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Wednesday 26 December 2007

SHADOWS ON THE SOUL

Gabriel is a five-hundred-year-old vampire with the soul of a Killer. He has defeated his mother in a battle for the territory of Baltimore, and vowed to take vengeance upon his father, the Master of Philadelphia, for a centuries-old betrayal.

Jezebel, Gabriel's new fledgling, is a soul as scarred as his own, yet Gabriel finds that the ice around his heart slowly melts when she is near. But one of Gabriel's ancient enemies has targeted her--and if Gabriel wants to save her, he will have to abandon his plans for revenge and join forces with his father.

The question is not whether or not Gabriel can redeem himself from his past, but whether he can ever forgive himself.


This is the third book in Jenna Black's GUARDIANS OF THE NIGHT SERIES. I really, really enjoy this series. It's awesome! And with every new book, the world of the Guardians just gets bigger and better. There were so many cool and unexpected turn of events in this one that I can't wait to see what else is ahead. I do know that the next book will be Drake's story, and I can't wait for it.

I love redemption stories (having written one just recently myself) and this one didn't disappoint. Gabriel is a tough, bad guy but also turned out to be a great (reluctant) hero. And Jezebel was surprisingly strong, for a women who'd been through so much as a mortal. Put them together and wow! Explosive.

Yep, this series is another keeper. I'm also looking forward to getting stuck into Jenna's other series.

Sunday 23 December 2007

A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER


After enduring years of torture from the vampire Horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.

Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents--until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae--and their notorious dark desire--ebb as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.

So... I won't talk about the story because the above pretty much sums it up. What I will say is that I enjoyed this book immensely. The character growth for both Lachlain and Emma was amazing. Their love story and sexual tension was -- wow! I absolutely loved everything about it. Got so caught up that I cursed everytime I had to put the book down to do other things. Who needs sleep anyway? ;)

Kresley Cole's writing style and voice really sucks you into the tale.

I'm definitely lovin' this series so far, so it's great to know I have the next two already, and that there are more to come. Excellent book! Honestly, I just LOVE it when I read a book that captivates me this much. And like I've said before, I'm having a totally awesome run with every one I've picked up lately.

Happy reading!

Wednesday 19 December 2007

MOONGAZER

Imagine every night entering a nightmare world you can't escape and being told real life is a dream. Skye Brown has it all: the cool job, the hot boyfriend, the apartment on New York's Upper West Side. But lately she can't enjoy any of it. She's having dreams of a post-apocalyptic world. Of a bleak futuristic wasteland. Of a struggle against oppression. And she's been told she's a...



MOONGAZER.


My gosh! Have I been having an awesome run with books, or what? This was AWESOME! I couldn't put it down. The world is bleak and keeps you guessing. It was sad, funny, happy and intriguing. There's a bit of everything in this one. And Dawn. Ah. What can I say? The connection between these two characters was inspiring.
Loved it, loved it, loved it! Man, you should be reading these Shomi books. They're excellent!

Sunday 16 December 2007

DOG DAYS

Mason used to be an enforcer, ensuring that suspect magic practitioners stayed in line. But now he scrapes out a living playing guitar. Good thing he has Louie, his magical...well, let's call him a dog. But there are some kinds of evil that even Louie can't sniff out. And when Mason is attacked by a supernatural assailant, he'll have to fall back on the one skill he's mastered in music and magic-improvisation.

This is a new urban fantasy series which really caught my eye. And man, now that I've read it, I gotta say: Wow! I really, really enjoyed it. Mason's a great narrator, and I can really see myself getting lost in this new world. It was an excellent read, with a world rich in detail.

The secondary characters were also great. Actually, everything about this book was fabulous. I love the concepts and the magical community of practitioners. It set the series up in a wonderful way, with many obstacles already stacked against Mason. And I love the cover!

Yeah, I'm in jumpin' on this ride. ;)

Wednesday 12 December 2007

CRIME SEEN

Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, is having a hard time getting over a gunshot wound from her last case-especially because she didn't see the shots coming. Out of work and second-guessing her abilities, she tries to get back in the saddle by helping her boyfriend Dutch with some of his FBI cases. And soon enough, her intuition returns-with a vengeance.

This is the 5th Abby Cooper mystery book. I love a good mystery, and this series always has a good one... and a whole lot more too.

I picked this book up off my bookshelf on Monday night, and finished it last night. I was really hooked on it. Man, couldn't put it down and wanted to get back to it.

I really love Abby. She's such a kind hearted and honest character. Of course, I also love Dutch and all the other regulars in this series. They're just like old friends, and it was time to catch up again. I'm now up to date with this series. Just wanted to keep up because I've fallen behind on my reading. There are also a bunch of other books I want to read, including Victoria's newest series. Sounds great!

Anyway, this was another fun book filled with tension and danger. Loved it!

Monday 10 December 2007

THE WATCHER

Newly-made vampire Anna has become a Watcher-one of the supernatural world's enforcers- even as she fights to control her vampiric rage. When a series of very dangerous events threatens to draw out her unstable powers, her Watcher mentor sends her away for her own safety. But if there's one thing Anna has always been able to find, it's trouble.

Okay, this has become one of my most favourite series, along with The Darkwing Chronicles. I can't say enough great things about them! My god. This book was awesome. This is the third Anna Strong book, and the series just gets better and better.

In this one, Anna still doesn't want to let go of her humanity. She's also keeping the fact that she's a vampire a secret from the humans in her life. But my god, so many bad things happen in this one that keeping close to what little of the human side she has is hard as hell. And like I've said before, sometimes the human monsters can be so much scarier than the supernatural ones.

If you're not reading this series, what are you waiting for? ;) Check out the books here. I love, love this series. Can't wait for the next one...

Sunday 9 December 2007

MISTER B. GONE


This bone-chilling novel, in which a medieval devil speaks directly to his reader—his tone murderous one moment, seductive the next—is a never-before-published memoir allegedly penned in the year 1438. The demon has embedded himself in the very words of this tale of terror, turning the book itself into a dangerous object, laced with menace only too ready to break free and exert its power.

Ah, Clive Barker. His books are like a drug. Once you get started, you just don't want to put it down. And although this book made me feel the same way, it took me longer to read it than I wanted... I had a bunch of other stuff getting in the way. You all know how real life goes. :/

Anyway, the other day I (really) got stuck into it and read until I got to the end. Got it finished first thing yesterday morning. Wow. He's good. Clive Barker can weave a tale out of nothing and suck you into the plot. The tension was there, it kept getting tighter and tighter, until I couldn't wait to see what the big and horrid secret was...

Of course I'm not gonna tell you. ;) But Jakabok was a strange narrator. He sure had a lot of empty threats to hand out. It was a very intimately told tale about a demon's life and how he got where he is now. I really enjoyed it.

There's a lot of typical nitty-gritty description of things that aren't pretty in life too.

Monday 26 November 2007

HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE


Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.


Check out this cover, isn't it awesome? And well, since I just finished reading this book about ten minutes ago... let me tell you that the pages inside are even better! WOW.

This was one awesome book. I can tell right now that I'm going to absolutely LOVE this series. It's called the NIGHT HUNTRESS series, btw. :) I hear this book made the New York Times and the USA Today bestseller list, and I'm really not surprised.

You know those kind of books that make you want more? The kind where you've got things to do but you don't wanna do them because you just wanna keep reading? Well, this was definitely one of them.

I loved Cat. I loved Bones. I loved the many flaws she had. I loved how determined he was. And most of all, I loved how they were together. Their attraction was fantastic. This book just grabbed me and held me until I got to the end. And you know what happened when I read the last line? I wanted more. Darn it! I want to read the next book! :D

LOL. But seriously, my gosh, you just HAVE to check this book out. It was fantastic! Although, the end was heart-wrenching. Oh man, I can't say anymore. This was awesome! Do yourself a huge favour and buy this book, you won't regret it. After all, X-Mas is just around the corner and this will make a fantastic treat.

Man, this was so good! Absolutely loved it!!!

Thursday 15 November 2007

IN THE BLOOD

Since the feds coerced sleek New York vampire Daphne Urban into spying for the U.S., she's been part of Team Darkwing. Their latest assignment: rescue the kidnapped daughters of the city's elite.

The terrorists demand gold-and access to a military secret. So Darkwing goes on the prowl in the depraved, secret vampire underworld. It's a world of passions that Daphne has always shunned, until temptation finds her. And if she wants to save the kidnapped girls, she can't get distracted...


You know, I'm not gonna talk about this book. All I've got to say is that I loved it! This is one awesome series. Actually, it's definitely one of my most favourite. :D And I can't wait for the next one...

You gotta check out these vamps!

Sunday 11 November 2007

Weekend Movies

So, because we had a chance to catch up on our fave TV shows during the week, we had the opportunity to catch up on some movies over the weekend. And here they are:

This movie was my pick.

I've been wanting to watch this one since my hubby told me about it, ages ago. And although Demi Moore seemed a little wooden in some areas, this was an excellent movie. We both really enjoyed it.

Rachel's a successful writer who loses her small son in an accident. Hoping to put the incident behind her and get back into writing, she heads to an isolated cottage by the sea. Here the town's people seem to be hiding something.

When she heads over to an island with a lighthouse, she meets a guy called Angus. He's cute, seems nice and they have an instant connection. Soon she forgets about the writing and gets caught up in this new romance. When she finds out that Angus apparently died seven years before, she starts to question her sanity. Is she going nuts because of her grief?

Man, the twists are really cool. Not gonna give anything away, though. :) And can you believe she still uses a typewriter? No laptop for her. LOL.

This next one was hubby's pick.

OMG! This movie was hilarious! We loved it.

Everything about it was excellent. I loved the jokes, dialogue, plot, characters - oh yeah, this one's a good one.

These two get drunk, meet at a bar and then go to her place for a one night stand. She figures she'll never have to see him again after that. Except, eight weeks later she finds out she's pregnant and decides to give him a call.

Gosh, it all goes downhill from here. So to speak. I loved his mates, they were so darn funny. Lots of laughs in this one. Just the humor guaranteed to make the hubby and I laugh our heads off. Another excellent one! Yay.

Yesterday after our walk, we popped this one into the DVD player.

I really enjoyed the first one, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that I enjoyed this one so much! There was some very witty dialogue. And lots of action! Plus those special effects were just awesome! Oh, but the plot was excellent too. This one was defintely another winner. Loved it.

Me lurves superhero flicks. ;)
We did watch one disappointment. Well, we didn't actually watch all of it. We stopped it halfway through. Tales From Earthsea sounded good, but it was so boring. I was yawning. Nearly fell asleep, and it gave me a headache. Oh well.

Where the hell were the dragons anyway?

At least the other three were great!

So, what movies have you been watching lately??

Friday 9 November 2007

BENEATH THE SKIN


Abandoned and perhaps forgotten by her lover, vampire Daphne Urban has an attitude--she doesn’t hate all men, just the ones who have broken her heart. But right now, she has no time for romance. Daphne and her fellow spies in Team Darkwing, the ultra-secret anti-terrorist cadre created by the CIA, are facing a diabolical enemy: A mysterious, cruel, and unstoppable professional assassin named Gage is coming to New York City to kill the most popular political leader in America.

Team Darkwing not only has to find Gage before it’s too late, but discover the real identity of this dark, deadly killer. And during the mission Daphne, a woman betrayed by love, is finding herself inexorably drawn back into the life she once rejected: New York’s secret vampire underworld, where all pleasures are pursued and no desire is forbidden, especially the one she has so long resisted . . . to hunt and feast on live, human blood.


Wow! Man, I was hooked on this book from the first chapter. Honestly, this is one of my favourite series at the moment. This one is the third in The Darkwing Chronicles, and certainly did not disappoint!

I love Daphne. She's an awesome heroine with so many flaws that she feels like a real person. It's so wonderful when the reader can get so involved in a character's life. It's cool.

Anyway, being a vampire isn't easy. Being a spy sure doesn't help. Having a mother who's full of secrets can be a total pain in the ass. And having so much temptation in the guise of a bunch of hot men, can certainly make life even more difficult. Lol. Daphne's not having the best of times at the moment, but she is determined to carry out the next assignment until the end.

And you don't want to miss her slow descend into the darkness she was positive she'd kept under control after all these years.

In the end, this was a fabulous book. I actually got the fourth one last weekend, and I'm so caught up in her story that I think I'm going to have to read it next...

If you're into vampires, you should definitely be reading this series!

Wednesday 7 November 2007

GRAVE SIGHT


Harper Connelly has what you might call a strange job: she finds dead people. She can sense the final location of a person who's passed, and share their very last moment. The way Harper sees it, she's providing a service to the dead while bringing some closure to the living—but she's used to most people treating her like a blood-sucking leech. Traveling with her step-brother Tolliver as manager and sometime-bodyguard, she's become an expert at getting in, getting paid, and getting out fast. Because for the living it's always urgent—even if the dead can wait forever.

I finished reading this book on Monday night. Although I got off to a very slow start, it had nothing to do with the actual book or story. No, there were just a lot of other things that kept getting in the way. But once I got most of them out of the way, I was able to really get stuck into it. And so, I finished it. LOL.

Anyway, I'm a huge Sookie fan, so I was curious to see what Charlaine had done with this new series. And well, I love it! Harper is a completely different character to Sookie, though I still feel some of that same vulnerability in her. This is a good thing, trust me.

The mystery in this book was great. It kept going in several directions, and although I didn't guess the culprit, I did figure out why the murders were committed. Yay me! ;)

The chemistry between Harper and Tolliver is quite strong. A brother and sister team which really aren't related by blood, just by their bond. I can't help but wonder if this'll take a different direction in future books.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this. So I'll definitely be reading more of this series.

Monday 5 November 2007

Autobots, Books & Shows

Ah, we watched the TRANSFORMERS movie on Friday night. Man, it was as EXCELLENT the second time as the first. Honestly, this movie totally blows me away. What a terrific script! There's such wonderful, interesting stuff in it. It's got heart, action, bad guys, good guys... a bit of everything.

Me does love the Autobots. Prime kicks total butt. Lol. I sound like such a fangirl, don't I? ;)
I got some new books over the weekend. I love getting new books. And there are some great ones coming out. If only my reading time was as long as my TBR pile. LOL.

Okay, we caught up with the weekly shows:

Heroes: Yikes! Matt's father's an ass! WTF is going on there? Still lovin' this show.

Supernatural: What a fun episode. Of course, there was that one gruesome scene. Ugh. But the brothers are so cool. :D

Life: Loved this episode. Can't wait until he figures out who screwed him over.

House: Still not enjoying this. My love for this show is cooling. Even having Foreman back wasn't enough. To be honest with you, I kinda fell asleep while it was on. :/

Californication: LOL! This show's hilarious. So in-your-face with subject matter that other shows just wouldn't dare tread. We've got 2 eps to go. Wonder how the season will end...

We've got so many shows to watch that the movie-watching practically stopped. But what can you do? And to be honest, lately shows are (much) more exciting than movies anyway. Maybe we'll get a chance to check out a few movies during the X-Mas break. Let's hope.

So, how was everyone's weekend? Ours was fab! Loved it. Always do. It makes Monday mornings totally suck, but the hubby and I got up for yoga anyway.

It's a little cool outside today. The weather has decided to completely change. This is a great way to get sick. Darn! I just wish we could have one season at a time like we used to. Instead of this changing thing. Hmmmm.

Well, I'm still working on my NaNo novel. As of this morning's small addition, my word count has hit 11,089. Not too bad, but I had to read the last chapter I wrote because I remembered a few things which I wanted to include in the scene. Much happier with it now. :) Can't wait to sit down later to add some more. I'm headed towards an action scene. Looking forward to getting it all down on paper, or ah, screen. Yeah, it's on-screen. Lol.

Okay, I gotta go now. Have a great day everyone!

Saturday 3 November 2007

NaNo's Playlist:

All That I’m Living For: Evanescence
Shadow of the Day: Linkin Park
A Beautiful Lie: 30 Seconds to Mars
Welcome to the Universe: 30 Seconds to Mars
Little of Your Time: Maroon 5
UFO: Sneaky Sound System
Little Wonders: Rob Thomas
Something About Us: Daft Punk
I Love It: Sneaky Sound System
This Is How I Disappear: My Chemical Romance
Misery: Good Charlotte
Digital Love: Daft Punk
Bent: Matchbox Twenty
The Pretender: Foo Fighters
The Mission: 30 Seconds to Mars
I Don’t Love You: My Chemical Romance
The Kill: 30 Seconds to Mars
Spaceman: Babylon Zoo
Leave Out All The Rest: Linkin Park
Apologize: Timbaland Feat. One Republic
Into the Night: Santana Feat. Chad Kroeger

Saturday 27 October 2007

SECRETS IN THE SHADOWS

Jules Gerard has vowed that he will never become a Killer. But when he discovers that the man who turned him into a vampire is dead and kicking in Baltimore, the allure of extra power is tempting.

Standing in his way is a human, spitfire Hannah Moore, who has followed him to Baltimore to help him confront his past. Hannah doesn't seem to realize how dangerous vampires can be--and despite his façade of disdain, Jules has a real soft spot for the petite P.I.

Jules is going to have to choose: vengeance or love? Damnation or redemption?

This is the second book in the Guardians of the Night Series by Jenna Black.

We met both of these characters in the first book. And I have to admit that I was instantly interested in them. So, it was really cool to read Hannah and Jules' story.

I finished it last night, and boy was it good! It was an excellent story, honestly. I can't wait to get stuck into the third one... which is already on my bookshelf. Lol. This one's going to be Gabriel's story, and since I was intrigued by him in this book, I can't wait to see what happens there. Looking forward to reading about his redemption. Love redemption stories about bad boys. Though, I really liked him in this book. Even if he was a violent SOB, there was still something about him...

Anyway, there was plenty of action, romance, revelations, and just about everything else in between. Hannah's a very real character who has to deal with a vampire hellbent on revenge. Of course, when you find out why, you can totally understand why Jules wants Ian dead. I loved the way the relationship between Hannah and Jules developed. And was totally shocked at how the book ended. I loved that!

Can't tell you why, but just take my word for it.

This is turning out to be an awesome series, and I can't wait to see what else Jenna's got planned for the Guardians. :D

Sunday 21 October 2007

THE ULTIMATE BITE

One dark, wild night a mysterious stranger seduced Kim Wright, changing her forever. He did wicked things to her, things she'd never dared dream of.
He even bit her! And by doing so, he transformed Kim from an inexperienced mouse to a sinfully sexy woman.

A woman who craved more of what only Stephen could give her.

Now, a year later, Kim has finally found Stephen again. And she still wants him, desperately. But Stephen's not like other men. He can't get attached to any one woman. Still, he can't resist sinking his teeth into Kim just one more time.

Too bad Kim's not going to let Stephen get away that easily.

Oh, I loved this book! It was so good. Of course, I love this writer's style. She's totally awesome, and writes some fantastic vampire tales. You've gotta check her out. She's very cool.

Anyway, I'm very impressed with these Extreme Blaze books, so far. And since I'm hoping to write one myself, it's totally cool.

If you enjoy a good story, read this. If you enjoy reading about interesting characters with flaws and real life situations, with a paranormal edge thrown in, read this. If you enjoy a sexy, sensual connection between hero and heroine, read this. Oh, and I loved The Lost Boys quality to it, too. I know there's going to be a follow up to this one, so I can't wait!

Well, I guess there's no more to say but read it. ;)

Monday 15 October 2007

One Movie & a Bunch of Shows

This weekend, it was my turn to pick a movie to watch. So, what did I pick? 28 Weeks Later, of course. :D This is a movie I'd been waiting to watch for a while. I absolutely LOVED the first one. So, I just had to see what else they were going to do with this story...

It starts with a different bunch of survivors, which I thought was super clever. You know, you only ever see a bunch of people, and it makes you wonder who else is out there, right? So, this concept totally grabbed me.

One thing about this movie that I really enjoyed was the pacing. It moved very quickly, especially whenever those rage-infected people were on screen. And man, I don't want to give away any spoilers here, but my gosh, something happened in this tale that really blew me away. I never expected it, but totally loved it! It was gory, but awesome and clever.

The two kids in this flick sure are annoying. You know how kids just don't listen and do whatever the hell they want anyway? Yeah, these guys are exactly like that. Lol. I guessed the ending, but who cares? What can I say? I'm totally in a zombie-state of mind. Though these creatures aren't zombies. They're infected with the rage virus! ;)

I've read some very mixed reviews for this one, but I loved it! It totally kicked butt. I just hope they keep them coming. I want to see 28 months later next. Heeee. Heeeee.

We also caught up with our fave TV shows. Wanna know the to-watch list? Here it is: Californication, The Sopranos, Heroes, House and Life. Oh, and Supernatural will be added this week. Yay!

Here's an update on what I'm thinking about each show:

Californication: This is so darn funny and vulgar. You just gotta love it.

The Sopranos: Like always, WTF? I totally knew Christopher would cop it this season, but didn't expect it to go down like it did. And man, we've got 3 eps left. You know what? As much as I love this show, I'm glad it's going to end soon. Tony's really annoying the hell out of me this season.

Heroes: Oh man! I'm LOVING it so far. Lotsa cool things going down here!!!

House: Yeah. Love this show, but this ep bugged me a bit. The concept of having 20+ people doing his bidding isn't as exciting as the team of 3 he usually has. I miss Chase, Cameron and Foreman.

Life: We kinda missed the first ep, but man, this one was totally cool. Really enjoy the way this cop works. :)

Bionic Woman: As you've probably already noticed, this one's no longer on the list. We watched ten minutes of the second episode and shut it off. That line about forget Mr. Right and worry about Mr. Right Now (or something like that) was totally crap. Just didn't fit into anything, IMO. The bionic chick is totally annoying. And a little multiple-personality, if you ask me. She seems to morph into a completely different person, with a new attitude every few minutes! I reckon they wasted their money on her. ;) So, we're not watching this anymore. It's being cut from the list!

And there you have it. Of course, I've got plenty more to say, but I'll leave it at that.

My daughter goes back to school today. And I intend to use my time wisely.

Hope everyone starts off the week well.


 

Tuesday 9 October 2007

Hello New Week!

I can't seem to get away from the vampires. I mean, why would I want to? Right? Lol.

I finished a vamp book the other night, and without even realising it, picked up another one yesterday. But hey, I'm fine with that. I enjoyed the first one in this series a lot!

Oh, and I got through the final draft of my Vampire Oracle DEATH novella the other day. It took me a little longer than I thought it would, because of the detail thing I mentioned the other day. But it's now finished and waiting in the CP submission queue. So I won't think about it for a bit... okay, that's probably a lie. I always think about the stories I sub! ;) Still, if I keep busy with other tales, that'll keep me busy.

So, Aussie TV has done something different this year. For the first time ever, they've decided to play the new seasons for US shows about 2 weeks after they're on in America. The lag is a little annoying, because I have to make sure I don't read any spoilers on blogs, etc. But let me tell ya, the hubby and I are loving this! Honestly, Oz is usually behind by about 5-6 months. So, this is very cool.

We watched HOUSE and HEROES. Man, they're such cool shows! HOUSE gave me goosebumps. That medical stuff can creep me out sometimes. HEROES made me feel all giddy again, about how much I love this show! It's very cool. And once again, they're throwing us into the thick of things. Gotta love that. And don't you love that they saved the world at the end of season one and now have to go back to normal, everyday life? That's awesome! Yikes!

The other show we were both pretty excited about is THE BIONIC WOMAN. We watched the first ep, and I was left a little... disappointed. First, it's not at all like I expected. That's not a bad thing, I love unpredictable angles. But the main chick, I'm not feeling it with her. There's something about her. To be honest with you, I'm more intrigued by the blonde psycho chick. Now that's a story I wanna know about. But still, even that doesn't hit the spot. I don't know what it is, but it's missing something. We're going to give the second episode a go and see if we still want to watch it. With the amount of shows we have on our list already, I refuse to waste time on something I'm not completely and utterly enjoying!

Which brings me to the final season of THE SOPRANOS. My gosh. These people are so f***ed up. Honestly, they crack me up. In a bad way. Still, this season is as addicting as all the others were before it. We've got 4 eps left, and I can't help but wonder what the hell's gonna happen.

Oh, are any of you guys watching CALIFORNICATION? The hubby and I get a kick out of this show. Duchovny's so cool in it. A bit of an ass, but he's funny. I like the adult content too, haven't seen a show like that since Six Feet Under and Sex and the City, which I loved! It's funny too.

SUPERNATURAL returns next Monday night. I can't wait to catch up with the Winchester boys. Yay!

We also watched a movie called, HOT FUZZ. Have you guys heard of this one? It's got the guys from SHAUN OF THE DEAD (love that movie!) and it was a riot! You know those kind of movies that you can't believe where it's going and totally unlike you thought it would be? Yeah, that's what this was like. My gosh, it was so darn funny! This is worth checking out.

Anyway, that's a lot of show and movie talk, isn't it? Don't worry, I've also been reading... as you can tell from my previous three posts. ;)

The hubby went back to work today. He had yesterday off for his birthday, which was mega cool. And my daughter's got one more week before she goes back to school. We had some fun on Friday afternoon making some bracelets and book thongs. She loves to do beading together. It's cool.

On the cards for today - writing wise - is the first edits for my Forbidden Publications story, BLOOD CHASE. I'm about halfway through. Yeah, lappy died on me before I could get too far. But that's okay. I'll get back to it. The cool thing about this is the timing. I was planning to write the next installment this week. Reading the first one is always a good way to get into the characters again.

Anyway, I hope you all have a great week!

POSTCARDS FROM THE DEAD



Cassandra Moore is the personal property supervisor at the coroner’s office in charge of giving the decedents’ possessions back to the grieving families. She’s often also able to give them other information. For she receives postcards sent by dead residents of the morgue.

Drew Brinkman is a journalist for The Chronicle. Given the assignment of reporting the historical facts of the ghosts of San Josue for the Halloween edition, Drew decides to give the old story a new twist. He’s going to lay those ghosts to rest once and for all, starting with the ones sending postcards from the morgue.

I finished reading this very cool story on Sunday night. It's written by fellow CP author, Ericka Scott. And I loved it! It was one of those stories that throws you deep into the narrator's problems, and you can't wait to see how it's all going to turn out. It was also surprising and unpredicatable, which I always love in stories!

The paranormal and mystery elements are blended in so well that it's a seamless read. We had a busy weekend, so I actually had to read it in two sittings... and I couldn't wait to get back to it.

This was a lovely and touching Halloween tale. You should check it out! I really enjoy Ericka's voice, too.

Sunday 7 October 2007

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?

This is the second Bewitching the Dark book. I really enjoyed the first one, and since we met Ravin, the heroine in that tale, I was intrigued. Couldn't wait to see what she got up to in this book.... and well, it didn't disappoint! What a cool read. I really wanted to get through this one very quickly, but other things kept getting in the way. :/

Anyway, by Friday afternoon, I decided that I was going to get to the end no matter what. And boy am I glad I did.

Both Nikolaus and Ravin had great voices that really sucked me into the story. I also loved the concept of this story, two enemies drawn together by a love spell. It was a wonderful way to throw them in the deep end and then have to get them to rise above it. I was quite surprised at how it all came together. Of course, that's a great thing.

I really enjoy reading Michele's books, and I love how she tackles the world of the vampires.

This is one you just have to read if you're into vamps. ;) So many cool concepts here, and a rich world of the paranormal. Check it out!

ISOSCELES TRIANGLE


Dr. McAllister finally succeeded in his life's work by creating Adam, the world's first clone cyborg. Adam, however, only has one thing on his machine mind--bedding Dr. McAllister’s assistant, Chelsea. Chelsea has loved David for years, but if his cyborg clone is all she can get—will she take it?

Well, this is another CP Tryst that I read the other day. Yikes! Was it hot. Man, these Cobblestone chicks really know how to write hot! ;) But seriously, I really enjoyed the premise of this story. I love it when a machine makes the humanity and emotion rise out of humans. It's so cool.

Summer's eBook was a great little story, with real characters and an outcome that will satisfy every reader. Of course, by the time you get to the end you would've been satisfied in another way already. And BTW, isn't that cover gorgeous?


I really enjoyed it. Can't wait to see what other deliciously naughty stories Summer will have available in the future...

Friday 5 October 2007

OMG! I'm surrounded by vamps!

Well, I'm back in the world of the vampire. And I'm certainly not complaining, because I love vamps. ;)

<--- Isn't this pic pretty? I got it from Glitter Graphics. There are some lovely pics over there. I really wish I could be more artistic. Lol. I'm always amazed at some of the work I find on the internet. Amazing!

I was actually planning to get the third draft of my Vampire Oracle DEATH novella done yesterday, but things didn't go according to plan because of certain details that I needed to research. Isn't it amazing when something which will only add to one sentence, requires quite a bit of research? That's exactly what happened to me. But that's fine. It's made the story that much better, and the description realistic.

This is also the first story I'm setting outside of Sydney. :/ It was a lot of fun. But now I wish I could visit Savannah. It just sounds and looks so beautiful...

Anyway. I changed my goal and decided that today is the day. I would like to have the DEATH novella finished by this afternoon. So far, I've done 64/88 pages. So it looks as if it may be possible. If I do this, it'll mean that I met all my personal writing goals for this week. Yay!

So, not only am I revising the vamps, but I'm also reading a vamp book. I usually don't do that, I like to read about a different (paranormal) subject to what I'm writing. But it doesn't matter because I'm really enjoying this book. Have you read it?

Okay, better get started with the day. I'm hoping to get a few other things done today, too.

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday 2 October 2007

October here we come!

Well, we had a long weekend here in Oz. It was Labour Day yesterday, so that was cool. Except, it sucks when the hubby has to go back to work. And this week, I've got my daughter with me. :/ She's lovely and everything, but can sure suck the creativity outta me...

Anyway.

The other night we watched SUNSHINE. It's a Sci-Fi flick that I'd really been looking forward to watching... but don't you hate it when it doesn't end up being all that great? I think it was probably my fault. I hyped it up so much in my own head that there was no way it would reach the expectations I had.

The concept of the sun dying and having to send a bunch of experts to relight it sounded great to me. But there were too many plot holes. The characters weren't likeable. The humanity was missing. There were too many questions left unanswered. I mean, I'm all for the reader/viewer coming up with their own conclusions, but this was a bit too much!

In the end, I really wanted to love it. I really did, but it was pretty average. Oh well.

Last night we also watched the TMNT movie with my daughter. It was pretty good. I used to love watching the 90s cartoons. They've really changed it a lot, but the relationship and struggles between the brothers is pretty much the same. I really enjoyed it. My daughter laughed a lot! It was a fun movie.

Okay, I've got some NEWS, NEWS! Yay. I'm VERY excited to announce that my V-Day novella has been accepted as part of The Valentine Monologues 2008. Woooohoooo! This'll be my first first POV tale with CP, so that's ultra cool. It's called Valentine's Beast and deals with a dark subject that most wouldn't associate with the day of love... but you all know how I love to walk the edge of darkness. ;)

And wow, this morning I had an email waiting for me from Whispers. You all remember how I told you months ago that I entered a story in their Seven Wonders of the World Contest? I ended up focusing on the Sydney Opera House - Sydney, of course! ;) Anyway, my story came in at third place! OMG!!!! Can you believe it? It's called Selkie Skin and I can't wait to share it with everyone. Yay!

I'm SO excited. This is awesome news!

Well, I've got several things I want to get done during this week. With my daughter home it becomes a bigger challenge, though. I need to organise things to do with her as well. So... here's hoping that I get what I want to do done. Does that make sense? So far, I've already gotten the Beyond HellBlaze galleys done and emailed. So that's cool.

Wish me luck!

Sunday 30 September 2007

DRIVEN


Raina Bowen knows she can handle herself just fine against anything the harsh Northern Waste throws at her. Until it throws her an enigmatic stranger called Wizard. First, she has to haul him out of a brawl he can't hope to win. And next, her libido is shooting into overdrive at the feel of his hard body pressed against hers on the back of her snowscooter. But there's something not quite right about this guy. Before she can strip bare Wizard's secrets, they're lured into a race for their lives, battling rival truckers, ice pirates...and a merciless maniac with a very personal vendetta.



Oh yeah, I'm definitely a Shomi fan. Wow, this book was awesome! Honestly, it was fantastic... especially since I love post-Apocalyptic stuff!




There's a lot of action and a very interesting storyline. The characters were so cool too. I particularly liked Wizard. Oh yeah, he was all that. Lol. ;)




The connection and attraction between Raina and Wizard was great, and I loved how everything tied up in the end.

Man, if you haven't started reading the Shomi line, you've just gotta. Check out their website HERE, so you can see the three titles currently available. I've still got MOONGAZER on my TBR pile. And I can't wait until Michelle Maddox's novel is released...

Friday 28 September 2007

Uh... it's already Friday?

Well, yesterday was a bit of a bust. Though I did get a bunch of emailing and some blogging done.

I had a specialist appointment yesterday. Yeah, that whole nose thing that I've been struggling with for about a year now. The good news is that there is no more inflammation. It's all good internally, but I need to keep taking my medicine (in the form of a nasal spray) until at least next March. The dose is down to three times a week now, so that's cool.

Considering I've only had one sleepless, shitty night since the last time I went to see the specialist, I think it's good. This is just something that I'll have to live with for the rest of my life. As long as I've got some handy sprays nearby, I should be okay. So that was good news.

I planned to get some reading done on the train, but I took my daughter's MP3 player with this album, and this one, as well as this one... and just couldn't switch off. ;) Some awesome tunes, that's for sure.

Anyway, I got the Horror/X-mas story finished on Wednesday afternoon. I added a scene and fixed up a lot of the writing. The story is pretty much the same as it was, I just cleaned it up a lot. Now I think I'll just read it one last time and sub it away. Yay. I'll probably do that sometime next week.

As for today... I plan to get the final draft of that little Tryst finished. It's just over 10k, so it's definitely a short story. Still, I think it's got a lot of emotion and detail, sadness and happiness, and of course a little lovin'. Other than that, don't think I'll get a chance to do much else.

It's my daughter's last day of Term 3 today. :/ Oh gosh. I hope it doesn't bring the writing to a stand-still. There are plenty of things I want to accomplish within October.

Oh, and on another note, I thought this article was interesting. I don't think there's enough going on as far as outer space is concerned.

Have a good one!

Don't forget, I'll be the featured author over at Mandy M Roth's blog this Friday.

Wednesday 26 September 2007

Mid-week already!

Looks like it's going to be another nice day today. That's cool because it's really starting to feel like Spring now, and also because I can catch up on the laundry. Man, it's taking forever to do so...

Anyway, although I was productive yesterday, it didn't feel as if I was. Does that make any sense? You know those kind of days when you do a lot, but there's not much finished output to show for it. Yeah, well, that was Tuesday for me.

I got stuck into the X-mas story rewrite but stopped about mid-morning. I got 17 pages in, took a deep breath and realised that it would need more work than I'd originally thought. So I put it away and picked up that little Tryst I wrote (I think a few weeks ago) and completed the second draft of that. The story flows well, but it isn't very long. Still, I don't think length matters in this story as much as the emotional and physical contact between the characters. And I think that gets across fine. I'll do one more draft of that one, and sub it.

As for the X-mas/Horror tale, I sat down again in the afternoon and went right back to the beginning. I know, one step forward, three steps back. :/ Still, as I got further into it, I found myself getting into the groove and knew exactly where to delete, move or add things. I have to be cruel with this one. Rip out a bunch and layer the appropriate tension, emotion, or whatever. So far, much better. Got some more done this morning. Am now 25/81 pages done. Not bad.

I think this is what I'll tackle today.

Thanks for the Anniversary well wishes. The hubby did get home nice and early, and we went to have dinner at the HRC. It didn't disappoint. And speaking of not disappointing, this album never disappoints! ;)

Have a cool day, everyone!


Don't forget, I'll be the featured author over at Mandy M Roth's blog this Friday.

Tuesday 25 September 2007

Obsessed? Who me?

As you can tell, my obsession for this band continues... my gosh, I've even got the hubby and daughter hooked on 30 Seconds to Mars. Lol. We can't get the songs out of our heads, and can't get enough of listening to these awesome tunes. Man, this is one brilliant band!

I'm very, very impressed with Jared Leto's songwriting skills, as well as his musical talent, and the way he sounds when he sings live. Being in a band REALLY suits him too. ;) And I don't need to go into how cool the band sounds as a unit. I'll just say: AWESOME! :D

Anyway, enough fan-girl gushing for now, I think.

You know, it's our 8th Wedding Anniversary today. Yay! Wow. Very cool. We're hoping that the hubby gets out at a good time so we can go out for dinner somewhere nice. Knowing us, we'll probably end up at the HRC. Love that place. Good music, cool atmosphere, yummy food... and it's one of the first places the hubby took me to when we started dating.

Damn, the naughty and very cheeky kitty has just jumped in front of the computer screen. This is his new thing. If he wants to get my attention, he gets in front of the 'puter. Darn it, he's too clever. :/ Oh good, he moved. Heeeee. Heeeeee.

I really surprised myself yersterday, and got through the entire second draft revision of my Vampire Oracle novella. The word count is now below 20k - 19,999 words. Lol. I deleted some stuff, added some stuff and made a few notes on the side. There are just a few (minor) Savannah details that I need to double check before I get started on the third draft. I'm still very excited about this tale, and found it very easy to read and get engrossed in the story. I hope everyone else that reads it feels the same.

Today I got started on a X-mas/Horror with Romantic elements story I want to rewrite a little. It's a completed novella that I want to enhance so I can sub it. At the moment I only got 7 pages in because my daughter woke up really early. Yeah, if it's not the lappy, it's the kid... or the kitty. Gee!

So last night I picked up another book. I'm in a Shomi-kinda mood. You know, last week I cast the hero and heroine in my own Shomi idea. And since then, their story has been circling around inside my head. How cool. Anyway, I started this book and got 60 pages in before bedtime. Man, it's really, really cool so far. I wanna get back to it. Lol.

This Friday I will be the featured author over at Mandy M Roth's blog. Aphrodite's Apples is featured this week. So check it out from Mon-Fri so you can read some cool interviews with some very talented authors... and me. ;) Lol. Click on the graphic to get there. It'll be a cool week!

Speaking of AA, do you know that I've got two different eBooks being released over at Aphrodite's next month? Yay, I do! :) Very excited.

Okay, I better get going for now. Here's hoping that today turns out as productive as yesterday... can't wait to listen to 30STM again today!

Sunday 23 September 2007

MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND

Raine is a sorceress of moderate powers, from an extended family of smugglers and thieves. With a mix of street smarts and magic spells, she can usually take care of herself. But when her friend Quentin, a not-quite-reformed thief, steals an amulet from the home of a powerful necromancer, Raine finds herself wrapped up in more trouble than she cares for. She likes attention as much as the next girl, but having an army of militant goblins hunting her down is not her idea of a good time. The amulet they're after holds limitless power, derived from an ancient, soul-stealing stone. And when Raine takes possession of the item, it takes possession of her.

I just finished reading this book about five minutes ago. It's a fantasy tale with a very strong heroine who has quite an attitude on her, too. Raine Benares is an elf in a place filled with necromancers, sorcerers, goblins, and a whole bunch of other races.

When she accidentally gets her hands on an amulet, her whole life is turned upside down. She has no idea what it is, but the amulet doesn't want to let her go. As the story moves along, she finds out more than she bargains for about herself. As well as getting into some pretty bleak situations, and involving her friends along the way. It was quite a ride.

The world building is very extensive, as you have to be when creating a world from scratch. But I didn't mind, I enjoyed reading about it. It helped to get familiar with it because this is a series. Looks like we're headed somewhere else in the next book. Can't wait to see what happens then. :)

Monday 17 September 2007

CALL ME WICKED

Lauren Parish’s hottest fling was with Carson McCullen ... a mortal and a huge no-no in her witching world. His reappearance in her life has her imagining many new steamy encounters.

She is busy avoiding the witch hunters who want her dead and her only option is to go underground and join Carson. Soon however, she knows she should let Carson go, but how long can she go without this hot sex?

Okay, the pic I've posted is the proper, actual cover. The one released in the US. But I read the Australian release, so it actually looked like this. Yeah, they stick two books together and choose only one of the covers. I prefer this one, don't know why they went with the other...

Anyway, I read the first chapter of this book on Saturday night just before the footy. And I enjoyed it a lot. I loved that we were thrown right into the action and the problem. So, I decided to pick it up yesterday with the intention of getting a little more read by the end of the day. Well, I actually read the whole thing.

It was a great book! I mean, Blaze novels are a little shorter anyway, so it wasn't too hard to fit in just below 250 pages worth of reading into one day. But I didn't care about that as much as how engrossed I became in the story and the characters. I love this world of witches that Jamie Sobrato has created, and really hope that we get to revisit someday.

If you want to read a nice, steamy book with a lot of interesting story and conflict... yeah, check this out! ;)

Saturday 15 September 2007

RISING MOON

Denizens of The Big Easy know its steamy nights can hide any number of sins and secrets. Private-eye Anne Lockhart is counting on it. Her life has been in a holding pattern ever since her sister Katie disappeared without a trace…but when a clue leads Anne to a jazz club in the French Quarter, everything changes. Rising Moon's proprietor, John Rodolfo, is mysterious in his own right, a gifted musician who reaches deep into Anne's soul and whose mere presence taps into desires she can't afford to indulge...

By going undercover at the Rising Moon, Anne can get close to people who know what goes on after dark--people like John, whose nocturnal disappearances are more than a little suspicious. But unlocking John's secrets is harder than Anne had anticipated. What's far too easy is surrendering to him. And now someone--or something--is stalking the innocent and the guilty, and waiting for Anne's next move...

Man, I love this series! Honestly, the Nightcreature series is so cool! And of course, Lori's writing style is so comfy and descriptive. I also love that every single heroine in this series feels so real, and so different. They're just ordinary gals thrown into extraordinary situations with some lovely heros. Yikes! You've just gotta check out these guys.

The mystery in this novel kept me glued to every page, until I found out how it all came together. The tension was fantastic, and I was suspecting everyone of everything. Lol. I loved the attraction between Anne and John, and of course the way New Orleans was painted. Lori made me see every detail as if I was there, and I've never been anywhere near it. She really is awesome!

I've got the next one on my bookshelf already, so I can't wait to read it. We're heading into Gypsy stuff in the next one. Super cool!

Friday 14 September 2007

Looks like rain today...

I love finding moon and planet pics, and since two of the stories I revised this week used the power of the moon within them...

Well, I finally got the third draft of my Sci-Fi novella finished.

I'm much happier with it now. I added a few extra bits to the overall story, and I'm very excited about the way they fit in. Of course the word count went up. It's now sitting at 32,417 words. Cool.

Not sure what to work on today. :/

Well, I'm still reading this book. My gosh, it's awesome! I've got 100 pages to go and cannot wait to see how this one ends. Lori Handeland is one awesome writer! I love her stuff. If you're looking for an awesome series with great characters and fantastic writing, this is it. Or if you want to sample something smaller first, check out her novella - Dead Man Dating - in this anthology. It totally blew me away! She's also got some online reads available here. I haven't read these yet, but I should. ;)

Anyway... I think it's time for me to go. I've got a few things I need to do this morning. Starting with looking up some character names for my Tryst story.

Have a fab weekend everyone!!!

Sunday 9 September 2007

HELL KAT

Smart, sexy, and kick-ass brave, Kat has the fighting skills of a warrior and a sexual appetite few men can match--although most would happliy die trying. But Kat has bigger problems than choosing her latest bedmate/plaything. She's caught in a post-apocolyptic world where only the rich live well - and Kat is determined to be one of them. To make her dream come ture, the fearless treasure hunger has to get her hands on a lot of money, and that's going to take every bit of talent she's got, and then some. With her devoted partner and lover Damian at her side, Kat sets out to make one big score. The stakes are high and they get even higher when she discovers her rival, Hades, is after the same thing. Big, mean, and sexy as hell, he's just the sort of man Kat loves to take to bed...and will...if he can help her in her quest.

Now, two people whose fiery attraction grows more explosive by the hour are joining forces in a dangerous game, and a delicious discover of treasure awaits them in the dark.

I picked this book up with the intention of reminding myself that it was still on my bookshelf. Lol. There are a bunch of books that have, for one reason or another, remained unread. Well, okay, I know why. Mostly it's because I'm so caught up with my own writing. And of course, real life.

Anyway, I got started and had read most of the book by the time we went to bed. I just didn't want to put it down. I was so caught up in everything. It's only 220 pages long, so I got through the rest of it this morning. Man, this was a very cool futuristic story with a good dose of heat. Yikes. It was scorching in some bits, but I didn't mind because the story was just so good I wanted to find out what was going to happen next.

The end didn't disappoint, either. Though the only problem I have now is that I'll most definitely have to pick up the next book. I love post-apocalytic stuff. And Kat's world is pretty screwed up. I love it!

I really liked the heroine, too. Kat's tough and doesn't take crap from anyone. She's a treasure hunter looking for a better way of life, I just hope she finds it someday. And the hero, Hades... what can I say about him? Nope. I'm not telling. You'll have to read it for yourself. ;)

Friday 7 September 2007

KILLER INSIGHT

When a childhood friend of Abby's from Denver, Colorado, finds herself short one bridesmaid, it doesn't take a professional psychic to see the opportunity for a much-needed getaway. But one bridesmaid after the next is mysteriously flying the coop, and Abby's intuition tells her their final destination isn't pretty. With the wedding party falling apart and her gift of sight never quite so foggy, Abby has to save the date-and herself from becoming the next taffeta-clad target.

This is the fourth book in the Abby Cooper, A Psychic Eye Mystery series. I just adore this series. Picking up one of these books is like catching up with a bunch of old friends. And I just love Abby. She's so darn cool! I've actually had this book on my bookshelf for almost a year, but because I put it with the other ones, it was in the back. :/ And it wasn't until I picked up the fifth book last weekend that I remembered I still hadn't read this one. Lol.

Anyway. I loved it! Pretty much read the bulk of it during two nights. I got started, just wanting to read the first chapter, but kept going and going. This morning I had about twenty pages to go - just got too tired to finish it last night - and just had to get through it before doing anything else.

I definitely wasn't disappointed! It was awesome. Who would've thought that Abby (who is a psychic, BTW) would have to solve a mystery while attending an old friend's wedding. Phew! But that's exactly what happens. She gets caught up in the middle of an awful mess that slowly unravels...

Excellent! I mean, with this week's BIAW being Mystery-themed, I just had to read one. I love reading mysteries. :D Especially if there's a touch of the paranormal to 'em.

If you're into mysteries, check this book out. If you like a series full of danger, intrigue and twists, check out Abby Cooper. And if you just enjoy reading a good book, go on what're you waiting for? Get into this series! ;)

Tuesday 4 September 2007

WITCH FIRE

Mira Hoskins doesn’t know she’s a natural born witch who possesses the rare--and powerful--element of air. She also never expected to find herself tied to a mahogany bed frame, captive to a man who aches to fulfill her every desire and let loose the magick that dwells inside her…

Heat emanates from elemental fire witch Jack McAllister. The Coven, a governing authority of witches, has sent him to protect Mira from a band of warlocks who drain witches of power… and life. Long ago, he saw Mira’s parents murdered by this same dark magick. He’d like to quell his guilt and offer her everything she deserves. But she’s the long-lost cousin of his boss--making seduction off-limits.

With Jack’s strong guidance, Mira is luring forth her inner magick. But his sense of duty is quickly swelling into insatiable hunger. They warned him about the natural attraction between air and fire. Now he risks being consumed by the woman he shouldn’t want--but can’t stay away from …

Yikes! The chemistry and heat between Mira and Jack was amazing, in this book!

I really, really enjoyed this! Not only was the romantic side of it awesome, but the story was intriguing too. Basically, Mira's a witch with the power of air, though she doesn't actually know. But now that someone needs an air witch, the bad guys go out of their way to grab her. Enter Jack. He's got the element of fire at his disposal and becomes intoxicated by Mira. So much that the heat in this book rises to a deliciously extreme level. I loved it!

There were secrets and insights, and a damn good story. This is a world I'd really love to return to. Anya Bast is a terrific writer that drags you into the tale from the first sentence. This is the first book I've read of hers, and I'll definitely be back for more! ;)

If you want to read an awesome book with sizzling chemistry between the characters, pick this up.

Check out her book trailer for it:

Wednesday 29 August 2007

Spring is in the air

I took this photo on Sunday. The hubby, daughter and I headed into the city again. It was a lovely day, so that always makes it that much better.

The hubby wanted to stop by the Broadway Shopping Centre, and I thought it would also be handy to walk a little and stop into Hyde Park to snap a few shots. The Ships in the Night tale that I finished revising on Monday has a few scenes in there. So I wanted to see and feel it for myself again. Been doing that a lot lately. And speaking of that tale, the hubby wanted to start on it last night, but didn't get the chance. Man, he didn't get home until about 8pm and that just threw the whole night out.

I feel like total crap today, didn't get enough sleep. :/ We'll have to catch up tonight. I sure hope he gets back at a good time today. It was a total shock to have him get home so late after he's been getting home at such nice and early times. Lol. Anyway.

Yesterday, I pushed myself and managed to get the second edits of CHRISTMAS LIGHTS done and emailed. Man, my editor's awesome. I truly, truly love the editing process. It's hard work, but so worth it! I love how much tighter and stronger it can make your story. Excellent. And I've still got a lot of excitement for this little X-mas tale. So that's cool. Just one more round to go...

I ordered my books for September yesterday, from the fave bookstore. Five this month! Lol. I'm starting to fall behind on my reading again. The TBR pile just gets bigger and bigger. But I can't stop, of course. There are just too many cool books out there. ;) Which reminds me, I grabbed WITCH FIRE from my bookshelf last night and read the first chapter. Oooooh, I'm totally intrigued.

We've had some awesome hot days this week, I hope it keeps up. I'm so ready for Spring and Summer!

Well, not sure what I'll be working on today... but you know I'll find something. :D

Monday 27 August 2007

THIN AIR



After preventing Mother Earth from destroying the planet, Joanne Baldwin lost her memories thanks to Ashan the djinn-and they will remain lost forever unless Joanne can recover her identity-and destroy the demon who is impersonating her, fabulous shoes and all...

This is the sixth book in the Weather Warden series, and boy do I LOVE this series! And this one didn't disappoint. It was another unpredictable ride, and this one had the extra problem of Joanne having no idea who she was, or what she could do. She couldn't even remember David! My gosh. Still, I won't give anything away, and I think that talking about even one small detail would do that. :)

Rachel Caine's writing style is awesome. It's like settling back into the groove with some old friends. I love it when a book feels that way.

Anyway, check it out! It's awesome! And Joanne's a total blast.

Sunday 19 August 2007

If you're a Harry fan...

My hubby found an article on Yahoo!7 News a while ago that I've been meaning to share. JK Rowling revealed the characters' fates in an interview. So if you wondered what happened to the main guys just before the last chapter, you'll probably want to check this out.

But if you still haven't read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I recommend that you don't click on this LINK.

Personally, I think this is certainly worth a read. ;)

Wednesday 8 August 2007

Is it almost midday already?

So, I'm a little late in posting this morning. I ran out of time before my daughter woke up because I worked really hard to get The Basement edits finished. I've even emailed them to my editor.

I didn't think I would change so much in this story. Okay, so it wasn't exactly change, more like altered. :)

Yep, I'm still adding a little more each day to the two novellas I'm working on. The word counts are now up to 11,640 and 16,680. Although for the latter one, I still haven't (actually) added any new words yet. That'll happen after lunch. Looking forward to it because things are getting really sticky and nasty in this tale. I can already see the ending in my head, and most of what's going to happen in order to get there. It should be fun. Well, maybe not for the characters. :/

Anyway, my stomach's rumbling, so I better get something ready for lunch.

See ya!

Sunday 5 August 2007

FANGED & FABULOUS

My name is Sarah Dearly, and I've got major problems. Last month, I was turned into a vampire by the world's worst blind date. Then I may have, totally by accident, started a war between the mostly peaceful bloodsuckers and a bunch of sociopathic vamp hunters who have nicknamed me the Slayer of Slayers. Now I'm being used as bait to draw out the hunters' bad-ass leader, while my gorgeous 600-year-old boyfriend Thierry seems to be blowing me off, and my sizzle-hot, fanged friend Quinn is trying to turn my self-defense lessons into make-out sessions. So you know what? I'm done. I've had it. There comes a time when a vamp has to just suck it up and go after what she wants. And as soon as I figure out what that is, that's exactly what I'll do...

I was supposed to be doing other things last night... but I was determined to get this book finished before I went to bed. And I'm very glad that I did! I really enjoyed Bitten & Smitten, but you know, this one was even better! Sarah's a total blast, and Michelle Rowen's writing style really pulls you right into the action.

There were a lot of LOL moments. And I always love that. The hubby gives me funny looks when that happens, but some books are just too funny. And some characters continually made me laugh in this book, but none as much as George. He's so funny. And what about that werewolf, huh? I can't wait to read more about him.

Anyway, Sarah gets herself into a lot of trouble. She seems to be caught up in a relationship headed towards heartache. ;) And Quinn. What can I say about Quinn? Except that he's an awesome character and I can't wait for him to get his own HEA. Which reminds me, the next book in this series should be a blast too!

I'm really enjoying the Immortality Bites series. I highly recommend this! Check it out, if you haven't already... of course. :D

Wednesday 1 August 2007

UNDEAD AND UNPOPULAR


With her birthday coming up, Betsy isn't in the best frame of mind to face the powerful European vampires who have finally come to pay their respects. Playing politics is not her strong suit, especially when she finds out her best friend Jessica may have a life-threatening illness. Sure Betsy can save her life by taking it-isn't that what friends are for?-but the choice isn't in her hands.

Well, I'm now up-to-date with the Undead series. I read the 5th book on Monday night, in one sitting. I think this was the shortest one, wasn't it? Still, it was a lot of fun! Now I need to wait until the next one is released on paperback... which may be a while yet. :/

I love the way the series is going. The way the powerful European vampires visit went, was totally unpredictable. I didn't expect it to go the way it did, which is a great thing! I love Betsy's antics. And the zombie scene was classic. I hope we get to find out even more about that situation. Lol. It was too funny. I also keep waiting for something weird to happen with her baby brother. With a family like Betsy's, you just never know.

Anyway, this was another great MJD book. I'm now looking forward to checking out her other series... the one with the mermaid. ;)

Monday 30 July 2007

UNDEAD AND UNRETURNABLE


Though she's the vampire queen, Betsy Taylor is much more like a princess. But with a half-sister who's the devil's daughter, an evil stepmother, a fiend living in her basement, assorted spirits and killers running amok, and a wedding to plan with the former bane of her existence, Eric Sinclair, Betsy is not sure she'll survive the holidays.

So, the hubby's reading the final Harry Potter book at the moment. And I wanted to read something a little shorter, and definitely more light-hearted. So I picked up this book.

It's the fourth Betsy Taylor book - which I'd fallen behind on (for some reason) - and I had a lot of fun catching up with her antics. As well as those of the people around her. After reading this book, I really feel that the series has gotten back on track. It was so much fun! I actually read it in two sittings. If it hadn't been for dinner and dishes, it could've been one sitting. Lol.

Still, I'm glad I've read it... and since the hubby will probably try to finish Harry tonight, I might just have to pick up the next Betsy... ;)

Saturday 28 July 2007

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS

WOW! WOW! WOW!

Although I was deeply saddened by some of the things that happened in this book - because I've grown so attached to the characters - I still felt satisfied in the end. What a terrific adventure we shared with Harry!
It actually took me longer to read the book than I thought it would. But there were a lot of things going on this week. And I think that going slower actually helped me absorb and enjoy every single detail more.
JK has written a wonderful book that belongs to an equally wonderful series. The sad thing is that there won't be anymore after this. Well, I don't want to share any spoilers, and I certainly don't want to get into any details, but I reckon every single person in the world should share the magic that is Harry Potter. :)
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