What I've Read Lately
While I was sick, I made use of the bed time to do some reading.
Blood Games by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Quoted from Yarbro's website: "Although romantic and historical fiction, Hôtel Transylvania and consequent novels also belong firmly within the canon of modern horror: the mortal inhabitants of the natural world are the forces of darkness and the supernatural "monster" is the defender of sanity and morality. As the author has noted, "history is horror.""
This is the best description/explanation I've found regarding her stories. Blood Games is set during the end of Nero's Rome, with all its excesses and violence and political intrigue. I confess that I've never been an avid student of history; though I do find it interesting these days, that interest was lacking whenever I had to take history courses in high school and college.
Yarbro bases as much of her stories on historical documentation. The descriptions of the Games and the atrocities committed turned my stomach. They were horrible in and of themselves, but to know that such things actually occurred...::shudder:: This is horror beyond the latest horror flick - this is the horror of knowing that humans are actually capable of such horrific acts, and then look upon such acts as entertainment.
Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
I've had this book and the next 3 in the series for a long while. I've heard good and bad about the books, so I finally dug out the first one to see if I was going to like it.
I like her writing, and I like the concept, but I'm not too crazy about the vampires. So far, anyways. I did like the fact that there was no sex in the book, believe it or not. As much as I love a good romance novel, I don't want to read sex scenes all the time :)
I guess I have to say that I'm still undecided about this series. I'll read the second one, and hopefully that will help me make up my mind.
Tempting Evil by Keri Arthur
This is the 3rd book in her Riley Jenson Guardian series. I love the premise. Riley is half werewolf, half vampire. I love her vampires. I love her werewolves. I love most all of the supernatural creatures she comes up with. I love the fact that its set in Australia. I love the plot of each book.
BUT I don't love the every-other-page graphic sex scene. It's a little too much. Oh, I understand the reasoning behind it - that werewolves need sex like vampires need blood - but I could do with a little more spent on the story and less on the sex, ya know?
Still, I'm gonna keep reading the series, cause its a darn good one. Just be forewarned that this series is probably three or four times as erotic as a regular romance novel.
I'm currently half-way through with Knight of Darkness, the second book in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Lords of Avalon series. I'm enjoying it very much. I've also read the first few chapters of Storm Warning, the first book in Jim Butcher's Dresdon Files series (that the show is based on). In fact, this is the book that this past Sunday's episode is based on. Loosely based, I should say. I'm beginning to understand why fans of the books have pitched such fits over some of the changes and stuff left out of the show. Not gonna stop me from watching it, though :)
Blood Games by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Quoted from Yarbro's website: "Although romantic and historical fiction, Hôtel Transylvania and consequent novels also belong firmly within the canon of modern horror: the mortal inhabitants of the natural world are the forces of darkness and the supernatural "monster" is the defender of sanity and morality. As the author has noted, "history is horror.""
This is the best description/explanation I've found regarding her stories. Blood Games is set during the end of Nero's Rome, with all its excesses and violence and political intrigue. I confess that I've never been an avid student of history; though I do find it interesting these days, that interest was lacking whenever I had to take history courses in high school and college.
Yarbro bases as much of her stories on historical documentation. The descriptions of the Games and the atrocities committed turned my stomach. They were horrible in and of themselves, but to know that such things actually occurred...::shudder:: This is horror beyond the latest horror flick - this is the horror of knowing that humans are actually capable of such horrific acts, and then look upon such acts as entertainment.
Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
I've had this book and the next 3 in the series for a long while. I've heard good and bad about the books, so I finally dug out the first one to see if I was going to like it.
I like her writing, and I like the concept, but I'm not too crazy about the vampires. So far, anyways. I did like the fact that there was no sex in the book, believe it or not. As much as I love a good romance novel, I don't want to read sex scenes all the time :)
I guess I have to say that I'm still undecided about this series. I'll read the second one, and hopefully that will help me make up my mind.
Tempting Evil by Keri Arthur
This is the 3rd book in her Riley Jenson Guardian series. I love the premise. Riley is half werewolf, half vampire. I love her vampires. I love her werewolves. I love most all of the supernatural creatures she comes up with. I love the fact that its set in Australia. I love the plot of each book.
BUT I don't love the every-other-page graphic sex scene. It's a little too much. Oh, I understand the reasoning behind it - that werewolves need sex like vampires need blood - but I could do with a little more spent on the story and less on the sex, ya know?
Still, I'm gonna keep reading the series, cause its a darn good one. Just be forewarned that this series is probably three or four times as erotic as a regular romance novel.
I'm currently half-way through with Knight of Darkness, the second book in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Lords of Avalon series. I'm enjoying it very much. I've also read the first few chapters of Storm Warning, the first book in Jim Butcher's Dresdon Files series (that the show is based on). In fact, this is the book that this past Sunday's episode is based on. Loosely based, I should say. I'm beginning to understand why fans of the books have pitched such fits over some of the changes and stuff left out of the show. Not gonna stop me from watching it, though :)