Hey there! It has been awhile since I last posted. How are you and what’s new on your end? I didn’t think it’s been that long but then I counted the days and it’s been almost a month. A month! I’m seriously neglecting my blog. Things are just not going well in my world and while I can take comfort in reading, writing is another matter. I can’t get a handle on my thoughts and my body’s been acting jumpy. I’m afraid that I’m becoming a bit depressed and may need to seek medical advice. But that’s a last resort…
Monthly Read: April 2010
On reading, I read quite a number of books in April. Total count for the rainy month was 21 books and more than half are by new-to-me authors – Kelley Armstrong, Jennifer Estep, Jessica Hall, Kate Noble, Moira Rogers, Linnea Sinclair, and Elizabeth Vaughan. As you will see, I did a bit of glomming with Armstrong. Her world stuck on me and won’t let me quit reading even after reading five books consecutively. Thanks to Nath for the series recommendation! Another author I would stalk obsess love to read more of her work is Estep but Spider’s Bite was the first book in her new series, Elemental Assassin. The awesome news is that she has book #2, Web of Lies, releasing on the 25th of this month and it’s just another week to go! The remaining new-to-me authors are also quite good. I scored in April reading so many great new-to-me authors in one month. At least one thing is going well in my life and reading can’t be beat.
April Reads:
1) Bitten by Kelley Armstrong, B
2) Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong, B-
3) Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong, B+
4) Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong, B+
5) Stolen by Kelley Armstrong, C
6) Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs, B+
7) Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs, B-
8) Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep, B+
9) Into the Fire by Jessica Hall, C+
10) Heat of the Moment by Jessica Hall, B
11) Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas, B
12) Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight, B+
13) Lion’s Heat by Lora Leigh, B
14) Nauti Deceptions by Lora Leigh, B-
15) Compromised by Kate Noble, B
16) Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts, B+
17) Sanctuary by Moira Rogers (containing Cry Sanctuary and Sanctuary Lost), B / B+
18) Rebels and Lovers by Linnea Sinclair, B
19) Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan, B+
20) Beautiful Girl by Shiloh Walker, B-
21) No Longer Mine by Shiloh Walker (original print), C
Review forthcoming here.
The grading was mainly in the ‘B’ rating but that’s okay as it just means it was solid reading for me. However, despite all the goodies read I feel no calling (hehe, I think I’ve been reading too many PNR) to review them. I sound like a broken record in saying that the state of my writing is pretty pathetic and ominous.
This may sound odd but I can’t pick which books I enjoy the most or which I didn’t. All the books were pretty good despite the varied grading. Suffice it to say that April was a really good reading month. I did glom quite a number of urban fantasy books but that is because I’ve been on a PNR/UF mood the last few months.
One book I would recommend is Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight. I actually read this book earlier this year but I forgot to note that I read it and since I can’t remember if it was a February or March read I put it down for April. Oops! Anyhow, I finally got my hands on a copy of this book a year after its digital release. The storyline is quite unique – about a homosexual hero who finds himself attracted to a woman after the death of his partner. Knight blends love and family with a twist that has not been placed in romance stories. As it turns out, relationships are not so generically partnered and we don’t get to decide how we love even when the answer has shown itself. Butterfly Tattoo takes a unique turn with love and this is one book that will be re-read again.
For April, total number of books:
• purchased = 33,
• read from new purchases =11,
• read from previous TBR pile =10.
I think I put a decent dent in the TBR pile – if you don’t look at it another way and point out that the monthly purchases outweigh the TBR readings by 3x the count. 🙂
/ Tabz --- blog / 
Hilcia
May 16, 2010
Tabz! I’m so glad you’re back! I hope you feel better and things get better for you soon.
In the meantime, you had a great reading month. I’ll be gloming Armstrong pretty soon, lol! I have a few of her stories on my TBR & will hit them soon. Oh and Estep! I’m going to wait for the new release first in case I like Spider’s Bite. Hah!
Great job on hitting your TBR pile. 🙂
nath
May 17, 2010
Wow, I think I’ve just found my match as tough grader!! LOL, seriously, no As?
I’m glad you enjoyed Kelley Armstrong. She’s an awesome writers. While not all of her books are wowzers, the stories are always interesting 😀
Totally agree with you for Spider’s Bite! I read her previous stuff, but this new world is much better 😀 Looking forward to Web of Lies 😀
and woohooo, you enjoyed Warprize!! LOVE Elizabeth Vaughan 😀 I adore the Warland Chronicles series!! Love, love, love Xylara and Keir! 😀 Her current trilogy is so-so, but she’s going back to the Warland Chronicles with her next release. I can’t wait!
Tabitha
May 18, 2010
Hilcia – Thank you, feels good to be back! I really hope things get better soon too! I’m taking a mini-vacation to hang out with gfs the end of this month and then a much needed change is happening in June (hopefully). I’ll discuss the change later once I find out whether it was for the good or bad. *crosses fingers and toes*
I hope you enjoy Armstron and Estep. And smart move with waiting to try Estep. I would do the same, lol!
Nath – I’m usually not so tough in the grading, lol. But ‘B’s are not so bad, eh?
I have the 2nd book in the Warland Chronicles series but not the 3rd so I’m waiting to get my hands on the last book before I continue reading the series. lol. I read reviews that Warsworn is not so good because Xylara was so stubborn in there that her actions resulted in many people death. Hmm, was the book enjoyable for you?
Leslie
May 18, 2010
Tabz, hope you’re feeling better. 🙂
It looks like you had a good reading month, no DNFs and that’s always good. 🙂 I’ve got a few of those on my tbr pile. Butterfly Tattoo and Spider Bite are both on there. And I should start the Armstrong series but I just don’t know when I’d have the time.
nath
May 19, 2010
LOL, of course, Bs are good, but not as good as As!!
Warsworn was my least favorite book in the trilogy, although there were some good scenes.
I wouldn’t say that it was Xylara stubbornness that caused the deaths. I mean, look at it objectively. Xylara is a doctor so of course, she’d do everything in her power to save lives. I don’t want to spoil it too much for you, better you read it yourself… Hope you get Warlord soon!! 😀
Tabitha
May 20, 2010
Leslie – Thanks, I’m trying. Taking one day at a time.
I know, time is precious enough without the ever-growing TBR pile looming and reminding us of all the books that we have yet to read. Lol!
Nath – Yes, I understand that Xylara is only doing what she believes in as a healer. Just going off some of the reviews I read, Xylara lied about the quarantine period so her lack of honesty broke the trust she has with Keir and his people correct? As a doctor, wouldn’t she be concerned about affecting others by not committing to the quarantine period? Um, maybe you shouldn’t answer that because that’s TMI and would spoil the story for me no? Lol
nath
May 21, 2010
Did she lie about the quarantine period? I can’t remember… but LOL, you’ll have to read it to form your own opinion 🙂