Penny Watson's Blog, page 87

Friday Reading Update

I am still half-way through several books I hope to finish this weekend: Dark Peril by Christine Feehan and Anytime Darlin' by Julia Rachel Barrett. I got side-tracked this week by several things.....
1) No school Monday or Thursday. I am so confused. Can't wait until we have a regular the-kids-will-be-in-school-5-days-in-a-row week.
2) I read Blameless and was massively disappointed (see review).
3) I read an ARC by a new debut author (Marie Beau). It's called Wolf! and I loved it! Review...

Review of Blameless by Gail Carriger

Oh! How I have been waiting with bated breath for the release of Blameless. I adored Soulless and Changeless--both wonderful, funny, sexy, inventive and one-of-a-kind steampunk/paranormal romances. The "romance" at the end of that description is intentional and very, very important in my opinion. The reason those books sparkled, sang, and popped was because of the fantastic chemistry between Alexia and Conall. She is a no-nonsense soulless heroine, primed for adventure and preoccupied with...

Reading Update

I'm looking forward to the holiday weekend....our heat wave should be breaking soon (thanks to the hurricane coming our way!) and we will finally get some cooler, sunny weather. Yay! I have a nice pile of books I am working on right now. I'm half-way through Dark Peril by Christine Feehan. Love Dominic....he is not your typical Carpathian hero, and I'm digging him and Solange together. I am also in the midst of reading Julia Barrett's Anytime Darlin', which I am really enjoying. It is a very ...

Penelope's Pros and Cons of Heart Failure

I know this may seem somewhat callous, but honestly there is a silver lining for almost everything in our lives. Even heart failure. Following my August 3rd heart attack, I have come to the conclusion that there are pros and cons for even the most dire of medical emergencies.
Pros and Cons of Heart Failure by Penelope
1. Con= Threat of impending death.
2. Pro= You get a lot of beautiful flower bouquets.
3. Con= Threat of impending death.
4. Pro= Kick starts your weight loss program. I have lost...

Review of Water Bound by Christine Feehan

Water Bound by Christine Feehan
Okay, I'm the first one to admit Christine Feehan's stuff is sometimes over the top. Her Dark series is extremely melodramatic, her alpha male heroes are one step short of cavemen, her 80-pg. love scenes go on and on about creamy skin and velvet sheaths. Nevertheless, I love her books.
Why?
Well, Christine Feehan knows something about what women want, and what is the essence of romantic fiction. One man, filled with purpose and integrity and courage, whose...

Review of Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole

The first time I read A Hunger Like No Other I was blown out of the water. It was like no other paranormal romance I had ever read. Kresley Cole created a paranormal world where fey beings fall in love with werewolves, vampires fall in love with ghosts, female characters are more terrifying and violent than the men, pop culture references abound, and strong, intense characters have incredibly sexy journeys. I was in love....with a new-to-me author and the world she created. I have enjoyed a...

Ferrets, Hedge Hogs and Doxie Puppies: The Week's Menagerie

Here's the fastest quickie updates ev-ah!!!!!!!! (I'm using my heart attack as an excuse not to write any long-winded reviews this week....gotta milk that sucker for all its worth!)....
Married by Morning by Lisa KleypasNow I remember why Lisa Kleypas is one of the romance masters....wonderful characters who come to life, incredibly romantic moments, very sexy (and satisfying) love scenes. She has the perfect balance of dialogue, deep POV, plot, etc....the pacing is perfect. I love how Leo...

Quickie Sunday Update

1) My morning glories (which I planted way too late) are finally flowering. A nice way to start the morning.
2) I lost 14 pounds since my heart attack. Nothing jump starts your diet like a near-death experience.
3) My "little old lady" walks have graduated from a 90 year old's pace to a 75 year old's pace. By next week, I should be able to outwalk a 65 year old, no problem.
4) I am reading Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas and really enjoying it. My new "rule" is to only read at night before...

2 (Almost) DNFs and the Unexpected Outcome

Note to Readers: This post was written B.H.A. (Before Heart Attack), so you can take it with a grain of salt (or rather lo-sodium Mrs. Dash! hee hee).....perhaps I wasn't getting enough oxygen due to my faltering heart.
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I very, very rarely DNF (Do Not Finish) a book. Seriously, it pretty much takes an act of God before I will give up. Even if a book sucks, I still want to find out what happens (pathetic, eh?). Nevertheless, perhaps due to a misalignment of the stars, I had not just one...

Penelope's Heart Took A Lickin' But Kept on Tickin'

Hi everyone! I wanted to write a very quick note to say I will be taking a little break. I had a heart attack on Tuesday morning. Luckily, I was whisked to BI Deaconess for heart surgery to repair a blocked artery and everything went very well. I am completely overwhelmed by the awesome support of my friends and family, and reminded of how blessed I am.
Huge thanks to everyone for love and prayers!In the immortal words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, I'll be back!Penelope