Shifter Challenge 2011

I know, I know! Too many challenges, right? I just can't seem to be able to stop singing up for them. *blushes*

Parajunkee is hosting this reading challenge. Below are the details.


THE RULES:

Post about this challenge on your blog stating that you are participating. 

Grab the button and display it in the post (use grab code underneath the button) or on your sidebar so others can join in the fun

Challenge goes from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011

The challenge is to read 20 books that have a SHIFTER as a main character, either protag or antagonist

I'll add the books below as I read them.

1.  A Werewolf in Manhattan - Vicki Lewis Thompson
2. A Hunger Like No Other - Kresley Cole
3. Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night - Kresley Cole
4. Pleasure of a Dark Prince - Kresley Cole
   
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Vampire Challenge 2011

 

Parajunkee is hosting this reading challenge. Below are the details.

THE RULES:

1.  Post about this challenge on your blog stating that you are participating.
2.  Grab the button and display it in the post (use grab code underneath the button) or on your sidebar so others can join in the fun.
3.  Challenge goes from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011
4.  The challenge is to read 20 books that have a vampire as a main character, either protag or antagonist

I'll add the books below as I read them

1. American Vampire - Jennifer Armintrout
2. The Warlord Wants Forever - Kresley Cole
3. A Hunger Like No Other - Kresley Cole
4. Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night - Kresley Cole
5. Dark Needs at Night's Edge - Kresley Cole

Nicholas Sparks Reading Challenge

Book Vixen is hosting this reading challenge. Below are the details.

Details:

* Runs January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011(books read prior to 1/1/11 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime
* The goal is to read or re-read as many Nicholas Sparks novels as you’d like. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
* Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
* Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine.

Levels:

• First Date – Read 1–4 Nicholas Sparks novels
• Going Steady – Read 5–8 Nicholas Sparks novels
• Engaged – Read 9–12 Nicholas Sparks novels
• Married – Read 13–16 Nicholas Sparks novels 

I'm choosing the "Going Steady" Level. I don't know what books I'll read yet. I'll post them below as I read them.

100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2011

 Book Chic City is hosting this reading challenge. Below are the details.

Challenge Details

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011

• Rules - Read 100 or more books in 2011

• All books can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

• Only print books and ebooks count (no audiobooks).

• You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

For more information and to sign up, visit Book Chick City's blog.

I will be posting the books below as I read them.

1. A Werewolf In Manhattan - Vicki Lewis Thompson
2. Three Meters Above The Sky - Federico Moccia
3. Diagnosis Death - Richard L. Mabry
4. Retribution - Sherrilyn Kenyon
5. Metrophilias - Brendan Connell
6. Chasin' Eight - Lorelei James
7. Premier Jour - Marc Levy
8. Live Wire - Lora Leigh
9. Lover Unleashed - J.R. Ward
10. The Warlord Wants Forever - Kresley Cole
11. A Hunger Like No Other - Kresley Cole
12. No Rest for the Wicked - Kresley Cole
13. Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night - Kresley Cole
14. Dark Needs at Night's Edge - Kresley Cole
15. Dark Desires After Dusk - Kresley Cole
16. Kiss of a Demon King - Kresley Cole
17. Deep Kiss of Winter - Kresley Cole
18. Pleasure of a Dark Prince - Kresley Cole
19. Demon from the Dark - Kresley Cole
20. Dreams of a Dark Warrior - Kresley Cole
21. Pleasure Unbound - Larissa Ione
22. Desire Unchained - Larissa Ione
23. Passion Unleashed - Larissa Ione
24. The Last Templar - Raymond Khoury
25. Navarro's Promise - Lora Leigh
26. La Premiere Nuit - Marc Levy
27. American Vampire - Jennifer Armintrout
28. Invincible - Sherrilyn Kenyon
29. Midnight Sins - Lora Leigh
30. The Perfect Play - Jaci Burton
31. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K Rowling
32. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K Rowling
33. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K Rowling
34. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K Rowling 
35. Surrender to Me - Shayla Black
36. Belong to Me - Shayla Black
37. Away From Me - Sophie Oak
38. Starlight Rite - Cherise Sinclair
39. Make Me, Sir - Cherise Sinclair
40. Raw Desire - Leah Brooke
41. The One - Lora Leigh
42. Midnight Sins - Lora Leigh
43. Doms of Dark Haven 2: Western Nights - Cherise Sinclair, Belinda McBride, Sierra Cartwright
44. Dangerous Pleasure - Lora Leigh
45. Cresendo - Leah Brooke
46. The Shakespeare Secret - Jennifer Lee Carrell
47. Club Shadowlands - Cherise Sinclair
48. Masters at Arms - Kallypso Masters
49. Nobody's Angel - Kallypso Masters
50. Dark Citadel- Cherise Sinclair
51. Breaking Free - Cherise Sinclair
52. Lean On Me - Cherise Sinclair
53. The Guardian - Sherrilyn Kenyon
54. The Heart of a Killer - Jaci Burton
55. Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix - J.K. Rowling
56. Cedardale Court - Nathan Lee Christensen
57. Wicked to Love - Shayla Black
58. To Command and Collar - Cherise Sinclair
59. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
60. Wicked to Love - Shayla Black
61. Cowboy Casanova - Lorelei James
62. Punished - Brynn Paulin
63. Kidnap and Kink - Brynn Paulin
64. Shadow's Stand - Sarah McCarty

Follow Friday

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee at Parajunkee.com

  What are your new years book blogging resolutions?

1. I will try to comment more on other book blogs.
2. I want to post more.
3. I will use my Goodreads account more often.
4. I will meet my book reading goal (100 books per year)
5. I will try other genres.
6. Redesign my blog.

What are your resolutions for 2011?

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine

My WoW this week is Dead Reconing by Charlaine Harris.

Blurb (From Goodreads) :

"With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. But Sookie suspects otherwise and she and Sam work together to uncover the culprit - and the twisted motive for the attack. But her attention is divided. Though she can't 'read' vampires, Sookie knows her lover Eric Northman and his 'child' Pam well - and she realises that they are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, she is drawn into the plot -which is much more complicated than she knows. Caught up in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as any ordinary human - and that there is a new Queen on the board . . ."

I'm excited about this book. I'm really hoping it will be better than the last one, which, frankly, kind of disappointed me. Maybe it was an illusion of mine or maybe I read Dead in the family at the wrong time. But I hope the next book in the series will be better.

What's your WoW this week?

Teaser Tuesdays

 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


My teaser today is from Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. Enjoy!

"I'm allergic to family occasions. Sometimes I think we'd do better as dandelion seeds-no family, no history, just floating off into the world, each on our own piece of fluff."

Book vs Movie: Confessions of a Shopaholic

 

I first read the book The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic when I started college, three years ago. It was recommended by some very good friends of mine and I thought "why not?". I should also mention it was my first chick-lit book and if you're a chick-lit newbie, I'd recommend Kinsella's books. They're funny as hell and easy to read and very well written.

But back to the book. I really liked Becky. I think there's a shopaholic in all of us., no matter what we buy. Some buy clothes, some buy purses or hats or accessories or books, but we always buy. And Luke...*sigh* I loved him. Still do, actually. He's a successful guy AND he looks good, so what could a girl want more?

When I found out that they were going to make a movie based on the Shopaholic series I was excited, like all the Kinsella fans. I was curious: who were the actors, what scenes will be kept and what scenes weren't going to make it in the movie, where was it going to be filmed and many other questions.

There are many differences between the movie version and the book version: Becky isn't from London, Luke is her boss and a magazine editor, Becky is an only child and many other differences.

What I noticed though was the fact that the movie was just as funny as the books and that it had some of the more important scenes, like Luke buying Becky's scarf at the auction, at the end of the movie.

I also liked the actors they picked. I think they did a great job.

I don't know what to choose, book over movie or movie over book. They were both good and enjoyable. The only thing that I missed in the movie were the Becky-Luke moments from the books. There were more scenes that I would've loved to see with them, but maybe they would've made the movie last too long. Either way, I enjoyed both versions and I can't wait to see if they're going to make another movie based on one of Kinsella's books.

Teaser Tuesdays

 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


My teaser today is from The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker. Enjoy!

"Only blessed peace and beauty. She could as easily be an angel painted by da Vinci or Michelangelo. The perfect bride."

What's your teaser today?

Book review - Do They Wear High Heels In Heaven? - by Erica Orloff

 Rating: 4 stars

Blurb (from Goodreads):


"I'm Lily, a New York newspaper columnist, mother of two, divorcee of one and partner in crime to Michael, English professor, novelist and best friend extraordinaire. We've been friends forever -- well, since I nearly burned down our apartment building while trying to cook. Michael and I have weathered disco, bad fashion, bad perms, bad boyfriends -- for both of us -- my failed marriage, parenthood and writer's block. Laughter has helped -- and so have the martinis. But now we face our biggest challenge: the C word. And if I have my way, Michael will be giving up his freewheeling bachelor ways and settling down once and for all. Because I have some very specific wishes for who should take over parental duty when I'm gone. Of course, I refuse to take this lying down -- even when the doctors tell me to lie down and shut up. Because although I'm sick, I'm determined to wear my high heels and lipstick. I'm gonna look good or die trying, dammit."

For some reason, when I bought this book I didn't even read the blurb. That's how much I loved the cover and the title *blush* Between the title and the cover I figured it was something about angels and didn't even think about reading the blurb and since my instincts rarely deceive me, I went with the flow. And I'm glad I did. Because I'm sure that I would've seen that "C word" part and freak out and then I would've miss a good book.

Lily, a single mom and a reporter, is asked to do an article about breast cancer and mammograms. She already has the article planed out. She know how it's going to sound like, what she's going to write about. But then the test results come back and the doctors tell her they need to perform more tests. When Lily find out that she has cancer she refuses to be a victim, saying that if she's going to die, she'll do it with style.

I liked Lily. Lily is a loving mother, a very good friend and a strong woman. She's the type of person that goes through life with a good dose of sarcasm and a strong will. She won't let what happens to her crumble her. If she falls, she gets back up. She's witty and funny.

Lily's best friend is Michael, an English professor. Michael is the best friend every girl needs. The one that stands next to you no matter what, the one you can call in the middle of the night because you have a problem, knowing that he won't hang up the phone and will actually listen to what you have to say, the one that will always remember your birthday and even if you're too old for funny gifts, he'll get you a gift fit for a 20 year old. Yes, Michael is gay, but I don't think that his sexual orientation comes between Lily and him. Only, of course, if they have the hots for the same guy. He takes care of Lily when she's sick and agrees to take over the custody of her kids after she dies. He's the best friend ever.

The book is different from what I usually read. It's bittersweet and it made me cry. Yes, CRY cry. It takes a lot to make me cry, but this book did it. I think everyone should read it.

Teaser Tuesdays

 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I just started reading The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker. I hope you enjoy this teaser:

He turned to face the mirrored wall in his bedroom and said it aloud, so the three wigless mannequins to his right could hear it clearly. 

“Beauty is not defined by man, but by God, who determines the most beautiful.”

Book review - Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips

Blurb (from Goodreads):


 "Being a Greek god is not all it once was. Yes, the twelve gods of Olympus are alive and well in the twenty-first century, but they are crammed together in a London townhouse—and none too happy about it. And they've had to get day jobs: Artemis as a dog-walker, Apollo as a TV psychic, Aphrodite as a phone sex operator, Dionysus as a DJ.

Even more disturbingly, their powers are waning, and even turning mortals into trees—a favorite pastime of Apollo's—is sapping their vital reserves of strength.

Soon, what begins as a minor squabble between Aphrodite and Apollo escalates into an epic battle of wills. Two perplexed humans, Alice and Neil, who are caught in the crossfire, must fear not only for their own lives, but for the survival of humankind. Nothing less than a true act of heroism is needed—but can these two decidedly ordinary people replicate the feats of the mythical heroes and save the world?"

I love ancient myths and religions. I love reading about it, the originals and the modern versions of them. So when I went at a book store about 6 months ago and saw Gods Behaving Badly I as very curious about it and I bought it.

The book was interesting. It's about how the ancient Greek gods are struggling to survive and keep the planet from disappearing in nowadays London.


In the middle of all the problems that the gods have stumbles Alice, their cleaner. Alice is not a people person. She's very shy and introverted, hence her job. She's in love with Neil but she's scared of revealing her feelings for him. Alice is quite smart, she won various awards playing Scrabble. But when it comes to social skills, she lacks most of them, if not entirely.

Neil isn't what I might call a hero. He's just your average man, a so-called beta. He's afraid of scaring Alice if he tells her he's in love with her, but he tries to act like her friend and helps her when she needs him. At the end of the book though, I realized that he might actually be a hero, an unusual way. Somewhat like an unpolished diamond. He just needs a little push and Artemis gives it.

The book is funny, easy to read. But it's not what I expected. I kept wishing for Alice to overcome her shyness or for Neil to grab the girl he loves and make her his.

I liked how the gods were depicted. It's different from what I expected but in a good way. My...you could call it obsession with a certain series has colored the view I had about the Greek gods. So when I saw how arrogant Apollo was, how unable was Athena to make herself understood, or how offended Artemis was when something sexual was going on around her it was a good surprise. Also, I think it was a good interpretation, because if you would be a god, you'd definitely be arrogant and act like the world was yours.

All in all, it was a fun read and entertaining.

>

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine

My WoW this week is Redemption by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Blurb (from Goodreads)


"Harm no human...

A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed that every life had a price. Until the day when he finally found a reason to live. In one single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he’d spend eternity protecting the humans he’d once considered prey.

Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief- Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters and training for the day when she meets the man who killed her family: Jess Brady.
A gun in the hand is worth two in the holster...

Jess has been charged with finding and terminating the creature who’s assassinating Dark-Hunters. The last thing he expects to find is a human face behind the killings, but when that face bears a striking resemblance to the one who murdered him centuries ago, he knows something evil is going on. He also knows he’s not the one who killed her parents. But Abigail refuses to believe the truth and is determined to see him dead once and for all.

Brought together by an angry god and chased by ancient enemies out to kill them both, they must find a way to overcome their mutual hatred or watch as one of the darkest of powers rises and kills both the races they’ve sworn to protect."



I am very excited about this book. I love Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters and I can't wait for this book. The release date is set on August 2nd, 2011.

Book review - Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson

Blurb (from Goodreads):



"First Betsy Taylor loses her job, then she's killed in a car accident. But what really bites is that she can't seem to stay dead. And now her new friends have the ridiculous idea that Betsy is the prophesied vampire queen, and they want her help in overthrowing the most obnoxious power-hungry vampire in five centuries."


My review:


When I first heard about this book I thought that chic lit and vampires don't mix. I seriously doubted that I was going to like it. And I wasn't wrong. I didn't like it. I LOVED it!


Betsy represents one of my favorite types of character. She's funny, caring, she has a sharp tongue - which often gets her in really difficult situations - and she says the wrong thing at the very wrong time. And she loves shoes *happy sigh*. Though her love for shoes could become dangerous because of certain people. Otherwise, she's a normal girl, living a normal life. That is before she dies. Then the "normal" part vanishes and her life is filled with not-so-normal events in just one week.

Of course, every girl needs a knight in shinny armor right? Well, Eric Sinclair is that knight for Betsy. He's the typical vampire: hot, dangerous and his sex life is...well...overwhelming for Betsy.

Their relationship reminds me of the interaction between two teenagers: they like each other but they are way too proud to admit it and because of that each of them tries to make the other one go insane. Which is extremely funny. But while Sinclair tries to look like he's a jerk, I think he's a tad intimidated by Betsy and the differences between them and what he feels for fer.

I'm glad I finally read the book. It was a good, funny read and I can't wait to see what happens next in the series.

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine

My WoW this week is Lora Leigh's Live Wire.

 

The book will be released March 1st, 2011. I can't wait for this book. I love the Elite Ops. series and I hope that someday Lora Leigh will decide to make another series to continue this one, just like Elite Ops. continues Tempting Seals *sighs*

Book review - Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

Blurb (from Goodreads):

"July 2005. In the Pyrenees mountains near Carcassonne, Alice Tanner, a volunteer at an archaeological dig, stumbles into a cave and makes a startling discovery - two crumbling skeletons, strange writings on the walls and the pattern of a labyrinth; between the skeletons, a stone ring, and a small leather bag. Too late Alice realizes that she has set in motion a terrifying sequence of events and that her destiny is inextricably tied up with the fate of those called heretics eight hundred years before.
July 1209. On the eve of a brutal crusade sent by the pope to stamp out heresy, a crusade that will rip apart southern France, seventeen-year-old Alais is given a ring and a mysterious book for safekeeping by her father as he leaves to fight the crusaders. The book, he says, contains the secret of the true Grail, and the ring, inscribed with a labyrinth, will identify a guardian of the Grail. As crusading armies led by Church potentates and nobles of northern France gather outside the city walls of Carcassonne, it will take great sacrifice to keep safe the secret of the labyrinth, a secret that has been guarded for thousands of years. "


My review:

The book starts in modern-day France, with Alice Tanner discovering two skeletons in a cave. Scared by the ghosts of the past, she runs back at the camp and soon the police start interrogating her. Who is she? Why did she feel the need to get away from the camp? Why dig there? What did  she see in the cave? All questions that confuse her and make her feel threatened. So she runs, convinced there's something weird about the detective questioning her. Just when an innocent man gets killed and Alice is forced to run again the story goes back in time, in 1209. We meet Alais, a young woman who discovers a body in the river next to the town she lives in. Scared, she runs to tell her father, certain she'll be chastised for getting out of the town without an escort, but her father's attitude is nothing like the one she suspected. Soon, her father's secrets will change her life forever.


One of the things that I loved about this book were the historical details. Being nuts about history made me devour every bit of historical paragraph in this book. And there were many. I'm sure the author had to research a lot in order to get as many accurate details as possible in the book.  I admit I had to Google some information I found there, in part for checking the accuracy of the details, in part because I wanted to learn more about them.

Another thing that I loved was the way the author changed time frames. The cliffhangers drove me crazy, making me want to read faster, until my vision was blurry. Plus, the change of scenery and time frame made the mystery more...believable for me.  At some point though I got confused because of the many characters in the book, maybe because some of them are so much alike.

I found it very similar to The Da Vinci Code, but better. I think Labyrinth was a lot more easier to read and the action started right away and it didn't stumble along the way, it didn't stall. Even if the main plot didn't have twists and turns at every page, the subplots did. The characters seemed believable, not a little bit fake. I can't say more about the similarities, because I couldn't finish Dan Brown's book, but I'm sure I won't make a mistake by saying that Labyrinth is the better of the two.

I believe the author did a great job at combining history with mystery and a little bit of romance.

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine

My WoW this week is J. R. Ward's Lover Unleashed.

Blurb (from Amazon):


Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, seductive cloth as her brother. Imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin, she finally frees herself-only to face a devastating injury. Manuel Manello, M.D., is drafted by the Brotherhood to save her as only he can-but when the human surgeon and the vampire warrior meet, their two worlds collide in the face of their undeniable passion. With so much working against them, can love prove stronger than the birthright and the biology that separates them?



This title will be released on March 29, 2011. Until then, I'll probably re-read the Black Dagger Brotherhood series about 2-3 times (at least! For real!)

Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011

 Book Chic City is hosting this reading challenge. Below are the details.


Challenge Details

* Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011

* Rules: To read TWELVE (12) mystery & suspense novels in 2011 (12 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)

* You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

* You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

* At the beginning of Jan 2011, you will find a link to specific month to add your reviews. There will be a monthly prize too courtesy of the lovely Simon & Schuster - you must be signed up to the challenge and add the link to your review to be entered into the monthly prize draw.


 For more information and to sign up, visit Book Chick City's blog.

I'll be posting the books below as  I read them:

1.  The Last Templar - Raymond Khoury
2.  The Shakespeare Secret - Jennifer Lee Carrell
3.  Cedardale Court - Nathan Lee Christensen
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Horror & Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge 2011

  Book Chic City is hosting this reading challenge. Is it 2011 yet? No? Drat! I have to wait a few more weeks *sigh*. Anyway, below are the details.


Challenge Details

* Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011

* Rules: To read TWENTY FOUR (24) horror & urban fantasy novels in 2011 (24 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)

* You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

* You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

* At the beginning of Jan 2011, you will find a link to add your reviews.

For more information and to sign up, visit Book Chick City's blog


  I haven't decided what books I'll read for this challenge, but I'll post them as soon as I choose them.

1. Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione
2. ;American Vampire by Jennifer Armintrout
3. The Warlord Wants Forever - Kresley Cole
4. A Hunger Like No Other - Kresley Cole
5. No Rest for the Wicked - Kresley Cole
6. Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night - Kresley Cole
7. Dark Needs at Night's Edge - Kresley Cole
8. Dark Desires After Dusk - Kresley Cole
9. Kiss of a Demon King - Kresley Cole
10. Deep Kiss of Winter - Kresley Cole
11. Pleasure of a Dark Prince - Kresley Cole
12. Demon from the Dark - Kresley Cole
13. Dreams of a Dark Warrior - Kresley Cole
14. Retribution - Sherrilyn Kenyon
15. The Guardian - Sherrilyn Kenyon
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Teaser Tuesdays

 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week I'm reading Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson, so I'll share from this book...Enjoy!





 "My father, as was his long habit, went to hide in his den, comforted by his proximity to his collection of old whiskey and new porn.
  After a few seconds, during which time we all stared at the mightily vibrating blender, I let the whirling blades groan to a halt."


What are you reading now?

Monday Movie Review

Finally!! I was starting to bite my nails waiting for this one! I can't say how much I loved the movie! It was awesome! Unlike the previous one, there were no major events missing from the movie.After that last one, I really thought I was going to be disappointed again. I'm so glad I was wrong. It's sad that this is the beginning of the end. Seeing all the kids at the cinema, I started remembering how I felt the first time I started reading Harry Potter, the weeks when all me and my friends did in school break was talk about the chapters we read the night before and how we complained about having to do homework instead of reading about the newest adventures of Harry and his friends and try and decide which of our colleagues was just like Hermione. 

It really feels like a chapter is about to end. Like that last link with childhood is about to break. It may be stupid, I know, but before the movie, I had hope. Like maybe JK Rowling would change her mind and write another HP book, or they'd decide to make a TV show or something. Now I know it will probably take years for something like that.

I only wish that the second part is just as good as this one. 

READING CHALLENGE: Men in Uniform

Men in Uniform Reading Challenge
hosted by The Book Vixen

Book Vixen is hosting this reading challenge. I cannot say how excited I am to start reading.
These are the rules (copied from the site): the goal is to read as many novels that involve men in inform as you’d like. It can be a policeman, firefighter, paramedic, Army, Navy, Marine Corp., etc. 

Visit The Book Vixen’s blog for more information and to sign up.


Levels:
     Sergeant – Read 1–5 men in uniform novels  
     Lieutenant – Read 6–10 men in uniform novels  
     Captain – Read 11–15 men in uniform novels    
     Chief – Read 16+ men in uniform novels  


I'll go for Lieutenant. And this is my initial list:

1. Live Wire by Lora Leigh 
2. The Last Templar - Raymond Khoury
3. Midnight Sins - Lora Leigh
4. Masters at Arms - Kallypso Masters
5. The Heart of a Killer - Jaci Burton

 The list may change. I'll add books as I read them...

2011 Reading Challenges

Browsing through some of my favorite book blogs I've discovered some challenges for the next year. Since I'm now in the phase when no book seems interesting enough to read (maybe it's the cold or something) I decided I need some serious motivation. So I'll sing up on a few of them and see how it goes :)
I'll be keeping you posted and I'll be writing reviews to most of the books I'll be reading. So...let the signing up begin :D

Ooops

Sorry for missing this past few months. Real life tends to sometimes come between me and my fun. Fortunately, I've graduated and I got my degree. Also, I moved to another country. I have to start to speak the language and then get a job...until then, I'm trying to catch up on all the reading I missed during summer.
I really hope your summer was good or better than good.

This and that and Happy Easter!

I'm sorry I haven't been posting lately. It's just that my projects are catching up with me *sniffles*. Anyway, I got a very interesting visit from the Easter Bunny (hey, don't laugh, he was quite cute! )

See how cute he is? Anyway, he had some goodies in his basket (more like eye candy goodies) and I thought to share. I hope you have a really great weekend and a Happy Easter! And here are the prezzies:

On my wishlist (1)

"On My Wishlist" is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City to share the books that we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured. Below are some of the books that I am looking forward to reading!

 MONTANA LEGACY


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 They're the McCords...three rugged, sexy cowboy cousins who'll inherit the family range--if they seek the treasure hidden on it. But even more precious are the women who can tame their wild hearts...

She was the one person who shook Jesse McCord's quiet determination. She was the only one he ever let in, body and soul. Then suddenly Amy Parrish was gone and the oldest McCord cousin devoted his life to the family ranch. Now Amy is back, offering help to Jesse find the McCord gold. Yet Jesse's not about to give her a second chance, and he hopes his pride will protect him from her irresistible charms. But under the wide prairie skies a dangerous, unseen enemy is fast closing in, threatening Amy and Jesse's very lives and the promise of their ...

HIS DARKEST HUNGER

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Jaxon Castille: jaguar shifter, warrior, assassin. He has long hungered for the chance to make his former lover, Libby Jamieson, pay for her deadly betrayal. After three long years he’s finally found her. The hunt is over…

But the Libby that he finds is not what he expected. She has no memory of their tumultuous affair; of her treachery; of anything beyond her own name. A shadowy and deadly clan has marked them both for death, and in an instant the game changes: the hunter has become the hunted.

On the run, with the ghosts of their past between them and a dark, desperate hunger quickly reclaiming their bodies and souls, Libby and Jaxon must discover the truth behind the dark forces working against them. Together, they must grab hold of a destiny that has the power to either heal them or destroy them.


But the truth is far more shattering than anyone could imagine… 

THE MISTS OF AVALON

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Goodreads 

 A Literary Guild Featured Alternate

Here is the magical legend of King Arthur, vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne. A spellbinding novel, an extraordinary literary achievement, THE MISTS OF AVALON will stay with you for a long time to come....

DEAR JOHN

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Goodreads 


An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love--and face the hardest decision of his life.

Musing Monday (1)

MUSING MONDAYS are hosted by Rebecca

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about dust jackets.

Do you prefer books with a dust jacket? What do you do with your dust jacket while reading? Leave it on or take it off? (Question courtesy of Kim from Page after Page)



I don't like dust jackets. Mostly because it means that the book is hardback and I like paperbacks just fine. Hardbacks are heavier and bigger and they don't fit into a normal handbag. Plus, they're uncomfortable if I want to read during a slightly boring class *blushes* . That's the reason why I don't have many books with dust jackets. But for the ones I have, yes, I take it off.

Another reason why I don't like dust jackets is that because usually, when you take it off, you'll get a book with black/gray/green cover that looks...well, in my humble opinion, it's ugly!
So no, no dust jackets for this reader.

Book review - Riding Wild by Jaci Burton

He's a Harley-riding ex-thief working undercover for the government. She's a gun-toting ex-socialite hired to protect a valuable museum exhibit. But in her attempt to stop a heist, she never anticipated having her breath and her heart stolen...
Mac Canfield was the last man Lily West expected to see again, never mind aim her gun at. But here he was, the bad boy who'd broken her heart years ago-still a thief, this time high-jacking a priceless artifact--and it was all she could do to push aside the memories of how it felt to have his perfectly chiseled body next to hers.
Mac was no less shocked to see the beautiful girl-next-door all grown up, threatening to shoot him on the spot. Little did she know she was blowing his cover-and now he had to figure out how to get her out of harm's way without succumbing to his crazy desire to take her on a hot trip down memory lane.
Unfortunately, Lily has no intention of going anywhere with Mac. Which means he has to resort to kidnapping. Unless, of course, she agrees to let him take her for the kind of ride destined to drive them both unbelievably wild..

I've been thinking about this first review. I kept wondering what book to review first, since in the past year I've read lots of good books. And then I saw Riding Wild on my bookshelf and I thought that this was the one that should get the first review.

I really loved this book. After all, the hero is a bad boy. You girls know the type, the boy your mommas always told you to stay away from. The one that skips classes in high school, who likes getting dirty working in a garage, who smokes and rides a bike. The type of boy "good girls" should always avoid. And that's Mac. He has the bike, he works in a garage, he steals and he's hot. But then something goes bad and he has to choose: does he want to go to jail or not? So he ends up working for the government and instead of ending up a bad boy behind bars he's a bad boy with handcuffs and a gun. Well, several... And he still has that Harley of his.

Enter Lily. Even her name says it: she's the typical good girl. The one wearing sensible shoes, the one that loves her daddy very much and doesn't do a thing against rules. When she meets Mac, they're both in high school. She's an innocent young girl falling in love with the bad boy, the one her daddy can't stand, of course. And so she realizes that the future she accepted, the one her daddy chose for her is not what she wanted: she doesn't want to be a lawyer, married with a boring man that probably doesn't know how to pleasure her like Mac did. So, after Mac breaks up with her just minutes after taking her virginity, she gets rid of that good girl image and, after graduating from the Academy, becomes a cop. Of course, daddy dearest doesn't like that one bit, so she moves from her hometown and becomes a PI. But something is still missing. Yes, she's independent. Yes, she managed to make her own decisions, but the bad boy she still loves isn't there. She still dreams of him and no other man can beat his memory.

So when Mac and Lily meet after ten years, both of them have to deal with their feelings for each other. Will they manage? Will they make it to the finish line together, or will they end up hurting themselves?

I really loved this story. Forget about the hot bad boy, forget about the very fast bike he's riding or about his handcuffs and his gun, this book is all about that first love, the one you can't forget and the one that you'll keep remembering for the rest of your life. This is why I'm giving this book 5 cups.

First Post

Hi everyone and welcome to my first post!

My name is Ruby! Actually no, that's not my real name, it's just a nickname. I'm 4 months away from graduating *can't wait*

I discovered my passion for books when I was quite young...I was about 12 when my literature teacher told us to read Alexandre Dumas' Robin Hood. At that young age I was very impressed by the ability of one person to create a new, magical world and new characters using only words. I mean, I knew what books where, I had a big library at home, but I never thought it was possible for someone to do that without the help of videos and images. Anyway, after that my grandmother convinced me to try and read Paul Feval's The Hunchback. I must confess, The Hunchback's hero, Lagardere, was my first "fictional crush". He sounded so... manly, so powerful and rogue-ish. After that there was the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings era. At first I didn't want to read them. I thought that just because they were made into movies they didn't deserve the fame they got almost overnight. After some talks with some classmates I decided to give them a try. And from that moment on I started to read more and more. I discovered Anne Rice, which I love and adore, I stumbled across Pride and Prejudice (which actually was the first book I read in English and I remember it was quite hard at first LOL). Then when I turned 17 I discovered the romance genre. The first romance book I read was late Arnette Lamb's Chieftain. Drummond MacQueen was soooo...sexy and powerful and... he really looked (in my mind, anyways) like that knight in shining armor I always imagined.

A year later I think, a good friend of mine convinced me to try some other genres and so I read Marc Levy (another french author who, in my opinion, is a fantastic writer).

So here I am, at 22 years old, an avid reader, college student. Just your average girl :D How did you start reading books?