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Your 2010 Reading Logs
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Christine's Reading Log - 2010
70. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen - 4*This book reminded me in some ways of Speak, especially in the beginning. But it was different enough that I soon stopped comparing. I felt a connection with Annabelle, I think because she reminded me of myself and how I handle situations.
71. Midnight Angel by Lisa Marie Rice - 4*
I'm always going to have a soft spot for stories resembling 'Beauty & the Beast'. Plus, the smut was really good, as it always is in Lisa Marie Rice books.
72. Midnight Man by Lisa Marie Rice - 3*
Great smut, easy read. I liked it.
73. Midnight Run by Lisa Marie Rice - 3*
This one covered a lot more ground, but unfortunately, it was the same ground that the other two books had already laid out. So it didn't take long to get through.
74. Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn - 3*Kitty's back in Denver, but I kind of liked her on the road, meeting new people, doing different things. I really liked the ending, however, and can't wait to read the next book.
75. Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead - 4*Great opener to a series that came highly recommended by several of my friends. I've noticed a trend with Ms Mead, however. She seems to enjoy extracting, in a delightfully painful way, her readers' hearts and then stomping on them until they're nothing more than quivering, deflated bags. I'm not saying this happened in this book, but she set it up so that it will happen eventually. (Just like in her Vampire Academy series.) But alas, I loved it and had to continue on to the next book.
76. Succubus on Top by Richelle Mead - 4*
Again, this was really good. The plot was interesting, although I saw the "problem" with one of the side stories right off the bat. But whatever. It was still good. But. BUT. I can see it coming. Looming on the horizon. The heartache is nigh, so I'll be holding off on the next book until I have time to bask in the glowing happiness that I received from this one.
77. The Espressologist by Kristina Springer - 3*Quick read and cute. Made me laugh out a couple times. Just wish it had been a little longer.
78. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle - 3*
I remember reading this as a kid and liking it, but couldn't remember anything about the story. Unfortunately, I didn't connect at all with Meg this time around. I liked the story, as a kid's book, but not her.
79. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov - 2*Wow, what a trip. This book was like a rollercoaster. One minute the guy's up, the next he's down. Dolly's a brat beyond imagination, but then you feel bad for her because of everything she's gone through. It just doesn't end, even after the book's done.
80. Mistress by Amanda Quick - 4*
Really cute and witty banter between Iphigina (what a name, btw) and Masters. I liked the mystery part of the book, even though it wasn't a huge surprise when it was revealed. Will definitely read more of her books.
81. Angels' Blood by Nalini Sighn - 4*
I really liked this book. The plot was engaging and the world was very interesting. I loved the idea of angels involved in everyday life. Will definitely read the next in this series.
82. Dark Prince by Christine Feehan - 3*
This read like a gothic novel. The phrasing was antiquated and I had to keep reminding myself this was supposed to be somewhat "present day", but it seriously didn't read like one.
83. Aiden's Charity by Lora Leigh - 3*More angst, but the plot progression was good. Still prefer the feline breed books, though.
84. Summer's Secret by Sandra Heath - 2*
Eh. The time travel theory was weak and the "romance" part was largely overshadowed by Summer's present life and the mystery she was a part of in her past life.
85. The Love Potion by Sandra Hill - 3*Light humor and an interesting awry of second tier characters made this book an easy and amusing read. Not sure if I'll continue this particular series, but I'm sure I'll read more from Sandra Hill.
86. Nerds Like It Hot by Vicki Lewis Thompson - 3*Cute, amusing and a quick read. The only thing that bothers me about these books is that, other than the first book, the leading man is not a nerd. False advertising, if you ask me.
87. The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks - 1*
Couldn't finish it. Got bored halfway through.
88. Dark Desire by Christine Feehan - 3*
Pretty much like the first one, but I knew what to expect this time around so it wasn't as bad. I'm probably going to keep with this series for two more books because I really want to read Grigori's story.
89. Love Bites by Lynsay Sands - 3*The secondary characters really make this series. The story was run-of-the-mill, however, and I realized about halfway through I'd read the 3rd book in this series a couple years ago, which is why it was so familiar to me.
90. The Undead Next Door by Kerrelyn Sparks - 3*
Not as cute as the Argeneau series, but still enjoyable in its own right. I really want to read the next book in this series because of Ian.
91. Nerd Gone Wild by Vicki Lewis Thompson - 3*I'd rank this right behind the first book in terms of nerdiness of the guy and cuteness of the story. I'm about 40% certain I'd read this before, but I still enjoyed it.
92. A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux - 4*It was hard to relate to the heroine since she was such a doormat, but when Nicholas entered the picture, things got much better. If I had read this in one sitting, there would have been tears.
93. Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn - 4*Really cute. I loved Sebastian and Annabelle together and didn't want the book to end. I hope Julia Quinn writes a second epilogue to this one.
94. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - 3*
Easy read, but it deals with some heavy stuff. Charlie is extremely likable, probably because he's so naive about things. Is it even possible for a boy to reach the age of 15 and not know about masturbation? It's hard to believe, but I guess it happens. ...maybe.
95. Revelations by Jet Mykles - 3*It's feels like forever since I've read a menage book, so it was perfect for my mood. The only reason it didn't receive 4 stars was every once in a while it felt like Owen was treated more as a pet than a person. It irked me, but not enough to stop reading.
96. What Happens in London by Julia Quinn - 4*Masterfully written, which I've come to expect from Julia Quinn. There were several times I laughed out loud and many more where I giggled to myself. Loved it.
97. Through the Veil by Shiloh Walker - 3*I liked the book, but there were some problems with it. For one, Ms Walker repeated herself... a lot. Most of it was about the way the two worlds worked. I got it the first time, thanks. Also, I didn't like Lee. The majority of the book was her stumbling around, crying, and Kalen coming in at the last second to soothe her.
98. The Bride and the Beast by Teresa Medeiros - 3*
This book was all over the place. I liked the first half, but once the 'beast' revealed himself, it was downhill from there.
99. The Year of Living Shamelessly by Susanna Carr - 3*
The main characters needed to be smacked on the head multiple times throughout this book. Either that or they needed to make up their damn minds! Yeesh.
100. Dark Gold by Christine Feehan - 4*Finally a guy who has a sense of humor! I thought after the first 2 books these guys were all serious and foreboding, but Aidan was *gasp* charming at times. I know. It shocked me too. Grigori's book is next!
I just got Quinn's latest book and can't wait to read it.
Oh, it was SO cute! I loved it. I don't see how a person couldn't love it.
101. Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn - 3*Another mystery and vague mentions of Ben and Kitty's relationship in-between Kitty's ever growing Rolodex of strange people. It read like a transition book that ultimately leads to a bigger plot.
102. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley - 4*
What to say about this book? I loved Ian. I really liked Beth. I couldn't believe how much Ian went through but everyone thinking he was 'mad' made sense since Autism wasn't defined until the early 1900s. He must have a mild case of it, however, since he was able to teach himself how to 'socially interact' appropriately. At least to a point. It was a great book and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
103. Kitty Raises Hell by Carrie Vaughn - 4*I was really drawn in with this book. The supernatural mystery went straight into where the last book left off and was right by my alley, so I was riveted and couldn't put it down until I was done. And! There were descriptions of Kitty and Ben's physical relationship. (Not as in-depth as some books I've read, but definite improvement from the little peeks we've seen before now.) I know! It shocked me, too. The next book sounds like it'll be interesting.
104. Heaven by Jet Mykles - 4*Some very good M/M romance. Short, but sweet. Bought the rest of the series because I liked this so much.
105. Pretty Red Ribbon by Jet Mykles - 4*
A nice little extra starring the guys from 'Heaven'.
106. Purgatory by Jet Mykles - 4*The guys in this band are very aggressive when they want something. And that's not a bad thing because these books are HOT. I would've liked to see a little bit about their lives together, though.
107. Sexy Spring Surprise by Jet Mykles - 3*
A little extra starring the guys from 'Purgatory'.
108. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford - 3*
This went from cute, to weird, to eye-rollingly unbelievable, back to weird. I doubt I'll read the follow-up book because while Jane was an interesting character, her boyfriend, Walter, was 2 dimensional. Jane's 'maker' was another flat character. The author set it up so there's the potential of a love triangle, but I couldn't care less about either of the guys.
109. Hell by Jet Mykles - 4*I could really identify with Brent, which made for a great read. Only thing that could have been better was the 'epilogue', if you can even call it that.
110. Feisty Little Firecracker by Jet Mykles - 4*
A little extra with Brent and Hell.
111. An Unacceptable Offer by Mary Balogh - 3*Not my usual kind of read. Jane was very level-headed, but given to flights of fancy, as every girl does at one time or another. I liked her. Michael, on the other hand, came off very arrogant. He redeemed himself over the course of the book, but first impressions are hard to overlook. Overall, though, I liked it. I have several other Mary Balogh novels in my possession and I'm willing to give those a try after reading this.
112. Faith by Jet Mykles - 4*Probably my favorite of the series. I really liked Darien, and his experience of lusting after a guy for the first time was quite fun to read.
113. Sly Spectral Trick by Jet Mykles - 4*
My favorite extra, too. A little something more with Darien and Chris.
114. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson - 4*
Very compelling, once I got into it. It's going to be one of those books that I'll randomly think about for no reason other than it'll haunt me like All Around the Town by Mary Higgins Clark and several other books that have left a mark have done. I'm going to read the second book, but I'll probably wait a little while before starting it.
Christine wrote: "43. A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught - 3*Good God, if those 2 crazy kids can love each other after everything they went through, then I applaud them. My reaction to it reminde..."
Do read
because I think you would enjoy it. Personally, I prefer this to "Whitney, My Love".
You've already read 114 books????!! OMG I am so impressed! I thought I was doin good with my 35! WOWZA... you are a book reading Goddess!
Carol wrote: "Do read Until You (Westmoreland, #3) because I think you would enjoy it. Personally, I prefer this to "Whitney, My Love"."Hmm... I'll give it a go. I usually participate in a 'read the month' challenge', so that will work perfectly for the U in July. :)
Bekah wrote: "You've already read 114 books????!! OMG I am so impressed! I thought I was doin good with my 35! WOWZA... you are a book reading Goddess!"
Ah, geez. *blushes* I tend to have a lot of time on my hands in the evening when it's slow at work. Plus I have a personal goal of reading 210 books for the year, so I'm right on track to making it.
115. Simple Jess by Pamela Morsi - 3*It reminded me of Forrest Gump, but most of the time Jess didn't deserve the title 'simple'. I felt bad for Althea, having all those people force her into something that she didn't want, but things turned out alright in the end.
116. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris - 3*I actually laughed out loud a couple times while reading this. It's something I haven't done since, I think, the 4th book. Oh, and is it wrong that I get a little shiver every time Eric says 'lover'? ...Yes? Well,what about if I'm imagining Alexander Skarsgård saying it? While he's naked, of course. ...Oh, good. I knew you'd see things my way. :D
117. Noble Intentions by Katie MacAlister - 4*
I can't decide if this book was the work of a mad woman or if Katie MacAlister has the best sense of humor I've ever read. It was... chaotic and ingenious. And very confusing at times, but I think that had more to do with the lack of formatting on my ebook than the way she writes. And I adore Charlotte, but apparently her book, Noble Destiny, isn't as good as this one (according to the reviews left). Sad.
118. Married By Morning by Lisa Kleypas - 4*I'm so glad Leo finally got his HEA. Also, that Cat's past wasn't as dark as I thought it would be from all the hints we got in the last book.
119. Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh - 4*
A great follow-up to Angels' Blood, even though I really wanted to see the reactions Elena's friends and family would have seeing her after so long. The ending seemed a little rushed, but after the first book's drawn out bloodshed, I'm okay with it.
120. Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling - 1*
Only got 50 pages into it before I gave up. Dragged out in a way that was methodical and detached. It wasn't interesting, even though the storyline could have been fascinating if done right. Reminded me of Flashforward, another book that could have been so much better.
121. Genesis by Jet Mykles - 4*Let's call this Epilogue II for the first four books. I loved reading about all four couples. A great end to a series.
122. Love Is Blind by Lynsay Sands - 4*
This was very cute and pretty funny. Adrian and Clarissa were adorable together.
123. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - 5*This was an amazing book! There's really no way to explain it. You just have to read it. And remember, it's all a game... :)
124. Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu - 3*
I felt really bad for Lucy, but this book was a little on the gruesome side. And as a general annoyance, YA books end way too soon for me. I would've liked to see some of the aftermath.
125. Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts - 3*Maybe it's because I didn't read the first book or maybe it's because I started this as an audiobook, but I never really connected to any of the characters. I did like Parker, however, and will probably read her book.
126. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles - 3*Common enough story (dating all the way back to Romeo & Juliet), but told in a way that instantly sucks you in. I had to pull a late night with this one to finish it. I'll probably read the follow-up book since the ending to this one was so rushed. (Dang you YA books for your rushed endings!)
127. Taking Chase by Lauren Dane - 4*Both scarred and distrusting, Shane and Cassie are a lot deeper characters than those in the first book. I thought their relationship was very well developed. The inevitable show of Cassie's ex was disappointing, but not important to the story, really.
128. A Jaguar's Kiss by Lora Leigh - 3*Part of the Shifter anthology. It was short and sweet, which is why I read it before Dawn's Awakening. Needed something to use as a buffer from all the hurt.
129. Enchantment by Orson Scott Card - 3*
I really like Card's writing because even though the story line wasn't that interesting for the majority of the book, I was still sucked in. The best way to describe this book is a Russian Sleeping Beauty story.
130. All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks - 4*
I loved it! Ian finally gets some action after 500 years of looking like he's 15. He was adorable. Yay!
131. Kitty's House of Horrors by Carrie Vaughn - 4*This book was much better than the other ones. I think it was because it had Jeremy, Tina and Grant in it. I missed Ben, though. I can't wait until the next book!
132. My Lady Notorious by Jo Beverly - 3*The beginning was a jumbled mess of people switching sexes and over-villainous antics. The ending kind of redeemed the story, but not much. I doubt I'll read anymore from this author unless it comes highly recommended from someone I trust.
133. Pack Challenge by Shelly Laurenston - 3*It was pretty funny, but Sara was crazy/bitchy and Zach was a jerk/asshole most of the time.
134. Go Fetch! by Shelly Laurenston - 4*
I liked this one because I understood Miki a bit more than Sara. And Conall was much more likable than Zach.
135. Here Kitty, Kitty! by Shelly Laurenston - 4*
After reading this, I want a tiger to drape myself across! It's not fair that Angelina gets one and I don't. :P
136. The Mane Event by Shelly Laurenston - 3*There were two stories in this one book:
A Pride Christmas - 2*
I didn't like Dez. At all. I liked Mace, but Dez got on my nerves the entire time.
Shaw's Tail - 4*
This one was much better. Shaw and Ronnie's teasing was funny and several scenes were hilarious, like when Shaw had the 'fever'. :P
137. Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken - 4*
This is another two stories in one, but I only read the first one. It was pretty good, although I didn't understand how they could stay away from each other for so long and not yell more when they saw each other again.
138. First Impressions: A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice by Alexa Adams - 3*This is the 'what if everything went right?' P&P book and was a light and easy read. Even though the lack of conflict was a nice change of pace, it also didn't endear me to it because there was no hardship for them to overcome.
139. Relations Such As These by Sara O'Brien - 3*The 'villains' in the story were overdone and I could have used less of their POV. I ended up skimming a lot of the scheming and focused on Darcy & Elizabeth's relationship.
140. Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn - 3*
Another transition book where we learn a little bit of the bigger picture while Kitty and others fight some obscure outside force and deal with a completely unrelated problem. Hmph.
141. Playing with Fire by Gena Showalter - 4*I like Gena's sense of humor, which is why I continue to read her books. This one is no different. And Rome is extra yummy.
142. His Secondhand Wife by Cheryl St. John - 4*It was simple and straightforward, but never dull. I loved Noah. Even teared up a little at the end.
143. The Awakening by Christine Feehan - 3*
The first of her leopard people series. It was more an intro to the series than an actual story being very short and to the point. I'll most likely read the next book.
144. Nighttime Sweethearts by Cara Colter - 4*
Very sweet and short. Has a 'Beauty & the Beast' feel to it, which I'm always a sucker for.
145. Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger - 3*I liked the mystery side of it, but it wouldn't be something I'd read on my own. I really read it for the author's last name. I won't be continuing the series.
146. Promises Reveal by Sarah McCarty - 4*If you haven't read the second book of this series (Promises Keep) like me, you'll be a little lost about Brad's background. But thankfully, it's not important enough to take away from the heat between Brad and Evie.
147. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson - 4*A great follow-up to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It's another mystery and delves more into Lisbeth's background. It was fascinating and hard to put down. I can't wait until I get my hands on The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest!
148. Talk Nerdy to Me by Vicki Lewis Thompson - 3*
A light-hearted romance, which was what I needed after the heaviness of Larsson's book. I really liked Charlie, who was actually nerdy (as opposed to most of the lead guys in the other Nerd books).
We Love Lisa Kleypas
Books mentioned in this topic
Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 15 (other topics)Stay Close to Me (other topics)
Mind Games (other topics)
Demon from the Dark (other topics)
Ray, Volume 1 (other topics)
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One of the romance books I borrowed from my mom's collection. I've always been drawn to the set-up: guy is hopelessly in love with his best friend's wife and after some sort of tragedy that leaves the woman a widow, the guy finally has a chance to be with her. Unfortunately all of the books that use this premise (this one included) pale in comparison to When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn.
68. A Quick Bite by Lynsay Sands - 3*
As far as first books in a series goes, this one was pretty good. It was light and amusing. I'll be reading the second one.
69. Moving Violation by Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick - 2*
This must have been one of Lora Leigh's first books because the smut wasn't that good. And I took away a star for introducing foreign objects to places they shouldn't go. I'm all for the use of toys, but there are some things that should not go inside you.