OK, I'll admit it--I love Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight" series, even though it goes contrary to the vampire lore I've devoured since my first reading of "Dracula". I love it in spite of being a confirmed Buffy-holic. I read all four books in the stretch of a little over a week, have watched both movies, and have participated in several discussions of the Edward vs. Jacob kind. However, I must also say that I am a little wary of the portrayal of teen obsessiveness that we have in Bella, and I have talked with my 10-year-old daughter, who is currently reading "Twilight" about some of the more unhealthy traits that Bella shows over the course of the series. (She wanted to read it after several of her friends did so, but I doubt I'll let her read the entire series right now.)
When I was looking for new reading fare to get through my workouts (I can bike 12.5 - 13 MPH while reading, and do a pretty good job on the elliptical machine as well), I came across a couple of series that I enjoyed as a change from my usual historical romances. One, "Undead and Unemployed" by MaryJanice Davidson, is a hoot. The recently-undead heroine is, to her utter dismay, queen of the vampires. She also has a major shoe addiction. I'm looking for the rest of the series next time I hit the bookstore.
Another one I thoroughly enjoyed--this time based on magic rather than blood-sucking--was "Secondhand Spirits" by Juliet Blackwell. A goblin who masquerades as a pot-bellied pig, spot-on descriptions of San Francisco, and a believable cast of characters kept me exercising longer than I thought--almost doubled my time a couple of days!
Madelyn Alt's " Bewitching mysteries" series is another that I will continue to read and look for more. The main character, Maggie O'Neill is as appealing a reluctant heroine as I've seen in a long time.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Not much of a blogger, I'm afraid
It really was last June that I posted my last update. How time flies! I envy those who have the discipline to post regularly. I still have trouble getting through my e-mail quickly enough to respond to queries sent to me!
When I logged in tonight, I noticed that there was a post from a blog I follow, by author Jean Kalogridis about her novel "The Devil's Queen". I read and reviewed it--it was an excellent novel. Recently, I was sent another novel on the same subject, by a different author, and it was interesting to compare the two. I can't tell you yet the name of the more recently book, as it has not yet been released. I'm thinking of going back and picking up a few more novels about Catherine de Medici just for fun to see how other authers have protrayed her.
Currently, I'm reading "The road to Middle-Earth: how JRR Tolkien created a new mythology) by Tom Shippey. Absolutely fascinating, especially if you are a lover of language and revel (as I did) in the philology of Tolkien's books.
I'm also trying to catch up (still) on all my volumes of Persuasions (yearly publication of the Jane Austen Society of North America). That has been a goal for well over two years, but since I'm lucky to have time for one essay at a sitting, rather slow going.
Of course, I've managed a load of fiction throughout the last year. I find that romances of various kinds are perfect for keeping my eyes off the clock when I sit on an exercise bike or stride on an elliptical machine. Better yet, they do not require all my concentration, so I can keep up a good pace! I've even tried reading while using the treadmill, but I found that if I try to increase the incline while reading, I'm in danger of stumbling and flying off the back of the machine! So, for the treadmill I stick to my MP3 player.
My latest guilty pleaseure in those romances are the supernatural ones, mostly vampires and witches. I still enjoy the historicals, but it gets harder and harder to fine good historicals without graphic sex scenes. Not that I'm a prude, I just prefer to use my imagination sometimes rather than read about someone else's! Sometimes it just doesn't add anything to the story. I prefer the tension between a Darcy and Elizabeth, perhaps, or the barely-controlled passion of a Cathy and Heathcliff...
And then there was the Twilight Series. Devoured that in less than a week, saw the movies, put the posters in my daughter's room. It's been years since I've gone through a series like that. I read 9 Camber of Culdi/Deryni books back to back my senior year of college, as preparation for actually writing the research papers I was supposed to be working on and styuding for my finals. Picked one up, couldn't stop reading. And Judith Tarr. And Tolkien, which brings me back to where I began tonight.
When I logged in tonight, I noticed that there was a post from a blog I follow, by author Jean Kalogridis about her novel "The Devil's Queen". I read and reviewed it--it was an excellent novel. Recently, I was sent another novel on the same subject, by a different author, and it was interesting to compare the two. I can't tell you yet the name of the more recently book, as it has not yet been released. I'm thinking of going back and picking up a few more novels about Catherine de Medici just for fun to see how other authers have protrayed her.
Currently, I'm reading "The road to Middle-Earth: how JRR Tolkien created a new mythology) by Tom Shippey. Absolutely fascinating, especially if you are a lover of language and revel (as I did) in the philology of Tolkien's books.
I'm also trying to catch up (still) on all my volumes of Persuasions (yearly publication of the Jane Austen Society of North America). That has been a goal for well over two years, but since I'm lucky to have time for one essay at a sitting, rather slow going.
Of course, I've managed a load of fiction throughout the last year. I find that romances of various kinds are perfect for keeping my eyes off the clock when I sit on an exercise bike or stride on an elliptical machine. Better yet, they do not require all my concentration, so I can keep up a good pace! I've even tried reading while using the treadmill, but I found that if I try to increase the incline while reading, I'm in danger of stumbling and flying off the back of the machine! So, for the treadmill I stick to my MP3 player.
My latest guilty pleaseure in those romances are the supernatural ones, mostly vampires and witches. I still enjoy the historicals, but it gets harder and harder to fine good historicals without graphic sex scenes. Not that I'm a prude, I just prefer to use my imagination sometimes rather than read about someone else's! Sometimes it just doesn't add anything to the story. I prefer the tension between a Darcy and Elizabeth, perhaps, or the barely-controlled passion of a Cathy and Heathcliff...
And then there was the Twilight Series. Devoured that in less than a week, saw the movies, put the posters in my daughter's room. It's been years since I've gone through a series like that. I read 9 Camber of Culdi/Deryni books back to back my senior year of college, as preparation for actually writing the research papers I was supposed to be working on and styuding for my finals. Picked one up, couldn't stop reading. And Judith Tarr. And Tolkien, which brings me back to where I began tonight.
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