January Reading Recap

Stealing this monthly recap idea and format from fellow bloggers...

I see it as both a means to motivate myself--read more, review more--as well as a means of excusing myself when I fail, LOL.

Take this first month's recap, for instance. In January, I read 8 books. Not as many as I would have liked. See? Motivation to read more next month. Of those 8, I reviewed 2. Ok, more motivation, LOL.

But also, a big picture view that says--when you're reading less than 10 books a month, it shouldn't be too hard to stay relatively current with reviews. So yeah, that review to read ratio will improve in the next couple of days because really, I have plenty of time to post reviews of my last two or three titles before I finish my first book of February. It's not like I'm reading a book a day. So maybe not an excuse for falling behind on reviews, but at least a little perspective--this time next week, I won't be behind.

Looking back month-by-month makes it easier to remember what I was doing...when I see a particular title for example, I can remember all of the places I carted that book. Gives me a good feel for how busy--with non-reading things--I was. And yeah, if I was pretty non-reading busy? I don't feel so bad about the too few books I read. So I let myself off the guilt or disappointment hook.

This is fun.

Oh, and here is the recap:

Running Wild by Sarah McCarty, 2008, DNF
Hard for me to admit to a McCarty DNF. Hers is a voice I've enjoyed for a long time. Not sure what happened for me here. It's true that weres do not generally appeal to me--no good reason, but they don't. Other shapeshifter scenarios work fabulously for me--even those with similar dominance issues inherent in their pack law. Weres don't. So that's part of it. The rest of it relates to the sex. Crazy I know, McCarty writes some the hottest, emotionally-laden sex out there. But here, I was not convinced that the heroine (of the first story) was really up for sex that fast. It felt more like she was in need of a good, safe rest first. As physical intimacy requires that you give of yourself--significantly--I couldn't buy into the idea that she had enough energy to go at it with the hero. Ended up making him feel selfish and even a little too domineering to me and I ultimately put the book down. Thankfully, I still have Promises Revealed on my TBR stack.

Edge Of Desire by Stephanie Laurens, 2008, DNF
This got off to a great start for me. I love the Bastien Club books and thought Laurens turned this love story on its head--making the hero most emotionally vulnerable. But halfway through, the HEA felt locked down and it looked as though solving the mystery was going to take the rest of the book. Put it down out of boredom at that point. Kept thinking I'd pick it up again, just to see how it all turned out, but no. I've moved on.

The Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole (found in Playing Easy To Get, an anthology), 2006
This is part of my homework reading--catching up a series I absolutely love. Loved this one as much as the others I've read and will mention it when I review Dark Desires After Dusk.

The Lord Next Door by Gayle Callen, 2005
This was, to quote Lori and Linda, my happy read for January. LOL And I liked it, really. It's just that I would have liked it more had I remembered to wear my rose-colored glasses. Gasp! Can't believe I said that, LOL. Seriously, it was a solid enough read and I'm excited to read The Viscount In Her Bedroom next. My friends are right--I need to take a break from cynicism-inducing gritty and dark stories and recapture my love of the traditional historical. It is the original, and perfect, place to find that romantic hero utterly dedicated to protecting and providing for his heroine.

The Art Of Desire by Cherie Feather,
Liked this one a lot, but am beginning to wonder why I'm more critical of erotic romance than I am of any other genre? In my review, I feel like I'm just picking this book apart. But I liked it overall.

Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole,
Can't say enough about this series. I'll get a review of this and The Warlord Wants Forever up this week.

What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, 2009
A perfect SEP read. Another one I plan to review in the coming week.

Mini-aside: Three of my "resolutions" or To Do items coming into the 2009 reading year:

1) Read almost strictly from my TBR list (not stack, list). Check. Every title here was from my list.
2) Read at least one shiny new release a month. Check. Was first in my library's line for SEP's newest.
3) Catch up--right up--to the new releases in each of my favorite series. Check. I'll read Cole's newest within two weeks of its release date. *fist pump*