Paranormal Historical Romance (yep, you read that right)

I received Theft of Shadows by Naomi Bellis as a review novel for the Historical Novel Society, and just finished it today. The fact that it's a historical romance made me intrigued, and the fact that it's a paranormal historical romance really had me interested. While it turned out to be all right, I can't say I just loved it. It's definitely well-written, and I did enjoy the characters, though they were a bit on the cliched side. I did like the fact that it took a period in history (regency) and gave it a new spin by throwing in a paranormal aspect. Ms. Bellis certainly has talent as a romance writer; despite the occasional cringe-worthy phrase--"especially not a woman who kissed like the perfect mating of an angel and a tavern wench"--she also had range in the words she used and humor in the way she used them. While Theft of Shadows is out of my comfort zone in some ways--you KNOW I love paranormal, and you KNOW I love historical--I can say that I did enjoy it overall. I just didn't *love* it.

Here's the link to my amazon review: http://tinyurl.com/249fnz. My review for the Historical Novel Society will be found in the pages of their periodical.

~taminator40

Kilgannon Review and A Romance Question

In what I hope turns out to be a good omen for the summer reading season, I finished Kilgannon this afternoon, my first "official" book I've finished since getting out of school on Friday. I'd picked it up last week to jumpstart my reading, particularly in light of the fact that I was struggling a bit with the Sean Astin book. I'm not sure why I had this book in Mt. TBR in the first place, other than it'd received good reviews and someone I know must've recommended it. It didn't disappoint; it wasn't the very best romance I've ever read (Outlander by Diana Gabaldon wins that one, hands down--come to think of it, it's one of the best books of all types I've read), but the book was good, and realistic in many ways. No steamy sex (darn! LOL), but a wonderful emotional bonding set against a backdrop of the era of Queen Anne of England and the beginnings of the Jacobite uprising. If you are interested, here is the link to my amazon review:
http://tinyurl.com/2ggrjz

All of this has me thinking, too; why do I feel the need to defend my reading whenever I mention that I've read (and heaven forbid, enjoyed) a romance? Why do people look down on romance as though it's some sort of sub-genre only those who aren't erudite will enjoy? The fact is, I've read romance for years, beginning with Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss way back in junior high. Of course I read it for the emotional connection; why else would I pick up a book that is slightly formulaic and filled with sexual energy? Almost all the romances I've read in recent years have been of the historical variety, though I do enjoy contemporary at times, particulary those of Jennifer Crusie, but honestly, it doesn't matter. I'm here to say now what I know several people feel but won't express due to the expected derision: I like reading romance novels! As long as they are well-written and mostly believable, I'll continue to read them and enjoy them, and I will no longer feel like less of an academic reader simply because I enjoy the brain candy at times. So there. :)

~taminator40