Hi!Yes!!It is indeed me again after yet another
lengthy unplanned absence.But I had to
come back – hopefully more often – but also to give some great news.I very rarely send fan letters to
authors.I should do it more often – we all
want to hear when we do a good job and that job has made others feel good, but
I alas, I am remiss.I did however send
one letter of appreciation and inquiry lately.I was so excited when I saw that Lord of the Storm and Skypirate were
released as ebooks.I’ve already bought,
read and loved them all over again.But
another series she wrote I equally loved – the Hawk Trilogy.Buoyed by the excitement of finding the
Coalition books out as ebooks, I wrote to her to see if there were any plans
for the Hawk series.I head back from
her on Monday and yes indeed the Hawk ones were coming out – in fact the first
one, Wild Hawk, was coming out Feb 24/15 with the next two planned for March
and April.
Well, lickety split, before one could say uncle, I raced
over to Amazon and pre-ordered it.And
since TODAY is Feb 24/15, well, it was like my birthday when I first checked
out my Kindle app.I’m just about
finished a book, but you can bet your bottom dollar you can all guess what my
next one will be.It’s been years since
I read it, but I looooved it.It’s one I’ve
never forgotten over the years.Here is
the synopsis:
"Jason Hawk only came to his father's
funeral to spit on his grave. That was the best the old man deserved from the
bastard son he'd never given a damn about. The son whose plan for revenge had
now been derailed by Aaron Hawk's death. Or had it?
Kendall Chase was Aaron Hawk's smart and efficient executive assistant, and had
come to know a side of the old man that few saw. But convincing Jason there had
been more to his father, more to his whole life's story than Jason knew, wasn't
easy. He was as tough as the father he hated. And more compelling than any man
she'd ever met.
Convincing him the mysterious Hawk family book, a history now chronicling
treachery and murder, had answers even for things yet to occur, was a much
bigger job. Despite his attraction to her, the only part of Kendall's stories
Jason believes is that his father's vicious widow is determined to see that
Jason gets none of the inheritance left him.
In the end, Jason has to make a decision. Is the magic real? Or more
importantly, is the revenge he's wanted for nearly 30 years, worth losing
Kendall"
I'm starting to do much better now. I'm on a different medication and it's finally starting to kick in. I'm back to car dancing again when a song I like comes on the radio. That's where the upper half of me moves to the beat of the music when stuck at a traffic light. I think people in cars around me wonder at the crazed woman next to them, but I have fun. My coworkers are starting to notice a change. I'm back to being the 'fun' one again. I really missed being me.
I did do myself no favours though when I started running real low on the new medication and rather than going back and getting my prescription renewed, I started taking less, missing a day here or there and/or taking the medication I was taking. But they say we learn more from our mistakes and I learned a LOT from that STUPID mistake. If I didn't know how much better I was doing before that I certainly found out then. So a very strong word of advice from those who suffer from depression. Medication really does work and DO NOT be afraid to take it. I know part of our brain will tell us it's all in our head - and while technically it is, the right medication can really make a difference is us being the people we are supposed to be rather than the person that depression makes us.
I would say I'm at least 80% back and the difference between where I am now and where I was even a month ago is like night and day.
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One of the things I'm working on is slowly getting all my most favourite books downloaded to either Kindle or Kobo or IBooks - I do a lot of comparison shopping and whichever deal is best. Many of them are older books and good luck in finding some at reasonable prices or even at all. Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas for example is $9.17 for the Kindle book, $8.99 for the Kobo and $8.99 on IBooks. Hell will freeze over before I EVER pay that much more for an ebook then a print copy. At this point I will state categorically that I HATE what Random House is doing. They may have lowered their prices in the US, but it hasn't made it's way north of the border.
I will go looking for my favourite books only to be disappointed again and again thought I have managed to get quite a few. But every once in a while it's like I get the best gift in the whole world when I find an ebook I've been wanting ever since I joined the world of ereading.
Such is the case with Justine Davis. I've enjoyed many, many of her books but two stand out a bit more that the others, Lord of the Storm and Skypirate. I've blogged about them before and they are two of the best SciFi/Futuristic books I've read and I have read a GREAT number of them. And in particular, the hero of Skypirate has THE best name of a hero I've every come across - Dax Silverbrake. I mean is that a cook name or what???? I thought it was the best name ever when I first read the book in 1995 and I still haven't come across a hero's name that beats it.
I check every few months, hoping either or have been reissued as ebooks and I did so again a week or so ago. I was ecstatic, ecstatic I tell you to discover that yes indeed, they have been reissued as ebooks. And not only that - I'm almost giddy with this news - Ms. Davis is planning on bringing out a whole new book in the Coalition series. I remember reading years ago that she had plans on writing more in this series but the publishers weren't interested. I've already bought and read Lord of the Storm and Skypirate just came out Oct 16 and you can bet the bank that it will be loaded up onto my tablet very shortly. The only hitch at the moment is I have Lord of the Storm on my Kobo but Skypirate is only on Amazon at the moment and I kind of want to keep them on the same reading device instead of one on Kobo, the other on Kindle. Thank the stars that the wonderful *happy dance* world of self-publishing and ebooks has changed the game. And in many cases the author and the readers are the winners
Why this one: I'm one of those readers who can reread a book. If it's a real good book, I can reread it many times. Neither of my sisters who are also big readers, can do this. You may remember not so long ago I was quite excited to see this book had been re released. Originally published in 1993, I found it, read it and loved it when I went on a Justine Davis glom a number of years ago now. I loved it at the time. But it got packed away in my boxes of books so it had been quite some time since I'd read it. Plus my copy was a used one and it wasn't in the best of shape. So when I noticed it was re released I simply had to get a new copy and it was in with a bunch of other books that one of my sons brought up to the hospital for me to read while I'm here
Steam Level: Very hot!
Blurb:Chance Buckner: A tough-as-nails undercover cop dangerously close to the edge.
Shea Austin: A sultry nightclub singer with a big heart and shady connections.
Long ago, undercover narcotics cop Chance Buckner paid the ultimate price for his work. Now there was nothing inside of him but slow-boiling rage. His anger would help him destroy the drug dealer he was after…and keep him from falling for Shea Austin, whose voice threatened to heal his soul. And even if she was guilty as sin, Chance would protect her. Because he knew what could happen to delicate songbirds….
My Thoughts: Sometimes it's a little scary when rereading a well loved book years later. The magic just isn't there anymore and you are left wondering what it was that was so appealing the first time 'round. I'm very, very happy to say such was not the case with this one!! I adored it this time round too.
Chance Buckner is a cop undercover trying to find out what a drug dealer is up to in Chance's neck of the woods. He is helped in this with his partner Quisto and they are also working with a real ass of an FBI guy in trying to bring down Paulo De Cortez. But there is a monkey wrench thrown into the works when Chance meets Shea Austin, a singer in the bar that De Cortez has opened. Chance is deeply drawn to her and she to him, but there is the matter of De Cortez and Chances' investigation in the way of developing any real relationship between the two of them.
What I loved the first time I read this book years ago and what I loved this time round again, is the character of Chance. What a delicious hero he makes. He's suffered great tragedy in his life and is a real tortured soul. Although his feelings for Shea run very deep, he is very afraid that once she finds out who he really is and what he's really doing, she will hate him. This gives their relationship an urgency and poignancy that really adds to the book. I dare anyone who reads this book not to fall totally for Chance.
Shea isn't quite as vivid a character as Chance and since she doesn't hold the same kind of secrets that Chance has to, she's not quite as powerful a personality as Chance. But still, she is very likable a heroine with some ghosts of her own to deal with.
It's a wonderful thing when a book you've loved holds up over time and this one has held up very well. This book is listed at the EHarlequin site for $3.99 and it's also available as an ebook, so if you didn't get it when I first got excited over this book, there is still time!
There was the day, a number of years ago now, that a new release by author Justine Davis was cause for celebration. She was one of my first author gloms. I was checking out the Harlequin web site to see what I could/might want to buy when I saw one of my very favourite of her older series book being reissued!! My original copy is old and tattered from being read so often so I immediately added this one to my cart.
And then I decided I simply had to share this news with others who may not have read her earlier books.
Original Cover (the one I have)
One Last Chance
New Cover (The one I will have!)
Back of the Book
Chance Buckner: A tough-as-nails undercover cop dangerously close to the edge.
Shea Austin: A sultry nightclub singer with a big heart and shady connections.
Long ago, undercover narcotics cop Chance Buckner paid the ultimate price for his work. Now there was nothing inside of him but slow-boiling rage. His anger would help him destroy the drug dealer he was after…and keep him from falling for Shea Austin, whose voice threatened to heal his soul. And even if she was guilty as sin, Chance would protect her. Because he knew what could happen to delicate songbirds….
This one was a 5 out of 5 book at the time though it's been a few years since I've read it. But I say don't miss this goldie oldie!! And it's only $3.99 if you get it at their site.
These next two books are great examples of "it could have been so much better if" type reads. Both of them for me, had major distractions that resulted in a lower grade than had to happen.
Why this one: I saw a review of it somewhere - can't remember where now and something about seemed interesting
Steam Level: It's an erotic romance so pretty steamy as you can imagine
Blurb:Nadia Bessonova’s career-criminal father has deadly enemies – and to save him, his devoted daughter is willing to strike a deal with the devil. She will surrender completely, body and spirit, to the dangerous Dominic Luder, and submit to his every whim.
Dominic, haunted by inner demons and hiding away in his dark, secluded manor, is mesmerized by his sensuous prisoner who inflames his bestial lust. But Nadia is no mere plaything. At once fearful, willing, and wildly passionate, she brings his most breathtaking erotic fantasies to life – and thaws his cold, wounded heart.
Nadia never dreamed she’d become a slave to her own desires in a savage game of seduction and revenge. And now that Dominic has tasted ecstasy, will this jealous, magnificent beast be able to relinquish his prize?
My Thoughts: The beginning of this book was a bit disjointed I felt. I started it a couple of times and was a tad on the confused side. But once I kind of figuratively shrugged my shoulders and kept reading, the book got a bit better although there I still had other issues with it.
This is an erotic type Beauty and the Beast type book. In order to save her family, Nadia Bessonova offers to be and do whatever Dominic Luder wants her to be and do. Another issue crops up here. Once he decides to take her up on her offer, she practically seduces him. I thought she kind of jumped the gun there as I got the feeling he didn't really have that in mind. But since - hey - he's a guy - he wasn't going to turn her down and he takes her up on her seduction - making it quite clear that he's the boss. I thought he was a rather good hero - a villain who wasn't really that much of a bad guy. Either that or I kind of like my heroes twisted on occasion.
Nadia was a different kettle of fish though. I know this is a Beauty and the Beast story and as such, the heroine sacrifices for her family, but I think the author went a bit too far in making the family incredibly useless. Her father never seemed to want to work to help his family, rather he sacrificed his daughters to prostitution of one form or another. What daughter in her right mind would want to help that kind of daddy out I don't know. And there was a secondary story with one of her sisters setting out to gain power in a sexual vein to try and 'save' Nadia, even though Nadia made it clear she didn't need or want saving from the rather scrumptious Dominic.
But what really distracted me in this story and would have been better without is Dominic insisted that Nadia hang around his house nekkid as a jaybird. Now it wasn't the nudity in itself that bothered me - this is a tale of the erotic after all. So no, it wasn't that. But all I could think of was - how can I put this delicately - um, ah, well, um, body fluids. She found Dominic quite 'stimulating' and was constantly on at least a low level of arousal. And I think that's all I can say on that without turning red. But I thought some type of clothing - even if it was skimpy to the max, would have been better. I know - silly thing to get hung up on, but that's the way it went when I read this book. But for a simple article of clothing it would have gotten a higher grade from me. It could have been so much better if she wore sexy underwear.
Grade: 3 out of 5
The Best Revenge by Justine Davis
Why this one: There was a day when I would have walked ahead of this author and covered puddles before she stepped in them with my cloak, but then something - and I can't put my finger on what - changed in her writing and I no longer want to ruin any cloaks. But it's been a while since I read any of her books and I wanted to see if the magic had reappeared.
Steam Level: Rather tepid
Blurb:Something in St. John’s intense blue eyes reminded Jessa Hill of her childhood friend. But Adam Alden was long dead....
The handsome stranger had vowed to help her defeat Adam’s father in the mayoral race. Yet St. John’s quest for revenge seemed too personal for a casual acquaintance. Could St. John and Adam be the same man...and would he disappear with Jessa’s heart a second time?
Dameron St. John returned home with a new identity and a score to settle. But he wasn’t prepared for the emotions that surfaced when he reunited with Jessa. Could he let her in once again...and together would they slay his demons once and for all?
My Thoughts: As mentioned above, Justine Davis/Dare wrote some incredible books!! Many of the Harlequins she wrote back in the 90's are among the best I've ever read and if you ever see any of them in UBS - snap them up - I insist. And her two Futuristics - Lord of the Storm and Sky Pirate are among the best that genre has to offer. But then her style changed and it was just too disappointing to keep reading. So it was with some trepidation that I started reading this book.
And this turned out to be a frustrating read. At times it had that quality that set her earlier books apart. I really liked the character of Jessa. She's running for the job of Mayor of her town, not because she wants to be mayor, but because of things she knows about her opponent. He is the father of her childhood friend Adam and she knows what a truly evil man he is - and how he hides his true character. She's smart and she's savy and I liked her.
And as for Adam/Dameron - what a truly tortured hero he was. As a reader my heart went out to him for what he went through growing up with a monster. Faking his own death was the only way out of a real nightmare. As a boy, Jessa was his only oasis and when he comes back to town to help her defeat his father (this really isn't a spoiler as we know going in who he really is) she still fills that role. Only now he sees her as an attractive young woman who is developing different kinds of feelings for.
So what's the problem you ask - sounds good to me. And it was good - except for one thing. As a child, Adam didn't talk a whole lot and that's carried through to adulthood. He doesn't speak in sentences!! He only says one or two words when he is communicating with anyone. One can't call it talking since he doesn't 'talk' to anyone - not even Jessa - and I found this very distracting. I kept hoping he's at least open up more to her. We know what he's thinking and feeling and we the reader get to see inside his head, but his dialogue is almost non existent! Nevertheless, I think I will track down some of her recent books and give them a read. It could have been so much better if at least part of the time he spoke in whole sentences.
Yesterday's post was why we love Westerns. Today we go into detail with books! I asked Wendy and Sybil for a list of 5 Westerns they loved. I figured with my five, Sybil's five and Wendy's five, that gives fifteen books that we loved to choose from.
I've been reading the comments on Wendy's Day 1 blog on why she loves Westerns and a couple of points stood out for me. Evangeline pointed out that many of the Westerns she's read
"I'm fond of Westerns, but I'm picky because they are either too sweet and cloying, or the plots and characters seem like the author took basic tropes common to British historicals and put them out West to make them more palatable."
And that is true. I've read some sweet ones. And I've enjoyed them. But there are also Westerns with a grittier style and lots of meat to them. When I was thinking of five books to recommend, I said to my pardners that I could come up with 5 x's 5 very easily. In looking down at the books below that I've narrowed it down to, most of these are of the grittier yet poignant variety. Hopefully she will see something that appeals to her in this batch.
Tye Hatcher returned to Aspen Grove to find that life in the sleepy Western town hadn't changed much. The townspeople stubbornly refused to see the man he had become. That is, everybody but Meg Telford. Meg definitely took notice of the reticent rancher and gave him a chance in life when no one else would. Still, Meg clung to the memories of her late husband, afraid of the feelings Tye aroused in her heart. And though Tye vowed to prove his worth to the town, could he ever prove to Meg that he was worthy of her love?
This isn't the first time I've mentioned this book. It was one of the books in the Guess That Book contest I had in 2008. I can't think of a better book to start my list with. I've read all of Cheryl St. Johns books - starting way back in 1994 with Rain Shadow and I've loved every one. But there is something about Joe's Wife that just 'gets' me every time I read it.I'm not often brought to tears when reading, but this one comes so close to it for me
He'll leave town when he's good and ready...and when the pretty and proper young schoolmarm consents to be his bride.
A BAD MAN'S DESIRE
At first glance, the lovely Easterner Anthea Bright seems woefully unsuited for her position as the new schoolmarm in Haven, Kansas. But behind that fine finishing school polish is a fiery spirit and a determination to succeed. Gabriel Jackson, however, is a different kind of challenge. The intensely passionate, devastatingly sexy man is Haven's most disreputable citizen -- and he's put Anthea's level head and her heart in a furious spin. How can the prim, pretty newcomer hope to stand firm to her principles when she feels breathless whenever Gabriel's near? And though a small voice inside tells her the "bad man's" not nearly as bad as his reputation would suggest, does she dare surrender to this dangerous stranger who is bound and determined to make Anthea his bride?
Susan Kay Law has written some wonderful Westerns. It was hard to choose one, but I picked this one because it was one of her last ones published by Avon and hopefully one of the easiest to find. And a bonus for those who have Kindles - it's available at Amazon as a Kindle book!
Notorious gunslinger Joshua Hawk was to hang in Gambler's Notch when the sun rose. He had but one regret. He had never found his grandfather's book with his family's history--and prophecy that the Hawk line would never die. Yet Josh didn't die at daybreak because the young widow of the man he shot suddenly lied to set him free. He wanted to know why. . .
OR HER DESTINY...
Kate Dixon looked into the cold eyes of the Hawk and felt him steal her breath away. He had freed her from her brutal husband only to swoop down and take possession of her heart. It seemed as if some force had brought them together to complete a fate ordained long ago. But as swiftly as his passion aroused her, his reputation attracted dangerous men. To save her, the Hawk would have to leave her and move on. . . unless, to save him, Kate stood her ground and fought for the love of her life. . .
I LOVE Justine Dare/Davis' earlier books. Her Futuristics are rereads. She also did a very interesting series about a book that is handed down when there is one last Hawk left and this one is the Western one. This choice was an easy one!!
THE BEAUTY BEHIND THE BLACK VEIL
Christal Van Alen was wanted from Maine to Missouri. Swathed in widow's weeds, she was running to WyomingTerritory ... when the outlaw Macaulay Cain captured their stagecoach and the aristocratic new Yorker was prisoner again. She couldn't trust the infamous outlaw; she couldn't share her real name or her secret past. Yet he was her only hope against the dangerous gang of gunmen that held her. And even as she clung to him for protection, she fought against the passions that threatened to betray her--until one explosive night when all secrets must be revealed--and she was a fugitive again....
THE COLD-EYED OUTLAW WOULD UNVEIL HER...
He was a man who could take--or leave--a woman at will. Then Macaulay Cain encountered the mysterious, ravishing "Widow Smith." tier honor, her shattered innocence, became his obsession. She was a woman whose secrets he vowed to unlock even as she fled his embrace. Why did she run? If it took him years, he would find her, possess her, unlock her darkest secrets--even if it cost him his life....
This is actually a sequel to the more well known Lion's and Lace. This is the story of the younger sister who was held in an insane asylum but escaped and headed west. If you like your books gritty, this is one to be read!
Their rivalry was as fierce as the attraction between them. They were kindred spirits who had walked on the dark side of life: Marsh, the strong lover she both feared and hungered for; Cat, the angel who could destroy him... or give him back his soul.
A SENSUOUS CAT
The owner of the most popular saloon in San Francisco, Catalina Hilliard used her exotic beauty to draw men into the Silver Slipper. Long ago she had vowed never to give away her heart, but she hadn't counted on the striking good looks of Marsh Canton ....
A DARK AND DEADLY GUNMAN
Catalina knew Marsh Canton was trouble the moment she first saw him. Something in his gray eyes warned that he was a dangerous man. He was not the first to attempt to open a rival saloon next door to the Silver Slipper, but she saw a steely strength in him that had been missing from the men she'd driven out of business. Even more perilous to Cat's plans was the spark of desire that flared between them ...a desire that was about to spin her carefully orchestrated life out of control.
Patricia Potter is one of my favourite Western authors and I could have picked from a number of her books. But this one is the one I most recently reread and was very happy to discover it stood the test of time very well. It's the sequel to another book I loved and reviewed in 2006. For those who love a strong and determined heroine, this one is a Western to try! Her website is Very out of date though - methinks it needs an update!
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Plus one more! I know I said five, but Wendy had a request from Victoria Jannsen for Fall From Grace. While I have that one in the TBR pile - I haven't read it yet. The best I can do is.....
Eliza Beaudry was determined to get out in the big, wide world - even if it meant trading a few kisses for her freedom. When she met traveling gambler Cole Wallace, she thought her fantasies had come true. But Cole's daydreams didn't include Eliza Beaudry. He was a man used to taking what he wanted, so he took what Eliza offered - and neither of them thought about what might happen later.
Penniless and pregnant, Eliza found a savior in Cole's shy brother, Aaron, who fell for her instantly. He surely wasn't the man of her dreams, but could her dreams change?
This is another book that if I were a crier, I would have been sobbing in my hankie!! It has a very unusual premise that you don't see in nearly enough romance books. Eliza, the heroine is desperate to get away from her controlling parents and has this plan..... When she ends up pregnant, it is the younger brother of the father who steps up to the plate. Aaron will truly break your heart!! This one is just wonderful!!
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So there you have it - 5 + 1 Westerns that made me sigh and almost cry and ones I think any romance reader, even if they don't read Westerns, might just to help change their opinion of this fascinating genre.
Now I can hardly wait to see what books Sybil and Wendy have come up with!!
Having just enjoyed Susan Grant's latest book, Moonstruck and looking forward to Linnea Sinclair's latest book coming out soon, and also with so many new bloggers in blogland, I went back into the vault for this post. This is one I did way back when in 2005. Hopefully I can get it to post now in 2008.It's funny how a few years can change things. I don't know if it's me being optimistic, but Futuristics seem to be making a bit of a comeback lately with a new name for the genre SciFi Romance. I still love them just as much today as I did back in 2005. And one other thing has changed since I first posted this - I know how to add pictures now!
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I read a good one recently and I can feel a futuristic reading marathon coming on. I know this genre isn’t for everyone but it’s one of my favourites. I’ve read them for years but I seemed to have gotten away from them for a while. After thoroughly enjoying the book I read, the fire is back again. Before I start blogging about the futuristic books I’ve read recently and/or are planning to read, I thought I’d explain why I like them so much and what I find appealing about them. To do a well written futuristic, I find the author has to have a limitless imagination. There’s a specialty channel here in Canada with the catchy phrase – Space – the Imagination Station. I think that applies to futuristic books too. With a historical the boundaries are already set. There’s the ton with all the rules and regulations, the seasons, the country homes and parties; the dukes, the earls, the marquis etc. etc. etc.. What the author does is follow the parameters already set up. She/he adds their interpretation, storyline and characters within the outline already done in history. The same goes for medievals and westerns. Since it’s already happened, there is no need to create something different or unique. With romantic suspense and contemporaries, the same holds true. But with futuristics, the sky is the limit (so to speak). The author can have a setting on earth in the not too distant future with still recognizable events or places such as the In Death books or Susan Grant’s The Star King, The Star Prince and The Star Princess. Or they can take place in a world completely unrecognizable such as Robin Owen’s world. If we are far into the future the ruling empire can be evil such as the Coalition in Justine Davis Lord of the Storm and Skypirate or looking out for the greater good such as futuristic world in Angela Knight’s Jane’s Warlord (I wish we had seen more of it than we did. Hopefully for the futuristic lovers she will revisit it someday) **** And she does have another one coming out in this series!! I just noticed this the other day and I was one happy camper! In fact I ordered it and since it's out in July, 2008 I don't have to long a wait.****
The author can create regular type heroes and heroines or the unusual such as Kathleen Morgan’s Heart’s Lair or Christine Spangler’s Shadow Fires (*note: this is one I haven’t read – just the reviews). The hero’s can be a ruler, an escaped convict, a bounty hunter or a pirate or any other creation of the author’s imagination. There’s also a wide variation for the heroine too; princess, convict, healer or empath (although if the heroine is either of the last two, the author may face the wrath of Mrs. Giggles – she’s tough on them healers (grin). Another issue that doesn’t necessarily have to be dealt with in futuristics is unwanted pregnancies or STD’s. Since they take place in the future is seems almost a given that this is no longer a problem. Science and advanced medical treatment will have taken care of this. While I applaud authors who deal with this issue in contemporaries, wouldn’t it be nice to know that in the future it’s something we won’t have to worry about? And honestly, in RL instead of RW, there would be a whole lot of heroes in historicals running around with syphilis and a whole lot of heroines who were inconveniently pregnant It seemed for a while like futuristics were on their way out. I’ve read that Justine Davis had a third book in mind for her journey into the futuristic but was told not to bother, that it wouldn’t sell. I’m sure there were other authors who were told the same thing. And at the time they probably wouldn’t have. But one of the things I most admire about Love Spell which I believe is a division of Leisure Publishing is they never gave up. They published them in 1995 and they are still publishing them today. I hope they and other publishers continue and that readers who are loving paranormals discover that futuristics can be just as good and different a read. Berkley is also publishing some good ones these days. So if you’ve never tried one before, try that final frontier, explore strange new worlds, seek out new adventures, go where you the reader has ne're gone before. There are some crappy ones out there I know – same as crappy historicals, medievals and every other genre, but there is also some very very good ones.
For anyone interested here are a just a few of my favourite favourites.
Banner’s Bonus by Carole Ann Lee(1995): I loved this book. One of my all time favourite furturistics, it was the only one I’ve ever been able to find by this author. This will be the first in line for a reread. There were some secondary characters who would have been great with their own books but alas – whatever happened to the author and/or sequels is a mystery
Lord of the Storm and Skypirate by Justine Davis: I wish more had been written. She did a wonderful job with these. And yes, I know. *sigh* They are Very Bad Covers.
Knighthawk by Kristen Kyle: After reading a few other books by this author and loving them and seeing she had a futuristic I knew this was one I had to have. It took me a while to track one down and I finally ordered it from Amazon but it was well worth the effort.
Heart’s Lair by Kathleen Morgan: This one was thinking on it now, was ahead of it’s time. The hero is part man, part lion. I found it a very interesting book. There was a prequel to this one, but I didn't like it nearly as much.
Kinsman's Oath: Sadly, very sadly, she quit writing Futuristics after this one. I hope some day she goes back to them
I’m really looking forward to finding some new ones.
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And luckily, over the years I have found new books and new authors. I've discovered Linnea Sinclair. Susan Grant still continues to impress. Patricia Waddell wrote a nice book that I quite enjoyed. And of course I'm still as deeply in love with the In Death books as I was in 2005.
I seem to be in a bit of a slump again as far as new books go, but I can still read some of my old favourites. Since there are so many new bloggers and readers of romance I thought I'd review some of my oldie but goodies - now that they are "out of the box". I'm starting with this one because I brought it up when I highlighted some of my favourite pirate romances. It called me - it really did - and said "read me." Well - when a book does that, you really have no choice. I've mentioned more than once that this is one of my favourite futuristics but it's been a few years since I've actually read it - so here goes
The Skypirate by Justine Davis
back blurb:
A LEGENDARY ROGUE OF THE GALAXY - AND HIS BEAUTIFUL CAPTIVE He is Dax, the skypirate hunted to the ends of the universe by the cruel interstellar Coalition. He has survived the destruction of his planet, but he can't escape the demons haunting his soul - or the allure of the woman captive who wears the notorious golden golden slave collar.
She is Captain Califa Claxton, once the Coalition's top battle strategist. Only a great cosmic irony has her rescued by Dax, the Coalition's deadliest enemy. Although she knows secrets that can make him triumphant, he posses the collar controller which can break her will. But his touch alone arouses her passion. If she can gain his trust, a chance to destroy the Coalition together awaits them among the stars. And in the white heat of their explosive union a new bond may be forged - souls joined by a maginifcent love! (whoever comes up with these blurbs sure does go heavy on the cheese don't they?) This is the second of a two book series. The first one - Lord of the Storm - tells the story of a fabled planet Trios and how it was raided and destroyed by the evil coalition. The hero was the Triotian prince who had been made into a slave and the heroine was a pilot in the coalition who met, fell in love with and rescued the Triotian prince. He had been owned by the heroine of Skypirate - Califa. This one takes place several years later. Califa has been made a gold collar slave herself. It is thought by the Coalition that she had knowledge of Dare and Shayla - the hero/heroine of the previous book. When the story opens, she is a prisoner along with another female, Rina, who had been captured cheating in a card game. When Rina, a member of the Dax's crew is rescued, he takes Califa along with him, not knowing who she is. Dax and Calipha dance around each other but both are very attracted to the other. Dax makes such a wonderful hero!!! One of the best. He still feels very guilty that he wasn't around when his planet was destroyed and does whatever it takes to do his part to take down the Coalition. Califa was a nasty piece of work in the first book and because Ms. Davis is such a talented writer, she does a remarkable job in not only redeeming her but makes her a sympathetic character that you actually root for. I really enjoy Lord of the Storm, but I like this one just a wee bit better. Unlike LOTS, in this one we get the point of view of both Dax and Califa. She really makes us feel the pain that Dax does on thinking he is one of the last of his kind and the depth of anguish he feels. This is one heck of a good book and I know it's a favourite of many. For those who haven't read it, I highly recommend it. I wish Ms Davis were still writing books like this. It's a real loss for us readers that she isn't anymore! And to be honest - considering it was published in 1995 - I even kind of like the cover *ducking*
Grade: 5 out of 5
I haven't updated my recent buys in ever so long!! There have been a bunch - here are just a few of them
Lord of the Beasts - Susan Krinard - some of hers really work for me - some not so much. Hopefully this will be one that works.
A Reason to Live by Maureen McKade - finally found this one! A Western *sigh* And it's been getting rave reviews.
What a Gentleman Wants by Caroline Linden - I've heard good things about her previous book
An Unexpected Pleasure by Candace Camp - I've recently rediscovered her and wondered why I "lost" her. She's very good.
True Blood by Patria Waddell - I read another futuristic by her, enjoyed it and wanted to read this one. Besides - I really like the cover
O'Rourke's Bride by Barbara Dan - bought this one on pure spec. The hero is a down on his luck Irish actor and it takes place in the west. How could I resist. Add in the price and it seems like a great deal.
And on a side note - why or why did I let myself get hooked on Dancing with the Stars????
