Recent Reads

Well, I'm coming out of my hole. I managed to survive. That's all I'm going to say because if I think about the past few days - well, I'd just as soon not.

In order to survive though, I've done A LOT of reading!!! I think this my most jam-packed recent reads ever.

Just One of the Guys – Kristan Higgins

Why This One: I can’t remember exactly which review put this one full square into the ‘must buy’ list as there were quite a few good ones, but one of them did. I think it might have been the DA one.

Steam Level: Tepid, but I often drink tea or coffee when it’s cooled down and it just seems to hit the spot

Amazon Blurb: Being one of the guys isn't all it's cracked up to be…

So when journalist Chastity O'Neill returns to her hometown, she decides it's time to start working on some of those feminine wiles. Two tiny problems: #1—she's five feet eleven inches of rock-solid girl power, and #2—she's cursed with four alpha male older brothers.

While doing a story on local heroes, she meets a hunky doctor and things start to look up. Now there's only one problem: Trevor Meade, her first love and the one man she's never quite gotten over—although he seems to have gotten over her just fine.

Yet the more time she spends with Dr. Perfect, the better Trevor looks. But even with the in-your-face competition, the irresistible Trevor just can't seem to see Chastity as anything more than just one of the guys.…

My Thoughts: This was everything the other reviews said it was and I adored it. What was even more surprising was it was told first person, present tense and I still adored it. Chastity was a wonderful character and as the story is told as if we are in her head, this really helps a lot! All her life she’s just been ‘one of the guys’ in a house full of firefighting brothers and a sort of adopted firefighting brother that she brought home when they were both young and a firefighting father. She’s always carried a torch for Trevor Meade and after one weekend years ago, they acted on that special feeling. But then Trevor wanted to go back to just being friends. Chastity is desperate to be both a wife and mother. She sees all her brother happy, well, except for one, but while he and his wife are having serious problems, it’s obvious they still love each other. Finally Chastity meets a great candidate and has to decide whether to finally let her feelings for Trevor go and settle for a bit less.

This book had laugh out its loud moments and it had its poignant moments that almost had me in tears.

I just ordered one of her backlist and I’ll be ordering the rest – guaranteed. And her next book is due out in January so I’ve got that one on the TBB list too!

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James

Why This One: Rowena at The Book Binge raved about it and got me wanting to read it.

Steam Level: Tepid, but I often drink tea or coffee when it’s cooled down and it just seems to hit the spot

Author Website Blurb: COOL. CALM. COLLECTED.

Nothing fazes Taylor Donovan. In the courtroom she never lets the opposition see her sweat. In her personal life, she never lets any man rattle her–not even her cheating ex-fiancé. So when she’s assigned to coach People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” for his role in his next big legal thriller, she refuses to fall for the Hollywood heartthrob’s charms. Even if he is the Jason Andrews.

CONFIDENT. FAMOUS. IRRESISTIBLE.

Jason Andrews is used to having women fall at his feet. When Taylor Donovan gives him the cold shoulder, he’s thrown for a loop. She’s unlike any other woman he’s ever met: uninterested in the limelight, seemingly immune to his advances, and shockingly capable of saying no to him. She’s the perfect challenge. And the more she rejects him, the more he begins to realize that she may just be his perfect match. . .

My Thoughts: A big Thank

You to Wena. I really enjoyed this book too! Taylor Donovan is on no-nonsense ambitious lawyer who has come to LA to do work on a case. But she is also ordered, despite her protests, to help out Jason Andrews, Sexiest Man Alive, in a role he is researching. After being stood up twice in a row, she’s not exactly eager to help him and makes thinks very difficult for him – as well she should. Jason is a rich, spoiled actor who is used to people catering to his every whim. He just can’t believe that Taylor isn’t willing to drop everything when he calls. And this intrigues him – quite a bit. And so the hunt is on. Added into the mix is another up and coming actor who is out to replace Jason as the top dog and he wants to date Taylor too in a game of one-up-manship. It was fun to see Jason have to work for Taylor.

Julie James is another author I now have my eye open for!

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

The Healer by Sharon Sala

Why This One: I loved the Author Talk interview she did with Jill Monroe and Gena Showalter. And one of my favourite books of all time – Jackson Rule – is written by Dinah McCall (the one Jill doesn’t like *g* )

Steam Level: While it won’t burn your tongue, it is nice and warm

Amazon Blurb: All his life, Jonah Gray Wolf has had an uncanny connection to animals and the power to heal the sick and wounded. Driven from the only home he's ever known by those who wish to harness his gift for profit, he becomes a drifter, working in out-of-the-way towns, never staying long. It's a lonely life, but Jonah knows he's still being hunted—he can't afford to get close to anyone who might learn his secret.

In West Virginia he finds Luce, a tough but beautiful loner who knows all about keeping people at a distance—a kindred soul with whom he might dare to make a life. But the hunters have caught Jonah's scent again. Danger is coming to their mountain refuge—a confrontation that will be decided only by a force of nature.

My Thoughts: Wowzers, I’ve been on a role. Another one I quite enjoyed. It’s been sitting in the TBR pile for a while now – so I’m very glad I pulled it out to read it!

There’s something very different about Jason Gray Wolf! The story starts out as he is a very small boy being led by a wolf into a tiny town of Alaska. His special powers are revealed when he is still a young boy – he can heal things.

The story picks up years later. He has been on the run for ten years now from one of the people he healed who wants to keep Jason for his own use. He’s sent a number of people to ‘get’ Jason over the years, but all have failed because of the intervention of wild animals. But finally, when Jason meets a young woman, Luce, he decides to stand his ground and fight for the life that’s been stolen from him for so long.

Jason is a fascinating hero!! I wouldn’t call him an Alpha hero. Nor would I call him a Beta hero. Instead he’s something else altogether. While he seems perfectly normal, there is something very mysterious and other-worldly about him.

Lucia is your stock-in- trade heroine. While I liked her, nothing unusual really stood out about her. But Jason – I recommend this book based on his very intriguing character.

Grade: 4 out of 5

Death Angel by Linda Howard

Why This One: I’ve always enjoyed Linda Howards books, but her past couple haven’t been worth the hard cover price. But I heard good buzz on this one and got a squeal of a deal so I decided to give it a try.

Steam Level: She’s written hotter books, but I was fine with the steam level in this one.

Amazon Blurb: A striking beauty with a taste for diamonds and dangerous men, Drea Rousseau is more than content to be arm candy for Rafael Salinas, a notorious crime lord who deals with betrayal through quick and treacherous means: a bullet to the back of the head, a blade across the neck, an incendiary device beneath a car. Eager to break with Rafael, Drea makes a fateful decision and a desperate move, stealing a mountain of cash from the malicious killer. After all, an escape needs to be financed.

Though Drea runs, Salinas knows she can’t hide–and he dispatches a cold-blooded assassin in hot pursuit, resulting in a tragic turn of events. Or does it?

Left for dead, Drea miraculously returns to the realm of the living a changed woman. She’s no longer shallow and selfish, no longer steals or cheats or sells herself short. Both humbled and thrilled with this unexpected second chance, Drea embraces her new life. But in order to feel safe and sound–and stop nervously looking over her shoulder–she will need to take down those who marked her for death.

Joining forces with the FBI, supplying vital inside information that only she can provide, Drea finds herself working with the most dangerous man she’s ever known. Yet the closer they get to danger, the more intense their feelings for each other become, and the more Drea realizes that the cost of her new life may be her life itself–as well as her heart.

My Thoughts: There are a number of 1 star reviews for this one, and to be honest, I find it puzzling. I know not everyone is going to enjoy the same books, but again, (and I’m sounding like a broken record), I really enjoyed this one.

It’s a story of redemption – for both the hero and the heroine. Drea Rousseau (nee Butts) is the arm candy of a drug dealer. While she acts like and air-headed ditz, underneath her hair she is quite savvy. She is making plans to escape her current squeeze, but everything is speeded up when he ‘gives’ her to an assassin. The time they spend together has a profound effect on Drea and she knows it’s time for her to make her escape. But hot on her trail is the assassin. While he admires her for the way she scammed Silas, the drug lord, he has been offered two million dollars to kill her. He’s not quite certain what he’s going to do when he catches her. Before he can though, Drea is in an accident and ‘dies’. But she is given a second chance and takes on a new identity. But Simon, the assassin (we don’t learn his name until half way through the book) has also been profoundly affected by her death and when he discovers by some miracle she survived, he hunts her down.

This is an interesting book. After given a second chance, while Andie who is she has become, has changed, she’s no longer living only for herself, but looking to help others, she is still a lot the same person as she was before. And I think this works well. She’s different enough that we can like her, but still enough of her old self to make her interesting.

And Simon is an interesting character too. We don’t learn very much about him at all – and I think this was done deliberately – and it also works for me. What we do know of him though, is that he is now 100% determined to take care of Andie. While naturally very leery of Simon – he was an assassin after all – she finally lets her guard down enough to see how completely alone he is and her love for him becomes her main priority.

It was SO good to read a Linda Howard book that I really enjoyed again and since I read this one in one day, I know I’ll be rereading it, slower this time, to really savour it.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

You Don’t Know Jack by Erin McCarthy

Why This One: I really enjoyed Flat Out Sexy and decided to give her another go.

Steam Level: This one is real steamy!

Amazon Blurb: Jamie Peters no longer believes in true love. True idiots, true scumbags, true moochers - these she believes in wholeheartedly, and she's got the checkered dating history to prove it. So she's more than a little skeptical when her cross-dressing psychic tells her she's about to meet her soul mate - during an accident. Yeah, sounds about right. And then it happens. A knight in shining armor steps between her and a mugger on a subway platform. Just a regular, honest, upright Jack. The kind they don't make anymore...Jonathon Davidson doesn't believe in destiny - or lying to beautiful women as a rule. But now that Jamie thinks he's just an ordinary guy, how can he possibly tell her that he's really, her roommate's brother, a millionaire to boot, and the jerk who's investigating her application to his grandfather's charitable trust because she may be involved in something illegal? Yeah, rhetorical question. He can't. Not until he knows what's going on. Besides, it would require being able to resist Jamie's luscious curves long enough to say, 'Hi, my name is Big Liar. Let's get naked'. Sometimes, destiny sucks...

My Thoughts: *sigh* I suppose it had to come to an end – this run of good books. While I loved Flat Out Sexy and plan on reading the next one in the series, this one left me cold. I did not like it. At all.

Jack was, well, boring. And Jamie was a ditz. Unlike Drea in the above book who just appeared to be a ditz, Jamie really was one. She was one of those flakes who believes in Destiny – with a capital D. And when a cross dressing former crook turned physic tells her she will meet the man of her dreams, well she just knows that’s going to happen. But when she finds out he lied to her (for believable reasons) why, she just couldn’t give him a chance to explain himself. Again and again and again ad-nauseam we have to read why they cannot be together. Enough already!

The author tries to hard for laughs – that fell totally flat for me, from the cross dressing physic, to the rather nasty obnoxious grandfather – the secondary characters weren’t funny.

And another thing that annoyed the hell out of me – Jack was the brother of one of her roommates. I found it hard to believe they had never met. And I found it hard to believe that Jamie figured if his sister and her roommate knew they were an item, the sister would have been upset so Jamie refused to tell her. Hello – pot – meet kettle.

Grade: 2 out of 5

Embracing Midnight Book Review

Erotic author, Devyn Quinn has always been a guilty pleasure read for me. She writes great romances that feature men that are vampires who don’t just need blood to survive, but also feed off the sexual energy of the woman they are with. Devyn always makes sure to put at least one smoking hot ménage a trio scene in her books. Embracing Midnight is a bit different from her past few books. The vampire hero in this one is actually an alien from another planet that has vampire like tendencies. So even though this could be considered a paranormal romance, Embracing Midnight can also fall into the Sci-Fi genre also. And I have to say that Devyn does make the combo alien-vampire hybrid work very well. And rather than have a ménage a trios scene, the heroine is pleasure by three drop dead gorgeous alien-vampire men. After that scene, all I could think was that Callie is one lucky woman!

FBI agent Callie Whitten is undercover trying to catch the elusive killer, Iollan Drake. Drake is a well known outlaw who is suspected of killing various women as well as a few of Callie’s fellow agents. One night Callie is returning to her apartment after working undercover at a Goth club where Drake frequents. Surprisingly Drake is waiting for her. He knows her by her alias, Calista, and wants to get to know her better because he has had his eye on her. Callie thinks this is her chance to capture Drake and even though it isn’t the smartest move, she invites him into her place. Since Drake oozes sex, and Callie is in the mood for no strings attached sex, she allows Drake to have his way with her. Callie has the most intense sexual experience of her life and since she likes a bit of pain with her pleasure, Drake gives her both. Callie was a former foster kid who had had a lot of past abuse in her life. Men have used her for their own sexual pleasure, which includes her married ex-lover and boss, Roger. She also used to cut herself as a way to get passed her emotional pain. She feels sex is also a way to let go and allows Drake to use her body, as well as give her what she needs.

Roger doesn’t like the fact that Callie has gotten so close to Drake. His boss wants Callie to start a sexual relationship with the suspect, and Callie is all too willing to go that next step. She can’t understand how Drake is able to reach through all her defenses, and when he comes to her again, she sees a side of him that is not human. Drake is an alien life form known as a Niviane Idesha, a type of alien vampire that can only drink blood from their partner while they are sexually aroused. Drake can only come out at night, and during the day he must hide in the shadows. Callie is ashamed that she has fallen for this alien, and that he is on the most wanted list. But when Drake is captured by the FBI, Callie has to decide to help free him or allow him to become a subject to be experimented on and destroyed.

Devyn has taken the vampire myth and changes it in a way that is so very creative by making her vampire characters alien life forms. Embracing Midnight is an intense sexual suspense story where the enemy is not just Drake but those who hunt him. You would think Roger is one of the good guys, but what he does to Callie is so horrible. Because Roger is so obsessed with taking Drake down, he will take Callie down also just because she has fallen to Drake. The way Roger punishes Callie is the worst thing a man can do to a woman. And it is not really that hard to guess what he does. Poor Callie is stuck in the middle as she is caught in the grasp of Drake’s sexual longings. Because Callie has a difficult past that deals with rape and cutting herself, she has many emotional issues and Drake is the only one who gives her what she wants both physically and emotionally. The sex between Drake and Callie is very, very hot but also tender.

Devyn writes very creative stories and pushes her limits. Embracing Midnight is one of the darkest books she has ever written. But because she has a nice balance between the sex and violence, she really makes it work. I was also very impressed with the way Devyn wrote Callie. And who would have thought that alien vampire creatures could be so sexy? (Kensington)

3 ½ stars out of 5 stars

Katiebabs (KB)

Let's Not Forget the Best Christmas Special Ever!

Sad because it is the day after Christmas? Need a laugh? Let's not forget that Christmas classic TV special from 1978:

A STAR WARS HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS!!







Katiebabs (KB)

Our Newest Crusader

Yes, this wonderful story is still being discovered and the lastest one to fall under the spell of North and South is the very talented Nalini Singh. I know she had to wait for quite some time for this one so I Double Delighted that she loved it.
And now she too *g* is wanting to get her own copy.
I haven't watched it for a while myself - but this will be changing Christmas Eve. It's going to be my Christmas Eve treat - four hours of John Thornton and Margaret Hale - *shiver*

And thus - in honour of our newest Crusader - this certainly calls for...........a video

10 Books of Cheer **Holiday Contest**

The next 2 weeks will be ones of great cheer as we all celebrate the holidays or the end of 2008.

Why not have one final book contest to take us out of 2008 into 2009?

I have 10 books to giveaway as a "thank you" for a incredible of year of reading and all the great people I have "met" here. Some I have met in person, talked on the phone or have shared wonderful emails.

The wide variety books up for grabs are:

For the Love of Pete- Julia Harper

Wild- Margo Maguire

Tempt the Devil- Anna Campbell

At Grave's End- Jeaniene Frost

Stay the Night- Lynn Viehl

Night- Huntress- Yasmine Galeson

Bite the Bullet and Undead on Arrival- L.A. Banks

Nightkeepers and Dawnkeepers- Jessica Andersen

There seems to be a book for every type of reader here! In order to win, all you have to do is leave a comment here by Friday, December 26th.

Tell us something memorable that happened to you this year, and what you hope for yourself for 2009.

Katiebabs (KB)

Read at your own peril

I'm about to say something that many will find hard to believe. And I don't want to offend anyone - what I'm about to say is my own personal thoughts and opinions. But I'm putting out a warning that this might upset some.
This gets worse for me every year - and this year is the worst so far.

OK

Deep Breath


I don't like Christmas. I don't like Christmas A LOT!!
Every year I start getting cranky around mid-November and it gets worse and worse as we get closer. This year it's so bad I'm going to have to double up on my anti anxiety medication until I get past it. I feel like I'm hanging on by my fingertips and could fall into a huge hole at any moment. I'm zoning in and out a lot - mostly I'd rather be zoned out. I want to hide away in my bedroom until it's all over and life can get back to normal.
There are a number of reasons I have such a difficult time. The first being the very purpose. It's gone - totally! Christmas is supposed to be a celebration on the birth of Christ - but it's just not 'done' anymore. I first noticed this when the boys were in public school and they weren't allowed to have anything to do with the Nativity at the risk of 'horrors' offending any other religious group.
Hello! What is Christmas supposed to be????????????????? It's supposed to be a celebration of a special day in the Christian religion - except it's anything but anymore. And I find the whole thing insane!! While I don't know that much about other faiths, I don't think - at least I truly hope - that they haven't taken the meaning out of 'special holy' days and times the way they have stripped Christmas of any real spiritual meaning.
Instead now it's supposed to be when everyone comes together and has one touchy feelly day of goodness, when families reach out and mend fences, when for one day were are all supposed to smile and behave like Hallmark People.
I call bullshit on that. Instead it's a time when family differences are magnified, where drama and hurt feelings take over and people are torn in many pieces. It's when families with the slightest dysfunction dread what's going to go wrong this year. And let's face it - what family doesn't have some degree of dysfunction?? I was talking to one good friend at work today and her family lives out of town. She is dreading the holidays because of family conflict that gets worse for her each year. She doesn't want to go home because of the drama she knows is to come and I'm sure this kind of thing is played out in many a family.
Oh, I know - I hear sentiments on the radio - it's all about the children. I call bull shit on that too I'm afraid. Unless one has very young children who don't know any better, many parents beggar themselves buying WII's, cell phones, I Pods, Plasma TV's etc. etc. etc. etc.
I wonder what on earth that has to do with the birth of Christ.
Year after year in my own case, I agonize over what to get everyone, never satisfied that I've gotten the right thing. I put such a heavy burden on myself that by the time the Big Day arrives, I'm a total basket case. And of course then there is the joy of taking months to pay off the credit card bills I've racked up on things I know that I got wrong.
I hate it when people ask me what I want. I rack my brain trying to come up with stuff. But I'm satisfied with what I have. Sure there's always something I might want - but if I don't get it, my life, as I know it, won't end. I always want to say nothing. I don't need anything. I just want to say get me something you think I might like - and don't spend much.
And as bad as it's been in the previous years, it's nothing compared to what it's like now. I ache - soul deep - in missing Ron. It's especially difficult this time of year coming home to an empty house. He's supposed to be here, at least making it bearable for me, but he isn't. It was his birthday yesterday - he would have been 55. Instead of coming home and seeing him, I had my own case of family drama that's zapped me of any emotion except great sorrow.
I'm worried about my sons - especially the oldest one. He works in the auto industry and as of Monday he's being laid off and has no idea when he will be working again. He says not to worry - but I can't help it.
I don't mean to sound self-pitying - I'm just using me as an example.
I work in the health care industry. I see people diagnosed with cancer every single day - many I know who won't recover. This is my weekend to work and today alone I got two calls about people who had just passed away last night and today. So what is Christmas going to mean to them in the coming years?
Maybe if we got back to basics I wouldn't be so bitter about the whole thing. But the rampant consumerism of this whole time makes me ill. It seems when they mention it on the radio, immediately it's followed by how the retail industry is doing. The fact that people die because of greed in being one of only a few to get a certain electronic devise that is marked down drastically in price. What the hell does that have to do with the birth of Christ? But wait.... we can't go back to basics can we? Because - at least in Canada - and probably parts of the US, we aren't supposed to dare mention what December 25 is supposed to really be about.
And as sad as it is, peace on earth is just a pipe dream.

There, I've said it. This has been tough to write because one just isn't supposed to feel this way. But as much as I hate to admit it - this is what I feel and it just grows and grows every year.

Old School Romance Covers

I don't know how much you get around blog land but there is one of my favourite new bloggers who was looking for a book she loved years ago and needed help finding it.
Barbara sent out a desperate plea for anyone to help her find it.
Well, not meaning to toot my own horn, but as soon as I started reading the description, I knew exactly what book she was talking about since I've read it a number of times myself and I love it too. So I was absolutely delighted to be able to help her in her need to find this book. Goodness knows I've been there myself!!
Well, she ordered it and got it and posted a picture of the front and back on her latest post.
But while it's true that I've read and loved this book, there is a large part of me that just shudders and thinks 'no wonder we are still fighting a battle for respect for romance books!'

Both the front cover and back cover represent the very worst representations of romance IMNSHO. They are everything I detest. I'm a dedicated romance reader who has learned not to judge a book by it's cover - or the back blurb so neither affects my buying decisions anymore. Instead I decide by other means, although I confess a good cover will get me to try a book while a bad one won't keep me from buying one.
But looking at these covers, it's not wonder that someone outside the romance community might scorn the genre.

And as for the back blurb, something in my swears it must have been written by a guy

Shy As A Doe

As a preacher's daughter in Deadwood, South Dakota, blond and innocent Cynthia Wells rarely left the safety of her father's home. But when the kind-hearted girl heard an Indian boy was to hang the next day in revenge for some minors' deaths, Cynthia was filled with anger and bravery.

Stealing out at night to release the poor, primitive child, she was shocked to discover the redskinned captive was a handsome naked man!

Irresistibly drawn to him, Cynthia cut free his bonds...and yearned for his hard-muscled arms to make her a prisoner of his embrace.



Bold As A Stallion

Courageous Red Wolf was ready to meet the Great Spirit when he saw a gorgeous white woman step up to his gallows in the moonlight. He thought he was a dead man already until he felt her golden hair tickle his arm and her full breasts press against his chest as she sliced away the ropes.

Grateful for his life, he swore he's teach her how the red man could love! He'd stroke her ivory skin to ecstasy, and trace her luscious curves until she was sated time and again by his shameless

Sioux Splendor

I love the book, but I think that blurb is just nasty - and condescending; not to mention about as politically incorrect as it can get! It makes me wince I tell you!
It's taken me years to get to the point where I can freely tell coworkers that I read and love romance. I do it now rather proudly. But if we still had the old school covers, I'm not so sure I could do that today.
I know there are still readers out there who prefer the 'bodice ripper' style covers and I truly admire their preference while at the same time being a bit confounded about it.
I know that authors have very little say in title and cover choices and especially with this kind of style, it shows to me how some of them are such wonderful writers that blazed the trail for the less salacious covers of today. There's a reason why SB's cover snark are so popular - the covers deserve to be snarked!
I know that everything has a beginning and romance as it's been defined in the past 20 or 30 years or so is different than the romance of 100 or so years ago - and I'm ever so glad of it. But as romance has changed over the years, so too have romance covers. And I'm also glad of that fact.

Need a Little Mr. Romance In Your Life?

Ever wonder if Hollywood would ever make a movie about those male models (a.k.a. Nathan Kamp or Fabio) who are on all the covers of our favorite romances?

Your wish has come true...

From Variety.com:

New Regency has acquired “Mr. Romance,” a pitch for a comedy that will be helmed by “Four Christmases” director Seth Gordon.

Jeff Roda ("The Siege of Fulton Avenue") will pen the script.

Regency has acquired rights to a Joshuah Bearman article commissioned by GQ magazine. Tower of Babble’s Beau Bauman will produce with Gordon.

The pic will be a comedy about a cynical guy who is forced to enter the Mr. Romance competition to win back the love of his life. The competition, which finds hunks whose photos grace the bodice-ripping covers of romance novels, is a real event.

“Romance novels sell 50% of all books, and there is a convention where guys submit themselves to physical and psychological tests to determine their romantic IQ,” Gordon told Daily Variety.

This sounds like a cute comedy! Even though the statement about "bodice-ripping covers" annoys me.

.

Who can you see playing the cynical guy? I can see Gerard Butler in the role. *G*

Katiebabs (KB)

TBR Challenge for December

Well this is the last TBR challenge of 2008. I'm looking forward to continuing it in 2009 since I've read some great books.
I'd hoped to go out with a bang - a big name author that others have raved about but I haven't read yet but alas, I got caught off guard and only remembered yesterday that today was the day. I knew that wouldn't give me enough time to read a mass market book but thankfully I have hundreds of series books I've bought over the years. So I have to confess I went looking for a smaller one that I could speed read. Luckily I'm good at that. Standing outside on my breaks at work I got a few pages in. Then some more at lunch. And I gave up blog hopping and TV tonight to read it. Thank Goodness SYTYCD wasn't on - otherwise I would have missed December for sure.


Wicked Hot by Leslie Kelly.
So, while not a book I planned, still I did enjoy this one. I've read and enjoyed a few other books by her so she wasn't an entirely new-to-me author. I was surprised though when I pulled this one out of the pile. Published in 2004, I apparently bought this one new and never even cracked it open as it looked brand new!
First of all, it's a Harlequin Temptation and reading it, I was once again saddened that Harlequin dropped this line.

Back Cover Blurb:

Wicked Games, Wicked Lies

New Yorker Ryan Stoddard can describe Savannah, Georgia in two words: wickedly hot. But the dark, mysterious woman he's gone there to find is even hotter. Though Jade Maguire turns him on to no end, he can't be distracted from his mission - to prove the sultry siren is a conniving thier! But as he charms her into letting down her guard, he never dreams the wicked game he's playing is about to backfire.....

Wicked Lust

Jade is surprised - and secretly thrilled - when Ryan Stoddard finds her. His blatant come-on provides a perfect opening for her revenge. As Ryan's payback for breaking her sister's heart, Jade plans to tempt him, tease him...and seduce him out of his clothes, leaving him high and dry. Only, as she gets to know oh-so-sexy Ryan better, she soon fears she'll be the one left desperate for more...

It took me a bit of time to warm up to this one. Both the hero and heroine were playing games and the premise was built on misunderstandings on both sides. The back cover blurb describes it pretty well. In an effort to play matchmaker, Ryan's grandmother had met Jade and decided she would be the perfect wife for her playboy, not-ready-to-settle down grandson so she lies to him, telling him Jade stole a portrait. Ryan heads to Savannah loaded for bear, ready to confront this swindling thief. But he is torn when he meets her and instead is very attracted to her.
For her part, Jade thinks that Ryan broke her younger sister's heart back in New York where she works as a waitress, so she is ready to make Ryan pay by getting him hot and bothered and then 'exposing' him. But just as he is attracted to her, so is she attracted to him.
After each has played their tie-em-up tricks on each other, the book settles down as we get to know the 'real' Ryan and Jade behind their masks of revenge and they are both pretty nice people especially Jade. She's the older sister and caretaker of a rather eccentric family and Ryan slowly begins to see this side of her and the fall in love. I'd say slowly, but this is a series book and nothing ever happens slowly in them *g*.
I don't read as many Harlequins as I used to - they got rid of my favourite line. But I must confess it feels good to read a book in a day. I used to do that a lot and when I closed the cover, I gave myself a smug grin; knowing I made the challenge and can add another read book to my spreadsheet - see I have personal goal of 80 this year and now I'm only 3 away from that.
And Wickedly Hot was a nice little book.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5.

If you are curious about the previous books
March - Saint or Sinner - Cheryl St. John - 4 out of 5
April - Rayvn's Flight by Patti O'Shea - 4 out of 5
May - (good one - I had 3) The Sword and The Wolf by Jean Johnson - both 4.5. Gabriel Hawk's Lady by Beverly Barton - 3.5
June - Rock Star by Roslyn Holcomb - 4 out of 5
July - Time's Captive by Kate Lyon - 4.5 out of 5
August - The Sins of His Past by Roxanne St. Clair - 3.5 out of 5
September - The Private Eye by Jayne Ann Krentz - 4.5 out of 5
October - Highlander Unchained by Monica McCarty - 3.5 out of 5
November - The Sea Wife by Holly Cook - 3 out of 5

So you can see by the grades that this challenge has been quite a success. I've enjoyed them all to one extent or another. For example, I enjoyed the Jean Johnson books so much I've continued with the series. I read a Cheryl St. John book I didn't even realize I had until I went looking for a book.
I got to read books I might never have gotten around to - books that I enjoyed.
But best of all, because I signed up for Keishon's challenge -- I challenged myself -- and I did it!
Thank you for this Keishon!!! It's a good feeling.
Next year I have two of them. Keishon is continuing the TBR challenge and Nath has a Reread Challenge started. I look forward to new older books and older well loved books!

Recent Reread

I'm getting an early start on Nath's Reread challenge!!

Lucky's Lady by Tami Hoag

Why this one: I dunno

Steam Level: Hot, sultry, sweltering – just like the setting

Amazon Blurb: As wild and mysterious as the Louisiana swamp he called home, Lucky Doucet was a dangerously attractive Cajun no woman could handle. His solitary life left no room for the likes of elegant Serena Sheridan, but Lucky couldn''t deny her desperate need to find her missing grandfather. He would help her, but nothing more--yet once he felt the lure of the flaxen-haired beauty, an adventurer like Lucky couldn''t help playing with fire.

Serena felt unnerved, aroused, and excited by the ruggedly sensual renegade whose gaze burned her with its heat, but she did not dare tangle with a rebel whose intensity was overwhelming, who claimed his heart was off limits? Deeper and deeper they traveled into the steamy bayou, until with one electrifying kiss her resistance melted into liquid desire. And the devilish rogue found he''d do anything to make Serena Lucky''s Lady.

My thoughts: Tami Hoag has long since left romance and is now writing suspense, but before that she wrote some pretty descent romance and Lucky’s Lady is probably one of the best of the bunch!!

At least I think that’s the case. As I was looking this up at Chapters, it seems some of her books may have some romance in them after all. Perhaps someone could let me know and I can add her back on my list. I followed her for the first few books when she changed genres but as she wrote less and less romance, being the shallow one I am, I enjoyed the books less and less.

Serena Sheridan, a successful physiologist has come home for a visit. And once she gets home, she discovers her beloved but ornery grandfather who raised her and her twin Shelby when their parents died, has disappeared into the bayou in order to evade selling the family home, something her sister is bound and determined is going to happen. Sheridan decides it’s her job to bring him back and in order to do that, she enlists – most reluctantly - Lucky Doucette, a Very Sexy Cajun with attitude.

Now readers – Lucky Doucette for this reader, is just sex on a stick!! He’s arrogant, he’s insufferable at times. He’s obnoxious to the heroine, yet he protects those who live in the bayou. He’s a temperamental artist and he feeds baby raccoons. His bad side is just him trying to keep the world at bay since he is still traumatized from episodes earlier in his life, particularly being held prisoner and tortured in a South American prison when he was in the military. And he’s absolutely delicious!!!

Serena is a great heroine. When we first meet her she comes across as an uptight, no-nonsense head doctor. But within very little time, we see the real Sheridan underneath. She’s passionate, quick with a comeback to Lucky and heartbroken over her rather dysfunctional relationship with her grandfather and sister.

Thrown together by her grandfather’s machinations, she’s reluctantly attracted to Lucky and vice versa. He had an unfortunate relationship years ago with Sheridan’s self-centered twin and for a while thinks Sheridan is just the same kind of person. But it doesn’t take him long to see the difference between sisters. But he’s still reluctant to get involved, thinking he’s just a shell with nothing to offer her.

It’s too bad that Ms. Hoag is concentrating on suspense rather than romance because she can also do romance real well!

Grade: 5 out of 5

Another addition to the list of Questors

Karen Scott of It's my Blog is the newest one to really enjoy this book!! Check out her 'nota' review :-)

Tempt the Devil **Advanced Book Review**

**SO NOT A FAN OF THIS COVER!!** :(

I have been a big fan of all of Anna Campbell’s books from the controversial Claiming the Courtesan, to Untouched, which had an interesting love story about a widow and her relationship with young man who never experienced physical love with a woman. Now with Tempt the Devil, she has written two characters who are on equal footing, perhaps not in society eyes, but when it comes to the bedroom, both her characters fight over the right to be on top. Julian and Olivia are both alphas who won’t back down from what they want. Julian wants Olivia’s total submission, where as Olivia just wants respect and the elusive joy that constantly escapes her ever she was forced into the lifestyle she hates because of the way she lost her innocence. Tempt the Devil is about forgiveness, trust and most importantly acceptance. If you are in the mood for a luscious and emotional read, Tempt the Devil is the book for you

Julian Southwood, Earl of Erith, has come back from Vienna to London, England for the marriage of his eighteen year old daughter. Julian has never gotten over the death of his young wife who he loved with such fervor, and because of that he does not have any relationship to speak of with both his daughter and son. Julian is also a man with intense sexual needs, and has the need for a mistress for the few months he will be residing in London. He sets his sights on Olivia Raines, who has quite the reputation of being London’s most notorious courtesan.

Olivia uses men for security and the money they bring to her. She allows Erith to be her protector for the moment, because she thinks she will be able to handle him, like all the other men that paid for the honor of bedding her. Erith thinks he will be able to break down her defenses to the point she will be craving his touch. Olivia is quite the skilled actress, especially in bed, and can give Erith what he needs even though she may not respond to his touch the way he expects her to. Olivia lays down some ground rules between them, such as no kissing and having as much freedom as she desires. Erith wants things his way and will not stop till Olivia is a pile of lust around him.

These two play an interesting cat and mouse game both in and out of the bedroom. Soon Erith is beyond obsessed with Olivia and wants not only her body, but her heart also. Olivia will not give into Erith because of her horrible past where another man ruined her for all other men, as well as a respectable life. Erith won’t allow Olivia to remain cold around him, and will use everything in his power to make her respond to his touch and the growing love he has for her. Erith thinks he can get Olivia to respond to him, even though her body can’t. The poor woman has never enjoyed sex and has emotionally blocked her mind and body from any pleasure she can received from a man. Erith decides he will be the man to break down these walls, and will make her come to the realization that she can let herself go with him.

Anna Campbell sure does write some of the most emotional and angst filled romances, and Tempt the Devil is no exception. The road to happiness between Julian and Olivia is a very long and hard one. Olivia fights tooth and nail against all that Erith is offering her. She is one of the most tortured heroines I have read this year, and at times, the way she and Julian interact with one another makes for some heavy and dark reading.

Julian is a character full of faults, which he realizes quite quickly due to his relationship with Olivia. He wants Olivia to confront her own issues and use him as support so they can have something worth while together. Olivia wants everything from Julian and that means marriage. But, Julian can’t give Olivia that even though he longs for her with every sense of his being. The scene where his daughter goes to confront Olivia, and where Julian finds them talking together will make most readers angry because of the way Julian acts. Olivia’s reaction is exactly as I would expect from her, and I couldn’t help but cheer Olivia because tells Julian to go to hell because she refuses to be degraded. And those who enjoy a good groveling scene, there is a nice one that Anna has written with Julian because of his fear of losing Olivia.

I would have to say that third time is a charm for Anna. Tempt the Devil was a very enjoyable read. The sex was pretty hot and Anna made her hero, Julian suffers very deeply because of Olivia’s indifference to him. Perhaps it was a bit evil on my part but I loved how Olivia wouldn’t fall for Julian’s charms. He was so dumbfounded, and because of that, he had to work for her heart. And when Olivia finally allowed herself to free and open with Julian, it is well worth it.

4 stars out of 5 stars

Katiebabs (KB)

Pushing The Envelope And Liking It!

Barbara from the Happily Forever After has finally read and posted her review of Pamela Clare’s Surrender. Surrender is my all time favorite book by Pamela, that is, until she writes about the dastardly Lord William. I left a comment on her post about how much I loved Surrender, and of one of my favorite scenes that involves some shaving between Ian and Annie.

For those who have read Surrender, you know what scene I am talking about. For those who haven’t read this book, let’s just say that while Ian is shaving his beard, he decides to give Annie a shave somewhere else, that eventually leads to some really hot sex between the two. I was so surprised how I really enjoyed this particular intimate act between this couple, because it comes out of the blue and is a bit shocking.

I also started to think about other shocking sex scenes I have read in romances that were scandalous, but weren’t disturbing or made me squirm uncomfortably. One such scene, that to this day is one of the most sensual and sexiest I have ever read, is from Lisa Kleypas’s Suddenly You. Jack and Amanda are the couple in this book whose marriage is not in a good place towards the end because Amanda has miscarried their baby. She wants to be left alone, and in her despair, she wants a divorce. Jack refuses and takes control of the situation by admitting his love for his wife as well as feeding her, since she has neglected eating. And when the time comes for dessert, he uses a bowl of raspberries in a very interesting way. Amanda becomes his desert as he eats the raspberries out of a certain part of Amanda’s anatomy. For some reason, I was not turned off in the least by this scene, and whenever someone mentions Suddenly You, that is the only scene that comes to my mind.

There are some other authors who are very skilled with pushing the sex envelope, and one such author is JR Ward and her Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Almost every book I have read by Ward has some love scenes that enter the NC-17 territory. These male heroes she has created sure do love to use their mouths in creative ways. Not only are her love scenes some of the best written out there, but she is not afraid to push the trust these between these men and their women. In Lover Eternal, Rhage has to be careful how far he will go emotionally with Mary, his mate, because if he doesn’t have a level head, his curse, which is his dragon, may come out and hurt her. Mary decides to take things into her own hands and chains Rhage to the bed, so she can have her way with him. And even if the dragon decides to make an appearance, she is willing to accept it. Ward has taken bondage to a whole new level.

Sarah McCarthy is one of the best authors who can write some of the best anal sex scenes, and quite honestly, I have never been a fan of that act, but for some reason, McCarthy really makes it work; even if her characters tend to have some of this loving while riding on a horse.

I understand that we each have our own likes and dislikes, especially by how far an author will go to get our attention, especially when they must come up with more creative ways to hold our interest. While, I may not be a big fan of some erotica that has the male hero with two penises, or a ménage a trio with the hero’s shadow involved in the loving of the heroine, I have to give kudos to these authors who are trying to keep things fresh and exciting.

Why not celebrate those love scenes that have us reaching for an ice cube or a fan? What are some of your favorite love scenes that you still remember fondly? What authors push the envelope in their books in regards to sex, but not too far that you will stop reading in disgust?

Katiebabs (KB)

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?
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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?