I'm in an unique position with regards to book publication dates since I receive & read so many ARCs. Still, there are some books that I won't get due to the fame of the author or because it's not a romance.
The biggest book that I'm looking forward to is Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh. I twigged onto Hawke & Sienna back in book 3 and I'm dying to see how Nalini writes them. I was a little hesitant about tthhe relationship due to the age difference, but my faith in Nalini is such that I know all my doubts will be swept aside. At RomCon, Nalini talked about how Kiss of Snow brings the first overall series arc to a conclusion. I can't wait to find out more about the Ghost and how Silence is going to fall. I also think Sascha gives birth in Kiss of Snow and I'm dying to meet the first member of the new generation.
On the YA front, there are a lot of great sequels on the horizon. Trial by Fire, the next book by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. The long overdue book in L.J. Smith's Nightworld series. Kiersten White's sequel to Paranormalcy will be released in the fall. I've also been reading Colleen Houck's books. Since Ms. Houck self-published before getting picked up by Splinter, I was able to get my hands on the second book in the series. I'm interested to see where the third book is going to go.
There are also the authors for whom I'm waiting their yearly book. Ilona Andrews, for example. I can't wait to see what happens next for Curran & Kate or on the 'Edge.' Robin D. Owens' Celta book will be released during the summer and, according to her website, there may be an anthology too! Patricia Briggs' latest book is a must-read and I'm always curious to read a new Laurell K. Hamilton, despite the erratic nature of the books' quality. J.R. Ward releases Lover Unleashed at the end of March and Charlaine Harris has Dead Reckoning in May. I'm also anxious for the next Breed book in Lora Leigh's series.
We know I've already read it, but I'm looking forward to Thea Harrison's May release of Dragon Bound. My copy is falling to pieces and I need something pretty for my shelf! If the buzz is getting you excited, Dear Author is giving away copies of the ARC to commenters.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Monthly Tally: February 2011
From TBR journal
- Deadly Lies, Cynthia Eden - See last month's comment.
- Primal, Lora Leigh, Michelle Rowen, Jory Strong & Ava Gray
- Dreams of a Dark Warrior, Kresley Cole
- This Side of the Grave, Jeaniene Frost - I'm not really a fan of first-person urban fantasies, but I adore this series.
- Treachery in Death, J.D. Robb - I continue to love this series, although it has its ups and down. I thought this one was better than the previous installement.
- Visions of Magic, Regan Hastings
- The Perfect Play, Jaci Burton - I have a fondness for romances starring athlete heroes, but I wasn't head over heels for this one.
- Look! A Book! A Zany Seek-and-Find Adventure, Bob Staake - Okay, I'm 29 and I easily spent a half an hour going through this book. Part of the fun for me was trying to figure out what the rhyming objects on the next page would be. For elementary school kids and the 'child at heart' adult.
- Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunch Melt-in-Your Mouth Cookies, Alice Medrich - A cookbook divided up by the texture of the finished products. A nice idea, but there were only a couple of recipes that interested me. Would probably be a good housewarming present.
- When Beauty Tamed the Beast, Eloisa James
- Unveiled, Courtney Milan
- Tortall and Other Lands, Tamora Pierce - If this had been in paperback, I'd bought it in a heartbeat. It's a collection of short stories set in the world she's created. My favorites were 'Lost,' about a Darkling that ends up in Tusaine and befriends a young female mathematical genius, and 'A Dragon's Tale,' a story from Kitten's (the dragonlet adopted by Daine & Numair) point of view. I had to go back and re-read the Wild Magic quartet after I finished, it was just that awesome.
- All Jacked Up, Lorelei James
- His Sinful Secret, Emma Wildes
- Wolfsbane, Patricia Briggs - Overall, Briggs' books don't fit the romance genre, but I love the way she writes relationships.
- There's a Princess in the Palace, Zoe B. Alley
- Weird and Wonderful, ed. Welleran Poltarnees - This was reviewed by PW, which is how I found out about it. It's a collection of odd illustrations from old (early 1900s) children's books. In AU's special collections department, they specialize a bit in children's literature and I rec'd this book for purchase.
- Dare to Believe, Dana Marie Bell - I will be very surprised if this author doesn't make the crossover into mainstream publishing one day.
- Batwoman: Elegy, Greg Rucka & J. H. Williams III
- Bedtime for Mommy, Amy Krouse Rosenthal
- Miss Winthrope's Elopement, Christine Merrill
- Love 'Em or Leave 'Em, Angie Stanton - An interesting plot idea (the heroine gets drafted to be a contestant on a Bachelor-type show & the hero's the Bachelor), but would've benefited from better editing.
- Submission Times Two, Claire Thompson
- Big Mama Makes the World, Phyllis Root - A little bit of a twist on the Christian creation story. I liked it and I may buy it for my personal collection one day.
- Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book Based on the Film Phenomenon, Lucy Kee - This was insanely cool. The pop-ups were focused on the different film sets, with little bits of trivia here and there. It's currently on sale at Amazon and I'm definitely going to pick it up.
- Welcome to Last Chance, Hope Ramsay, out today
- Halfway Hexed, Kimberly Frost, out now
- When You Dare, Lori Foster, 5/2011 - This was a great book. It's a little more along the lines of military romance than a contemporary. I'm a sucker for a heroine who's also a writer and the hero was very compelling.
- Quicksilver, Amanda Quick, 4/2011
- Big Bad Beast, Shelly Laurenston, 5/2011 - I am about to be very honest here. While I have still read this book about five times, Beast Behaving Badly was much better. Dee is a complicated character and a complicated heroine, which doesn't always translate well.
- Any Man of Mine, Rachel Gibson, 4/2011
- Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart, Sarah Maclean, 4/2011
- Trace of Fever, Lori Foster, 6/2011 - I loved it a little less than the first one, mostly because the plot subject matter was difficult to handle (human trafficking, rape, etc. The bad guy was really bad). However, Dare & Molly make a return appearance, I adored the supporting characters of Chris & Mark (I want them to have their own story), and the animals were so cute.
- Notorious Pleasures, Elizabeth Hoyt, out now
I also read the Black Bird manga series, volumes 1-5. I was cataloging my manga collection and discovered I owned volume 1. The public library provided the rest!
Category Totals
Romance: 14 + 9 ARCs
Science Fiction: 1
Mystery: 1
Young Adult: 1
Cookbooks: 1
Graphic Novels: 1
Picture Books: 4
Film: 1
Lit Crit: 1
Year to Date: 55 books, 14 ARCs
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)