Books I Read In December

Dark Curse- Christine Feehan
3 Stars

All I Want For Christmas Is A Vampire- Kerrelyn Sparks
4 Stars

The Devil To Pay- Michele Hauf
3 Stars

Taming The Scotsman- Kinley MacGregor
5 Stars

Dead After Dark- Various Authors
4 Stars

It Happened One Autumn- Lisa Kleypas
5 Stars

Revelations- Melissa De La Cruz
3 Stars

Everynight- Claudia Gray
2 Stars

Dreaming Of You- Lisa Kleypas
5 Stars

Ink Exchange- Melissa Marr
3 Stars

Eyes of Crow- Jeri Smith-Ready
4 Stars

The Viscount Who Loved Me- Julia Quinn
4 Stars

The Celtic Witch & The Sorcerer- Lyn Armstrong
3 Stars

Stone and Sea- Cindy Spencer Pape
3 Stars

Regina In The Sun- R.G. Alexander
4 Stars

Embraced- Lora Leigh
3 Stars

Crossing Swords- Kirsten Saell
4 Stars

King of Hearts- Cheyenne McCray
3 Stars

Healer's Touch- Kirsten Saell
4 Stars

Incarnatio- Lynn Viehl
3 Stars

Tales of Beedle the Bard- J.K. Rowling
3 Stars

Hobbies Before My Book Obsession Took Over

Sometimes it's hard to remember what I did before books became my obsession, but I did have other hobbies. Before Blogger and MySpace I was a big chatter. I could always be found in one of the Yahoo Chats. I got to meet a lot of wonderful people through Yahoo. But chatting has kinda lost its spark for me, kinda boring now. I have a few collections too that took up some of my time. I collect, Angel & Buffy Action Figures. I have nice size Pez collection, and I also collection Dragons.

Click on the graphics to see a bigger picture.

Buffy and Angel Action Figures. I started collection a few years ago. But haven't bought any recently. There's still a few out there I don't have.

This is my small Pez Army. LOL! I have been collecting them since about 1995-1996. At the time they were displayed on one of my book shelfs. But well they kept getting knocked over and of course I need the space for books. So, they got packed away. I do still have some of my favorites out.

These are the newest ones, got them for Christmas.


This was another Christmas present this year, I was very excited to get this one. Mostly because I love the Peanuts gang. This is my first Giant Pez. Not sure If I'll get anymore this size, cause I'm running out of space. :)

Holiday Contest Recap

I'm still getting entries for my last contest, but did offically close on December 25th. Thanks for all who entered! I will be having another big contest in the Spring or Summer. Here's a recap of the winners....

December 20th
Tracy - The Dragon Master By: Allyson James

December 21st
Michelle G. - Shadow Kiss By: Richelle Mead

December 22nd
Katiebabs - Dead After Dark (anthology)

December 23rd
Carolyn Jean - Succubus On Top By: Richelle Mead

December 24th
Sha and Michelle - Marked By Moonlight By: Sharie Kohler

December 25th
Barbara - The Darkest Pleasure By: Gena Showalter
Candice - Prey By: Melina Morel
Brooke Reviews - Night Child By: Jes Battis

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has Happy & Safe Holiday!! :)

Later today I will announce the final three winners of the contest!

What I'm Reading...

I have finished my last paperback of the year. For what's left of the year, I'm gonna catch up on my ebook reading. I bought quite a few this year and just haven't gotten around to them. So, here's what I've been reading....

The Celtic Witch and The Sorcerer is the second book in the Celtic Series. It was a fast enjoyable read. But I have to say I enjoyed the first book a lot more.

Book Description: As a Celtic Witch, Gavenia Roberts possesses the power of good magic. With a few simple words, she can command the weather to do her bidding, ensure a bountiful harvest despite a severe drought, and even summon a star down from the heavens. But all the magic in the world cannot grant Gavenia the one thing she desires most… her freedom.

As powerful as he is ruthless, Laird Tremayne Campbell lives in a world of shadows and carnal perversion. Though he has the ability to wield dark magic with a mere thought, all of his powers cannot protect him from an evil curse that threatens his very existence. To lift the curse, the sorcerer must spill the enchanted blood of a Celtic witch. But after imprisoning Gavenia in his tower, he is enchanted by her beauty and inner light.

Can Tremayne sacrifice Gavenia to save his life and eternal soul? Or will he face the fires of hell for the love of a Celtic witch?

Lyn Armstrong
Buy here: Resplendence Publishing


Stone and Sea I bought on a whim. Just looked like a good one. I'm about halfway through it. Love the cover. This is the first time I've read a book by this author. The story is of shape-shifters, a selkie and a gargoyle. So far I'm really liking it, very steamy. Which is always a good thing. :)

Book Description: Sent to Atlantic City to retrieve an ancient artifact vital to the future of his clan, gargoyle Remy Rocher meets sexy selkie Marina Bell and ends up getting shot for his efforts. Now he has to find the chalice and keep Marina and himself alive — all while dealing with the hottest sex of his life and emotions that scare him more than evil wizards or mobsters with guns.

Cindy Spencer Pape
Buy Here: Ellora's Cave




Regina in the Sun is the first book in the Children of the Goddess series. I just started this one last night, but what I have read so far this book looks like its gonna be a good one.

Book Description: There’s only one place left to run—into forbidden arms. When she arrives at Ye Olde Haven Pub, the sanctuary for Trueblood Vampires, Regina is wounded and desperate. Her only thought is to save the Deva Clan, her family, from the dangerous Loups De L’Ombre, the Shadow Wolves. She knows she will not exactly be welcomed with open arms. She is, after all, an Unborn, the lowest caste of Vampire. As a natural born from the purest line, Zander Sariel knows the rules are sacrosanct—a Trueblood mates with his own kind. But one taste of the young Unborn is all Zander needs to know that rules were made to be broken. With enemies at every turn, Zander risks everything to save Regina from the monster that hunts her, his own kind’s ignorance and—if he must—her lack of faith in her own unique abilities. Only together do they have a chance to defeat the shadow that haunts their future, and save their entire race from extinction.

R.G. Alexander
Buy Here: Samhain Publishing

Looking For A Few Good Dark-Hunters

For the release of the new Sherrilyn Kenyon website OfficalSanctuary.com, the good people at Macmillan are doing a cool promotion. Check it out:

"We are seeking committed, skilled fans to write short synopsis of their favorite Sherrilyn Kenyon books. Every synopsis written will be reviewed by Sherrilyn’s own editor, and the best ones will be selected as official Dark Hunter summaries. These summaries will be posted online in multiple locations—our website, Wikipedia, Facebook, and more—to catch new readers up on the series.

Summaries should:
-Range from 300­­­—500 words
-Include FULL information about the book’s major plot points (don’t worry about ‘spoilers’)
-Be sent to Macmillan (ami.greko@macmillan.com) no later than January 15th, 2008
-Be available to Macmillan and Sherrilyn Kenyon rights-free, for posting online at several different sites, including Wikipedia, Facebook, Myspace, and more


If you would like to participate, please send an email to ami.greko@Macmillan.com indicating the book(s) you would like to cover."

Angel Says What?

Being a fan of both Angel and the Twilight Saga, I had to post this one. LOL!!!

[Review] - Eyes of Crow

Title: Eyes of Crow
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Series: Aspect of the Crow
Genre: Fantasy
Year: 2006

Summary: She was born to die . . . again and again.

For Rhia was bound to the Spirit of Crow, gifted with the foresight of Death's approach and doomed to the isolation of one feared and set apart.

There must always be one whose magic can ease the passage of the people of Asermos to the Other Side. But to be the guide her people require, to truly know the depth of her gift-her curse-Rhia must surrender herself to the wisdom of the Great Forest . . . and drink deeply of Death itself. And though two powerful men stand ready to aid her, even to love her, the Aspect of Crow demands unthinkable sacrifices from the one who walks its path.

Thoughts: I originally hadn't planned on reading this book. Mostly because it didn't seem like my thing. But in the end I'm really glad I read it. I enjoyed it very much,more than I thought I would. Thanks Amy! :) Jeri Smith-Ready has created a wonderfully unique world. Rhia's journey in accepting the crow is an amazing emotional ride. I teared up few times while reading it. Rhia's relationships between both Arcas & Marek were both intense. But I have to say I like Marek alot better than Arcas. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I highly recommend this book especially if you love Fantasy.

Score: 4 Stars

Author's Website: http://www.jerismithready.com/

Aspect of the Crow:
Eyes of Crow
Voice of Crow
The Reawakened

[Review] - Dreaming Of You

Title: Dreaming Of You
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Series: Gamblers
Genre: Historical Romance
Year: 1994

Summary: In the shelter of her country cottage, Sara Fielding puts pen to paper to create dreams. But curiosity has enticed the prim, well-bred gentlewoman out of her safe haven -- and into Derek Craven's dangerous world.

A handsome, tough and tenacious Cockney, he rose from poverty to become lord of London's most exclusive gambling house -- a struggle that has left Derek Craven fabulously wealthy, but hardened and suspicious. And now duty demands he allow Sara Fielding into his world -- with her impeccable manners and her infuriating innocence. But here, in a perilous shadow-realm of ever-shifting fortunes, even a proper "mouse" can be transformed into a breathtaking enchantress -- and a world-weary gambler can be shaken to his cynical core by the power of passion...and the promise of love.

Thoughts: I don't even know how to being to describe how much I liked this book. So, far every book I have read by this author(and there hasn't been too many since I just started reading LK), I've just loved. Besides It Happened One Autumn, Dreaming Of You is my favorite LK book. Our hero Derek Craven is just addicting, and intriguing - even when he's being an ass. I had a hard time putting this one down. Every time I thought of taking a break from reading I'd end up going on to the next chapter, cause I had to find out what happened next. :) This is the second book in the book in the Gamblers series, but it can be read as a stand alone. It's a must read!

Score: 5 Stars

Author's Website: http://www.lisakleypas.com/

Gamblers:
Then Came You
Dreaming Of You

Wolverine Baby!!!

When People Magazine voted Hugh Jackman "Sexiest Man Alive" they actually got something right. :) I can't wait to see this movie. X-Men Origins: Wolverine comes out in May.



If the trailer doesn't play for some reason, here is the link to view it:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlC0XQ6VXNQ

Kreative Blogger Award

My friend Crystal over at Book Reviews by Crystal nominated me for the Kreativ Blogger Award. Thank You! It's always a nice surpise to get one of these awards. :) Now I'm gonna give it to some of my favorite blogs out there.

Here are the rules:
~Mention the blog that gave it to you.
~Comment on their blog to let them know you've posted the award.
~Share 6 Values that are important to you.
~Share 6 things you do not support.
~Share the love with 6 other blogging friends.


***Like the ladies over at The Book Smugglers I've changed a few things to this award/meme. :)


6 New Authors I Plan To Read:
1. Carrie Lofty
2. Helen Scott Taylor
3. Kimberly Frost
4. Lisa Hendrix
5. S.J. Day
6. Pamela Clare (she's new to me)


6 Authors That I Thought I'd Never Read, But Did:
1. Lisa Kleypas
2. Julia Quinn
3. Karen Marie Moning
4. Ann Aguirre
5. Eve Kenin/Eve Silver
6. Judith James


Now for my 6 friends to share this with:

Best Book Pimpin' Blog: Ramblings On Romance Etc...


Best Historical Reviews: Happily Forever After


Best New Blog: The THRILLIONTH Page
(again, this one is new to me. :))


Best Contests: Book Binge


Best Fantasy Recommendations: Romance Book Wyrm


Best Urban Fantasy Reviews: Urban Fantasy Land

Last Contest of 2008

I hadn't planned to do another contest this year. But I have all these books laying around taking up space. I know they could be put to better use elsewhere than in my closet. So, here is the deal Starting December 20th I will be picking a winner each day, and they'll get the book of their choice. On the 25, the last day of the contest, I will pick three winners. To enter leave a comment on this post. If there is certain book you'd like to win from this list, post that too. If you don't have a blogger account please leave your email address, otherwise I have no way of getting a hold of you if you win. Good Luck! :)

Here are the books up for grabs:

The Dragon Master- Allyson James

Succubus On Top- Richelle Mead

Mona Lisa Awakening- Sunny

Warlord- Angela Knight

Prey- Melina Morel

Unmasqued- Colette Gale
Winter Kissed- Michelle Hauf & Vivi Anna

The Luxe- Anna Godbersen

Howling at the Moon- Karen MacInerney

Warrior- Angela Knight

The Darkest Pleasure- Gena Showalter

Shadow Kiss- Richelle Mead

Dead After Dark- Various Authors Including S. Kenyon & J. Ward

Demon Bound- Meljean Brook

Shadow Touch- Marjorie M. Liu

Holiday with A Vampire II- Merline Lovelace & Lori Devoti

Marked By Moonlight- Sharie Kohler

Kiss of Fury- Deborah Cooke

Night Child- Jes Battis

Chasing Midnight- Susan Krinard

***Update***

Contest Closed on December 25th

All I Want For Christmas Winner

Random.org says the winner of All I Want For Christmas Is A Vampire is

BARBARA
Congrats!

:)

Last Trip to Borders....

Well, last trip of the year. LOL! This is what I picked up today:

22 Nights- Linda Winstead Jones

Again the Magic- Lisa Kleypas
(I had other LK books on my list to get but of course they didn't have the ones I was looking for.)

Untamed- Pamela Clare
(Had plan to get Surrender. But I want the new cover, so I had to ordered it. I know I'm picky. :))

City of Bones- Cassandra Clare

The Christmas Countess- Adrienne Basso

Cover Art: Lover Avenged

Rehv it up! I cannot wait to read this book. I think the cover is pretty damn perfect. The only flaw is that they didn't work the color purple in to it. But otherwise I love it. :)

April 28, 2009

http://www.jrward.com/

[Series Spotlight] - Bewitching the Dark

Michele Hauf was the first author in the Nocturne series that I read. Bewitching the Dark is a fun paranormal romance series that mostly contains Vampires, Witches and Werewolves. It's one of my favorite series in the Nocturne line. All the books can be read as stand alones. But books 2 and 3 are connecting stories. Below is little about each book.

Book 1: From The Dark-
Their forbidden love is destined to destroy one or the other. Desperate to master the rage and volatile emotions that have become his nemesis since he was forcefully transformed into a vampire two years earlier, Michael Lynsay, the enigmatic, sexy lead singer for the rock group The Fallen is setting down his microphone for a few months. If he doesn't learn to control the darkness within, he risks exposing his secret and losing grip on his morality. Jane Renan is an old soul, and each decade sees her drawing further from the extraordinary confusion of the world and into her own creative arts. Until she discovers a man who is her complete opposite. Cocky and arrogant, Michael teases at Jane's fickle desires. His sense of humor and sweetness infuses a strange counterbalance to the rock star image he cannot shake, nor does he wish to change his lifestyle of sex, blood and rock n' roll. He is alive and exciting, a prancing peacock who lives for the adoration from his fans. (His fans have dubbed him the Dark Angel because he sometimes wears black angel wings on stage.) Jane recognizes him as someone who can draw her out from her shell—and yet, he could serve useful for a very dark secret she holds. Michael is attracted to her serenity—she calms his monster. Drawn to one another by inexplicable desire, they both hide secrets to cruel realitites that will challenge their very need to love and survive.

Book 2: Kiss Me Deadly-
Death cocktail is what the vampires call a witch's blood. It's poisonous--a drop will destroy a vampire within minutes. Nikolaus Drake is the rare vampire who has survived his first taste. Now he's on the hunt for the witch who almost brought him to his demise-- Ravin Crosse. A witch who spends her nights hunting vampire tribes, Ravin has three obligations to fulfill to set her soul free. One of those obligations--crafting a love spell-- twists her world upside down when Nikolaus draws the spell from her veins. Natural enemies rarely make the best bedfellows--but is it possible their intentions are really, truly the same? Can Nikolaus's tribal loyalty survive if he surrenders to desires far darker than his own?

Book 2.5: Racing the Moon-

Dean Maverick, werewolf, is racing against the full moon when his truck breaks down in the middle of nowhere. A sexy female mechanic named Sunday assesses the damage--and Dean. Sparks crackle between the two of them; they cannot hide their attraction to one another. It'll take a day for parts to arrive; Sunday offers the spare bedroom above her shop for him to stay the night. Dean doesn't have a day, or even a few hours. When the full moon is high in the sky, his inner wolf will emerge--unless he can appease it beforehand with sex. Being a familiar isn't easy for Sunday--sex is a conduit for demons to enter the mortal realm. Most familiars can control this power, but Sunday can't. Every time she climaxes, a demon bridges to this realm, and they're not always friendly. But she can't deny the feral need to help slake Dean's lust. And keeping the wolf at bay will see her safe from an attack--wolves don't like cats. Can a cat and wolf get beyond their prejudices--and overcome their own problems--to bring the wolf to a howling submission?

Book 3: His Forgotten Forever-

Truvin Stone no longer remembered his victims. Or his enemies. As he fought for survival, the only person Truvin could trust was an outsider to his world, an innocent foolish enough to nurse him back to health.. Truvin's past was one story Lucy Morgan couldn't stop chasing, even after she discovered he was a vampire. Drawn in by his dark side, Lucy was one bite away from feeling the true power of his embrace - and his eternal curse. Standing in the midst of a new war, Truvin was the key to tipping the balance between vampire and witch. Yet returning to his old, evil ways would destroy Lucy. and deliver to him a fate worse than death.

Book 4: The Devil To Pay-
Ivan Drake entered this world with a terrible stigma—his parents sold his soul to the Devil Himself before he was even born. A vampire phoenix, who is also a witch—thanks to his parents' blood—Ivan spends his days trying to make the world a better place, fighting to stop the escalating war between the witches and vampires. By night he is the Devil's bounty hunter, unable to control his actions, and fiercely vicious. Now he's been sent to claim the Grande Grimoire, the Book of All Spells guarded by a powerful witch. If he can bring the book to his diabolical master the war may cease, but to take it away from the witch would mean her sure death. Can Ivan give up his own life for the future of the paranormal nations, or will the woman he loves beat him to the sacrifice? (Coming January 1, 2009)

http://www.michelehauf.com/

[Review/Contest:] - All I Want For Christmas Is A Vampire

Title: All I Want For Christmas Is A Vampire
Author: Kerrelyn Sparks
Series: Love At Stake
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Year: 2008

Summary: This Christmas isn’t so merry for Toni. Her best friend’s been locked up in a mental hospital ever since she told the police she was attacked by vampires, and the only way for Toni to get her out is to prove that bloodsuckers really do exist. So she’s taken a job as a bodyguard for the Undead, but she gets more than she's bargained for, especially when she meets Ian MacPhie, a Scottish rascal looking for Ms. Right.

Although Ian’s nearly five centuries old, he looks and acts like a twenty-seven-year-old hunk. How can a dead man be so damn sexy? Could Mr. Wrong be Mr. Right? One forbidden kiss could lead to an eternity of passion—and all it takes is one moment under the mistletoe . . .

Thoughts: This is the 5th book in the series. So, far I have enjoyed reading all of the books in the series. The author writes really fun and exciting vampires. But so far my favorites have been the Scottish Vamps that run the Security firm in the series. They play a major role in each book, but have only been the hero in two of the books. This one, and Be Still My Vampire Heart. Hopefully more of the Scottish hotties with be featured in future books. If your looking for something fun to read, any of these books would be in that category.

Score: 4 Stars

Author Website: http://www.kerrelynsparks.com/

Love at Stake Series:
How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire
Vamps And The City
A Very Vampy Christmas (Sugarplums & Scandal Anthology)
Be Still My Vampire Heart
The Undead Next Door
All I Want For Christmas Is A Vampire

Upcoming Releases:
Secrets Life Of A Vampire- March 31
Forbidden Nights With A Vampire- April 28

**CONTEST**
I have a copy of All I Want For Christmas Is A Vampire up for grabs. To enter just leave a comment on this post. I'll pick the winner on December 12th. :)

Books I Read In November

After Dark- Delilah Devlin
3 Stars

Hidden- Eve Kenin
4 Stars

Lady Of Light and Shadow- C.L. Wilson
4 Stars

One Silent Night- Sherrilyn Kenyon
5 Stars

Bound By Fate- Amanda Cummings
5 Stars

A Fragile Trust- Helen Kirkman
3 Stars

Angel's Pain- Maggie Shayne
4 Stars

Seduce Me At Sunrise- Lisa Kleypas
5 Stars

Mahina's Stomr- Vivi Anna
3 Stars

In The Blood- Adrian Phoenix
4 Stars

Living With The Dead- Kelley Armstrong
3 Stars

Revelation- Patrice Michelle
4 Stars

Demon Bound- Meljean Brook
4 Stars

Legacy- Jeanne C. Stein
3 Stars

Secrets of A Summer Night- Lisa Kleypas
4 Stars

Shadow Kiss- Richelle Mead
3 Stars

Unmasqued- Colette Gale
4 Stars

The Duke And I- Julia Quinn
5 Stars

Frost & Flame- Stella and Audra Price
3 Stars

Selene- Lilith Saintcrow
4 Stars