Monday, January 19, 2009

This and That

I have to admit, with everything going on in my life, I haven’t been accomplishing much in the writing arena. In fact, I’m pretty disappointed with my January showing. But I’ve been making up for all the reading I didn’t do last year, especially this past week with child duty and being sick myself.

FYI: For those interested, Drama Queen now has one pink cast and one black splint and is doing much better! Thanks for everyone’s well wishes.

I thought we could talk books today, so I could rave about some of my recent keepers additions. I stumbled across 2 new paranormal authors at the bookstore on one of those rare days when I actually got to browse. Both of the covers caught my eye and the back cover blurbs sealed the deal. Luckily for me, they both lived up to expectations.

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This series is about a group of vampires called the “Breed.” I found it very emotionally stirring and different from the common vampire lore. BTW, I’m seeing a lot of the split color covers at the bookstore and love them! Can't wait to read more in this series, of which I believe there are 5 now.

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Frank is a new-to-me author, and her writing reminds me a lot of historical authors, though these books are contemporaries. Lots of narrative, description and internal dialogue. She isn’t afraid to let her characters think, which I love. This is part of her first series, which I’m now working my way through, about Demons. But they aren’t what we consider demons, they are actually elementals. I’d never encountered this term until I read a friend’s paranormal story and enjoyed this dip into something different. After finishing NOAH, I’m now reading the first in this series, JACOB.

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Anna Campbell is our featured interview on the Playground this month, and you might recall we had her on the blog not too long ago. This is her third book and just as emotionally satisfying as the first two. Her characters go way beyond the stereotypical, and I love watching her peel back the layers as we get to know them. Loved this one too!

So that’s what I’ve been reading lately. What books are you totally engrossed in at the moment? What are you loving about them? Found any new authors lately?

Angel

PS. Our own Problem Child is blogging over at the Pink Hearts Society today. If you have time, head over there and give her a shout out.

PPS. The Playfriends are participating in an online auction in aid of a homeless teen and her mother. It begins today. We’re offering a bag of books and some chick bath goodies. Check it out here.

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12 comments:

Problem Child said...

My RITA books have several new-to-me authors, so I'm excited about getting to read them. Now to find the time...

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

I'm bad about reading new authors. I tend to get a favorite and devour everything they've ever written, then move on only when I'm forced to.

mslizalou said...

I'm glad Drama Queen is doing better. I've been keeping y'all in my prayers.

I love finding new-to-me authors. I found Lara Adrian right when her first book came out and each one just gets better and better(she has published 5 now in the Breed series). My cousin told me about Frank's books and I've read Jacob and Gideon and can't wait to read the rest of the books in her Demon series.

One of my reading goals for this read a book by one new-to-me author a month. I have at least 12 new authors in my tbr pile, so it should be easy to do.

M.V.Freeman said...

Angel, thank you for discussing new books and authors, I am out of my stash and need some reading material.(yes, I'm a reading junky)

I'm actually reading an Anne Bishop book, "Tangled Webs" from the Black Jewels series (If you haven't read them check them out, very interesting).

SP--I tend to do the same thing...LOL Find an author and stay there, I am trying to move outside the box..drat I like my box.

Now...I'm offto get those books you were mentioning.

Playground Monitor said...

I started Kylie Brant's book last week and then stuff happened and I haven't been able to finish. Kylie is a new author to me.

I do like SP and go the find and devour route, but I'll also try a new author at the suggestion of a friend. And sometimes I just stumple upon a new one.

I have lots more stuff on the schedule for this week, so Kylie's book may end up getting finished on the beach next week.

Playground Monitor said...

Oh... and glad to hear DQ is on the mend.

Katherine Bone said...

Great news about DQ, Angel!! ;)

I'll pick up something new if the cover and blurb appeal to me, or at the suggestion of a friend. But I do love to get books by authors I really enjoy as well.

I've got contest entries to judge before I can move on to something new. I'm also a bad girl. Still haven't finished Eclipse. That's on my to do list.

word verif: playeess
(should be a new playground word.)

Sherry Werth said...

Happy to hear DQ is doing better. And since she had to have a cast, at least it's a pretty pink color.

I'm taking an online class this month so my reading has been limited but I did pick up a new author yesterday. I usually pick a Blaze over the others but the cover on this one caught my eye. It's an Intrique by Jenna Ryan - A Voice In The Dark. I've not read this author before but the cover and back blurb reeled me in.

I try to read the releases by the guest bloggers here but I'm guilty of sticking to my favs.

Unknown said...

I am reading Joanne Sundell's The Parlor House Daughter and loveing it. New authors are Elaine Levine's boo Rachel and the Hird Gun and Carrie Lofty's What a Scoundrel Wants loved both of these books and will be watching them in the future.

PM's Mother said...

This is for Playground Monitor:

"Stumple?"

Playground Monitor said...

Didn't your mother teach you it's not nice to make fun of people in public? Mine did. ;-)

Angel said...

LOL--the find and devour route. That's exactly what I do. I actually like to find authors after their series are established, because I get impatient waiting for them to put out something new. Instead I can devour their backlist while I wait on the most current books. Yep. That's me.

Angel