celebrate our successes. People who are also willing to tell us the truth because they want to help us grow and become our best authentic selves.

These people are our allies and supporters. When we have them in our lives, we are blessed. When they are absent, the road can seem even more difficult and our challenges insurmountable.

·   Who would be a powerful ally and supporter for you?
·   How can you recruit them?