![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Going on a complete news and FB blackout for the next few weeks. Or at the very least the next four days. There is a direct corollary between my mood and the news. Also, the news isn't even all that reliable at the moment. Best to avoid for a bit. Be thankful for what I have, ignore everything else.
Instead, reading romance novels, and watching television and movies. I want to see Doctor Strange and the new Harry Potter. Also on tap is Star Trek : Beyond (via On Demand) and Captain America: Civil War via On Demand.
What I just finished reading?
* Magic Binds by Illona Andrews - the ninth book in the series, whereupon the two leads get married. Not as good as the previous eight books, and seriously I think you'd be lost if you started here. It's for die-hard fans of the series. The action is rushed. The emphasis is mainly on the wedding plans and the heroine's family issues with her father (who is a megalomaniac wizard with godlike powers and thousands of years old -- he's basically Nimrod from the Biblical Text), and her Aunt, who reappears in an interesting and entertaining fashion. It also wraps up various character plot-lines but in a summary style, that indicates the writers have grown tired of the story and most likely want to move on.
If you loved the series, read it. Otherwise skip.
And yeah, it appears to be continuing, there are still some dangling plot bits here and there. But if it isn't. Not much of an issue either way.
* An Arrangement of Sorts by Rebecca Connelly -- an entertaining and sweet story. Mostly dialogue, not a lot of action, about a recent heiress who hires a man to help her find her lost suitor and childhood friend. Unbeknowest to the heiress - the man happens to be an Earl, but he hides it well. Of course they fall madly in love on this road trip. But no hanky panky. They take turns sleeping in the stables, much to the heroes considerable chagrin.
No sex, explicit or otherwise. The most we get is a few kisses. It's charming. The hero/heroine insanely attractive, but also quite sweet. No idea of the time period -- somewhere before the 1900s, when women wore dresses, and having a title actually meant something, but after the period where you couldn't marry someone without a title or couldn't have money without one.
What I'm reading now?
The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt -- seems to be a Beauty and the Beast tale. Hard to tell.
It's about a not overly attractive Earl, who is rehabilitating his family estate, and in desperate need of a secretary. His a widower, who is negotiating a marriage agreement with a new bride. One day he runs into a widow, Anna Wren, with his horse. She's quite put-out and tells him off. He takes off, cursing his horse in a sexy voice. Although outside of his voice, she finds him rather ugly (good build though). Ordered to find the Earl a new secretary rather quickly, Hopple, the Earl's Master Servant, hires Mrs. Wren to do the honors at her suggestion.
Hopple: I can't find the Earl a secretary.
Mrs. Wren: You can wait until Sunday, there should be plenty of men around then to ask.
Hopple: No, I need to find one by tomorrow.
Mrs. Wren: does it have to be a male secretary?
Hoppler (flustered): Uh, I don't...
Mrs. Wren: Hire me.
Hopple: Not sure about that...
Mrs. Wren: I can start tomorrow, I have great penmenship and I can spell.
I have no idea when this takes place either. But Hoyt charmingly adds little fairy tale antcedotes to the front of each chapter -- which she's written herself. So basically, you are getting two stories, one - Hoyt's fairy tale/allergoical tale, and two the historical romance.
I rather like Hoyt. She's one of my go-to authors.
Instead, reading romance novels, and watching television and movies. I want to see Doctor Strange and the new Harry Potter. Also on tap is Star Trek : Beyond (via On Demand) and Captain America: Civil War via On Demand.
What I just finished reading?
* Magic Binds by Illona Andrews - the ninth book in the series, whereupon the two leads get married. Not as good as the previous eight books, and seriously I think you'd be lost if you started here. It's for die-hard fans of the series. The action is rushed. The emphasis is mainly on the wedding plans and the heroine's family issues with her father (who is a megalomaniac wizard with godlike powers and thousands of years old -- he's basically Nimrod from the Biblical Text), and her Aunt, who reappears in an interesting and entertaining fashion. It also wraps up various character plot-lines but in a summary style, that indicates the writers have grown tired of the story and most likely want to move on.
If you loved the series, read it. Otherwise skip.
And yeah, it appears to be continuing, there are still some dangling plot bits here and there. But if it isn't. Not much of an issue either way.
* An Arrangement of Sorts by Rebecca Connelly -- an entertaining and sweet story. Mostly dialogue, not a lot of action, about a recent heiress who hires a man to help her find her lost suitor and childhood friend. Unbeknowest to the heiress - the man happens to be an Earl, but he hides it well. Of course they fall madly in love on this road trip. But no hanky panky. They take turns sleeping in the stables, much to the heroes considerable chagrin.
No sex, explicit or otherwise. The most we get is a few kisses. It's charming. The hero/heroine insanely attractive, but also quite sweet. No idea of the time period -- somewhere before the 1900s, when women wore dresses, and having a title actually meant something, but after the period where you couldn't marry someone without a title or couldn't have money without one.
What I'm reading now?
The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt -- seems to be a Beauty and the Beast tale. Hard to tell.
It's about a not overly attractive Earl, who is rehabilitating his family estate, and in desperate need of a secretary. His a widower, who is negotiating a marriage agreement with a new bride. One day he runs into a widow, Anna Wren, with his horse. She's quite put-out and tells him off. He takes off, cursing his horse in a sexy voice. Although outside of his voice, she finds him rather ugly (good build though). Ordered to find the Earl a new secretary rather quickly, Hopple, the Earl's Master Servant, hires Mrs. Wren to do the honors at her suggestion.
Hopple: I can't find the Earl a secretary.
Mrs. Wren: You can wait until Sunday, there should be plenty of men around then to ask.
Hopple: No, I need to find one by tomorrow.
Mrs. Wren: does it have to be a male secretary?
Hoppler (flustered): Uh, I don't...
Mrs. Wren: Hire me.
Hopple: Not sure about that...
Mrs. Wren: I can start tomorrow, I have great penmenship and I can spell.
I have no idea when this takes place either. But Hoyt charmingly adds little fairy tale antcedotes to the front of each chapter -- which she's written herself. So basically, you are getting two stories, one - Hoyt's fairy tale/allergoical tale, and two the historical romance.
I rather like Hoyt. She's one of my go-to authors.