Believe and Beauty and the Duke

I have a lot of books on my nightstand that I am in the process of reading. So I am hoping to have a bunch of reviews up soon.!!! So let the reviewing begin!

Today I am doing reviews on Victoria Alexander's Believe and melody Thomas' Beauty and the Duke.

I am a huge Victoria Alexander fan. Her novel Believe is not a disappointment. I thought it was a magical story...pun intended. This is a time travel romace...which i love. The heronie, Tessa gets transported back to Camelot and has to help Galahad on his quest for the grail. The characters are great and there is a lot of humor in the story as well. She does a wonderful job of weaving her story together with the Arthur legend. Now the cover may be deceiving and it came out around christmas. It's complicated, but it's not a Christmas story...but I was not disappointed the story was delightful. i would highly recommend any of this author's books!

Next up is Melody Thomas' Beauty and the Duke. I really enjoyed this book as well. it was a fun read. The characters where interesting and the plot was original. I liked the way the characters interacted and how they all fit together. It was a very fun book. Some of the scene's were not writen as well as they could have been, but for the most part those are just the sex scenes, which does not have a lot of weight in this instance. So that flaw was not that a big deal. But i would recommend this book as well. I will be reading more of this author. This is the first of her books I have read. But her heronine is one of the first palentolisgists trying to have a career in science...in 1840...she is delightful!

Next time I am planning on doing a write up on Sabrina Jefferies. I just finished The Truth about Lord Stoneville. Currently I am reading Margo Maguire's Taken by the Laird

Natural Born Charmer

Hello readers. I am sorry I have neglected this blog for over a month. That is sad. But I am back and am planning on updaing much more frequently.

Well todays review is on Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Natural Born Charmer. Now I will admit I bought this on a whim because it was on sale at Barnes and Noble. I was very suprised how much I enjoyed the book. Now it is the first book I have read by this author and let me tell you last week I saw another one of her books and bought it. Her writing is engaging and her characters were fun. I like reading about a group of misfits coming together. What I truely loved about this book is it wasn't just about a romance between two people, but the love that grew between all the characters and how they made each other happier. It was a fun read. I would highly reccommend this book.

I will be reviewing Victoria Alexander's Believe  and Melody Thomas' Beauty and the Duke.

Right now I am ready the anthology Ladies Prefer Rogues. which is 4 romance stories...that involve time travel,,,i am sucha  sucker for time travel.

Further Posting on E-Readers and a Christmas Carol

ok so I have personally touched a sony e-reader, the nook, and the kindle. so i am very excited about this technology. Comparing all three, I will not buy a Sony e-reader, now that does not mean it is not a good model. I just perfer something with more features and the option to download books directly to it, as opposed to having to use a computer to do it. Since right now I don't have my own computer that would be a problem. So I like having the option of doing more with it. The kindle and the Nook are basically the same. But i liked the nook better. it was slightly lighter and it has the color touch screen at the bottom. in all honesty. it does not really matter between the nook and the kindle. You will have to look at what the two offer and decide which features and how much space you want. I knew someone who had the kindle which is how i got a look at it. And you can go see the nook at any Barnes and Noble. They have working models at the customer service desk. So i just wanted to make a quick update on that. I will have a few books to review after the holiday. Have a fantastic holiday!!!

I also saw Disney's animated A Christmas Carol. I thought it was wonderful. I thought it was a strong retelling of the classic story, that has been remade hundreds of times. It is one of the creepiest versions i've seen, which i liked. It is a ghost story, but can sometimes be watered down. The characters are portrayed well. Jim Carrey did a fantastic job, which I was not suprised about. It was a wonderful version and I would highly recommend it. But I saw it in 3-d and don't think you need to spend the extra money on it. I do no thtink seeing it in 3-d improves anything or adds anything for this movie.

this week I am reading Red Hot Santa by Cheery Adair, Leanne Banks, Pamela Britton, and Kelsey Roberts

Happy Holidays!!!!!

E-Readers!!!!

Ok I lied I am going to post some starting info on the e-readers and I'll add to the info as I go. That seems like a better plan. So today we are doing preliminary info on each reader.

Ok I have been looking at the sites for the Kindle and the Nook. On a whole they are really not that different. there are only minor differences. But you need to decided what features are important and which are not.  Further down there is a page with link that compares the two. Now I like the fact I can go into Barnes and Noble and look at the nook as of November 30th. But this blog is a lot of links, just because it would be easier to sort through the sites then listen to me ramble about them. Both the nook and the Kindle are the same price, so that is not really a factor.

First up is the Barnes and Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp

Next Amazon's Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Wireless-Reading-Display-Generation/dp/B0015T963C/ref=amb_link_85978291_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=169NRG668H7BMQ55BSSX&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=498747991&pf_rd_i=507846

now the Barnes and Noble site compares the Nook to the Knidle 2. So you may want to look at that. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/compare/

there is also the Sony E-Reader http://ebookstore.sony.com/reader/

Twitter: Barnes and Nobles e-book twitter http://twitter.com/eBooksBN
Kindles' twitter http://twitter.com/kindlenews

My thoughts: I like the nook right now. That is the one I am leaning towards personally. I like that I can look at it in the store and go to the store and get little pop ups or what ever they do. I like the touch screen can search by cover or I can use the keyboard. I like that I can add a memory card to the nook and I can lend and borrow books. But I liked the text to speech feature on the Kindle and it has been out for a while. I am unimpressed with the Sony. So I am really leaning towards the nook, but i was already a barnes and noble fan. So I was a bit biased.

So I hope this mess of a blog helps you on your e-reader adventure!! There will be more on this topic in the future!!

the color purple and janet chapman's Highlander Christmas

Ok so I may do little updates though my phone. Just little blurt updates. So we will see how that goes.

I will be doing a blog comparing and discussing Amazon's Kindle, Barnes and Nobles Nook, and the Sony e-reader. Now I want to do some research and I am going to try to see some of these as well. So that may not come till January. But I will be discussing those. I am very excited about them. and right now I am leaning towards a Nook, but let me do some more research and I will post something maybe sooner if I get in gear and find out enough info.

I recently saw The Color Purple at the Bob Carr. I have to say I am a huge fan of the book and movie and the musical is just asgood. It is a powerful story and I would recommend any version to anyone. It is a story of determination, love, and overcoming odds. I love the message and the story itself. The characters are also rich and compeling.

Ok book reviews for today. Now I had never read any of Janet Chapman's books before. But she had just released A Highlander Christmas and I am a sucker for christmas books, i love them. So i bought it. I loved it. It was interesting and really kept moving. The characters were so sweet. It was a good holiday story. And it is a called a novella, even though it is a touch long for a novella I thought, but that is nether here not there.

I loved it so much I went a picked up Janet Chapman's Charming the Highlander which is the first in the series. I was blown away. The story was very good and it was really moving. the connection between the characters and how she brings people together is fantastic. And while there are a lot of time traveling highlander stories out there. This one is a bit different then most. I have read quite a few and I was very impressed with this story. I would also recommend reading at least this one before A Highlander Christmas. While that book can stand alone, I understood it more by reading the first one. I do not know if reading the others would matter since I have not gotten that far. But both books are worth checking out. I am very excited to have found a new author, and can not wait to read her other books.

I am testing to see if i can update on my phone!

A Wicked Lord at the Wedding and The Earl Claims His Wife

Well there seems to be a lot of news about e-readers out right there. Barnes and Noble is coming out with there own version. So coming up I will do research on a couple of different types and post my findings later this week or next week.

I have been watching the T.V show Bones lately that is based ooff the life and books of Kathy Reiches. I have been meaning to read her books, so I will be picking up the her first book soon. I am really loving this tv show and have finished season 1.

Also on Friday the movie the Vampire's Assistant comes out which is based upon a trilogy of books. This book is also represented at Univerals Halloween Horror Night in it's own scare zone, which is pretty fun.

Today I will be discussing two books. Then I will be caught up with my resent reading.

First up us A Wicked Lord at the Wedding by Jillian Hunter. Now I am a big fan of Jillian Hunter. I loved her Boscastle sibling series. Which I will discuss at a later date. This book is highley entertaining and the characters are delightful. It is also a bit of a treat that the male protagonist, Sabastien, is a Boscastle cousin. So if you are familiar with her other work, it is a branch of the same family. Which I always find exciting and love to see characters pop up or even to be mentioned in other stories. But this story is fast paced and fresh. The female protagonist, Eleanor, is an interesting character who is an excellent match for her husband. I thought the plot was strong and the characters interesting. I would recommend this book, it is a very fun read.

Next up is an author that I am always excited to read and that is The Earl Claims His Wife by Cathy Maxwell. I actually met Cathy Maxwell at a Romace convention earlier this year and she was delightful. I was thriller to meet her. This recent novel of hers is very good. And is actually simialar to the last book I just wrote about, in that is about an absantee hunsband coming back into the picture. But this is also a fast paced story, with actually little danger. Wile the previous book has more action this has a lot of heart. This story is a true testament of different types of love. I would highly recommend this book. Gillian is a fantastic character, she is strong and fiery and I loved her resilance. You also really feel for her husband Brian. I think it is a good read and would highly recommend it.

Well that is all for now. Currently I am reading Sharp Edges by Jayne Anne Krentz.

My Lord and Spymaster, Cherish, and Santa in a Stetson

I will be reviewing and discussing 3 books in this blog. yah!!

First up is My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne. I found this story very original and fun. This story is a fast paced adventure with very strong and fun characters. I was actually suprised at how much I really enjoyed this book. I love when you get really involved in the characters and care what happens to them. Jess who is the female protagonist is a fantastic character. She is a very different sort of character and spunky and fiery. Sabastian is also a wonderful character. They compliment each other very well.

The next book is Cherish by Catherine Anderson. This was a fantastic book. I would highly reccomend it to anyone. It deals with the dirreiculty of witnessing a tramatic stituation and how shock can occur and the effects it has on the person themselves and the ones around them. Rebecca and Race are amazing characters who you truely learn to love and want the best for. Now Catherine Anderson is one of my favorite all time romance authors. If you are looking for an excellent read anything with her name on it is worth your time. This story takes place in Colorado area in 1810. The climate and ruffians are only a few of the obsticles delt with. This is an amazing book and you should read it. It is a testament of true love and overcoming incredible odds.

The next book is Janet Dailey's book Santa in a Stetson. Now I am going to say it is a cute story. A bit flat, but cute. I will worn you it has nothing to do with christmas. The last chapter takes place around christmas but that is all. The back of the book is not what the book is about and is misleading. I have never been more confused or disappointed. I love Christmas stories, the feel, the setting, and you don't get that. The title also makes no sense to the story. But it is a cute story and actually worth reading, just don't ecpect it to be what it isn;t and you'll be fine. The characters are interesting, but a there was something about the story that seemed a bit off, and i can't put my finger on it. but it is a nice quick read.

Right now i am reading another of my favorite authors. I am reading The Earl Claims His Wife by Cathy Maxwell.  Happy Reading

The Shadowmen Series by Jennifer St. Giles

It's been too long since my last post. So that means I have a lot of catching up to do since I have quite a few books to review. So where to start....let's see.

Movie News: In movies Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is doing really well in theaters, I have yet to catch the flick myself, but do want to see it. There have been a lot of previews for Where the Wild Things are, which is also based off a children's book coming out soon. The biggest movie/ book news, is the upcoming release of New Moon, the second in the Twilight series. Disney is releasing another version of a Chritmas Carol...which I am excited about. And finally in december Holmes based on the character Sherlock Holmes is coming out. So we have a lot of movies coming out based on books, so we will see how they are.

Book News: There are some interesting new releases. A big on is Dan Brown's new book The Lost Symbol. The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks is also out, which sounds interesting. I am excited about Heat Wave by Richard Castle....but I am a HUGE Castle fan...which is an awesome show on ABC.

So I finished the first four books in Jennifer St. Giles Shadowmen series. Overall I enjoyed the series and when more books are relased I will read them but I was disappointed in the series and I'll explain that within each book. It is like one long book

The first book Touch a Dark Wolf was fantastic. It was fast paced and the characters are compleling. I really enjoyed this first book and highly recommend it. It is a simple story but it really draws you into it. St. Giles does a good job of creating a wonderful fantasy world in which the shadowmen live. It does a nice job of compiling legends and such and putting it in a logical and believable world.

The second book is The Lure of the Wolf was also wonderful. It focuses on the main characters and includes the characters we saw in the last book buliding them, but the focus is centered and the plot is simple to follow and compelling like the first book.

Now Kiss of Darkness is where things start to a bit downhill. I loved the characters she focused on in the book...or was suppose to. But as we continue this story through the third book it becomes too wide. there is too much going on. I wanted to read more about the relationship of the characters it was to focus on. But there was not as much time with them as I would liek to as seen. But there is a lot going on and the story is still incredible and i want to see what happens to these characters. But this was still a good story.

The fourth book Bride of the Wolf was not all that good. I wanted to know more about the main characters in this book, but got too much of the side stories. We have more characters in this book and buliding all these new characters, when they should be more secondary, becuase if they get there own books we know too much to make it really interesting. Unless it is set up so they can not stand alone. But i wanted more with the main characters in this book, which of the ensamble are the most underdeveloped.

will I read the next one? Yes, while there is a lot going on the the plot falls apart a bit in the fourth book, i am attatched to the characters, but I hope that the characters are not spread thin when they need to be to focal point of the story.

Right now I am reading Cherish  by Catherine Anderson.

S.J. Day Marked Series

News: I am super excited about Lisa Kleypas' book Tempt Me at Twilight being released tomorrow. So this is the last time that announcement will be up...which I am sure your glad of.

I bought a book from Amazon a book recommended to me by a friend. It is This Times a Charm by Don Wilhelm. It is a story about his battle with cancer. Here is the website where you can read some of the book and get more information about this inspirational man! http://www.thistimesacharm.com/blog/entry/01-27-2009/Read-This-Times-a-Charm-for-Free/15

Todays review is on S.J. Day's Marked series. There are three books Eve of Darkness, Eve of Destruction, and Eve of Chaos. I really enjoyed this series and thought is was wonderful. I am hoping there will be more books released in this series.

Eve of Darkness is the first book. and is very fast paced and intense. Now this one is very risque in the begining so be prepared for that. But Day is a wonderful story teller and this is a fast paced adventure. Eve is an interior designer who is marked with the mark of cain. In which we are introduced to the origianl Cain and Abel and Angels, Demons, and other supernatual characters make up the colorful cast of characters.

Eve of Destruction is next and I liked it, but not as much as the first one. I had a hard time sometimes keeping with the story, I thought it was a bit slow sometimes and wanted it a bit faster. I think it was becuase the first one was so fast, but it is still an enjoyable read and the ending was super exciting.

Eve of Chaos was a nice third book and I was really with this book. Day really brings the characters to interesting levels and we develops them nicely. I really liked the direction she took them, while I can see some being a bit unhappy, but it should not suprise anyone. I loved this book. I really look forward to more books in this series.

Overall I would highly recommend this series. If sex, religous themes, and violence are not your thing, these books are not for you. But overall these elements aren't distracting or over the top. They are super fun books!!

S.J. Day is on twitter http://twitter.com/sjday. and her website is http://www.sjday.net/

Currently I am reading Lure of Darnkess by Jennifer St. Giles. Which is the third book in her Shadowmen series. I am really enjoying them and can't wait to write up my reviews!!!

Have fun reading!!!!!