Teaser Tuesday (25)

Yay for "Teaser Tuesday" from MizB of Should be Reading!!

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 Tuesday pick:


" My own heart was my weakest muscle, never exercised, never even flexed.

Suddenly, I understood that it still miraculously worked.  "



p 53 "Falling Under" by Gwen Hayes

Monthly giveaway Open to US and International (March 2011)

<br /> <a href="http://www.bittenbyparanormalromance.com/2010/12/monthly-giveaway.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq356/homemom1620/blog/monthlybookgiveawayLAURIE.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br />



For this month both US and International giveaway will be Tina Folsom Venice Vampur  from allromanceebooks.com. Now, I want to warn you this book inspired me to come up with my scorcher award.This eBook may be a short novella, but its freaking hot, so if you can stand the Heat, DON'T ENTER!

Make sure you still enter the same because there will still be two winners on for us and one for international

"Moonstruck Madness" Review

"Moonstruck Madness"
by Laurie McBain

Publisher: Sourcebooks
Release Date: Feb 1, 2011 (first published 1977)

Source: sent by publisher

My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Summary from goodreads.com:

She's one thing by day, something else altogether by night...

After escaping the slaughter of her clan at a young age, Scottish noblewoman Sabrina Verrick provides for her siblings by living a double life, until the night she encounters the Duke, and her secret and all she holds dear is threatened...

He's so disillusioned, he's completely vulnerable...

With his inheritance at stake, Lucien, Duke of Camareigh, sets a trap for the Scottish beauty with the piercing violet eyes, never imagining what will happen when the trap is sprung...

As their lives become irreversibly entangled, Lucien and Sabrina become each other's biggest threat, as well as their only salvation...

My Review: 

This book was originally written in 1977, and wow, have times changed for historical romances! And boy am I glad!

Lucien is not the type of hero who should be put on a pedestal. Most of the bad things that happen to our heroine are his fault, but he wants to be praised when he fixes them again. The book timeline goes a little like this: fight (and we're talking Ronnie and Sammi on Jersey Shore style fighting, not playful banter) jump into bed, fight, jump into bed, repeat. This style of story just isn't for me. I understand that a lot of readers are into alpha males, even though I'm not, but Lucien is another breed altogether.

The part of the book where Sabrina has amnesia and actually believed she was in love with Lucien was my favorite part. This was a happy, loving romance! But of course, it was based on forgetting all the unforgivable, deal-breaking things that Lucien had done. 

 
Main Characters: 2/5
Supporting Characters: 3/5
Setting: 3/5
Romance: 1/5
Uniqueness: 3/5
Cover: 4/5
Writing: 4/5


Bottom Line: This book was definitely written in a stylized way, that I really don't see used any more. I'm sure there are readers who like to read about this rough sort of love, but it's not for me. This book made me appreciate the world of today's historical romances even more!

Since the book was published in 1977, I wanted to post the original cover: 
(cover pic from goodreads)

I adore this cover!! I love this illustration style, and I can't resist a book with a horse on the cover. I love the gothic feel, like the heroine is going to meet a handsome heroic stranger on a dark spooky night. I'm not sure this is really an accurate portrayal of the story inside the book, but I'd definitely pick this one up.

"Fallen Grace" Review

"Fallen Grace"
by Mary Hooper

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: Feb 1, 2011

Source: ARC sent by publisher

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary from goodreads.com:

Life has been nothing but unfair to Grace Parkes and her sister. Penniless, the two orphans manage to stay alive—but only barely, like so many on the streets of Victorian London. And Grace must bear a greater heartbreak, having become pregnant from terrible circumstances and then given birth to a stillborn baby. But the infant's death sets Grace on a new path, bringing her into contact with people who hold both riches and power. A great fraud has been perpetrated on young Grace and her sister, and they are the secret recipients of a most unusual legacy—if only they can find the means to claim it. Mary Hooper's latest offers Dickensian social commentary, as well as malicious fraud, mysterious secrets, and a riveting read.

My Review:

Poor Grace and Lily have been through so much! Every horrid thing that could possibly happen to them does happen. They are orphans, they are both abused by a benefactor at their workhouse, Grace become pregnant, and her baby dies. And these things all happen at the very beginning of the book, so you can only imagine how hard times become as the story moves on. The story never has a dull moment it hops right along from one scary adventure to the next.
 
I was most intrigued by Grace's work at the Unwins. The Unwins were in the funeral business, and wow was that a shady business in Victorian London. This book was a real eye opener to how much these business took advantage of those were mourning and in an emotionally weak place. All of the 'neccessities' of funerals were invented in order to make more money. Grace herself worked as a mute. What is a funeral mute, you ask? She stands there and looks spooky, sad, and beautiful to add atmosphere to a rich person's funeral. Can you get any more creepy!? It's really sad the lengths that people like the Unwins went to in order to prey on grieving families.

Grace truly is an admirable character.  She perseveres through all of these hardships and survives with her values and morals intact. Her hardships have toughened her up, but they haven't broken her down. And through it all she takes constant care of her sister, too.


Main Characters: 5/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Romance: 3/5
Uniqueness: 5/5
Cover: 3/5
Writing: 4/5


Bottom Line:This book is a tale of hardship, but it's a story you won't soon forget.  

'The Prince's Groom' by KT Grant -Guest Review-

My bestie and blogging-bitch (lol, I kid) Carsen Travis from Paranormal Inferno: Book Reviews has another treat to share with us today. She's totally into M/M books (& is slowly converting me as we speak). After telling her about a cool pirate historical M/M I heard about, she couldn't resist buying it and constantly texted me quotes as she read. Now she wants to gush with you about it. Here we go:

Read an excerpt:  here

The Prince’s Groom is the second book (following The Princess’ Bride) in KT Grant’s pirate series. It begins with the main character, Thomas, attending his sister Daisy’s wedding to the ex-pirate, Chelsey. During the wedding Thomas begins looking for his lover of one month, Martin.  Even though Thomas has a strong love for Martin, he still can’t help doubting the future they might have and if Martin feels the same about him (mostly because Thomas doesn’t even know his lover’s first name or his age!)

This couple is in the middle of a very heated liaison, but it will have to end soon.  While Martin is a wanted man on the wrong side of the law, Thomas is a gentleman landowner who will have to return to his home in Flaundia. Thomas knows that he cannot return with Martin because things would become very complicated for them; So he makes the decision to leave Martin behind, and both men are left with hearts full of regret.

A year passes and the story picks up with Thomas’s life back in society... with his new lover? After he returned home, the loss of Martin made him crave another man’s company, so he kept his very personal secretary, William, close to him. Still, the young man often found himself thinking of Martin and wondering how he has lived the past year – even with the strong arms of another man always there to comfort him.

            Meanwhile, Martin learns from Thomas’ sister Daisy that her brother has constantly been writing letters to her, describing how lonely he feels and how much he misses Martin in his life.  Once Martin sails back to reunite with his former lover, he realizes just how much things have changed in that one year. 


           We are introduced to another character, Romana Veiga; this young woman is obsessed with beauty, money, marriage, and now…Thomas de Fleure. After Thomas attends the party held at Ramona’s house and speaks to her for the first time, the woman begins to want him more and more and is determined to get him to ask for her hand in marriage in just a few months. Knowing that Thomas is a former prince, she still sees him as a man of royal blood and it makes him even more irresistible to her.

Before he goes to see Thomas in person, Martin actually spies on the man from a bush inside of Thomas’ garden, and while doing this he sees Thomas with his new lover, William. As if that didn’t hurt enough, Martin then sees the man-hungry Ramona making the moves on Thomas and even pressing her body closer to hers and stealing a kiss from him.

         Martin then has to think of how he’ll plan to get his Thomas back from that infatuated and deranged woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. At the same time, a dangerous man also enters their lives, one who has ties not only to Martin but also Thomas. Now it’s not only a question about whether or not they’ll make it through, but if they’ll be able to be with each other and love again.

Rating: 4 ½ Roses

Loved it! Not only did the story have the hot and steamy moments that many readers will appreciate, but it also involved the conflict and drama that comes with being a same-sex couple. It was also pretty easy to understand the characters feelings; when it came to Thomas I knew why he felt so upset with Martin – I mean, who can feel 100% sure of their lover when they don’t even know that person’first name or their age!? But I also understood why Martin was so uneasy when Thomas would constantly press him for answers (still a first name basis would have helped in the relationship…) 
Overall, this couple did leave an impression on me and they’re a pair that I won’t soon forget because of both the interesting story and chemistry they shared. In the end, I definitely enjoyed reading this book, through all the emotional ups and downs and even with the crazed character that is Ramona – I know a lot of women like going to great lengths to get the man they want but this girl definitely set the bar way higher!

P.S: One of my favorite parts of the book had to be when Martin is practically stalking Thomas and spying on him in the garden from a big bush. He starts to watch more closely and notices how close Ramona is getting to his former lover and even makes a comment to himself that sounds something like this à[ If she moves in closer, her tits will be in his mouth. Martin lightly snorted, trying to feel compassion for the woman who had no chance at getting her claws into Thom. ] Yeap, that’s truly stalking at its best. Watching the one you want while bashing the person they’re with :)

This was a wonderful M/M, and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Guest Post: What Men Can Learn from Romance Novels

Today, Lauren Bailey will give us her view on what men can truly learn from romances novels! How many of us have unrealistic expectations in the man in our life because of all the princes and reformed rakes we read about in books? Well, no ones perfect, but the clueless fellas in our lives can pick up a thing of two:

What Men Can Learn from Romance Novels

by Lauren Bailey

Valentine's Day may be long over, but that doesn't mean women still don't yearn for the kind of romance found in the pages of their favorite novel. While many men might complain that romance novels are fantasy and thus cause women to have unrealistic expectations about relationships, the truth of the matter is that there are a lot of practical concepts that men can pick up from reading a romance novel or two. Below are the top ways a romance novel can help men establish a meaningful relationship with their partner.



Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Many men have the false misconception that women only read romance novels to immerse themselves in a sexual fantasy. While this might be partly true, experts suggest that women mostly cling to romance novels because of the dialogue. While sure, men don't really speak like the heroes in romance novels in real life, the bottom line is that the characters actually speak—they communicate with their love interest. They don't avoid confrontations, shut down or leave the area when a conversation starts to get too intense or uncomfortable. They tell their interest what they want how they feel—most importantly how the woman makes them feel. Communicating might seem like a hard thing to do for most men since being "open" can sometimes be seen as a sign of weakness or vulnerability, but simply talking with your significant other can do wonders in helping establish a strong and long-lasting relationship. On a similar note, men need to learn how to enforce communication like a true hero—nodding your head to indicate you are listening, giving direct eye contact and touching her hand or caressing her face when appropriate. Equally important, try to avoid date activities that can reduce or even eliminate communication for a long period of time, like going to the movies for example.


Fight fair
Romance novels don't only depict blissfully in-love couples—they fight, argue and have to come up with solutions to work out the kinks in their relationships (just like in real life). The major difference however is the way that they fight. There is no name calling or use of profanity; there is no bringing up the past or use of threats and ultimatums.  So when an argument grows to an escalated proportion, it's vital that both men and women fight fair. Both parties should speak in a respectful manner, even when the argument gets extremely heated. You don't want to say something ugly or that you'll regret. While your significant other may "forgive" seldom are these exchanges of words forgotten and in the end, someone may end up holding a feeling of resentment. 


Participate in Romantic Overtures
One of the reasons women love romance novels so much is the fact that through the characters they get to experience the honeymoon period all over again—the period when everything is new and exciting and the hero goes to great measures to woo his interest.  No matter if you've been in a relationship for years, men need to understand that women still crave for this kind of affection because frankly, saying "I love you" sometimes isn't enough. Sure, you don't need to scuba dive for the rarest pearl in the bottom of the ocean to prove your love, but simple romantic overtures can do the trick such as lightning candles, playing soft music or dimming the lights to set the mood. It could even be something as simple as taking her to that new fancy restaurant she constantly hints at, cleaning the house to give her a break, or putting down the smart phone or remote when you're talking to her.  Whatever you can do to reaffirm your love, devotion and appreciation will help the relationship flourish.




By-line:
Lauren Bailey is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. Questions and comments can be sent to: blauren99 @gmail.com. 

--
Thanks Lauren for the interesting post. You guys can read a similar post called 'How To Woo Women Like A Romance Novel Hero' at Love Romance Passion: here

Comment your two cents on the topic. What attributes do you wish your significant other or men in general would pick up from a romance novel?

More CSN Stores Pimpage

So, March Madness will soon be upon us and that means the overgrown boys in your life a.k.a 'the manly men'  will be parading around the house with their friends while screaming at televisions and munching on pretzels. While they're off doing that, why not take this opportunity to work on your own personal project? Write the manuscript of your heart, catch up on some work from the office, barricade yourself in a room filled with books like it's a bunker until the 'madness' has pass.

And while your at it, REDECORATE!

Nothing gears me up for Spring and Summer (after an apocalyptic winter) faster than hallowing out my room and putting up some new decor.

CSN Stores is always here to help. With over 200+ online stores, chances are, they'll have everything AND the kitchen sink! Select from their wide variety of office desks and find the one you'll write the next USA Today Bestselling Novel on, get some much needed office supplies to stock your work area with, check out their assortment of bookcases to store all the books you'll need to make it to April with your sanity intact.

Whatever you choose to do, just get er' done! You'll always find what you need (and everything you didn't know you wanted) at CSN Stores!

-And please share any remodeling or decorating plans you have in the works! I'd love to go virtual window shopping with you! I'll be reviewing my next CSN stores experience with you guys shortly, so look out for that!

Throw Me Somethin', Sistah! Winner!

But first, a few more Mardi Gras Public Service Announcements:

Tourists:

Please be warned that the green light at that crosswalk is for turning cars. The big yellow hand? That means you need to wait for the little walking man to show up. It isn't brain science, people. Or rocket surgery.

Also: Stop wearing flip-flops in the French Quarter.

You'll thank me later.

Seriously, when people come here, particularly during this time of year, it's like they leave their brains at the airport. Okay, rant over. Sorry, folks. Nothing to see here.

On a vastly more important note, I've tallied up everyone's entries, assigned them all numbers in the order you posted your original comments, and according to the random number generator, the winner is #11, which, by my count, is Icy Roses! Yay!

If you're unable to contact me by the end of the day with your snail mail, I'll figure out some way to track you down, but the sooner you get it to me, the better your chances of getting it this week! Mardi Gras is in 8 days, people! Sorry to everyone who didn't win, but here are some pics from Saturday's night parade, Pygmalion to ease the blow. (Or possibly make your Mardi Gras fever worse, I don't know)

And just to make you hungry, here are some of the delicious shrimp we ate, and a link to an awesome recipe for Louisiana style barbecue shrimp, with a fun little friendly debate in the comments. We love our food almost as much as we love talking about food here in New Orleans!

Did I mention that my husband's 21 year old niece and two of her friends are coming to stay with us? My husband keeps telling me that they're adults now and not to freak out, but I'm such a worry-wart sometimes. They're going to have a ton of fun, I'm sure! Stay with me throughout the week for more pics of my Mardi Gras Madness!

Guest author Stacey Kennedy and giveaway!

Big thanks to Bitten by Paranormal Romance for letting me celebrate my new release with you. Everyone needs a little break from vampires and werewolves every once in a while. And that's what you'll find in The Lingering Spirit series. It's got humor, a murder mystery, and love…yes, ghosts can find love too. Here's a peek at STOLEN DREAMS.

STOLEN DREAMS
The Lingering Spirit ~ Book One

February 19, 2011

Lives have been lost―dreams stolen, but love carves a path to hope.

Tess Jennings has the ability to see and talk to spirits. On a daily basis, they harass and annoy her to save their souls. Sometimes she helps, other times she ignores them, but one ghost will give her no choice. Kipp McGowan, a cop with the Memphis Police Department, uses his ghostly charms to gain her attention and forces her to expose herself to his partner.

As she's pulled into the five year old cold case of Hannah Reid she wants no part of, she finds herself in more than one precarious situation. But that's the least of her worries―Tess begins to have a serious problem on her hands. Kipp might be dead, but he's drop-dead gorgeous and she's beginning to forget that he's a ghost.

Murder and corruption has brought Tess and Kipp together. But as her feelings for Kipp deepen, she suspects she just signed herself up for a one-way ticket to the nut house, and can only hope, straitjackets come in a size four.

Excerpt - http://www.staceykennedy.com/stolen-dreams-excerpt/

Buy link - http://www.staceykennedy.com/books/the-lingering-spirit-series/stolen-dreams/

~ Stacey

Website - www.staceykennedy.com

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=100000956942180

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3473046.Stacey_Kennedy

Twitter - http://twitter.com/Stacey_Kennedy

Now for the giveaway. Stacey is giving away a PDF copy of Stolen Dreams to one lucky commenter today.
 So don't forget to add you email if its not on your profile and good luck. 

The Mammy Archetype in DC's "Someone to Love!"- Girls' Love Stories #159 (May 1971)

Earlier in the week I mentioned the appearance of an African-American character in the 1950 Fawcett story, "Tears in the Night" that embodied the stereotypical "mammy" character so popular in antebellum and early 20th century American culture.

Fast forward twenty years to 1971 and shift your attention to the DC romance comics line -- could this "mammy archetype" still live on, even after the events of the Civil Rights Movement?

As you will see in "Someone to Love!" from DC's Girls' Love Stories #159 (May 1971) (pencils by Werner Roth) the stereotype of African-American women as inherently motherly figures (especially to their white charges) curiously lingers on -- despite the story's good intentions and attempts at diversification and inclusion.


When the Adams family moved into Greenville Heights, twelve year old Celia Johnson was anxious to meet her new neighbors. The rest of the neighborhood, however; was less than amused by an African-American family in their midst; relentlessly picketing and harassing the new family.

No, you are not imaging things.
You have seen that handshake before --
in the saga of Margo and Chuck, also
penciled by Werner Roth.

Accompanied by little Celia, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are welcomed into the Adams home for a snack of coffee and cake. Celia and fellow twelve year old -- Angela, become fast friends and together, graduate from an interest in dolls to a fascination with boys and romance.


Though it seemed neither one of them would ever find a boy to date, before long Celia woos studly and sensitive Philip. Angela, however; has not yet met anyone and wonders if she ever will.


Love isn't far behind for Angela luckily. When an errant football collides with Angela's hand, dreamy football player Lee Stanley rushes over to comfort her and a romance between the two is quickly ignited.


Ecstatic about their new situations and their packed social calendars, Angela and Celia can hardly contain their joy. As the weeks fly by, the boys suddenly seem to gain popularity with the other young females of the school -- leaving little time for Angela and Celia. Celia racks her brain to think of what they may have done to obscure the attention of their guys. Angela explains that it isn't their fault, but that "...some men are like that! Once they know we love them, they take us for granted!"

Refusing to give up on Lee, Angela is there for him when his adoring female fans leave him in the dust after he costs the school the football game against their rival, Fairfield. Appreciating her loyalty and love, Lee apologizes for his behavior and promises to never hurt Angela again. Philip still hasn't come around to Celia, but Angela promises her friend that she will try to make things right between the two.


Celia is unsure what Angela has up her sleeve, but trusts Angela, who declares, "Never you mind, you just leave everything to Auntie Angela!" It is in this panel that Angela embodies characteristics of the dutiful "mammy."


In the end, Angela's scheme of persuading another boy at school to write a love note to Celia and drop it within eyesight of Philip to make him jealous works like a charm. It isn't long before the two couples are back to double dates and warm embraces.


Overall, while "Someone to Love" is a cute story that attempts to show that skin color has no bearing on friendship and comradery between women, it simultaneously very subtly (and most likely unintentionally) pegs African-American Angela into a motherly role in relation to her white friend Celia. Surprisingly, this "mammy" type character shows up in quite a few romance stories from the 1970s. Though DC made sincere strides in presenting diversity in their romance comics, they were unable to completely shake the specters of the past.

Rita's Harem: Manservant #003

Here's Manservant #003 in Rita's Harem ;) !

James (my baby's daddy) Franco

 So hot...so so hot. I'll try to keep my panties on long enough to finish this post. Okay, where to begin? Oh, I know, He's hot. He's also smart- graduated from like Harvard or Yale or some shit. Oh dear. The things I would do to this guy in a darkened alley with some whipped creme... But anyway, I've been a fan for a few years. Fell head over heels when he did the movie 'Tristan and Isolde'- I seriously almost cried at the end. Then he was the progressive asshole in the spiderman series. He was also in some other shit, but yeah (actually his filmography is quite impressive- he has also directed). He's even guest starred a few times on the soap opera, General Hospital! So you see, he's so hot, he makes our GRANNY'S panties drop. You go boy!

 

If you grace the cover of GQ, chances are, I've got a shrine dedicated to you under my bed. But he looks seriously suave and sexxy here. To the picture on the left: damn the extra few inches covering his naughty bits. 

 

Getting his James Dean on as he portrayed the iconic actor in a golden globe awarded-TV movie.

Franco also starred in one of my favorite movies to date, 'Tristan & Isolde'. He had such tragic looking eyes throughout the whole movie-every time there was a close up of him, I wanted to weep. The movie screwed me by not having the traditional HEA, but it was GREAT. And Franco not only acted superbly, but looked devastatingly handsome as he did so. Also in the movie was my other baby's father, Henry Cavill (who will be in my Harem shortly!)

 

Even with the 70's porn-stache, I'd still hit that!

So be still my heart, for it is not to be. By now, all the hoes will lay siege to his person and there will be none left for me. But, I'll still enjoy the view ;). You guys know I love a guy with dark hair and angles to his face. Throw in his bangin' physique and ginormous I.Q, and you can see why he's a member of my male harem!

--

Feel free to gush with me about the hawtness of James, or share your ideal harem man servants. Talk Oscars with me, or just stare at the scenery of this post ;). Man candy and romance books go hand in hand!

Review Stolen Dreams by Stacey Kennedy

Title:Stolen Dreams (The Lingering Spirit #1)
Author: Stacey Kennedy
Genre: Paranormal romance
length :Novel
Format:eBook

Tess Jennings has the ability to see and talk to spirits. On a daily basis, they harass and annoy her to save their souls. Sometimes she helps, other times she ignores them, but one ghost will give her no choice. Kipp McGowan, a cop with the Memphis Police Department, uses his ghostly charms to gain her attention and forces her to expose herself to his partner.

As she’s pulled into the five year old cold case of Hannah Reid she wants no part of, she finds herself in more than one precarious situation. But that’s the least of her worries―Tess begins to have a serious problem on her hands. Kipp might be dead, but he’s drop-dead gorgeous and she’s beginning to forget that he’s a ghost.

Murder and corruption has brought Tess and Kipp together. But as her feelings for Kipp deepen, she suspects she just signed herself up for a one-way ticket to the nut house, and can only hope, straitjackets come in a size four.

My review:
Rating-

Sexual-

I was stunned as I was reading Stolen Dreams this book was nothing what I was expecting at all. Its’ filled with emotions and great characters. I couldn’t read fast enough, I had to find out what was going to happen between a ghost and the ghost seer. As I was reading I could see how all of this was going to play out in my head I was really felling it until I got to the end and found I was wrong and I was also left FREAKING HANGING….. Ugh, this is still me after 2 days.

I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW!! Hand it over STACEY!!

Yes, the hero (the ghost) and heroine (the seer) are still together, but they are abruptly cut off as Stacey leaves you hanging with thought’s rolling around in your head on how this all is still going to play out. You may think this is bad, it really not, when an author can write a book and leave you not only stunned, but in awe with their writing, well that’s a good thing to me. My problem is I like closer and this book just didn’t give me that, so I tend to whine about it for days. I am pathetic I know LOL.

Now, that I got that out of the way. I loved the story and the romance between Kipp and Tess is great. Of course, the sexual tension is at an all-time high because these two just can get it on with Kipp being a ghost. You do get one very hot dream that almost seams real. LOL I must admit it sound creepy, but this book never came across anyway like that to me. The murder case is very good and it also kept me guessing the whole time. I recommend to people who can stand a good continuing ghost series with plenty of sexual tension.

Review of HIS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

HIS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Anthology
by Josh Lanyon, Z.A. Maxfield, L.B. Gregg, and Harper Fox
Carina Press
December 6, 2010
ISBN# 9781426890833
Contemporary M/M Romance
E-book, 493 pages
NetGalley Review




Mistletoe at Midnight by LB Gregg
Owen McKenzie has traveled to Vermont to spend an old-fashioned Christmas with his family when he finds himself staying at the same inn as his first love. Owen is disconcerted to realize he's still attracted to Caleb Black but refuses to pursue him. Caleb left him once, and Owen's not going down that road again.

Caleb is ready for a second chance with Owen and gets it when fate and the matchmaking McKenzies conspire to strand the two men in a rustic cabin during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. Can Caleb convince Owen to rekindle their romance so they can stop spending their holidays apart?

Nine Lights Over Edinburgh by Harper Fox
Detective Inspector James McBride is riding high on the belief that he's about to bust a human-trafficking ring. But just five days before Christmas, his unorthodox methods catch up with him and his world comes crashing down.

McBride tries to concentrate on his new day job as security for the visiting Israeli ambassador. He even starts to feel a renewed sense of self-worth when the leader of the Israeli team, the aristocratic Tobias Leitner, takes a bullet for him in the line of duty. But he can't forget the trafficking case, especially when his investigations result in the kidnapping of his own daughter! McBride has no one to turn to for help-no one, except Toby.

Can these two very different men work together to bring about a holiday miracle-and heal one another's heart in the process?

I Heard Him Exclaim by Z.A. Maxfield
Who Likes a Skinny Santa?

Steve Adams's heart hasn't been in the Christmas spirit ever since doctors put a stent in it and ordered him to clean up his act. No longer filling out his Santa suit or allowed to make merry, he's forgoing the holidays this year and heading to Vegas to indulge in the few vices left to him: gambling and anonymous sex.

His road trip takes a detour when he encounters Chandler Tracey, who's just inherited guardianship of his five-year-old niece. Overwhelmed, Chandler's on his way to deliver Poppy to his parents. But fate has other plans and, after car trouble, Chandler and Poppy accept a ride home with Steve. Though the heat between the two men is obvious, they put it on simmer while they band together to make Poppy's Christmas as perfect as possible.

Steve soon comes to believe that while Chandler is the right person to look after Poppy, someone needs to look after Chandler. Fortunately, Steve knows just the man for the job.

Icecapade by Josh Lanyon
On the eve of the new millennium, diamond thief Noel Snow seduced FBI special agent Robert Cuffe, then fled into the dawn. Now a successful novelist, Noel uses his capers as fodder for his books, and has modeled his hero's nemesis (and potential love interest) on Cuffe. Though he leaves Robert a drunken phone message every New Year's Eve, Noel hasn't seen or heard from him in a decade.

So he's thrilled when his former lover shows up at his upstate farm one Christmas Eve. Elation quickly turns to alarm when Robert accuses Noel of being responsible for a recent rash of diamond heists. Robert is all business and as cold as ice: it seems his only interest in Noel is to put him behind bars.

Innocent of the crimes and still as attracted as ever to the oh-so-serious lawman, Noel plans a second seduction-providing he can stay out of jail long enough!




My Ratings
Review


Sexual


Yes, a Christmas anthology, but it doesn’t need to be the holidays to enjoy these deliciously romantic stories. I applaud Carina Press for putting together such talent and delivering a sweet seasonal treat.

Mistletoe at Midnight by LB Gregg
Owen and Caleb fell in love during high school but were separated due to circumstances beyond their control. Now 15 years later, they are brought together, due to circumstances beyond their control. They must confront the past and hope for the future. I enjoyed the parts of the story told in flashback; getting the opportunity to watch the beginning of Owen and Caleb’s relationship. Owens’ Mom and Brother are your typical loving “interfering” family members. They are a hoot!

Nine Lights Over Edinburgh by Harper Fox
A mesmerizing story of a desperate man who loses himself in alcohol and gambling. Detective Inspector James McBride is a lonely man who feels comfortable when out on his “streets”. But his descent into the darkness has its price, and McBride must face the consequences of his actions. Just watching McBride open up and realize there are different types of love and that he is worthy of love was a beautiful metamorphosis.

I Heard Him Exclaim by Z.A. Maxfield
You couldn’t have a Christmas anthology without Santa Claus - this one even has elves! Steve has had enough problems this past year and heads to “Sin City” Vegas for the holidays. On his way he runs into Chandler and Poppy who are having auto problems. There is an immediate attraction. Chandler feels insecure and irresponsible. He isn’t cut out for the job of parenting - not ready for a kid. (Does this sound familiar to any parents out there? It did to me.) Steve on the other hand is the opposite when it comes to kids - plenty of nephews and nieces. Poppy even calls Steve “Santa Claus”. I couldn’t help but chuckle when reading the stolen moments quickie between Steve and Chandler. *grin*

Icecapade by Josh Lanyon
How can you not love a seasonal read when the leading characters are: The Diamond Thief Noel Snow and The FBI Special Agent Robert Cuffe! Those names just rock! These two have it bad. I mean B.A.D. After one hot night, they haven’t seen or spoken to each other in 10 years - 10 frellin’ years!! There is a reason to their madness. Noel and Robert had to survive their chosen career paths to reclaim a passion they once shared. Noel is surprised when Robert knows so much about him. And Robert is so, so alpha: strong, silent type.



Now, you may be wondering why only the Sexual Rating of Steamy. Yes, the man love is HAWT! But it is not the sole focus of the story. It adds to the development of the relationship between the characters. What I found present in each of the tales was a breathtaking romance.

In My Mailbox (56)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren, and is a way for everyone to show their new books for the week, including those bought, swapped, won, or received for review.

My parents gave me a Borders gift card (Thank you Mom and Dad!!) and what better time to spend it than when my local store had their going out of business sale with 30% all romance books!!



bought: 

 "After Dark with a Scoundrel" by Alexandra Hawkins

 "Lord Lightning" by Jenny Brown

 "Seducing the Duchess" by Ashley March 

 "Tainted by Temptation" by Katy Madison

 "Unveiled" by Courtney Milan

  
"Wedding of the Season" by Laura Lee Guhrke
  

What did you receive in your mailbox this week??

Books for sale

Books I have for sale.I bought these book brand new and read once, I no longer want them. All are in still excellent condition useless stated other wise.I have a paypal account to pay through, I will combine shipping if you want more then one book. On combine shipping I will need you zip code to get a price to ship and they will be shipped media mail. Outside the us please contact me for information.
You can find my email under contact on my sidebar.

Trade sizes for sale
Sanctuary by Moira Rogers 7.00
Menage a Maick by Lora Leigh 4.00
Heathers Gift by Lora Leigh 7.00
Skin Deep by Anna J. Evens 5.00
Animal Attraction by Charlene Teglia 7.00
Dalakis Embrace by N.J. Walters 7.00
Lunewulf Law Lorie O'Clare 5.00
In Her Blood by Lorie O'Clare 5.00
In Her Nature Loire O'Clare 5.00
Taming Heather by Lorie O'Clare 5.00
Marly's Choice by Lora Leigh 7.00
Forbidden Pleasure by Lora Leigh 7.00
Savage Legacy by Lora Leigh 7.00
Moving Violations by Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick 5.00
Nauti Boy by Lora Leigh 5.00 sold
Nauti Intentions by Lora Leigh 5.00 sold
Nauti Dreams Lora Leigh 5.00 sold
Beauty Emerges by Dominique Adair 5.00
and Falling, Fly by Skyler White 5.00
Not pictured
Shadow Marked by Anna J Evens 7.00
Sanctuary by Moira Rogers 7.00
Velvet Heaven by Sophie Renwrick 7.00
Forgot to mention the Lorie O'Clare books are autographed with my name in them.

Review Taste of Home Comfort Food diet cookbook

Title: Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet
Genre: Cookbook
Website

A follow up to the best-selling original, this second volume of Comfort Food Diet Cookbook offers 416 new family friendly recipes for hearty all-time favorites with fewer calories than expected. In addition to hundreds of recipes, the book consists of testimonials and photos from actual dieters, a six-week meal plan, notes on exercise, tips on making healthy food choices, and more. Realistic portions combined with exceptional taste put pleasure back in healthy eating without sacrificing quality or satisfaction. After all, the Comfort Food Diet is about what people can eat, not what they have to give up.

My review
rating-

I was very impressed with this cookbook. I have tired these diet cookbooks before and I was not able to find any good recipes, but I found a lot of recipes in this one. The first of the book is full of tips and ideas on who to lose weight. There is even a 6 week daily planner to help you get started filled with foods that are in this book, very easy to use. I cooked a few recipes this weekend and my family loved them. I found them easy to cook and I also loved that just about every recipe has a picture. The only downside was of course, was there isn’t a lot of desserts, should have known LOL. Every recipe has the calories and the nutrition facts so you just can’t go wrong if you follow them.

Sample of one I cooked this weekend
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean) (I don't eat beef, so I used ground turkey)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) Hunt’s® Original Diced Tomatoes, undrained
2/3 cup frozen corn
1 can (8 ounces) Hunt’s® Tomato Sauce
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce, chilies, cumin, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes or until heated through.
Drain macaroni; add to meat mixture. Stir in cilantro and heat through. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1-1/3 cups equals 224 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 37 mg cholesterol, 567 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 19 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1 starch.