Thursday, December 2, 2010

November 2010 Reads & Mini: If You Desire by Kresley Cole

November was a strange reading month for me. I hit some sort of wall early on and struggled to read the books I finished even though I enjoyed them. On or about the second week, I decided 'reader's fatigue' was setting in and decided to slow down my reading. I took out my yarn, knitting and crocheting needles and alternated between the two for the rest of the month. Then with the Thanksgiving holiday and my impromptu road trip, the reading slowed down even more. The result is that I finished a few knitting and crocheting projects, but didn't really finish reading any books the last two weeks of November, except for a few re-reads for my Challenge.

Challenge Update: I did meet all my Challenges this month. I posted my 2010 Historical Challenge review earlier this month. I read, posted my list and a comment for the In-Death Challenge and I'll be including a late Mini for the 2010 Re-read Challenge in this post.

November Reads:
Total Books Read: 15
New Reads: 12
Re-reads: 3

Favorite books this month?

Nath's 2010 Read-Read Challenge November Mini:
  • If You Desire by Kresley Cole
A while back I enjoyed this historical romance trilogy by Cole about the cursed Scottish MacCarrick brothers and decided to re-read the last two in the series. If You Desire is Book 2 of the trilogy and the story of Hugh MacCarrick and Jane Weyland, a couple who have been friends and in love from a tender age. However, due to a family curse that states that whoever marries a MacCarrick man will die, Hugh takes on a career as an assassin working for Jane's father and the crown and leaves Jane without an explanation. Years later when she's in danger, he returns to protect her and they reunite.

This book was fun, delicious and frustrating. Jane is a 'progressive' and she and her eight female cousins are outrageous and scandalous. They refer to Hugh as 'Tears and Years' because of all the tears and time Jane spent grieving for him. But by the time Hugh returns, she's more furious than heartbroken and once the two of them go into hiding, she makes his life impossible. She does everything in her power to seduce him and there's everything from sexual tension to sexual play and sweetness to hostility throughout the story. But Jane's modern outlook doesn't help her understand Hugh, and she comes off as more than a bit spoiled at times. Hugh loves her without barriers and in trying to protect her, he sometimes gives in too much. However, there's something about Hugh that I really love. It's probably the relentless love he felt for Jane and the whole Highlander aura. Grade B
Balance of Books Read:
  • Fair Game by Josh Lanyon: Solid B
  • The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan: B
  • Faith and Fidelity, Book 1 by Tere Michaels: B
  • The Dickens with Love by Josh Lanyon: B
  • Burning Up by Sarah Mayberry: B
  • Midnight in Death by J.D. Robb (Novella): B
  • Coming Clean by Inez Kelley: B
  • Love and Loyalty, Book 2 by Tere Michaels: C+
  • If You Deceive by Kresley Cole (Re-read): B
  • Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale (Re-read) : A+
So, how was your November? Any favorites or great recommendations? 

13 comments:

  1. You covered a lot of ground considering your reading slowed down towards the end of the month! And how nice that you finished some yarn projects! Are the projects Christmas gifts? If so, you ended the month way ahead of the game!

    As we've discussed before, I have always wanted to read this trilogy by Kresley Cole. Hopefully I'll get to it someday. :)

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  2. Christine, I read a few long books but the rest are short reads or novellas. It was just one of those months... I think I didn't really feel like reading after a while? It's not "normal" for me, lol! The yarn projects are definitely Christmas gifts. :) The family is getting hand-made stuff this year, lol! They'll benefit.

    I hope you do get the Cole trilogy, they're definitely enjoyable historicals - all of them.

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  3. That was a good list :) I told you before about Harper Fox, those are good. My most favorite of this month was Hammer and Air by Amy Lane. I cried like a baby!

    Knitting/crocheting rocks. Those would be awesome gifts for the holidays.

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  4. Hmmm, I've never read anything from Ms Cole aside from her paranormal romance books. Wonder if it would suit me :P

    You didn't do badly actually, Hils. However, I bet that not having a reading flow was annoying :(

    LOL, you finally read See Jane Scores? :) Seems like you enjoyed it, good :)

    My recs? LOL, the Lorraine Heath books... and get Play of Passion!!

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  5. Can't wait for my copy of His for the Holidays to release! I've got it on preorder. So glad it seems to be living up to my high expectations. It's such a great line up of authors!

    Some of my favorite reads for November included:

    Play of Passion
    Glimpses by Lynn Flewelling
    Double Cross by Carolyn Crane
    Warrior by Zoe Archer
    Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis

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  6. Mariana, thanks for all the great recommendations. I'll look up Hammer and Air.

    Christine, some family members have been asking for specific items for a while. It's time. ;P

    Nath, these are the only other historicals by Cole I've read and I enjoyed them. There's another series, The Sutherland Brothers, that I've not tried. But these I liked. It's those Highlanders, lol! Hmm... the lack of reading flow was quite frustrating in November. I hope December is a smoother month for me. See Jane Score was a great read! Thanks for the recommendation. And I'll definitely be reading the Heath books and the Singh. :)

    Renee, I definitely think you'll enjoy His for the Holidays. It was not a disappointment for me. I loved, loved 3 and enjoyed the 4th. So, not bad at all for an anthology. :) Love your list of favorites for November. Four of those books are on my list of books to read.

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  7. Love and Loyalty only got a C+? You are harsh! LOL

    Ooh I need to read the Ginn Hale. I bought as soon as I got home from my trip. :P

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  8. LOL, Ames! Love and Loyalty was good! A C+ is not bad. *g* I enjoyed James' story. I just thought it was lacking in conflict. But the romance itself was cute. :)

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  9. Ames, PS: I hope you enjoy Wicked Gentlemen. That was a great read for me! First AND second time around. :)

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  10. You had a good month, even with the bumps. :) I think we all need that break from the intense reading we do. I like to organize when I need a break from reading in my spare time.

    Good for you for finishing all your challenges! I've been slacking off terribly. :(

    You know I've had Cole's 5 historicals on the tbr pile for ages. I really should read those. LOL Someday, right? :D

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  11. YAH for finishing a few knitting and crocheting projects - and for meeting your challenges :)

    I had an OK November...am drowning a bit this month in book, but hoping to get ahead :)

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  12. Leslie, I definitely need(ed) a reading break. I think I'm still taking one, lol! I've done pretty well with my Challenges this year, although it hasn't been easy to do so during some months.

    This trilogy by Cole was an enjoyable one for me a few years back. I still enjoyed the last two this time around, with a bit more reservation, but still... liked them quite a bit. I still think it's those Highlanders, lol!

    Orannia, thank you. Yeah... too many books, so little time? I know the feeling. I decided to just let them stew for a bit, and I'll get to them when I can enjoy again. :)

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