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  <name><![CDATA[April]]></name>
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    <about><![CDATA[I read mostly romance and YA.  I love Laura Kinsale, Sherry Thomas, Meredith Duran, Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, Jennifer Crusie, Victoria Dahl, Kresley Cole, Charlaine Harris, Kelley Armstrong....<br/><br/>I'm a mom of two tweenage girls, and an Army wife.  I love traveling and visiting as many places as we can.  I love going to Broadway shows, museums, festivals...<br/><br/>]]></about>
    <gender>F</gender>
    <location>Herchies, Belgium</location>
    <website><![CDATA[]]></website>
    <joined>10/2007</joined>
    <last-active>12/2009</last-active>
    <interests><![CDATA[READING, parenting, gardening, cooking,]]></interests>
    <favorite-books><![CDATA[To Kill a Mockingbird, Flowers From the Storm, The Outlander, Harry Potter, Life of Pi, Prodigal Summer, Pride and Prejudice, The Bell Jar, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Good Earth, the Earth's Children series]]></favorite-books>
    
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  <name>Patricia Gaffney</name>
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          <updates type="array">
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 3 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6464884-make-me-yours">Make Me Yours (Harlequin Blaze)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/36124.Betina_Krahn">Betina Krahn</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/81673847</link>
    <image_url>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ozS7WF%2BLL._SL75_.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">541201</id>
  <name>April</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1249473968p2/541201.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/541201-april</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:52:25 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[I think my reaction to this book has to do with my being saturated in romance novels for a good year and a half, and finally getting kind of tired of them.  But this shouldn't be taken as a reflection of THIS particular novel.<br/><br/>This novel is actually well-written, and the story is interest...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/I%20think%20my%20reaction%20to%20this%20book%20has%20to%20do%20with%20my%20being%20saturated%20in%20romance%20novels%20for%20a%20good%20year%20and%20a%20half,%20and%20finally%20getting%20kind%20of%20tired%20of%20them.%20%20But%20this%20shouldn't%20be%20taken%20as%20a%20reflection%20of%20THIS%20particular%20novel.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis%20novel%20is%20actually%20well-written,%20and%20the%20story%20is%20interesting%20and%20unique.%0D%0A%0D%0AHOWEVER,%20after%20really%20gorging%20on%20romances%20this%20last%20year,%20I%20think%20I%20finally%20hit%20a%20wall.%20%20I'm%20finally%20sick%20of%20romances.%20%20At%20least%20temporarily.%20%20I've%20been%20reading%20Megan%20Hart%20lately,%20and%20she%20has%20such%20a%20realistic%20tone%20to%20her%20novels.%20%20Her%20characters%20usually%20react%20in%20a%20logical%20manner...I%20think%20it%20has%20soured%20me%20on%20the%20standard%20romance%20genre.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%20immediately%20started%20feeling%20that....ugh,%20not%20THIS...%20feeling%20when%20I%20realized%20that%20the%20heroine%20was%20being%20FORCED%20into%20a%20situation%20that%20was%20not%20of%20her%20making,%20not%20her%20fault%20at%20all.%20%20The%20heroine,%20a%20widowed%20owner%20of%20a%20country%20inn,%20captured%20the%20notice%20of%20the%20Prince,%20who%20decided%20he%20had%20to%20have%20her%20as%20his%20personal%20mistress.%20%20But%20only%20after%20she%20married,%20because%20he%20didn't%20want%20any%20bastard%20children%20running%20around.%20%20So,%20the%20heroine%20then%20had%20to%20find%20a%20husband,%20who%20%22oh%20yeah%22%20wouldn't%20mind%20handing%20his%20wife%20over%20to%20the%20prince's%20uses%20for%20a%20few%20years%20until%20he%20got%20sick%20of%20her.%0D%0A%0D%0AYUCK!%20%20The%20hero%20participated%20in%20this%20madness%20by%20being%20instrumental%20in%20helping%20her%20to%20find%20a%20husband.%20%20Of%20course,%20the%20storyline%20plays%20out%20differently,%20h%2Fh%20fall%20in%20love,%20la%20la,%20everyone%20is%20happy.%20%20But%20the%20SITUATION%20is%20what%20soured%20me.%20%20More%20often%20than%20not%20these%20romances%20feature%20a%20situation%20that%20just%20sours%20my%20stomach.%20%20%0D%0A%0D%0A">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="userlistvote">
    <action_text><![CDATA[voted on the book list 'Best books of 2009']]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1297.Best_books_of_2009</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255637475s/5391115.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">541201</id>
  <name>April</name>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/541201-april</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:30:20 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 3 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6264710.Tempt_Me_at_Twilight">Tempt Me at Twilight (The Hathaways, #3)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/27847.Lisa_Kleypas">Lisa Kleypas</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72783834</link>
    <image_url>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51R-qd4EPaL._SL75_.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">541201</id>
  <name>April</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1249473968p2/541201.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/541201-april</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:17:33 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[Not bad.  There's nothing that sets this story apart for me though.<br/><br/>I find Kleypas' Hathaway clan entirely charming and enjoy reading about them, but I doubt I will remember this story in the long-run.]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 1 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73087.Lakeside_Cottage">Lakeside Cottage (Mass Market Paperback)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21155.Susan_Wiggs">Susan Wiggs</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80733950</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170829491s/73087.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">541201</id>
  <name>April</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1249473968p2/541201.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/541201-april</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:02:19 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[So, this is the fifth Susan Wiggs book I've read and I realized that what I LOVED about her at first, is exactly what I'm beginning to find tedious and predictable about her writing now.<br/><br/>The storylines are quiet, simple, truthful, and almost pure.  The first book I read was Just Breathe. ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/So,%20this%20is%20the%20fifth%20Susan%20Wiggs%20book%20I've%20read%20and%20I%20realized%20that%20what%20I%20LOVED%20about%20her%20at%20first,%20is%20exactly%20what%20I'm%20beginning%20to%20find%20tedious%20and%20predictable%20about%20her%20writing%20now.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe%20storylines%20are%20quiet,%20simple,%20truthful,%20and%20almost%20pure.%20%20The%20first%20book%20I%20read%20was%20Just%20Breathe.%20I%20thought%20it%20was%20so%20refreshing.%20%20I%20loved%20it%20for%20its%20honesty%20and%20lack%20of%20big%20misunderstandings,%20unnecessarily%20florid%20sex%20scenes,%20etc.%20%20But%20now%20I'm%20finding%20the%20exact%20same%20elements--boring.%20%20Unreal.%20%20Unnatural.%20%20Too%20pure.%20%20I%20would%20like%20Susan%20Wiggs'%20characters%20to%20have%20a%20bit%20more%20of%20an%20edge.%20%20Her%20heroines%20are%20always%20so%20good.%20%20Both%20the%20hero%20and%20the%20heroine%20always%20think%20every%20move%20out%20for%20SO%20LONG.%20%20It's%20not%20normal,%20or%20interesting%20to%20read%20about.%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso,%20I'm%20getting%20tired%20of%20all%20the%20heroines%20being%20so%20against%20junk%20food%20and%20TV.%20%20I%20hate%20it%20when%20I%20can%20hear%20an%20author's%20personal%20feelings%20bleed%20through%20into%20her%20protagonists'%20feelings.%20%20So%20Susan%20Wiggs%20is%20all%20about%20TV%20is%20evil%20and%20preservatives%20are%20the%20devil.%0D%0A%0D%0AShe%20also%20apparently%20thinks%20homeschooling%20amounts%20to%20a%20%22lack%20of%20education.%22%20%20As%20a%20former%20homeschooler,%20I%20resent%20this%20type%20of%20stereotype%20being%20perpetuated%20by%20people%20that%20really%20don't%20know%20what%20they're%20talking%20about.%20%20This%20is%20the%20second%20Susan%20Wiggs%20novel%20I've%20read%20that%20refers%20negatively%20to%20homeschooling.%20%20I%20wish%20she%20would%20do%20a%20bit%20more%20research.%20%20Because%20if%20a%20child%20that%20was%20homeschooled%20has%20no%20access%20to%20society%20or%20lacks%20an%20education....well%20NEWSFLASH!%20%20They%20weren't%20homeschooled.%20%20They've%20been%20neglected,%20but%20not%20homeschooled.%20%20It's%20difficult%20enough%20for%20homeschoolers%20to%20overcome%20prejudices,%20but%20to%20have%20authors%20throw%20out%20their%20personal%20opinions,%20that%20have%20obviously%20been%20based%20on%20misinformation,%20into%20the%20general%20public%20like%20this%20causes%20a%20constant%20uphill%20battle%20for%20the%20kids%20whose%20parents%20are%20just%20trying%20to%20do%20the%20right%20thing%20for%20them.">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="review">
    <action_text><![CDATA[gave 2 stars to: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3145228.Red_Fire">Red Fire (Gods of Midnight, #1)</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/291002.Deidre_Knight">Deidre Knight</a>]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80643613</link>
    <image_url>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51nAEPa0GQL._SL75_.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">541201</id>
  <name>April</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1249473968p2/541201.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/541201-april</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:33:40 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[Eh...I'm going to have to stop reading this.  But not because I can point to anything HORRIBLE about the writing style or plot.  I think I'm just not in the mood for this sort of paranormal romance right now.<br/><br/>One thing that drives me nuts about paranormals is that the paranormal elements ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/Eh...I'm%20going%20to%20have%20to%20stop%20reading%20this.%20%20But%20not%20because%20I%20can%20point%20to%20anything%20HORRIBLE%20about%20the%20writing%20style%20or%20plot.%20%20I%20think%20I'm%20just%20not%20in%20the%20mood%20for%20this%20sort%20of%20paranormal%20romance%20right%20now.%0D%0A%0D%0AOne%20thing%20that%20drives%20me%20nuts%20about%20paranormals%20is%20that%20the%20paranormal%20elements%20often%20direct%20the%20plot.%20%20Rather%20than%20be%20character%20driven,%20the%20plot%20is%20circumstance%20driven%20and%20that%20is%20really%20beginning%20to%20bug%20me%20about%20these%20paranormals.%0D%0A%0D%0AFor%20instance,%20instead%20of%20developing%20a%20believable%20relationship%20between%20the%20H%2FH,%20the%20author%20throws%20in%20a%20%22fated%20mate%22%20plot%20device,%20so%20suddenly%20the%20hero%20is%20simply%20chomping%20at%20the%20bit%20to%20have%20his%20woman.%20%20There's%20no%20believable%20build%20up%20there.%0D%0A%0D%0AThen,%20everything%20that%20happens%20is%20a%20direct%20result%20of%20some%20weird%20paranormal%20outside%20influence...and%20even%20in%20non-paranormals,%20I'd%20rather%20see%20characters%20grappling%20with%20who%20they%20are%20and%20their%20own%20personal%20demons%20than%20dealing%20with%20ACTUAL%20DEMONS%20or%20some%20evil%20dude%20intent%20on%20murder%20or%20destroying%20their%20lives.%0D%0A%0D%0APlus,%20I%20found%20that%20I%20was%20disappointed%20right%20away,%20because%20I%20read%20Deidre%20Knight's%20Butterfly%20Tattoo%20and%20was%20so%20enthralled%20that%20I%20hoped%20to%20find%20something%20similar%20(character-driven,%20emotional)%20in%20her%20paranormals.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo...not%20finishing%20this%20one.%20%20Maybe%20later.">more...</a>]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="comment">
    <action_text><![CDATA[new comment from April]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79880717</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255578920s/793003.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">541201</id>
  <name>April</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1249473968p2/541201.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/541201-april</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:22:25 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[Yeah, I love erotica too, and I am actually kind of embarrassed of that fact.<br/><br/>I don't want people to think I have some sort of weird sexual fixation to causes me to read kinky book after kinky book like a fiend or something.  I wish everyone who would judge me as such would read THIS book.  Because it is erotic women's fiction at it's best.  (more in the vein of Chopin's The Awakening or Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes are Watching God--very much about female empowerment)<br/><br/>However, there are quite a bit of less classy, plain dirty erotica novels out there--and I read those too :-)<br/><br/>(but really, I insist they be well-written)]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
        <update type="comment">
    <action_text><![CDATA[new comment from April]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78593345</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1240329252s/6411238.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">541201</id>
  <name>April</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1249473968p2/541201.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/541201-april</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:17:28 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[I still can't let this book go.  I read it months ago, and it has become the measure by which I judge all other romances.  Knight's novel strikes the balance between realism and that ethereal feeling that we call &quot;romance&quot; so well that I just want to delve into it over and over again...and stay there.<br/><br/>Ah...if only ALL books could be so well done.]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="comment">
    <action_text><![CDATA[new comment from April]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79832745</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255578925s/4681320.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">541201</id>
  <name>April</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1249473968p2/541201.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/541201-april</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:11:43 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[LOL.  Her books are like crack.  I've found that every other non-Megan Hart book I pick up just feels too.....oh, I don't know....contrived?  Fake?]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
      <update type="comment">
    <action_text><![CDATA[new comment from April]]></action_text>
    <link>http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73508853</link>
    <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255578925s/4681320.jpg</image_url>
    <actor>
  <id type="integer">541201</id>
  <name>April</name>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1249473968p2/541201.jpg</image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/541201-april</link>
</actor>

    <updated_at>Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:08:45 -0800</updated_at>
        
      
          <body><![CDATA[Jack's girlfriend in Stranger isn't ditzy.  She's Sarah (Sassy) from Broken, and she is a very likeable person in that book.  Perfect for Jack, who I thought she should end up with upon reading Broken.]]></body>
        
    
  </update>  
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