All-Time 100 Novels - Time Magazine

Two Time critics picked the 100 best English language books, their time frame goes from 1923 to the present.

**The titles in green, I've read. The ones I've reviewed will be linked. The ones that I will love to read will be in red.

The Adventures of Augie Marsh (1953) by Saul Bellow
All The King's Men (1946) by Robert Penn Warren
American Pastoral (1997) by Philip Roth
An American Tragedy (1925) by Theodore Dreiser
Animal Farm (1946) by George Orwell
Appointment in Samarra (1934) by John O'Hara
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (1970) by Judy Blume
The Assistant (1957) by Bernard Malamud
At Swim-Two-Birds (1938) by Flann O'Brien
Atonement (2002) by Ian McEwan
Beloved (1987) by Toni Morrison
The Berlin Stories (1946) by Christopher Isherwood
The Big Sleep (1939) by Raymond Chandler
The Blind Assassin (2000) by Margaret Atwood
Blood Meridian (1986) by Cormac McCarthy
Brideshead Revisited (1946) by Evelyn Waugh
The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1927) by Thornton Wilder
Call It Sleep (1935) by Henry Roth
Catch -22 (1961) by Joseph Heller
The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by J.D. Salinger
A Clockwork Orange (1963) by Anthony Burgess
The Confessions of Nat Turner (1967) by William Styron
The Corrections (2001) by Jonathan Franzen
The Crying of Lot 49 (1966) by Thomas Pynchon
A Dance to the Music of Time (1951) by Anthony Powell
The Day of the Locust (1939) by Nathanael West
Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927) by Willa Cather
A Death in the Family (1958) by James Agee
The Death of the Heart (1938) by Elizabeth Bowen
Deliverance (1970) by James Dickey
Dog Soldiers (1974) by Robert Stone
Falconer (1977) by John Cheever
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1969) by John Fowles
The Golden Notebook (1962) by Doris Lessing
Go Tell it on the Mountain (1953) by James Baldwin
Gone With The Wind (1936) by Margaret Mitchell
The Grapes of Wrath (1939) by John Steinbeck
Gravity's Rainbow (1973) by Thomas Pynchon
The Great Gatsby (1925) by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A Handful of Dust (1934) by Evelyn Waugh
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1940) by Carson McCullers
The Heart of the Matter (1948) by Graham Greene
Herzog (1964) by Saul Bellow
Housekeeping (1981) by Marilynne Robinson
A House for Mr. Biswas (1962) by V.S. Naipaul
I, Claudius (1934) by Robert Graves
Infinite Jest (1996) by David Foster Wallace
Invisible Man (1952) by Ralph Ellison
Light in August (1932) by William Faulkner
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) by C.S. Lewis
Lolita (1955) by Vladimir Nabokov
Lord of the Flies (1955) by William Golding
The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J.R.R. Tolkien
Loving (1945) by Henry Green
Lucky Jim (1954) by Kingsley Amis
The Man Who Loved Children (1940) by Christina Stead
Midnight's Children (1981) by Salman Rushdie
Money (1984) by Martin Amis
The Moviegoer (1961) by Walker Percy
Mrs. Dalloway (1925) by Virginia Woolf
Naked Lunch (1959) by William Burroughs
Native Son (1940) by Richard Wright
Neuromancer (1984) by William Gibson
Never Let Me Go (2005) by Kazuo Ishiguro
1984 (1948) by George Orwell
On the Road (1957) by Jack Kerouac
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1962) by Ken Kesey
The Painted Bird (1965) by Jerzy Kosinski
Pale Fire (1962) by Vladimir Nabokov
A Passage to India (1924) by E.M. Forster
Play It As It Lays (1970) by Joan Didion
Portnoy's Complaint (1969) by Philip Roth
Possession (1990) by A.S. Byatt
The Power and the Glory (1939) by Graham Greene
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961) by Muriel Spark
Rabbit, Run (1960) by John Updike
Ragtime (1975) by E.L. Doctorow
The Recognitions (1955) by William Gaddis
Red Harvest (1929) by Dashiell Hammett
Revolutionary Road (1961) by Richard Yates
The Sheltering Sky (1949) by Paul Bowles
Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) by Kurt Vonnegut
Snow Crash (1992) by Neal Stephenson
The Sot-Weed Factor (1960) by John Barth
The Sound and the Fury (1929) by William Faulkner
The Sportswriter (1986) by Richard Ford
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1964) by John le Carre
The Sun Also Rises (1926) by Ernest Hemingway
Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937) by Zora Neale Hurston
Things Fall Apart (1959) by Chinua Achebe
To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) by Harper Lee
To the Lighthouse (1927) by Virginia Woolf
Tropic of Cancer (1934) by Henry Miller
Ubik (1969) by Philip K. Dick
Under the Net (1954) by Iris Murdoch
Under the Volcano (1947) by Malcolm Lowry
Watchmen (1986) by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
White Noise (1985) by Don DeLillo
White Teeth (2000) by Zadie Smith
Wide Sargasso Sea (1966) by Jean Rhys

Finished an Old Favourite

December wasn't a very good month for our family. Our cat Bobo who had been suffering for the past few months with kidney and colon problems, was getting worse, so J and I decided to put him down. It was a very hard decision, but one that was the best for him. That same day I got a phone call from my sister letting me know that our father was in the hospital with heart problems and there could be a possibility of a heart attack. And thanks to God, that did not happen. He later had a quadruple bypass, and he is now resting and recuperating at home, and we're hoping that on his next visit to the cardiologist, he'll be given the okay to travel. Not too mention the craziness of the holiday season, and having both the munshkins come down with the flu, I needed I picker me upper.

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I'm a huge Jan Karon fan. I try to (re)read her Mitford series any chance I get. And a visit with Father Tim was what I needed. I spent the past few days (re)reading At Home in Mitford. You can find my review here. Because I started this book just before the New Year, I'm not counting it.

Top 10 Fiction Books of 2008

As you can see I love checking out the best and worst lists. Here's another one...

Top 10 Fiction Books of 2008, according to Time Magazine.

1. 2666 by Roberto Bolaño
2. Lush Life by Richard Price
3. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
4. Anathem by Neal Stephenson
5. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
6. Personal Days by Ed Park
7. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
8. When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson
9. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
10. The Widows of Eastwick by John Updike

EW Best & Worst Books of 2008

According to Entertainment Weekly these are the best books of 2008:

1. SAY YOU'RE ONE OF THEM, Uwem Akpan
2. THE BOOK OF DAHLIA, Elisa Albert
3. OLIVE KITTERIDGE, Elizabeth Strout
4. LUSH LIFE, Richard Price
5. BOTTOMLESS BELLY BUTTON, Dash Shaw
6. THE HOUSE ON FORTUNE STREET, Margot Livesey
7. DISQUIET, Julia Leigh
8. THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE, David Wroblewski
9. AMERICAN WIFE, Curtis Sittenfeld
10. WHAT HAPPENED TO ANNA K., Irina Reyn

And here are the worst:

1. CHASING HARRY WINSTON, Lauren Weisberger
2. THE LACE READER, 
Brunonia Barry
3. THE GARGOYLE, 
Andrew Davidson
4. BRIGHT SHINY MORNING, James Frey
5. A WOLF AT THE TABLE, Augusten Burroughs

A Cedar Cove Christmas

Anyone who reads this blog knows by now that I'm a huge a Debbie Macomber fan. So it must not be a surprise that I forked out the big bucks to buy this book.

Here's the blurb for A Cedar Cove Christmas:

Mother-to-be Mary Jo Wyse arrives in Cedar Cove on Christmas Eve, searching for her baby's father. David Rhodes had said he'd be in town. But he isn't. Which leaves Mary Jo stranded, pregnant and alone. And there's no room at the local inn.…
So Grace Harding brings Mary Jo home to her nearby ranch. She and her husband, Cliff, have a houseful of guests, but they offer her a room over their stable (currently sheltering the animals—including a donkey and a camel—for Cedar Cove's Nativity pageant!).

When Mary Jo goes into labor that night, a young man named Mack McAfee, a paramedic, comes to her rescue, just as her brothers—the three Wyse men—show up in town. The people of Cedar Cove join them in celebrating the birth of baby Noel. But no one has more to celebrate than Mack. Because this Christmas brings him faith, hope and love…

Here is a different telling of the nativity story. Mary Jo and the Wyse brothers, I love the way the author played with the names. And to add the Nativity animals to the Harding's barn was a nice touch.

As usual it was nice to see the usual characters of the series, I loved seeing Grace taking a very active role in Mary Jo's story. She's such a caring woman, and this story just brought out her maternal instincts.

Here's my problem... Now I have to wait eight or nine months for the next Cedar Cove story. I just don't think I can do that.

A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber (4/5) Contemporary Romance; Christmas theme; Published: Mira (10/08); 100 + Reading Challennge (89); Keeper Shelf;

A Wallflower Christmas

Yay! The Wallflowers are back!

Here's the blurb for A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas:

The Wallflowers are four young ladies in London who banded together in their wild and wickedly wonderful searches for true love. Now happily married, they join together once again to help one of the world’s most notorious rogues realize that happiness might be right under the mistletoe.…

It’s Christmastime in London and Rafe Bowman has arrived from America for his arranged meeting with Natalie Blandford, the very proper and beautiful daughter of Lady and Lord Blandford. His chiseled good looks and imposing physique are sure to impress the lady in waiting and, if it weren’t for his shocking American ways and wild reputation, her hand would already be guaranteed. Before the courtship can begin, Rafe realizes he must learn the rules of London society. But when four former Wallflowers try their hand at matchmaking, no one knows what will happen. And winning a bride turns out to be more complicated than Rafe Bowman anticipated, especially for a man accustomed to getting anything he wants. However, Christmas works in the most unexpected ways, changing a cynic to a romantic and inspiring passion in the most timid of hearts.

I realize this book is about Hannah and Rafe, but for some reason or other I was more interested in what was happening with the "original" wall flowers. I really wanted more of Sebastien and Evie! But I only got a little morsel, and it had to do.

Getting back to Hannah and Rafe. I enjoyed them both. I thought that Rafe was stuck between a rock and a hard place because of his father's demand, and originally I believed him to be an idiot to go along with his "request". I thought Hannah was a intelligent woman who took care of the people that she loved, I also found her doubts about falling for Rafe very believable.

Overall I found the story to be short (it was a small book), and lacking what the previous Wallflowers books had: spice! I wanted the heat!

A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas (3/5) Historical Romance; Christmas theme; Published: St. Martin's Press (10/08); Series: # 5, Wallflower; 100 + Reading Challenge (88); Keeper Shelf;

Power Play

I’m a huge fan of Deirdre Martin’s NY Blades’ series. What can I say? I find sexy, hunky hockey players very appealing. But the two previous books of the series, were a little lukewarm for my taste. I’ve been missing the spark that the first three books of the series had. And I was hoping that I would find it with the latest one of the series, Power Play.

Here’s the blurb:

They were acting when they met. They dated under false pretenses. But their attraction was all too real.

A leading soap opera actress, Monica Geary is good at faking it. But pretending to fall for NHL star and notorious playboy Eric Mitchell is going to be her hardest role ever. Yet she has no choice, for she desperately needs an edge in order to maintain her daytime diva status.

Eric Mitchell is a man in demand. First he was traded to save the New York Blades, and now the publicity department has loaned him out to help save Monica Geary's career. What no one knows is that one of People magazine's hottest bachelors is also a closet soap opera fan. He's had his eyes on Monica for years-and can't wait to get his arms around her.

It had the spark! Well, it only lasted about for about five minutes! I feel frustrated and angry! It just fizzled! WTH!

The book was so promising. You have a gorgeous, charming athlete, and a beautiful, icon of daytime drama…it had potential. From their initial reluctance to “work” together, to the scheming of their mutual plan, and to the real feelings, was really good. But I hate to say it, but the execution of it fell short.

I have just one more word to say about this book: Argh!

Power Play by Deirdre Martin (3/5) Contemporary Romance; Published: Berkley (2008); Series: # 7, New York Blades; 100 + Reading Challenge (87); Library book;

By Love Undone

Scandal's daughter . . .

Madeleine Willits was shunned by London society for a scandal that was no fault of hers, and forced to seek a paid position in the country. So when Quinlan Bancroft, Marquis of Warefield, comes to direct the household during his uncle's illness, Maddie is determined to detest the nobleman on sight. But though the marquis is easy to dislike, the man himself is a different matter. Small wonder, then, that Maddie quite forgets herself when he enfolds her in a sweet embrace . . .

Meets the noble lord . . .

Caught kissing his uncle's lovely young companion, Quinlan feels he should make amends, and uses his rank to re-establish Miss Willits in society. Unfortunately, it is soon apparent that Maddie has no idea how to resist importunate young rakes who deem her ripe for the plucking. But Maddie knows there is only one rake whose attentions she truly needs to fear—because only Quinlan Bancroft possesses the power to break her heart.

I'm pretty sure I read By Love Undone by Suzanne Enoch before. Regardless, I enjoyed every little morsel of it.

The characters are amazing, Maddie and Quin are perfect for each other, even when they're trying to resist each other. But the scene stealer is Rafe. He definitely has an air about him, something dark, but also a heart of gold. I’ll have to find Taming Rafe. Oh the promise of his book!

But back to the By Love Undone, I enjoyed the interaction between the main characters but also the others, I admit the villainess held my interest. I guess you can say she was the devil in disguise, the exterior was beautiful but the interior was ugly and evil.

The main thing I couldn’t wrap my mind around was that the Maddie’s parents didn’t search for her when she ran away. Considering their position in ton, I’m sure would have to able to afford it. Maybe it’s just me…

By Love Undone by Suzanne Enoch (Re-read) Historical Romance; Published: HarperCollins (1998); 100 + Reading Challenge (86);

Christmas With Daddy

It was once again time to take a book out of my Super Harlequin collection, and goody for me it was one of the newly Christmas themed books.

Here’s the blurb for Christmas With Daddy by C.J. Carmichael:

Detective Nick Gray loves his baby daughter, Mandy. But he's used to solving crimes--not changing diapers! So when he has sudden custody of Mandy, Nick is totally out of his element. Luckily his neighbor, Bridget Humphrey, is there to lend a hand.

Bridget has had feelings for Nick forever, but she's nothing like the glamorous women he dates. Then a funny thing happens. As they care for Mandy together, and as Bridget uses her skills to help him solve a case, it turns out she and Nick have a lot in common. In fact, their relationship could get serious. But is this fun-loving bachelor a candidate for happy ever after?

In the season of miracles, anything can happen!

Maybe it was just me, but I thought this book was all over the place. I was expecting one thing and got another.

I don't know much about numerology, but I thought it was pretty far fetched that it was taken to help the case. I can understand the severity of the case but I just couldn't see it being used.

I read Harlequin SuperRomance as a treat, they're my not so guilty pleasure. But I found this book far from a treat.

I'm such a moody reader! I think I'll keep this book around just in case...Maybe I'll pick it again next year.

Christmas With Daddy by C.J. Carmichael (2.5/5) Contemporary Romance; Harlequin SuperRomance # 1525; Published: Harlequin (11/2008); 100 + Reading Challenge (85);

Crazy for You

I’ve been experiencing a few reading disasters in the past month, and I happen to mentioned that fact to my friend Marja. And she suggested I read Crazy For You by Jennifer Crusie. And I thought why not, I enjoy the author’s books, and I was quite sure I hadn’t read it before. And after reading the blurb, I thought it would be very promising.

Here’s the blurb:

On Wednesday, Quinn McKenzie changes her life. On Thursday, she tries to get somebody to notice. On Thursday night, somebody does.

Quinn McKenzie has always lived what she calls a "beige" life. She's dating the world's nicest guy, she has a good job as a high school art teacher, she's surrounded by family and friends who rely on her, and she's bored to the point of insanity. But when Quinn decides to change her life by adopting a stray dog over everyone's objections, everything begins to spiral out of control. Now she's coping with dog-napping, breaking and entering, seduction, sabotage, stalking, more secrets than she really wants to know, and two men who are suddenly crazy...for her.

Well, I was halfway through the second chapter, and then it hits me: I’ve read this book before! What the hay, I’ll just continue on… And I’m so glad that I did.

I really enjoyed this one (again). I enjoyed the characters, Quinn really took hold of heart, loved her willingness to change and take charge of her life and getting rid of Bill - which reminds me, I should re-read Getting Rid of Bradley, it’s been a while. Nick is a great friend to Quinn but he’s a little afraid of taking it to the next level with her. And Bill, oh my, what a nut! A very scary nut! But the what made this book really stand out (the second time around) was Darla and Max. I thought they made a great couple, she wanting a change, to add spice, and he not seeing the need to change anything.

Crazy For You by Jennifer Crusie (Re-read) Contemporary Romance; Published: St. Martin’s (2000); 100 + Reading Challenge (84); Library book;

Christmas Letters

Christmas is just around the corner and I just know reading Christmas Letters by Debbie Macomber will help me get in the Christmas mood.

Here’s the blurb:

Katherine O'Connor often spends her days at a cozy café on Blossom Street in Seattle--where she writes Christmas letters for other people. She's good at making their everyday lives sound more interesting. More humorous. More dramatic.

But for Dr. Wynn Jeffries, who also frequents the café, Christmas means lies and deception. In fact, the renowned child psychologist recommends that parents "bury Santa under the sleigh." Katherine, however, feels that his parenting philosophy is one big mistake--at least, based on her five-year-old twin nieces, who are being raised according to his "Free Child" methods.

She argues with Wynn about his theories, while he argues that her letters are nothing but lies. They disagree about practically everything--and yet, somehow, they don't really want to stop arguing.

As the days--and nights--move closer to Christmas, Katherine and Wynn both discover that love means accepting your differences. And Christmas is about the things you share….

K.O. has a knack for writing Christmas letters, and if she gets paid doing something she loves, bonus. And this Christmas all seems well until her sister reads a self-help book written by Dr. Wynn Jeffries, Free Child. The Christmas spirit seems dim for her nieces and she wants to show Dr. Wynn what a bunch of crock his theory really is. But she never realized on how much she liked the good doctor.

I really liked K.O., I liked her determination, her outlook and her willingness to help people, but I especially loved her Christmas spirit. I wouldn’t call Wynn a scrooge, but he’s somewhat close to it (just my opinion). And both these opposites attract, in a very quick and unexpected way. And eventually their differences will wreck havoc in their short relationship. But are they willing to fight for the possibility of a happily ever after.

Although I enjoyed the story and the characters, the scene stealer for me were the actual Christmas letters. Loved them!

Christmas Letters by Debbie Macomber (4/5) Contemporary Romance; Published: Mira (2006); 100 + Reading Challenge (83); Library book;

Mystique

I love, absolutely love Amanda Quick’s earlier novels, and when I found this one at a local UBS, I couldn’t resist picking it up. It was one of her books I hadn’t had read before.

Here’s the blurb for Mystique:

Lady Alice approached the fearsome Warrior who had swept into Lingwood Manor like a storm. Dark and forbidding, with hair as black as midnight and eyes of molten amber, Hugh the Relentless seemed aptly named. Yet to Alice, adept at driving off suitors and handling her insufferable relatives, Sir Hugh was not someone to dread, but the answer to her dreams.

He had come for the mysterious green crystal, and would be greatly displeased to learn that it was no longer in her possession. But Alice was certain Sir Hugh could be coaxed into a deal that would benefit them both. In return for a dowry large enough to free Alice and her brother from the grasp of their conniving uncle, she would lend her powers of detection to Sir Hugh's knightly skills and together they would recover his treasured stone.

With a tongue as sharp as a dagger, the flame-haired Alice filled Hugh with fury...and a growing fascination. He accepted her terms, with one alteration: Alice must agree to a temporary betrothal and spend the winter in Hugh's great stone fortress, Scarcliffe Keep.

The bargain is struck and the adventure begins. But Sir Hugh's lifelong enemy is plotting against them, stirring up a whirlwind of treachery that threatens their fragile alliance.

And I’m so glad that I picked it up. It was what the doctor ordered. After the abysmal books that I’ve been reading, it was great to have found one that was truly a wonderful experience.

It wasn’t an award winning book, or even a 5 * book, but it was a wonderful story with great characters, a beautiful medieval setting and a love story with all the great moments, and it had Quick’s trademark wittiness and humour. It was one of those books that you can lose yourself for hours and not even knowing you’re doing it.

It's so different from what the author is writing at present, her historical and contemporaries, are both getting darker, which I realize is probably what the majority of the public wants. But it’s great to revisit the old ”Quick” formula. Reading Mystique was a breath of fresh air.

Mystique by Amanda Quick (4/5) Historical Romance; Medieval; Published: Bantam Books (1995); 100 + Reading Challenge (82); Keeper shelf;

Mr. Cavendish, I Presume

Here’s another book that I’ve been waiting to read. Not because I didn’t want to, but I was saving it for the right moment.

Here’s the blurb for Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn:

There went the bride...

Amelia Willoughby has been engaged to the Duke of Wyndham for as long as she can remember. Literally. A mere six months old when the contracts were signed, she has spent the rest of her life waiting. And waiting. And waiting...for Thomas Cavendish, the oh-so-lofty duke, to finally get around to marrying her. But as she watches him from afar, she has a sneaking suspicion that he never thinks about her at all...

It's true. He doesn't. Thomas rather likes having a fiancée—all the better to keep the husband-hunters at bay—and he does intend to marry her...eventually. But just when he begins to realize that his bride might be something more than convenient, Thomas’s world is rocked by the arrival of his long-lost cousin, who may or may not be the true Duke of Wyndham. And if Thomas is not the duke, then he’s not engaged to Amelia. Which is the cruelest joke of all, because this arrogant and illustrious duke has made the mistake of falling in love...with his own fiancée!

Is it just me, or did I just stumble on a book that was a waste of my time. I knew before I started that this book was Thomas’s version of what happened, Jack‘s version is here. But I didn’t realize it would have been so repetitive. And I wanted more interaction between the hero and heroine. It just seemed to be lacking. I wanted to know more of what happened after the fact, of Thomas adjusting to his new status with Amelia’s help. But we didn’t get much of anything beyond that… oh well…

Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn (3/5) Historical Romance; Published: Avon (10/08); Series: # 2, The Two Dukes of Wyndham; 100 + reading Challenge (81); Keeper shelf (It’s here because, I can’t seem to get rid of any of the authors books, just on principle).

Secrets Desires of a Gentleman

I ordered this book a while back, I’ve had it in my possession for about a month. I was saving it for a “treat”. But after the last read, I needed a picker-upper.

Here’s the blurb of Secret Desires of a Gentleman by Laura Lee Guhrke:

Once Upon a Time…

Maria Martingale was going to elope. But Phillip Hawthorne, Marquess of Kayne, put a stop to those plans when he learned his younger brother intended to marry a cook’s daughter. Now twelve years later, Maria discovers that the man who holds her fate in his hands is none other than the haughty gentleman who sent her packing – and he’s as handsome and arrogant as ever.

Happily Ever After?

Always the proper gentleman, Phillip will do anything to protect his family from scandal, and when Maria dares to move in right next door, he knows scandal will surely follow. She is as tempting as he remembered… and the more he sees her, the harder it is for Phillip to hide his own secret desire for her…

Was this book brilliant? No, it wasn’t. But it was definitely the picker-upper that I needed. And enjoyable, too.

I enjoyed the setting, the time period, and the characters. The heroine, Maria, is strong willed, independent and stubborn woman. The hero, Phillip is hard working, intelligent, controlling and somewhat of a snob. He’s desperate to control his desire for Maria, because she’s not for him, and she is completely clueless of his desires. She’s still rilling about the loss of his friendship.

Although the story moves well along the book, I found that the ending was rushed and abrupt. And a lot of questions came to mind with the ending. Which I'm not going to mention...because I don't want to give anything away.

Secret Desires of a Gentleman by Laura Lee Guhrke (3.5/5) Historical Romance; Published: Avon (10/2008); 100 + Reading Challenge (80); Keeper shelf;

Carrot Cake Murder

Once upon a time, one of my favourite sleuths, Hannah Swenson made me run to the bookstore to buy her books as soon as possible. But after several books where she cannot make up her mind between her two male suitors, I got tired. She doesn’t deserve neither one of them. They should move on, yes I think Norman and Mike need new love interests, and then Hannah will just learn from her mistakes and not take them for granted. Ok, got that off my chest!

When I found this book at the library, I wasn’t all too sure if I should pick it up, but I do enjoy the Swensen sisters, and I thought about giving Hannah another chance. So Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke found a place in my tote bag.

Here’s the blurb:

Summertime has finally arrived in Lake Eden, Minnesota, and Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar bakery, is looking forward to warm, lazy days, eating ice cream, and sharing picnics with friends. But when a family reunion takes a deadly turn, it's up to Hannah to find a killer...

Hannah Swensen has a lot on her plate, baking up a storm for The Cookie Jar. But she'll always make time for her business partner, Lisa, who's preparing for a big family reunion. Everyone is delighted when Lisa's long-lost uncle makes a surprise appearance. No one has heard from Gus in twenty-five years. Uncle Gus is immediately the hit of the reunion. He's almost as popular as Hannah's scrumptious carrot cake. But the next morning, as the whole family gathers for the group photo, one person is missing. Hannah offers to track down Uncle Gus, but her search leads to a shocking find. Over by the bar at the pavilion, she spots two slices of her infamous carrot cake, frosting side down on the floor -- and Gus's corpse with an ice pick jutting out of his chest!

A little snooping reveals that not everyone was celebrating Gus's return. And when Hannah unearths secrets from Gus's past, she discovers many more people with an axe to grind. Now Hannah's got to sift through a long list of suspects to find a killer -- even if it could be a recipe for her own demise...

I don’t know why I even bothered! I thought maybe, just maybe, that this book would be the one to bring Hannah out of her slump. I don’t mean just Norman/Mike triangle, but the way she just commandeers the whole population of Lake Eden. It seems to me that Hannah is the only person able to figure out or resolve problems in town, they’ve lost all confidence in the police. It seems that even the police think the same, because they ask for her help! Is that realistic?! Please!

Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke (2.5/5) Mystery; Published: Kensington (2008); Series: # 10, Hannah Swenson; Waste of Time; 100 + Reading Challenge (79); Library book;

The Velvet Promise

I cannot remember the last time I read a book written by Jude Deveraux, it’s been years. She writes both historical and contemporary romance, but as you might have guessed I prefer her historical books. I have read several, and one of my all time favourites was written by the author, but I have not read any books of the Velvet series, so when The Velvet Promise was chosen as our group discussion book, I had no problems getting into the mood.

Here’s the blurb:

All of England rejoiced on her wedding day. But Judith vowed that her husband would get only what he took from her!

At the flower-bedecked altar, the first touch of their hands ignited an all-consuming passion. Gavin Montgomery looked deep into her golden eyes and burned with desire for her...but his heart had been pledged to another.

Humiliated and alone in a strange castle, Judith resolved to hate this husband who took her body, but rejected her love...never admitting her fear of losing him.
But destiny held another fate for Judith...a fate that would keep at last...The Velvet Promise.

My first thought after reading this book was: historical romance has definitely changed in the past twenty years. I thank you, publishing gods! This book was originally published in 1981, and it shows.

It wasn’t all bad. I enjoyed the heroine, Judith, I thought she was strong and independent but when it came to the hero she was a bubbling idiot, her emotions all over the place. I didn’t care for the hero, Gavin, a blind fool who was guided by his honour (or something else!). I enjoyed the hero's brothers, Miles, Stephen and Raine. I will be looking for their books, as well, they sparked my curiosity. But my favourite character was the villain. I loved the villain, she was so wicked, so crazed and so well written that it made the whole book.

Another thing that I had a problem with, was the violence against women. I realize that the time that the book is set, it was common for men to show their superiority with fists and much more. But it really turns me off, so I skimmed through these bits in the book.

The Velvet Promise by Jude Deveraux (3/5) Historical Romance; Published: Pocket (1981); Series: # 1, Velvet; 100 + Reading Challenge (78); Library book;

Just Breathe

I first discovered Susan Wiggs a few years ago. I read The Firebrand and was hooked. I love her contemporary novels, but I still miss her historicals. But that’s another story…

Here’s the blurb for Just Breathe:

Chicago cartoonist Sarah Moon tackles life's real issues with a healthy dose of sharp wit in her syndicated comic strip Just Breathe. As Sarah's cartoon alter ego, Shirl, undergoes artificial insemination, her situation begins to mirror Sarah's own difficult attempts to conceive. However, Sarah's dreams of the future did not include her husband's infidelity: snag number two in Sarah's so-called perfect life.

With Chicago and her marriage in the rearview mirror, she flees to the small Northern California coastal town where she grew up, a place she couldn't wait to leave. Now she finds herself revisiting the past, an emotionally distant father and the unanswered questions left by her mother's death. As she comes to terms with her lost marriage, Sarah encounters a man she never expected to meet again: Will Bonner, the high school heartthrob she'd skewered mercilessly in her old comics. Now a local firefighter, he's been through some changes himself. But just as her heart is about to reawaken, Sarah discovers she is pregnant. With her ex's twins.

It's hardly the most traditional of new beginnings, but who says life and love are predictable or perfect? The winds of change have led Sarah here. Now all she can do is just close her eyes and breathe.

It was a wonderful read! I loved the setting, the characters, and the comic strips!

I loved the way the heroine, Sarah, grew. From a woman who would do anything to make her husband happy and healthy, to an independent woman who puts her children’s needs ahead of everything, even if it may hurt her own happiness. I loved the way she went about to make friends, she was loner during high school, and it was interesting to see her make friends with one of the most popular girls, one that she always felt intimidated with. But her friendship with Aurora, Will’s daughter, really tugged on my heartstrings. And also her reconnecting with her father, who her view was an absent parent…and don’t get me going on his shower gift … The tissue box in my family room was very handy.

Even though I really enjoyed the book, something about it was missing. Or maybe it was the hero self-sacrificing nature, or maybe it was the criminal tendencies that certain teenagers had… Anyone? Help?!

Just Breathe by Susan Wiggs (4/5) Romance Contemporary; Published: Mira (9/08); 100 + Reading Challenge (77); Library book;

Death Perception

I’ve been a fan of this series since the very first book. And I wish they come out quicker.

Here’s the blurb of the latest book of Psychic Eye series by Victoria Laurie, Death Perception:

It took a while for Abby Cooper’s FBI agent boyfriend, Dutch Rivers, to accept her psychic gifts as the real deal. But these days he knows better than to question Abby’s visions. So when his cousin Chase is kidnapped after a bloody shoot-out in a Vegas alleyway, he agrees that her clairvoyant skills could be invaluable, and they both catch the next flight to Sin City.

Abby’s inner eye insists that Chase is still alive, but nothing else about the case adds up—especially Dutch’s reluctance to involve his own Bureau. On top of everything, Dutch is battling a mysterious illness, and Abby keeps having disturbing dreams that predict his death. Dutch wants Abby to promise that if the investigation goes south, she’ll head home to safety. But when the chips are down, Abby won’t fold without a fight...

What do you get when you add a quirky psychic, a hunky FBI agent, a visit to Vegas, a kidnapping, a corrupt agent, a dragon lady and a parade of interesting characters? An awesome book!

I could not put this book down. I devoured it! I sat down with it and completely forgot about everything. All I wanted to do was read.

I think this book just may be the best of the series. The characters were great (as usual), Dutch and Abby’s bickering was as amusing and kind hearted as ever, Candice’s spunk and fierceness was wonderful and Cat, I really love Cat, as usual she was hilarious, and over protective of her sister. My only complaint was that I didn’t to “see” Milo, Dave and Eggy.

Death Perception by Victoria Laurie (4.5/5) Mystery; Paranormal: Psychic; Published: Obsidian (9/08); Series: # 6, Psychic Eye; 100 + Reading Challenge (76);

Tempted By The Night

A Secret Admirer . . .

They say he's a shameless rake who cares for nothing but pleasure, a rogue who spends his nights in London's lustiest locales, gambling and carousing until dawn. But Lady Hermione Marlowe refuses to believe that the handsome gentleman she's loved from afar for so long could be so wicked. If only she had a way to prove to the ton that Lord Rockhurst is as proper as the rest. If only she knew what he really did under cover of the night . . .

A Clandestine Encounter . . .

Lord Rockhurst knows what they say about him, and he doesn't care. Let them think his nights are filled with craven debauchery. Only he knows his true purpose, his dangerous goal. But when a mysterious woman falls into his arms—and thereby saves his life—Rockhurst will struggle to save his secret. Who is this creature with such tempting curves and an enticing touch? Rockhurst can only wonder how he can trust her . . . for he knows he cannot resist her.

I was expecting a straight forward historical romance, but I got a little surprise...it's a paranormal as well. It does seem that more authors are jumping on the paranormal bandwagon, some I've been turned off by, but this one I was pleasantly surprised.

The characters are wonderful. Hermione/Shadow, the heroine is shy (at least with the hero), curious, funny and also has a very quick temper - she reminds me of someone!. Rockhurst, the hero, is considered to be a rake, but he has his own little masquerade going on. He alone is the protector against those things that go bump in the night. His only companion is his wolfhound Rowan, well, until Hermione stumbles upon the truth.

It was only after I started reading the book that I found out it was the second of a series. I'm not sure if I'll read the first book, but I'll definitely be looking (hoping) for more of "those" Marlowe's.

Tempted by the Night by Elizabeth Boyle (4.5/5) Historical Romance; Paranormal; Published: Avon (9/08); Series: # 2, Marlowe; 100 + Reading Challenge (75); Library book;

Seduction of a Proper Gentleman

Here I go again, into a theme that I don't care for, but I enjoy the author's books.

Here's the blurb for Seduction of a Proper Gentleman by Victoria Alexander:

To break a centuries-old curse, beautiful, headstrong Lady Kathleen MacDavid knows she must ignore every rule of propriety by seducing—and marrying—the Earl of Norcroft. So she sets off for London, braving scandal and ruin to achieve her goal . . . until a crazy bump on the head makes her forget nearly everything.

The thrill of winning a bet—that he'd be the last of his set to wed—hasn't eased the earl's pain of losing his friends to marriage. Still, he'd be willing to settle down if he could meet someone worthy of his love—and desire. But he has met no such woman, until Kathleen is brought to him. Suspicious of her motives, he's determined to resist her seductive ways. But sometimes even the most proper gentleman finds it expedient to act improperly . . .

With this book, I really didn't know what I was getting into until I was reading it. I read the blurb, and I thought it had potential, and it also had a bonus point: Victoria Alexander. I have several of her books in my keeper shelf. And those keepers are actually the ones that I try to re-read every once in a while.

I gave it a try. And surprise (at least to me)! I actually enjoyed it. The amnesia doesn't appear until several chapters into the story. And the way the author wrote it, didn't make it sound silly or over embellished.

It had it all! A curse, amnesia, a reluctant hero, and endearing mother and a wonderful heroine. But mostly it had magic! The good type!

Seduction of a Proper Gentleman by Victoria Alexander (4/5) Historical Romance; Published: Avon (9/08); Series: # 4, Last Man Standing; 100 + Reading Challenge (74); Library book;