wtf is this new update page, lj
I have come to the conclusion that full-length romance novels and I just don't get along. It's the only explanation I have for my dislike of both the full-length Barbara Metzger novels I've read.
I quite love her regencies, re-read them regularly, even.
But the two full-length historicals? I hated both heroes in them, and disliked how the heroines were meh. I never cared for any of the characters, and mostly finished them out of a sense of duty. sigh.
Book list update:
Read:
Outwitting the Gestapo by Lucie Aubrac (pretty amazing lady, and the lack of movies detailing things like that one time she was six months pregnant and used a semi-automatic machine gun to break her husband out of prison is sad.)
One Woman's World War II by Violet A. Kochendoerfer (sometimes hard to read, because at times, she's basically running around on vacation, ripping the government off and having a grand old time, which... doesn't really work for me, given the horrible things going on around her; also, she'd mention rumors but never elaborate on anything, or say, "this happened, but I'll talk about it later" and then not talk about it)
Gods and Monsters (A Shadows Inquiries Novel) by Lyn Benedict (OMG, I can't believe it took me so long to read this! It was amazing.)
The Death-Cap Dancers by Gladys Mitchell (not too bad, though I knew who the killer was about ten pages in and was rather disappointed to be right. :/ Although I was amused at the sticky end)
The Long Shot by Michelle Martin (it's a contemporary romance, and proves that I dislike modern romances intensely. While I finished it, I spent most of it lamenting the fact that the Regency has died as a genre, as Martin's Regencies were far more entertaining than any modern romance I've read. And while I enjoyed her characters, I have no interest in reading it again, whereas I re-read her Regencies quite often)
Rumpole and the Primrose Path by John Mortimore (re-read, but it's been a while)
Lord Heartless by Barbara Metzger (re-read)
Miss Treadwell's Talent by Barbara Metzger (re-read. I think I liked the hero better, this time round)
An Early Engagement by Barbara Metzger (re-read)
An Enchanted Affair by Barbara Metzger (re-read)
An Angel for the Earl by Barbara Metzger (re-read)
Lady in Green by Barbara Metzger (re-read, and I have this suspicion I read it earlier this year. Oh well.)
Truly Yours by Barbara Metzger (full-length historical, hated the hero and how he lusted after the nearly-raped, filthy, bruised and battered heroine)
Tried to read:
Watson's Choice by Gladys Mitchell (ok, like, I get the book is a product of its times, but... sigh. Also, as with Death-Cap Dancers, I knew who the murderer was within the first few pages. And it wasn't interesting enough to keep reading. And I've read books where I knew who the murderer was before--A Dark-Adapted Eye, for instance. But the characters were compelling, and they just weren't in the Mitchell book. And I was really hoping the books would be good, as I liked the Mrs. Bradley Mysteries, but apparently those were only good because Dame Diana Rigg.)
The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith Saintcrow (so twee, I just couldn't)
I quite love her regencies, re-read them regularly, even.
But the two full-length historicals? I hated both heroes in them, and disliked how the heroines were meh. I never cared for any of the characters, and mostly finished them out of a sense of duty. sigh.
Book list update:
Read:
Outwitting the Gestapo by Lucie Aubrac (pretty amazing lady, and the lack of movies detailing things like that one time she was six months pregnant and used a semi-automatic machine gun to break her husband out of prison is sad.)
One Woman's World War II by Violet A. Kochendoerfer (sometimes hard to read, because at times, she's basically running around on vacation, ripping the government off and having a grand old time, which... doesn't really work for me, given the horrible things going on around her; also, she'd mention rumors but never elaborate on anything, or say, "this happened, but I'll talk about it later" and then not talk about it)
Gods and Monsters (A Shadows Inquiries Novel) by Lyn Benedict (OMG, I can't believe it took me so long to read this! It was amazing.)
The Death-Cap Dancers by Gladys Mitchell (not too bad, though I knew who the killer was about ten pages in and was rather disappointed to be right. :/ Although I was amused at the sticky end)
The Long Shot by Michelle Martin (it's a contemporary romance, and proves that I dislike modern romances intensely. While I finished it, I spent most of it lamenting the fact that the Regency has died as a genre, as Martin's Regencies were far more entertaining than any modern romance I've read. And while I enjoyed her characters, I have no interest in reading it again, whereas I re-read her Regencies quite often)
Rumpole and the Primrose Path by John Mortimore (re-read, but it's been a while)
Lord Heartless by Barbara Metzger (re-read)
Miss Treadwell's Talent by Barbara Metzger (re-read. I think I liked the hero better, this time round)
An Early Engagement by Barbara Metzger (re-read)
An Enchanted Affair by Barbara Metzger (re-read)
An Angel for the Earl by Barbara Metzger (re-read)
Lady in Green by Barbara Metzger (re-read, and I have this suspicion I read it earlier this year. Oh well.)
Truly Yours by Barbara Metzger (full-length historical, hated the hero and how he lusted after the nearly-raped, filthy, bruised and battered heroine)
Tried to read:
Watson's Choice by Gladys Mitchell (ok, like, I get the book is a product of its times, but... sigh. Also, as with Death-Cap Dancers, I knew who the murderer was within the first few pages. And it wasn't interesting enough to keep reading. And I've read books where I knew who the murderer was before--A Dark-Adapted Eye, for instance. But the characters were compelling, and they just weren't in the Mitchell book. And I was really hoping the books would be good, as I liked the Mrs. Bradley Mysteries, but apparently those were only good because Dame Diana Rigg.)
The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith Saintcrow (so twee, I just couldn't)