30 Days of Books - Day 16

Favourite Female Character

I know since my favourite male character was Jamie Fraser that it seems obvious that today's character would be Claire Fraser, but it's not.  Don't get me wrong, she is one of my favourite, but there are times when I find her a little too harsh, curt, and a bit of a know-it-all.  So for my favourite female character I have chosen Kristen Hardraad from Hearts Aflame.  She is a strong woman who knows what she wants and takes the steps to get it.  Kristen is knowledgeable in weaponry, is willing to fight dirty but at the same time can be vulnerable and willing to show her feminine side. 

30 Days of Books - Day 13

Your Favourite Writer

This was so hard to narrow down.  I have two bookcases full of books of my favourite authors.  Some of my faves are:

Contemporary
Rachel Gibson
Linda Howard
Nora Roberts
Sandra Brown
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Lara Adrian
Kristan Higgins
Karen Robards
Karen Marie Moning

Historical

Lisa Kleypas

Monica McCarty

Johanna Lindsey

Madeline Hunter

Diana Gabaldon

Karen Marie Moning

Pamela Clare

Julie Garwood

Shannon Drake

Heather Graham

I think my all time favourite author would have to be Johanna Lindsey.  I started reading her books when I was twelve.  I don't think she wrote a bad book before 1994, after that some of her books are hits and misses.  But I still return to her old ones which have heart, heat, and chemistry.

     

Turbo Fire

Ok, this post has absolutely nothing to do with romance novels, reading, or books in any way possible.  Turbo Fire, Chalene Johnson's newest cardio conditioning system is my new obsession.  I got it last Tuesday and started off with the 5 day inferno plan.  Now I know you're supposed to take your measurements before to compare, but I didn't.  I can already feel a difference in my waist, and my pants feel looser around my thighs.  Today was the first day of the actual program and I am hoping to lose a couple of dress sizes for a girls' night out on June 11. 

This program is intense!  Apparently you are supposed to burn 9x more fat and calories than with traditional cardio.  If you haven't heard of it you need to check it out.  I think I might do either a weekly or monthly update on my progress with Turbo Fire.

30 Days of Books - Day 12

A Book You Used To Love But Don’t Anymore

A book I used to love but don't anymore is Maggy's Child by Karen Robards.

Lyle and Maggy Forrest and their son David, 11, seem to be a stable, wealthy Kentucky family, but Lyle is physically abusive and Maggy is trapped by a web of secrets and by her love for her son. Then after 12 years, Nick King, Maggy's protector when they were children in the Louisville projects and David's real father, reappears as a prosperous nightclub owner. Although unaware of David's patrimony, King wants Maggy back and to do so he is "looking for dirt" about Lyle. There turns out to be plenty. Blackmail, the DEA and other elements follow along with a large cast of secondary characters like Tia Gloria who thinks she's psychic; Nick's half-brother Link, who has a shady past; and a huge, nasty parrot named Horatio who plays a vital (though incredible) role in the denouement.

I first read this book when I was in my early twenties and loved it.  In fact I still have a copy on my shelves.  I would re-read it every once in a while.  The last time I read it, I didn't like it as much.  I'm not quite sure why.  Maybe my taste in reading has changed, or perhaps Robards' writing has changed, as I still read her novels.  Mainly, I think that the last time I read this book, I suddenly found the main characters to be too immature.

30 Days of Books - Day 11

A Book You Hated

This may be an unpopular opinion with some people, but a book I hated was Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.  My friend, Mary, was getting annoyed with co-workers who kept talking about the book and telling her she just had to read it.  I wrote this synopsis for her so that she wouldn't have to suffer through all 400 pages like I did:

For the love of all that is good and holy stay away from Twilight!!!  Everyone loves it??  Yes that is the one I said sucked.  Here let me give you a synopsis so you can tell everyone you read it.  Bella Swan (get it? beautiful swan?) moves in with her father and attends a new school.  She is described as plain and no guy at her old school showed any interest in her.  Here?  At least 5 guys are in love with her.   She notices Edward in the cafeteria and is instantly in love but he avoids her and at times is mean.  One day while walking to school Bella is suddenly in danger.  A truck has hit black ice and is heading right for her!  How will she survive?  What will happen??  Out of nowhere Edward pulls her aside and stops the truck with his hand.  Of course he moves faster than a human and no one else saw him move so quickly, or noticed his hand imprinted on the side of the truck. 

They are now inseparable and instantly in love (wtf??).  Next Bella is in the city with some girlfriends but is separated.  Some guys start to follow her and corner her in an alley. How is she going  to get out of this?  Oh wait, there's Edward.  How did he know where she was.  Uh, he saved her by telling her to get into his car.  They go out for dinner.  But won't her friends worry about her?  They have no idea where she is.  Some time later (a day? week? I don't know) Edward decides to take Bella into the woods to tell her the truth about himself.  He is a vampire and skips school on sunny days because he and his family glow and glitter in the sun (I'm sorry wtf???) he shows her he can fly. 

For the next 100 pages Bella thinks about how she loves Edward, can't live without him blah blah blah.  She loves cuddling with him even though he is a block of ice.  She loves the smell of his breath we are told over and over and over again (but um ew he's a 100 year old vampire who only drinks blood.  Let's hope he has a good dental routine).  That is the first 250 pages.  Next the book actually started to get interesting...for awhile.  Edward takes Bella with his family to show her how they play baseball it's super fast and the ball goes super far (a total rip off of Quidditch if you ask me).  But suddenly other vampires appear.  Bella is in danger cause she is human and they can smell her blood.  What will happen?  How will she get out of this one?  Oh Edward saves her again. 

 Now they decide Bella must leave town.  The book is coming to the end so it starts to pick up pace.  Edward's family has hidden Bella in another town but her mother is in danger from the other vampires.  She must go save her, only she could save her no one else.  But she was tricked by the bad vampires.  Her mom is safe in another town but they now have Bella.  What will she do?  How will she - oh *$#@ it, might as well skip these pages until Edward shows up-and there he is.  Bella is saved, all is right with the world until you read the next book.  There you go 400 pages condensed into 4 paragraphs.  You can tell everyone you read the book!

The movie was actually on TV last week and decided to watch it to see if maybe I was a bit harsh in my opinion of the novel.  Nope, movie was just as bad as the book. 

30 Days of Books - Day 10

Favorite Classic Book 

Today I am going with a classic book I loved as a child.  I remember reading it in school in grade 6.  I absolutely loved it from the first page.  The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe is a classic that stands the test of time.  I loved this book so much that I wanted a copy for myself.  I was so excited when a couple of months after reading this in class I came upon the exact same copy for sale at a church sale for 10 cents.

30 Days of Books - Day 9

A Book You Thought You Wouldn’t Like But Ended Up Loving

Hard to believe now, but the book I picked for today is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.  Even though this book is one of my all-time favourite, ten years ago I wasn't sure if I would like it.  I think the first time I came across Diana Gabaldon's books was when I was looking for the newest book of Marius Gabriel.  Every time I was at the bookstore I would stop to see if he had a new book out.  Diana's books were right next to him.  Each time I would pick up Outlander and read the back cover.  And each time I would consider getting it, but decided that I wouldn't like the heroine having two husbands or the time traveling.  So each time i would put it back.  Finally, after reading the back cover for the hundredth time I decided that if I saw it at the used book store I would get it.

Only problem was, the next time I saw it at the used book store, it was Voyageur that was there.  I got it anyway and decided to start reading it until i could get the first book.  I was immediately hooked and wanted Outlander then and there, I tried to wait until I had to go by the bookstore again, but I couldn't.  Within two days I was back at the bookstore and bought Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, and Drums of Autumn brand new because I did not want to wait.  So moral of today's story is you never know what it is you'll like unless you try it first.

Friday Book Trailer

I haven't read any books from this author, but I think I will be on the lookout for her books.  Here is the book trailer for Christine Young's Highland Honor.