: reading the favorites :

I was so excited to pick up my copy of Obsidian Prey this past weekend. I was in the middle of another book, and for once, I actually made myself finish it before I moved on to Obsidian Prey (it was actually a very good book called Winter Kiss by Deborah Cooke).

Obsidian Prey is another of Jayne Castle’s Ghost Hunter series books. In this one, Lyra Dore and Cruz Sweetwater tangle with bad guys over some amethyst alien artifacts. There’s even a connection to the Arcane Society here.

Although some reviewers on Amazon mention that Obsidian Prey isn’t as fresh as it should be, I for one loved this story and these characters. Maybe you can blame my excitement on the fact that I only get about 1 Jayne Castle book from Krentz each year, but I don’t think so. I’m usually pretty picky. Even I didn’t care for Sizzle and Burn nearly as much as I have many of Krentz’s books. But Obsidian Prey was great.

So there you go! Read Obsidian Prey if you have the chance. It’s worth the time.

I ran across an interesting post today, where author Jayne Ann Krentz explains her three names. I’ve got a page on this site devoted to her pseudonyms, so I thought this was a relevant topic. I’ve also previously discussed my thoughts about authors and pseudonyms from a readers perspective in my post titled The Art of the Pseudonym. I specifically talked about Jayne Ann Krentz’s efficient use of pseudonyms and asked a few questions she’s answered in her post JAYNE EXPLAINS HER THREE NAMES.

I said:

I wonder sometimes how much of Jayne Krentz’s decision to go forward with the Arcane Society series was simply a decision to find a good way to cross-promote her different books. Maybe at this point she wishes she were using only one name. I can’t say and I shouldn’t speculate, because I can’t know the answer without asking, and I probably won’t do that.

I never did ask…but someone must have.

She said:

Yes, if I had it to do it over again, I would have stuck with one name. But what’s done is done. So I have concocted a brilliant rationale for my three names, one that makes it look like a shrewd, well-thought out career choice rather than the result of a lot of bumbling and pratfalls along the way.

How refreshing to finally know the answer.

Today, you can finally buy The Third Circle by Amanda Quick (aka Jayne Ann Krentz) in paperback. This is good if you like to save money on your books. These days the hardcover editions of books are crazy expensive. I still buy them occasionally, but most of the time, I scope out Amazon.com’s bargain books and look for inexpensive hardcover editions of my favorites. I got two new hardcover copies of Second Sight for less than $7 each. The paperback cost more than that.

Although I read some reviews that made it sound as if The Third Circle wasn’t a fabulous book, I disagree. I liked it better than Second Sight, and although I would have liked a bigger, bolder ending, the romance was wonderful and the story was engaging and fun. It’s one of my favorite Arcane Society books.

I have a thing for video book trailers. I admit it. I just put up the book trailer for Amanda Quick’s newest release, The Perfect Poison. Although I loved the trailers for Running Hot and Dark Light and this one was also a neat little trailer, I wasn’t quite as impressed with this one. Don’t get me wrong, I thought the images seemed fitting, but the music seemed off somehow.

The Perfect Poison

Plagued by rumors that she poisoned her fiancé, Lucinda Bromley manages to live on the fringes of polite society, tending her beloved plants—and occasionally consulting on a murder investigation. For the notorious botanist possesses a unique talent: She can detect almost any type of poison, especially ones that have their origins in the botanical kingdom.

But the death of a lord has shaken Lucinda to her core. At the murder scene, she picks up traces of a poison containing a very rare species of fern. So rare, in fact, that only one specimen exists in all of England—and it was stolen from her conservatory just last month.

To keep her name out of the inquest and to find the murderer, Lucinda hires fellow Arcane Society member Caleb Jones who runs a psychical investigation agency. A descendant of the founder of the Society, Jones is very skillful at protecting its secrets—and frighteningly good getting at the truth. Immediately, Lucinda senses both a raw power and an undeniable intensity in the imposing man.

But as a nearly overwhelming desire blooms between Caleb and Lucinda, they are drawn into the dark heart of a deadly conspiracy that can be traced to the early days of the Arcane Society—and to a legacy of madness that could plunge Caleb into the depths of his own tortured soul….

What did you think about the trailer? Am I being too critical because of the success of the previous videos in making me excited about the books and the characters? Or do you agree that this one just doesn’t have the flair the other book trailers possess?

The next historical installment in Amanda Quick’s (aka Jayne Krentz’s) Arcane Society novels will be available in April 2009. I’m excited to see another historical installment because I really enjoyed The Third Circle. You can see my comments at the bottom of the Arcane Society page on StoryHeaven.

The Perfect Poison

Book Description

A notorious lady botanist with a reputation for having poisoned an unwanted lover becomes passionately involved with a dangerous gentleman who uses his psychic talents to solve murders. For those who are following the Arcane Society series, this is the eagerly awaited story of Caleb Jones and the founding of Jones & Jones, the Society’s psychic detective agency.

And…

In Victorian London, spinster botanist and psychic Lucinda Bromley meets her match in Caleb Jones, a member of the Arcane Society and descendant of an alchemist family that makes him “the stuff of myth and legend.” Together, this paranormal pair of snoops sets out to track down a thief who made off with a dangerous plant implicated in the death of a wealthy lord, but wind up uncovering a sinister secret order.

I’m very much looking foward to this book.

Cathy Linz gives us Emma, the smart girl, and Jake, the hunky athlete, and a fresh romance that has both snap and sass. The secondary characters and humorous family dramas are charming. If you like quick witted romance, Smart Girls Think Twice might be just what you’re waiting for.

Emma Riley is an academic working on a research paper involving her hometown. She’s in town for her sisters’ weddings and wants to interview newcomer Jake Slayter for her research. He’s a former extreme sports athlete who is working on his own research project after an accident put him out of the sport.

Jake makes Emma think of orgasms, and Jake just wants to find out more about Emma. What they find is an attraction to each other and a few lessons about what it means to have family.

I didn’t realize how fully I’d been caught up in Linz’s well-written story until I found myself teary-eyed at the romantic resolution of this delightful tale. To Jake and Emma, may your happily ever after last forever! And may Cathie Linz continue writing such wonderfully smart romance!

I didn’t get this one for a Christmas gift, so I guess I’ll be buying it for myself. I don’t mind, but I have to say, I’m really looking forward to it. I like the way the Arcane Society series is shaping up these days. Just yesterday I finished reading The Third Circle, the latest historical entry in the series of paranormal romances.

I have to say, I’m looking forward to this book more and more. That said, I think I’m looking forward to the next historical set novel even more! I want a story about Caleb Jones. I wonder if Amanda Quick will give me one? What do you think?

Oh, and if you haven’t watched it yet, don’t skip the book trailer for Running Hot.

So today I started listening to the Eclipse Bay Trilogy. Eclipse Bay is one of the few books, along with its sequels, I haven’t read by Jayne Krentz. I don’t know why I didn’t read them, other than that they didn’t come out in hardcover, but I’m so glad I decided to read them now. It’s like a sweet little Christmas gift to myself while I wait to find out if I got Running Hot as a present.

I’m trying out a new format for the book though. I’ve downloaded the audio version of Eclipse Bay and I’ve been listening to that as I do Holiday stuff that needs doing, such as gift wrapping. The thing is, though, I feel like I’m missing something. The first love scene in the book was completely glossed over. I know I was listening in bed (I have the book on my smartphone) but I thought I might have fallen asleep or otherwise skipped over something, until I realized I had an abridged version. I wasn’t aware that it was abridged when I downloaded it. I took a look at the book (I have a paperback copy of Eclipse Bay, of course) and that was how I discovered the abridged-ness of the audio version I was listening to.

Bummer.

I was really enjoying not having to work at reading a book. However, there’s no way I can enjoy it now, knowing that I’m probably missing all the good stuff.

Now I’m just trying to decide if I want to finish listening, or go to the book and start over from the beginning!

What would you do?

Unfortunately for me, Running Hot (by Jayne Krentz) is on my Christmas wish list. Running Hot is the newest addition to the Arcane Society series.

I try not to buy anything this close to Christmas when I’ve told people what I would love to get. I have a friend who wants to do a book exchange with me as our Christmas gifts to each other. I’ve also got family members who’ve told me not to buy anything that’s on my Amazon wishlist until after Christmas. Since I love surprises (especially when they’re things I really like), I never ask for my gifts early and I don’t ask for hints.

See how pretty this cover is? I can’t wait to find out who got this for me for Christmas! Even if that turns out to be me for myself. Hardcover books do make great gifts.

I just recently purchased a Palm Centro, my second Palm powered device. The reason I stuck with Palm instead of going with another kind of smartphone is so I can continue to download eBooks from the R.E.A.D.S. database to read in Adobe. I just sign in with my local public library card and download eBooks and audio books to read and listen to whenever I want. (Within the lending period, of course. It is a library service after all.)

I enjoy reading ebooks, and today I got an email from ebooks.com saying this month their Science Fiction eBooks are 20% off. Here’s a link if you’re interested in building up your science fiction eBook library.