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BTT: After the Honeymoon

Yes, it’s late. Oh well. Here’s the Valentine’s Day version of Booking Through Thursday.

Have you ever fallen out of love with a favorite author? Was the last book you read by the author so bad, you broke up with them and haven’t read their work since? Could they ever lure you back?

Well, frankly, I’ve fallen out of love with Danielle Steele. I used to love her books and I collected them as each came out. However, over the years, I’ve come to notice that the scenery and characters change, but the general gist of the stories don’t. Huge tragedy in which someone finds love in the ashes. After a bit, it got boring to me. So I quit reading her books. She became, to me, a read one - read ‘em all author.

I Will Get Around to It

Just to let you know, I’m backlogged with 2 3 books finished but not reviewed yet. I still have a BTT question to answer from last week with this week’s looming on the horizon. I will prevail however, so look for a couple of book reviews and a BTT answer, even if it is a week late, sometime tonight or tomorrow.

BTT: Enough with the Reading Already!

Once again, a day late, it is time for Booking Through Thursday. Here is this week’s question, after which I must take my dog outside again.

Okay, even I can’t read ALL the time, so I’m guessing that you folks might voluntarily shut the covers from time to time as well… What else do you do with your leisure to pass the time? Walk the dog? Knit? Run marathons? Construct grandfather clocks? Collect eggshells?

Well, I blog, I work, I make graphics, I crochet, I cross stitch, I watch CSI & CSI Miami. That’s about it. I’m pretty boring otherwise. LOL

BTT: Huh?

Ok, so it’s Friday, but it’s once again time for Booking Through Thursday. This week is…huh?

What’s your favorite book that nobody else has heard of?

Well, considering most of my friends are not big readers, most of my books get a “huh?” reaction when I mention them. However, I’d have to say The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson. So many people have no idea there is a book! They automatically assume that the movie is the only thing in existence. Another favorite is to mention any of my Wicca books like my Scott Cunningham books. If they aren’t Wiccan, they don’t get it. Go figure.

BTT: Let’s Review

Yes it is time for yet another Booking Through Thursday. Here is this week’s question.

How much do reviews (good and bad) affect your choice of reading? If you see a bad review of a book you wanted to read, do you still read it? If you see a good review of a book you’re sure you won’t like, do you change your mind and give the book a try?

I tend not to let book reviews dictate what I read. The reason I do so is that I know what kind of books I like. If the blurb on the back catches my attention, I’ll give it a shot. For the most part, I have a bad habit of liking books that others panned and not liking books that others gave rave reviews to. I like to give my opinions on books, but I’m not really looking to say “read this book” or “don’t read this.” Very rarely will you see me giving a review that says “don’t waste your time” and very rarely will I take the advice of a reviewer who says not to waste my money or library card. LOL

Guilty Pleasures

I’m a vampire book lover. So when I discovered the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series, I decided to give it a whirl. Mind you, I own 3 of the books but had only read a portion of one. So I sat down this month and read Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Book 1). I have to say so far I like it. There isn’t as much sex or reference to sex so far as there is in her Meredith Gentry series, but that hasn’t detracted me from wishing to read more of the series.

I personally liked this book, liked the way Anita handled herself. When you first read Vampire Hunter, you automatically think of bits of fluff like Buffy who get tough for a few seconds and then return to being a fluff ball a few minutes later, and who would get along great with the teenybopper crowd. That is definitely not what this book is all about. It’s adult oriented and a great read.

I give this one 3 of 5 stars.

Perfect Nightmare

I finished Perfect Nightmare: A Novel by John Saul about a week ago. It was an excellent read, as are the majority of John Saul’s offerings. I’m not sure, but I don’t think I’ve ever read a bad book by this man.

Perfect Nightmare involves what is every parent’s perfect nightmare - the abduction of their child. Couple this with the fact that in the midst of all this the parents were attempting to sell their home and move to a new city, and you have what can only be described as an absolute nightmare. The book takes more twists and turns and I actually didn’t figure out who was doing the kidnapping until the very end of the book.

This one was a real page turner and I am so glad that I read it. I give it 4 of 5 stars.

BTT: How did you get your favorite author?

Well, it’s Thursday again, meaning it is time for Booking Through Thursday.  

How did you come across your favorite author(s)? Recommended by a friend? Stumbled across at a bookstore? A book given to you as a gift?
Was it love at first sight? Or did the love affair evolve over a long acquaintance

To answer the first question, my favorites were mostly either due to my real mom or my mom. They both liked to read, but different things. My love of Stephen King and Dean Koontz was my real mom’s influence. My love of Linda Lael Miller and Nora Roberts was my mom’s influence. As far as the Nancy Drew books I was addicted to as a child, our neighbor Betty was to blame for that. She gave me one for my birthday.

The second question was - Stephen King and Dean Koontz, love at first sight. Nora Roberts and Linda Lael Miller - evolved.

Booking Through Thursday

This will be the first time I’ve participated in Booking Through Thursday, and I’m excited to begin with it. :)  Here is this weeks question:

What new books are you looking forward to most in 2008? Something new being published this year? Something you got as a gift for the holidays? Anything in particular that you’re planning to read in 2008 that you’re looking forward to? A classic, or maybe a best-seller from 2007 that you’re waiting to appear in paperback?

Right now, the book I’m most looking forward to being able to purchase is probably Dragons of a Vanishing Moon from the Dragonlance series. That and any new books in the Dragonlance series. I’ve been waiting forever to buy Dragons of a Vanishing Moon and it’s been out for a while now. Other than that, I’m awaiting any possible new releases by Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Nora Roberts/JD Robb, John Saul, Maggie Shane, or Christine Feehan. I think that about covers it.

Dragons of Autumn Twilight - Dragonlance Chronicles 1

I just finished reading Dragons of Autumn Twilight, and I have to say I loved this book. I was told to read this book first before all the others in the Dragonlance series, although frankly, I’d already read The Legend of Huma a few years ago. And since Dragons of Autumn Twilight makes mention of events in that book, to me it would have made sense if that book had already been read.

You have several main characters - Tanis a half-elf/half-human warrior type, Flint - a dwarf, Tasslehoff Burrfoot - a kender, Raistlin - a mage, Caramon - a warrior and Raistlin’s twin brother, and Sturm Brightblade - a Solamnic Knight. Other characters get added to the mix as time goes on, such as Goldmoon & Riverwind who are Plainsmen. Goldmoon is the keeper of a blue crystal staff which has healing powers. Their first quest is to find out the origins of the blue crystal staff. Other quests follow with much danger coming with them.

All in all the book was quite captivating and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to read the fantasy genre of fiction. You’ll be amazed at this one. Now it’s on to read Dragons of Winter Night,  the second book in the trilogy.

I give this 5 stars out of 5.