Cover to Cover Challenge discussion

Not Quite a Husband

Sherry Thomas heroines are not your usual 19th century ladies. In Not quite a husband, she is not only a few years older than our hero (and he is most definately a hero) but she is also a doctor. An enjoyable romance set mainly in India.

Tempted by His Kiss

Book 2. First in Tracy Anne Warren latest trilogy about the Bryon (not relation to the real Lord Byron) family A fairly decent regency romance.

At the Duke's Pleasure

Book 3 Again by Tracy Anne Warren. Not her best, if he doesn't love her at the beginning why the hell would he put up with all the scandals she caused. Just came across as unbelievable. A better ending might be that he does jilt her, her father throws her out and then after apprieciating the cost of her rebellion our hero could come along and save her.

To Wed a Wicked Earl

Book 4, By Oliva Parker. It was a real effort to finish this book, I wanted to throw it out the window into the snow after the first couple of chapters but kept going so I could include it in my 144.

Bound by Your Touch

Book 5 Meredith Duran, IMO is a great new name in romance writing, Her first book The Duke of Shadows was brilliant and Bound by your Touch almost as good.
All the aspects of a good romance are there, along with a strong back story about stolen Eygptian artifacts to hold it together. I am starting her 3rd book today, (Written on your skin)

Written on Your Skin

Book 6 Written on your skin by Meredith Duran was quite good, though a little slow in places.

One Night of Passion

Book 7 One night of passion by Elizabeth Boyle. This is a re-read. I have been collecting Elizabeth Boyle books for a couple of years now. Always good with plenty of humour. If you haven't tried her yet then IMO you should start with either Something about Emmaline or Love Letter to a Duke. They are both 10/10

Once Tempted

Book 8 Another re-read by Elizabeth Boyle. Colin Danvers story. I love her books and frequently go back to them when I don't have anything new to read.

It Takes a Hero

Book 9 Another re-read by Elizabeth Boyle. The Story of Rafe Danvers who appeared in Once Tempted as a 12 year old cabin boy.

Once Tempted

Book 10 Elizabeth Boyle again, Robert Danvers story.

This Rake of Mine

Book 11 This Elizabeth Boyle book follows on from Something about Emmaline and is the story of Mad Jack Tremont and Miranda Mabberly. It also introduces the 3 girls who later feature in the series The Batchelor Chronicles.

Cry Wolf

Book 12 By Patrica Briggs, Alpha and Omega series. I had read the Mercy Thompson series but until this week I didn't realise this book was about The Marrok and his family. Really enjoyed and will look for the next one. I also bought 'On the Prowl' which features a short story of how Charles and Anna met but I haven't read the other 3 stories yet so will post it later.

Master of Torment

Book 13 First in the Blood Sword Legacy by Karin Tabke. I bought this after reading an earlier post. It was a pretty good historical romance set during the Norman Conquest. Just started the second in the series.

Master of Surrender

Book 14. This the first of Karin Tabke series, not as I posted before.

Master of Craving

Book 15 The third by Karin Tabke. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first two, but will still look out for her next. I need to know what happened to Rhys

Staked

Book 16. A diffrent take on the vampire myth. Firstly written by a man so very little romance. Eric is a complete MCP who owns a strip club. Not only that but he is not that bright and has a swiss cheese memory probably from be emblamed after death. But in his own way he is a hero. He won't hurt chlidren, his ex-girlfriend from before death is still with him though now rather old and he treats the strippers in his club with, if not exactly repect, at least as valued employees.

ReVamped

Book 17 Also by J F Lewis, follows on from Staked. Further adventures of Eric the vampire.

Street Game

Book 18 The latest in Christine Feehan's Ghostwalker series. Enjoyable but I was sorry that none of the older characters were in the story.

Playing Easy to Get

Book 19 Playing Easy to Get. 3 short stories by Sherrlyn Kenyon, Jaid Black and Kresley Cole. I originally bought this for the SK story but discovered KC who is now one of my all time favourite authors. 'The Warlord wants Forever' is a great intoduction to the Immortals after Dark series.

Cry Wolf

Book 20 Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs, Next in the Alpha/Omega series. Excellent.

Their One and Only

Book 21 A sexy tale by Trista Ann Michaels. Two hot twin brothers who are also FBI profilers and a supermodel/victim. With a fairly decent back story to link the sex scenes. Not exactly Shakespeare but still streets better than some others in this genre.

A Hunger Like No Other

Book 22. One of my all time top 5 books. First full length story in the Immortals after dark series by Kresley Cole and IMO still the best. I must have re-read this book a dozen times and still love it.

Book 23, No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole. Second in the Immortals After Dark series. Good read.

Annabelle's Courtship

Book 24 by Lucy Monroe. I forgot I owned this, found it under the bed while looking for a missing shoe. A fairly nice little regency romance whith a touch of early womens lib.

Flirt

Book 25, Flirt by Laurell K Hamilton. I was curious about where LKH would take Anita after the finale in her last book so I bought Flirt. A short book, barely longer that a short story you would find in an anthology, but at least we only had to suffer her feeding 'the arder' once. Disappointing and definately not value for money.

Wolf at the Door

Book 26 Wolf at the Door by Christine Warren. Not over impressed but I may well buy book 2 in the series to see if she improves.

Dark Needs At Night's Edge

Book 27 Dark Needs... Another in the Immortals after Dark Series. Great story and a re-read. IMO Kresley Cole is streets ahead in the paranormal romance field.

First Drop of Crimson

Book 28, By Jeaniene Frost. Quite good, first spin off of the Night Huntress series. Didn't enjoy the characters as much as Cat and Bones but still an interesting story.

If He's Wicked

Book 29, By Hannah Howell. I bought this and its sequel to try out a new author. They are romances with a hint of the supernatural about a family named Werelocke in late 18th century England. There is very little historical comment presumably to save the author having to research or to get it wrong, something we British hate about American authors. The initial plot seemed quite complicated but overall I found both books unsatisfactory.

If He's Sinful

Book 30, by Hannah Howell. See comments above. Don't think I will bother with HH again.

Kiss of a Demon King

Book 31. Not my favourite of Kresley Coles, but she does have to start with an evil heroine and bring her around to good, not easy. The early sex scenes are a little disturbing rather that erotic which is a move away from her usual style. It reminded me slightly of the beginning of one of her earlier books, the McCarrick novels (If you Deceive) Never the less, her Immortals After Dark are one of the best urban fantasy series I have found so far. I have read them all more than twice and my next TBR (again) is the short story 'Deep kiss of Winter' with Murdoch and Danielle who have been secondary characters in several other books in the series.

Deep Kiss of Winter

Book 32, two shorts, one by Kresley Cole - excellent and one by Gena Showalter. Didn't enjoy GW much but I haven't read anything else of hers, maybe I would have understood the story better if I knew more of her characters.

Marly's Choice

Book 33, Erotic tale of 3 August brothers and one girl. Lora Leigh book are blistering hot and with a good bak story though this time it despend believe slightly.

Sarah's Seduction

Book 34 - Book 2 in the Men of August trilogy. See comments above.

Heather's Gift

Book 35 - Third in the Men of August Trilogy. I know 3 in one day is excessive but I had taken a day off for a hospital checkup which was then cancelled so had a whole day to my self.

Entwined

Book 36, A fairly average regency romance by Emma Jensen. It was a re-read mainly because I couldn't actually remember reading it before so it shows what kind of impact it had first time round. I was a couple of chapters in before it became familiar.

Never Too Much

Book 37, By Lori Foster. An ok slightly erotic tale which was a sequel to something or other. I really need to find a decent new author!! Any sugestions?

Tempting Danger

Book 38, by Eileen Wilks. 5/5 I thouroughly enjoyed this book and will look out for others by EW.

Cravings

Book 39, 4 short stories. Hamilton does her usual trick of adapting the first couple of chapters of one of her earlier books. Wilks story was excellent, York was quite good, first I read of hers and didn't bother with MJD as I cannot stand her stuff. (so technically it was on 3/4 of a book.)

Untouched

Book 40, by Anna Campbell. IMO Campbell is excellent. He debut novel, Claiming the Courtesan was brilliant and Untouched is almost as good.

Cut Throat: A Heartstopping Thriller in the Tradition of Dick Francis

Book 41, If you enjoy Dick Francis you will probably also enjoy Lyndon Stacey. A thriller with the backdrop of showjumping, I particularly enjoyed as it is set around Salisbury area where I live.

WARNING.

If you have already read Remember When by Nora Roberts/JD Robb do not buy BIG JACK which has just been released. It is the second story in Remember When. Amazon were suggesting it was a new story by JDR and it is not!

That is good to know. Thanks for saying that. I'm not caught up with JDR but did read Remember a year or two ago. And seeing a new book by an author I enjoy if it was listed under Nora I would have bought it. I hate when they do stuff like that. When I read short stories I don't remember the indiviual ones in the book. Even now when I read reissues I don't remember if I read them years ago when they came out orginally or not. Because I didn't keep a book journal way back when. If I don't remember the story then I don't worry about rereading it. Usually I don't reread books.

Highland Knight

bOOK 42. Fairly average time travel romance by Cindy Mills.

Mortal Danger

Book 43 EW is my new favourite author. Excellent urban fantasy series.

Book 44. Next in the 'blood'series. EW series gets better and better



Blood Lines

MacGowan's Ghost

Book 45, Another ghostly romance by Cindy Mills, she has a great imagination but her books are kind of wishy washy - no spark.

Thirteen Chances

Book 46, again by Cindy Mills, I bought the 3 on an amazon offer. Dont think I will bother with any more, they are a bit like Mills and Boon 30 years ago. And by the way we still have miles in the UK - not kilometers

Book Journals

Several people have mentioned book journals in their posts, what kind of stuff do you put down in a journal. I have to admit this is the nearest I have come to recording my reading.

I've been keeping a written book journal for a few years now. In the beginning there weren't too much info involved. Just date finished, tilte and author. I wish I did more now on those years. I was also able to buy at the time the book journals they sell but always found they didn't give enough pages for the amount of books I read. I like a spiral book. In the past I've used the ones they sell at B&N. I usually put title, author, date finished, a rating 1 to 10 (10 being really great), type of book (romance, mystery etc), amt of pages in book, if it's part of a series I note that or a book club read or ipod read, This year I'm doing the first line in the book, That I do all in pen then in pencil below I'll do comments on the book or something about the book or if there is a sequel I might note that. Then on the real top of the page one side I'll put month and month's count and the other side of the page I'll put the year count. Some people also put date started I don't do that. I find with doing them for some long last year I even started writing the title, author and month I did it in the front of the book so if I'm looking when I go though the journals in the future for a certain book I read and when. It's easier to look up in a index sort of thing in the front of the book rather than turn each page looking though the book. But I didn't complete that last year and I didn't do it this year so far. But since I can add or take away pages from the one I'm using this year I can always add that at some type in the future. The one I'm using this year is from Staplers and if you know the catalog Levenger's it's like the books they sell the they call Circa.

Thanks Donnajo. I think I might start my own Journal but keep in on computer, rather like the posts for 144. I would probably loose a notebook, (it would get buried under a pile of books ha ha)

Ladies Prefer Rogues

Book 47, a bit of misleading title as the rogues really aren't, they are all quite the gentleman. 4 short stories about time travelling romance, good but not great. I enjoyed the Sandra Hill story best, her books are always fun.

Born of Night

Book 48. A re-read of Sherrilyn Kenyon's first League novel. These are re-issues of some of her earlier work and not as polished as her later stuff but still quite good.

Born of Fire (The League, #2)

Book 49, Second in SK League series. See comments above. My only winge about this story is there should have been a shared scene between the two books to make sense but there wasn't.

I keep mine on the top of the hallway bookcase. The past years are on a pile in the den. This is the first year I'm also doing the goodreads bookcase and also here. I was going to set up something on my mac too when I took that class at the apple store but with so many other places I list it I'll hold off doing that for another year.

Born of Ice

Book 50, third in SK series. These are some of her earlier work but by book 3 she is in her zone. While I enjoyed all 3 this is the best story.

Night Season

Book 51, again by Eileen Wilks. her Lupi series gets better and better. The romance and sex take a back seat to a very good story arc running through the series, though I am glad I have read her short stories as well as the characters are turning up in the main series as well and it helps to know where they are from.

Mortal Sins

Book 52, Next in Eileen Wilks Lupi series. See comments above.


Pleasure Unbound
Desire Unchained
Passion Unleashed

53,54, and 55. Read these 3 (re-reads) over the weekend. A series by Larissa Ione. The first time I read them I felt the author was just looking for an excuse for her characters to have lots of sex, the stories are about 3 demon brothers who are icubui. This time round I really enjoyed them. The back story is of a demon hospital called UGH and each tale is of the 3 brothers meet their mates.

Mistress of the Art of Death

Book 56, Saw this in another post and thought it sounded interesting. Brilliant 'who dun it' set in the 12th century. Well researched with a lot of reference to the religion and politics of the day. I have the sequel as well which is next on my TBR

The Secret Pearl

Book 57, a re-issue of an early novel by Mary Balough. Excellect regency romance with a lot more body than many of this genre. I have read MB Slightly series and enjoyed them but IMO the Secret Pearl is better (a gem - pun intended)

Forbidden Pleasure

Book 58, Enjoyable erotic story, an off shoot of the Sinclair Club series.

The Serpent's Tale

Book 59, Slightly confused as my copy is called The Death Maze not a Serpents Tale, but this is book 2 in Mistress of the Art of Death series. Excellent sequel and I cannot wait for the next two to arrive from Amazon next week.

Wicked Pleasure

Book 60, Another erotic tale by Lora Leigh. Not as good as forbidden pleasure, it was ok but not great.

Only Pleasure

Book 61, Sequel to Forbidden Pleasure, it was an effort to finish, by half way through I had stopped caring who screwed who. I usually enjoy LL books but felt these two books were sending mixed messages about the lifestyle of the characters.

Binding Krista

Book 62, First time I have read a Jory Strong book. It was IMO rubbish and I wont bother buying anything else by this author. It was a mix between Sci/fi/erotica/romance. It did not work for me at all. Luckily it was a short book so I didn't have to suffer for too long!!

Naked in Death

Book 63 First in the Eve Dallas series by JD Robb, and IMO one of the best.

Glory in Death

Book 64. I will be on J D Robb for a few days now until my next delivery from Amazon.

Re book 59. My confuseion is over, The Death Maze is the UK title and Serpents Tale was the US title. perhaps the publisher thought our American friends wouldn't know what a MAZE was? LOL

I need to start reading and catching up on my JD Robb books.

Glory in Death

book 65.

Immortal in Death

Book 66
Conspiracy in Death

Book 67

Loyalty in Death

Book 68
Judgment in Death

Book 69
Grave Goods

Another in the series Mistress of the Art of Death by AF. Got caught out again by Aamazon though as I also bought Relics of the Dead, which is the same book under the US title. I really wish the publisher would stop doing that! Now I have to make a trip to the post office tomorrow to send it back. I have told Amazon off as well for not making it clearer that there are two titles to the same book.

I have decided to set myself a second challenge as part of my 144. Not to re-read anything within the challenge. I can re-read books I own and read before January 1st, but only once. I am hoping that when I pick up an old favourite next year it will be fresher that if I had re-read it 2 or 3 times over this year. It is already forcing me to dig in the back of by book shelves!!

Betrayal in Death
Book 70

Seduction in Death
Book 71

Reunion in Death
Book 72

Purity in Death
Book 73

Just passed the half way mark!!

Portrait in Death
Book 74

A Catch of Consequence
Book 75 By Diana Norman
Taking Liberties
Book 76 By Diana Norman
The Sparks Fly Upward
Book 77 By Diana Norman

I cannot praise the above 3 books enough. Paced over 25 years in the late 18th century the trilogy tells the story of Makepeace Burke and her family. With the well researched back drop of the American War of Independence, The French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, slavery, smuggling, acting, and the British Aristocracy Makepeace is strong character who makes a stand when she knows she is right. I cried when Philip died and again when Tobias sacrificed his own freedom to save Josh. And the andrenalin rush when Philippa and Andrew are captured in Paris - I felt I was there as well. If you enjoy history then read Diana Norman. (she also wrote the Mistress of the Art of Death series under the name Ariana Franklin)

Imitation in Death
Book 78

Portrait in Death
Book 79

Survivor In Death
Book 80

Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Book 81 - By Kresley Cole. I have really enjoyed this series(Immortals after Dark) but feel they are coming to an end. The last 2 or 3 have been samey, though I will look out for the next one. Lothaire is such a mystery!

Ecstasy Unveiled
Book 82, By Larrisa Ione. Book 4 in the Demonica series. See comments above, another series that started well but is running out of steam.

The start of a 4 day weekend, horray! Should get loads of reading done. I have a few plans which will interupt book time including sorting out all the book cases and re-organising my bedroom but hope to get through several books as well. Thanks to the wonderful (sic) british weather I dont think I will be going out much.

Ravishing in Red
Book 83. Madeline Hunter at her best. Brilliant regency romance and I think it is the start of another series.

Poison Study
Book 84. An old favourite by Maria V Sneider, Excellent start to the Study Trilogy.

Moon Called
Book 85, first in the Mercy Thompson series by the excellent Patricia Briggs.

Blood Bound
Book 86, second in Mercy Thompson

Iron Kissed
Book 87 third in MT Series

Bone Crossed
Book 88, 4th in MT series. Ordered the next one today which should arrive in next couple of weeks - cant wait!!

Simply Unforgettable
Book 89. First in the Simply series by Mary Balough

Simply Love
Book 90

Simply Magic
Book 91

Simply Perfect
Book 92. All 4 books were good but the final - Simply Perfect was in a class of its own. 5/5

When Seducing a Duke
Book 93. By Kathrine Smith. so/so victorian romance. I enjoyed KS vampire stories but this was at best average

Book 94. Passion by Lisa Valdez. A re-read because I have the long awaited sequel on order. The sex is a little extreme for a victorian romance. In truth it would be a very good story without the excessive sex. But still one of my all time favourite books.

Patience
Book 95. before this book arrived I was wondering if it would be worth the extremely long wait for a sequel. Passion was published in 2005 and the sequel has been on the cards since 2006. It was worth it but barely. I would have liked a little more character building and a little less spanking. I wonder if we will have to wait another 5 years for Primrose, at this rate I will be retired before the 4th promised book is published.

Only His
Book 96. so/so western romance by Elizabeth Lowell. I have dragged her books out for a re-read before they go to the charity shop.