Wednesday Reads

Wow, can you believe it? I got caught up in my reading and didn’t cheat with short stories! Here’s what I read during the week:

May 8: “The King” by J.R. Ward, a paranormal romance. Blurb from Goodreads: Long live the King… After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle--with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything--and everyone--at risk. Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response--or the distance it creates between them. The question is, will true love win out... or tortured legacy take over? I loved this book. I loved being back in this world. It really is a great series. I’m so glad I was able to take a couple of days and just sit and read this. Made it even better! Now, if I can just get my eyes to agree to doing this more often… 

May 12: “Just After Sunset” by Stephen King. A collection of 13 short stories. Blurb on flap: Who but Stephen King would turn a Port-O-San into a slimy birth canal, or a roadside honky-tonk into a place for endless love? A book salesman with a grievance might pick up a mute hitchhiker, not knowing the silent man in the passenger seat listens altogether too well. Or an exercise routing on a stationary bicycle, begun to reduce bad cholesterol, might take its rider on a captivating—and then terrifying—journey. Set on a remote key in Florida, “The Gingerbread Girl” is a riveting tale featuring a young woman as vulnerable—and resourceful—as Audrey Hepburn’s character in Wait Until Dark. In “Ayana,” a blind girl works a miracle with a kiss and the touch of her hand. For King, the line between the living and the dead is often blurry, and the seams that hold our reality intact might tear apart at any moment. In one of the longer stories here, “N.,” which recently broke new ground when it was adapted as a graphic digital entertainment, a psychiatric patient’s irrational thinking might create an apocalyptic threat in the Maine countryside…or keep the world from falling victim to it. I enjoyed MOST of the stories in this one (especially the last—A Very Tight Place—even though it was probably the GROSSEST) and they accomplished what I needed: to pass the time without an insane need to keep reading. Because short stories are good for that. Once you finish, you don't feel the need to read the next one (until you start reading it). So if you're looking for little stories to keep you busy, this is your book! I gave this 4 stars on Goodreads.

May 13: “How to Seduce a Vampire (Without Really Trying)” by Kerrelyn Sparks, the 15th book in the Love at Stake series, a paranormal romance. Blurb on back: Vampire Zoltan Czakvar is on the hunt for the truth about his father’s death. He’s been searching for a very long time—since 1241, in fact. And he is not about to give up, even when he’s attacked by a woman with striking blue eyes and a hell of a right hook! Neona is also on the hunt. She’s looking for a mate and she thinks muscled Zoltan will work just fine. After all, men are good for only one thing. Soon, though, she realizes there’s more to this handsome vampire than just sexual prowess. But she’s keeping a secret from Zoltan, something so big that it will rock the vampire world. Can their newfound love survive…even if their passion means the destruction of her world? Two words: Loved It!! This series has not gotten stale (for me) yet. Look forward to the next one. I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads.

My reading time is up for the week, I’m sure. I’m in New Orleans and busy with RT. Well, at least I hope I’m busy! Doubt I’ll be able to respond to comments in any kind of timely manner, since I don’t own a smart phone. At least I have an internet connection when I’m in my room (even if it is slooooow!).

Happy reading!

Stacy