I have to return the curtains I got for the picture window. They're about 4" too short. I don't want the drapes brushing the floor but I forgot to add the inches 'above' the window that I'd be affixing the rod to the wall. Also have to return 3 glass door pulls. I got the polished nickel ones, then when I went back to get more, they only had the oiled bronze finish. I put the polished nickel ones on doors that were in a corner where they wouldn't be noticed, and because I was too lazy to return them at the time, but if I'm exchanging the curtains, might as well exchange the knobs.
I'm also returning two books today, one was described as an erotic thriller. It further caught my interest because it seems to feature an interracial couple. But it's neither erotic nor thrilling *to me*. The erotic part I can understand, it's reading more *pr0nish* to me, but that's a subjective thing. What's not subjective is the total lack of suspense/thriller subplot. It's not lame. It's just not there. I've actually taken to leaving DNF books on the public transportation for someone else to try their luck in the last couple of weeks, but I've had it now. I want my money back.
The other book is billed as a Regency take on a popular show. A show I like by the way. I took that to mean the *premise* of the show would be explored within a Regency setting. Instead it seemed like the author took a character/actor (mannerisms, physical description and all) and plunked them into a Regency. There were character inconsistencies, especially with the 'Rake' hero who didn’t seem all that rakish to me. Furthermore, the execution of storytelling when something like this: a couple of lines of dialogue exchange (if that) followed by blahblahblahinternalmeanderingsblahblahblahbackstoryblahblahblah, then a couple more lines of dialogue.
To make matters worse, I just finished a truly C read. I think C reads are the worse. If it was a D/F read it would be so easy to put down. But a 'meh' read, that's *just* interesting enough to keep you reading just sucks.
I'm finally going to crack open Courting the Courtesan. I've been saving it, because I tend to either save my (assumed will be) "good reads" for times like this when I hit dud after dud. Or I dive right into them. Ironically when I first heard about this book I thought: "Yawn. Another super-sexy Historical", which was ironic because Super-sexy Historicals are my absolutely fav(!). But I was tired of the emphasis on sex over plot/character and felt (assumed) this book fell into that latter category.
Then all the discussions started up. Including the hot button 'forced-seduction/rape' thing and right away I thought 'gotta get that book!' *gg* I'm contrary that way. Not that I care for rape in my romance reading, and unlike a number of people I was never struck (initially) with the scene in To Have And To Hold as rape, but as forced seduction. I can see were others see it as rape though, I'm still viewing it as FS.
Jorrie has a bunch of links to relevant posts around the blogosphere. Lots of great points on both sides. I fall in line with Jennifer Cruisie's take on it, with the exception that I will read edgy stuff like this to see how it's handled. On a lighter note, while sexual assault is in no way a joking matter. One of my favourite cartoons on tv right now is Aqua Teen Hunger Force. And one of my favourite episodes is Hand Banana.
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2 comments:
I'm about 50pages into CtC. The H/h are two damaged people and alot of powerful emotion. The characters seem real, the emotions deep and complex and I think that's part of the reason peeps have reacted so strongly to this book. No I haven't gotten to the 'scene' in question yet, but the book is very dark, with characters suppressing quite a bit of emotion. I can see why the author went the full route rather than pulling her punches. I'll comment here again as I go along.
Well. Mixed reaction. I loved a lot about the book. I really liked the charactars, their complexity, flaws, vulnerabilities and darkness. I didn't totally believe the change in the hero. He was a completely different person, I couldn't recognize the man he'd been at the begining of the book. He might have been 'redeemed' but he was a pale, dare I say 'conventional(?)' shadow of himself. He lost depth imo. I take back what I said before I think the story could have been done without the rape/forced seduction. A fine line was walked there. The author indicates that the heroine's body did respond to the hero's erm, manipulations(?) which I guess would be the FS part of it, but while he wasn't violent, she absolutely did not want the act to happen. We were very clearly in her mind/pov while it happened and know that she took no pleasure in the act. I think the second half (2/3rd?) was slower. It might have been interesting if they had gotten married and then we were shown their struggles to become accepted by larger society, etc. It just felt like the book lost steam after the 100 page mark (or even sooner). But now I'm rewriting Ms. Campbell's book and that's not fair. In anycase I think it's a book worth reading and I applaud her for taking the chances she did. I just wish the latter part of the book had better fulfilled the promise of the first part. Also, while I know the relationship was sexual, I think I could have stood less detailed description of each time they did it. Which brings me to another point, I found the book was not as 'erotic/hot' as I expected, especially given how active the H/h were. I actually found the first part of the book when it was mostly sexual tension and teasing kisses far more sensual and hot than when they final tumbled into bed and he took his revenge.
I'd definitely read another book by Ms. Campbell, though.
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