Posts filed under ‘cool blog stuff’
Just finished reading . . . Frostbite & Too Good to be True (mini-reviews)
I saw this over at Babbling Book Reviews, and lo,
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So, here’s what I’ve got on the decks this week:
I’m also hoping to sneak in a couple of ebooks I picked up yesterday:
Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts on them? What are you reading this week? |
Take the Quiz here!
Out of the Box Places to Visit
Obviously, I spend a lot of my free time reading book sites and blogs. I love the reviews, the exchange of ideas, and the many wonderful friends I’ve had a chance to make. There are a few places I visit, however, that while they are book related blogs or sites, they approach a love of books in a unique way:
My Book, the Movie
Marshal Zeringue has created a blog founded on the premise, “What if authors were asked whom they would cast, if their books were made into movies?”
Complete with IMDB links, so you can view the actors mentioned, authors fantasy cast their books, often with interesting insights into how they see their characters, and the books they write. Past authors and books include:
- Jill Sorenson’s Crash Into Me
- Justin Gustainis’ Quincey Morris series
- Deanna Raybourn’s Lady Julia Grey series
- Lisa Shearin’s Magic Lost, Trouble Found
Even when I haven’t necessarily read the books mentioned, it’s fun to see what the authors say, and maybe even find a new author that way. (This is one of the first places I saw Deanna Raybourn mentioned.)
Literature Map
The procedure is simple: type the name of an author into the box on the homepage. For an example, I type in “Kelley Armstrong” and hit enter.
It takes me to this page (screenshot on right.)
In the sidebar, it explains:
“What else do readers of Kelley Armstrong read?
The closer two writers are, the more likely someone will like both of them.
Click on a name to travel along.”
This is sort of like an author’s Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Right beneath (and closest to KA’s name) is Kim Harrison. Nearby, in an increasing circle, are Patricia Briggs, Susan Isaacs, Laurell Hamilton and Lynn Kurland.
There’s not a lot more to the site, but if you are trying to find an author who writes books similar to one you like, it’s a good resource. It’s also a good way to waste time, typing in random authors. Not that I’d ever do anything like that. Yup.
While this last one is a review blog, it is so original and over the top funny, at times, that I couldn’t leave it out.
Rip My Bodice
The “Ladies of Desire” as they call themselves, are known as La Lola, Sheridan Sakura Carlotta, Ma’mselle Mimi. During their unique and hilarious reviews, they are often “utilize the services” of their cabana boys Juan and Sven.<ahem.>
Here are a few of my favorite posts:
- Love song for a vampire: Review of Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer-”As told from the tiresome perspective of Bella, to be sung to the classic ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ by the fabulous Bonnie Tyler.”
- Lost in Translation: Review of Dark Desire by Christine Feehan-”Missing audition tape #311 from American Idol, Season 8.”
- Altogether now! -”With Juan and Sven in tow (both appropriate dressed with reindeer antlers, red painted noses and one large christmas sock each), the girls and their spiked eggnog now bring to you, their favourite christmas carol of all time: The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Here’s a snippet:
On the fourth day of Christmas,
please Santa bring to me,
Four more naked Alphas,
Three randy werewolves
Two vampire love bites
And one naked Alpha Male just for me.
They also have a Terms and Definitions page, with all important romance terms like:
Grovel, The [Pronunciation Key: gruhv-uhl] -verb 1. situation whereby hard-headed hero who has greviously wronged the heroine through unforgivable actions (see also entry for Alpha Male, The) is made to prostrate himself before her in an attempt for forgiveness. The Hero will often resort to tears, impassioned pleas and grand gestures. Artfully perpetuated by certain authors (see also entry for Ms Judith McNaught), the potential for heart-wrenching drama and tearful emotion is enormous, especially if The Hero is normally taciturn and unfeeling . . .
Here are a few of my favorite post titles (which never fail to make me smile, if not snort my liquid beverages):
- Bondage and daddies and serial killers, oh my! Review for the book One Dark Night by Jaid Black
- The Ballad O’ The Hymenally Intact Review for His Woman by Diana Crosby
- Dr. Mcdo (me) Review for Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione
I will often randomly type in romance authors to see if I hit on a (usually hilarious) review I might have missed. Cause I’m just crazy like that.
I hope you check these sites out. They are lots of fun (at least, to a book geek like me.) Do you have any hidden gems that you visit? Places that are original, quirky, or even outright bizarre?
Just finished reading…Slave to Sensation
ETA: I was given a Kreativ Blogger award from Carolyn Jean at The Thrillionth Page! More about it at the end of this post.
Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changeling series, book 1) by Nalini Singh
This is a series I’ve been meaning to start for ages. I’ve heard so many great things about it, but was a little reluctant to purchase the book, since the library had it on order. It took a couple of months for them to get it in, so it zoomed up to the top of my TBR list when I finally got my hands on it.
Here is the book description from the author’s site:
Dive into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind—and none of the heart…
In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”— the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was….
Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy co-existence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion—and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities—or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…
Sometimes, within the first few pages of starting a book, I just know it’s going to be a great read. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris, Bitten by Kelley Armstrong, Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas, and Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton are on that list for me. Now, I can add Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh to the list.
The Psy-Changeling world is fascinating, and feels like there’s a fully fleshed out history, even from the very beginning. NS very effectively builds the world for the reader in a natural way. I never felt like I was reading an info-dump or was overwhelmed by “new world” information.
Sascha is such a sympathetic character. Sascha is Psy, and her world believes that any emotion is aberrant and a sign of insanity. She truly believes she is losing her mind because she can feel emotion, and craves it. Because of her ruthlessly ambitious mother’s high-profile position on the Council, Sascha must appear to be in control at all times.
Her already tenuous grip on her emotions is shattered when she encounters Lucas, a Changeling, and the alpha of the DarkRiver leopard pack.
Lucas is investigating the serial killings of Changeling women believed to have been committed by a Psy and, under the guise of business dealings with Sascha’s family, is trying to get information on the Psy’s closed society. Sascha is the liason between Lucas and her family, and he is immediately drawn to Sascha, despite her cool, impersonal demeanor.
He senses that her cold exterior is a facade, and sets out to break down the emotionless wall she builds between them. Their chemistry together is great, and I loved the scenes where Lucas treats her the way he would a Changeling (with warmth and flirty affection), and Sascha responds, despite herself. The Changeling world is such a contrast to the cold, emotionless world of the Psy, and I loved reading about the interactions between pack members.
Sascha is attracted not only to Lucas, but also to the warmth of the pack, finding connections there that she has never experienced in the Psy world. Eventually, she has to make a choice between protecting the cold, emotionless Psy world that she knows so well, and helping the Changelings, to whom she is increasingly drawn.
The search for the serial killer is fast-paced and exciting, and well balanced with the steamy romance between Sascha and Lucas. I also really enjoyed the interactions between Lucas and Hawke, the wolf alpha, as their packs formed an uneasy alliance to find the serial killer. In fact, I liked Hawke so much, I had to look ahead to see if any of the subsequent books featured him as a protagonist. (They dont’. 
)
I’ve already requested book 2, Visions of Heat from the library. At least it’s already in their system, and I should be getting it soon. I can’t wait!
- Nalini Singh’s site.
- The Psy-Changeling series.
- Slave to Sensation excerpt on author’s site (scroll down).
I got the Kreativ Blogger award from Carolyn Jean at The Thrillionth Page for “Best New to Me” blog! Thank you CJ, you made my day! My birthday is day after tomorrow, so it feels like an early birthday present! 
Here are the award rules:
- Mention the blog that gave it to you.
- Comment on their blog to let them know you’ve posted the award.
- Share 6 values that are important to you.
- Share 6 things you do not support.
- Share the love with 6 other blogging friends.
Six things that are important to me: (I could only manage 1 serious thing. Else I’d start getting maudlin.)
- Family, in all its forms. I’m very close to my “born-to” family, and “married-into” family, buy I also dearly love my “chosen” family, of close friends.
- Great books to read and listen to. Ebook, print book, audiobook, there is nothing like curling up and indulging.
- Great food. Especially when my guy and I have cooked a meal together with things we’ve grown in our garden.
- Great yarn. I don’t really talk about it here, but I LOVE to knit.
- Great online communities. I’ve met some wonderful friends in the gaming and book communities.
- A perfect evening: Having dinner with my family that my guy and I cooked together, followed by curling up in my favorite recliner with my book, laptop, and yarn at hand. (One of the joys of ebooks and audiobooks is that I can read on my laptop or listen to my iPod, while knitting!)
Six things I don’t support: (I could only manage 1 serious thing. I didn’t want to be too much of a downer.)
- Hate. (Read: California’s Prop 8 ) Especially when it’s in the guise of religiosity. My church (video link) has been in the forefront on the continued fight for marriage equity, and I’m so proud that my child will be raised with these values. Religion is no excuse for bigotry.
- Pretentious people.
- 100+ degree days. I hate to sweat. I live in So Cal, so this happens too often for my liking.
- Waking up in the morning craving pancakes, getting out the ingredients, and then realizing we’re out of eggs.
- Getting up early. I’m a night owl. I’d love to be up till 2 or 3 every night and sleep till 10.
- Bad Mexican food. If I go out to eat Mexican food, I want it to be better than what I can cook at home.
Awards to others!
NOTE to winners: Pass it on if you feel like it, or just bask in the glory. Have fun making up your own categories, or use these!
- Blog that is fun, AND makes me think: Katiebabs’ Babbling about Books, and More!
- Blog I look forward to reading: Kati’s Adventures in Katidom. Whether it’s book reviews, or the trevails of the Washington Redskins, I’m always happy to click over when I see a new post on my Blogger dashboard.
- Blog that makes me laugh out loud: Desert Island Keepers (also one of Carolyn Jean’s picks)
- Blog that really conveys the lovely person behind it: Christine’s The Happily Ever After . From her posts and comments on my blog, Christine is such a sweetheart!
- Blog that has it all: KristieJ’s and Katibabs’ Ramblings on Romance, etc. Fun reviews, interesting topics (book and non-book stuff *cough*SYTYCD*cough*), and 2 great hosts.
- Best Urban Fantasy resource: Urban Fantasy Land. There are all sorts of great things on their site, including excerpts and book covers from upcoming releases, book reviews, and author interviews.
Frustration!
I wanted to spend time really getting into Wanderlust, but haven’t been able to. I’ve been deathly sick and unable to read for any period of time cause of congestion headaches. I’m also under the gun to read/finish Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst, since I borrowed it from the library on inter-library loan, and it’s due on Friday — I can’t renew the i-l loan books. I own Wanderlust, there’s no due date, so again it gets pushed back.
I’ll post a few thoughts soon on Rogue (when my head is filled with coherent thoughts and not with goo.)
Cool thing of the day on the blogs:
Sarah Monette has a GREAT Q & A session going on over at her blog, answering all sorts of questions. I love her Doctrine of Labyrinths series: Melusine, The Virtu, The Mirador, and I can’t wait for Corambis, the final books of the series. The world she has built for these books is so complex, and Felix and Mildmay are incredibly conflicted and well-developed characters. I’ll be sad to see the series end, but I am also looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next. BTW, another great book she co-wrote with Elizabeth Bear Companion to Wolves shouldn’t be missed!
Currently reading:
Wanderlust by Ann Aguirre
Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst
Currently listening to:
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
People are going to talk…