Reader Ramblings.

Ever since my friend Betsy told me that she doesn't like my book reviews (admittedly all those J.D. Robb's in a row was oppressive) I've been a little gun shy about posting more book reviews. I got kinda burnt out too. But really, I want, as all bloggers do, to give my readers what they want to read while at the same time expressing myself. What to do, what to do....

Ever since the book challenge started we've been on a huge reading kick at my house. We can barely get American Idol watched before the next A. I. is due to come on. The time pressure is killing us. Naturally, it doesn't help that all our favorite shows (Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone) got cancelled. T.V. is in a sad state. Judy and I aren't even watching the new Survivor or Amazing Race. We just need a break, I guess. So we're reading instead.

Once J. D. Robb's latest came out, Promises in Death. I got off the Eve Dallas marathon. It was a little weird at first--like not seeing a family member for a while after seeing them everyday. I'd been reading In Deaths steadily since Christmas--but I am now largely recovered from the effects. Whew. I was imagining murderers around every corner. I was getting almost too paranoid to go to the mall.

I went immediately into Sci Fi mode. Lois McMaster Bujold's latest and last? Sharing Knife book came out and I happily settled into to see how that series finished up. Then onto the Sharon Shinn Twelve Houses series. I even managed to get Judy interested in that series. (I've tried for years to convince her to read Shinn's Archangel. You'd think that a book with singing and music and sci fi people with angel wings would appeal but Judy's musical interests are rather thin for a former music educator.)

Once through the 'serious' sci fi, I hit my stacks of paranormal romance. Yep. It's just what it sounds like---romances with "paranormal" elements. I have a particular weakness for vampire stories, anything with ESP, and frankly, I'm fond of people who can turn into animals. I have no idea why. I don't analyze myself or the books, I just enjoy 'em.

I discovered a new author, Lara Adrian who is writing a series about Vampires who are really aliens stranded on earth. Cool. Reminds me of Lyndsey Sand's series about the Vampires who have nano-technology in their bloodstream that repairs all damage to their bodies thus requiring more blood, frequently. For the person who likes paranormal romance--this is your time in the romance industry. Cowboys and Regency/Historicals are still popular but fangs and claws are takin' over. For now, anyway. The tide will turn eventually and tastes will change. It's why I buy books in bulk after all--because they might stop publishing the stuff I like to read. Gotta have a stockpile for retirement.

As far as the book challenge is concerned--I've read almost 16,000 pages. I think I'm still in third place after Karen and Judy. Overall, I've read 47 books since New Year's Day. Not counting the re-reads of Blue Eyed Devil and Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas that I just read after finishing her latest book, Smooth-Talking Stranger. I'm an honest competitor and I didn't read them all the way through--I just re-read my favorite parts, so I can't count them in the challenge. Btw, if I were to write a review of Smooth-Talking Stranger, I would so give it a TEN! It was EXCELLENT.