2011 Moments and Final Recap!

Well, my overall recap for 2011 is here at last! It was a very good year! I read more than expected considering my crazy work schedule and family's health problems, but best of all I read some excellent books along the way and had a good time too.

Favorites:

• 2011 Year-End: Favorite Books: All done!
• LGBT 2011: Favorite Books and Authors: All done!

Best Moments of 2011: Meeting friends (old and new), bloggers, and authors.

• Meeting a Friend, NYC, Dinner, and Books!
• Meeting Nalini Singh!
• RWA Literary Signing
• Catching Up June's Events, Books & Bloggers
• NJ Bloggers: Dinner, Books and the Heat!

Favorite Posts/Reviews:

• The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa - Talk about obsession, I actually wrote THREE posts about this book: The review, plus two posts at my side blog Quotes & Thoughts, with my favorite of those two being Sex and Power in the Feast of the Goat. 
• The Abode of Bliss: Ten Stories for Adam by Alex Jeffers: I loved this book and writing the review was a pleasure, but then came the cherry on top. I'm not a fangirl, far from it, but when Mr. Jeffers came by and left a comment on my review, there was a flutter of the fangirl about me for a minute there... I admit it! LOLOL! 
• John Donne - The Good Morrow: This was a totally self-indulgent post that went up after I spent weeks perusing some of my favorite works by Donne. If left up to me I would probably have posted about ten pages on his poetry and essays, but I figured you would all be snoring by the time I finished. LOL! Instead my post became a very small summary. To all those Donne-crazed fans who came by and made it my second most visited post of the year, a BIG thank you!! ;P

Worst moment of 2011:

• Deleting ALL the numbers for previous years from my Stat Counter! Yes... in January 2011, I accidentally deleted my Impressions "project," lost all my numbers, and was not able to recover them. My numbers started anew as of the second week of January. Again! Oh... the idiocy! 

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2011 Challenges:

As far as Challenges go, I only joined two in 2011: I continued the In-Death Challenge hosted by The happily ever after... where I failed miserable by not reading any books during the whole year! I mean, not ONE -- see my summary page. Fail! [Hangs head in shame]

I also joined the 2011 Book Club: The Women of Fantasy hosted by Jawa Reads, Too! I did a better job there. I chose four books to read for the year. Unfortunately as you will see on my summary page, I completed one book and "DNF" (did not finish) two of the books. The book club did not continue with reading and discussions after June, so the fourth book is still in my TBR.

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Numbers

Total books read: 202

Total Posts: 153

Total Reviews/Minis: 156
Books by Categories:
  LGBT (Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Thrillers, YA): 57
  Contemporary (Romance/Fiction/Erotica): 48
  Historical: (Romance/Fiction): 44
  Paranormal Romance: 11
  Urban Fantasy: 11
  Fantasy/Speculative Fiction: 10
  Science Fiction/Science Fiction Romance: 8
  Mysteries: 5
  Misc (Fiction/Children's/Poetry/Non-Fiction): 7

During 2011, I kept better records at Goodreads than I did at my blog. I actually had to reconcile my books read titles and numbers between the two sites! LGBT is my highest number for the year and that is a surprise (TY 57 vs. LY 36), especially since I read very few books in that category during the first half of the year. And I'm quite happy with the increase in the historical romance numbers (TY 44 vs. LY 26). I didn't quite reach my personal goal of reading 12 books for the year in the Fantasy category, but did increase the number (TY 10 vs. LY 2).

Observations:

• A noticeable change from 2010 to 2011 is the fact that I read more new releases and less books from my TBR or "to be read" pile of books. As a matter of fact, I added quite a bit to that pile! 
• In 2011 I also accepted more books or ARCs for review. That's unusual for me, but even through all the stressful family emergencies somehow I found the time to keep up with most of the commitments I accepted during the year, and discovered some favorite reads and authors there! So, it turned out to be a good overall experience. 
• This was the year of the anthology for me too. I read approximately 15 anthologies that included everything from 3 to 29 novellas or short stories! That's a record for me. 
• And last, but not least, I joined Twitter after much bellyaching. I still don't really use it much and only think of using it after the fact, but I'll get there, someday. *g* 

That is it!! Now I'll look forward to 2012, and start fresh with the new year. :)

December 2011: Reads and Minis

Happy New Year everyone! Hope your holidays were fabulous!

Here's my last monthly recap for 2011. It's a long one. I read more than expected due to the fact that I was on vacation for over a week and just relaxed. Some of those reads are short, but I did manage to get in some full-length novels in there as well.

One of my top reads for the month made it to my top ten favorite reads for the year, one was an honorable mention, and the other two were read during the last week of the year! I ended the year with a bang, just the way I like it.

Here are my reads for December, 2011:

Total Books Read: 23  DNF: 1
   Contemporary: Romance, Erotica - 5
   Historical Romance: Novels, Short Stories - 6
   Paranormal Romance: 1
   Science Fiction: 1
   Fiction 2
   Non-Fiction: 1
   LGBT: Fiction, Romance, Mysteries, Erotica - 7

My top reads for December:

• Leviathan Wakes (Expanse #1) by James S.A. Corey: A

Leviathan Wakes! Yes! This is a science fiction opera with all the action and science fiction details any reader would expect of just such an endeavor. Yet for me, the characters in this fantastic space adventure are the ones that lifted it from being a just another tale about ships and chases through the stars. Miller, the pulp fiction noirish style, cynical detective, obsessed with finding one girl and relentless in his pursuit. And, Captain Jim Holden a rather naive, gung ho Captain with a rag tag crew who in his pursuit of revenge finds a truth bigger than the known universe. A mystery/thriller in space with amazing characters and fantastic science fiction details. What else can a geeky girl like me ask for? This book made it to my top ten favorite reads of 2011. 

• War by Sebastian Junger: B+
• We the Animals by Justin Torres: B+
• The Proposition by Judith Ivory: B+

The enjoyable Bs:

• Drown by Junot Diaz: B
• Detours by Jeffrey Ricker: B
• Adam by Jacquelyn Frank: B
• The Rake's Christmas by Edith Layton (A Regency Christmas VII Anthology): B
• The Surprise Party by Mary Balogh (A Regency Christmas VII Anthology): B
• The Art of Dying by Josh Lanyon and Jordan Castillo Price: B
• Best Gay Stories 2011 edited by Peter Dubé: B-
• The Christmas Ghost by Sandra Heath (A Regency Christmas VII Anthology): B-
• Lone Star by Josh Lanyon: B-
• Winter Knights by Harper Fox: B-

Here come the C's:

• Sweetwood Bride by Pamela Morsi: C
• A Place Called Home by Jo Goodman: C
• Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen: C
• Cowboy Come Home by Janette Kenny: C
• The Birches by Xavier Axelson: C
• Three to Tango with Emma Holly, Lauren Dane, Megan Hart, Bethany Kane: C
• Risque Business by HelenKay Dimon: C-
• Terms of Surrender by Leslie Kelly: C-
• Submission (Deviations #1) by Chris Owen & Jodi Payne: C-

I love Chris Owen's writing style and own this series. Unfortunately, I "DNF" (did not finish) this book the first time I tried reading it a couple of years ago. I know a lot of readers love this series, so I decided I would try it again and finish it this time. Frankly, I had the same reaction this time and for the most part the book seems rather clinical and flat, lacking real emotion and passion. At least that's the way it read to me. I didn't connect with the characters at all. However, this time I continued to the end. There does seem to be a bit more of an emotional connection between the characters on that last third of the book, but by that time it was a bit late for me as a reader to connect with them. Obviously this book/series is not for me.

And one lonely DNF (did not finish): I usually don't include DNF's with my list. However in this case I wanted to give the book a chance and read over half of the book before simply realizing that the book is just not for me.

• The Hunter by Theresa Meyers - DNF (Read 55% of the book)

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That's it for December! I'll be writing a few reviews for my December reads. We the Animals by Justin Torres was a huge surprise and one that I'll be talking about. The Proposition by Judith Ivory was a delightful read full of mustaches, legs, ferrets and some wonderful characters. Drown by Junot Diaz is a fiction book I read for my Internet Book Club, and of course there's Jo Goodman's first contemporary romance, A Place Called Home, and Jacquelyne Frank's paranormal romance, Adam -- the last book of her Nightwalkers series, #6.

Did you find any gems in December?

Happy New Year! 2012... Yikes!

Happy 2012!!!

Wishing you all, health, happiness, success and

all the best for the New Year! 

Hilcia

My Life According to Books I read in 2011

And, because I'm on vacation and having fun this year, I decided to go ahead and join Christine with this fun, fun post that she has been posting for the last three years at The happily ever after... This is the first year I have the time to participate, so I'm going to play!

Basically it's very simple, answer the questions below with titles of books read in 2011. They have to be appropriate to the questions, of course. It gets tough... because you're not supposed to repeat your own answers. that others post. I've only just read Christine's! So, I hope I'm not repeating anyone else's answers at this point. Here goes!

Describe yourself:
A Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear

How do you feel:
Unlocked by Courtney Milan

Describe where you currently live:
Embassytown by China Miéville

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
The Abode of Bliss by Alex Jeffers

Your favorite form of transportation:
Love and Rockets by Gavin Atlas

Your best friend is:
Somebody Wonderful by Kate Rothwell

You and your friends are:
We the Animals by Justin Torres

What's the weather like:
In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Flemming

What is life to you:
A Lot Like Love by Julie James

Favorite time of day:
Winter Knights by Harper Fox

Your fear:
Drown by Junot Díaz

What is the best advice you have to give:
Chill by Elizabeth Bear

Thought for the day:
Never Cry Wolf by Cynthia Eden

How I would like to die:
Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen

My soul's present condition:
Dangerous Ground by Josh Lanyon

That's it! I had a tiny problem with transportation -- my answer is the title of a book I didn't review, so no link for that title. AND, although I had two different titles to answer "Your Fear," both were for books I just finished reading this week!

That was fun. Thank you, Christine. :)

Review: Cowboy Come Home by Janette Kenny

Trey March never wanted to see Daisy Barton again. But there she is, in over her pretty little head running the JDB Ranch—and standing between him and the small fortune he's owed. Now if he wants to get his due, he'll have to save the ranch first. . .working side-by-side with the only woman he's ever loved.


Without her overprotective father to guide her, Daisy's trying to stand on her own at last. But a sinister foreman with a grudge seems determined to cut her down at every turn. And Trey, the one man she can count on, is the same man she could never trust herself to resist. . .not even now, when her heart—and her life—are at stake.

Cowboy Come Home by Janette Kenny is the third and last book in the western historical romance Lost Sons trilogy.

After months recuperating from being roped, dragged through the dessert and left for dead, Trey March returns to the JDB Ranch to collect his horses and the money Barton owes him. The last person he wants or expects to see is Daisy Barton, after all she's the reason he almost lost his life and besides she should be married to her rich rancher fiancé by now.

Circumstances have changed drastically in six months. Trey finds that Barton is dead and Daisy now owns a ranch that is systematically being run into the ground by the shady, murderous foreman who tried to kill him, and the drought is doing the rest. Daisy is floored when she sees Trey at her door! How dare he show up after running out on her six months ago? Daisy is way over her head, working with a foreman she doesn't trust and in a situation that turns more dire by the day. She promises Trey that if he stays two months and runs the ranch, she'll fire the foreman and pay the debt owed him so he can go. He reluctantly agrees, and that's when things really take a turn for the worst.

Trey and Daisy have a history of passion and for Daisy one of love for Trey. So, as they fight to save the ranch Trey and Daisy also fight their own personal battle.  They are so different. He is just a ranch hand and she the coddled daughter of a rich cattle baron. Their passion brought them together before when the two agreed to a one time only sexual encounter, and ended up having a passionate illicit affair that lasted months. Still, Trey figures there's no future for them, even after Baron died he doesn't think a cash poor, affection starved orphan like himself is good enough for Daisy. As they begin sharing a home at the Barton's Circle 46 Ranch, their passionate affair is renewed, but Daisy wants more from Trey than just sex, she wants love. Trey is willing to give her marriage, but won't lie or say he'll give her something he doesn't even understand.

If this was the whole story, then I would say yes... this is an action filled western romance where the main conflict between the protagonists is initially based on misunderstandings, but one that eventually works itself out with the benefit of passion and slow building love and understanding between Daisy and Trey. I enjoyed this part of the story. There is sexual tension and passion between Daisy and Trey, plus lots of western style action to keep me entertained. However there's more, and that more is what really didn't work so well for me.

As I said above Cowboy Come Home is the last book of a trilogy. I didn't know that fact when I picked up this book as it's not mentioned on the cover, or anywhere else. So it was a surprise to me when about half way through the book, the story shifted, and the plot changed direction. Kenny continues to develop the romance until the end, but the external conflicts become totally different. Daisy and Trey's past histories take central stage. Trey is an orphan and Daisy suffers from partial amnesia from a fall she suffered as a child. Things begin to unravel for both of them and the last third of the book is taken up with Trey's adopted "brothers" from the orphanage and their wives (the first two books) coming into the picture, and some highly coincidental and convenient resolutions to solve long-time personal mysteries.

I'm a bit torn about Cowboy Come Home. Having read this book on its own, for me, the shift in direction made a difference to my overall enjoyment of the story. However to be fair, I would say that I think reading those first two books in the trilogy is essential to making that emotional connection to the characters that eventually make their way into this story. And for fans, there is that happy ever after to the Lost Sons trilogy.

Category: Historical Romance/Western
Series: Lost Sons Trilogy
Publisher/Released: Zebra Historical/November 2011
Source: Kensington Publishing
Grade: C

Visit Janette Kenny here.

Series:
A Cowboy Christmas
In a Cowboy's Arms
Cowboy Come Home