Historical Romance Book Club discussion
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BOTM July 1 to 15, 2015 - Fires of Winter (Medieval)
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Kat Desi wrote: "Actually, the story is good, but I was hoping that Selig and Erika's love story would somehow be more passionate and stuff like that, considering it's the last book in the series. Oh, well..."I will be getting to book 2 and adding 3...good to hear you are still enjoying!!
OK! Sleep Dep'd!!Up until 3am, up at 7am - because i couldn't put it down!
2 Chapters to go \0/
I am unsure if it is my mood or the lure of staying up 'til the wee hours that I am looking through the book with red eyes, but I am liking how the book is panning out (predictable, yes).
I do agree with the comments so far, the immaturity - progressing to maturity.
Agreed with the lack of Nordic names are a minor irritation. At times, in my mind i find myself using the accents from the series Viking to attempt to'authenticize' my experience! ha!
Here we go.... rollo on...ZZZzzz.
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Okay, not going to lie. I am having a hard time getting into this book. A book written 35 years ago (yes, 1980) is just a really long time ago for me. I will try it a little longer but it's not looking good that I will finish it. Sigh...... Struggling.
Tracy wrote: "Okay, not going to lie. I am having a hard time getting into this book. A book written 35 years ago (yes, 1980) is just a really long time ago for me. I will try it a little longer but it's not lo..."Tracy, when I read these really old HR titles, I have to keep reminding myself not to compare/judge with more recently written titles.
I'm amused to see how HR changes over time. But it can still be difficult to read.
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Hard to get on with the books from 1970s to 1980s since there were some rapey kinda scenes.
However, some of us who have finished with this have moved onto book 2. :)
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I'm amused to see how HR changes over time. But it can still be difficult to read."
I actually like the old-ish style of HR! Well, not all. I've read some that I couldn't bring myself to finish. Sometimes you wonder if these writers don't harbor a secret kinky fantasy with all the kidnap and forced seduction.
I was a little bit the same at first, Tracy. However, around half way through i started to enjoy it a lot more. I am accustomed to 80's HR’s as they were the first novels I picked up over 20 years ago, so may have built a tolerance to the writing style. The writing is a little more difficult to read with less humor, and character development. In saying that, not all HR novels of this era are like Lindsay’s.
In my humble observation, they are a lot harsher towards women (I surmise they were trying to depict the times as true as they felt it was (particularly those of the sub-genre’s such as Viking / Pirate) - and let’s not forget the 70s and early 80s were fairly liberal with sexuality).
I have started book #2, and I am keen to read on to see what the next instalment offers. I hope Tracy, you can get through the book - however, don’t force yourself, LOL. If it’s not for you - it’s not. I know there has and will be many books I won’t get through if I can’t enjoy the story and writing.
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I was really interested to see Tracy's comments because when this was picked as our read I was thinking much the same thing. I was a big reader of this style of HR back when it was first written and "bodice rippers" were all the rage. But now I think most of them have not travelled well and you really do have to read them as Andrea mentioned in the spirit of the times. In saying all that I started last night and read the first five chapters and am fine with it. Kind of liking the feel of the nostalgic "feisty" heroine and the alpha style Viking warrior - although I am still in the set up and am waiting for the first "explosive" meeting, LOL.
SuzieQtyPye wrote: "My Review for:Fires of Winter for anyone who is interested
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I enjoyed your review!
I highly recco that Viking novella . I'm not a great reviewer, so my comments in my review didn't do it justice.
Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "SuzieQtyPye wrote: "My Review for:Fires of Winter for anyone who is interested
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I enjoyed your review!
I highly recco that Viking novella . I'm not a great reviewer, so my comments in my revie..."
Thank you, Andrea!
Your review is just fine. Like you, I am not generally a fan of novella’s purely because I get into the novel and it leaves me wanting more.
I am definitely keen to give Alrek a read based on your recommendation. I think this one might be a sneaky work read as it is a novella. I recall reading Samantha Holt in the past and liking her work. It’s not on my “never read again list” so I am in!
While we are in the mood for Vikings and more Vikings, I have a strong memory of enjoying the Heather Graham Viking Series that you may also enjoy. I own on them on paperback (they are covered in vinyl contact), so I must have enjoyed them.
I just might further indulge my lust for Vikings and revisit them once i have finished the Lindsay series.
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Oh I haven't quit yet. I started reading HR in the 80's, that's pretty much all I read. I guess I am just glad the genre has evolved. I just hope our next book selection for August isn't going to be a book written 20-35 years ago. I feel like, not only are we reading HR we are going back in history to select the book. LOL there are a lot of newer authors writing good books. So I am looking forward to August selections, with my fingers crossed. ; )
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LOL. Regency will be our theme for next month. We'll put up the nominations before the week ends. ;)
SuzieQP, I'll have to look into those heather graham Viking HR novels.
Tracy wrote: "Oh I haven't quit yet. I started reading HR in the 80's, that's pretty much all I read. I guess I am just glad the genre has evolved. I just hope our next book selection for August isn't going to ..."Tracy, the selection for Jul 16-31 in a more modern HR in that it was written recently
Looking forward to the Regency era. Are we going to be strict with the actual Regency Dates or is it more just the regency feeling of the novel with the nominations?
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Kat Desi wrote: "Since we're going to cover ALL HR themes at some point, I guess we will be strict with novels that are set in Regency era (1811 to 1820). I don't think that it would be a hardship since there are T..."We should be able to rustle up something.
Heading to the dressmaker for a ballgown!!
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I'm all set
;)
Thanks for the clarification. I'm glad we're doing strictly Regency, it one of my little nits when books are called Regency in say 1825.
I'm at 40% now. Even though it is very much a product of when it was written I'm actually liking it. Although Brenna is a bit of pain in the ***. She's lucky she is a HR heroine and it is not happening in real life because I think she would have been locked up, sold or worse by now.
Kat Desi wrote: "SuzieQtyPye wrote: "Heading to the dressmaker for a ballgown!!"I'm all set
;)"
Ohhhh!! beautiful. Silk? ;)
I felt the same way, Lisa. Took me a bit to get into it too, but then ... It was hard to put down! Enjoy. Indeed, yes! Eras must be correct and we are all proper here ;) lol
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We don't want to risk a scandal! ;)
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I keep thinking the same! She could have been easily killed for her "impertinence". Haha!
My Viking Husband. Hands Off! 
I finished. Not bad for a book written in the 80's and ticked all the boxes - (view spoiler)
Overall I gave it 3 stars because although I quite enjoyed it in the context of when it was written I found it quite dated by today's standards and my current reading taste.
SuzieQtyPye wrote: "My Viking Husband. Hands Off! "
Hot Hot Hot!
Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "I finished. Not bad for a book written in the 80's and ticked all the boxes - "Bahhahaah! Lisa at your last sentence of the spoiler. Love it, and yes definitely a term used in older HR's!
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Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "SuzieQtyPye wrote: "My Viking Husband. Hands Off! "Hot Hot Hot!"
Miiinee!! You can have him when i find someone new. lol
He also has a Sean Bean-like smile that I love.
Did someone say Sean Bean.... Yum.
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^^That pic! He could totally rock a HR novel cover. Am I right, or am I right!?
OOoooo!!!!! Drooolllyy is that pic!! What big hands he has.And YES YES! he needs to be on an HR cover!! Gosh!
I have had a crush on Mr. Sean since seeing him in the series Clarissa. Scruffy, yummy man he is. Sweet dreams.
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Tracy wrote: "Okay, not going to lie. I am having a hard time getting into this book. A book written 35 years ago (yes, 1980) is just a really long time ago for me. I will try it a little longer but it's not lo..."I'm having the same problem! I'm having to convince myself to finish the book with the same motivation I have for pushing myself to go to the gym. Brenna is still in her immature phase (I read through the comments and I see that she matures throughout the book) and I just find her so annoying. I feel that the writing style is sub-par to what I'm used to, and I'm sure it is because I rarely read books that have not come out fairly recently so I'm just not used to the difference. I'll keep trucking on though!
Edit: Finished the book, and the last half was by far better than the first!
Kristin wrote: I'm having the same problem! I'm having to convince myself to finish the book with the same motivation I have for pushing myself to go to the gym. Brenna is still in her immature phase (I read through the comments and I see that she matures throughout the book) and I just find her so annoying. I feel that the writing style is sub-par to what I'm used to, and I'm sure it is because I rarely read books that have not come out fairly recently so I'm just not used to the difference. I'll keep trucking on though!Edit: Finished the book, and the last half was by far better than the first!
Kristin, I am glad you made it to the end. But I quit. I just don't like this book, the heroine his too young and immature, I cant get into the story, and it just to old of a book. Ohh and these characters names.... I had a hard time remembering them watching The Vikings TV series.
I am glad everyone else enjoyed it. I guess I am just not into medieval books or really old books. Anyway, maybe next month will be more enjoyable for me personally.
Finally done with the book. It took me a while to warm up to that book, but I did. Now I wanna read the second book ( hearts aflame) before 15.
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I definitely liked Hearts Aflame better than Fires of Winter! :)
That's a very promising news, I like the time period. I had so many issues with this book, but since it was sitting in my 'to read' shelf for over 2 years, i was quite happy when it came up as a group read. I so love BR books, and do not mind non pc things in it ( they were meant to behave in Neanderthal ways ).
Like Kat, I too enjoyed the second book more than the first. Was a hard one to put down. x
Historical Romance Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Alrek (other topics)Golden Surrender (other topics)
The Viking's Woman (other topics)
Lord of the Wolves (other topics)
Surrender My Love (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Samantha Holt (other topics)Heather Graham (other topics)
Well, if they have a good story, perhaps I'll buy it on my next used pbk-buying binge. I'll add it to the list that I keep.