I’ve been so busy blogging about so much stuff – I haven’t done an entertainment post in a few weeks! Here’s what’s new and hopping in my world:
10 things I love about you by Julia Quinn gave me the post-reading good book bliss that I look for in a truly great happily ever after tale. I only read maybe 10 historical fiction books a year, and Julia Quinn is one of the few authors who can seduce me (hee hee) into reading her regency era stuff. It had it all – super creepy bad guy, hero with big secret, likeable heroine, cameos by characters from previous books… I loved it. sooo much. I have so little to say about it because I just LOVED every bit. I know one of my favorite people/bookworm friends Doris Sander loved it too – so consider it double recommended if you like a lovely romance tale.
Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep is book #2 in her series about Gin Blanco, an assassin who is pure awesome. What I love about this dark & gritty series is that while you’d think that an emotionally tormented, hard killing machine of a heroine would be too cold, too much yuck factor to relate to, she’s not. The author weaves in bits and pieces about her loyalty, love of cooking, and other little bits and pieces that make me absolutely love this character + series. Oh, and FYI – Jennifer Estep gets a big thumbs up from me on a personal level for responding to reader fan mail (yeah, from me) quickly, and with WAY more than just “hi, thanks for buying”. Made me feel great about taking the time to write her about my love of her books (hello, Karma Girl still an all time fave!!) and all.
Key Lime Pie Murder: I’m done with the Hannah Swensen series. This was my 5th or 6th book (I went out of order accidentally it seems) but this is the NINTH book in the series and Hannah continues to toy with two men who are in love with her (since book #2 at least!) and both are proposal serious about her, and know about the other man, and somehow are kind of ok with this?! I just call B.S. and no way am buying it. I’ve heard that even in book #13 she remains in limbo. I have lost major respect for her heroine for this crap so – I’m out. The fact that the murder/mystery part was lame + boring on this didn’t help matters. BUT – let me just say the recipes in all her books ROCK. Will be keeping them and using recipes for years I’m sure.
One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare is the 1st of 3 books she’s coming out with this summer, and I did enjoy my reading time with this first offering. I couldn’t help but like the horse loving hero! (The heroine… eh. wasn’t so crazy about her) I adore Tessa Dare’s writing + she’s super nice on-line too. I LOVE authors who will chat/respond to you when you talk at them via twitter or email. I think that the rest of the series will determine my overall feelings from good to potentially great, as there are a number of unresolved plot lines involving murder and the horse the three men are part owners in… we shall see. Tessa is one of 4 currently writing authors that can get me to pick up a “ye olde times” (as I like to call them) novel and love it. So I’m excited to get more summer reading time with her again later this month.
Finally I watched Leap Year the other night, and Amy Adams (as always) drew me in and held me captivated and entertained. That said, soon as I turned off the television I thought to myself “well, that was a really dumb movie.” The plot is that she goes to Ireland to propose to her boyfriend (who’s not proposing to her) and on way finds travel trouble and potentially a new (awesome) country Irish dude. THAT IS IT. *sigh* SO tired of trying to watch romance/romcom movies now a days. Seems like there’s zero plot or they try to cram the “happily ever after” into too convenient a plot. Is it just me or are movies in general getting WORSE in recent years with the good ones being more & more rare?
It’s back to books for me… I’ve got a to-be-read pile waiting for deadline madness to pass me by, including one book I keep peeking at that was a birthday gift… and another that was a gift to myself…
As always – suggestions, recommendations, and comments encouraged!
PS- HOW do I find time to read? Well, I get 45min-1hr most every day at gym doing cardio, and I sneak a chapter in here & there as a special treat here at home. You’d be amazed where and when you can find a bit of time to read if you want to…
im a bookworm too, yup you can fit reading in anywhere, i have even seen myself reading as i stir food on the hob lol
Hey there May! I’m excited to have a pile of books to read this summer also and can’t wait to dive in today! 🙂 I’m starting with a book by Charlaine Harris, Dead Until Dark. Did you read this series? I’d love to know your take on it! I spend so much time reading non-fiction that I’m craving some fun stories for the summer and hoping I picked some good ones. Have a happy wonderful Saturday and thanks so much for sharing these entertainment thoughts/ideas. 🙂
Sookie Stackhouse is an all time FAVE!!! The stories are intense, the plot lines twisty as can be… but at the center of it is such a great heroine. Love the series!!
May, I might’ve already recommended these to you, but anything by Elizabeth Berg is awesome, and I really dig Sarah Addison Allen’s books. They’re quirky, and the stories take you in a direction you might not have anticipated. Try ’em! : )
I love to read too…usually I use it to help me fall asleep at night. I’m reading Lee Child Reacher on my PC currently. 🙂
if you want to check out some old classic romantic comedy movies that have good plots I recommend:
It Happened One Night (Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert)
and Bachelor Mother (Ginger Rogers.) Also, Christmas in Connecticut (Barbara Stanwyck) is a great Christmas one.
Great reviews, I’ll have to look at some of those. I just finished Ken Follett’s “Pillars of the Earth” which I loved. All about the building of a cathedral in England in the 1100s. Really, really good. And I’m part way through a series of books by Jennifer Chiaverini that feature quilting.
I smiled at your review of Leap Year because I watched it last weekend and felt very nearly the same way. Still, as silly as it was, it’s one of the better romcom movies I’ve watched in a while. It held my attention on the screen at least 🙂
Right now, I’m reading the Vampire Academy novels (think the author is Richelle Mead) and I’m having a very hard time putting them down. It’s fun stuff.
Have you read the “If Looks Could Kill” (that’s the first one) Bailey Weggins series by Kate White? It’s an awesome mystery series! I’m on the lookout for another one now that I’ve read them all….
Funny you should mention Key Lime Murder. I just finished Apple Turnover Murder and decided that I was done. The story line was terrible. Each chapter talks about 2 or 3 recipes and then gives you the recipe. I thought I was reading an annotated cookbook. You are right though–the recipes all sound good.
I love to read and manage to get my fill on my 30mins+ train journey to and from work (twice a week) and always have a little read before bed!