Recent Reads

This is insane. I have several hundred books TBR. Books that I wanted. Books that I had to have. But at the moment, all I feel like reading is older books I read years ago. So I figured I'd go with it until the moment passes and I feel like reading all those books I HAD to have but haven't read yet. So here is the first of the oldies


The Gunslinger by Mary McBride

Type: Western

Hotness level: Warm

Back Cover Blurb: Tom Bolt was infamous - the Fastest Gun in the West - if the dime novels were to be believed. And thanks to the town fathers of Glory, Kansas, he was now not only the new sheriff, but a paying guest in Zena Briggs's home.
It had been a long time since Tom Bolt had anything worth living for. But the Widow Briggs was an angel who had offered him a haven in her home and in her heart. A heart he knew he'd break when the time came for him to leave.....

Why This One: I just felt like reading a good Western and although it had been years, I vaguely remembered I liked this one.

My Thoughts: I was right, I did like this one. And even better, I barely remembered it from reading years before. I love a good Western and Harlequin has put out some excellent ones. You can add this to the list. Tom Bolt was a great hero. He had been trying to hide from the world and hide from his reputation but he was lured into the job of Sheriff by the promise of a good home. Even though he had led the life of a gunslinger, he had a lot of regrets about it and the author did a pretty good job of explaining his past and how he became what he was. Despite everything he was a caring man and wanted to be a good sheriff even though they only wanted him for his reputation.
Zena Briggs was also a great heroine. She was blackmailed into letting Tom stay with her and started out full of anger towards his type. But as she got to know him, she saw what kind of man he was and slowly over time came to love him. There is a funny storyline running through the book with her trying to come up with the perfect name for the dog that adopted Tom. I would say if you like authors like Cheryl St. John or Cheryl Reavis, you'll probably enjoy this one too. When it comes down to it, if it's written well - there's nothing like a good Western. I think both Wendy and Sybil might agree with me on this one. Ms. McBride doesn't appear to be writing Westerns anymore - in fact she hasn't had a book out for a couple of years now. And that is really too bad.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5


Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard

Type: Romantic Suspense

Hotness Level: Hot

Amazon Blurb: Jaine Bright and three close friends share dinner one night and during casual conversation, create a list of qualifications for the perfect man--some logical, some hilariously funny, some racy. Within days, their tongue-in-cheek wish list of attributes for Mr. Perfect has been leaked to the press and the resultant publicity is overwhelming. Coworkers, TV crews, and reporters barrage the quartet with comments and criticism.

As if Jaine doesn't have enough to cope with, she has a new neighbor who she suspects is a criminal. She's relieved to learn that her neighbor is really an undercover cop, but she's still wary--because smart, sexy Sam Donovan handles her sharp witticisms with easy humor, and Jaine suspects that he may threaten her heart. What Jaine doesn't know is that she's about to need Sam desperately for something other than romance because her circle of friends is in big trouble. Unfortunately, that list of qualifications for Mr. Perfect has touched off a madman's rage. All of their lives are threatened and some of them are going to die, maybe all of them, if Sam can't stop the unknown killer.

Why This One: Well - I was thinking of getting Lisa to read this one so when I got it out - I just naturally started reading it again.

My Thoughts: I love Linda Howards books plain and simple. There is something about them that I could read them over and over and over again. I have this one in both PB and HC (my HC copy was on sale at the bookstore for something like $7 and I couldn't pass up a sqeal of a deal like that now could I? I've read both copies at least three times each. I'm not going to say too much about the story because I did give it to Lisa and I don't want to give anything away.

Grade: 5 out of 5


Innocent in Death by J.D. Robb

Type: to be honest - I've never really been able to figure out how to type these ones but for now I'll just go with Romantic Suspense

Hotness Level: Warm to Hot

Amazon Blurb: Once again Lt. Eve Dallas shows why she's "New York City's top murder cop" in Roberts's 24th thriller under her Robb pseudonym set half a century into the future (after 2006's Born in Death). Dallas tries to close a case at the exclusive Sarah Child Academy, where two bright 10-year-old girls discover the body of Craig Foster, a popular history teacher who proves to have been poisoned by ricin-laced cocoa. Dallas wonders if another staff member or a parent might be involved, but after the prime suspect, a promiscuous teacher who's been harassing another employee, turns up dead, the investigation takes a shocking turn. Besides a provocative puzzler, Robb provides an intense relationship update on Dallas and Roarke, her Irish power broker hubby, whose dark past—in the form of a crooked ex-girlfriend—returns to cause trouble.

Why This One: I whipped through it the first time and have planned on doing a reread ever since.

My Thoughts: I just mentioned how much I love Linda Howard books. Well - JD Robb is the same. I've loved each and every one of the In Death books - some more than others. This one is in the top 3 I think. Since it wasn't that long ago that I read it, I don't have much to say except - oddly enough - I guessed who it was.

Grade: 5 out of 5

'til later