Feeling Gothic
With the second night of rolling thunder last night and me waking clutching my sheets (ok, so the clutching is a bit of an exaggeration) I’m now in a bit of a Gothic mood. And looking at this YouTube video I’m ready to start a collection. Do you have any favorite Gothic novels?
Best,
Kwana
What Cha Reading?
I was surprised the other day when a friend of mine called me to ask me about a book I rated on my Goodreads list. She asked if I thought she would like it too. I told her I thought she would and she said thanks and that she would download it. I was surprised because it still shocks me at times the amazing outreach of social media. See, I didn’t even know my friend was on this list or that she was following what I read. I pretty much use it as a tool to keep track for myself since I can’t remember what I had for dinner the night before last let alone a book I read 3 months ago. But it just goes to show that there are so many people watching what we do and say.
Now all that said I’m going to me nosey and ask… What you reading? Come on and share.
Sidebar: are you on a book site like Goodreads?
Best,
Kwana
image from here
Time to Radiate!
Congratulations to my friend, author, Marley Gibson on the release today of her book RADIATE.
RADIATE is a work of fiction but it is based on the personal story of her being a teenage cheerleader stricken with cancer. It’s the story of how cheerleading changed her life.
Over at Marley’s blog where she has a fun pep rally going on today to celebrate the release, so hop on over and check out the party. There are tons of fun and prizes.
I think it’s time for all of us to RADIATE! Don’t you?
Best,
KwanaThat’s One Way
Fifty Shades of Done
Going loosely with Wendy’s TBR theme of picking up a series that you had put down for a while, I went with just completing a series (something that I hardly ever do) and completed the oh so talked about Fifty Shades of Grey series by E.L. James. You know the one. The one that was first supposedly whispered about behind hands in the produce aisle or just referred to as “the book” as if grown women can’t speak out loud the title of a book that contains well you know… S.E.X.
I guess I’ve been speaking out of turn, flaunting my romances, with love scenes of all types included for all the world to see. At dance class, basketball practice, on the baseball field and all before I even had and ereader to hide my illicit reading.
But I digress. What more can I possibly have to say about The Fifty series these books which have been so talk about in just about every media outlet there is over this past month? For me, well, not too much. I think I’m all talked out and listened out too. I’ve given my opinion just about everywhere. Did I enjoy it? Yes, I did. I finished the series and that says a lot for me.
Now did I enjoy it for the reason you think? Hmm… yes and no. What really kept me coming back to the series were the characters. That darned dark and sexy Fifty. I just had to see how he would turn out and how he and Anna’s story would end. Would there be ultimate happiness between that fine line of pleasure and pain? I had to find out and it took 3 sexy books to get there.
For me it was a fun up and down ride, a total take me away fantasy. Sometimes joy and in true Fifty style sometimes frustrating too. Oh well, isn’t the way with these long term 3 book relationships?
Now all I can do is wonder who will play Fifty when it’s movie time.
Best,
KwanaSidebar opinion: If you are a male and or and have not read the book please do not claim to be an expert and give an opinion on the book speaking for women to warn then off. Guess what? Most of us, we know fantasy from real life and surely don’t need you to tell us how to think. M’kay? Thanks.
By the Numbers
So I just finished reading the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy that the whole country has been buzzing about but I’ll have more on that during a later TBR post. The astonishing part of this bit of trivia is the fact that I finished the entire series because I hardly ever finish a series. My Gemini mind just won’t let me stay in the game till the end. There is always another book. A new author. The last series I stayed with till the end was Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series. There was just no way I was giving up on the dark and sexy Barrons.
So now after my time with Fifty I’ve just picked up a new book called The Taker by Alma Katsu based on a recommendation from readers comments over at Heroes and Heartbreakers’ what to read after Fifty post and of course, after I downloaded it to my kindle I find it’s another series. Oh well, I hope it has a fantastic hero that keeps me just as engaged as both Christian and Barrons did. I’ll let you know.
Tell me are you a series reader?
Best,
Kwana
Image from here
Finally…
Wishing you time for that special book this weekend. Enjoy and please share.
Best,
Kwana
image from here
Bossy
Howdy people. I woke up this morning on a gag to the horrible smell of a skunk having sprayed somewhere in the vicinity of my house. I tell you there is nothing worse and it gets me every time. It must be my super sensitive migraine nose because I smelled it about 15 minutes before my husband.
Speaking of migraines I’ve been on a 3 day run and this is day 4, the day where the head is just a cement block on the top of your body. I’m hoping the train has finally gone far enough and is now heading over to the downside of the mountain. Usually that’s how these things work when nothing else does. It’s just pain and time with it.
But enough about me, let’s talk more about me. LOL. No, let’s talk books. I just finished reading Tina Fey’s Bossy Pants. Her sort of memoir/essay/comedy book with the crazy big hands on the front that kind of freak me out each time I look at them.
It’s our knitting group/book club pick. After a long hiatus on the group book reading front, the Knitsters decided to give it another go. I suggested Bossy Pants because my DH told me about a women literally laughing out loud while reading it on the train also it had been out for a while so we could all easily get it from the library if we wanted (I love my library!). Besides who couldn’t use a laugh?
That said, I enjoyed this book. I didn’t LOL as much as I thought and there were times that I will say it had me thinking about race and society and raising my brows a little more than I thought I would. It read a bit like what I’d imagine shorts from 30 Rock would if they were doing a This Is Your Life Episode.
But en the end, I did embarrassingly have my moment of public laughter (and snorting) while sitting in the waiting room at the eye doctor so the DH was not off the mark there (and for the record, Love, I STILL want to try a cruise before I die).
It will be interesting to talk about this one with my knitting friends to see what they thought.Tell me are you in any sort of book club? How do you figure what books you’ll read if you are? Or do you think group reading is stupid and should only be done alone? Why should the opinion of others matter? Chime in.
Best,
KwanaEver After…
Happy Valentine’s Day! Wishing you a day full of love and laughter.
Tell me what are your favorite romances. Please share.
Best,
Kwana
image from here
A Secret Baby and a Sheikh TBR
It is once again Super Librarian Wendy’s TBR time fresh and new for 2012!
Always a lover of a good sheikh story and a fan of Caitlin Crews I was instantly in with Majesty, Mistress… Missing Heir. Here is a bit about the book thanks to Harlequin:
“Sheikh Tariq bin Khalid Al-Nur is as treacherous and formidable as the desert land he wants to rule. But he cannot take the throne of his country until he marries. Why, then, has he not wed? Tariq cannot rid his dreams of ordinary but bewitching Jessa Heath!
Jessa knows she and Tariq have unfinished business. What if she were to take control and allow herself the one night he’s offering to put their passion to rest? But Jessa is treading dangerous ground! It would only take that night to reveal the secret she has so desperately kept hidden….”Now for some reason I’m not a big secret baby fan. It could be a being a mother of teen twins thing and you have to get me on the right day to find me all gushy over any books with babies or puppies or kids or anything really that you have to feed for at least 18 years but now I’ve said too much. Moving on.
With Super Wendy’s TBR challenge starting up again with category this month I was pleased to pull out my new Kindle Fire and get it going with Caitlin Crews and a Harlequin Presents to take me to a faraway land. Well, this book was nothing like the getaway that I expected.Yes, it had the sexy, rich, larger than life alpha that we all know, love and expect from a Presents in Sheikh Tariq and Jessa was a heroine that I found I could get behind even when I wanted to shake her, and surprisingly, I didn’t want to shake her all that much. I felt for her. Deeply, and it threw me off.
This is not the Presents romp I had bargained for. This little book had me tied up in knots. The secret baby aspect had me all twisted wanting to see what would happen in the end, coming up with all sorts of scenarios in my mind before I got there, hoping for a way to make it all work out for my HEA and honestly not finding any way at all. This is a twister right up until the very end and beyond. So much so that I turned to twitter when I was done to write to Ms. Crews and my fingers are crossed for a sequel as these characters are still with me over 2 weeks later as I wonder how they are getting on. Yeah I know I must remember they are just characters in a book but for those 2 short days they were all too real to me.
Now that is a good story. Secret baby or not.
Best,
Kwana
PS- This post was planned way in advance of the Stop SOPA and PIPA (no not that Pippa) blackout protest so it’s up anyway but I’m hoping you all will read up on SOPA and PIPA and learn about it them as I am. Watch what folks are trying to slip on by us and speak out. Thanks.
