What are you...?

Back in the old old days (that is, in the early days of the Lovecats blog) we often used to open our posts with a series of whats—what I’m watching/reading/listening to etc, and as I love to know what people are watching/reading/listening to etc, I thought that’d be a fun game to play today. So I’ll start…

#1 What I’m watching…

Nothing of particular interest at the moment—reruns of Escape to the Country and Location Location Location (I adore Kirsty and Phil). But, I am going to launch into this soon.

Rachel Bailey has been telling me I MUST watch this. And I have a feeling she’s right. Who else is a fan?

#2 What I’m listening to…

This is the last song I downloaded. And I thought the singer actually sang: “Tell your Mum I said hi”. Noooo. She sings: “Tell ’em all I said, hi”. I have a friend whose 20-year-old son recently broke up with his girlfriend of 5 years. She and his girlfriend are missing each other. That’s what I thought the song was about.

 I like my version better. In this version she sounds all self-pitying and “poor me”. So I continue singing my version of the lyrics. ;-) Who else does this?

# What I’m reading…

I just finished two seriously enjoyable reads. Kaz Delaney’s Chocolate and Old Lace. Rosie Hart and I are going to become very good friends. :-)

 And Tikka Chance On Me by Suleikha Snyder. Amy Andrews told me I HAD to read this, and she was right. It was sassy and sexy with great banter.

So now I’m reading James Scott Bell’s 27 Fiction Writing Mistakes—and How Not to Make Them. I’m knee-deep in my next book, and I feel as if I’ve forgotten how to write (this happens from time to time), and this one is reminding me of a few fundamentals.

 # What’s making me smile…

Because of the James Scott Bell book above, I ordered a hard copy of the book Description by Monica Wood (not available as an ebook) from BetterWorldBooks. And my book sent me a message:

Holy canasta! It's me... it's me! I can't believe it is actually me! You could have picked any of over 2 million books but you picked me! I've got to get packed! How is the weather where you live? Will I need a dust jacket? I can't believe I'm leaving Mishawaka, Indiana already - the friendly people, the Hummer plant, the Linebacker Lounge - so many memories. I don't have much time to say goodbye to everyone, but it's time to see the world!

I can't wait to meet you! You sound like such a well read person. Although, I have to say, it sure has taken you a while! I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but how would you like to spend five months sandwiched between Jane Eyre (drama queen) and Fundamentals of Thermodynamics (pyromaniac)? At least Jane was an upgrade from that stupid book on brewing beer. How many times did the ol' brewmaster have one too many and topple off our shelf at 2am?

I know the trip to meet you will be long and fraught with peril, but after the close calls I've had, I'm ready for anything (besides, some of my best friends are suspense novels). Just five months ago, I thought I was a goner. My owner was moving and couldn't take me with her. I was sure I was landfill bait until I ended up in a Better World Books book drive bin. Thanks to your socially conscious book shopping, I've found a new home. Even better, your book buying dollars are helping kids read from Brazil to Botswana.

How much fun is that, huh?

So, your turn! What have you been watching, listening to, reading, or what’s been making you smile recently?

What are you reading?

Like most romance readers, I'm very nosy about what everyone else is reading. Mainly so I can get some recommendations for my TBR pile!

So I'll start by telling you what books I've read recently and then ask you to share your lists.

First up is the book I'm currently reading, THE DUCHESS WAR by Courtney Milan.

I'm about halfway through this and loving it. And best of all, it's free on kindle which is why I picked it up. But let me tell you, I'll be buying all the rest of the books in this series as soon as I finish this one - it's smart, it's funny, and it's original. Here's the blurb:

Miss Minerva Lane is a quiet, bespectacled wallflower, and she wants to keep it that way. After all, the last time she was the center of attention, it ended badly--so badly that she changed her name to escape her scandalous past. Wallflowers may not be the prettiest of blooms, but at least they don't get trampled. So when a handsome duke comes to town, the last thing she wants is his attention. 

But that is precisely what she gets. 

Because Robert Blaisdell, the Duke of Clermont, is not fooled. When Minnie figures out what he's up to, he realizes there is more to her than her spectacles and her quiet ways. And he's determined to lay her every secret bare before she can discover his. But this time, one shy miss may prove to be more than his match... 

The book before this one was another free kindle read that is the start of a series (do you get the sense of a pattern here with my reading lately?). It was SATISFACTION by Sarah Mayberry. Again with the smart, funny and original. I can't wait to dive into the second book in this series! Here's the blurb:

Maggie Hendricks’s life is exactly the way she likes it—except for one small problem. She’s never experienced the big O. She’s had good times, definitely. But so far, nothing and no one has delivered the fireworks. She tells herself she can deal…until a friend shares the details of a steamy one-night with an extremely talented lover. Suddenly good times are not enough and Maggie vows to seduce this man. If he can’t make her forget her own name… 

Within minutes of meeting Rafel Oliveira, however, Maggie knows she’s in over her head. As he takes her on a sensual journey toward the ultimate pleasure, frustration has a new, delicious texture and he exceeds all her expectations. When she craves more than his beautiful body, she realizes she needs something else to be truly satisfied: his heart. But is that something Rafel will ever be able to offer her? 


So now it's your turn - tell me what you're reading. My buying finger is ready to click! :)