On the Joys of Re-reading Favorite Books . . .

Just a few comments -- I have been reading lots of print books as well as ebooks for The Book Binge and just haven't done much for myself and my own reading list. That's not to say that I haven't enjoyed the books I read for review. I encounter authors I would probably not recognize and therefore not tend to buy if it were not for the pre-publication tomes I receive. Just one of the perks of being a reviewer and I am enjoying it a great deal.

However, one of the joys in which I have indulged recently is rereading some of my favorites. I have just finished both Here Kitty Kitty as well as Go Fetch by Shelly Laurenston, one of the best and, I might add, wittiest writers I have encountered. Just such good stories as well as wonderful characters. Those three best friends: Sara, the Alpha Female of the Magnus Pack, Angelina Santiago, mate and fashion mavin for a tiger-shifter, and Miki, the genius IQ mate to Conall, best friend and second in command to the Magnus Pack Alpha. Three friends who were all mistreated, psychologically and physically and emotionally abused by their families, just manage to find one another's strengths and live weird, off-the-charts lives that are absolutely hyusterical in so many ways. I am now in the process of rereading Pack Challenge which is the first book in that series.

I have also just completed rereading Samantha Kane's Brothers in Arms series -- all seven novels, and have once again been impressed that in spite of the similarity of the stories, they all manage to be different in significant ways, largely because the characters and their own unique experiences in the Napoleonic War have changed them. All have been seriously scarred by the horrors of that war; all have found "brothers in arms" that have helped to keep the "demons" at bay. But in each case, the love of a good woman and the warmth and sharing of those threesomes has made it possible to experience healing and a future that is wrapped in hope of one sort or another. Kane is a very good writer with a hefty sense of that historical period and a proven ability to craft characters that are strong, imperfect, and believable.

And last, I have also re-read several of Ellora's Cave novels in the Cougar Challenge series by various authors. All are about older women who have taken a challenge as issued by others who contribute to a blog called Tempt the Cougar. Each is coming out of difficult circumstances and each is needing somehow to redeem her own sense of self-worth, renew her sense of personal and/or sexual vitality, convince herself that an "ex" is wrong about her size, lack of attractiveness, sexual prowess, etc. These are very good stories written by some of the proven mavins of erotic romance. And the sizzle factor is always there, but the main ingredient in these stories is how each woman is redeemed from her age related depression or her belief that she is "over the hill." Some of these women form lasting relationships with their new loves, while others go into a "wait and see how this all plays out" kind of mode. But without giving anything away, all are stories that warm the cockles of the heart with seeing how older women re-discover their personal magic. And believe it or not, there really are men out there who adore women of maturity.

Hope you are all having a good week and that these "dog days" of summer are treating you well. Here in So. California we are having an unusually mild August. Normally the temperature is baking everything in sight. We will take all the "mildness" we can get!! Best wishes to all my friends and followers and all who stop by.

Until next time . . .