Sunday, January 31, 2010

My January Books

I'm taking part in a challenge to read 100 books this year. So far I've got 11 in for the tally. These were the books I've read, the dates I've finished them and the series they belonged to if they came from the Harlequin family of books.

1. A Wild Affair Charlotte Lamb - Harlequin Presents 545 1/2/10

2 Undressed - Heather MacAllister - Harlequin Blaze 473 1/6/10

3. Fantasy Summer - Susan Beth Pfeffer 1/7/10

4. Surrender The Heart - Nina Beaumont Harlequin Historical 362 1/11/10

5. The Love Barrier - Vera Craig Candlelight Romance 131 1/13/2010

6. Emperor: Time's Tapestry Book 1 - Stephen Baxter 1/19/2010

7. Home For Love - Ellen James 1/20/2010

8. The Tower Of The Captive - Violet Winspear 1/23/2010

9. Beauty & The Brain - Elizabeth Bevarly Silhouette Desire 1130 1/26/2010

10. Guilty Feet - Kelly Harte 1/29/2010

11. Charlie All Night - Jennifer Cruise 1/30/2010

Book Review: Chalie All Night

I've got a new favorite author after reading Charlie All Night. This book had everything that I like in a good chicklit, its got a bit of mystery, a love affair, but not too hot and heavy, its got music and its funny.

Alice "Allie" is a producer at a radio station who was just demoted from her job in the morning drive, and dumped by the DJ that just happened to be the guy who DJ'd the morning drive. But that's where Charlie Tenniel comes in. He's the new late night DJ and Allie wants to make him famous. (Charlie wants none of it) He doesn't get his wish though, through some blunders and sabotage Charlie's show becomes one of the hottest things on the air. But he's not there to be famous, he's there to help out his father's friend he didn't expect to have strong feelings for Alice.

Jennifer Crusie has created a book that's funny and fun and a quick read. Allie and her friends Joe and Harry and Grady are so lovable and their foibles make them more endearing. Even the dweeby, Mark of the morning show is likable when he's being a sneaky creep.

Plus when the mystery is solved, it works out well for everyone concerned, but I won't give that part away, you'll just have to read the book to find out what happens.

Charlie All Night was the first Jennifer Crusie book that I've read, but it certainly won't be my last.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Books and Music

In the last few days I've read two books that music figured in quite prominently. Both books were chicklit books.

Amazing, isn't it?

The first one was Guilty Feet, which I reviewed yesterday, the other was Jennifer Cruise's Charlie All Night. Both used humor over sex to make the story go by. But music really was the underlying thing that moved it along, whether it was Dan's writing in Guilty Feet or the playlist selections of Charlie in his late night radio show in Charlie All Night.

The music was a character in itself and without it, the plots wouldn't have been the same. I loved that in both books, there was one character that really loved their music.

More books should be like these, though the authors have to know their stuff, and thankfully Kelly Harte and Jennifer Cruise do. I guess that's why I like Nick Hornby's novels so much, even the novels that music isn't totally part of the plot, its always in the background.

Its always nice to discover books that have characters that have he same passions that the reader shares. Thanks to those authors that obviously have a great love of music too.

Are there any books you've read that music figured in or had a character that shared a similar interest as you?

Friday, January 29, 2010

An Awesome Novel Of The Chick Lit Variety

I just finished up reading Kelly Harte's hilarious, Guilty Feet. Who would have thought that the 80s classic Careless Whisper would figure in so much in a novel?

If you find it unbelievable, you need to try Guilty Feet out.

The novel centers around Jo and Dan, two ex-lovers on the verge of something and the whacky people that live in the building that Dan does.

Jo moves out on Dan when he says something she considers (and many women) would consider unforgivable. But Jo, like many angry women leaves without telling him why or where she's going, and expects him to follow after her.

When he doesn't, she's miserable and to complicate matters, her job goes belly up and her father moves in with her, having decided he no longer wants to be married to her mother.

Jo's life is definitely chaos. So you can forgive her for creating a fiction person, Sarah Daly, who just starts up an email relationship with Dan, who is a music writer?

Sounds crazy?

Yes, definitely, but it makes for a funny read. Especially when there's a neighbor that has designs on Dan, another neighbor that Jo thinks is already hooking up with Dan and hot Italian waiter and his mother that run a local cafe.

The characters were all believable and funny. This book was more about relationships than sex, and that makes it all the more entertaining. Its also about second chances and you are definitely happy that they happen for Jo and Dan, though it takes the whole book for them to get back together.

This was great light reading and it definitely made me laugh over and over again. Its one for the keeper shelf.

I'm A Chick Who Reads

I have a confession to make.

I'm a 35 year old book-a-holic.

I can not go into a Goodwill or a bookstore without coming out with a huge list of books I need to buy or a huge bag of books. I have a to be read pile that could take me years to get through, but do I care? No. And I still buy more books! I love everything about books and I read several genres.

I am a lover of romantic fiction, chick lit, mysteries, historical fiction and books on pop culture. I also enjoy some sci-fi, fantasy and horror if its well written. Oh and did I mention erotica? Not quite the same as romantic fiction but a close off-shoot sometimes.

Books bring me joy and entertainment. Many times I think they are better than TV and they are almost always better than the movies that they spawn.

I love to talk about books and that's what I'm going to do. I'll be sharing my thoughts on my favorite authors as well as some reviews of my recently read books. I hope all the bookies out there will join in the discussion.
 
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