Halloween Pages and Some Books

Happy Halloween! I haven't been scrapbooking much lately, but I thought I'd post some Halloween pages I've done in the past. Enjoy!

Boo, Page 1
Boo, Page 2
The Ghoul Wore Pink, Page 1
The Ghoul Wore Pink, Page 2
Trick or Treat, Page 1
Trick or Treat, Page 2
Trick or Treat, Page 3
Trick or Treat, Page 4

I'm woefully behind on talking about the books I've read lately, but here are two:

Miss Match by Leslie Carroll: 2 out of 5

Everyone has plots they enjoy, and for some reason, I'm drawn to stories about matchmakers and advice columnists. In Miss Match, Walker runs his mother's matchmaking service in her absence. After seeing his mother's multiple marriages fail, he has an understandably pessimistic view of marriage. Then Kate walks in, determined to try the matchmaking service and find someone she can settle down with.

I liked the fact that Walker and Kate are 30+ years old--I wish that more books out there focused on older couples. Miss Match is also humorous and witty. So why the 2? For a few reasons: (1) Although the dialogue is witty, it didn't quite sound real to me. Walker has a friend he talks with, Kate chats with her sister, and they are all witty. There is so much talk, though, that I felt almost distanced from the characters. At times their conversations seem too intellectual. (2) I was quite frustrated with Walker halfway through the novel. The man spends too much time vacillating. He knows that Kate wants a relationship that could lead to marriage, so he needs to decide either that he's willing to try or that he's not. The halfway stuff was frustrating. (3) I was easily able to put this book down. Two weeks passed from the time I started to the time I finished it. Since I read quickly, it says something when it takes me this long to finish a book.

I had better luck with Houston, We Have a Problem by Erin McCarthy: 4 out of 5. Houston and Josie are both doctors who work at the same hospital. When Houston is around, Josie becomes uncharacteristically clumsy, dropping files and folders. This behavior drives Houston crazy in more ways than one. At first, he worries about her competence. Then he realizes there's a connection between her clumsiness and his presence. So he comes up with a proposition: they'll spend a night having sex and getting the other out of their systems.

If you think this sounds cold, you'd be right. Houston starts out as a love-'em-and-leave-'em type, who thinks one night will be enough for him. After some thought, Josie agrees to the plan and they have a passionate evening until Houston is called back to the hospital and their night comes to an abrupt end.

Of course, Josie and Houston discover that the attraction is still there, and they have to decide what to do about it. I won't say much more about the plot to avoid spoilers, but circumstances ensure that Houston and Josie get to know each other in nonsexual ways, and I enjoyed learning more about both characters and seeing their relationship evolve.

Out of the three books I've read by Erin McCarthy, Houston, We Have a Problem is my least favorite. That's not saying much, though, since I still give it a 4. Her other two books, Bad Boys Online and Smart Mouth are also 4 out of 5. If you haven't read any of her books, I highly recommend them. Keep in mind that they are on the steamy side.

Back to my TBR shelf . . .

Alyssa