Nothing gets me more excited than the thought of free books, so when I heard about Transworld's Summer Reading Challenge, I signed up straight away! You choose four books from Transworld's list, they send you one to read, you review it and they send you the next on your list (no, I did not choose Dan Brown!).My choices were:
- Matters of the Heart by Danielle Steel
- If I Stay by Gayle Forman
- Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
- Second Hand Heart by Catherine Ryan Hyde
It's been ages since I've read any Danielle Steel, and I was anxious to see if it was the same as I remembered. I spent one summer living in Texas with no telly, no radio and no furniture. But I did live close to a second-hand bookshop and Danielle Steel novels became my escape.
You know what you're getting when you read one: woman (usually living in Boston or New York) has a tragedy; woman moves to California; woman meets wrong man; woman meets right man (of course I'm generalising, but you get the idea). With fast-paced narrative and some very hunky heroes, it's a definite recipe for success.
Matter of the Heart differs slightly in that there's nothing about California. The same general formula is there, though, like a security blanket to latch onto. You just know that no matter what the heroine's been through, it will come out all right in the end. And it did! It was a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Have you read any Danielle Steel? Thoughts, opinions?
Gosh, the last DS book I read was maybe...12-15 years ago. I think it was called The Gift. It was "meh".
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think the thing about Danielle Steel is that it's almost like a bedtime story. You know the heroine will go through loads of evil stuff, but it will all come out right in the end!
ReplyDeleteI read a DS book last year and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Can't remember the name, but the heroine's father went down with the Titanic.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever read a DS book, but definitely have heard much about them! I see Prep on your list, and heard it's a good story. Will be interested to hear your take on it.
ReplyDeleteI have not read Danielle Steele. I did start The Lost Symbol and am also reading 61 Hours from Lee Child at the moment.
ReplyDeleteStephen Tremp
Yay for Brigid I'm sure she'll be delighted when she see's she's won!!!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of hers but I've always thought about. When I see too many for one author I tend to sway away because there are too many possibilities... silly huh? I think I am in the mood for love though and have an unread Susan Elizabeth Phillips novel waiting at my house to be read, I think it's time it's opened!
Happy Wednesday Talli!
Talli, although my throat is still sore, I hate summer colds,
ReplyDeletemy spirits have been lifted by MY WIN - Thanks so much I am so excited and going away next week in Ireland for hols so will be delighted to read
Keris's book on a hopefully sunny beach somewhere.
The gods are finally listening.
Ps, thanks for today's book review.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Brigid! Danielle Steele is a good choice, I've always loved her books. Haven't ready any for ages, for like 30 years! She & I are about the same age, and she always made me feel guilty, writing with 5 kids, while I had 5 kids and wasn't writing.
ReplyDeleteI love those books where you know the endings will be okay. Comfort books. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've read any Danielle Steel - at least not in years. I'll have to try one again one of these days.
I haven't read DS in years either. Interesting to read that her formula is still the same, just a different setting. Enjoy the rest of your books... I'll look forward to reading about them.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Talli! Not my type of book. I'd probably lose man points, too.
ReplyDeleteReviews for free books to read sounds like a fair exchange to me.
ReplyDeleteI've never read a DS book. Can you believe it? :)
ReplyDeleteI tried two or three of Danielle Steel's books before I gave up. Her style is too much 'tell' and not enough 'show' for me. I know she has legions of fans, so she's evidently doing plenty right, but no writer can please every reader.
ReplyDeleteI like comfort books to a point, then I want something that isn't predictable. But Steele is an excellent writer, published and read which we'd all like to be!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendations! I'll have to check out that reading challenge. I haven't read Danielle Steel, but I'm curious. And I'm trying to avoid reading the books on my dissertation reading list; it's somehow easier to procrastinate in the summer.
ReplyDeleteHooray for Brigid!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever read a Daniel Steel book. Maybe in high school? My mom reads those books so they were lying around.
Enjoy your free books!
I probably read one or two of them when I was in secondary school around the same time that I was reading Jackie Collins (oh dear)...
ReplyDeletePrep is great though, have fun with it!
I wish i had known about the transworld challenge, sounds like fun.
ReplyDeleteI doubt that I will be reading any more Danielle Steel. You can read my thoughts via the links below Talli, if you have time and the inclination.
LindyLouMac's Book Reviews: Sisters by Danielle Steel
Sep 26, 2009
In this very weak novel from Danielle Steel we are told the story of a year of emotional tumult in the lives of the four Adam's sisters. The youngest is twenty-one year old Candace known simply as 'Candy' around the world due to her ...
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspot.com/
hrh by danielle steel read in february 2008 over the years i have ...
Mar 31, 2009
over the years i have read around twenty of danielle steel's novels. a small proportion in fact considering she has written over 70! not an author that i am a huge fan of, but having said that her books are always a satisfying quick and ...
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Wow, I thought almost everyone had read a DS book (except for men - so Alex, you're excused!).
ReplyDeleteQueenie - Funny you say that, because as I was reading I was thinking it was a lot of telling!
Ooh, that sounds like a good idea. Enjoy your books!
ReplyDeleteI've never read Danielle Steel but she is one of my mother's faves. :)
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, despite the fact that I read hundreds of romance books a year, I've only been able to finish maybe three of her books. Something about them just didn't work for me. Looking back, I think it was the fact that I don't like a lot of description and I remember, from maybe 15 years ago, reading one and she spent forever (or at least it felt like it) describing a house. I didn't care aobut the house--I wanted the action.
ReplyDeleteThat challenge sounds pretty cool though. & Congrats to Brigid. :)
You gave away the ending!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good read for escape but if it doesn't take place in California--so where does the action occur?
I have to admit to not reading any Danielle Steel but rather to watching a load of her books made into films (she has or had a special tv channel just devoted to filming her books) and me and my mum would just watch them back to back!! They were so engrossing and I loved them even if the stories kind of blurred and only the names and setting changed and they were all the same really - but such weepies!!! And a great formula!!
ReplyDeleteA happy woman faces tragedy is forced to fight back does so with aplomb and after climbing out of a catastrophe finds true love and eternal happiness! You can't go wrong with that can you really?!?!
:-)
Oh YAY to Brigid for winning!!!! Good for her!!
Take care
x
I've read a little bit of Danielle Steele, though I can't remember which book it may have been... I'm pretty sure it had a woman in California though!
ReplyDeleteOh my Danielle Steele - its been ages. A dear Aunt of mine used to have bookshelves full of DS. I think she had a subscription to a bookclub. And I confess to picking one out on a quiet weekend many many years ago.
ReplyDeleteThe plotlines were the same formula, and I do like a happy ending! *whispers* I would've like a little more spice though!
Never read any DS, but you lived in Texas for a Summer? Poor you. It's hot here!! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't remember ever reading a Danielle Steele novel. I should probably try one one of these days (when the TBR pile gets a little smaller!)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of her books in years. Back before I had my daughter I spent my summers sunbathing (my bad) reading romances...But now I'm busy reading mg, ya and picture books...
ReplyDeleteHappy reading, Talli!
Any reading challenge that sends you the books is awesome!
ReplyDeleteI can't remember if I've ever read Danielle Steele. My mom read tons, but hmmmm...might have to give it a whirl. She's certainly prolific enough!
Talli, I just finished and reviewed this too - I thought it was a really easy read. Never read any of hers before and like Queenie said (was it?) she does do a little too much TELL and not enough SHOW. It hasn't made me yearn to read more of hers, though. I hope you like 'If I stay' - I read that just before hearing about this challenge - get some tissues ready!
ReplyDeleteShe was a staple in Jr. High for me, but it has been AGES. I like the 'tragedy heads person on life journey' piece, but somewhere along the lines grew really annoyed with 'hunky men' (I see your disbelief--really, I like them if they just shut up and dance like I like, but they are like Santa Claus--the GOOD ones don't exist... you look like that, you're a jerk, so I can't hold romantic interest or permit a heroine to) Color me jaded. It is why I don't read genre romance. Chick list is fine--the men in those are more balanced and the women know happiness is more than just great sex that completes them.
ReplyDeleteCongrat Brigid! Never read DS but maybe will pick up a copy soon
ReplyDeleteHope you're well Talli
I love Danielle Steel, I am never disapointed with her booksx
ReplyDeleteI JUST stumbled on the Summer Reading Challenge and asked to be included, how eerie! Love your book choices, though I have to say I'm not a Danielle Steel fan.
ReplyDelete