Review: Untouched (Silver Creek #2) by Maisey Yates

Format: ebook
Pub Date: January 21, 2014
Publisher: Intermix (Penguin)
Length: 313 pages
FTC: e-ARC provided by the publisher

After reading and enjoying the Harlequin Presents novel just after Christmas by author Maisey Yates, I went looking for anything new by her. Then I stumbled across this title on Netgalley. I'd been seeing vague hints on Twitter about the book that comes after this one...with the heroine named Amber...so I decided  to risk requesting the galley. I'm really glad I did.

The heroine of Untouched is young. Much younger than most of the heroines you'll see outside of YA or NA these days. But this isn't an NA. It's a fully realized romance novel. And while 22 seems incredibly young to me at the ancient age of mid-thirties, I was married at 21. So I'm not going to be too judgey about that. I'm not even going to be judgey about the 10+ year age difference between Lark and Quinn. But that doesn't mean there aren't some problems with the novel.

TBR Challenge Review: Matthew by Emma Lang

Format: Trade Paperback
Pub Date: February 2012
Publisher: Brava (Kensington)
Length: 254 pages
FTC: received free from author/pub at RT 2012

I feel like an awful person because I don't like westerns. Sorry, Wendy :(  I just...don't. But since I've been MIA the last few months from the challenge, I decided I was going to stick with this month's theme even if it killed me. Which it came close to doing.

The only westerns I have are ones from the RT conventions. In 2012, they had several western events including a signing and a Western themed Samhain party. Knowing I had those books in my TBR pile somewhere, I went hunting. I managed to find a historical western. With some spice. I didn't think they existed anymore.

TBR Challenge: Saddled and Spurred by Lorelei James

Format: Trade paperback
Pub Date: March 2011
Publisher: Signet
Length: 328 pages
FTC: received at a signing at RT

Late again... but I have an excuse this time. I was on vacation with no access to the internet.

The theme this month was western, and since historical westerns are my least favorite genre, I picked a contemporary that I received at this year's RT Convention. I figured that it's better to whittle from the top, considering how many books I brought home from that trip that ended up languishing in the TBR.

I normally love Lorelei James. Her books are spicy, but always seem to have some excellent characters with real emotion, real problems... Despite what can often be wall to wall sex scenes, I'm never really tempted to skim.  Unfortunately, that was not the case with Saddled and Spurred.

I can't quite figure out what's wrong with this book, except to say that after reading 150 pages of it, I didn't care to read further. It's just completely uninteresting to me. No memorable characters, no real humor or emotion. Nothing to keep me reading further. Very unusual for this author. It could also be the different publisher, because all of the other ones I've read have been published with Samhain.

I'm not sure if that counts as having "read" the book, but I made it about halfway through before throwing in the DNF towel. But at least it's no longer hanging around the old TBR.

Hump Day Movie: Man From Snowy River (1982)

[Photo: ©1982 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation]

 This is one movie from the 1980s that I think those of us born in  the late 1970s and early 80s got heartily sick of. It was on TV every time you turned around for decades. But I haven't seen it in a long time, and since it's a Disney movie, thought it might work for something to watch with the boys.

The good news: the makeup screams 1980s, but other than that, it's still very watchable.

My favorite part of The Man from Snowy River, besides the lovely scenery, is Kirk Douglas. I just loved him in anything he ever did. Especially when they gave him a quirky role (or two) in a movie that let him have a bit of fun.

This is a WESTERN. It's set in Australia, but has every genre convention found in just about every western movie ever made. Coming of age, overcoming adversity, falling in love with the boss's daughter...you name it, it's here. The Man From Snowy River is worth revisiting. If only to get that famous film score stuck in your head for weeks.

TBR Challenge Review: Cowboy Trouble by Joanne Kennedy

I'm about a week late posting this, but it's finally up! Part of the reason for my tardiness is that I tried to pick up and read an historical western. That just didn't work. I have to be in a very specific mood to read one of those. (The other reason is that April turned out to be busier than usual. I haven't had a lot of reading time this month).

Next, I surfed through my digital TBR looking for a contemporary western (the other half of the optional themes for this month's challenge). I finally settled on Cowboy Trouble by Joanne Kennedy. I have no idea why it was on my Kindle. It may have been a free read. It hasn't been on the TBR too terribly long, but I think if I didn't read it now, I'd probably never read it.

Pub Date: March 1, 2010
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Format: ebook
Length: 416 pages (according to Amazon for the print edition)
FTC: purchased myself

Despite how the blurb makes it sound, this isn't really a fish out of water story. It's more of a finding the right pond for the fish story. It's about a woman fleeing the big city for rural life and discovering she likes the harsh realities of Wyoming just fine. She discovers she's capable, independent, and although can use help with some of the more labor-intensive chores, more than able to work hard on her "chicken ranch." There's very little yearning for the cosmopolitan city life, and I found that refreshing.

Hump Day Classic Movie: El Dorado

I admit, I'm not  a big John Wayne fan. John Wayne played John Wayne in just about every movie he ever made. Even in the Conqueror (which is my own personal pick for worst movie ever made). But the few movies of his that I do watch nearly all have some interesting co-stars or supporting actors.

In the case of El Dorado, there's Robert Mitchum. And there's a very young, very handsome, James Caan.

I was watching a DVR'd episode of the new Hawaii Five-O starring James Caan's son Scott when I realized it had been a long time since I watched El Dorado. So I dug it out. Sure, it's pretty standard fare for a John Wayne western, but it's one of the few I actually enjoy. Because James Caan was a definite cutie in this role.

Review: McKettricks of Texas: Garrett by Linda Lael Miller

FTC disclaimer: Digital galley provided by the publisher through Netgalley

Spoiler Alert: this review will probably contain some minor spoilers

It's been months since I read the first in this trilogy. I really didn't like the first installment in the series, Tate, but fortunately, this one was much, much better.

Linda Lael Miller continues with her hit-you-over-the-head lecturing about animal welfare as well as the obvious McKettrick/Remington pairings. But at least this one didn't contain a history of infidelity--something that is on my short list of plot elements that turn my stomach.

It could be I enjoyed this book more because the characters were less self-involved. Julie is a high school drama teacher and Garrett is a senator's aide. At the beginning of the novel, they each have their own careers--their own lives. There is no deep, dark, tortured history between the two--although they are familiar with each other through the previous (failed) romances of their two respective siblings.

Montana Creeds: Dylan by Linda Lael Miller

Book #2 in the new trilogy by Linda Lael Miller was a pleasant surprise! It was far better than the first installment (which was by no means bad). The characters were terrific, the story believable, and the romance incredibly sweet.

My only real complaint is that Ms. Miller's clear fondness for animal welfare becomes a bit too preachy and obvious at times. We KNOW how she feels about animals--we don't need to be constantly hit over the head with it.

I blasted through it in one day and am now stuck waiting impatiently for the finale.