And you thought it was all done - Hah!

The wonderful Carrie sent me this link



Isn't he just adorable???

And a story - hopefully some of the people I work with won't be reading this until I tell them. I may have mentioned that I'm going to go see the SYTYCD tour. There are 7 of us at work who are going. I was the one who got the ball rolling as far as going to see it. Well, since I was the ball roller, I was the one elected (or volunteered) to get the tickets. They went on a one day presale starting at noon. Well - I logged onto the internet right at 12:00 noon when they went on sale. I had my screen maximized for extra-curricular internet activity for the first and only time at work but I was just that determined to get tickets. For that time of insanity, I didn't care if I got caught. The number one goal was TO GET THOSE TICKETS! Well - it was a nightmare! I kept getting booted out - it wouldn't load - it was all kinds of hassle. I called the box office twice trying to figure out what was going wrong. Finally!! An hour later I got through - only to discover I could only order 4. But there were 7 of us who wanted to go. So I got the four I was allowed and then went back a little later and ordered another four. I was checking out my Visa statement on line the other day an noticed they took the money out for the two separate transactions, but then they had put one back.
Being a lackadasical type, I kind of didn't do anything about it until yesterday when I called the box office to find out why they put the money back.
Holy Not Good Batman!!! They put two and two together and figured out that I cheated and negated the second set I got. This was yesterday - AFTER THE FINALE. In a state of total panic I asked if it had been sold out and (whew - wiping sweat of my face) was told it wasn't. So back online I went - at work - and ordered the ones I thought were in the bag. Only problem - by this time all the good seats are gone and the set I got are quite a bit further away.
Now I have the horns of a dilemma ahead of me. How do I tell the group that I blew it and that 3 of them aren't nearly as good seats as the others???? There are 2 people who never did watch the show - they are only going for a night out. They would be good candidates but the others are pretty dedicated fans of the show - not quite like I am though. Part of me is thinking of being a martyr and taking the third not so good seat - but the Krisite in me says 'Hell no girl!!! Are you whacked or something? Who else but you spent two hours voting each Wednesday night - staying up past their bedtime?"
There was one other of the group who also voted - but she only voted about 10 times.
Two have paid me back so far.

So - I may as well ask for advice now. What would any of you do?

I know it's winter but......

Here's another reason to hate the Yankees - as if we needed another one!

In this time of economic stress for just about EVERYONE, they sign their most recent acquisition, CC Sabathia to a $161 MILLION - that's MILLION dollar contract.

A View To A Kiss or When Enrique Iglesias Comes Through Your Bedroom Window

Ever since I have seen this cover for A View to a Kiss by Caroline Linden (Avon, February) I can't help but think, "Did they ask Enrique Iglesias to pose for the cover?"

The male cover model has a uncanny resemblance to him, don't you think?

The part about Enrique coming through a bedroom window is what the hero, Harry, does in this book. Enrique... er Harry, is a spy who meets the heroine, Lady Mariah, on a darkened balcony during a ball. Since he stays in the shadows, she has no clue what he looks like. Enrique can't show his face to his true love because he is a spy after all. But that still does not stop him from climbing through her bedroom window so he can see her.

Mariah, our plucky heroine welcomes Enrique a.k.a "the shadow man", with open arms, even though she still doesn't knowwhat he looks like, because he won't let her light a candle so she can see his face. She spends half of the book trying to figure out who he is. They go on like this for awhile, where they both fall in love with one another, because Mariah finds Harry's voice so dreamy, and Harry who has watched Mariah from afar, thinks she is beautiful.

.

I have the strange sense of deja vu in regards to what goes on between Harry and Mariah in her bedroom. (and I am not talking about those special bedroom activites we all like reading about) Does anyone else? And what is so romantic about having a man climb through your bedroom window, especially when he is the man without a face?

.

Katiebabs (KB)

Recent Read

Untamed by Pamela Clare

Why this one: It’s Pamela Clare!!

Steam Level: It’s Pamela Clare!!

Further explanation: When you read one of her books you almost need a fan in one hand and ice cubes in the other – and this one is no exception.

Author's Website Blurb: MacKinnon’s Rangers
They were a band of brothers, their loyalty to one another forged by hardship and battle, the bond between these Highland warriors, rugged colonials, and fierce Native Americans stronger even than blood ties.

Untamed
Though forced to fight for the hated British, Morgan MacKinnon would no more betray the men he leads than slit his own throat—not even when he was captured by the French and threatened with an agonizing death by fire at the hands of their Abenaki allies. Only the look of innocent longing in the eyes of a convent-bred French lass could make him question his vow to escape and return to the Rangers. And soon the sweet passion he awoke in Amalie had him cursing the war that forced him to choose between upholding his honor and pledging himself to the woman he loves.

My Thoughts: I’ll be honest. I got an ARC of this and I started it a couple of weeks ago. But that was when I was still in the after glow of another certain book and when I started reading Untamed, I hadn’t had enough time away. I read the first couple of pages and wasn’t ‘feeling’ it. I knew I had to read a few books outside the historical genre in between to ‘cleanse the reading pallet’ so to speak so that I could fully appreciate the reading experience because I knew it would be a good one.

And it was!! When I closed the final back cover I said a heartfelt ‘Aaaaaah’ – you know – the kind of noise you make when something has really satisfied you *naughty wink*

Ride the Fire is my favourite of her books (among some Most Excellent Reads) and I think this one comes darn close to RTF for this happy Colonial reader.

Morgan MacKinnon makes a wonderful hero. You really feel his struggle as he agrees to spy for the French in order to escape a horrendous fate of being burned alive for an earlier battle (detailed in Surrender – another fabulous book and the first in the MacKinnon Brothers Trilogy). If he had his way, he truly would fight on their side since he admires Bourlamaque, the commander of the French fort and the godfather of Amalie, the heroine. The Scottish and the French were more natural allies than the Scottish and the hated British. But Morgan has no choice but to ultimately betray the French, even as he agrees to help them, as he and his two brothers have been blackmailed into helping the British win the war. And to betray the British would be to betray his brothers, something he simply can not do. So with this on his mind, he is truly torn when he starts developing feelings for Amalie, the daughter of a French commander and an Abenaki woman. He is an honourable man who is torn apart trying to do the ‘right’ thing.

And Amalie is a wonderful heroine. When she first meets Morgan, she is prepared to hate him. After all, it was the MacKinnon Rangers who had been responsible for the death of so many of her people. She is assigned to treating his injuries so that he can be made to give up his secrets and then handed over to the Abenaki. But as she slowly gets to know him, as she sees the honourable man he really is, she can’t bear the thought of this brave and handsome enemy being handed over and she comes up with a way he can be saved – by switching sides.

Raised in a convent and never really fitting in because of her ‘mixed’ blood, she is confused by the feelings that Morgan stirs up in her. She is innocent and curious, naive and sensual, and a fine heroine for the oh so gooooood Morgan.

This is another fab story by the amazingly talented Pamela Clare. She has a way of writing that draws you in; that makes you feel as if you are right there experiencing what the characters are experiencing.

And I can’t say enough about how much I LOVE the setting. My Dad was a real history buff and I shared it with him. I remember when I was a young'un, he would drag my mother and younger sisters to old forts. But I was enthralled whenever we would go and would wander around and picture myself back in those times. So when I discovered Pamela Clare and especially when she moved to the French Indian War settings in Ride the Fire, Surrender and Untamed, it brought back all those wonderful memories from childhood.

The fact that she writes such poignant and wonderful romance stories in this setting and time period just totally warms the cockles of my heart!!

If you have never tried her, seriously – I urge you to give her books a read. And you can’t get much better than Untamed. Although it’s the second book in a series, I think it would work fine if you haven’t read the first one. But if you do want to read the first book first, or her previous Colonial books, they’ve just been re-released.

So – what are you waiting for *g*?

Grade: 5 out of 5

We Pamela Clare fans have been lucky this year. Although she didn’t have any new releases last year, she’s had two this year. Her first one, Unlawful Contact got a 5er from me and now same with Untamed. It’s a rare talent I think, to write so very well in two such different genres and Historical Colonial and Romantic Suspense.

It's my turn

over at Access Romance. We were asked to highlight a favourite book. And guess which one I chose :-)
What's good about this is another chance to win a copy!!

Talk of the Town Book Review

There are not many romances out there where the main couple are both past the age of forty. With the majority of the romances I have read, the hero and heroine are usually anywhere from their mid-twenties to late thirties, with the exception of a few books where the hero is in his early forties. Usually the main female character is much younger than the hero by five to ten years, especially if he is around the big 4-0.

It was quite refreshing to read Sherrill Bodine’s new book, Talk of the Town, with the heroine not in her thirties, but forty-five years old! And the man she falls for is almost fifty. Sherrill shows that age is indeed just a number, and when it comes to passion and love, a man and woman can have great romance and sex as they enter the second half of their lives. So what if one of the characters has grown children and a grandchild on the way? Maybe it helps that the male protagonist, David Sumner, is a Pierce Brosnan look-alike.

Rebecca Covington is the star columnist of Chicago’s newspaper, the Daily Mail. For the past fifteen years, Rebecca has been the paper’s gossip queen, and is respected and looked upon fondly. Her column, “Rebecca Covington’s World”, is loved by all of Chicago. Her life couldn’t be better even though her forty-fifth birthday is right around the corner. Rebecca keeps that bit of information about her age to herself because she looks more like a woman ten years younger. Rebecca makes a small mistake in her column and runs a blind item about a married politician cheating on his wife. Because Rebecca didn’t have her facts straight, she will be demoted, and her gossip column will be taken away from her. David Sumner, the new owner of the paper, wants a new columnist who is younger, sassier and sexier. This is quite a slap in the face to Rebecca, and she is ready to storm off to the competition, when the managing editor offers her a very different type of writing position.

Rebecca’s new job is working for the Home and Food Section where she will write a twice-weekly recipe column for the section. Rebecca is deflated but takes the position. And since Rebecca has worked so hard to get where she is, she will add a bit of flair to her new column, which will catch the eye of David.

Harry, who is Rebecca’s gay best friend, and likes to compare himself to Rupert Everett from My Best Friend’s Wedding, work together as a team to come up with the wonderful recipes. See, Rebecca can’t cook at all and if she didn’t have Harry to help her, she would be up a creek without a paddle. Soon, their dishes, along with her witty comments make the Home and Food section a success. And when David and Rebecca finally meet, they are both in for a surprise because neither is what the other one expects.

David is a widower who deeply loved his wife. He promised himself he would never love like that again. But when he meets Rebecca, he is intrigued. He would love to get to know the woman behind the writing. Rebecca doesn’t mind stringing David along, and if she keeps him happy, perhaps she can get her old column back. Not only do these two find themselves enjoying each other’s company, but their relationship changes from a working one, to that of friendship and finally of lovers. Rebecca is soon falling for David, but she can’t decide how truthful she should be with him. She can’t really cook, and lately she is not sure which way her life is headed. Also, she accepts an offer from another competitor that may ruin any hope of a future with David.

I absolutely loved Talk of the Town. Sherrill Bodine has written an engaging read that made me smile as I turned every page. When you are first introduced to Rebecca, you may think she is a bit of a spoiled Prima Donna, but your opinion quickly changes when you see how loyal she is to her friends and readers. Rebecca may care about having the best clothes money can by, as well as making sure to remain in the spotlight, but she doesn’t let all that go to her head. She is one smart cookie who can sell herself and overcome most problems. She is self assured and proud and that is all the things that attracts David to her. David is simply, “the cat’s pajamas”. He is handsome, and shall I say dreamy? But even though he has these looks, he is also a great person. He is generous and wants the best for his employees and friends, much like Rebecca wants. When Rebecca enters his life, she is a whirlwind of energy and optimism that makes him happy. Plus, these two are so very compatible when it comes to sex. David and Rebecca steam up the sheets. Sherrill Bodine is quite a pro at writing these scenes.

Talk of the Town hits so many high marks for me. I really couldn’t find any fault with this book and it is one contemporary romance that should tickle your fancy. I was tickled all the way till the last page. (Grand Central Publishing)

4 stars out of 5 stars

Katiebabs (KB)

And then there was the finale - Updated for Bev!

Group Dance


My favourite dancer's last words


And then - the winner


Humpff: Well - it seems as if someone somewhere deleted some of the dances so I offer this in it's place. Hopefully it won't get delted!!



And in a funny turn of events - it seems Nico doesn't have a driver's license. You see there was an article in the local paper about it and as I'm as nutty at work about this show as I am here, I actually got people to vote - now if I could use my powers for political gain....when I got back from lunch, a co-worker had cut it out and put it on my computer monitor at work.

Books That Caught My Eye

Interested in some possible unknown reads that should be on your future TBR radar?
.
Seducer by Kayla Gray (Kensington, February 2009)

**At least we see most of his face on this cover**

IT ONLY TAKES ONE KISS . . .
When infamous rogue pirate Captain Angel storms aboard the merchant ship Oxford, he discovers more than just valuable cargo. He learns that one of the ladies aboard is the fiancee of his most hated rival. Angel can see that Madelaine Hartwell is quite a prize. For bedding her will give him both sweet revenge and immense pleasure. . . .
TO SEAL THEIR FATE FOREVER . . .
If Madelaine Hartwell's true identity is discovered, she could hang for a crime she committed in self-defense. But Angel believes her to be a betrothed lady, and Madelaine hopes his mistake will ensure her safety. As the two clash, Madelaine can't deny the simmering attraction that's heating up--and she may have no choice but to surrender to the pirate's enticing touch. . . .

.

Kmont at Lurv A La Mode brought this book to my attention: Ravenous by Sharon Ashwood (Signet, February 2009)

**Don't we all enjoy wearing that type of top and long point knife?**

One kiss is all it takes to lose your soul…
Holly Carver is a small-time witch who busts ghosts for tuition money, but ends up wrangling a demon when a haunted house job goes bad.
Her Undead business associate, Alessandro Caravelli, suspects the demon is somebody's not-so-secret weapon. The supernatural community is at war, and Holly's unpredictable magic holds the key to hell's doorway. Soon Holly is on everyone's "must have" list, and not in a good way.
Alessandro wants her for more than magic. A lover with six centuries of experience, the vampire is walking seduction, but he's also a predator. Every moment he spends guarding Holly, every second he spends falling under her witch's spell, he becomes more and more of a threat himself. As Holly's sharp-tongued grandma warns her: vampires are like a box of rich chocolate—they seem so tempting, but over-indulgence is a killer…

Heather at The Galaxy Quest has a new debut author you should all check out: Beyond the Rain by Jess Granger (Berkely, August 2009)

**She also has a nifty blog called the Butterfly Blog.**

In a universe torn apart by civil war, a warrior and a slave must fight for their freedom, for their lives, and for a love that may destroy them both…
After five years behind enemy lines, Captain Cyani is ready to retire to her homeworld of Azra as one of the Elite — the celibate warrior sisterhood that rules the planet. But first she must complete one final mission to rescue her fellow Union soldiers. The last thing she expects to find is a prisoner, chained and beaten — but radiating feral power and an unbroken spirit…
Soren is a Byralen, an enigmatic people who possess a unique hormone that they use to bond with their mates — and that is sold as a sexual narcotic in the shadow trade. For years, he has endured torture at the hands of his captors as they leeched his very essence. The last thing he expects is to be freed from slavery by a beautiful warrior woman with radiant blue eyes.
Driven by her rigid sense of honor, Cyani frees Soren even though her life hinges upon the success of her mission. But after so many years in bondage, his hormones are so unbalanced that he will die if he does not bond with a woman. Can the lovely but distant warrior be the woman he needs to survive, or will the forbidden bond destroy them.

Katiebabs (KB) keeping you in "the know"!

And now for the main course

I don't know what I'm going to do with my Wednesday nights now!! Each week I got more and more sucked into SYTYCD Canada and there's going to be a real hole now *g*

Anyway - hope you have lots of time 'cause there's lots of videos.

Solo - Miles


Solo - Allie


Solo - Natallie


Solo - Nico


Nico & Natalli - Salsa


Miles & Allie - Theatre


Miles & Natalli - Hip Hop
(I hurt for Mile - he's so adorable and he's come SO far)


Nico & Allie - Contemporary
(This one is pure beauty!! Very emotional)


Allie & Natalli - Go Go
(Go Go???)


Nico & Miles - Capoeira
(Just awesome!!)


The finale is on Sunday night to see who the winner is.

Now - I'm a bit curious. I think I've shown *g* who I like best, but I'm curious. If anyone has been following along with me on my latest obsession - who do you like best of the final four????

SYTYCD Canada - The Final Four!!

It's late - way past my bedtime, but I just spent the past two hours voting so I'm headed for bed, but here's a pre-treat of tonight's dances



I thought this was a fabulous routine.

And I hope my votes for this count a lot more then the one I cast SIX WEEKS AGO!!

Calling all Diana Gabaldon Fans!

Have you been wondering when the final installment of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series will be published?


Guess what I have to show you...




This is the UK cover for book #7, and what I believe will be the final book in Gabaldon's series about Clare, that spunky 20th century time traveler, and her wonderful, sexy and loyal redheaded Scot, Jamie. The release date on Amazon UK is March 2010!

Katiebabs who can hardly contain herself!

The Ugly Truth Trailer

Just saw this trailer on Stacy's Place on Earth, featuring one of my future husbands, Gerard Butler.

Oh Gerry, how tingly you make me all inside!




Katiebabs (KB)

Holy Cow!! There's a bloodless coup going on in Canada!!!

OK - I follow politics - not a whole lot and I may be missing out on a lot here and getting it wrong, but it seems the will of the people in Canada is being ignored and there is a coup going on in this country. It's confusing and I'll try and make it simple - 'cause it makes it better for me to understand too. So this is Canadian politics ABC

There are 3 main parties in this country. Unlike the US which has only the Republicans and the Democrats, Canada has more parties
The Conservatives (though they have a longer name - I'm keeping it simple)
The Liberals
The New Democratic Party (known more as the NDP)

Then there are much smaller parties - the biggest of the little parties is the Green Party
The province of Quebec also has it's own party, the Bloc Quebecois - which somehow and beats me how they did it - is another Federal (meaning the whole country) party - even though they only run in Quebec and their core goal is to separate from the rest of Canada. They have no interest in the rest of the country and they're only concern is the province of Quebec - so how they became a 'Federal' party has never really been understood by me.

Anyway we recently had an election and the Progressive party got the most seats - or members of Parliament. But they didn't get a majority of the seats. So if all the other parties combined together, they would have more seats than Conservatives.
A number of years ago, the Conservatives broke into two parties, thus weakening their base so for years, the Liberals were the only real party and they were in power way to long. As with anything, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely and the Liberal party got away with many an unethical thing. But finally the Conservative party melded their two separate parties and once again became a united alternative to the Liberal party. Through all of this the NDP party has a lot of way out there ideas and has never been trusted by the majority of Canadians. Mind you, they have some good things going for them too and to me, they've always helped offer that counterbalance that is needed in the dirty world of politics.

The leader of the Conservative party, Stephen Harper, is the Prime Minister and though in tough times, I think he is the right man for the job, still he comes across as arrogant and very autocratic - something no appreciated by a lot of people - myself included. You need to listen to the people of the country and I'm not so sure he gets an A in that job.
In this present time in the world, where everything is going to hell economically, so far Canada isn't in as bad a shape as many countries. I think we are in a much better position than in the US for example. But still - this is a global situation and every country in the world either is, or will be affected by what's going on economically. So far Stephen Harper and the Conservative party haven't done a lot. Now at the present time, this is OK. We aren't as bad off as many countries and since so much of what happens here will depend on what happens in the US and with the US having just elected Barack Obama as president and since he's not going to be taking over until January, it makes sense to me to wait and have the two countries on the same page since we are each others biggest trading partners and what affects one country will affect the other. We are in December now and it's not that long a wait for the new American administration to come to power.

But - Stephen Harper has angered the other party leaders in Canada with his arrogance and they are banding together to create a coalition government to take over. This is NOT what Canadians voted for. We voted in a minority Conservative government. We saw what happened with the Liberal party for years when they had a majority; the incredible corruption that we saw happen and we are leery of that happening again.
But what is truly scary in what's happening today is the Liberal and the NDP party are getting into bed with the Bloc Quebecois who don't give a damn about the rest of the country and are only concerned about what happens with Quebec - and their own agenda of eventually separating from the rest of Canada.

What's even funnier in a very scary way, is the leader of this "coalition" will be Stefan Dion, the leader of the Liberal party. In the recent election we had, the Liberals lost the most seats and the Liberal party cried for the head of Stephane Dion. He agreed to step down as party leader next May.

Here's an article that explains it a little better than my feeble attempt to explain Canadian politics.

But good heavens I hope this doesn't come about.

See what happens when I have a day off?

Demon's Hunger Review

Forensic anthropologist Vivien Cairn fears she's losing her mind. Her libido has kicked into overdrive, and she's blacking out-leaving hours of her life unaccounted for and no memory of where she's been...or what she's done. But when a sexy stranger rescues her from a demon attack, Vivien realizes there's more than just her sanity at stake...A seductive killer is luring victims, and Sorcerer Dain Hawkins finds himself walking a dangerous line between ancient duty and sizzling desire when the brotherhood-and Vivien herself-begin to suspect that her mysterious symptoms may connect her to the crimes. Can Dain save Vivien from the evil that threatens to claim her? Or will they both succumb to...Demon's Hunger...

I have noticed many paranormal romances in the past few months have a demon storyline where the hero is a demon hunter of some sort, and the heroine is either part demon, and doesn’t know it, or she is on the run from these demons who want something from her. The ones I have read recently with this type of storyline was, The Darkest Touch by Jaci Burton and Cynthia Eden’s Midnight Sins. The third one is by Eve Silver called Demon’s Hunger (Compact of Sorcerers Book 2).

You know right from the title that there will be demons in this one, and they are definitely those nasty types who are evil, want to rule the world, etc… It is up to Dain Hawkins, a sorcerer, to help keep the portal between the demon realm and the Earth closed. The portal was closed in the book before this called Demon’s Kiss by one of Dain’s buddies, Ciarran, the hero of that book. Dain has in his possession, a demon’s foot that was severed when the portal closed. This foot is very dangerous because it is filled with dark magic. For some reason, creatures called hybrids are going into cemeteries and looking for charm bags that were buried with the dead. Hybrids were once humans and are controlled by demons. They reminded me of flesh eating zombies since they will eat human flesh. Dain has to figure out who wants these charm bags, and for what purpose.

The one person who can help him is forensic anthropologist, Vivien Cairn, who is on sabbatical from the university she teaches at. Not only is Vivien at odds with her mother, who has always been cold towards her, as well as recovering emotionally from a serial killer investigation, but Vivien keeps blacking out for hours at a time. She does things during these blackouts she can’t remember, and it is starting to scare her. When Dain shows up on her doorstep, she doesn’t remember talking with him on the phone. Vivien does know who Dain is because when they first meet she says, “You’re Dain Hawkins, wonder-guy, a magician when it comes to buying up foundering companies and turning them into moneymakers.” Dain has come to Vivian because he wants her to take a look at some bones he has. Dain also thinks Vivien is cute, especially with the neon green fuzzy slippers she is wearing.

Unfortunately by Dain bring the evil demon bones to Vivien, that places her in danger and soon after, hybrids target her and burn down her house. Both Dain and Vivien are able to get out unhurt. Vivien is also in for a shock when she finds out who Dain is, and that he won’t let her go because he needs her, as well as wanting her, even though he tries to deny his feeling for her. Vivien continues to have more blackouts, because there is something so very wrong with her, because she is not human, but a succubi. That is why Vivien is blacking out and has become very weak. If she doesn’t have sex with a man and feed off his energy, and soon, she will continue to deteriorate. Can you guess who volunteers for this job?

Eve Silver can sure write a suspenseful story and she does so here with Demon’s Hunger. The twist with Vivien and whether she is a killer demon keeps you guessing to the very end. And when Dain and Vivien has some hot succubi sex, those scenes where very hot and satisfying. I did enjoy Vivien over Dain, because even though she is going through some major upheavals, she didn’t venture into whiny TSTL (to stupid to live) territory. I was less than thrilled with Dain because he is one of these heroes who can’t get over the past and goes back and forth about his feelings for Vivien. “She’s mine! But I can’t touch her because I must deny myself for the horrible thing that I felt I did to my wife centuries ago.” Dain needs to take that stick out of his ass and have some good sex. When he finally gives into his urges for Vivien, he lightens up a bit and he becomes less annoying.

Demon Hunger is a fast paced read, with characters who can kick ass, make sweet love and survive to tell the tale. (Grand Central Publishing)

2 ½ stars out of 5 stars

Katiebabs (KB)

Recent Read

Veil of Midnight by Lara Adrian

Why this one: The author noticed it on my sidebar under the Eagerly Anticipating and contacted me to see if I'd be interested in reading an ARC.
Hell Yes!! I replied since I've loved all the previous books in this series.

Steam Level: Ahhhhhh yes. Hope you like it hot 'cause this one is

Author Website Blurb:

BOUND BY BLOOD, ADDICTED TO DANGER, THEY'LL ENTER THE DARKEST--AND MOST EROTIC--PLACE OF ALL . . .

A warrior trained in bullets and blades, Renata cannot be bested by any man--vampire or mortal. But her most powerful weapon is her extraordinary psychic ability--a gift both rare and deadly. Now a stranger threatens her hard-won independence, a golden-haired vampire who lures her into a realm of darkness . . . and pleasure beyond imagining.

A combat-loving adrenaline junkie, Nikolai dispenses his own justice to enemies of the Breed--and his latest quarry is a ruthless assassin. One woman stands in his way: the seductive, cool-as-ice bodyguard, Renata. But Renata's powers are put to the test when a loved one, a child, is threatened and she's forced to turn to Niko for help. As the two join forces, as desire fans the flames of a deeper hunger, Renata's life is under seige by a man who offers the exquisite pleasure of a blood bond--and a passion that could save or doom them both forever. . . .

My Thoughts: I read my first vampire book way before most did. I think it was either Forever the Night published in 1993 by Linda Lael Miller or Twilight Phantasies by Maggie Shayne also published in 1993. I read them close together – in 1993 - so I’m not sure which one came first. While I enjoyed them well enough, I was never moved to read more in either series. I read Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice and enjoyed it, but never read any other of her Lestat books.

Then after a lull until they came back into vogue, I read a number of the current crop of vampire books. I read JR Wards Dark Lover and Lover Eternal and I quite liked both of them. But I was never compelled to read further, though I have the next two in the TBR pile. I tried a couple of Christine Feehan’s Dark series, but they squicked me out too much. I’ve read a couple of Susan Squires but don’t even really remember what they were about. I’ve tried a few other authors who have written vampire books but I don’t even remember them.

So what’s your point you’re wondering?

Well, I thought I’d escaped the ‘call’ of the vampire romance. I could read one or two and that was enough. I wasn’t in any danger of becoming a vampire junkie.

Or so I thought.

Then I read Lara Adrian’s first book, Kiss of Midnight and didn’t I get hooked after all. I loved it! And since her other three in the series were already on the shelves I quickly read them all. And darned if I didn’t have to say goodbye to my attitude of not getting hooked on Vampire Romance and become addicted to the Midnight Breed series. That will teach me :) little Ms. Smuggy Pants that I can be.

Which brings me to Veil of Midnight? This time it was a bit of time between reading but it took no time to get caught up again in the world of the the Order, a group of Vampires who at first were dedicated to riding the world of Rogue vampires – those who have surrendered to Blood Lust to now tracking down a far greater threat to vampires and humans alike.

This is Nicolas’ story. As the book opens, he is in Montreal, trying to find an old Gen One Vampire Sergie Yaku. Nico wants to warn him that an evil, powerful vampire is targeting all the Gen One vampires and Sergie is more that likely on that list.

Instead of finding him, Nico falls into a trap laid out for him by none other than the heroine Renata, Sergei’s human female bodyguard. Time and again Renata gets the drop on Nico until finally she needs his help to find her young ward, Mina and must rescue him from a horrible fate. Then they must work together, despite some distrust on both sides, especially Renata’s.

Unlike the other Midnight Breed books, this one takes place almost entirely in Montreal and there are just brief appearances of the previous heroes. The action mainly involves Nico and Renata and the evil stacked against them.

One of the things that appeals to me over That Other Series, is the strength of the heroines. For the most part they are almost an equal match for the alpha Breed heroes and wowzers is Renata almost more than a match for Nico. Considering she’s human, albeit a breed mate human, she can really kick some ass – including Nico’s. And I liked that – I really liked it! And her special talent can really lay him low – with no defences and she uses it on him, more than once. No TSTL heroine is our Renata. I love how near the end, when Nico is behaving like a typical, I am Man and You Woman Must Obey Me, she doesn’t hesitate to let him have it, physically, and then goes on to get the job done. And there is no doubt she can do it.

A loner all her life, Renata has been brutalized by the Montreal branch of vampires and is very hesitant to trust Nico, even though she is attracted to him from the beginning. And her strength and will to succeed is one of the things that attracts Nico to her.

If I seem to be going on about her quite a bit, it’s because she’s such a well written heroine and it’s so unusual to see a human heroine who’s an equal match for a vampire hero – at least in the ones I’ve read.

But I can’t neglect Nico either. He’s another great addition to this most excellent series. He’s compassionate, protective, and sexy and rather than feeling threatened by Renata, appreciates her.

And – there is just enough about the next book with Andreas Reichen to start the countdown for the release of Ashes of Midnight!

For those who’ve been reading and enjoying this series, Veil of Midnight is a most excellent new addition to the series. For those who haven’t but have been curious, I think this one can be read as a stand-alone since most of it takes place outside of the setting of the previous books.

This one is in the running for best paranormal of the year for this happy reader. And while I don't always notice such things, she has a pretty good trailer for this one too!

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

(and can I just say - sometimes I loathe blogger. I know the font is all out of whack - but no matter what I do, it just won't allow itself to be fixed. Damn blogger anyway)

Results Night

Phew!! He made it through!!




Now normally I've been posting the group routine. But to be honest, I REALLY didn't like it this week.

Down to six

Since there are only six dancers left, here are all of the couple routines
Allie and Izaak

First Dance - Hip Hop


Second Dance Jazz


Nico and Natalli

Disco


Quick Step


Lisa and Miles

Cha Cha

And here's my favourite of the night. I thought this one was beautiful and it had special meaning for me.


They also each did a solo so of course I have to post Nico's


And a nice bit of eye candy to finish things off!!


Nico is tres bon!! You may not be able to pick this up - but Sula and Katie - his white shirt is wet!! Ring any bells?

Is a Rake’s Sacrifice Truly a Noble Thing?

I finished reading a truly wonderful a historical romance a few weeks ago that showcases the typical hero rake, or rather, the one that decides to abstain from sex out of respect for the heroine, since she is the love of his life.

Part of me thinks this is so romantic. That’s quite a sacrifice on the hero’s part to give up on such an exercise that has brought him incredible pleasure and joy, so he essentially can be pure again when he is finally intimate with his true love. Another part of me wants to gag, because honestly, why is it such a hardship for the hero to give up sex? The heroine has no qualms about not giving into her lusts. And in this book, she was actually married to a man she loved and enjoyed having sex with.

Why is it so important for some authors who write historical romances, to keep going with the stereotype that the hero must be a lover to hundreds of women, and finds nothing wrong with it? Personally, I rather not know about the hero’s bed hopping. But for some reason, it is assumed, that we, the reader think it more romantic when the Wilt Chamberlain type hero suddenly cuts off all sexual interaction with other women just because the heroine seems so different from all the rest.

This has begun to annoy me more often in the historicals I have been reading. Is it just me? Should there be a change when it comes to these rakish heroes? Does the term “rake”, mean the amount of women the hero beds or just the appearance and lifestyle he must uphold?

Katiebabs (KB)

Another one bites the dust

Yes, we have us another Quester!! Stacy of Stacy's Place on Earth has a wonderful review of Broken Wing up!! Be sure to Check It Out!

Now back to reading since the damn has broke!

*****ETA******

And then we have Wendy's view of it. While not as flattering as Stacy's *g* she did do a good job in her review and yes - I'm still talking to her (heh heh heh) but I do disagree (most respectfully *g*) with her on one point in the comments ;-)

Once again we see that we are all different in our reading tastes and Vive la Différence!

An Author To Remember: Sandra Canfield

Sandra Canfield is known for being a buried treasure author who is dearly missed since her death in 2003. She mainly wrote category reads for Harlequin in the mid eighties and early nineties. There are two such reads by her that are my all time favorite romances and I have just found another wonderful romance by Sandra to add to my list ever since I found it at a used book sale I went to a few weeks ago. For those who are not aware of Sandra Canfield, and need some excellent book recommendations by her, these first two books are ones that I have re-read over and over, and still hit the spot after twenty years since when they were first published.

Cherish The Moment- Harlequin Superromance for May 1986 is about Tracy Kent who is recovering from a horrible rape from her husband’s co-worker. Because of the rape, her husband divorces her, and from that moment on she still lives in fear of what happened, and the fact that she may never be intimate with a man ever again. Senator Cole Damon comes into Tracy’s life and won’t let her hide from him. He wants Tracy in every way a man wants a woman, and when he finds out why Tracy shies away from him, he does everything he can to help her accept him. He courts her slowly and shows her that she can trust him. Their romance is a beautiful thing, especially when Tracy allows Cole into her body. Their love and passion for each other brought tears to my eyes the first time I read this classic book. The way Sandra handles the topic of rape is one of the best I have read in a romance, or a book in general.

Night Into Day- Harlequin Superromance for October 1987 is the one book most romance enthusiasts talk about. Patrick O’Casey is a big time professional quarterback who meets the woman of his dreams. She is Alex Farrell, but there is one major problem Patrick has to deal with and that is because Alex has a crippling type of arthritis where she has to use a cane to walk, and some days she is in so much pain, she can hardly get out of bed. The technicalities of intimacy between these two becomes a complicated thing, and the way Patrick handles this gorilla in the room is incredible. Alex is determined to overcome her disease, and wants Patrick by her side, but knows that he is getting quite a handful. Patrick sees how special Alex is both inside and out, and won’t let the issues Alex has, stop him from loving her. This is a most endearing book.

Tigers By Night- Harlequin Superromance for September 1990 is the one I just found at the book sale and another wonderful read. Police officer, Jake Cameron is filled with such immense guilty because, in the line of duty he killed, an innocent bystander. The victim’s wife went into the premature labor and her son is barely surviving. Jake cannot get over his grief, and volunteers at the hospital where he watches over this baby and hopes to come in contact with his mother, Robin. Robin has no clue who Jake is, but he catches her eye because of his volunteerism and the way he is with her son, Peter. Robin is fragile, emotionally, because she feels her own guilt over the loss of her husband, a husband who wasn’t ready for a baby. Jake feels so protective of Robin and because his own marriage fell apart, he hopes that Robin will forgive him for what he did and allow him into her life and Peter’s. Forgiveness and absolution play an important part in this story and is handled so well from the great storytelling technique’s of Sandra.

These are only three books from Sandra Canfield that have become my most cherished reads. I recommend you find at an used book store or an on-line website that has these out of print books.

Are there any authors who are no longer publishing that you miss?

Katiebabs (KB)