tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29666433992080521032024-02-02T13:57:13.173-05:00Heather's Reading RomanceHeather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.comBlogger263125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-37775820028704706602012-06-01T09:09:00.004-04:002012-06-01T09:12:58.800-04:00Kicking off SummerWell clearly I have taken a leave of absence from my blog. Hopefully now that things have calmed down around here I can start reading again...not to the extremes from before but definitely more than one book a month! <br />
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I am kickstarting my Summer reading with the participation in the NOR Summer Web Hunt. One author, definitely new to me, has upped the ante a little. She is not only participating in the Web Hunt, she is also giving a little extra away. So if you are not interested in joining the web hunt fun, you can certainly get into the action just by visiting her <a href="http://www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com/">blog</a>, reading about her new Demimonde series, the first book <strong>is Bleeding</strong> <strong>Hearts </strong>which sounds amazing! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sqxZPLt_bMnoDbip062XQVYNCBQQlesXqyzfHSTFZRgu4z93rKMZlA5jmn8tLSbOhMTB5i6H-jq6YAAaDIM_SIloBUmg4wfgf94p56a19f9nVIwp-RaWTWMjePPlNYG0DDNigQdG2F-b/s1600/bleeding+hearts.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sqxZPLt_bMnoDbip062XQVYNCBQQlesXqyzfHSTFZRgu4z93rKMZlA5jmn8tLSbOhMTB5i6H-jq6YAAaDIM_SIloBUmg4wfgf94p56a19f9nVIwp-RaWTWMjePPlNYG0DDNigQdG2F-b/s320/bleeding+hearts.png" width="206" /></a></div>
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<strong>Blurb from Amazon:</strong></div>
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<em>Sophie Galen is an advice columnist whose work leaves her neck-deep in
other people's problems. Thanks to her compassion, her gut instinct, and her
magnetic charm, Sophie really knows how to attract little black
clouds.<br /><br />Marek Thurzo is no little black cloud; he's a maelstrom. Marek is
Demivampire, a race with the potential to evolve into vampire. A warrior who's
taken his share of spiritual damage, he hovers dangerously close to
destruction.<br /><br />He seeks salvation. She's driven to save him. But what if he
can't be saved?<br /><br />Sympathy for his plight becomes true empathy as Sophie's
hidden nature is revealed. Marek suspects she may be one of the Sophia, oracle
and redemption of the damned Demivampire. She alone can turn back the
evolutionary clock. <br /><br />All she needs is the courage to face her fears. Can
she save him from Falling?</em></div>
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You can enter her givaway by using this rafflecopter, but I really think you should head over and check out her<a href="http://www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com/"> blog</a></div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href='http://www.rafflecopter.com" id="rc-cc325a5">a'>http://www.rafflecopter.com">a</a> Rafflecopter giveaway<br />
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</script></div>Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-68716569312465726532011-10-30T02:41:00.005-04:002011-10-30T02:44:44.930-04:00Lethal by Sandra Brown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCn9CbQJ_PHo0YSajSjRcP_QXCoEYUb4UgrRFvWrgaExhBTp40Qnn_R52XvXWyxWj7G6Ukx2Tykgb7q_Gb50QZAIB8vAhE1uIAG68upQO6kMMJIPnHgS7j_oXpWA780dJXmWwRH2r1Rz9g/s1600/lethal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCn9CbQJ_PHo0YSajSjRcP_QXCoEYUb4UgrRFvWrgaExhBTp40Qnn_R52XvXWyxWj7G6Ukx2Tykgb7q_Gb50QZAIB8vAhE1uIAG68upQO6kMMJIPnHgS7j_oXpWA780dJXmWwRH2r1Rz9g/s1600/lethal.jpg" /></a></div><div class="content"><div id="outer_postBodyPS" style="height: auto; overflow: hidden; z-index: 1;"><div id="postBodyPS">When her four year old daughter informs her a sick man is in their yard, Honor Gillette rushes out to help him. But that "sick" man turns out to be Lee Coburn, the man accused of murdering seven people the night before. Dangerous, desperate, and armed, he promises Honor that she and her daughter won't be hurt as long as she does everything he asks. She has no choice but to accept him at his word.<br />
But Honor soon discovers that even those close to her can't be trusted. Coburn claims that her beloved late husband possessed something extremely valuable that places Honor and her daughter in grave danger. Coburn is there to retrieve it -- at any cost. From FBI offices in Washington, D.C., to a rundown shrimp boat in coastal Louisiana, Coburn and Honor run for their lives from the very people sworn to protect them, and unravel a web of corruption and depravity that threatens not only them, but the fabric of our society</div></div><div class="psGradient" id="psGradient" oldblock="block" style="display: none;"></div><div id="psPlaceHolder" oldblock="block" style="display: none; height: 20px;"><div id="expandPS" style="z-index: 3;"><span class="swSprite s_expandChevron"></span><a class="showMore" href="http://www.amazon.com/Lethal-Sandra-Brown/dp/1609419170#">Show More</a> </div></div><div id="collapsePS" style="display: none; padding-top: 3px;"><span class="swSprite s_collapseChevron"></span><a class="showLess" href="http://www.amazon.com/Lethal-Sandra-Brown/dp/1609419170#"><span style="color: #003399;">Show Less</span></a> </div><noscript></noscript></div><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
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</script> <strong>My Thoughts:</strong><br />
Honor makes the mistake of believing a man found in her yard is in need of help. It turns out that the man, Colburn, is an accused mass murderer. He is in search of something that he believes Honor possesses that will clear his name and break open a large human, drug, and weapons smuggling ring.<br />
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Colburn and Honor set out to find the key that is needed, and in time find more than they were bargaining for.<br />
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This was the first book that I have read by Sandra Brown. I have heard many great things about her books and I was not disappointed in my choice of first books. I was immediately drawn into the plot and found it extremely hard to set the book aside to read my school assignments. I am giving Lethal a 4 star rating because I felt the ending needed a little help. I am still questioning if there was indeed a happily ever after. I guess it was implied, but I would rather have seen a final meeting. I do recommend the book to others and I will read this author again!Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-23587006949205465292011-07-30T19:01:00.000-04:002011-07-30T19:01:24.544-04:00Whats up with me!!I certainly am very excited!! I have been a stay at home mom for 9 years. Before I stopped working, I was a workaholic. It was just my daughter and I, and thankfully I had a great support system. Once I met my husband though, my son came along rather quickly. I stopped working when I was 5 months pregnant. I was having issues with my pregnancy and both my husband and I felt like putting our son in daycare would not be a good choice. I wanted the opportunity to stay home and raise my son, not depend on the daycare provider to do it for me. This also allowed me to spend more quality time with my daughter. So that being said I have not worked outside of the home, except for volunteer work at the schools, in 9 years.<br />
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<a href="https://www.mythirtyone.com/HeatherDeterding/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUa4sDrIDHvxH9_9PQHTinAJeyElldeDumDnri1mlgH2rbgS8JwPKqroz6FPTXir4PsHWikcPmIoYzYb1ZzZf02X5Ny8s7gWHVMDqRSwxzRBkbrhjkaw3L13o9SrLnez0aKPEuU-n4Brki/s400/thirtyone.jpg" width="308" /></a>Well things are changing. Not only have I enrolled in school to get my bachelors degree, but I have become self employeed. This is no small thing for me. I am OK with school, that doesn't scare me at all. But the idea of entering back into the work force...yeah that scares the hell out of me. I have just signed on to be a ThirtyOne consultant. I first heard of this company when my son was in Kindergarten, when I purchased my first bow purse and a duffle bag personalized for my daughter. I didn't know who the consultant was and I didn't get to go to the party. Recently a friend of mine entered into this same career, and she has me hyped about doing it myself. The best part is that I make my hours, I have complete control over how often I work and how hard I work at it. I get some great products to advertise and show off at parties. I am super excited about the whole idea!! I am scared witless though. In becoming a stay at home mom I basically became a recluse and I am going to have to work extra hard to get out of my habits of sticking my head back in the shell and pull my nose out of that book!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDN6dU9xX1eggE3H8MYcxhY7loPIM4dtOdHPBgP2gGsI7Vep2rK3dljMShF2lnUiiC5yMtT0bQqO5wpaQWzht3o16tY9Q1sLJB2_Bl4kuy7F0-ljSJBUY0_DGrhRUz2Q30Qot1lWAMMrw_/s1600/mooncalled300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDN6dU9xX1eggE3H8MYcxhY7loPIM4dtOdHPBgP2gGsI7Vep2rK3dljMShF2lnUiiC5yMtT0bQqO5wpaQWzht3o16tY9Q1sLJB2_Bl4kuy7F0-ljSJBUY0_DGrhRUz2Q30Qot1lWAMMrw_/s400/mooncalled300.jpg" width="250" /></a><br />
So this is what's up with me!!! <br />
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On top of this I have been reading some really great books!! Right now I am on a real paranormal kick, and have been reading the Mercy Thompson series. I am still do the quarterly challenge in a book group at Shelfari.com. I have 5 books to complete before I start school on Aug. 23: Desires Unchained, Unholy Ghosts, Wicked Intentions, Marry Me, and one more that I have not decided on yet. It needs to be by an author that I have not read yet, so I have a list of potential authors ready and waiting...all of which I already own at least one book. <br />
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What is new with my blogland friends?!!Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-41492878369110523582011-06-30T10:09:00.000-04:002011-06-30T10:09:50.931-04:00Kelly Armstrong GiveawayOK, so I am not the person holding this giveaway!! I have never read the series! But my friend Christine from Shelfari is holding her first ever <a href="http://crysteena73.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-first-eve-giveaway.html">giveaway</a>, and it just so happens to be Kelly Armstrong's <i>Spellbound</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6b-gwwIKix4VRWLTnq0s2Qky7Ikk7rW6v6euOmLEwbcQ1y81cJymNeV9Gj8btH4TDkloyK3QIQfHTSdFn97p8JVZ4MKawsNpDXM4vHUQEhe4wRkFFDHGNN1RDOotGSxh8jkxW7v2xvjs_/s1600/Spellbound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6b-gwwIKix4VRWLTnq0s2Qky7Ikk7rW6v6euOmLEwbcQ1y81cJymNeV9Gj8btH4TDkloyK3QIQfHTSdFn97p8JVZ4MKawsNpDXM4vHUQEhe4wRkFFDHGNN1RDOotGSxh8jkxW7v2xvjs_/s320/Spellbound.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Here are the details:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Contest starts today!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Contest ends July 6</div><div style="text-align: center;">Names will be put in Random organizer on the 7th</div><div style="text-align: center;">Open to the US only</div><div style="text-align: center;">you have three chances to win...comment, be a follower, and post about it on your blog. However all three entries must have their own comment (oops I missed that part when I left my comment, guess I have to go make two more comments)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Alright so head on over and throw your name into the hat and help Christina with her first ever <a href="http://crysteena73.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-first-eve-giveaway.html">giveaway!! </a></div>Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-91667080314499593662011-06-16T17:03:00.001-04:002011-06-16T17:12:33.197-04:00Lorraine Heath Giveaway on Happily Forever After<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVd9KowRDHGD1VTjXE8VJQYfrdk666pImak3ZRqLCS2rut7NZMtVRTHQZucoK4sZIK2ltZdplQQz-NGDPJXGoIdxDfuRWzG59MrrWnob_hIJ3VLF9oW95iyxBaS7uS-i-nfhXcmk_vXEk/s400/JuneLorraineGA.png" width="400" /></div>I have only recently found Lorraine Heath again and I am absolutely in love with her writing! Ok, well I still haven't read many books by her, but I did absolutely love Texas Destiny! And I have found in the past that any book that Barbara at <a href="http://happily-forever-after.blogspot.com/">Happily Forever After</a> is pimping is definitely well worth my time and money! So I am more than happy to come out of hiding and have my first post in months be one sharing the news of her <a href="http://happily-forever-after.blogspot.com/2011/06/waking-up-with-duke-giveaway.html">Giveaway</a> and pimpage!! And you can bet your buns that I will be throwing my name in to the proverbial hat! Head on over...or not which would definitely give me a better chance ;)<br />
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The contest is open until Sunday June 26 and she will announce the winner on Wed. June 29. Open to the United States Only.Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-85972386632321721732011-04-27T07:21:00.004-04:002011-05-02T09:43:12.879-04:00Giveaway~~~Desperate Desires by Terri Wolffe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPEtrFs5-XjUROsvQvRU0wy36dGYaqX2Pg-Wv2Nls5wXcSCRjKMkqdpbKocjUTu8dgEpWZH3zGrP7utN-ucNbhvJeDmlhq979iAxp0IQFxfYAuQo63U62jUqFSK0Wpl6kLcRq97zScihy/s1600/Desperate+Desires+2.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPEtrFs5-XjUROsvQvRU0wy36dGYaqX2Pg-Wv2Nls5wXcSCRjKMkqdpbKocjUTu8dgEpWZH3zGrP7utN-ucNbhvJeDmlhq979iAxp0IQFxfYAuQo63U62jUqFSK0Wpl6kLcRq97zScihy/s320/Desperate+Desires+2.5.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>Ms. Wolffe contacted me a couple of days ago to offer a follow up Giveaway to my <a href="http://heathersreadingromance.blogspot.com/2011/03/desperate-desires-by-terri-wolffereview.html">review</a> of her book Desperate Desires. I am very pleased and excited to give you guys the chance to win a Kindle ebook of Desperate Desires. I am going to do this a little differently... The first two (2) commenters either here or in my group on Shelfari.com will receive the novella. Please make sure that you leave me your email address so that I can contact you and then forward your information to Ms. Wolffe.<br />
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Please remember that the copies of Desperate Desires are ebooks in the Kindle format!<br />
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Check out the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HawXbGjLpmU">video</a> for Desperate Desire!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">***Giveaway Closed***</span> </div>Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-57899728499633241572011-04-15T00:01:00.001-04:002011-04-15T00:01:08.390-04:00Desperate Desires by Terri Wolffe~~~Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfhjozd85bKrkPOB0Ij1a-UBcqnvMBUgXUapYbbHXIf7C-DAzsMpLFBx582dS6BGLqK_nvkK7X_vtE55zQ2xTdKC_zqeYZoCpXnU-C_Qzxt4LjBzCIxTn5U_63Zmeh4O4-ldxunH7oeM4/s1600/Desperate+Desires+2.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfhjozd85bKrkPOB0Ij1a-UBcqnvMBUgXUapYbbHXIf7C-DAzsMpLFBx582dS6BGLqK_nvkK7X_vtE55zQ2xTdKC_zqeYZoCpXnU-C_Qzxt4LjBzCIxTn5U_63Zmeh4O4-ldxunH7oeM4/s320/Desperate+Desires+2.5.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>A Sweet and Spicy Novella<br />
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The cunningly audacious Lady Lucinda Davenport is by no means a conventional woman. Smart and fiercely determined, she’s more comfortable adding numbers than she’ll ever be socializing with highfalutin members of the ton. When desperate straits force her into action to save her home and lands, she finds herself faced with only one option. Summoning every ounce of her courage, she sets in motion a wild and raunchy scheme that would set the ton on fire if they ever caught wind of her actions.<br />
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Lucien Brandford, fourth Duke of Carlsborough, is a dangerous man. Wealthy beyond imagination and handsome to a fault, the Duke is sought after by nearly every woman of the ton. Single, widowed, or married, ladies vie for his attention with cutthroat precision. But the Duke has no tolerance for the machinations of his title and fortune-hungry peers. He seeks his pleasure from women who require no commitment.<br />
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That attitude ensnares the Duke in Lady Lucinda’s plan. Caught unawares, Lucien finds himself at the mercy of a bold and luscious woman whom he cannot decide if he wants to strangle or bed.<br />
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The sensual dance that follows between captor and captive as they engage in a volatile battle for control, culminates in a seismic eruption—both psychological and sensual. As tempers flare and sparks fly, an intense and erotic interlude of passion ensues.<br />
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The temperamental lovers soon discover what all the world knows: that in order to possess the love of a lifetime, they must submit to one another to conquer their own Desperate Desires.<br />
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Sensually spiced with a heavy dose of passion, this romantic bestseller comes complete with a memorable cast of characters. You won’t want to put this one down!<br />
<h2 class="sIFR-replaced"><span style="font-size: small;">My Thoughts:</span></h2><span style="font-size: small;">In my opinion "Sweet and Spicy" is a little misleading. Desperate Desires was definitely a whole lot more than "Spicy" and should have been labeled erotica. A lot of the "sweet" is lost amongst the sexual interactions and "talk dirty to me" going on. Ms. Wolffe, however did a wonderful job portraying the characters and writing an exciting erotic historical romance. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">You know from the blurb that Lucinda is in dire straits and is desperate to save her home and lands, but you are left wondering what the true predicament really is through out the first half of the book. It is made obvious from the beginning that she is not in danger of losing them because of financial losses. There are hints dropped here and there, and it becomes a little frustrating wondering why she would go to the extreme of abducting Lucien, IV Duke of Carlsborough. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">There is an instant pull between Lucinda and Lucien, a desire that Lucien is none too happy about. He would much rather strangle "Madame Dictator" than show any desire for her wayward actions. Once they are sequestered in Lucinda's room, they have a total romp fest, Lucien is obviously experiencing Stockholm syndrome, and fall in love. There are tender moments between the two that you get glimpses of in between their highly explosive love scenes. So as to not give too much of the plot away lets just say that Lucien has overstayed his welcome and is quickly removed back to London. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> I understand that this is a novella and therefore everything is going to happen on a faster scale than a novel, however I was not thrilled with how quickly the story ended. We go from the reuniting to the end in a matter of a turn of the page. I would have liked to have seen just how these two were able to come to an agreement with all parties involved... surely this could have been achieved within a few pages. On a more positive note I am pleased to see that the author gave our hero and heroine a HEA, even if it was done in a single paragraph.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I do recommend Desperate Desires to anyone that enjoys extremely hot books, and I do mean the caliber of books where you will need a fire extinguisher to put out the flames and lots of ice to cool down those burning cheeks!! After careful consideration and lots of thought I am going to go with my original rating of 4 stars. It is not the book's fault that I was not expecting what I got in terms of heat level, and the story while a little far fetched was extremely enjoyable! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Gorgeous Cover!!</span>Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-84516618413501777972011-03-21T14:12:00.002-04:002011-03-21T15:06:29.189-04:00Semi-Sweet: A Novel of Love and Cupcakes by Roisin Meaney~~Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtbG3w3qAV5qKdhs6Y-O5LxlJRiPlayo-4inedQL4XMTqRkuJwwst5TKF86xGExcSnKbrv8A-hViASbO5LlcqKRgeOCqUoKEJ7vuHswyFnUisYGNa5f8DTCIa9Gd6RYJ9DL26j2fEd_Ka/s1600/semisweet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtbG3w3qAV5qKdhs6Y-O5LxlJRiPlayo-4inedQL4XMTqRkuJwwst5TKF86xGExcSnKbrv8A-hViASbO5LlcqKRgeOCqUoKEJ7vuHswyFnUisYGNa5f8DTCIa9Gd6RYJ9DL26j2fEd_Ka/s1600/semisweet.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Description (from Amazon):<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Semi-Sweet-Novel-Cupcakes-Roisin-Meaney/dp/0446570117/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300733999&sr=1-1">Amazon buy link </a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hannah Robinson is just about to open the doors to her new shop Cupcakes on the Corner when out of the blue her boyfriend Patrick announces that he's leaving her for another woman. Faced with starting a business on her own, Hannah begins to wonder if her life-long dream has just turned into a nightmare. So her best friend Adam sets his birthday as a deadline - seven months to make her shop a success, or walk away from it all. And as Hannah immerses herself in her new business, she soon discovers that she's too busy to think about Patrick and his now pregnant girlfriend ...or to notice an increasingly regular customer who has recently developed a sweet tooth for all things cupcake. But while Hannah is slowly piecing her life back together, family friend Alice's is falling apart. Her husband Tom's drinking is getting out of control and things are about to get a whole lot worse. As the seven-month milestone approaches, Hannah must decide her future. And while she's figuring out what's really important, it becomes clear to everyone that happiness in life, and in love, is all in the making.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">from the publisher:</div><div style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">"The first edition of <b>SEMI-SWEET</b> was published in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1300729545_2">Ireland</span> in February 2010 and spent five weeks in the Top 5 on the Irish Bestseller list. R</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">oisin Meaney is the author of six books and is a consistent bestseller in Ireland. <i>The Last Week of May </i>and <i><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1300729545_3" style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;">The People Next Door</span></i> went to #1 and #2, respectively. Heralded as the new “<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1300729545_4" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;">Maeve Binchy</span>,” Meaney has received high acclaim in the Irish press."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">My Thoughts:</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Semi Sweet is not a book that I would typically pick up to read, but from the description I thought I would give it a try and broaden my horizons yet again. From the very beginning I was pulled into Hannah's life. On the night that her friends and family were having a dinner to celebrate the upcoming opening of her Hannah's dream cupcake shop, her longtime boyfriend drops the bomb. He has found another, "didn't mean to fall in love, it just happened" and now he is moving in with the other woman. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Hannah didn't drop into a puddle of tears and hysterics she calmly told him to get dressed or they would be late. Leaving him sitting on the bed she heads out to the dinner and makes excuses for his absence...why ruin everyone else's night.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Over the next few days she does tell her friends and family and even considers not following her dreams and opening the cupcake shop. Childhood friend, Adam, won't hear of it and sets a seven month goal...Hannah absolutely cannot throw in the towel, no matter how hard or how bad it gets with the cupcake shop. Over the course of the seven month period Hannah comes to grips with the loss and betrayal of the boyfriend, meets a couple of new guys, and becomes a success with her cupcake shop. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">You not only see Hannah's life, but we are introduced to a small town and the people living in it. Their lives are entwined with Hannah's in a sort of six degrees of separation scenario. There is heartache a plenty to go around. At times I did find all of the other subplots a little distracting, but they worked well with the overall story. Because I am a huge romance reader, I would have loved to see more of it in the book. Overall Semi Sweet was a very enjoyable read, and I do recommend reading it. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I know that there are a few authors that I read that don't hale from the States, but it was very interesting to know before hand that I was reading a book that was originally published in another country prior to being released here. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4 stars!</span></span>Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-32567408502767317422011-03-04T09:38:00.000-05:002011-03-04T09:38:31.921-05:00My reading time has been cutOver Thanksgiving my sister n law took it upon herself to teach me a craft. Who would have thought that I would have actually picked this craft up with gusto and actually enjoy doing it? Not me or my husband I tell you. My husband would like nothing more than to go back to Iowa and ring his sister's neck for giving me yet something else to distract me from the many housekeeping things that always fall to the wayside as I sit here and read and now Crochet.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVq0W_XgoY3ecvEEBEq-hVXMJaciA9zs4TBe1D1-D_PoN7Tcp8VNLL3R_w8UNl_K9aLfZ5ipZg6rC80DItyd1sI6gp6MmuDf9im7kJCSKvbEFiwUO6CUWNX-PMQIFi0-TngVbtI0ryJKcb/s1600/crochetCableLg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVq0W_XgoY3ecvEEBEq-hVXMJaciA9zs4TBe1D1-D_PoN7Tcp8VNLL3R_w8UNl_K9aLfZ5ipZg6rC80DItyd1sI6gp6MmuDf9im7kJCSKvbEFiwUO6CUWNX-PMQIFi0-TngVbtI0ryJKcb/s320/crochetCableLg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(The above picture is not mine, I borrowed the picture)</span></div>My mother made the attempt several years ago to teach me, but me being me said I am way too cool for that and never let it stick. OK, I did have a lot on my plate at the time and certainly didn't have time to sit down and crochet a blanket. I had to work, attempt to complete a degree, and spend every spare moment with my precious daughter.<br />
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When I fell and broke my ankle, I thought hey I get plenty of time to read. I did have the time, but I couldn't make myself read. I am sure that it had a lot to do with those dreaded pain killers, but I can't put all the blame there. I just didn't want to read. So I picked up the ball of yarn my SNL gave me to practice with and gave it a go. Before I knew it I had finished a scarf. Now this scarf in my opinion is extremely ugly and needs lots of help, but my step mother loved it. So she was the lucky recipient of the finished product. Having another ball of yarn of the same color I thought I would make her a hat to go with the scarf. The hat didn't turn out quite like it was suppose to but it was still extremely cute...for a baby! I gave up on the hat.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYvcvbNf7rJmetC2_Vy5aOOcTQbaSNGo6fVQ9qlXJcJn5jlqCxBjf5n6pEE9g5v6lZmANfbjdNyp5Qml_sPfm9qaErW-65CVwSbosJPpGNcO_s2GsYu-hcwkKf4Xq4QNvcIvOAh5DVN6S/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYvcvbNf7rJmetC2_Vy5aOOcTQbaSNGo6fVQ9qlXJcJn5jlqCxBjf5n6pEE9g5v6lZmANfbjdNyp5Qml_sPfm9qaErW-65CVwSbosJPpGNcO_s2GsYu-hcwkKf4Xq4QNvcIvOAh5DVN6S/s320/005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Then I got this idea in my head. My best friend is about to be a grandmother. Well now I have a baby that I can practice with... you know make the cute little blankets and anything else that I can figure out. So I made my hubby take me to Hobby Lobby. I was still in a cast to my knee and had to be rolled in, he left me on the yarn isle while he and my son went to look at airplanes. I found the perfect yarn for a little girl, and for a set of teenage parents, "Pink Baby Camo" by Baby Bee (I think that is the company name). So I grabbed my five rolls... thats all they had and perfect for me that is what my pattern said I needed. Only I changed my mind and found another pattern that I liked so much better. Unfortunately for me that in my learning all of these stitches and how to read a pattern all by myself, I didn't realize that not all balls of yarn are the same length. I expected to be able to use the same 5 rolls for this new pattern and be good. I was so wrong. I went through my five rolls and found that I still needed more. And the store was out!! easy fix, I had the store order me 5 more and prayed that that would be enough. In the end I shortened the length of the blanket and changed the border to something more girlly. I ended up with 3 balls left. I made the same baby hat that I accidentally made for my stepmother. I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. At the end of this project I was so fed up with crochet I didn't think I would ever do it again.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-Xj6QiTLYsxr0V8GvYznGCaDm8Bn8S1uwuZAzg1c3tu48z7dNo_2yqlvnoz6K2UFcTA6ZR_WKdfr1gScL811oeG01VehCd9QxlgLLxUs0ibENrHWOWeWua15YmULwviI9yIOEuIVzT7W/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-Xj6QiTLYsxr0V8GvYznGCaDm8Bn8S1uwuZAzg1c3tu48z7dNo_2yqlvnoz6K2UFcTA6ZR_WKdfr1gScL811oeG01VehCd9QxlgLLxUs0ibENrHWOWeWua15YmULwviI9yIOEuIVzT7W/s320/025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Boy was I wrong. My son's teacher is pregnant and his Kindergarten teacher is pregnant. So now I have consigned myself to make two more blankets. This time I am using the only pattern my mother knows... a granny square that keeps on going. She says that it moves really fast... I am starting to think she is lying!! So I am bored with the blanket that I have started for the current teacher, she is due first, and decide to look through the internet for some simple and quick patterns that I can make cutesy headbands or something. Yesterday I made two!! They took absolutely no time at all.<br />
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I find myself reading less and less as I devote myself to these little projects. And unfortunately my blog has completely fallen to the wayside. I do have one review that I will definitely be getting up in the coming weeks for the book Semi Sweet. <br />
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I hope that all of my friends in blogland are doing well and I hope to hop over to see you soon!!Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-75198512301745209472010-12-31T19:17:00.000-05:002010-12-31T19:17:44.545-05:00DIK Reading Challenge~~Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd6dHzTy-zQuOmvfQ5xWfLQjdz7GQQ7rPVDY46pdKq495420WzNpCWjd9O1JMEoJ2tY7SUpWTwSfm9SaeCMHbsAKOaVfSrnTLMKzqK-oo2PcURIUcvpOyjPH2rrCpGTprxNigFgi4uK5G/s1600/bbyt-140x226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd6dHzTy-zQuOmvfQ5xWfLQjdz7GQQ7rPVDY46pdKq495420WzNpCWjd9O1JMEoJ2tY7SUpWTwSfm9SaeCMHbsAKOaVfSrnTLMKzqK-oo2PcURIUcvpOyjPH2rrCpGTprxNigFgi4uK5G/s400/bbyt-140x226.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />
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<b>BEAUTY IS AS BEAUTY DOES...</b><br />
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Silver tongued Viscount Sanburne is London's favorite scapegrace. Alas, Lydia Boyce has no interest in being charmed. When his latest escapade exposes a plot to ruin her family, she vows to handle it herself, as she always has done. Certainly she requires no help from a too-handsome dilettante whose main achievement is being scandalous. But Sanburne's golden charisma masks a sharper mind and darker history than she realizes. He shocks Lydia by breaking past her prim facade to the woman beneath... and the hidden fire no man has ever recognized. But as she follows him into a world of intrigue, she will learn that the greatest danger lies within-- in the shadowy , secret motives of his heart.<br />
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<b>My Thoughts:</b><br />
I have planned on reading Meredith Duran for quite some time. Several of my internet reading buddies have raved on and on first about <b>The Duke of Shadows</b> and then about <b>Bound by Your Touch.</b> I finally found the opportunity to read one of Meredith Duran's books with the DIK reading challenge. Unfortunately for me the day after I picked up the book and actually started reading North GA was hit with an awful ice storm that left a lot of people stranded. Cars were literally left in the middle of interstates unable to move because of multiple accidents and empty gas tanks. I was not stranded on an interstate, thank goodness, but I did encounter much of the same problems a lot of people did in Atlanta, which aired nationally on the news...My mom was watching in West Virginia and was quite worried. I made the decision to park my car safely and walk the two miles home. Long story short, it was the wrong decision for me. I fell and broke my ankle in 7 places.<br />
In the last two and a half weeks I have been trying to read <b>Bound by Your Touch</b>. I have been taking some pretty decent pain killers and suffering the side effects associated with them. I am hoping that being doped up is the reason the book did not hold my attention for more than a few minutes resulting in me almost not finishing the book in time to get this post completed. Unfortunately the rating may suffer all the same. I will definitely have to take Tracy's advice and reread it later on when I am not doped up. I am definitely not going to count Ms. Duran out, I still have two other books by her to read. If I find that those books satisfy my needs I will definitely revisit BBYT and its rating.<br />
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Lydia, the not so pretty older sister who finds solace in books and studies has been placed as the head of the family because the father is too busy with his own agenda to really give a darn about his three daughters. in an attempt to get some of her pride back after being rudely interrupted by Sanburne declares his piece of art a fraud in front of everyone, but the real slap in the face was his father was there as well.<br />
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Sanburne is so messed up in his head that he blames his father for his sister's situation. He has vowed to destroy his own life in attempts at making his father miserable for doing nothing about the predicament his sister is in. He acts like a spoiled and selfish little boy when all he has to do is face his father and ask the right questions. Now he is out to ruin Lydia and her family, only he finds he is intrigued by the bookish miss. Instead of publicly ruining her father and the rest of her family, he decides to work with her in the attempt to find out what really happened to the piece that he bought.<br />
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I felt like the story dragged on and on. Like I said I am hoping that the percocet, which seems to act like a downer in my system, is to blame for my ill feelings about the heroine and hero. I did enjoy the last quarter of the book which helped me keep the rating for Bound by Your Touch at a respectable 3 stars. I really hope to revisit this review in the future and change my rating and give a more positive review.<br />
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rating:3 starsHeather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-84498580026304969602010-12-18T17:23:00.000-05:002010-12-18T17:23:54.177-05:00I really did a number this time!!! And I really shouldn't have any excuses for not getting any reading done over the next few weeks, or more. Wednesday night north GA got hit with some more of that wonderful winter weather that is not suppose to come near us. Our streets were covered in ice. I have to give myself props though... for someone who has never drove in the mess I didn't wreck my car. I was extremely proud of myself but was too scared to turn around when I saw the traffic at a stand still on my way home. So I spent over 2 hours on the road that leads to the road that leads to my subdivision, Only to get the road that leads to my subdivision and find it to be a parking lot as well. I decided I was going to park my car before I ran completely out of gas and walk the last two miles to the house. Everyone else was doing it! Well I am not everyone else, and I should have just sat in my car and prayed really hard that I would get home with out wrecking going down the big hill or running out of gas. NO NO NO I should have just stayed put. Instead I do this...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTnDDp1eweKD7cNbeGQITuaKHAd-XBXjpRGB7yw7HAtbVK54rIYhFQYkiDt5h3NkfZvJlURQwsj3jmlhhQIi6BeVKa2ysHcflqDEbWLl9P_VDEz8kr5iYX5dEAiyg8koJmTDghYhkHBDu/s1600/broken+ankle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTnDDp1eweKD7cNbeGQITuaKHAd-XBXjpRGB7yw7HAtbVK54rIYhFQYkiDt5h3NkfZvJlURQwsj3jmlhhQIi6BeVKa2ysHcflqDEbWLl9P_VDEz8kr5iYX5dEAiyg8koJmTDghYhkHBDu/s320/broken+ankle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>yes that is my foot at odd angle. I broke my ankle in three places and dislocated my foot. My mother tells me that there were a total of 7 brakes that have now been stabilized with plates and screws. My surgeon told her that he had to perform plastic surgery on my dolphin's nose but "Miki" is now "Niki". This is why the south does not like that winter weather that insists on blowing down here.<br />
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So up this week is Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran to complete the DIK challenge. My guilty indulgence, Explosive by Beth Kery, and then I will have to send my mother into my closet to find me something else to read.Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-60591458186899075212010-11-28T15:17:00.000-05:002010-11-28T15:17:39.916-05:00Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning~~DIK READING CHALLENGE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmc5DmGxdRbUzKw5RxjGktxqqbBhUn7IbHsoF3Ng5oeqihzTUnZFOYuukGxVNEgvassVLugjh6v9P4E10xInW3nqtzwBDOQS4pAFa3SG9TN2qb4QeLiqsyS4MAsu4Mf-1X1JSbw6JtwJOJ/s1600/beyond_mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmc5DmGxdRbUzKw5RxjGktxqqbBhUn7IbHsoF3Ng5oeqihzTUnZFOYuukGxVNEgvassVLugjh6v9P4E10xInW3nqtzwBDOQS4pAFa3SG9TN2qb4QeLiqsyS4MAsu4Mf-1X1JSbw6JtwJOJ/s400/beyond_mist.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><b class="mist">AN ALLURING LAIRD</b><br />
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He was known throughout the kingdom as Hawk, legendary predator of the battlefield and the boudoir. No woman could refuse his touch, but no woman ever stirred his heart—until a vengeful fairy tumbled Adrienne de Simone out of modern-day Seattle and into medieval Scotland. Captive in a century not her own, entirely too bold, too outspoken, she was an irresistibly challenge to the sixteenth-century rogue. Coerced into a marriage with Hawk, Adrienne vowed to keep him at arm's length—but his sweet seduction played havoc with her resolve.<br />
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<b class="mist">A PRISONER IN TIME</b><br />
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She had a perfect "no" on her perfect lips for the notorious laird, but Hawk swore she would whisper his name with desire, begging for the passion he longed to ignite in her. Not even the barriers or time and space could keep him from winning her love. Despite her uncertainty about flowing the promptings of her own passionate heart, Adrienne's reservations were no match for Hawk's determination to keep her by his side...<br />
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<b>MY Thoughts: </b><br />
I have heard many good things about KMM, but I have always said I will read her later. This was the chance and the push that I needed to finally pick up on of her books. My TBR mountain continues to grow and the time I have for reading continues to decrease, so I have become a lot more selective on the books that I choose to take what little time I have to devote to reading. KMM will definitely be one of the authors that are on that very selective list.<br />
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Have you ever wished on a falling star? That is what Gillam does right before Adrienne is brought to medieval Scotland. Hawk has ignited the jealousy and anger of the Fae King and his Fool. The Fae Queen has taken notice of the legendary Hawk and used him against her two companions. Out of their jealousy they seek a way to destroy Hawk without bloodshed, which would break the pact, and what better way to destroy a man than to have him love so deeply but to have his love thrown in his face.<br />
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Adrienne is from the 21st century and she Hates beautiful men. She is hiding from a past, and hoping it doesn't catch up to her, when she is wisked back in time to medieval Scotland and ordered to pretend that she is the Comyn daughter and forced to marry Hawk by the Kings order. Hawk is everything that she could want in a man, but he is a beautiful man and therefore he can not be trusted.<br />
<br />
With this plot you know doubt can expect a battle of wits. But the story is so much more. It was an absolute pleasure to watch Hawk and Adrienne fall in love, lose each other, and find their way back again.Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-52139246377990513992010-11-12T09:15:00.000-05:002010-11-12T09:15:54.541-05:00When Harry Met Molly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4pVZvge4xjzqeUNf5uryLzcjeSMvDWo5rEdwKnChGcadGnbHIi9StaF7FwTKgpTxixGnTVYVojV1uOCNgIfViOUN-W-476_R2SYwtUzYPMs6kg86tp0OXflImpMIJWM5Ub72bGEGjb5I/s1600/WhenHarryMetMolly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4pVZvge4xjzqeUNf5uryLzcjeSMvDWo5rEdwKnChGcadGnbHIi9StaF7FwTKgpTxixGnTVYVojV1uOCNgIfViOUN-W-476_R2SYwtUzYPMs6kg86tp0OXflImpMIJWM5Ub72bGEGjb5I/s400/WhenHarryMetMolly.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><i>A four-book series in which debut author Kieran Kramer transports you to London in a time where a wager can be placed by royal decree—and romance is always in season. Handsome, dashing, delightfully wicked—the Impossible Bachelors are the most eligible men in London. But in romance, only one thing is impossible: refusing to follow where the heart leads…</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Get ready for <a href="http://kierankramerbooks.com/books/#harry"><i>When Harry Met Molly</i></a> coming in November, 2010 and <i><a href="http://kierankramerbooks.com/books/#dukes">Dukes to the Left of Me, Princes to the Right</a>,</i> following in December.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2><i>When Harry Met Molly</i></h2><ul class="bookinfo"><li>In Stores November, 2010</li>
<li><a href="http://kierankramerbooks.com/books/when-harry-met-molly/">Read An Excerpt</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-Harry-Molly-Impossible-Bachelor/dp/0312611641/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273700842&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/When-Harry-Met-Molly/Kieran-Kramer/e/9780312611644/?itm=1&USRI=When+Harry+Met+Molly" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=0312611641" target="_blank">Borders</a> | <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780312611644" target="_blank">IndieBound</a></li>
</ul><i><b>He’s always been a player.</b></i><br />
<br />
Dashing Lord Harry Traemore is perfectly content to live out his days in the pursuit of pleasure. But when he’s named by the Prince Regent as one of society’s “Impossible Bachelors,” Harry is drafted into a ribald romantic wager. The rules of engagement are scandalously simple: The bachelor whose mistress wins the title of “Most Delectable Companion” gets to remain unmarried. Harry is utterly unconcerned about his status…until his latest lightskirt abandons him.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Who will win this game of love?</i></b><br />
<br />
Enter Lady Molly Fairbanks. Harry’s childhood friend—actually, “foe” is more like it—is the most unlikely companion of all. She’s attractive but hot-headed, and in no mood for games. Besides, what could the self-indulgent Harry possibly know about what makes a woman delectable? It’s time for Molly to teach him a lesson once and for all…but will it lead to “happily ever after?”<br />
<br />
<b>My Thoughts:</b><br />
I was approached by Tracee to read and review <i>When Harry Met Molly</i> <b> </b> for Ms. Kramer's blog tour. Unfortunately through circumstances that neither the author or myself could control, my review is a tad bit late for her blog tour. I am most pleased, however, to finally have received this book. While waiting on the arrival I read only one interview and stayed away from any reviews...I did not want to cloud my judgment, which unfortunately happened just a little bit. I was pretty young when the movie When Harry Met Sally came out, I don't remember much about the famed movie, though I have seen it. Of course the title automatically makes you think about the movie, but when I read the interview and saw the reference to the two sets of characters I was kind of put off. I don't know why, other than Billy Crystal just doesn't strike my fancy. I don't see him as a romantic character, he is hilarious and a great comedian... I loved him in Monsters Inc. Again I say I was excited when the UPS guy dropped the envelope off on my front steps. So excited, that I put my current read to the side... a hard thing to do since it was Wild Riders by Jaci Burton!!<br />
<br />
In a return comment on the "spotlight" post I stated:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i> "These two are the bane of each others existence yet they are going to have to work together to get out of a dilemma."</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I honestly believe that that one statement can sum up the entire book in one little nutshell.<i> </i>However there is so much to the story, that I would hate for that one statement to detract anything from it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We meet a young Molly at Christmas. She has prepared a poem that she intends to read in front of her family and the Dukes family. She is utterly in love with Roderick, her sister's fiance and Harry's older brother. In her not so mature mind she believes that changing the only the names will hide the identity of all involved. Not so, it causes a brawl right away. This unfortunate event sends Harry to the military and Molly to a stricter school. These two suffer far greater consequences than could be imagined.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Years later Molly has had it with being stuck in the country, a companion to an elderly cousin. She devises a plan to elope. Only her plan goes array the moment Harry walks into the inn with his latest lightskirt, who is described to be Aphrodite. Molly's intended runs off with Aphrodite, leaving both Harry and Molly in a large pickle. He must make it to the Hunting Box or forfeit the wager and end up married, but he can't in good conscience leave Molly standing on the side of the road to be completely ruined and possibly hurt. After some bickering back and forth Molly flatly says No to Harry's proposal and starts walking in the other direction, only Harry won't have it and carries her back to his carriage over his shoulder. They made a huge scene in front of the inn, neither caring or aware of it.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I am not going into any more of the story than that. These two have been at each others throats for most of their lives and now they must depend on the other to get them safely through one week with a house full of bachelors and their mistresses. The games that are implemented, the bickering, banter, and wit within this book kept me turning the pages. </div><div style="text-align: left;">i wanted to hate Harry at times but he always seemed to do the right thing at just the right moment. Molly's strong demeanor and cunning personality kept her secret and her in the running for the "MOst Delectable Companion". I have to say that <b><i>When Harry Met Molly</i></b> is the best historical romance that I have read all year. I am definitely going to be on the look out for the second in this series,<i><b> Dukes to left of me, Princes to the right</b></i>, which comes out next month!! If you have not yet had the pleasure of reading <i><b>When Harry Met Molly</b></i> I highly recommend that you put it on your Christmas list!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Rating: 5 stars</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-71497985265867528102010-11-09T21:26:00.001-05:002010-11-11T10:08:43.603-05:00PICK MEOk, you all know that I have a 15 year old daughter. I tell you there are some days I wish I had a bottle that would capture her statements and actions and save them forever. While I was over at <a href="http://www.closetreader.com/">Lea's blog</a>, I apparently had a flash of something that happened today that has just stuck in my head.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmTrwbUCA2RrtWoFOi2jOCueLZfagWS1x_eCyrtw4huvSR2hvyZbmKuLoZq1aG0LcYiR_tXYcIjsoI7e0lWKsB-DwChSVG-3wY_78fSTS-tQoUATtnkt9hqzUtmI-NH7QhOlRyY5C1Q8g/s1600/hotSauce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmTrwbUCA2RrtWoFOi2jOCueLZfagWS1x_eCyrtw4huvSR2hvyZbmKuLoZq1aG0LcYiR_tXYcIjsoI7e0lWKsB-DwChSVG-3wY_78fSTS-tQoUATtnkt9hqzUtmI-NH7QhOlRyY5C1Q8g/s320/hotSauce.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Have you been to a Taco Bell lately? I was there this evening, and staring at me through the drive through window are several Hot Sauce packets that have the words "PICK ME" in big bold letters. I thought it was cute. And obviously "Pick Me" has stuck in my head tonight, as I used it in my commentary over at Lea's on the <a href="http://www.closetreader.com/2010/11/stephanie-tyler-interview-and-giveaway.html">Stephanie Tyler giveaway post.</a> Any way my daughter tells me I would love for my future husband to ask me to marry him that way. Here is the conversation that ensued afterward...<br />
<br />
Me: OK I will save one of these little packets of hot sauce just to give to the guy that is going to ask you to marry him. And then I will tell him he has to ask you to marry him by handing you this packet and saying "PICK ME".<br />
<br />
Michaela: (laughing) NO, they actually have a packet that says "Marry Me". I want my future man to hand me that packet of Hot sauce. I think it would be really sweet.<br />
<br />
Me: You're kidding me right, (giggle), they do not have a packet that says Marry me.<br />
<br />
Michaela: Yes they do, I find it for you.<br />
<br />
she starts searching the plastic bag for our sauces and starts reading them off.<br />
<br />
MIchaela: Watch we will get the only packets that don't say it. I swear mom they really do have ones that say Marry Me.<br />
<br />
so as I am telling Lea to PICK ME on her contest, I decide I will Google the hot sauces. And guess what I found...yep you got it<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKxhNb3HpJ2iYs0_A1lWhBx4jrzmyo03ZF_sXEtBjDiXUHnUKMmDC2FBR0rTX9Q1ODhto2rUnzCgGBoY3d8-rcMwznEQ8Zf8Unu0DrNCIqDGYSynlbwaxFYIcKd4ftgXkCt0tHwVFm_8z/s1600/taco-bell-marry-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKxhNb3HpJ2iYs0_A1lWhBx4jrzmyo03ZF_sXEtBjDiXUHnUKMmDC2FBR0rTX9Q1ODhto2rUnzCgGBoY3d8-rcMwznEQ8Zf8Unu0DrNCIqDGYSynlbwaxFYIcKd4ftgXkCt0tHwVFm_8z/s1600/taco-bell-marry-me.jpg" /></a></div>So she isn't delusional as I first thought, but she is a little goofy! If I didn't think she was serious I wouldn't have posted about it. Taco Bell is her favorite place to eat and she loves their Hot sauce. So now I think I am going to hunt down this "Will YOu Marry Me" packet so that I can save it for her future husband!!Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-7493997973817507662010-11-03T14:26:00.000-04:002010-11-03T14:26:39.201-04:00Spotlight~~~When Harry Met Molly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6McQ9Jc-DXaEGnEMlqUuuWSWYM05ok8rvxUp3IbiY8tFGJGryAmaMQ2IbrsBoblBOkd_CuQwxLFicjhdgIw8iy24LEYNbfSWQuMcFfLX8v9LTdzxHsHTMma0nDcVNnaoJLKGff5iViKFC/s1600/WhenHarryMetMolly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6McQ9Jc-DXaEGnEMlqUuuWSWYM05ok8rvxUp3IbiY8tFGJGryAmaMQ2IbrsBoblBOkd_CuQwxLFicjhdgIw8iy24LEYNbfSWQuMcFfLX8v9LTdzxHsHTMma0nDcVNnaoJLKGff5iViKFC/s400/WhenHarryMetMolly.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>A four-book series in which debut author Kieran Kramer transports you to London in a time where a wager can be placed by royal decree—and romance is always in season. Handsome, dashing, delightfully wicked—the Impossible Bachelors are the most eligible men in London. But in romance, only one thing is impossible: refusing to follow where the heart leads…<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Get ready for <a href="http://kierankramerbooks.com/books/#harry"><i>When Harry Met Molly</i></a> coming in November, 2010 and <i><a href="http://kierankramerbooks.com/books/#dukes">Dukes to the Left of Me, Princes to the Right</a>,</i> following in December.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2><i>When Harry Met Molly</i></h2><ul class="bookinfo"><li>In Stores November, 2010</li>
<li><a href="http://kierankramerbooks.com/books/when-harry-met-molly/">Read An Excerpt</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-Harry-Molly-Impossible-Bachelor/dp/0312611641/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273700842&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/When-Harry-Met-Molly/Kieran-Kramer/e/9780312611644/?itm=1&USRI=When+Harry+Met+Molly" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=0312611641" target="_blank">Borders</a> | <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780312611644" target="_blank">IndieBound</a></li>
</ul><i><b>He’s always been a player.</b></i><br />
<br />
Dashing Lord Harry Traemore is perfectly content to live out his days in the pursuit of pleasure. But when he’s named by the Prince Regent as one of society’s “Impossible Bachelors,” Harry is drafted into a ribald romantic wager. The rules of engagement are scandalously simple: The bachelor whose mistress wins the title of “Most Delectable Companion” gets to remain unmarried. Harry is utterly unconcerned about his status…until his latest lightskirt abandons him.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Who will win this game of love?</i></b><br />
<br />
Enter Lady Molly Fairbanks. Harry’s childhood friend—actually, “foe” is more like it—is the most unlikely companion of all. She’s attractive but hot-headed, and in no mood for games. Besides, what could the self-indulgent Harry possibly know about what makes a woman delectable? It’s time for Molly to teach him a lesson once and for all…but will it lead to “happily ever after?”<br />
<br />
<i>I am seriously looking forward to reading this book! The blurb definitely has my romantic heart going pitter-patter in the anticipation of what will happen in this historical romance. A romance that not only contains a "friend to lover" plot but also has an intriguing wager, where can one go wrong?!! I have high expectations and will definitely be bringing "My Thoughts" to the table!! </i>Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-2648683754316812372010-10-25T00:41:00.000-04:002010-10-25T00:41:24.501-04:00Tempt Me At Twilight by Lisa Kleypas~~DIK READING CHALLENGE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNkzMpBXxdv9ZgvpJ3bbS-xWygGWZcvQKTwUDLO_WI0Oi4c0f-Zl6l2LWw-HZaaBHLRbBOb4BpU5TC_VAOBCqweUTCC-TDuM9oCrRxvFJ0Y1yUhmuLt4UEoSpzOPC085XbnKd7W0lW_vZ/s1600/TemptMemed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNkzMpBXxdv9ZgvpJ3bbS-xWygGWZcvQKTwUDLO_WI0Oi4c0f-Zl6l2LWw-HZaaBHLRbBOb4BpU5TC_VAOBCqweUTCC-TDuM9oCrRxvFJ0Y1yUhmuLt4UEoSpzOPC085XbnKd7W0lW_vZ/s1600/TemptMemed.jpg" /></a></div>Poppy Hathaway loves her unconventional family, though she longs for normalcy. Then fate leads to a meeting with Harry Rutledge, an enigmatic hotel owner and inventor with wealth, power, and a dangerous hidden life. When their flirtation compromises her own reputation, Poppy shocks everyone by accepting his proposal only to find that her new husband offers his passion, but not his trust. Harry was willing to do anything to win Poppy except to open his heart. All his life, he has held the world at arm's length'¦but the sharp, beguiling Poppy demands to be his wife in every way that matters. Still, as desire grows between them, an enemy lurks in the shadows. Now if Harry wants to keep Poppy by his side, he must forge a true union of body and soul, once and for all...<br />
<br />
<b>My Thoughts: </b><br />
<br />
Poppy is a very down to earth person. She is extremely pretty, witty, and intelligent. So why has she experienced three London seasons without one proposal, her family doesn't have the bluest blood and they are rather odd for London standards. Each person has his or her quirks which endears them to the reader. I for one fell in love with the entire family. They are very protective of each other and very loving and accepting. So when Poppy is satisfied with a "secret courtship" from her gentleman they are only partially fighting it. They want Poppy to be happy and are willing to stand behind her in her decisions.<br />
<br />
Harry's first meeting with Poppy leaves him breathless and with a desire so strong for this woman he would do anything to have her. He knows there is competition but he is willing to stoop to any level to have her. Harry's plan to seduce the breath taking Poppy has only gone slightly askew, seeing his one and only chance in securing her hand in marriage he jumps on the opportunity to completely ruin her, kissing her passionately on the patio in front of several people.<br />
<br />
<br />
I normally hate reading out of order, but I am finding more and more with historical romances that it is quite easy to do and still feel like you are reading a stand alone book. Yes, I could tell that there had to be a previous book or two because there are two sisters already married, and their husbands play such pertinent roles in the family dynamics... but I really felt as if I was reading an unrelated book. This is a big plus for me!!!<br />
<br />
I found that Tempt Me At Twilight was a delightful book, one that I could not put down. With every story you have to have some sort of incident to cause problems, but I really think we could have gone without the abduction. I think that Poppy and Harry's relationship was riddled with enough strife to suffice, and with the strife there was plenty of banter and antics between the couple and the Hathaway family to keep the book moving at a really good clip. The abduction didn't take away but it didn't add anything either. Other than that one small complaint I loved the book. Lisa Kleypas hits another one out of the park! I can't wait to read more of the Hathaways.<br />
<br />
5 starsHeather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-51928989252454412802010-10-13T09:33:00.000-04:002010-10-13T09:33:15.299-04:00One Night Stands and other Corny stuffFor the life of me I cannot remember where I heard this one but I just can't get it out of my head. So I thought I would share it with you and maybe you can be tortured right along with me!! LOL<br />
<br />
I am getting too old to have one nightstands in a hotel room. So now I only stay at hotels that have two <a href="http://www.bedroomfurniture.com/Nightstands-C211215.html">nightstands</a> .<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div>A police recruit was asked during the exam, "What would you do if you had to arrest your own mother?" <br />
He said: "Call for backup."<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><h1>Little Johnny was sitting in class doing math problems when his teacher picked him to answer a question</h1><div class="right"><center><span style="color: black; font-size: 10px;"><br />
</span></center></div>Little Johnny was sitting in class doing math problems when his teacher picked him to answer a question, "Johnny, if there were five birds sitting on a fence and you shot one with your gun, how many would be left?" <br />
<br />
"None," replied Johnny, "cause the rest would fly away." <br />
<br />
"Well, the answer is four," said the teacher, "but I like the way you're thinking." <br />
<br />
Little Johnny says, "I have a question for you. If there were three women eating ice cream cones in a shop, one was licking her cone, the second was biting her cone and the third was sucking her cone, which one is married?" <br />
<br />
"Well," said the teacher nervously, "I guess the one sucking the cone." <br />
<br />
"No," said Little Johnny, "the one with the wedding ring on her finger, but I like the way you're thinking."Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-4078100236434971932010-10-11T05:39:00.002-04:002010-10-11T18:28:09.973-04:00Regression by Kathy Bell<b>Regression Blurb:</b><br />
Fourteen-year-old Adya Jordan swears that before her head injury she was a forty-year-old mother of six. Is she going crazy, or did she really live through an entirely different life? 1985 is nothing like she remembers, although her first day of high school certainly is! A typical girl with atypical genes, Adya tries to recapture her old life, hiding her growing conviction that she has done this before. Memories of the man she loved and a family she adored haunt her, even though her future husband doesn't even know she exists. Accidentally discovering the secretive Three Eleven Corporation might know more about her situation than she does, she is convinced the twenty-eight men heading up the company are responsible for the changes in her world. Adya finds her way into their ranks, journeying to the tropical island headquarters to begin an orientation into their prestigious internship program. The Three Eleven Company controls the development and distribution of Twenty-first Century technology brought with them from the future. Charged with the task of preparing the world for an impending disaster, each member of the team uses his scientific background to create a solution for a problem the planet does not know it is facing. They don't have time to deal with a feisty young girl poking around. Banished to the frozen Canadian Shield for asking too many questions of CEO Abraham Fairfield, Adya finds the men in the underground city of Sanctum are interested in more than just her genes as they search for the answer to her presence in the timeline. In the end, Adya encounters a choice no mother should ever face: save her children...or everyone else.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Regression-Kathy-Bell/dp/0981289606/ref=tmm_pap_title_0"><b>Regression Buy Link </b></a><br />
<br />
<b>My Thoughts</b>:<br />
<br />
I don't typically read or watch Sci-Fi. It just isn't my passion. I was approached by Tracey with the offer to review Regression and thought Hey Why not. I was intrigued by the blurb that was sent to me and thought that if nothing else I would have an interesting time reading. I was not instantly drawn in to the book. It kind of started off slow, but I knew something exciting was going to happen, maybe I shouldn't say exciting so much as unusual in my reading life.<br />
<br />
Adya is a forty year mother of six. Regression opens up on a normal day. The family has just left a memorial and are headed to Grandma's. Adya realizes that she has forgotten presents and must go back, leaving all but one of her children with her mother. There are not many details as to what happens but you know that she has been in a car accident. Upon waking up she finds that she is fourteen years old and in the year 1985. She has very strong memories of a full life filled with love and happiness and a family that she could not have dreamed up. The doctor informs her that she has been in a coma for a week and that the brain can do funny things when traumatized.<br />
<br />
With no other option but to accept that she is a fourteen year girl again Adya tries to blend in and behave like a normal teenager would without letting it slip that she has already lived this life, or one very similar to it, once. She is faced with confusion about her "new" world, seeing things in this 1985 that didn't appear until the 21 century. I was actually thrown for a loop and thinking that this is just ridiculous when Adya walks into school and finds that everyone has a computer at their desk, and not the Commodore 64 that was first introduced to me when I was a child. These were top of the line laptops. Of course the author did a wonderful job explaining all of this later on, and Adya did make reference to the changes she was seeing. It is in this classroom that Adya finds out about the company Three Eleven. After answering a question posed to the new users of the program Adya is invited to tour the company as an intern.<br />
<br />
At Three Eleven Adya learns that she is not the only Regresse, the term used to identify those that have come back in time to their younger selves with full knowledge of their previous life. The only thing that these regresses do not know is what catastrophe takes place in 2011. Adya spends several weeks learning about the 28 men that run Three Eleven and their projects being worked on in the different departments to try and divert the unknown catastrophe.<br />
<br />
I was a little confused to the time line at times and there is a lot of scientific information included that did throw me for a loop. But I really enjoyed what I was reading. The plot is well developed and very interesting. At times I felt like there was way too much information given, but that could be a normal thing for a Sci-Fi novel dealing with so many different concepts. Overall I enjoyed Regression and look forward to reading Evolussion, the second installment in this trilogy.Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-17179856681574498012010-09-27T10:40:00.000-04:002010-09-27T10:40:01.552-04:00Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts~~~DIK Reading Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3Ti2-0PXtiW_lNcsmNl_vYDCq9O-b52joN-c5QhSfxQsjj0x3-ljK5mZ_TY2EQuILuZYDxaDEsRjFrfDR1Ogz_M6Lga_2rToETtROZ8wn_oRJQoTWwEpPLlykiRDiucxW3t3Ivb9_Fbw/s1600/bedofroses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3Ti2-0PXtiW_lNcsmNl_vYDCq9O-b52joN-c5QhSfxQsjj0x3-ljK5mZ_TY2EQuILuZYDxaDEsRjFrfDR1Ogz_M6Lga_2rToETtROZ8wn_oRJQoTWwEpPLlykiRDiucxW3t3Ivb9_Fbw/s320/bedofroses.jpg" /></a></div>Love blossoms in the second novel in the #1 <i>New York Times </i>bestselling Bride Quartet series. Florist Emma Grant is finding career success with her friends at their Vows wedding planning company, and her love life appears to be thriving. Though men swarm around her, she still hasn’t found Mr. Right. And the last place she’s looking is right under her nose.<br />
<br />
But that’s right where Jack Cooke is. He’s so close to the women of Vows that he’s practically family. But the architect has begun to admit to himself that his feelings for Emma have developed into much more than friendship.<br />
<br />
My Thoughts:<br />
<br />
Nora Roberts is my Mac-N-Cheese author, you know what I mean, she is the author that I know I can pick up and fall helplessly and hopelessly in love over and over again with each one of her books. I know I can count on Nora to pick me up and give me my HEA in the most superb fashion. Every book I read is a page turner that will keep me awake at night and have me burning dinner because I have to read just one more page...which turns into just one more chapter. So when I saw Bed of Roses as one of my choices I was ecstatic. The problem with reading Nora is that I am so addicted that I hate waiting for the next book to be released. So I have been putting off reading the Bride Quartet until I have all four books in my little grubbies. I was trying desperately to hold of on reading this one until later in the year, but nothing else on my list of books was really calling to me. So I broke down and read Vision in White, because you just can't read these books out of order!!<br />
<br />
The Bride Quartet is about a group of women who have been friends their entire lives. As adults they open their own wedding business, each with their own specialties. Vows consists of four parts, Photography- Mackenzie's area, Flowers- Emma's area, Cakes (desserts)- Laurel, and Planning every minute detail- Parker. In Vision in White we meet all four ladies and get glimpses into their lives and personalities, but ultimately VIW is Mac's story. Bed of Roses is Emma's.<br />
<br />
Emma's passion and arm of Vows is flowers. She has the ability to see all the beautiful colors that bloom and is able to create stunning arrangements and bouquets. Out of the four ladies Emma has the most dates and offers for dates. She has her standards and her Spark-o-meter is what guides her through dating. If the date doesn't reach high enough on the Spark-o-meter she finds a way to detour the guy to another lady, all in a way that they guy has no clue that he has been brushed off. Emma's problem lies in her secret infatuation with Jack.<br />
<br />
Jack is Del's best friend. Del is Parker's brother, and because of the many years he has also spent with the other three ladies he considers them his sisters as well. Emma's secret is not the only one that has been running around for years, Jack is infatuated with Emma as well. But because of Del's feelings on the ladies, you know the whole brother thing... "You are my best friend and my sisters are completely off limits to you." Jack has been reluctant to act on his desires. The more time that is spent between Emma and Jack the more the sparks are igniting and flying around. One kiss leads to a game of back and forth emails enticing them to make a decision to put their friend's feelings aside and see what they can make of their feelings and desires.<br />
<br />
It was fun to watch these two people realize that they have been in love with each other for years. The banter between the two was sweet, funny, and romantic. I was head over heals with this book. Every emotion that was experienced between Emma and Jack, and yes their mutual friends too, was felt as I read each page. Bed of Roses is definitely a five star read, another out of the park novel by Nora Roberts, that has me craving more. I can't wait to finally sit down with Laurels story, but that I am going to make myself wait for until Parker's story is released in a few months.Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-61367927182706701432010-09-12T11:30:00.000-04:002010-09-12T11:30:45.588-04:00Yep it's that time a year!!! My son has officially kicked off his football season. So far we have had two pre-season games and two official games. His team is 2-0. I can never get tired of hearing "Ding in the backfield"!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-PSqJHA7wDo9LeupVc4bCLws-0oFCZri5Gq-8NdbdGGRYRRW3qcRKLyLPsBurf65Hj9MLrhxnp77-D8AYYqCHCefJXo2NGp7QLLqm519o7kWOishjGWIpa_UjM2xhDq5HabNGgu0WxF_/s1600/football+2010+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-PSqJHA7wDo9LeupVc4bCLws-0oFCZri5Gq-8NdbdGGRYRRW3qcRKLyLPsBurf65Hj9MLrhxnp77-D8AYYqCHCefJXo2NGp7QLLqm519o7kWOishjGWIpa_UjM2xhDq5HabNGgu0WxF_/s320/football+2010+054.JPG" /></a></div><br />
My husband is one of Cody's coaches and sometimes it is hard to separate the dad from the coach and vice versa. This has led to a few problems on the field. While we don't allow our son to talk back to us at home, he feels that he can talk back on the field. But he only does it with his dad, none of the other coaches ever have an issue with Cody. So when Cody started reading the plays and going after the ball instead of playing his position the way he is suppose to he just about lost his chance to play both sides of the ball. My heart fell the afternoon my husband told Cody that he had officially lost his position as the Defensive End. I hurt for my son, but I could not believe that I would not be hearing those four little words...Ding in the backfield.<br />
<br />
Fortunately my son's ability to read the plays was noticed by another teams coach during a practice scrimmage and he suggested that our coaches move Cody to Middle Linebacker. Now I am not all too familiar with this position. But my husband tells me that basically it gives Cody the freedom to go where the ball is and anything that tries to come up the middle is all his. My son loves to tackle!! so this made his day. Not only does he get to continue to play both sides of the line but he gets to tackle someone all the time. <br />
<br />
Now for the games~~~ two weeks ago we played Hiram Hornets. I have to say this game was a difficult one!! We went into overtime. I don't know if our overtime is played the same as college or pro-ball, but this is how it works for my little guy...the teams are lined up 10 yards from the goal line and they have 4 downs to make a touchdown. the two teams take turns doing this until someone scores. So if the first team scores they win the game. If both teams have their turn and neither team scores then they start all over again but they reverse the order. So in the first over time Team A went first so in second overtime Team B will go first. We were into the third overtime on our fourth down when We finally scored our winning touchdown! I have to say I was on pins and needles and praying that these boys would make something happen pretty quick or I was not going to be able to get it on video...my battery was dying and dying fast. Final Score 12-6<br />
<br />
Yesterday we played SCRA Redskins: This game had to be a birthday present for my husband and coach Dwayne, it just had to be. I mean these two guys have to share their birthday with the memory of one of the most devastating days in my lifetime.This game was a cakewalk and I really felt bad for the other team. They ended up not posting any more scores and just letting the clock run during the second half. We won 42-0. Because I video the games I really don't get to see much of what happens. I know that sounds odd, you would think that with me videoing the games I should see everything when it happens but that is just not the case. I have to follow the ball to the best of my ability using a 2" screen on my little video camera. So until I watch the video I won't be able to tell you that my son actually tripped over his own feet while running the ball during a Tight End Reverse... my husband does tell me that he did get at least 8 yards in before it happens. So later today I can laugh at my son when I have time to sit and watch the entire game!!!Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-75204998216434460502010-08-26T10:03:00.000-04:002010-08-26T10:03:59.947-04:00The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt~~DIK READING CHALLENGE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02u1jvlL1npeuWF4fMYBRJiTQzbKEleEkSSHpy9gG6vLgc93ln_LoYtWPUrSn7_8wY_iZFSoYGcQqwaOkKQ_z72-lZnni244bdkHS1rEgvySvMHN16Z7O399jo03xq626y_Ork2-iYj1o/s1600/serpent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02u1jvlL1npeuWF4fMYBRJiTQzbKEleEkSSHpy9gG6vLgc93ln_LoYtWPUrSn7_8wY_iZFSoYGcQqwaOkKQ_z72-lZnni244bdkHS1rEgvySvMHN16Z7O399jo03xq626y_Ork2-iYj1o/s320/serpent.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>WHEN THE DEVIL MEETS AN ANGEL</b><br />
<b> </b> <br />
Country bred Lucy Craddock-Hayes is content with her quiet life. Until the day she trips over an unconscious man—a <i>naked</i> unconscious an—and loses her innocence forever.<br />
<br />
<b>HE CAN TAKE HER TO HEAVEN</b><br />
<br />
Viscount Simon Iddesleigh was nearly beaten to death by his enemies. Now he’s hell-bent on vengeance. But as Lucy nurses him back to health, her honesty startles his jaded sensibilities—even as it ignites a desire that threatens to consume them both.<br />
<br />
<b>OR TO HELL</b><br />
<br />
Charmed by Simon’s sly wit, urbane manners, and even his red-heeled shoes, Lucy falls hard and fast for him. Yet as his honor keeps him from ravishing her, his revenge sends his attackers to her door. As Simon wages war on his foes, Lucy wages her own war for his soul using the only weapon she has—her love…<br />
<br />
<b>My Thoughts:</b><br />
I started reading this trilogy about two years ago. I was really impressed with EH's <b>The Raven Prince </b>and honestly couldn't wait to read the remaining two books. Things definitely did not go as I had planned. I did not immediately grab up book two, <b>The Leopard Prince</b>, or the third <b>The Serpent Prince</b>...other books just seemed to fall into my lap or these titles didn't fit into the challenge that I was doing. I sincerely regret this. I do believe that <b>The Serpent Prince</b> is my favorite.<br />
<br />
Lucy is a country mouse set to wait out her time until the Vicar finally gets up the nerve to propose to her. She does her duty to her town and her father and life is just the same old thing until she stumbles across a man that she presumes dead lying face down along the roadside. When Lord Simon Iddesleigh moans she knows she is mistakened. Lucy does what any caring person would do, she has him carried home with her.<br />
<br />
In the week or so that Simon spends in the Craddock-Hayes home he is bowled over by Lucy's beauty, strength, honesty, and her brow. His Angel sees through him right to his very soul, and a black soul it is. He has already sold his soul to the Devil to get revenge on the men who murdered his brother. Loving his Angel the only thing he can do is set her free to live her merry life with the Vicar, this is the only way to keep her safe from the would be assassins and his own devilish needs.<br />
<br />
I almost instantly fell in love with the characters in this book. Lucy's father is a blowhard with a foul temper, but you have to laugh at his conversations. Poor Lucy doesn't know how to subdue either man when in each others presence and the banter is comical at times. Edward de Raaf shows himself a few times throughout...I don't remember him being so humorous in his book <b>The Raven Prince</b>.<br />
<br />
This is my favorite part of the book. The hopeless romantic was rearing its ugly little head while reading apparently.<br />
<br />
<i>"You won't speak, won't tell me,' he said huskily. 'Are you taunting me? You taunt me in my dreams sometimes, sweet angel, when I'm not dreaming of...' He sank to his knees before her. 'You don't know me, don't know what I am. Save yourself. Throw me from your house. Now, While you still can, because I've lost my determination, my will, my very honor--what little of it I had left. I cannot remove myself from your presence." p.152</i><br />
<br />
Simon is pouring his heart out into Lucy's lap after leaving and spending a week in London. He is looking ragged and not all together healed from his last ordeal that landed him on Lucy's doorstep to begin with. <i> </i>My heart definitely did the pitter patter while reading this particular part of the book. Elizabeth Hoyt did a wonderful job with the hero and heroine and their story and at the same time she weaved the Serpent Prince's fairytale into the plot of the book with an expertise that I have grown to love. <b>The Serpent Prince</b> definitely earns high ratings!!<br />
<br />
<b>5 stars</b>Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-20458526274481016182010-08-18T10:18:00.000-04:002010-08-18T10:18:23.570-04:00I'm Jealous!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtYb_N8a7wXSk7LILh3PTyeKsWRjt9exNnI4ApHS-ajd0IT-8gMoOx2ovBp29sEE1gQTd9lGTTA4at9iJoXEfuFNPV0jLilJwTJV4U94irCv02M7JzTgnI4-Kk4-hJpEW4yZrlHOnVcNUl/s1600/2008_a_tale_of_two_sisters_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtYb_N8a7wXSk7LILh3PTyeKsWRjt9exNnI4ApHS-ajd0IT-8gMoOx2ovBp29sEE1gQTd9lGTTA4at9iJoXEfuFNPV0jLilJwTJV4U94irCv02M7JzTgnI4-Kk4-hJpEW4yZrlHOnVcNUl/s320/2008_a_tale_of_two_sisters_003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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My sister came down for a visit last week, and she surprised me by actually wanting to see me for a change. I love my sister but I am not high on her priority list when she comes to visit her house and in laws. It's not like I am so out of the way that spending an hour or two hanging out at my house or meeting for lunch/dinner should be such a chore. She has really put my kids noses out of joint on this visit because she didn't bring her boys with her when she came to have lunch with me and she didn't stay long enough to see my daughter. I will give her some credit though, she was suppose to be gone before my son got home which is why she didn't bring the boys. My sister is self absorbed for the most part and I know this so I really try not to get my feelings hurt that she doesn't seem to think that it is necessary to come visit with us when she is in town. My husband is laying down the law now though...there will be no more helping her inlaws out with babysitting when the boys come down. I don't know if I like that because it may be the only way I get to see my nephews. But this is not what this post is suppose to be about!!! So I am going stop my rant right here and tell you why I am jealous!<br />
<br />
While she was down she showed me her Birthday gift from her husband. (This present really shocked me because when I got my Kindle she thought I was insane.) She pulled out her brand new Nook!! Yes, both devices have basically the same things going on... and I didn't have too much time to really check her Nook out, but OMG was it so cool with its touch screen and color. She did like that I have a keyboard that she doesn't have. I was in complete awe!! And her cover was in color as well. She also didn't get my post on facebook quick enough... she went out and spent the $25 for a book light for her Nook, I tried to tell her that the el cheapo that I got from Wal Mart works really well with my Kindle, and after seeing my light she wishes that I had gotten on the computer sooner. Me on the other hand seriously has that ugly green eyed monster rearing its ugly little head. I love how her book light clips to the side of the device and hides nicely beside it when not being used and the cover conceals it when it is closed. So now not only am I envious of the new device but I am also jonesing for a new cover and book light. I checked them out and Yikes! I can't see wasting that money...I mean thats money that I could be using to buy more books. So I will sit back and be happy with what I have and know that my husband loves me very much.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2FHAFOUQaMjuavjYAl7F_92mEdTVu9KF75WzTkdMiRUfGFMredTWSG6swQCV_DbVvdE-HZ_Ikfihi9Z6_zcBWarXK5TVuNcAaceSQsRcNlaV2Py7zuogsPveM1lyxvcaExioqCvEDlpM/s1600/nook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2FHAFOUQaMjuavjYAl7F_92mEdTVu9KF75WzTkdMiRUfGFMredTWSG6swQCV_DbVvdE-HZ_Ikfihi9Z6_zcBWarXK5TVuNcAaceSQsRcNlaV2Py7zuogsPveM1lyxvcaExioqCvEDlpM/s320/nook.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I am guessing that this means that the days of trading books back and forth are over. We all know that the readers will not be able to read the books purchased at either bookstore.<br />
<br />
Oh and I just thought of something that should make me feel better but doesn't really... she hasn't learned to shop around and do price comparisons. I won't purchase an ebook if it costs more than a paperback at the store. She is learning the hard way. She had a book in her shopping cart and her husband (remember he is the one who bought the Nook for her) secretly pulled the book from the cart. When she realized the book was not in the bags she went to her Nook and bought it. Im not sure how long it took for her to realize that she paid $3 more for the ebook than she would have at Wal Mart, but she was highly upset about it. Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-29173220370387396312010-08-16T14:38:00.000-04:002010-08-16T14:38:34.059-04:00Fortunate Harbor by Emilie Richards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlz9OhLSmGTX_yRSKsquEnJGAmrYAIxdy0bL3jdVThMCqw6vUUWSu9h6Um5NG-ldLWXVyeMqw4NzB2r26OMoif44fLb7Wd9R2y7WdGA6O-WeVy6RsY16rmGGfdE8zwA6pK7Nr_Iu9-VeXE/s1600/Fortunate-Harbor-Smaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlz9OhLSmGTX_yRSKsquEnJGAmrYAIxdy0bL3jdVThMCqw6vUUWSu9h6Um5NG-ldLWXVyeMqw4NzB2r26OMoif44fLb7Wd9R2y7WdGA6O-WeVy6RsY16rmGGfdE8zwA6pK7Nr_Iu9-VeXE/s320/Fortunate-Harbor-Smaller.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><b></b><i><br />
Join five women connected only by their growing friendship and the road that runs like a lifeline between their cottages in a run-down Florida development called Happiness Key.<br />
<br />
Tracy Deloche finally gets a chance to swap business for a romantic evening with Marsh Egan, but dinner goes cold when she spots her ex-husband prowling outside her cottage. CJ is supposed to be in prison and out of her life for good. Exactly what is this modern-day pirate seeking and what will it mean for Tracy's future?<br />
<br />
Janya Kapur envies every pregnant woman she sees, but Rishi, her husband, is suddenly reluctant to talk about children. Is he disappointed in her inability to conceive? Their marriage was a contract between strangers. Can they ever hope for anything more?<br />
<br />
Waitress Wanda Gray loses her job after new owners turn the Dancing Shrimp into a tapas bar. Wise neighbor Alice Brooks's suggestion that Wanda start her own business seems like a brilliant solution, until Wanda starts Pie War I with the owners of the local bakery.<br />
<br />
When the empty cottage at Happiness Key is rented by single mother Dana Turner, everything seems perfect. With Alice volunteering to watch Dana's daughter while she works and Wanda's offer of a job, this spit of Florida Gulf Coast land should be a fortunate harbor for a mother and daughter who have moved far too often. Except for Dana's shocking secret.<br />
<br />
As the women of Happiness Key struggle to discover the truth in time to help their new neighbor, their only weapon is friendship. But will friendship be enough?</i><br />
<br />
<i><b>My Thoughts:</b></i><br />
<br />
While Fortunate Harbor took me just about a month to read I have to say that it was not from the content... I have just been overly busy and trying to squeeze in 5 minutes here or there to read was just not cutting it. I hate that my son had to get sick before I could sit down and really devote enough time to reading this book. That being said I just finished Fortunate Harbor and I am definitely quite pleased and may have just found another author to grace my list of to read more of.<br />
<br />
Fortunate Harbor is my first encounter with Emilie Richards and I have definitely enjoyed the ride. This is the second book in a series, but other than the well established relationship between four of the women on Happiness Key you would never know that you have been dropped into an on going plot. Tracy Deloche is the owner of the property and the five little cottages that bless the area. The cottages are rented out to Wanda and her husband Kenny (a cop), Janya and her husband Rishi, and Alice and her Granddaughter Olivia. Like I said these four ladies were brought together previously in another book and from what I gather from the information given in Fortunate Harbor, the death of the fifth renter brought them together.<br />
<br />
They are all experiencing shifts in some part of their lives. Alice is raising her granddaughter and trying to get her through a rough past with a father in prison and a mother who has past away. Janya and Rishi have past the early stages of marriage and are now ready to conceive, only they are experiencing some troubles of their own that are preventing them from sealing that deal. Wanda's love of baking pies is going to move her in another direction after she walks out/loses her job working at the Dancing Shrimp. Tracy is the head of the rec department. Her love life is in tatters when both her ex and her new boyfriend's ex drop back into their lives.<br />
<br />
Wanda brings home a stray... Dana a single mom who is running from a past that no one can guess, has every excuse in the book why she should not get caught up with these lovely ladies and let her guard down.<br />
<br />
There is a buried treasure to be found, love to cultivate, exes to get rid of, secrets to unearth, and wonderful pies to indulge in. This sweet read about friendship and troubled pasts was exactly that a sweet read. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a light read with little romance and no steam.<br />
<br />
<i><b>4 stars </b> </i>Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-36538861303160030272010-07-25T17:39:00.000-04:002010-07-25T17:39:44.841-04:00Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris~~DIK Reading Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFS2Yzs28viog83n0pDoiPfiulDc62HR99Jcx_MqiJ_6e8Wl1OoVEimRbJgZ2z4oEociNbhK4LsL-9ZVVZ4NJbsykDP9TFEgGTfAytwfZ2N_P33tEtNPZnwurzFDEGcLV3lA8LlkCx6TU/s1600/dead+until+dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFS2Yzs28viog83n0pDoiPfiulDc62HR99Jcx_MqiJ_6e8Wl1OoVEimRbJgZ2z4oEociNbhK4LsL-9ZVVZ4NJbsykDP9TFEgGTfAytwfZ2N_P33tEtNPZnwurzFDEGcLV3lA8LlkCx6TU/s400/dead+until+dark.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />
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<i><span style="color: #000066;">"Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability". She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome- and Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting for all her life...</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="color: #000066;">But Bill has a disability of his own. He's a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of- big surprise-murder. And when one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next..."</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #000066;"><b>MY Thoughts:</b></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #000066;"><b> </b>Dead Until Dark did not appeal to me on several reasons... let me clarify that statement-- I did not want to buy this book because I didn't think the synopsis on the back was very intriguing or interesting and the cover is rather silly. We all know that there is a mass of people out there raving on this series. I started watching the HBO True Blood series on Demand a few months ago and became addicted. I sat in my husbands recliner for several days watching the 24 episodes of Seasons 1 &2, and then had to impatiently wait for Season 3 to start in mid June. My mother in the mean time had been sending me her entire set of books, which I kept telling myself (and her) I was not going to read. I finally resigned myself to reading them... I mean I was in love with the TV series and the books had to be even better right?!!</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #000066;">So I finally picked up book 1 Dead Until Dark and I am happy to say that the events did follow along closely with the HBO series ( I guess I should really say the TV series follows closely to the books). And I should stress "events" because I was extremely shocked and disappointed to find that Tara was not mentioned in this book and Lafayette did not show as much flair as he did in the TV series. I absolutely love these two people... and then to find out that they are not related at all (ok that is definitely later, but still shocker to me). I had to get past all the first person POV and the fact that you really don't get to see what the other characters are doing when Sookie is not around, but hey the books are about Sookie and her friends not friends and Sookie. I did completely love the book!! At first I had mixed emotions, I wasn't sure if I would have read the book if I had not watched the TV show and didn't know if I liked the book enough to continue on with the series, etc. I waited a couple of days mulling it over and definitely decided that I needed to continue to read. So that being said I have read the entire series--yes all 10 books have been read!! So I have a feeling that this review is going to be hard for me because I don't want to give anything away and hope that I don't get my stuff mixed up!!</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #000066;">Sookie is a Southern girl living with her Grandmother in Bon Temps, Louisiana. She has what she calls a disability... she can read people's minds (whether she wants to or not at times). She is working as a cocktail waitress at Merlotte's. Because of her "disability" keeping friends and having boyfriends is almost an impossibility. People around town thinks she's crazy and look at her funny or steer clear of her completely. Being able to hear every thought running through someone's head definitely has it's disadvantages when it comes to dating and therefore she doesn't date. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #000066;">Vampires have decided to "come out" of the coffin and make themselves known to the public. The Japanese developed a synthetic blood making it possible for them to live among the living without harming anyone. This doesn't always work out the way it is suppose to but both sides are attempting to make a go of it. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #000066;">Bill walks into Merlottes one night and Sookie instantly knows that he is a vampire. There is something definitely different about him and she is amazed that no one else in the bar immediately recognizes him for what he is. Sookie finds a peace that she has never experienced when she is around Bill and they hit it off quite well. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #000066;">While Sookie and Bill are dabbling in Sookie's first romance there is a murderer running around town killing women. Some of the victims have close ties to Sookie and she is starting to fear for her life. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #000066;">Dead Until Dark definitely did its job of introducing us to the world where Vampires and Humans are trying to find common ground and a peaceful existence with each other. The characters are all memorable and I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. I don't know if my rating is due to the conflict I have with the book and the HBO series or if it was the book itself (and I have tried desperately to separate the two), but all in all I really enjoyed the start of this series and was drawn in enough to continue reading the next nine books cover to cover without stopping!!</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #000066;">rating: 4</span></i>Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2966643399208052103.post-84167608341155969852010-07-24T10:39:00.000-04:002013-03-05T11:03:14.291-05:00Thank You!!I have been extremely absent of late to both my blog and the internet. Every year we go to a beach house just north of St. Augustine, and while there I don't use the internet...not because I don't want to but the signal there is not very good. So instead of getting upset that the computer can't keep up with me or it won't load properly I just relax without using the internet. In truth it is very nice most of the time not using the computer and just enjoying my time with the family playing on the beach or strolling through St. Augustine (I do love that city!).<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> kids on our deep sea fishing trip</span> </div>
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When we got home we were busy running the kids to cheerleading and football camps/practices and having several of their friends running around the house. I felt it better not to get on the computer... once on it all else ceases to exist for a few hours. Besides I got totally engrossed in the Sookie Stackhouse books. I don't think I have read this many book in one month in over a year, and that was only because I was participating in a game/contest.<br />
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Once I got past the shock of how different the books are from the HBO series True Blood and got use to the first person POV I could not put these books down. I have succeeded in reading all 10 books plus one short story in an anthology. I will eventually get the book containing all the Sookie short stories, but for now I am content. I absolutely loved the books and really started understanding Ms.M's sentiments on "Dull Bill" and her rooting for Eric, however I was extremely disappointed when things did not quite work as planned with Quinn. If I didn't think my husband would sneak into my closet and take my collection away I would already be rereading them.<br />
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Then we had the dreaded problems with our modem. I guess it just worked its little heart out for the last 5 or 6 years and couldn't continue any longer. We got the run around from AT&T...one person tells you one thing and another tells you something else, then they try and remedy to the problem only to screw it up and have a total Jerk Off tell me something else entirely. So I said screw you and dropped AT&T completely and went with Comcast for telephone and high speed internet. So I was completely with out internet for almost 2 weeks here at the house. Everything seemed to going great until I went outside to mow my yard. The blasted cable guy left the box hanging wide open with all the wires exposed and when I try to log on after finding that mess my internet won't work. So here goes another day and a half without the internet. The new cable guys tells me that the problem with the internet has to do with the first guy not closing out the job properly. Yippee!! I am so done with all this at the moment. I am ready to chuck the computers out the window and say screw the internet. I did fine without it before I found it and I might be able to be fine without it again...<br />
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NO I won't I am addicted to my books and this is how I find new ones and share my thoughts about the ones I am reading!! <br />
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So I want to send out a big<br />
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to all my followers, readers, and friends that I have made during my time on the blog. I know that sometimes life gets in the way of being as active as we would like to be with our blogs and commenting on our fellow blog posts, but I want you guys to know how much I really appreciate all of you!</div>
Heather Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00632528059311088701noreply@blogger.com5