All right, all right, all right

Several of you lovely people have let me know that I've been absent too long. Thanks for thinking of me. I plead technical difficulties and flu, but you're quite right, it's time to get back to it.

Mr Sneeze and Mr Cough have been keeping me busy. The only book I've read lately is Jo Beverley's Devilish, from the Malloren series set in Georgian England.

I chose Devilish out of convenience (I could reach it without getting out of bed), but I greatly enjoyed it. I've read it before, and found it every bit as interesting this time around. Reading it a page or two at a time, with occasional backtracking, gave it a feeling akin to the "slow read" done in rehearsing a stage play. It's the most detailed read I've given a book in a while, and it got the book thoroughly stuck in my head.

If you haven't read the Malloren books, I suggest starting with the first one--the youngest brother's story, My Lady Notorious. The middle books didn't speak to me quite the same way, but they set the stage intriguingly for Devilish. For me, Devilish is the "keeper" in the series--it has a great combination of intelligent, passionate characters, bizarre historical figures, and consistent pacing.

I'd like to write more about the Malloren books some other time. Right now I'm going to be expedient and dig up some book reviews I have sitting around. That should entertain you impatient types.