HipMamaB Lit: 3 Books for {January} 2013

The best part of the past few weeks is that I actually had more time to read. A few train rides, self imposed “Pajama Days” and down-time while the kids played with their new toys gave me some much needed lay-around-and-read time.

And yet I was still up to 2 am reading a few nights…

Here are my picks for the 3 books you should should read in January 2013:

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

One of the other authors I follow on Facebook sent out a plea last week to help her friend reach number #1 on the Amazon sales list. I like this author, and the book was only $4 so I downloaded the book without much thought. While I had hoped it would be a good read, I was shocked by JUST HOW GOOD it was.

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies...

That's what Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she's never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he's nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn't at all who he's been claiming to be. When the secrets he's been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky's life will change forever.

I read this book in 24-hours.  I honestly almost cancelled a babysitter and a date night out to finish this book. While the characters are teenagers, this is NOT a book for teens.  It’s a bit of a romance, but more of a mystery.  I enjoyed the characters and felt their emotions – highs and lows. I also think this book would make a fabulous movie.

Summerset Abbey – TJ Brown

If you are fan of Downton Abbey, you will enjoy this book. It’s set in 1913 England, and while the storyline is different than Downton, it’s the same subjects… the high-bred daughters and the servants, their worlds and coming to terms with their place in society.

1913: In a sprawling manor on the outskirts of London, three young women seek to fulfill their destinies and desires amidst the unspoken rules of society and the distant rumblings of war. . . .

So here is something that I’m embarrassed to admit – I only recently watched Downton Abbey. I KNOW. I KNOW. Why it took me this long I don’t know… but I will also say that I’ve had a glorious time watching both seasons back-to-back.  Reading this book before watching Downton Abbey I had a hard time visualizing some of the things that I didn’t know about – such as the bells that were rung to get the maids to come up and even some of the fashion and styles that are mentioned in the book. After watching DA, I realize what another great view of this lifestyle in the early 1900’s this book is... and I can't wait for book 2, due out in March!

A Passion for Him – Sylvia Day

Since Sylvia Day’s Bared to You was such a huge success, it appears that her publisher is jumping at republishing all of her older titles. This one is another piece of historical fiction, also set in England, also about a young lady trying to marry in her same social spectrum.

Stranger

He wears a mask…and he is following her. Staring at her like no other man since Colin. But Colin is dead and Amelia believes she will never again shiver with pleasure, never again sigh his name.

Lover
Until her masked pursuer lures her into a moonlit garden and a single, reckless kiss. Now she is obsessed with discovering his identity. Perfectly attuned to his every desire, his every thought, she will not stop until she knows his every secret.

Just like her other novels, this one is a good, quick steamy read with lovers that shouldn’t be together but can’t be apart and multi-orgasmic virgins. All the things one would EXPECT in a good, sexy, romance novel. 

Those are my picks for the month - what books are you reading? 

HipMamaB Lit: Books to Read and Books to Give

I will admit that Ms. Kim Tracy-Prince inspired this post with her "A month of reading" series she is currently doing. Back at Creative Alliance (what today seems AGES ago but was really only a few months ago) Kim and I talked a lot about how much consuming, rather than broadcasting, we had been doing. And it continues...for both of us apparently! Thanks to both my iPad with iBooks and a Kindle App and my Sony Reader, I'm a reading MACHINE. Seriously, I have books downloaded all over the place these days. 

Today I threw my favorite question out to Twitter: "What book should I read next?" I love getting random suggestions. In fact, it was through one of these questions to the Internet that I first heard of The Hunger Games and 50 Shades of Grey. {Hey - you never know what the Internet will tell you to read.} But after throwing this out there, I realized my recommendation may lead someone else to a great read, either for yourself or as a gift. 'Tis the Season!

For the young reader / thinker:

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back

So, I will admit that I didn't realize this was a YA book when I downloaded it. When I started it I did note that it was short in length, and that the main character is 11 years old - but that means nothing. The book was intriguing. It made me think. Made me wonder. It also left me with a lot of questions. So yeah, I felt really stupid when I realized it was written for 10 year olds. But it was a beautiful book, and one I can't wait for Lucas to read.

 For A Girlfriend or Even Your Mother/Mother in Law:

Low Pressure by Sandra Brown 

Bellamy Lyston Price was only 12 years old when her older sister Susan was killed on a stormy Memorial Day. Bellamy's fear of storms is a legacy of the tornado that destroyed the crime scene as well as her memory of one vital fact that still eludes her... 

Now, 18 years later, Bellamy has written a novel based on Susan's murder. It's her first book, and it's an instant sensation. But because the novel is based on the most traumatic event of her life, she's published it under a pseudonym to protect herself and her family.

But when a sleazy reporter for a tabloid newspaper discovers that the book is based on a real crime, Bellamy's identity - and dark family secrets -- are exposed. Suddenly, she finds herself embroiled in a personal conflict and at the mercy of her sister's killer, who for almost two decades has gotten away with murder...and will stop at nothing to keep it that way

You all know that I've been on this smutty romance kick (more on that later) and I actually don't normally read mysteries, but when this book came across in a search I was doing I was excited to get my hands on it. Apparently Sandra Brown is a fairly popular fiction/mystery writer, also something I discovered after reading this book, but not knowing her previous work, my thoughts on this book are fresh with nothing to compare it to. I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read that kept me going the whole time. The story unfolded in a few different ways, leaving me guessing until the end. Which honestly may not be saying much since I was surprised by the ending of M. Night Shamalan's The Village.

Now on to the smut!

For Your Friend Who Loved 50 Shades of Gray - a lot.

Release Me by J. Kenner

He was the one man I couldn’t avoid. And the one man I couldn’t resist. 
 
Damien Stark could have his way with any woman. He was sexy, confident, and commanding: Anything he wanted, he got. And what he wanted was me.
 
Our attraction was unmistakable, almost beyond control, but as much as I ached to be his, I feared the pressures of his demands. Submitting to Damien meant I had to bare the darkest truth about my past—and risk breaking us apart.
 
But Damien was haunted, too. And as our passion came to obsess us both, his secrets threatened to destroy him—and us—forever.

Yes! Another young girl/young millionaire with control issues book! Better writing than FSOG but a similar story.. and very obviously going to be a multi-part book series. But an enjoyable read. Steamy sex scenes and interesting characters. Fans of 50 will eat it up. 

For Your Friend Who Liked 50 Shades A Little Too Much... and Wants to Take Things to the Next Level. 

Tiffany Reisz's The Original Sinners Series

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer...preferably in bed. That's always been Kingsley Edge's strategy with his associate, the notorious New York dominatrix Nora Sutherlin. But with Nora away in Kentucky, now it's Kingsley's chance to take her place at the feet of the only man he's ever wanted -- Søren, Nora's on-again, off-again lover -- until a new threat from an old enemy forces him to confront his past.

Wes Railey is still the object of Nora's tamest yet most maddening fantasies, and the one man she can't forget. He's young. He's wonderful. He's also thoroughbred royalty and she's in "his" world now. But Nora is no simpering Southern belle, and her dream of fitting into Wesley's world is perpetually at odds with her dear Søren's relentlessly seductive pull.

Two worlds of wealth and passion call to her and whichever one Nora chooses, it will be the hardest decision she will ever have to make... unless someone makes it for her..

GAH.

This sums up my feelings quite accurately. See, I didn't realize it was a series until the end. I also didn't realize that I started with book THREE in the series until quite after I finished reading The Prince. And OMG. This book? Well - GAH. Not for the squeamish. This book actually makes 50 Shades seem like a YA read. There were a few times that I almost put it down. There were a few scenes I couldn't read. There were a few times when I thought a lot about just how screwed up some people are sexually ... and I'm not even talking about our friends over on Showtime's Polyamory. Those people are just orgy loving kittens next to the BDSM freaks in this series. 

I almost can't admit to having read this... but sigh, its a series. And the author did a good job of mixing up the hard core "WHAT THE FREAKING HELL" storyline with a mystery and an a much simpler, "Vanilla" romance. And the ending... well, now I HAVE to read book 4. 

And apparently go back and read books 1-2. 

GAH. 

*disclosure: I was given e-copies of Low Pressure, Release Me and The Prince for review purposes from the publishers. 

Readin' it Up on my Sony Reader PRS-T2

I like holding a book. I like the smell of books and the feel of the paper. I like turning the pages and once I’m done, either shelving them or loaning them to friends or family.

I’ve fought hard against eReaders because I never wanted to give up the feeling of holding a book. But now, that has all changed.

Like many other things in my literary life, I blame 50 Shades of Grey. I read it on my iPad before it came out in paperback and it opened up a whole new world to me. The world of “no one can see what you are reading.” Which is how I read all three 50 Shades in 4 days over Easter Weekend.

I’ve been using my iPad for reading more and more, but things about it were not perfect. I couldn’t take it to the pool and lay in the sun and read, it was heavy to tote around in my bag and I was always worried about dropping it or losing it. So when Sony sent me their new Reader PRS-T2, I was excited to try it out.

There are a few things I really like about it – like being able to read at the beach or in direct sunlight (thanks to the E-Ink® Pearl V220 touch screen), being able to toss the under 6 ounce reader in my bag, the AMAZING battery life, and being able to purchase books easily over the WiFi connection.

While at first I grumbled at the smaller {than my iPad} screen, I now like that people can’t look over my shoulder to see what I’m reading… as you know of my current addiction to the romance, supernatural and smut genres. And while it may not be fancy like a Kindle Fire – I really like not having to fight with my kids over who gets to use it.

Another cool feature is the ability to post a short passage from books purchased from Reader™ Store to Facebook directly from the device along with the book cover, author and title. That is, if you want people to know what you're reading... lalala!

But now let’s talk about that; What h been reading. I seem to have become the defacto go-to to find out the latest in good, easy to read chic lit books.

The Good:

Shadows of Night – by Deborah Harkness

This was the sequel to Discovery of Witches (#2 in the All Souls Trilogy)– one of my favorite reads of last year. While I did have to go back and read Discovery of Witches before reading this one, it was a good, easy read. It was the obvious middle-child of the trilogy, with lots of lines left hanging. But I can’t wait for book 3!

A Light Between Oceans – by ML Stedman

Amazing book about love, family and children and a lighthouse 100 miles off the coast of Australia. Its beautifully written and you can feel the characters plight and emotions jump from the (e)pages.

Night Circus – by Erin Morganstern

You MUST read this book. The scenes created in your imagination through the brilliant details of this book are insane. The words beautifully blend together to tell the story of a magical circus and the people that create it and love it. This is one of those books that as you read you can’t help but envision what the movie version will look like – and I’m hoping for Tim Burton/Danny Elfman collaboration on this one.

This is Where I Leave You – Danny Tropper

Heart felt story of a family forced to sit shiva together after their father dies. The pain of the main character is almost too much to bare at points, but its also a wonderful reminder that you may not know the people in your life like you thought.

The Romance

Love Unscripted and Love Unrehearsed -  by: Tina Reber

These books delve into what happens when a movie star falls head over heels in love with a small town girl he meets while on location. While every girl at one point has dreamed of George Clooney or Ryan Gosling just walking into you life and making you love him, what would it really be like? Could you watch him pretend to make love onset to the new hot starlet? Could you stand the media attention all of sudden coming your way? Do you just leave your life and business and go on location with him?

I was lucky enough that I finished Love Unscripted the DAY that Love Unrehearsed came out, because I may not have been able to wait. I really enjoyed the fantasy and the reality of the love story between Taryn and Ryan.

Gabriel’s Inferno / Gabriel’s Rapture – by Sylvain Reynard 

Another series climbing to the top of the best sellers list on the 50 Shades bandwagon, although this was more “troubled romance” to me than erotica. Once again its about falling in a deep love with someone that you can’t date and the repercussions of doing so. Lots of historical and art references, so I guess it makes it a thinking {wo}mans 50 Shades?

The SMUT

Bared to You – by Sylvia Day

This book has been number 4 on the bestsellers list right behind Christian and Anastasia for weeks now. While when I read it month ago after first reading FSOG, I thought it was almost an exact knock-off, my second read of the book leaves me thinking it’s actually better than 50.

While yes, Gideon is a mega billionaire with a tortured past and he meets Eve when she falls down in front of him, there are plenty of reasons to like this book better. First – the writing is much better. Second – there is no uncomfortable S&M scenes to winch through.

Book two in the Crossfire series comes out in a few weeks, and I’m just hoping we wont find out Gideon’s issues stem from being seduced by his mother’s best friend. But all in all, a good, sexy read. 

**ETA:

I have now finished Reflected in You,  the second book in the Crossfire Series. My feelings are a bit muddled about this one. Even with its resemblences to FSOG, Bared to You is the better of the two books. If you read Bared, then you (obviously) have to read Reflected. You won't hate it, but you may not love it. It's just so much of "Really? Why would you do/say that when you KNOW he/she is going to be pissed??" that it almost gets boring. Between the sex and fighting, I found myself wanting them to end their relationship. I mean, how much can two people take 3 weeks into a relationship? 

But, it kept my attention and was an easy read. I hope book 3 doesn't take as long to come out, but I'm wondering if they are on a 1 a year schedule now?

Have you read any/all of these books? What's on your current MUST READ list?

*Disclosure: I received the Sony Reader PRS-T2 as part of my participation in the #SonyMoms program. For more information and specifics on the new Sony Reader PRS-t2, please visit the SONY website. Opinions are my own!