July, 29, 2010

Currently Playing

It’s nearly a month now that I quit playing Runes of Magic. A few days ago I read that they improved the account system. It seems it’s now possible to use different passwords for all the accounts you create by signing up for the game + the number of failed logins is restricted now. I don’t miss the game so I won’t go back. Besides, I still have other, equally serious, issues with it so no.

Anyway, I’m playing something else at the moment: Torchlight. It’s a Hack&Slay and looks and feels like the Diablo games but I don’t mind, I love those games. To be able to play an updated version is fun.

Here’s the trailer on youtube:

New Books

Last week I was tempted into buying books because I had a 11%-off coupon available. I wanted to buy much more books actually (for ~ 60€) but I managed to tame my “me-want!” side down to books for 30€. Phew!

Here are the books I bought:

Demon Blood by Meljean Brook

My favorite paranormal series.

Period.

There’s nothing more to say.

Academ’s Fury by Jim Butcher

I really liked Furies of Calderon, the first book in the Codex Alera series. So much that I wanted to read the next one right away. Of course I couldn’t because I never (well, at least I can’t think of an example) order several books of a series before I’ve read at least one book in it. But I was very tempted to order all the remaining books in this series together with Academ’s Fury.

The Lawman’s Redemption by Pam Crooks

I like to read Western romances now and then and this sounded interesting: the hero is “as wild as the fierce Montana landscape he roams”* while the heroine is described as “all fine city clothes and polite manners.”* Plus, I like to try new-to-me authors from time to time.

*from Harlequin’s website

One Unashamed Night by Sophia James

Again, a new-to-me author. What made me take notice of the book is that the hero is described as slowly losing his eyesight. I also liked the excerpt = buy.

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas**

I like Kleypas’s contemporary voice and so it was only a question of when I would buy this book. I bought it this time because it was the only book I wanted that was in stock. I have to wait around three weeks for the others to arrive in my “me-want!” hands.

**already read

New Books

On Monday, I didn’t think I would buy books this week but…

New Books

…earlier this week I ordered:

Sarah Mayberry – Her Best Friend

What’s a girl to do when she’s secretly in love with a friend and he’s married to someone else? She gets over it. That’s what Amy Parker has done. Rather than lose her best bud Quinn Whitfield with an ill-timed, crazy confession of affection, she’s taken the smart route. She’s eased away from him. Just enough to get past the unrequited bits. And you know, it’s working.

Until the day Quinn announces he’s now single. That’s right. He’s single. And he wants to hang out. With her. Get reconnected the way they used to be.

Oh, this is so not good for Amy’s equilibrium. Daily doses of Quinn remind her of everything she loves about him. But if he’s free…and she’s free…well, maybe the time has come for one of those crazy confessions.

I like friends-to-lovers stories and I usually like Sarah Mayberry’s novels, so I bought this (and read it already).

…Friday night, while waiting for The Boyfriend to get home from work, I browsed Harlequin’s website. (The first time I did that after I don’t know how many weeks/months.) I ordered these books:

Kristin Hardy – The Boss’s Proposal

He’s good-looking, relentlessly charming—and he’s trouble architect Maxine McBain sure doesn’t need. Even though her new boss Dylan Reynolds has a playboy reputation, he’s working hard to turn a crucial joint company project into his alone. Though she knows the price of mixing business with pleasure, Max has no problem using charm to put Dylan off his game—while keeping herself safely out of passion’s way….

Dylan wanted to wrap up the Portland project quickly to help out his ailing father. But Maxine’s brilliant ideas—and Dylan’s instant attraction to her—are intriguing enough to keep him around for a while. And now he’ll do anything to show her that their sizzling partnership is perfect not only in bed…but for a lifetime.

I like Kristin Hardy’s novels so when I saw she had a new one out I bought it. Simple as that.

Carla Kelly – Marrying the Royal Marine

Illegitimate Polly Brandon has never felt like more than an ugly duckling. So she’s amazed when Hugh Philippe Junot pays her such close attention as they sail for Portugal.

Under ordinary circumstances she knows this distinguished lieutenant colonel of marines would never have looked at her, but having his protection for the journey is comforting—and something more that she’s afraid to give a name to. Should she trust what she sees in Hugh’s eyes—has she turned from an ugly duckling into a beautiful, desirable swan?

I enjoyed the one novel I’ve read by Carla Kelly and when I saw this I thought “Why not?” Also, I like that her characters often are not fabulously titled people.

Lucy Monroe – The Shy Bride

Thrust into the limelight, child star Cassandra timidly enchanted audiences night after night…. But when her parents died, Cass retreated into her own world—too shy to leave her home. Once a year she shares her musical passion by offering lessons in a charity auction…. This year, money talks. The winning bid: $100,000!

Enter Neo Stamos, arrogant Greek tycoon. He wants Cass with a burning desire, though he knows that, shy and sweet, she will need a gentle awakening…. But Neo’s the master of seduction!

Now this one I bought for the author. I wanted to try one of her novels and this is what I got. Dreadful title, btw, especially because reading the blurb, I can’t find the word “bride” – or at least “marriage” – anywhere.

LaVyrle Spencer – Sweet Memories

Ever since Theresa Brubaker had hit adolescence, everyone she met focused on her newly voluptuous body. The unwanted attention made her painfully self-conscious, introverted and shy. Then, one Christmas, her brother arrived home for the holidays with an army buddy.

Brian Scanlon was different; he looked at her eyes, not her chest, and he seemed truly interested in her. With his gentle attention, he brought Theresa out of her shell. She felt alive for the first time in years.

But soon Theresa faced a decision that could free her forever…and tear them apart.

I like LaVyrle Spencer’s novels. Years ago, I read comments about this novel on a forum and when I saw that this one was published again, I bought it. Strange what sticks in one’s brain.

…yesterday, again after work, The Boyfriend stumbled upon a sale – English books for 2,50€ each. He choose these books for me:

• Sue Grafton – R is for Ricochet
• Susan Hill – The Vows of Silence
• Derek Landy – Skulduggery Pleasant – The Faceless One (he bought this because of the cover)

Today (Sunday), I had eight new books, seven of them a total surprise but all the more welcome for it.

March, 4, 2010

I’ve been a good girl today. I managed to do everything I’d planned to do today (job-related and housewife-y stuff!). I did it without my usual bout of procrastinating and – woohoo! – I even sorted all the emails which had accumulated over the last few months in my email accounts. *coughtenmonthscough*

It’s great to log in and see all the recent emails at a glance. Now I no longer need to click *next page* when I’m looking for something. Now I no longer need to feel overwhelmed by the number of emails so that often I didn’t even clicked *next page* in the past. But most of all, now I don’t feel bad when I look at the number of emails and think “you should do something about them.” Now everything looks nice and tidy, and all but the most recent emails are archived. I even color-coded. Let’s see how long this keeps this time. (Oh, and I discovered that I need to write a few emails.)

So what did I do to reward me?

Right: new books!

I ordered:

Looking forward to reading them!

November, 23, 2009

[Edit 2: corrected book title]

I received a coupon yesterday (buy for 25€, get 5€ off). Reason: they worried why I didn’t buy anything from them in the last two months… I was happy to help them worry less. 😀

Yesterday, I ordered:

• Kelley Armstrong – Dime Store Magic
  Let’s see what the witches are up to.
• Ally Blake – Getting Red-Hot with the Rogue
  I liked the ones I read so far.
• Helen Brooks – The Boss’s Inexperienced Secretary
  Her last novels didn’t work as well as some of the ones I read before. Let’s see what I’ll think about this one.
• Kristin Hardy – A Fortune Wedding
  One of my favorite comfort reads authors. Can’t believe I missed this. It was published in June. I hope I’ll still be able to get it.
• Deborah Smith – A Place to Call Home
  I always wanted to read this because it’s friends-to-lovers and when I friend recently mentioned that she liked it a lot, I just had to have it.

And I tried my luck with this book again:

Meljean Brook – Demon Forged

I bought three category novels because there the price doesn’t differ too much (or not at all) from the prices the online bookshop offers I usually use. These six books cost 25,52€ (without the coupon). At “my” bookshop, I would have paid 24,50€. So it was okay but yes, I watch out for those things and try to get the most for my money. I guess I’m just a bit anal that way.

Edit: I just received a new coupon via email. This one because Christmas is coming and this time, it’s from the bookshop I usually use.