tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107346092024-03-13T17:08:03.243-04:00Read With MeJump into a book and read with meChantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.comBlogger363125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-18407910873447816492009-05-24T13:59:00.004-04:002009-05-24T14:23:27.594-04:00Baby Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfQC7pVcKvD-Fv3mky6vaT2jgVuDW6xEkuhaYbluty46Jem7Yqg-pioBxBFDt5OawYJHIEeTL3M5008MZg57gqlfAoTt4kU625JmbwMTtaPU6LekMZY_eiVA5UlBK92mF2arqeQ/s1600-h/babylovenew.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfQC7pVcKvD-Fv3mky6vaT2jgVuDW6xEkuhaYbluty46Jem7Yqg-pioBxBFDt5OawYJHIEeTL3M5008MZg57gqlfAoTt4kU625JmbwMTtaPU6LekMZY_eiVA5UlBK92mF2arqeQ/s320/babylovenew.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339457073131141426" border="0" /></a>Baby Love by Catherine Anderson<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read this:</span> The back cover blurb sounded good.<br /><br /><blockquote>Penniless, desperate and determined, Maggie Stanley grabs her small baby and runs into the snowy Idaho night, fleeing a dangerous, hurtful life. Now, in her loneliest, blackest hour, a handsome, down-and-out stranger's compassion shines forth like a torch in the darkness, offering her the warmth and comfort she has always longed for but has never known. But though tenderness lives buried deep in Rafe Kendrick's heart and though Maggie sees a soul wounded like her own in the depths of his startlingly beautiful eyes she knows she must never, ever trust any man again.<br /><br />Rafe, however, is more than he seems—an enigmatic man of secrets who could give Maggie the moon and stars, had he not solemnly vowed to spend the rest of his life alone. But sometimes, without warning, love can transform a cold, pitiless world into paradise. And a man who has lost nearly everything, a woman who has forgotten how to dream, and the helpless child who needs them both can truly become that most wondrous of creations: a family.</blockquote><br />Rafe, the hero of this book, is going into my top 10 Best Heroes list. Rich, charming, loves kids, a protector, good looking, good in bed, etc. You name, Rafe has got it.<p></p><p class="back"><span style="font-style: italic;">Baby Love</span> captivated me from the very first page. The entire time I was reading it I didn't want to put it down.<br /></p><p class="back"> I'll admit to the fact that the book is cliche in the sense that it is a rich man with a nice family who saves the poor, single mother and loves her baby right from the get-go. The over all scenario that brought the couple together is not one that I relate to or even believe could happen this day and age, however, the way it is written makes me believe it.<br /></p><p class="back">Besides the villain, there is a cast of wonderful characters that I fell in love with the instant I read them.<br /></p><p class="back">B<span style="font-weight: bold;">+ </span>for Catherine Anderson's <span style="font-style: italic;">Baby Love</span>.<br /></p>Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-35098684650151893992009-05-19T15:52:00.004-04:002009-05-29T08:38:00.437-04:00Lover Avenged<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtrakTX_BGTi5VroC1ACPbPgfI6pX7HDbOTXfAkrDFm_OcW1TxYf3EWri3Rugs9hAW6KeE1RN1eN4YmNp2-byefKFRSg3oJA6zzc3Pjf9Y0PfYSHE0tykOzx2odEZ6DV5rHASZw/s1600-h/jrw-cover-lav-med.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtrakTX_BGTi5VroC1ACPbPgfI6pX7HDbOTXfAkrDFm_OcW1TxYf3EWri3Rugs9hAW6KeE1RN1eN4YmNp2-byefKFRSg3oJA6zzc3Pjf9Y0PfYSHE0tykOzx2odEZ6DV5rHASZw/s320/jrw-cover-lav-med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337627674250120754" border="0" /></a>Lover Avenged by J. R. Ward<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read this:</span> Yes, WHY!? I gave up on the series, but a dear friend sent me the book. For what she spent on the hard cover copy and shipping costs, I owed it to her to give it a try.<br /><br /><blockquote>Caldwell, NY, has long been the battleground for the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It’s also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and notorious nightclub that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he’s approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King, and leader of the Brotherhood. Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood, even though his sister is married to a member. Because he’s a sympath, his identity is a deadly secret- the revelation of which will result in his banishment to a colony for sociopaths. And as plots within and outside the Brotherhood take their toll against Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in a darkening world- Elhena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him- and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.</blockquote><br />This will be short and sweet because I don't want to waste any more of my reading or reviewing time on this series than I have to.<br /><br />The brothers still dress in leather, they still wear shit kickers, and they still have a stupid vocabulary of words.<br />The Lessers continue to bore me.<br />Ward is so busy flipping back and forth from storyline A to story line B to story line C to Storyline D, etc, that there is not near enough time for me to become invested in the supposed h/h.<br /><br />This series used to excite me. It used to make me happy to follow the brothers and watch them fall in love.<br />Ward's odd story lines and inability to keep my attention makes this a <span style="font-weight: bold;">DNF</span>. I don't care what happens to anyone in this series any more.Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-25438659383383781092009-05-09T22:39:00.005-04:002009-05-09T23:23:36.087-04:00Dead and Gone review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7oh9AJKs71XZq-IdS7a_CbtogMpTMWfO-cYiZMkCdbVS2eXdELDutmDuwhyphenhyphengm7B7Sb0bdNwa0WcOf0hBYBPO2P4kATUQ73rfAlPHdSOa6k1YBd4a899aUsLi7KVSGRgHzAZLSw/s1600-h/deadandgone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7oh9AJKs71XZq-IdS7a_CbtogMpTMWfO-cYiZMkCdbVS2eXdELDutmDuwhyphenhyphengm7B7Sb0bdNwa0WcOf0hBYBPO2P4kATUQ73rfAlPHdSOa6k1YBd4a899aUsLi7KVSGRgHzAZLSw/s320/deadandgone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334029355070749874" border="0" /></a>Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read this</span>: It's Sookie, baby!<br /><br /><span class="readMoreText"></span><blockquote><span class="readMoreText">Except for Sookie Stackhouse, folks in Bon Temps, Louisiana, know little about vamps -- and nothing about weres.<br />Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to reveal their existence to the ordinary world. At first all goes well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found near the bar where Sookie works -- and she feels compelled to discover who, human or otherwise, did it.<br />But there's a far greater danger threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings -- older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves -- is preparing for war. And Sookie finds herself an all-too human pawn in their battle.</span></blockquote><br /><br />I'll start by <a href="http://readingbythefountain.blogspot.com/2008/05/from-dead-to-worse.html">linking you to the review</a> of the last Sookie Book I wrote. Just like it was for me then, it will be hard for me now to write a review without giving away spoilers. I'll black any out so that it isn't ruined for those who want to find out key things on their own.<br /><br />Just like other Sookie fans, I started to watch True Blood last year. I liked the first few episodes, but it soon got on my nerves. Tara and Sookie were both <span style="font-style: italic;">so</span> wrong that I couldn't get past it. The plot changes were so off course that I didn't even feel like I was watching something that was created in the authors mind. The only reason I continues on with the series is because my friend's husband had a recurring role on True Blood, and I always like to watch any show that he is on.<br /><br />A big fear I had was that the True Blood would ruin the books for me. I was convinced that I would be picturing Anna Paquin (ugh!) while I was reading. That would have been bad. No way would I have been able to read even one page.<br /><br />Ah, but Charlaine Harris is a fantastical author who truly knows her stuff. The sheer wrongness of True Blood wasn't a blimp on my radar screen while reading the book. Yay!<br /><br />As always, Sookie was a strong heroine who didn't allow herself to be pushed around, but at the same time knew when to back down from any type of situation where she could get herself hurt.<br /><br />The dynamics between Eric and Sookie are sheer fireworks. I enjoy Eric and I am pleased with any scene that he is a part of. My only complaint is that Sookie's relationship with Eric is starting to feel too much like the one between Anita Blake and Jean-Claude. (Laurel K Hamilton) Sookie isn't sure if what she feels is real or if it has to do with the blood exchanges, so she is reserved with her feelings for him. That is near to how things were with Anita and Jean-Claude, except Anita didn't know if it was real or because she was his servant.<br />It's subtle, but still made me aware enough to think of the other series (which I stopped reading, by the way)<br /><br />All the usual characters play a role in one form or another, and poor Sookie is betrayed by someone she has known for a very long time. Readers wont be as surprised as Sookie was, though.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dead and Gone</span> was awesome. It was perfect except for the LKH reminder. For that, I'm going with an <span style="font-weight: bold;">A-</span> rather than the A+ I wanted to give it. Still pretty damn good, though, if you ask me :)<br /><br />And because I have to tell someone, I'm going to post some major spoilers that I can't wait to start chatting about. *Highlight with your mouse to read spoilers)<br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Eric and Sookie are MARRIED!! Okay, not married the way you or I are married, but in Vampire society she is married to Eric and belongs to him and only him. Oh yeah!<br /><br />Bill express his love for Sookie and nearly dies trying to protect her. There were a few pages where I thought he really had died. That was sad for me because I had started to forgive him for the shitty thing he did to Sookie. I'm relived he is not dead. Well, not <span style="font-style: italic;">dead</span> dead. LOL.<br /><br />Two deaths. One was Crystal. Meh. I hated her anyway. The other... Claudine! And she was pregnant. I was not expecting that at all.<br /><br />One last thing is that I think we have seen the last of Sookie's great grandfather. Pity. I liked him. He didn't leave without telling her that he (he, as in Bill or Eric) really does love her. She didn't know which man Niall was talking about. I hope Sookie figures it out in the next book. I hope it's Eric.</span><br /><br />That's it. That's all I wanted to spill.Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-10454544337944532312009-05-03T10:22:00.000-04:002009-05-03T10:53:17.275-04:00Charming the Highlander<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GUQCOF6TnSicD7UzyJjpdqhkv8EQMA2MYfhMbdEGwjnX9wTho5ahg2dDNNHTVBr4yzxRrFy49JFdp-dPRhCO8ykIdNNQ6tu78puyrdotybyRygSkZCztmQ_oA3-zA8XZWOyFQw/s1600-h/charminghighlanderbookcover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 155px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GUQCOF6TnSicD7UzyJjpdqhkv8EQMA2MYfhMbdEGwjnX9wTho5ahg2dDNNHTVBr4yzxRrFy49JFdp-dPRhCO8ykIdNNQ6tu78puyrdotybyRygSkZCztmQ_oA3-zA8XZWOyFQw/s320/charminghighlanderbookcover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331608500323570738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Charming the Highlander by Janet Chapman<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read this:</span> The back cover blurb sounded good.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:verdana;" ><blockquote>When a plane crash strands brilliant scientist Grace Sutter on an icy mountaintop in Maine, she finds herself alone in the wilderness with the only other surviving passenger -- Greylen MacKeage,a sexy, medieval warrior who's been tossed through time to find the woman he's destined to love. Forced together to survive the harsh, wintry landscape, neither expects the fierce passion that flares between them. But Grace is not used to letting her heart take control, and Greylen will settle for nothing less than her heart's surrender....</blockquote><br /><br />There were a few things that had me excited to read this; highlander, plane crash, time travel.<br />I'm disappointed. That blurb is much too misleading.<br /><br />I was wanting and expecting something similar to Linda Howard's Up Close and Dangerous, but with a highlander twist.<br />It wasn't even close.<br /><br />Only two or so chapters covered the survival aftermath of the plane crash, so there goes the plot as described on the back cover that I was wanting to read.<br /><br />Since I enjoyed a the other Janet Chapman books that I have read I figured I'd just read on. Even though it wasn't the story I was lead to believe, it could still turn out to be a good book, right? Sadly it didn't turn into a good read.<br /><br />The story was all over the place. Heroine is to give her nephew to his father, but she doesn't want to (even thought she made a promise to her now dead sister) she lies about who the baby belongs to. There is a weird kidnapping plot that is inserted over half way in that doesn't fit the book at all. The heroine trying to help both her Hero and her sister's baby daddy, but there is resistance on both sides. None of it fit. It could have, though. But as it was, it felt like a bunch of different stories meshed into one.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DNF</span> on page 272, however, I did jump to the end to skim the last few pages.<br /><br />I'm not giving up on this author. I have the next few books in the series, which I do plan to read.</span><br /></span>Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-63199310957301981962009-05-01T08:25:00.000-04:002009-05-01T08:25:00.708-04:00April '09 reads<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNc4dTGHXfas55Etsaqn1UAE-cK16fqi3jc2Tver6H_aZMDd1SQ6dxUXymcfDDvYUzrypGUywYNg7Nsmj8vsGUkGcQRgL1Nf63CsSc7zwsgtXabArWlfScuRwVTkIlhTQHifvew/s1600-h/stackbooks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNc4dTGHXfas55Etsaqn1UAE-cK16fqi3jc2Tver6H_aZMDd1SQ6dxUXymcfDDvYUzrypGUywYNg7Nsmj8vsGUkGcQRgL1Nf63CsSc7zwsgtXabArWlfScuRwVTkIlhTQHifvew/s320/stackbooks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330649307744174002" border="0" /></a>Hello, blogger land.<br />I did a hella good amount of reading this month. Bam-bam-bam, one right after the other. It feels nice to have been able to do that again after so long. Twenty-one books! :)<br /><br />There were a few bombs, (Sorority Girl, beging the worst.) Some average reads, and a few amazing ones, (Manhunting, Butterfly Tattoo) so it was quality as much as quantity, which is good.<br /><br />1) Too Far Gone by Marliss Melton<br />2) Sorority Girl by Cheryl Dragon<br />3) Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon<br />4) Drop Dead Gorgeous by Linda Howard<br />5) Heart of Fire by Linda Howard<br />6) Naughty Housewives by Elizabeth Scott<br />7) Nauti Intentions by Lora Leigh<br />8) Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich<br />9) Her Notorious Viscount by Jenna Peterson<br />10) Fire of Winter by Johanna Lindsey<br />11) Secret Submission by Diana Hunter (re-read)<br />12) Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur<br />13) To Wed a Highlander by Michele Sinclair<br />14) Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips<br />15) Twin Fantasies by Opal Carew<br />16) Butterfly Tattoo by Dierdre Knight<br />17) Heart of a warrior by Johanna Lindsey<br />18) Submission Revealed by Diana Hunter (re-read)<br />19) Manhunting by Jennifer Crusie<br />20) Star Quality by various authors (anthology)<br />21) Tempt me Twice by Eden Bradley<br /><br />A little note to let you know that my eBookwise is still in working order after that fall which caused it to go into a coma for an entire day. Whew. My Dh saved my whole year being able to fix it.Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-66696490581406622662009-04-30T08:00:00.003-04:002009-05-29T08:47:40.269-04:00Double re read reviewFor <a href="http://natuschan.blogspot.com/2009/04/re-read-challenge-april.html">Nath's re-read challenge</a> this month I decided to re read two of my favourite BDSM books.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Secret Submission</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span>its sequel </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Submission Revealed</span> by Diana Hunter.<br /><br />The reason I decided on these two was because there are many books of this genre, but very few of them delve into the real emotions and physical happening of this topic. Anytime I read a Diana Hunter book I always feel like I am reading the real thing. It doesn't matter to me whether or not an author has personal experiences with it, but when I read these types of books, I expect it to sound valid and real. With this author it does. Every time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIC7gxVRrKS24r1Oyrmu7r-vF06pZ8G0LZOxxINTk_tDnV_RlDKrnDwYApfJqnTCNJnJZQUMqZMcAsSNm3mByKtC7K8leWebaCQTgPmXWYSECeWJwYBKZuEvu5hUyAAfefy6LNg/s1600-h/secret1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIC7gxVRrKS24r1Oyrmu7r-vF06pZ8G0LZOxxINTk_tDnV_RlDKrnDwYApfJqnTCNJnJZQUMqZMcAsSNm3mByKtC7K8leWebaCQTgPmXWYSECeWJwYBKZuEvu5hUyAAfefy6LNg/s320/secret1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330294165619209810" border="0" /></a><blockquote><br />When Phillip asks Sarah if she is a compliant sort of woman who will do anything he asks of her, she plays along, wanting a bedroom romp that will quiet the urges within her.<br /><br />But Phillip has much more than a "bedroom romp" in mind. As he introduces Sarah to the world of bondage and submission, she discovers a need to be dominated. Phillip invites her to explore her sexuality each weekend at his cottage - as his slave.<br /><br />The question is: how willing is she to give up her hard-earned independence? Even to a man so meltingly handsome as Phillip Townsend...</blockquote><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Secret Submission</span> brings us through the courtship of Phillip and Sarah. Phillip is a Dom who has been searching for the perfect woman who will be his submissive partner both in and out of the bedroom. As it states in the blurb, Sarah first thinks that Phillip is only interested in playing the Dom/sub games and goes along with it for fun.<br /><br />Phillips made mistakes in the past with women, so he made sure that Sarah knew what he was looking for. It's a bit of a shocking and arousing wake up call when she finds out that he wants the games to go beyond the bedroom. With his help she is eager to learn more about herself and her sexuality.<br /><br />This is a good book for anyone who isn't too sure about the genre or lifestyle and want to learn about it. It's more than an erotica book with good sex. It's an accurate portrayal of how many true life BDSM relationships start and evolve.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkq17KZiAzdmMhdGL0hOGP5imYPqSJtKAR2xQV3toiW42CmyCW1RdVTZndG60jb_tBou2ByWSy8uO784n3zu2zETNAO8wSNUN8sMFDuuyJ8m8hLFT4GXLa_eymwQnHpqICJuwkmg/s1600-h/secret2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkq17KZiAzdmMhdGL0hOGP5imYPqSJtKAR2xQV3toiW42CmyCW1RdVTZndG60jb_tBou2ByWSy8uO784n3zu2zETNAO8wSNUN8sMFDuuyJ8m8hLFT4GXLa_eymwQnHpqICJuwkmg/s320/secret2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330299124215276834" border="0" /></a><br /><blockquote>Sarah and Phillip are planning their marriage and exploring the boundaries of an extreme Dominant-slave relationship. As Phillip opens the doors to Sarah's submission, she discovers places she had buried deep within herself. Under his guidance, she will become the woman she has always yearned to be.<br /><br />But chaos ensues when Sarah's secret submissiveness is revealed to the world, and Phillip's dominance is considered abuse when the law gets involved with their sex lives. Their happiness is threatened, their lives put on hold as they are forced to defend their most private actions and the sex games they play.</blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-style: normal;font-family:Verdana;font-size:8;" ><span style="font-size:8;"></span></span></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Secret Revealed</span> should be an award winning book, IMO. It's a continuation from Secret Submission, and the blurb is correct. Phillip and Sarah are planning their wedding. Sarah has some questions and concerns about their roles as Dom/sub, which are questions that anyone would have for any real life 24/7 Dom/sub couple that they know.<br /><br />Sarah ends up getting into a car accident and gets pretty banged up. On her body, her buttocks and breasts to be exact, the doctors notice some marks that could not have occurred in the accident. It's soon revealed that Phillip caused the marks, and he is arrested for domestic abuse. The couple is first forced apart by the law, and then they have to defend their actions against friends and society.<br /><br />I had picked <span style="font-style: italic;">Submission Revealed</span> as one of my best books of the year when I first read it, plus I previously reviewed it on my blog <a href="http://readingbythefountain.blogspot.com/2007/06/submission-revealed.html">here. </a><br />I'm going to copy/past a little bit of what I said in my original review, because I still feel the same way, it sums up my feelings perfectly...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Submission Revealed is an emotional read and had me getting angry, not at the book, but at how the couple was treated, because authorities refused to believe/accept that what was going on in their bedroom was consensual.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">They couldn't understand how a woman would not only ask to be spanked with a cane, but also crave it and orgasm from it. Sarah got up on a witness stand and told this to a judge and jury. I can't imagine having to do that.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Just because you do not understand something, it does not mean that it's wrong. Sure, the majority of the world is into monogamous, vanilla, straight sex, so I understand the hesitation when it come to a couple who call each other Master and slave. Still, though, a lot more acceptance would do a world of good.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">This was a really enjoyable read. I didn't want to put it down. Even if there are no more books based solely on them, I hope to get a glimpse of Phillip and Sarah in future books.</span><br /><br />So those are my re-read books for the month of April. Both get an <span style="font-weight: bold;">A</span>. I'm positive that I will read them again and again.Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-51779187018631533132009-04-29T21:02:00.003-04:002009-04-29T21:16:12.456-04:00Lora Leigh 3-some reviewThere is a f/f/f review posted over at <a href="http://breezingthroughbooks.blogspot.com/2009/04/nauti-intentions-by-lora-leigh.html">Breezing Through</a>.<br /><br />Ohh, did you think it was a girl on girl on girl menage review?<br />Well, it isn't. Hehe.<br /><br />It IS Lora Leigh, and it is a 3-way... A 3-way review, though.<br />Ames and I invited Kris to <a href="http://breezingthroughbooks.blogspot.com/2009/04/nauti-intentions-by-lora-leigh.html">review</a> Nauti Intentions with us.<br /><br /><blockquote>Since he saw Janey Mackay taking a dip in her bikini, Major Alex Jansen has had to quell the fire she ignites in him. Even touching her would mean death at the hands of <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefG86kmo3V_LuV9GZ3ZhhhyQsqh3GY1WHAXApHYhUQChUPpOxPAqin45UXd0fC7qgr786cAqB9YUKPBmix7ZvJ_hw5stf2jZP-vFnq5BB8sIC-4xWwnYqiryiW0fj0wLngBQkgQ/s1600-h/nautiintentionslg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefG86kmo3V_LuV9GZ3ZhhhyQsqh3GY1WHAXApHYhUQChUPpOxPAqin45UXd0fC7qgr786cAqB9YUKPBmix7ZvJ_hw5stf2jZP-vFnq5BB8sIC-4xWwnYqiryiW0fj0wLngBQkgQ/s320/nautiintentionslg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330286732033927362" border="0" /></a>the Mackay men. Until now, the girl of his dreams—and fantasies—has lived in a vacuum of affection, shying away from the danger she thinks men represent. Alex sets out to prove her wrong, with his torturously slow caresses.Everyone thinks Janey’s safe now, with her abusers dead. But when someone starts leaving spine chilling notes, Alex won’t rest until she’s completely safe. And completely his—body and soul…</blockquote>Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-4438356651788981352009-04-27T12:58:00.007-04:002009-04-27T13:37:51.638-04:00The life and death of an eBookwiseTwo years ago I bought my eBookwise, it was a gift to myself because as much as I enjoy e-books, I'm not fond of reading off of my computer.<br /><br /><a href="http://thebookbinge.com/">Holly</a> probably remembers the day my eBookwise arrived. I was so excited to get started that I didn't even read the instructions first. Holly talked me through it, step by step. She didn't even laugh too hard when I complained that it was hard using my fingers when I named and registered it and that I wished there was a special pen that I could use. She calmly informed me that there is indeed a pen and that I can find it slid into it's spot on the top right hand corner of my device.<br />Oh.<br /><br />My lovely eBookwise has been everywhere with me. It's awesome being able to cart around as many books as I want in one handy little device.<br /><br />Sadly, I left my eBookwise unattended yesterday and when I went back to retrieve it it was not left in the spot I had put it. I said, "Who touched my eBookwise?" My youngest child said "Cotton did."<br /><br />Oh, really? Cotton is one of our dogs. A tiny Maltese who can do a few tricks, but moving an eBookwise from the headboard to the dresser is not one of them.<br /><br />Bottom line is that the eBookwise was dropped to the floor and would no longer turn on.<br />Have you ever lost your wallet, or have one of your kids go missing while out in public?<br />No joke when I say I felt that kind of panic.<br />I was also mad. At the little one for touching it and at myself for leaving it where he could get it.<br /><br />I waited all day for Dh to come home and see if he could fix it.<br /><br />He plugged in the charger to make sure the battery just wasn't dead. I knew it was fully charged, but Dh still had to make sure.<br /><br />Then he started to take it apart.<br /><br />Here is the inside of the back piece. That's the battery.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaSEGikLothyo62XbLRAeILyVw0N5XlXhyphenhyphenNQ4H3N4hIvYnHAQLVt5pi0YFrGnMsSQJArq6pYkKNy4QaNuek2yh02fV05Pr5Q2daEGhWBj0J4h3aTC_whEz2bKaW8hZV7AtDYFnA/s1600-h/Ebbokwise+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaSEGikLothyo62XbLRAeILyVw0N5XlXhyphenhyphenNQ4H3N4hIvYnHAQLVt5pi0YFrGnMsSQJArq6pYkKNy4QaNuek2yh02fV05Pr5Q2daEGhWBj0J4h3aTC_whEz2bKaW8hZV7AtDYFnA/s320/Ebbokwise+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329421670154689538" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is the over half-- the motherboard that is underneath the LCD screen.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIgEaZPgoB-MZxUrjKFZyZuIYNrIKdhM28H7D_i-o8x42aFRWe_W_hW3SLYwvxs3omS8R8NfaJogfozkysos9O16l0OpKsspP8b6lghp9wMhn7zMkiK_aLpdlJzBrCfY20Oz_HA/s1600-h/Ebbokwise+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIgEaZPgoB-MZxUrjKFZyZuIYNrIKdhM28H7D_i-o8x42aFRWe_W_hW3SLYwvxs3omS8R8NfaJogfozkysos9O16l0OpKsspP8b6lghp9wMhn7zMkiK_aLpdlJzBrCfY20Oz_HA/s320/Ebbokwise+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329422096497808962" border="0" /></a><br />Somehow there were some crumbs, so Dh cleaned it. He also looked closely for anything that may have moved around or something during the drop. He found what was broken, he fixed it, put it back together!!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">MY EBOOKWISE WORKS AGAIN!<br /><br />For real, I was so sure that I would have buy a new one. I even looked on eBay to try and find a used one. Huge relief. Phew.<br /></div>Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-61505747666341844912009-04-22T11:10:00.007-04:002009-04-22T11:42:24.464-04:00To Wed a Highlander Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPfEK7gT2OO-bEka4eR1haDw5FY5Fj0Y4TP9l11KNH_kLAIoxguyZ0ZiTGx7NhawnFV059KO6LokZeUmawilePDOi7_xxVxV2qwrgWdtq67C_cv86WCB_ID2ZiQR4Dl1lEeUDSQ/s1600-h/michelesinclair+highlander+book+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPfEK7gT2OO-bEka4eR1haDw5FY5Fj0Y4TP9l11KNH_kLAIoxguyZ0ZiTGx7NhawnFV059KO6LokZeUmawilePDOi7_xxVxV2qwrgWdtq67C_cv86WCB_ID2ZiQR4Dl1lEeUDSQ/s320/michelesinclair+highlander+book+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327538908928974498" border="0" /></a>To Wed a Highlander by Michele Sinclair<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read this:</span> The first book which I <a href="http://readingbythefountain.blogspot.com/2007/10/highlanders-bride-michele-sinclair.html">reviewed here</a> was one of my best reads of that year. I was excited and thrilled to get my hands on this next McTiernay brothers book.<br /><span class="stress"><br /></span><blockquote><span class="stress">To Wed a Highlander</span>, focuses on the second McTiernay brother, Colin, who is forced to marry his brazen, impetuous sister-in-law, Makenna, in order to protect the clan of his beloved, gentle dead wife. <p>Pride and unfamiliar desire guides much of their initial interactions as each wrestle with unexpected and intense feelings for the other. Conor and Laurel (from <span class="stress">The Highlander's Bride</span>) come back in this story and add to the lively interplay plaguing the Dunstan keep as Colin and Makenna discover the joy of their hidden, unknown passions.</p></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>This has been one of those books where I dread the ending because I simply do not want the book to end. Colin is as wonderful as his brother was in the first book and Makenna is a heroine who I would love to be friends with in real life.</p><p>Colin is the typical alpha medieval highlander male who goes to great lengths to make sure his wife and clan are protected. He is big, strong and has a heart of gold.<br /></p><p>The reason I like Makenna so much is because she started off as terrible 'lady of the keep'. She did not know how to manage the household duties of being Lairds. Growing up, she was always practicing her sword play and had no want or will to learn how to cook, clean, manage, etc. When she comes to realize how much her non-actions are effecting everyone withing the castle, she swallows her pride and asks for help.</p><p>One of the biggest conflicts in the story is that the clan does not like the new laird. Not because he is mean or uncaring, but because there is a clash of customs when it comes to highlanders VS lowlanders. The clan does not want A McTiernay to lead them, so they rebel against the new Laird.</p><p>Ah, but when when the clan is attacked who do you think they run to for help? To their Laird, of course.</p><p>My only complaint was the head hopping, however, the story was good enough to look over it most of the time. I wont pretend that it didn't bother me, though.</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">B+</span>. A sweet love story mixed in with an interesting plot. It was a real treat to see Connor and Laurel come back in this story, and I look forward to the many more McTiernay brothers books to come.<br /></p>Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-65151809762134794592009-04-18T11:22:00.003-04:002009-04-18T11:26:29.043-04:00Update on Evanovich tour..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNa8CeyxQVu-L4oBbGULyRP9GqAGB4Scnjy2tlxz1CSDcXsE0VItKefY6J3X2x85kUTnZe3xPR1bgLLyD_CC2NHQf2ydfbctikFKUXLQhE_GrEZ9xRXDwWHJCxUCjFBqjx5LGU4A/s1600-h/15cover_large.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 179px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNa8CeyxQVu-L4oBbGULyRP9GqAGB4Scnjy2tlxz1CSDcXsE0VItKefY6J3X2x85kUTnZe3xPR1bgLLyD_CC2NHQf2ydfbctikFKUXLQhE_GrEZ9xRXDwWHJCxUCjFBqjx5LGU4A/s320/15cover_large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326052557060467074" border="0" /></a>We have the tour date.<br /><br /><strong></strong><blockquote><strong>Wednesday, June 24</strong><br />Chapters Queensway<br />1950 The Queensway<br />Etobicoke, Ontario<br />6 p.m. signing</blockquote><br /><br />*Happy Dance*<br /><br />Any other Canadians going to be there?Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-60271441838814363932009-04-14T13:54:00.003-04:002009-04-14T14:04:40.740-04:00Yay!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CZ2deBdehHmgcCz2_3ZTPBKF2D7591q39SsMgfgfdH38ljmvztF5LQgiCb4jIfbuuoAhWE8jnTqMY4EZVnc8PGkoecDiOvQnTkOTZp7J_LTosYaQaZIZfr-6GrzGwr0KEkku9Q/s1600-h/15cover_large.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 179px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CZ2deBdehHmgcCz2_3ZTPBKF2D7591q39SsMgfgfdH38ljmvztF5LQgiCb4jIfbuuoAhWE8jnTqMY4EZVnc8PGkoecDiOvQnTkOTZp7J_LTosYaQaZIZfr-6GrzGwr0KEkku9Q/s320/15cover_large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324608524789850738" border="0" /></a>Janet Evanovich is <a href="http://www.evanovich.com/news/newsitem/402">coming to Canada</a>, and I am so going to be there with my Rangeman hat and t-shirt.<br /><br /><br /><div class="date"></div><blockquote><div class="date">Tuesday, April 14, 2009</div> <p>We're pleased to report that we've added Toronto, Canada to the <em>Finger Lickin' Fifteen</em> book tour. We're not yet sure of the date or the bookstore, but we'll give a full report <em>aboot</em> those facts as we learn them.</p></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Except for the 'aboot' (meh--I'm over Americans making fun of the way we talk) I am super excited!</p><p>Check out the new <a href="http://www.evanovich.com/">website</a> for Janet Evanovich. It's nice. Much easier to nagivate than it used to be.<br /></p>Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-71347829961801028102009-04-13T11:25:00.002-04:002009-04-13T11:31:09.426-04:00Angel's Blood<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2VepTbMIx5yyqyUpUrD1CuEULJV6QRe6nuABheW1OgPh7RgwLfVjKzfstLxG_vAkkyEwKr3yewUy6Ixxvv-d0hjiVYkOxocmzB25N7FkWBuKUs4LXcq7gcJsema0ukYl2_1icQ/s1600-h/angels+blood.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 170px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2VepTbMIx5yyqyUpUrD1CuEULJV6QRe6nuABheW1OgPh7RgwLfVjKzfstLxG_vAkkyEwKr3yewUy6Ixxvv-d0hjiVYkOxocmzB25N7FkWBuKUs4LXcq7gcJsema0ukYl2_1icQ/s400/angels+blood.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324198640146148866" border="0" /></a>A trio review of Angel's Blood by Nalini Singh has gone up over at Breezing Through.<br /><br />Once again all the opinions were different with ratings of A, B and C.<br /><a href="http://breezingthroughbooks.blogspot.com/2009/04/angels-blood-review.html">Check it out.</a><br /><br /><span class="style51"></span><blockquote><span class="style51">Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best—but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option...even if the task is impossible.<br /> <br /> Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.<br /> <br />The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break… </span></blockquote>Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-30534881229622407742009-04-12T21:21:00.009-04:002009-05-29T09:17:57.646-04:00Sorority Girl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2p8099zGwsAx7hWnS8CnUajBSs75NsLQv9__tzQkhiqTkvcOK_p2GYMHvwgz4-2_BHSP1Y0F86PqdGn-uCQqeqXq7ox86CqGqFDbTsCvSduuKqcxL4fnPeAJNvY0z9KsUj8s_cQ/s1600-h/sgpt_cover.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2p8099zGwsAx7hWnS8CnUajBSs75NsLQv9__tzQkhiqTkvcOK_p2GYMHvwgz4-2_BHSP1Y0F86PqdGn-uCQqeqXq7ox86CqGqFDbTsCvSduuKqcxL4fnPeAJNvY0z9KsUj8s_cQ/s400/sgpt_cover.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323982452789854962" border="0" /></a>Sorority Girl: Pledge Time by Cheryl Dragon<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read this:</span> I was in the mood for some f/f and the cover attracted me.<br /><br />I struggled with whether or not I should post this review. It's the worst one I have ever given. Perhaps you can call it a rant more than a review, but I did try to explain the things that where wrong with it.<br /><br /><br /><span class="barial18" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial16"><blockquote>Hazing has never been this hot! At the mercy and sexual whim of their kinky sorority president, Ashley and Blanca must work together to please her and each other. However these former enemies find more than great sex, kinky toys, and Dom/sub play. Lesbian Ashley finds herself falling for the experimenting Blanca. In the past Blanca used sex to get what she wants from men so women are no different but the pleasure and intense connection is more intimate with women. Even when she backslides and brings two men in to play with, Blanca wants Ashley nearby. True love and great sex in the form of her high school nemesis is just too weird. Blanca needs Ash's help and it tests how far she will go for her in this three-way that pushes their limits. One night could push them apart or bring them together for good. Can they build trust and find love under the wrathful paddle of their sorority president?<br /></blockquote><br />It's always been difficult to find a good f/f book. Out of all the ones I have read there has only been one that was any good and it was not even erotica. I've come to the conclusion that the reason f/f is not popular is because the grand majority of them are nothing more than porn disguised with a pretty cover and labeled as erotica.<br /><br />Just like all but one of the other f/f's I have read, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sorority Girl</span> is no different. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="barial18" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial16">Porn and erotica are NOT the same thing and it's books like this that give erotica a bad name.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="barial18" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial18"><span class="barial16"> Although the author appears to write well when her subjects are men (I've not read her m/m books, but she has plenty--so someone likes them) it felt too me like <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sorority Girl</span> was written by a man for a man who had a f/f fantasy.<br /><br />The plot was unbelievable. The two main characters who hated each other in high school are in the same Sorority. When they start having a sexual relationship it's simply because they are horny. They don't like each other, and call each other bitches, sluts and other names during their sex scenes. One of them can't resist a naked girl, no matter how much she hates her, and the other just likes to have sex... with anyone, anywhere, at any time.<br /><br />The girls fall in love at the end, but I don't see how. When they were together the only thing they did was have have sex. There was no conversation that had anything to do with anything other than sex with each other, sex with the Sorority President, wanting to have sex with a teachers aid or how they were going to hide the sex they have together from the Sorority President--who had forbid them to have sex with anyone other than her.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sorority Girl</span> is a <span style="font-weight: bold;">F</span> (This is my first F...). It was a bunch of sex scenes slapped together. No story, no romance. It was porn.<br /><br />Please! Someone recommend me a f/f that I will like before I give up the genre for good.<br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-83051602415735827402009-04-09T23:48:00.003-04:002009-04-09T23:54:55.032-04:00Booking Through ThursdayHere is this weeks <a href="http://btt2.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/numbers-game/">Booking Through Thursday</a> question.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://btt2.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/numbers-game/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 34px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyeXhYHEm1NkhHv6r7XgPzBXsNzIZA6L_EGS67E0iASCAe0hfW190EV8NdTn8W5-84ZzcruI_0QDPjJyPj6ISdNjuknQnqQjjzOHiyn6MU86vNPyQRqzo1Mwx0_8q2XfIoHkyeA/s400/BBT.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322904711318286498" border="0" /></a><br /><p></p><blockquote><p>Some people read one book at a time. Some people have a number of them on the go at any given time, perhaps a reading in bed book, a breakfast table book, a bathroom book, and so on, which leads me to…</p> <ol><li>Are you currently reading more than one book?</li><li>If so, how many books are you currently reading?</li><li>Is this normal for you?</li><li>Where do you keep your current reads?</li></ol></blockquote><ol><li></li></ol><br />1) Yes, I am currently reading more than one book.<br />2) Three.<br />3) Sometimes.<br />4) One is in my eBookwise wise. It moves around a lot, but at this moment it sits in its case on the coffee table. My other two reads, print copies, are on my dresser.Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-26264303506563303832009-04-06T15:42:00.004-04:002009-04-06T16:09:07.712-04:00Too Far Gone<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSvCgaWleyd45Ne8oxAEJ1nJaMshZ7yTMFa3rvTAEzsi1S0BfBnviaYgP8vf_nFerg4VzpKapCGgM7TJGwJYN_2N7niaFTNRFKdvTIeYAvECPDfQzQpwY4Xgg4zw9FBPq_qrZzg/s1600-h/GTF.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSvCgaWleyd45Ne8oxAEJ1nJaMshZ7yTMFa3rvTAEzsi1S0BfBnviaYgP8vf_nFerg4VzpKapCGgM7TJGwJYN_2N7niaFTNRFKdvTIeYAvECPDfQzQpwY4Xgg4zw9FBPq_qrZzg/s320/GTF.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321669986741060562" border="0" /></a>Too Far Gone by Marliss Melton<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read this:</span> Nath <a href="http://natuschan.blogspot.com/2009/01/review-too-far-gone-by-marliss-melton.html">review it on her blog</a> and even though she didn't like it I thought that I would like it, so she sent it to me.<br /><br /><p align="left"></p><blockquote><p align="left">Ellie Stuart's life ended the day her children were stolen from her. Driving on a Virginia backroad, Ellie was ambushed by two men who violently pulled her from her car and drove off with her three sons inside. Devastated, Ellie begs the police to bring her babies home. But the authorities wonder if this stressed-out single mom may not be telling the whole truth about what happened that day...</p> <p>Navy SEAL Sean Harlan agrees to help Ellie find her children, but vows to keep their relationship professional. He's got no room in his life for a woman and her kids--no matter how beautiful she is, or how desperate their situation. But when a sinister organization begins pulling strings behind the scenes, the investigation suddenly targets Sean. Can he and Ellie rescue her children and save themselves? Or are they already...</p></blockquote><p></p><br /><br />Three words--Nath was right.<br />First off, the blurb is misleading. The way it's written makes it sound like she asks him for help, or that he didn't know her before the kids were taken.<br />A few things; She never asks for his helps. He volunteers, both before and after the kidnapping, to care for the kids. Sean spoils them them toys, games and outings. Once they are kidnapped he is livid and goes out of his way to get them back.<br /><br />If you look up the word 'inconsistent' in the dictionary, you will see a picture of Sean. (who does not sound at all attractive by the description of him.) He is extremely attracted to Ellie, but over and over again we hear about how he does not date women with children. Then why does he hang around so much? It doesn't make sense that he wont date a mommy because of her kids, but he will still get attached to the kids of someone he is lusting over.<br />An explanation about that would have been nice, but the author didn't give us one.<br /><br />Ellie was not an easy character to relate to. As a mother I tend to get emotionaly involved when children are hurt in books. The feeling that come off the pages usually go right to my heart, but that was not the case with <span style="font-style: italic;">Gone Too Far</span>. Anytime Ellie showed grief about her kidnapped sons it rolled off my shoulders. Something was missing, not once did I feel anything for the charaters that would allow me to realate to them.<br /><br />Romantic Suspense books are a favourite of mine, but this time I could have done without the romance. The sex scenes were misplaced and felt awkward. Almost as if they were thrown in because they had to appear somewhere.<br /><br />As much as I wanted to like <span style="font-style: italic;">Gone Too Far</span>, and as as much as I thought I would enjoy it, I did not. It's a <span style="font-weight: bold;">D</span> book. Everything that one looks for in a romance was missing. Everything one looks for in a good Hero and/or Heroine was missing. IMO, of course.Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-40550343382702361072009-04-01T21:38:00.005-04:002009-04-02T09:32:26.503-04:00March 09 reads<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6ZFCh0f7Mfm6t3pZ-8Cu9sS5r6T11_qdNiCg63q6XLRJEvro6g48FxtatUBQi87FbvNHEQHSeDPGVFDUYBKQdtSglH9xkQQJ4Q08IHhhyphenhyphenZFIW09OTA34_7SUlbbwpsp0GUWcRA/s1600-h/books+galore.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6ZFCh0f7Mfm6t3pZ-8Cu9sS5r6T11_qdNiCg63q6XLRJEvro6g48FxtatUBQi87FbvNHEQHSeDPGVFDUYBKQdtSglH9xkQQJ4Q08IHhhyphenhyphenZFIW09OTA34_7SUlbbwpsp0GUWcRA/s320/books+galore.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319928586123685458" border="0" /></a>March was a good month. I went kind of crazy and read as much of Susan Elizabeth Phillips as I could. Why the hell did it take me so long to discover this amazing author? I have not got drunk on a back list this bad since the first Lucy Monroe book I read. The same thing happened then that has happened now--I can't get enough! Take a look at the SEP titles I have read, and I'm not done yet, I don't want to be done! Expect next months list to be as full of SEP as this one has been.<br /><br />Along with the many wonderful books I read in March, I also had 3 DNF's (did not finish)<br />They were,<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Lover by Robin Schone</span>. The Lover appealed to me when I read the review someone had posted for Nath's re-reach challenge. I fell in love with Annie's Song, which I discovered via the reread challenge, so I thought this would be another good one.<br />Well, I didn't like it. For the great review and all the raves in the reply, it was a huge disappointment. I stopped reading when the hero licked up the heroine's hymen blood. Ick.<br />Before that part I had put it down twice because the love scene was odd. It was supposed to be an erotic read but it all came off so forced and uncomfortable.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Maverick by Lora Leigh.</span> <strike>My first ever LL DNF</strike> Correction: Wicked Pleasure was a DNF. I forgot about that one :(<br /> Wild Card was fantastic, I loved it! Maverick being the next book in the series I had high expectations for, but I was pretty much turned off right from the first page. The hero/Heroine were always 'destroying' each other. The heroine was attracted to the hero but his tough sexuality is too much for her. The hero is an annoying sort of alpha man. "You are mine mine mine whether you want to be or not. My big penis, rock hard chest, tight ass and sunglasses make it impossible for you to resist me." *thumps chest*<br />You get what I'm saying, right?<br />Change the H/H's names and it could have been any other LL book.<br />The final straw with this book was being reminded over and over again about how plain or ugly the heroine is. Tiring.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Duchess, Her Miad, the Groom & Their Lover by Victoria Janssen.</span> Out of the three DNF's I had in March, this is the only one that went back into the To Be Read pile.<br />There was nothing wrong with the story, but I had a problem with the writing style, phrasing and flow. It wasn't easy to follow which started to put a negative spin on the story, so I had to put it down. In a few weeks I'll try to get back into. Normally my DNF's go to the second hand store given away, but this one I will try to read again, I hope.<br /><br />Here is the list from last month,<br /><br />1) Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips<br /><br />2) Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips<p> 3) Angel's Blood by Nalini Singh</p><p>4) First Lady by Susan Elizabeth Phillips</p> 5) And to Hold by Pepper Espinoza<p> 6) Lady be Good by Susan Elizabeth Phillips</p><p> 7) After Shock by Jill Shalvis</p><p> 8) The Zebra wore Fishnets by Pepper Espinoza</p><p> 9) Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips</p><p> 10) What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips</p><p> 11) Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips</p><p> 12) It Had to be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips</p><p> 13) The Vampire's Bride by Gena Showalter</p>Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-71461618648192013942009-03-30T13:09:00.007-04:002009-03-30T14:14:31.241-04:00Aftershock by Jill Shalvis<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUuJXapWYcoF2OaeDeK0OoHHsNSXwvP5zu8KTdRwcgkh6lI8WxwAu3B1Wci6hZPvsAVlERv8jfRfJPEYGPSRxeTcF4SKzRyJxE2U1k_JjKjM9sQBdkahf7CLFwFnb7JW6Xl_flQ/s1600-h/aftershock.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 94px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUuJXapWYcoF2OaeDeK0OoHHsNSXwvP5zu8KTdRwcgkh6lI8WxwAu3B1Wci6hZPvsAVlERv8jfRfJPEYGPSRxeTcF4SKzRyJxE2U1k_JjKjM9sQBdkahf7CLFwFnb7JW6Xl_flQ/s400/aftershock.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319032893410860290" border="0" /></a>Aftershock by Jill Shalvis<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read this:</span> My book of the month for <a href="http://natuschan.blogspot.com/2009/03/re-read-challenge-march.html#comments">Nath's Re-read</a> challenge.<br /><br /><blockquote>If it hadn't been for the earthquake, Amber Riggs would never have made love to a perfect stranger. And no doubt about it, fire inspector Dax McCall was perfect! Who else could have taught her the meaning of passion at a time like that?<br /><br />Still, when Amber ran into him a year later she wasn't sure how he'd react. She hadn't meant to keep the news from Dax.... But he'd been out of town, and she'd been sort of relieved. After all, how do you tell the perfect man he has a perfect baby girl with a woman he doesn't know from Eve?</blockquote><br /><br />I first read this book when it was released with Harlequin's Temptation line. I remember loving it at the time, but now, after reading it all these years later I find that I liked it rather than love it.<br /><br />The premises is simple. A woman is trapped in a building with a man, they both think they are going to die, and cling to one another. They can't see what each other look like but they can feel each others bodies. They like what they feel because they end up having sex.<br /><br />They don't die and she gets pregnant. She tries once or twice, half hearted, to contact him to let him know, but messages get lost, so he does not find out that he is about to be a father.<br /><br />He runs into her one day, sees the baby and puts two and two together that he is the baby daddy.<br /><br />Dax was fantastic. He stepped up immediately. He never doubted that the baby was his, and even though he was angry at Amber for not telling him, he didn't hold it against her for very long.<br />I was happy that Amber acknowledged both to her self and to Dax that she did not try hard enough to contact him, and she didn't try to come up with excuses about it. She messed up, she owned up to it and I respect her for that.<br /><br />My problem while reading this book is that even though I liked it, my mind kept wondering to another Tempation book that had a similar plot that I wanted to re read.<br />Because it could not keep my full attention, I'm going with a <span style="font-weight: bold;">C+</span>. It was well written, the heroine redeemed herself for being dumb about not trying hard enough to contact the father, and Dax was wonderful. Hello, firefighter who is a wonderful dad and puts his baby and baby mama first.<br /><br />It was a cute read. Give it a go :)Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-46223698533087041962009-03-14T09:22:00.003-04:002009-03-14T09:40:01.127-04:00... And to hold<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCz0Rl7IKcgmL7vqM1n4AuQOqvuOvBvOUjzl_N-GdAlwlDxHyuVmrs-zE5XnEwCwW_Noqaac8i0Vgw3JmUw97sGkIZ82Ie-nGONDUqLVXuPgA0PzxsCfBkl_RYP7lKBbOChnIyvg/s1600-h/toholdsmall.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCz0Rl7IKcgmL7vqM1n4AuQOqvuOvBvOUjzl_N-GdAlwlDxHyuVmrs-zE5XnEwCwW_Noqaac8i0Vgw3JmUw97sGkIZ82Ie-nGONDUqLVXuPgA0PzxsCfBkl_RYP7lKBbOChnIyvg/s320/toholdsmall.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313037135437902178" border="0" /></a>... And to Hold by Pepper Espinoza<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read this:</span> I'm interested in one of her longer length novels, but I wanted to try one of the shorter (cheaper) ones first to see if I like her writing style before I spend on the longer book.<br /><br /><blockquote>Can an unorthodox solution relieve the tension between a bride and her impotent groom? <p>Mari is deeply in love with her husband, Justin. But shortly after their marriage, a tragic accident leaves Justin impotent. The newlyweds do their best to work around the problem, but no matter what they try, Mari remains unsatisfied.</p> <p>Until Justin brings home his best friend, Paul...</p></blockquote><p>This was a fast read. Only 66 pages on my e-reader. The blurb is correct. Justin can't get it up and spends a small fortune on various toys for his wife, but after a while she can't get off anymore, she needs the real thing.<br /></p><p>Mari loves Justin and has never once thought of being with another man so she is shocked and a little bit angry when Paul walks into the bedroom for sex.</p><p>Like I said, it was a super short read and to add to that, it felt unfinished. Readers never learn how Justin's impotency causing accident happened, and we don't find out if they will continue the menage relationship.</p><p>It was supposed to be m/m/f but the only m/m part was a kiss. That was a disappointment. I was wanting some more man on man action.</p><p>My verdict for<span style="font-style: italic;"> ... And to Hold</span> is <span style="font-weight: bold;">C+</span>. I wish I had not been left with unanswered questions. It's true that stories this short do not require a lot of history, but I think a few extra lines would have answered questions that I want to know.</p><p>Even with the abrupt ending I liked it enough to want to read the longer one. If you are looking for a super fast m/m/f with just a touch of m/m, then this is the book for you.<br /></p>Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-52792482990368768272009-03-09T13:53:00.004-04:002009-03-09T14:14:33.026-04:00Puppy post<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2NmYpIGw5LhzUhrNOJtlxCtetxSMfiaBHbcxrgqulgzg2iTwptlLdfCZO6PLA8_kux4s9cMGoiQ4m5onKdkfWUO-asNFe9UzTz3NJpIGplPy8pjLeoBJTNQygLEzqE6qhZ17wQ/s1600-h/Jojo+after+groomers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2NmYpIGw5LhzUhrNOJtlxCtetxSMfiaBHbcxrgqulgzg2iTwptlLdfCZO6PLA8_kux4s9cMGoiQ4m5onKdkfWUO-asNFe9UzTz3NJpIGplPy8pjLeoBJTNQygLEzqE6qhZ17wQ/s320/Jojo+after+groomers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311250104947545506" border="0" /></a><br />Not at all book related, but I feel like sharing :)<br />This is my dog, Jojo. She is a 7 month old shih-tzu who recently underwent a spay, hernia repair and had an identity micro chip inserted. Her procedures were 11 days ago and today I had her at the groomers for a little bit of pampering. Because of her incision we still can't get her underside wet, but I still took her in for a bit of a trim and clean up.<br /><br />She looks darling with her little hair clip.<br /><br />She is still pretty young, but according to the vet, she is at her adult size. Her parts that were removed were full growth when it comes to size and weight, so we can expect her not to get bigger. She might get fatter if I over feed her, but as it stand, she is the biggest she w<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWk_KjVIvISFL0YmKgtw7OkbjrKDolnRqX8Na_7L_ynveA8arAHFi1n2XbROOkNoHss7tM7w_lv2kKUt_N5Z4smlLROFNcETKiGzmF8mwDqEAfkQlKIdONDurVuiClcTbu9Z-rA/s1600-h/jojo+outside.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWk_KjVIvISFL0YmKgtw7OkbjrKDolnRqX8Na_7L_ynveA8arAHFi1n2XbROOkNoHss7tM7w_lv2kKUt_N5Z4smlLROFNcETKiGzmF8mwDqEAfkQlKIdONDurVuiClcTbu9Z-rA/s320/jojo+outside.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311252282473918610" border="0" /></a>ill ever be.<br /><br />Her mom is 7lbs, her dad is 10lbs, and she is 6lbs 8oz. Her breeder, who is a relative of mine is shocked at how small she is, but I think she is perfect. I wanted a small dog, and that's what I got.<br />Of course, she is not as small as Ame's She-Rah, though. LOL (*reminder* Send Jojo's out grown clothes to She-Rah like I was supposed to do months ago! Ames, tell She-Rah I will do it soon, I promise :-)<br /><br />I'm trying to convince my husband to let us get either a Pug or a Dachshund so that Jojo can have a playmate. Keep your fingers crossed. I really want another dog :)Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-80606207837928918292009-03-06T15:43:00.005-05:002009-03-06T16:10:52.509-05:00SEP twofer<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Dream a Little Dream and Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read these:</span> Dream a little Dream because I liked the blurb. Kiss an Angel because I liked Dream a Little Dream so much.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWotCZO2wLc-Y_bJjcddfGTYHYiktL3LshKznYJGlQMOfRk6Hfo9u_cru-oS1oqxaMw0sM07q5U3gSCH64F-HMI-liOxKnhrqWfOTZ3_ryIS78thmoLoQOK88YbUbo7c5RmY1T-g/s1600-h/Kiss.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWotCZO2wLc-Y_bJjcddfGTYHYiktL3LshKznYJGlQMOfRk6Hfo9u_cru-oS1oqxaMw0sM07q5U3gSCH64F-HMI-liOxKnhrqWfOTZ3_ryIS78thmoLoQOK88YbUbo7c5RmY1T-g/s320/Kiss.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310182265545430338" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2es3V8W4lgrI82v8Jq24Tan6CEUa9gkcocBO-jZok9C_bVPITtiq_ga9l5NXSIIZ13mTiNBNJswRBCDAfOE8X8eyHxH0Oi-sEIRzTmN3Cm2H1ZIH4qzc6qmlUKQZdwHVO6kR0g/s1600-h/dream.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2es3V8W4lgrI82v8Jq24Tan6CEUa9gkcocBO-jZok9C_bVPITtiq_ga9l5NXSIIZ13mTiNBNJswRBCDAfOE8X8eyHxH0Oi-sEIRzTmN3Cm2H1ZIH4qzc6qmlUKQZdwHVO6kR0g/s320/dream.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310182206743145842" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />SEP is a new to me author. Having only read three of her novels I feel like I have been missing on on something really big and great.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dream a Little Dream</span> was about a widow and her young son coming back to a town that once loved, but now hated her. Her husband was a Televangelist preacher who scammed people out of their money. He confessed his sins on live TV, putting all the blame on her.<br />When she returns, she begs for a job from Gabe, a man who is the towns most loved son. Gabe is also a widow. He lost his wife and son is a car accident and as much as he falls for (name) he can't bring himself to like her son.<br />Rachel will do anything and everything for the welfare of her child, even if it means giving up on the man she loves so much.<br /><br />My feelings are summed up in this series of emails with Holly.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Re: Dream a Little Dream<br />Holly: </span>I just saw on your sidebar that you read this book. What did you think? It's one of my favorites by her, but it's not for everyone.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me: </span>Oh, I loved it! I finished it in less than a day.<br />It reminded me a little bit of Ain't she Sweet? in the sense that she was coming back to a town that hated her.<br /><br />Even better than the love story I liked how the relationship with her son and Gabe evolved. Some of those parts, as a mother, were hard to read, but I liked how it ended.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Holly: </span>I completely agree about Gabe and her son (remind me what his name is...I'm drawing a blank). That was painful to read at times, but completely understandable from Gabe's perspective. I wanted to be angry with him or hate him for the way he acted, but I couldn't because my heart was breaking for him.<br /><br />It really grabs you right from the beginning, doesn't it? I loved that Rachel was willing to do whatever it took to support her son, though. Even if it meant being humiliated. I need to re-read. lol<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Me: </span>Edward is his name (or Chip, lol)<br /><br />Have you read Cal and Janet's story? I wonder if it's any good.<br /><br />There were many emotional parts to DALD. After that teen stole the car with the kids in it, and then got into the accident. eek. Poor Gabe. I mean, poor Rachel for having to go through that fear, but more so for Gabe who had already gone through it once before :(<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Holly: </span>That's right! Duh. lol<br /><br />Yes, I've read all of SEP's books. I didn't care for Cal's story (Nobody's Baby But Mine). I think it's mostly because the storyline isn't one that works for me. That one and Heaven, Texas are my least favorite by her.<br /><br />There were a lot of emotional parts. The whole book is just an emotional roller coaster ride from start to finish. My heart broke for Rachel when she'd go hungry so Chip could eat. :( </blockquote><br /><br />Holly is exactly right. <span style="font-style: italic;">Dream a Little Dream</span> was indeed an emotional roller coaster. I can see myself picking it up for re-reads many times in the future.<br /><br />After reading <span style="font-style: italic;">Dream a Little Dream</span> I wanted to dive right in to another SEP book, and <span style="font-style: italic;">Kiss an Angel</span> was recommended by both Ames and Holly.<br />Gosh, I don't know which book I liked better. Both touched me in different ways, they were so good.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Kiss an Angel</span>, Daisy is forced to go to jail or marry Alex, a man who runs a Circus. She chooses to marry Alex, and they agree that the marriage will last only six months. Alex is a hard hearted man who wont love Daisy, and he refuses to let her believe that they will last longer than the 6 months, no matter how good they are together in bed. Daisy, or Feather head as he calls her, (because of the way her hair is feathered) chips away at the ice covering his heart, and by the end of the book it is he who is begging her for a chance to make things work.<br />Truly a Happily Ever After.<br /><br />One of my favourite things about <span style="font-style: italic;">Kiss an Angel</span> is how Daisy grows. She starts off being deathly afraid of animals, but by the end of the book she has a pet tiger and a pet elephant.<br /><br />I loved both these books. Can't wait to delve into my next SEP!Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-90195874768134472192009-03-01T10:15:00.003-05:002009-03-01T10:26:21.191-05:00Feb Reads 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuD-_bBcNDEonBw7JNlYSYzGwvZbg4C6Ft9O6XWTCOToADj_o5YwNPGr9hBsjIz2CLLMnUFMephIw2C7InHXGP6w82dMr4xgyW1sUXF0Z6dGpHXn7SfuWeZbo6Y2ql4aKgpRf2Q/s1600-h/SxjTbijb.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuD-_bBcNDEonBw7JNlYSYzGwvZbg4C6Ft9O6XWTCOToADj_o5YwNPGr9hBsjIz2CLLMnUFMephIw2C7InHXGP6w82dMr4xgyW1sUXF0Z6dGpHXn7SfuWeZbo6Y2ql4aKgpRf2Q/s320/SxjTbijb.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308240656938773330" border="0" /></a>This was an content reading month. No Ds, no DNFs. Yay.<br /><br />We hosted a great contest over at Breezing Through-thank you so much for playing along. We hope to offer more contests like that throughout the year.<br /><br />I've made another pie chart, hehe.<br /><br />After reading Plum Spooky I decided to go back and read all the other in between the numbers books. They are pretty good. That Lula cracks me up every time! What a ho'. And Diesel? Woot.<br /><br />Bones Crossed was my only <span style="font-weight: bold;">A</span> book for the month. It's always a good feeling to have your expectations met when it comes to books. :)<br /><br />1) The Spy Who Wants Me by Lucy Monroe<p> 2) Annie's Song by Catherine Anderson</p> 3) Cabin Fever by Diana Hunter<p> 4) Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs</p> 5) Conspiracy in Death by J. D. Robb<br /><br />6) In for a Penny by Carol Lynne<p> 7) Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs</p> 8) Dark Lover by J.R. Ward (re-read)<p> 9) Coyote's Mate by Lora Leigh</p> 10) Dirty by Megan Hart<br /><br />11) Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich<br /><br />12) Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich<br /><br />13) Second Chance Pass by Robyn Carr<br /><br />14) Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich<br /><br />15) Only Pleasure by Lora LeighChantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-73364696496387742712009-02-27T09:30:00.007-05:002009-03-01T09:50:51.400-05:00Dark Lover. Again<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8UauqEfaNxhLwO9tCNzBETRTUtQxrF6zl55gfnmt1ZLyJVEPWscNuOyMXjNj-Wdi8zJIckZKghsJdJqEHUg7i4fpvCReNYJpxjtpw5jS_AkAdE8XDqatb-STfFMWAuMI1qBDnw/s1600-h/darklover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 184px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8UauqEfaNxhLwO9tCNzBETRTUtQxrF6zl55gfnmt1ZLyJVEPWscNuOyMXjNj-Wdi8zJIckZKghsJdJqEHUg7i4fpvCReNYJpxjtpw5jS_AkAdE8XDqatb-STfFMWAuMI1qBDnw/s320/darklover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307504342529009378" border="0" /></a>Dark Lover by J. R. Ward<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read this:</span> I picked this book for the <a href="http://natuschan.blogspot.com/2009/02/re-read-challenge-february.html">re-read challenge.<br /></a><br />With the hype of the next BDB book that is out soon, I felt the need to refresh my mind with Dark Lover. Imo, as many flaws as it has, it's the best book of the series.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://readingbythefountain.blogspot.com/2007/04/dark-lover.html">here</a> to see my review from the first time I read it.<br /><br /><blockquote>The only purebred vampire left on the planet, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But when one of his most trusted fighters is killed- orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate - Wrath must usher the beautiful female into the world of the undead…<br /><br /> Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn't there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of brotherhood and blood frighten her. But his touch ignites a dawning hunger that threatens to consume them both…</blockquote><br /><br />Reading this book a second time had a few highs and lows. It was wonderful to see Wellsie again. She never had very big parts, but she was a much loved Shellan and I enjoyed her character. As much as it was nice to see her again, I also felt the same anger that went through me when she was murdered in a later book.<br /><br />During this re read I skipped all the the lesser POVs because they were boring. You can not read a single word of the Lesser POVs and not miss out on any of the story. I'm not sure why the lessers have their own pages. They are not needed.<br /><br />The BDB speaking terms were still hard to read, but having read all the BDB books to date, it's not like I didn't know what I was getting myself into.<br /><br />It was interesting to re read the friendship between Butch and V from the start, now that I know what I know happens in future books. Just like the murder of Wellsie and her baby, I think that not putting Butch and V together as a couple was a mistake.<br /><br />I enjoyed reading <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Lover</span> again. It's the best book of the series, and did a great job sucking me into the rest of the books. With each new installment I keep hoping that the books will be as good as <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Lover</span>. It hasn't happened yet.<br /><br />The first time I read this book I gave it a B. I'm going to knock it down to a <span style="font-weight: bold;">C+</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Lover</span> is entertaining and I do recommend it to all. I will more than likely re read it again, but like I said, it's very flawed. And the fact that I skip over parts isn't good. To mark it higher would feel like a lie.Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-14180436889575792842009-02-27T09:07:00.002-05:002009-02-27T09:21:46.980-05:00Now I know how authors feel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXd2edIX5DPS-EuZxBcAMD2zOd-8v7_HCS1sLJYXN4ZSSGZQ9IjQTK5O6pmnzbNvY6nAwrc77S8hI02ClD_5Y8B5_Lf6NRCs6agwwQkoWjvhrXL9YW9ahGYEQFwu5zB48v-7M3Sw/s1600-h/annoyed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXd2edIX5DPS-EuZxBcAMD2zOd-8v7_HCS1sLJYXN4ZSSGZQ9IjQTK5O6pmnzbNvY6nAwrc77S8hI02ClD_5Y8B5_Lf6NRCs6agwwQkoWjvhrXL9YW9ahGYEQFwu5zB48v-7M3Sw/s320/annoyed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307482196564218866" border="0" /></a>Yesterday I was very excited to see that a letter I sent in to the editor had been printed in the paper. Until I got to the name and someone else was there instead.<br /><br />What are the chances of someone else in my city writing the exact same letter, word for word? Everything from my use of an exclamation point and em-dash?<br /><br />It's too much of a coincidence. Someone else is getting credit for something that *I* wrote, and it really pisses me off.<br /><br />I called the paper and they are unsure as to how the mix up happened. They will "look into it and possibly print a retraction."<br /><br />Sigh.Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-84339100732029806322009-02-24T09:48:00.000-05:002009-02-24T09:50:13.954-05:00Annie's Song<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ85d9Hn9uVdaoE1ES60nmG5IQPy-rI0tX9mIBzFLBvyDbGF9a1xqRnLbNR-n51O4xMlEOtJjZ66U18bO1KWsidzWRJaBv2nS0N-5JeDDz9Z9BnVX6EsGoEEgwW-KDRdptJpj7Bw/s1600-h/anniesnew.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ85d9Hn9uVdaoE1ES60nmG5IQPy-rI0tX9mIBzFLBvyDbGF9a1xqRnLbNR-n51O4xMlEOtJjZ66U18bO1KWsidzWRJaBv2nS0N-5JeDDz9Z9BnVX6EsGoEEgwW-KDRdptJpj7Bw/s320/anniesnew.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306375476804671650" border="0" /></a>Annie's Song by Catherine Anderson<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why I read this:</span> Ames read it for the re-read challenge last month, it sounded very good.<br /><br /><blockquote>Annie Trimble lives in a solitary world that on one enters or understands. As delicate and beautiful as the tender blossoms of the Oregon spring, she is shunned by a town that misinterprets her affliction. But cruelty cannot destroy the love Annie holds in her heart. <p class="back">Alex Montgomery is horrified to learn his wild younger brother forced himself on a helpless "idiot girl." Tormented by guilt, Alex agrees to marry her and raise the babe she carries as his own. But he never dreams he will grow to cherish his lovely, mute, misjudged Annie—her childlike innocence, her womanly charms and the wondrous way she views her world. And he becomes determined to break through the wall of silence surrounding her—to heal—and to be healed by Annie's sweet song of love. </p></blockquote><p class="back"></p><br />Annie's Song was a good romance that left a warm, fluffy feeling in my heart. I just love feeling good at the end of a romance and thinking, "That's how all love should be."<br /><br />Poor Annie didn't have it easy in life. Everyone thought her to be dimwitted, and she was treated as such. Her parents loved her, but didn't show it to her in the right way. They kept her hidden most of the time thinking that it was best for her, but really, it just made things worse.<br /><br />After Annie is attacked and becomes pregnant, Alex, the attackers brother, steps up and marries Annie.<br /><br />At first Alex thinks just what everyone else thinks... that Annie is just some dumb girl who doesn't know anything. After getting a wake up call from his housekeeper, he soon finds out that there is nothing mentally wrong with Annie, she simply can't hear.<br /><br />Together, they find ways to communicate, and as Alex helps Annie, he falls head over heels in love with her.<br /><br />Reading Annie's Song felt like magic. It was like a different version of an old fashioned Cinderella story.<br /><br />Great book, great story. <span style="font-weight: bold;">A</span>.Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10734609.post-74957851502616380282009-02-13T21:01:00.004-05:002009-02-13T21:05:55.018-05:00Still aroundHi everyone,<br /><br />Thank you to the the people who have emailing me. I am still around, but laying low for a while.<br />The daughter of a friend of mine died of cancer, she was only 11 years old and it has been very difficult for me to deal with.<br />When I attempt to blog or interact I feel like I am doing the wrong thing. It just feels wrong to go on with my life while a little I knew has died. There are a mixture of conflicting emotions going through my head that I am not dealing well with.<br /><br />Stay safe and healthy, friends. I might not be saying much, but I am reading your blogs.Chantalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03305326408942751881noreply@blogger.com6