This was another year under Covid and instead of reading more, I've read less... :((( I don't know if it depends on light depression, but here it is...This was another year under Covid and instead of reading more, I've read less... :((( I don't know if it depends on light depression, but here it is... I don't feel like I enjoy writing reviews... I just want this situation to end and things to return to normal. To live a life and not just to survive. I stopped reading and watching news because it is so depressing!!!
If you wish, you can take a look at my "Year in book" here:
Let's start saying that 2020 was a sh*t year and we all know why! But the strange thing is that even if I had to stay home (here in Italy, there were sLet's start saying that 2020 was a sh*t year and we all know why! But the strange thing is that even if I had to stay home (here in Italy, there were so many lockdowns!!!) since March and thankfully work from home too, I read less books than I usually do! O_O Why? Because I read while commuting and that's 2 hours every working day where I can read without anyone bothering me! LOL
Anyhow, returing to book I have read, I must say that even if in the summary it's said that my average rating was 4.1 I found many books have let me down...
But there were some really good books too, so I cannot complain too much!
Let me start first with the huge disappointments: Devoted by Dean Koontz and Fatal Accusation by Marie Force.
I loved the early Koontz's books, so after this one I decided that I'll NEVER read another book by him - it was that BAD!
I also loved the Fatal series so even if I rated Fatal Accusation 2 stars it was really a huge disappointment!
Now the mediocre... Some of my favorit authors' books I've reated only 3 stars: Laurann Dohner, Lindsay Buroker, Nora Roberts, Jayne Fresina... just to mention few... That's not positive IMHO!
But there were several excellent books and new authors that I've "discovered"! :)
Kendra Donovan series by Julie McElwain - beautiful blend between mystery, suspance, romance and time-travel! G.S. Jennsen and her Aurora series - excellent SF with a touch of romance! Wrexford & Sloane series by Andrea Penrose and Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson - two great mystery series!
So, as you can see 2020 was not all bad, but the best books were not published in 2020, so it says something, doesn't it? *wink*
So, I'd say that 2020 is a 3.5 stars year and round it to 4...
Let's hope for 2021 being much better in every way! :)...more
Oh, I'll get what I can and find positive too: 2019 was slightly better - where the book I've read in 2018 had average rating of 4.0, in 2019 the averOh, I'll get what I can and find positive too: 2019 was slightly better - where the book I've read in 2018 had average rating of 4.0, in 2019 the average was 4.2... [image] Well, one must make do...
The biggest disappointment was for books in the Fatal series by Marie Force! I loved that series, so it was huge!
Just to balance the bad there wer some really excellent debut novels, for example Mia Vincy's A wicked kind of husband!
Speaking of series, there are some authors that are always reliable, like Stella Riley!
It could be that I’m getting older and choosier, but the 2018 was not much better than 2017… at least for me! [image]
I don’t say that I haven’t discoveIt could be that I’m getting older and choosier, but the 2018 was not much better than 2017… at least for me! [image]
I don’t say that I haven’t discovered some new authors (they’re new for me, at least), like C.S. Harris with her Sebastian St. Cyr series, or some good series like Twist by Katharine Ashe.
There were some really good books recommended by my friends like Marsha Canham’s The Iron Rose and there were some really good new books from series I’ve already follow and love (Like Fleshpoint by Rachel Grant, Stone Warriors by D.B. Reynolds, Icehome by Ruby Dixon, Blue Blood Conspiracy by Bec McMAster, or Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews…)
I also loved the start of Ilona Andrews new series: The Iron Convenant! It’s as riveting as Kate Daniels!
But lets talk about the disappointments… It seems that some authors I loved started a downward road with their latest books. I can’t say how much I’m sorry, but that’s a fact! For example Courtney Milan’s After the Wedding, or Kerrigan Byrne’s The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo….
Also some authors I’ve just discovered and loved the first book in their series, but then, BAM and it went downhill… like Joanna Bourne with her My Lord and Spymaster, … what a huge disappointment!!!
Usually I have more 5 stars ratings, but in this one the 3 and 4 stars were much more!
It’s really disturbing!!!
As for the next year? I really, really hope and pray that it will be much better! [image] ...more
This was a strange year for me. [image] Well, not THAT strange!!!
I’ve discovered some great series, like J.D. Robb’s In Death, Emily Larkin’s BalefThis was a strange year for me. [image] Well, not THAT strange!!!
I’ve discovered some great series, like J.D. Robb’s In Death, Emily Larkin’s Baleful Godmother. I’ve discovered new authors like Kris Kennedy, Joanna Bourne, Alyssa Cole, Morgan O'Neill, Ilona Andrews. I’ve continued to love others like Eileen Wilks and her World of Lupi, Anna Hackett, Sandra Brown, Rachel Grant, Ruby Dixon, Carey Baldwin, just to mention few of them. [image]
But there were some big disappointments.
Some of my favorite authors wrote some really awful books like Kerrigan Byrne’s The Duke, Anna Bennett’s The Rogue Is Back in Town; some very bad ones like Sarah MacLean’s The Day of the Duchess;… [image]
… some just average ones like Meljean Brook’s Riveted; Elizabeth Hoyt’s Duke of Desire; Lisa Kleypas’s Devil in Spring; Grace Burrowes’s No Other Duke Will Do… [image]
And that was a great shock to me! How could authors whose work I adored write such a drivels? What’s happened this year? Was it something in the air? Was it something in the water? I don’t know…
I have the feeling that, since all the new authors I’ve discovered are not new at all, something bad is happening to my much loved romancelandia! [image]
I’m afraid to open and start reading a much expected book from author I love! And it’s not a nice sensation! [image]
I pray and hope that the 2018 will turn this tide and that all the books I intend to read are just plain wonderful! [image]...more
Since I joined GR every year I discover that I've read more and more books! I keep thinking that surely there must be a limit, but until now there isnSince I joined GR every year I discover that I've read more and more books! I keep thinking that surely there must be a limit, but until now there isn't any! :)
[image] ...mmm.. maybe I should click there before's too late...
One got to love statistics! So I discovered that I've read a lot of SF. So you would think: "WOW, what a geek!!!" but... you have to consider that this was a year where Ice Planet Barbarians, Hell Squad, Alien Mate Index and such very geeky books were what made me tick and laugh! So, sorry, it was NOT a very geek year!
I was also very historical-romantically oriented too! But I find that lately there're a lot of HR books that are excellent! Interesting, well written with great humor and dialogue! So I enjoyed that genre too!
Paranormals are also a favorit of mine. I love a good world building, an intricate plot, kick-ass characters, so Paranormal is a good choice!
Also Contemporary is a big chunk. :)
So, without boring you with much more, let's make it simple! Just one worst and one best!
Best Paranormal series: World of Lupi. Really excellent world building and what's more incredbile, it keeps being interesting and new even after the book n° 8!!! Extraordinary!
So, am I happy with my reads in 2016? Yes, all in all I am! [image]...more
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