Wide range topics yes, but things that have been on my mind a lot lately as I worked on my current WIP while something older and totally different from what I tend to work on writing regularly stirs in the recesses of my mind. I’m sure I will be posting more on each of these as I continue to ponder, but for now I just wanted to say…

In my opinion voice can pull a reader out of their reading comfort zone and draw them into a genre the might not have considered before – or into a different spectrum of a genre they never have thought they would enjoy. And on that cryptic note I will add I am currently reading about a blue-haired dragon shifter, not anything I would have picked up to read on my own, although I read paranormals.

It happens to be in the same anthology Everlasting Bad Boys - as the lovely Cynthia Eden’s rockin’ “Spellbound” – which I highly recommend and will post a review for the book once I finish the other two stories J I have to say I discovered Cynthia’s unique style/voice while reading a Secret’s Volume. One more reason I always read all the stories within an anthology. You can find wonderful new voices and genres and expand your comfort zone all at the same time.

Okay this a book I have been dying to read since Ms. Maya fist started giving little teasers about it, so when I got to read the ARC I was thrilled. In my last post in mentioned her book, Stay With Me and the uniqueness and how I truly enjoyed it. Well that is one of the reasons I wanted to read Be With Me. If she could do with two heroes could she really do it with THREE? Some of it is perverse curiosity on my part. I read a lot of books, over lots of genres including erotic romance and erotica, but I think I’ve said before, what really truly makes or breaks a book for me is the realness. And honestly there are a lot of books in both these genres that just don’t have anything close to realness when it comes to feelings and emotion connection between the characters and sometimes that’s fine and dandy and I even enjoy some of those books. But those books won’t turn those authors into auto-buys for me. And yes I read to escape and for the fantasy and for relaxation. Hell no I wouldn’t want to put up with three freaking men on a daily basis, jeezums, the laundry along makes me shutter. BUT I wanted to see if Maya could make it REAL for Reggie and her guys. And boy oh boy oh boy did she ever. Maya seriously rocks as a writer in my humble opinion, she is an auto-buy and her unique stories fascinate me as a reader and as a writer.

Review of Be With Me, by Maya Banks

When smart mouthed cop Regina “Reggie” Fallon’s life is endangered her three best friends show up and demand she let them take care of her. Cam, Sawyer and Hutch are not only her best friends, they are men she’s been running from for a year. An erotic night with them overwhelmed her and she’s been avoiding them since.

Reggie had a stiff and formal childhood with wealthy disinterested parents. The men who were once lost orphans ended up growing up as brothers with Birdie, a wonderful mother figure to them all. The unique bond of friendship between Reggie, Cam, Sawyer and Hutch is obvious.

Reggie knows she can’t fight them, nor does she want to any more, especially not with a loon on the loose. She moves in with the men for the time being, but as the plot unfolds with more threats and twists and turns she’s determined to stay with the men as a means of protecting them.

All the while the romantic relationship that as a reader you can feel pulsing from the pages starts to unfold. The unique bond between the men and the love they each feel for Reggie is palatable. Each man is totally different and genuine hero material. Cam is strong and steady. He sets the pace and keeps the peace all in an effort to allow them the love each of them craves. Sawyer is the ranging bull - take me or leave me, what you see is what you get man who doesn’t quite know how to say what he needs to until given an ultimatum. Hutch is sweet and loveable, but when ghosts from the past haunt him he snaps.

Maya continues to take the reader on through surprising plot twist and unique elements that give the reader enough to make you want to read faster just to find out what will happen next and how Reggie, Cam, Sawyer and Hutch came overcome it together!

I found the write-minded reader group when Jaci Burton officially closed her reader’s loop. I had been on that loop since the beginning, though I didn’t participate much. But I knew it when it was ending I wanted to keep up with Jaci, so I figured I’d check out write-minded. I’ve known Jaci since way back, pre-published days (gasp) which seems impossible considering all the kick-ass books she’s put out over the years.

I figured any group of writers she was involved with had to be good so I signed up and lurked. I started reading snip-its and excerpts and of course started buying books by new to me authors. I will admit I sometimes buy books I never plan to read, I just buy them to support writers. I did that with one of the WW authors. It started out that way, it really wasn’t something I planned to read in the beginning, but now I can say it opened a whole different reading world for me. I have sung the praises of Larissa Ione before and I’m sure I will again, reading Pleasure Unbound, took me out of my comfort zone reading wise. I knew it would but something about Larissa’s voice pulled me kicking and screaming into the story and the world she’s created. I cannot wait for the next books in this series to come out.

I had read Stephanie Tyler and Amy Knupp’s books prior to joining WW since I tend to read HQ Super’s and Blazes fairly often. They both have unique voices and have both created some great reads I’ve truly enjoyed. Sydney Croft is the writing team of Larissa Ione and Stephanie Tyler; I have a couple of the Croft books in my TBR stash and already know I will love them.

That brings me to Maya Banks, well she writes super sexy contemporary stuff (yes my true love) so buying her books didn’t take any thought it was just picking where to start. Since I have no concerns about reading series in order I just picked one and read it and found that she was able to do something no other author I had read before could do. First and foremost reading is an escape, a fantasy, something to take my mind off of everyday life. Secondly, my absolute favorite reads are ones that feel ‘real’ I cannot explain this further I don’t know how. I know that I have discussed this with other readers and writers and have disagreed with many about this. Some readers don’t want that ‘real’ feeling and some do. For me it makes or breaks a story. I think that is why I favor contemporary or historical romances over any other genre. Back to Maya, she is the first author ever to make a polyamorous relationship seem real and convincible for the characters involved. That was her book, Stay with Me. So when I read the blurbette of Be With Me – Three Men, One Woman, so much closer than just Friends. I knew I had to see if she could do it again. More on that in the next post J

I bought this at the HeartLA Readers Luncheon. I’m only about ½ through with it, but man, I plan to go back and pick up her two earlier books. I do not normally read this type of non-fiction book but I enjoy hearing Hollis Gillespie speak and just knew I would enjoy the book. I was right, it’s different and fun. You should give it a try!

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-1460424-0111317?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Trailer-Trashed-Dubious-Efforts-Mobility&x=1&y=16

I have a love hate relationship with ebooks and it’s only because I don’t own a fancy smacy ebook reader. And I work on a computer all day most days and my eyes can only take so much, but I picked this up yesterday. But I love Shannon’s writing! I highly recommend this awesome read. It’s a Western, it’s fun, the characters are intriguing and multi-layered and the opening will draw you right in! I highly recommend you pick up a copy today. More details at Shannon Stacey's website.

http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/becoming-miss-becky

I recently read this book. It is not something I would normally read, but I have such admiration for Larissa I just had to read it. Besides, she kept teasing readers with excerpts and something about the characters just totally drew me in. I bought thinking I was buying it just a means to support another writer. I mean I picked it up and put in my TBR mountain, but something about it kept drawing me back to it. I finally gave in and opened it thinking I would read a couple of pages. Well a couple of pages turned into a reading binge where I spent every spare second for the next two days devouring it. Another book you should run out and buy! More details at Larissa Ione's website.

http://www.amazon.com/Pleasure-Unbound-Demonica-Book-1/dp/044640103X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222274292&sr=1-1

Recently I cleared some of my books and tried to do some organizing. I can’t say I did a great job, just made it somewhat easier for me to find what I want to read. I have lots of books in my TBR but I know myself and have figured out I get behind if I don’t buy books I want when they come out. Some I devour as soon as they reach my hands, others I put to the side to read later and honestly there is no difference in the way I feel about the books it’s just a timing and life thing I guess. As you can tell from the books I mentioned I’ve not only added to my collection lately I’ve read some really good books, over a variety of topics. I’m sure I’ll post a few more recommends in the coming weeks since I have so many new books thanks to the readers luncheon and other recent events!

A very dear writing friend Anna Louise Lucia is celebrating her release day for RUN AMONG THORNS. It was actually yesterday, but I’m so very excited for her I wanted to post about it. It has been a very long journey for her with lots of ups and downs, but it is truly a great story that will forever be McWife in my eyes. Congrats Anna! Wishing you the best and remembering the beginning of the journey J