Day 5 of Smugglivus
Who: Carolyn Jean from The Thrillionth Page
The Thrillionth Page is one of our favorite blogs and it is all down to the gloriously creative CJ. Her reviews come in many formats: thoughts as she reads the books or post-reading reflections in which she examines her reactions and how she enjoyed the books , all wrapped up with depth and imagination. She sometimes blogs with her other persona, the creepy sweet little CJ and they are both here today!
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Carolyn Jean and Little CJ’s Smugglivus post!
Happy Smugglivus, everybody from Carolyn Jean
and little CJ
CAROLYN JEAN:
I read so many great books that came out this year, it’s hard to pick my favorites, and I’m not going to rank them. But I want to talk about a few of my standouts, not in any specific order.
The Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne
CAROLYN JEAN:
Fabulous historical about a lady French Spy and a hunky English spy. Honestly, this book took over my mind and swept me off my feet—the characters, the plot, the twists and turns. So good. I never wanted it to end.
LITTLE CJ:
Carolyn Jean was so excited about this one, she made her husband read it. He was going on a trip on a plane and she made a fake cover for it, so he wouldn’t be embarrassed reading it in front of the other passengers. He thought the book was lame. She still can’t understand it. Hello, it’s a chick book!
Demon Night by Meljean Brook
CAROLYN JEAN:
Another of Brook’s exciting and inventive Guardian series. This one was about a kind of rough and tumble Wild West angel and a scrappy girl bartender. Pure reading pleasure! I loved the way the characters’ personalities fed into the conflict here. Lots of plotty yumminess and psychological goodness.
LITTLE CJ:
Psychological goodness…ah yes, Ms. Freud, you are so astute. Tell the truth. You liked the way Ethan talked during sex in that desert scene. You thought it was so hot to read about, because you are into sex talk! And let me just say, certain people who have girlhood portraits hanging on the wall should monitor the ways they act and the things they say!
Dark Desires after Dusk by Kresley Cole
CAROLYN JEAN:
Book 5 from the Immortals series. I just didn’t want to put this one down! I loved the characters, the conflict, the entertainingly high stakes. It was just tons of fun. I can’t wait for her next, Demon King, out in February!
LITTLE CJ:
Carolyn Jean is really in awe (coughjealouscough) of Kresley Cole for how she balances her stories. Carolyn thinks Cole can never top this book; furthermore, she believes Cole possesses a unique ability to make things look simple that really aren’t, as well as a special recklessness and detachment that makes her an excellent author, qualities Carolyn Jean knows she can never gain by force of will. Boo hoo!
Death of a Pirate King by Josh Lanyon
CAROLYN JEAN:
Wow, all my books are parts of series this year! Anyway, this is book 4 in the Adrian English mystery series. These books are just so thoroughly entertaining and witty. I love being inside Adrian’s head, and this one managed to be both funny, plotty and poignant all at the same time.
LITTLE CJ:
Carolyn Jean is one of those smug people who think they can figure out the endings of things, and if she can’t, she thinks the ending either wasn’t somehow “earned” or else was a ‘ghost in the machine’ that is, a cheat. However, this book totally defied her. It had an ending that she didn’t guess, but it flowed perfectly from the text when you look at the book in hindsight, shocking the hell out of Carolyn Jean. Snap.
Predictions for 2009!!
Sookie Stackhouse
CAROLYN JEAN:
Eric and Sookie will get together. I strongly feel it will be Eric in the end, because he has that core of sweetness she uncovered in a certain book, and it will be back again, I know it!
LITTLE CJ:
Sookie goes with Tiger guy. He bites her and turns her into a tiger and she mauls Eric.
Paranormal trends
CAROLYN JEAN:
Shape shifters, vampires and demons will continue to be strong. Fae will be middling, and ghosts are a non-starter. (Aside from Kresley Cole’s book #4)
LITTLE CJ:
2009 will be the year of the were-elephant, where normal humans magically transform into giant lumbering beasts who can’t fit into their jeans. Oh, wait, that’s just Carolyn Jean. She overdid it on the cookies this holiday.
Hero trends
CAROLYN JEAN:
Alpha heroes will continue to be popular.
LITTLE CJ:
* gasp! * Here’s the deal: Carolyn Jean couldn’t think of any more predictions, so she went with this one. Yeah, that’s really a bold one, Carolyn Jean.
Interior decoration
CAROLYN JEAN:
Budding authors will contemplate redoing their office décor, removing certain childhood portraits that their great aunts painted of them and put up other portraits instead.
LITTLE CJ:
* gulp! *
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Thanks CJ and Little CJ! : D
Next on Smugglivus – Kate of What Kate’s Reading
18 Comments
KMont
December 30, 2008 at 7:19 amLMAO! I love the predictions. Another great team effort, Carolyn Jean and Little CJ!
I’m going out on a limb and agreeing most with the alpha heroes still being popular.
I have got to read Meljean’s books! I have the first full length one, so what is holding my lame ass up?
And YES!! Sookie and Eric, Sookie and Eric! *to the beat of tribal drums and a Bill sacrificial dance*
Kati
December 30, 2008 at 7:53 amI love, love, love CJ! And frankly, Little CJ. CJ, I’ve read three of your five favorites, and I totally covet your knack of making me immediately add a book to my TBB list.
And I agree about the Cole book. But again I ask, why oh why do they saddle her with such ridiculous titles?? Why?
Carolyn Jean
December 30, 2008 at 8:04 amHey Ana and Thea, thanks SO much for your sweet intro and for having me on this momentous holiday.
Kmont: Thanks…and oh, oh, hear us, Charlaine. Heeeeeaaaaar us.
Kati: Right back at you on the love! And you know, I never had a problem with the Cole titles, but just today I was having an exchange with LB on Dark Deeds and Dark Desires and I couldn’t remember which was which or what either of the titles were. But I like their quirkiness.
Carolyn Jean
December 30, 2008 at 8:05 amYay Smugglivus
Wendy
December 30, 2008 at 8:23 amLittle CJ scares me a little. LOL.
Sookie and Eric? Hells yeah!!
Li
December 30, 2008 at 8:25 amLOLOL. I love Little CJ.
And I would so love for the Sookie and Eric prediction to come through.
Katiebabs a.k.a KB
December 30, 2008 at 9:07 amWhat about were-sheep Little CJ??
OH yes, more sex talk in books is much needed!!
I am still upset that Cade’s horns were not licked *pout*
Tracy
December 30, 2008 at 9:17 amCJ you’ve done it again. Another wonderfully creative and funny post.
Were-Elephants – interesting concept. I think that will be me – too big to fit in my jeans! lol You’re not the only one CJ!
Love, love, love your book choices. All favs of mine as well!
Angiegirl
December 30, 2008 at 9:46 amGreat predictions, Carolyn Jean. Sookie and Eric must be together. That is all there is to it.
Tiah
December 30, 2008 at 9:56 amCJ is awesome! I love the were-elephant, that was hilarious! Oh, and I’m totally doing the fake book cover thing on my husband. {{insert evil laugh}}
Renee
December 30, 2008 at 11:40 amLoved the CJ & little CJ show! Is no animal safe from were-ing? LOL
I've got my guy listening to Outlander right now. The benefit of audiobooks: no embarrassing covers to hide for the ‘manly’ guy!
OK, so now the reading order must be: finish Psy-Changeling, then read BDB, then Guardian series.
Abby
December 30, 2008 at 12:18 pmGood choices… I am finally going to get around to reading Meljean Brook. (First book is on its way to me.)
Little CJ is scary, but I’m not sure her potential replacement is any better!
Sarah
December 30, 2008 at 1:21 pmYou are too good. Laughed my behind off and so nice to see Little CJ again. O-o really…
I love Charlaine Harris and her gorgeous books. I hope Eric does make a reappearance and not Bill!! Loving the TV series also, super cool.
Karin
December 30, 2008 at 1:50 pmI totally enjoyed this post. Carolyn Jean and CJ make quite the pair. The predictions were quite interesting and I am anxious to see how they pan out over the next year.
Kris
December 30, 2008 at 2:24 pmCJ and Little CJ never fail to crack me up.
I’m loving the were-elephants. One of the benefits of having a Summer Christmas – you get to hide the excesses under floaty layers of the ‘maxi’ (great name) dress.
I just finished ‘From Dead to Worse’ and I’m definitely voting for Eric and Sookie.
Thanks for the cool post.
Sayuri
December 30, 2008 at 4:58 pmI also loved how Ethan talked during the smexin in Demon Night and it kicke dof my cowboy fetish! ..
All your fav books of this year were my fav books. Especially DOAPK! LOVED IT!
Marg
January 1, 2009 at 2:19 amYet more books that I have been intending to read one day! I think I need about 3 months off work just to read. Oh, and some new glasses so that I don’t get migraines for that whole time!