Random Thursday Updates

Here are some random updates and observations....

1) You know you're getting old when you're invited to a New Year's Eve party that promises to have you back in bed by midnight. O-kay. Sad, yet true....and the worst part is I love the idea! (Note to self: Get "L" tattooed on forehead in 2011.)

2) Read a couple of great books recently. In Too Deep is the latest Jayne Ann Krentz Arcane book...Fallon's story. I loved it! I cannot get enough of that funky paranormal stuff. Also, Do Over by Mari Carr was absolutely wonderful...so incredibly romantic and sexy. I adored the premise for this one (on 25th wedding anniversary, awesome husband from heaven re-creates all the couple's "first" special moments/places/events, etc.). Dude...you are the man!

3) Forget about M/M manly love obsessions. How about some hot girly action? hee hee...seriously, KT Grant's The Princess's Bride is smoky hot and I love the hilarious take on The Princess Bride. Such a cute and funny idea! Not done with this one yet...still working on it.

4) I decided to re-kindle my knitting addiction. Had a killer trip to the yarn store; now working on yummy pumpkin-colored scarf. My daughter has informed me I look like a little old lady as I sit by the fire and knit. (Maybe I should knit an "L" into the scarf.....)

5) I am going to work on two items from my bucket list (see side bar) in January. One is a visit to the Blaschka Glass Museum at Harvard. I'm also going to work on my terrarium with Natty. I love the plant nursery in the winter-time...it's like a hot, steamy jungle in there.

6) My profound New Year's resolution....Be Happy. ☺☺☺

Hope all of you have a festive New Year's!

Penelope

Review of Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz

Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz

Wow! JAK has fired off another awesome Arcane Novel! Fired Up is an incredibly well-paced, fascinating paranormal romantic suspense. Even though the romance is the least well-developed part of this book, and the characters are not fleshed out as well as I usually like, I was completely, happily absorbed by this story. JAK is fabulous at weaving together separate story lines and building the tension. I love how she is jumping around in history, and connecting the stories of her historical paranormal romances and now the modern descendants of these characters. Her paranormal descriptions are among the best you will find anywhere in romance...she really knows how to paint an eerie, powerful and mysterious paranormal setting. Fired Up is very well-written, has excellent dialogue, masterful description of setting, and a fast-paced romance (which I personally like, although some people might be irritated with this). After reading several books recently that really struggled with the pacing, this book was a breath of fresh air. The pacing was perfection. The hero and heroine were interesting characters, but Fallon Jones is the one I am "jonesing" for...sorry, couldn't help myself. I cannot wait for his book, and JAK did a fantastic job setting up the next story. I am a sucker for a mathematical genius. There's something really hot about a pumped-up....brain. For any JAK fans, this story is a must-read. Grade: A

Penelope

P.S. I read this on my kindle, and it was soooooo great. And the addiction continues....

Review for Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz

Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz

My favorite type of romance novel seamlessly mixes sexy characters, paranormal elements, humor and a dash of mystery.  That's one of the reasons that I truly adore Amanda Quick, aka Jayne Ann Krentz, aka Jayne Castle.  She's got the recipe down pat.  Her Arcane Society Series is a heady combination of quirky characters, fascinating paranormal abilities, and mysterious circumstances that draw the reader into her delightful world.  I absolutely loved Second Sight, which is a historical installment of this series.  (I love that she is following the origins of this secret society, and then jumps into contemporary times to follow the members' descendants...totally cool!) Anyway, Running Hot is a great addition to this series.  Luther and Grace are a terrific combination, and the threads of various stories that are woven together in the book are wonderful.  My favorite is La Sirene, who uses her supernatural voice as a weapon of destruction.  Krentz' observations about opera music are superb and almost make me a believer of the paranormal (she's so convincing!).  I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next installment of the Arcane Society Series. Grade: A

Your humble servant, Penelope