Mailbox Monday (29 June)

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia @ The Printed Page

This is what I received this week..

Sunnyside Blues by Mary Carter .. I won this from A Novel Menagerie

Twenty-five-year-old Andes Lane has spent nine years moving restlessly from place to place as she searches for somewhere that feels right. In the little blue houseboat bobbing on a Seattle lake, she thinks she's found it. But Andes has barely had a chance to settle in before her new life is upended by her landlord, Jay, and his ten-year-old son, Chase. Smart, secretive, and precocious, Chase touches a chord with Andes even as he plays on her last nerve. When Jay needs someone to take care of Chase temporarily, Andes agrees to accompany the boy to Sunnyside, Queens, on a quest she's sure will prove fruitless. But in this new, strange, unexpectedly welcoming city, Andes will confront the secrets she tried to leave behind and the lies that have kept her running. And against all odds, she'll discover a place, a man, and a newfound peace of mind that feel very much like home.

Booking Through Thursday - Hot

Now that summer is here (in the northern hemisphere, anyway), what is the most “Summery” book

you can think of? The one that captures the essence of summer for you?

(I’m not asking for you to list your ideal “beach reading,” you understand, but the book that you can read at any time of year but that evokes “summer.”)

Well I don't have certain books that I read depending on weather and season.. I just read what I feel like reading so it depends on the mood and the last book I read..

Sometimes after I read a thriller or a complicated murder/mystery I want something light and funny to defuse my thoughts and unwind.. sometimes if I'm reading a series I would like to continue and read the next book in the series.. so it all depends on my mood.. :)

But the book that I read while I was on my summer vacation 2 years ago was Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows.. that was because it was released at that time and I was waiting for the book :D so this would be the book that comes to mind :)

So do you have certain summer reads?? Check out what other people have to say about it..

Friday Finds (June 26)

What great books did you hear about / discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

Ok for this week .. these are my finds that I found interesting :)


1. Fever by Christine Feehan
Found @ Alaine's Reading Blog

In Wild Rain and the novella "The Awakening," Christine Feehan created an exotic, sensual race-the Leopard People. Fever brings the two stories together for the first time in one volume, a one-way ticket to a dizzying new world of desire.

In "The Awakening," a beautiful naturalist's dream comes true-to live among the feral jungle creatures. But an untamed, irresistible beast of another sort inspires her to explore her own wild side.

Wild Rain's Rachel Lospostros has escaped from a faceless assassin and found sanctuary thousands of miles from home, under the towering jungle canopy. In this world teeming with unusual creatures she encounters Rio, a native of the forest imbued with a fierce prowess, and possessed of secrets of his own. When Rio unleashes the secret animal instincts that course through his blood, Rachel must decide if he is something to be feared-or desired.

2. Sunnyside Blues by Mary Carter
Found @ A Novel Menagerie (And won it in her giveaway :) )

Twenty-five-year-old Andes Lane has spent nine years moving restlessly from place to place as she searches for somewhere that feels right. In the little blue houseboat bobbing on a Seattle lake, she thinks she's found it. But Andes has barely had a chance to settle in before her new life is upended by her landlord, Jay, and his ten-year-old son, Chase. Smart, secretive, and precocious, Chase touches a chord with Andes even as he plays on her last nerve. When Jay needs someone to take care of Chase temporarily, Andes agrees to accompany the boy to Sunnyside, Queens, on a quest she's sure will prove fruitless. But in this new, strange, unexpectedly welcoming city, Andes will confront the secrets she tried to leave behind and the lies that have kept her running. And against all odds, she'll discover a place, a man, and a newfound peace of mind that feel very much like home.


3. The Crime Writer by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz

A crime writer finds himself entangled in his own gruesome mystery in this fast-paced psychological thriller

Drew Danner, a crime novelist with a house off L.A.’s storied Mulholland Drive, awakens in a hospital bed with a scar on his head and no memory of being found convulsing over his ex- fiancée’s body the previous night. He was discovered holding a knife, her blood beneath his nails. He himself doesn’t know whether he’s guilty or innocent. To reconstruct the story, the writer must now become the protagonist, searching the corridors of his life and the city he loves.

Soon Drew closes in on clues he may or may not have left for himself, and as another young woman is similarly murdered he has to ask difficult questions not of others but of himself. Beautifully crafted and heartbreakingly told, The Crime Writer confronts our inherent fear of what we might truly be capable of—good or evil. Like nothing he’s written before, The Crime Writer takes Hurwitz in an exciting new direction and is sure to reach a whole new audience.

Mailbox Monday (22 June)

This is the first time I participate in this fun weekly post since at last I got something in the mail :) The Printed Page
Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia @

This is the only book I got this week but hopeful I'll get more in the upcoming weeks :)

The Divine Appointment by Jerome Teel
( Won this from Tami @ Tree Swing Reading , she has great giveaways by the way ;))

A liberal Supreme Court justice has died and the president, a right wing pro-life politician, nominates Dunbar Shelton to replace her in an explosive pro-life vs. pro-choice conflict.

In Tennessee, lawyers Eli Faulkner and Jill Baker represent a physician in the murder case of a young lawyer. Jill flies to Washington to get a part of the story from investigative journalist Holland Fletcher.

Together, the players in this drama will uncover answers that may cost them their lives. Is it worth it to risk everything when you're fighting for what you believe in?

Weekly Geeks : Reading Challenges

This week's Weekly Geeks topic was suggested by Sheri of A Novel Menagerie. She writes:

"Reading Challenges: a help or a hurt? Do you find that the reading challenges keep you organized and goal-oriented? Or, do you find that as you near the end of a challenge that you've failed because you fell short of your original goals? As a result of some reading challenges, I've picked up books that I would have otherwise never heard of or picked up; that, frankly, I have loved. Have you experienced the same with challenges? If so, which ones? Do you have favorite reading challenges?"

As we pass the halfway point of 2009, how are you doing with your reading challenges? Did you participate in any challenges this year? Be sure to come back to this post and leave a link to your Weekly Geeks post. Don't forget to visit your fellow Weekly Geeks throughout the week and see how they're doing with their reading challenges.

Well last year was the first time I participate in a challenge, it was the 50 book challenge.. because I wanted to push myself to read that many books since I have never done that much in a year.. it was usually around 10 books a year :)

So by the end of 2008 I've read 55 books ;) I thought that was so cool so I joined so many challenges this year to try and push myself to read different things.. and it worked :) I've already reached 40 books since January till now so I feel I'm accomplishing things here ;)

I've finished some of those challenges and have some I still need to finish.. I will sign in to a new one today too :) The Sookie Stackhouse Challenge, well it won't be much of a challenge since I will only need to read one book in 1 whole year but it will be fun to see what others have to say about the books since I'm a fan and read the first 8 books already :D

The one challenge that I did not complete in time was the Book Award Challenge since I'm not really fond of award books although I have read 7 out of 9 and enjoyed 4 of them :) I might consider participating next year if there is such a challenge :)

Friday Finds (19 June)

What great books did you hear about / discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

Not much this week :)

1. The Divine Appointment by Jerome Teel
( Won this from Tami @ Tree Swing Reading , she has great giveaways by the way ;))

A liberal Supreme Court justice has died and the president, a right wing pro-life politician, nominates Dunbar Shelton to replace her in an explosive pro-life vs. pro-choice conflict.

In Tennessee, lawyers Eli Faulkner and Jill Baker represent a physician in the murder case of a young lawyer. Jill flies to Washington to get a part of the story from investigative journalist Holland Fletcher.

Together, the players in this drama will uncover answers that may cost them their lives. Is it worth it to risk everything when you're fighting for what you believe in?

2. Worst Nightmares by Shane Briant
Found @ Reading Extravaganza

Dermot Nolan is an award-winning bestselling author who seems to have it all—a successful career, fame, fortune, and a beautiful wife. Between the royalties coming in from his most recent book and the revenue he has received from the film company that bought the rights, Dermot seems every bit the literary darling.
And yet, for the last year, he has suffered from a bout of writer’s block, and in the process has grossly overspent his income. So when Dermot comes across an unsolicited manuscript stuffed into his mailbox, he cannot help but feel intrigued. It tells the story of the homicidal “Dream Healer,” who snares his victims via his website, worstnightmares.net, seduces them into revealing their innermost fears, and then kills them by revisiting their very own nightmares
upon them.
Dermot, with the help of his wife, begins to rework the novel, while simultaneously researching the individual dream stories. In his search, he very slowly begins to realize that the novel may not be entirely fictional, that these poor characters may have perished at the hands of a twisted torturer. Could the Dreamhealer be real? Could these innocent cyber-surfers have fallen victim to a raving maniac? Just how far is fact from fiction? And could Dermot be writing his own ticket to death...his very own worst nightmare?

3. Prism by Faye Kellerman & Aliza Kellerman

Found @ The Book Resort Reviews

Prism takes us to a slightly alternate universe in which medicine and health care do not exist, and in which sick people are allowed to die without any care. Set in New Mexico and California, the novel features three teens who fall through a cave at Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico while on a field trip. They are plunged into a frightening parallel universe—seven weeks in the past, in which their "normal" worlds of family and high school remain the same…except for the fact that no medicine exists and when people die in the street they are picked up and disposed of.

4. The King's Rose by Alisa Libby
Found @ Tanzanite's Shelf and Stuff

Life in the court of King Henry VIII is a complex game. When fif teen-year-old Catherine Howard catches the king’s eye, she quickly transforms from pawn to queen. But even luxury beyond imagination loses its luster as young Catherine finds her life—and her heart—threatened by the needs of an aging king and a family hungry for power. Will their agendas deliver Catherine to the same fate as her infamous cousin, Anne Boleyn—sacrificed at the altar of family ambition?
Engaging historical fiction with a throbbing YA heartbeat, this thrilling novel will draw readers into the intrigues and dangers of the Tudor court.

5. Dark Places: A Novel by Gillian Flynn
Found @ Whimpulsive

I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ.

Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” As her family lay dying, little Libby fled their tiny farmhouse into the freezing January snow. She lost some fingers and toes, but she survived–and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, Ben sits in prison, and troubled Libby lives off the dregs of a trust created by well-wishers who’ve long forgotten her.

The Kill Club is a macabre secret society obsessed with notorious crimes. When they locate Libby and pump her for details–proof they hope may free Ben–Libby hatches a plan to profit off her tragic history. For a fee, she’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club . . . and maybe she’ll admit her testimony wasn’t so solid after all.

As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the narrative flashes back to January 2, 1985. The events of that day are relayed through the eyes of Libby’s doomed family members–including Ben, a loner whose rage over his shiftless father and their failing farm have driven him into a disturbing friendship with the new girl in town. Piece by piece, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started–on the run from a killer.

6. Bound By Blood: The Awakening by C.H. Scarlett
(Given to my for review by Debra @ Review Your Book

Isn't the cover just GORGEOUS ?

The truth of the Ancients has been kept from you. For life did not begin here on Earth but in a universe known as TEŔAH.
Can you lay claim to one of their bloodlines?
Samanthŕa Lampiŕ can and this is her story…
And possibly, it is the beginning of yours.
*****
Samanthŕa Lampiŕ is the High Priestess of twelve very powerful and ancient bloodlines. She is on the verge of her Awakening which is something every Vii before her has welcomed with absolute ease. Not Samanthŕa though, for her Awakening is prophesied to bring about the doom of her and those she loves the most, her six sisters. In secret, she undergoes dangerous rituals that’s could literally destroy her but she is more than willing to take that chance for she is no stranger to sacrifice. Despite the fatal threats of TEŔAH and the rising strengths of its enemies, she is succeeding until the night a great storm of unknowable power releases a prophecy, a revelation that will change her world, her peoples’ world, forever.
Daŕēus Dracuŕa, Father of the Blood and keeper of the 13th forgotten bloodline, is released from an age long prison that he was wrongly condemned to by traitors of his own blood and that of Evil. In a venomous rage, he learns that TEŔAH is in greater apparel than anyone in it has come to realize and he is the only one that can stop it. But in order to do so, he needs the High Priestess and he needs her at her full strength and power. He needs her Awakened whether she is willing or not and despite what harm it may bring to others.
***

Enter a world unlike any other. Discover a past which has been kept secret until now. Find your place among a forgotten bloodline and in the end, know your true purpose.
But be forewarned now, the truth is not always what it seems and lifting the veil is not always easy.

Once you begin this journey, know that it can not end until it is finished.
Ask yourself now, before you invoke the spell of this tale, what those in TEŔAH had to decide….
Are you ready to be awakened?
Because once you do, there is no turning back.

Musing Mondays (June 15)

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about award winning books…

Do you feel compelled to read prize-winning (Giller/Booker/Pulitzer etc) books? Why, or why not? Is there, perhaps, one particular award that you favour? (question courtesy of MizB)

No I don't feel compelled at all to read a prize-winning book, I might be curious once in a while if it's a genre I usually enjoy that's why I failed miserably in the Book Awards Reading Challenge.. I just couldn't make myself finish it.. it felt like a frustrating homework that I just had to do and will not enjoy so I just stopped trying.. I finished 7 books .. I enjoyed 4 of them :

Bridge To Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (Newbery Medal 1978 )

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harric (Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original in 2001)

"B" Is For Burglar by Sue Grafton (Shamus Award for Best Novel from the Private Eye Writers of America in 1986)

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (2003 Hugo Award for Best Novella, the 2003 Nebula Award for Best Novella, and the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers)

but I read them mostly because I wanted to read the book and not mainly because they are award books :) so some of those books I read I didn't even know they won any awards until after I finished it ;)

Friday Finds (June 12)

What great books did you hear about / discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

For this week I found..

1. Serial by Jack Kilborn, Blake Crouch
Found @ Bella is reading

Remember the twin golden rules of hitchhiking? # 1: Don-t go hitchhiking, because the driver who picks you up could be certifiably crazy. # 2: Don-t pick up hitchhikers, because the traveler you pick up could be raving nutcase. So what if, on some dark, isolated road, Crazy #1 offered a ride to Nutcase #2? When two of the most twisted minds in the world of horror fiction face off, the result is SERIAL, a terrifying tale of hitchhiking gone terribly wrong. Like a deeply twisted version of an -After School Special,- SERIAL is the single most persuasive public service announcement on the hazards of free car rides. Beyond a thrilling piece of horrifying suspense, SERIAL is also a groundbreaking experiment in literary collaboration. Kilborn wrote the first part. Crouch wrote the second. And they wrote the third together over email in 100-word exchanges, not aware of each other-s opening section. All bets were off, and may the best psycho win.

To get Serial legally free..
For your Sony Reader
For your Kindle
From the author's website

2. The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax
Found @ Chicks With Books

Once upon a time four aspiring authors met at their very first writers’ conference. Ten years later they’re still friends, survivors of the ultra-competitive New York publishing world. Mallory St. James is a workaholic whose bestsellers support a lavish lifestyle. Tanya Mason is a single mother juggling two jobs, two kids, and too many deadlines. Faye Truett is the wife of a famous televangelist and the author of inspirational romances: no one would ever guess her explosive secret. Kendall Aim s’s once-promising career is on the skids—and so is her marriage. Her sales are dismal, her new editor detests her work—and her husband is cheating. Barely able to think, let alone meet her final deadline, Kendall holes up in a mountain cabin to confront a blank page and a blanker future. But her friends won’t let her face this trial alone. Together they collaborate on a novel using their own lives as fodder, assuming no one will ever discover the truth behind their words.

No one is more surprised than they are when the book becomes a runaway bestseller. But with success comes scrutiny and scandal…as these four best friends suddenly realize how little they’ve truly known each other.

3. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
Found @ The Eclectic Reader

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

4. The Devil You Know by Mike Carey
Found @ Vixen's Daily Reads

Felix Castor is a freelance exorcist, and London is his stamping ground. It may seem like a good ghostbuster can charge what he likes and enjoy a hell of a lifestyle--but there's a risk: Sooner or later he's going to take on a spirit that's too strong for him. While trying to back out of this ill-conceived career, Castor accepts a seemingly simple ghost-hunting case at a museum in the shadowy heart of London--just to pay the bills, you understand. But what should have been a perfectly straightforward exorcism is rapidly turning into the Who Can Kill Castor First Show, with demons and ghosts all keen to claim the big prize. That's OK: Castor knows how to deal with the dead. It's the living who piss him off...

5. City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments Series #1) by Cassandra Clare
Found @ The Book Resort Reviews

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Vampire Nights by G.A. Hauser

Vampire Nights by G.A. Hauser

Year Published: 2009

My Rating: 3 stars

355 pages (on my Sony Reader)

Vivienne Starr is an editor of a glamour magazine, when she goes to her 20 year high school reunion to meet with her girlfriends, she is shocked to find her high school sweetheart RJ who left her with 20 years ago without a word and a broken heart.
He tries to rekindle what they had but she meets a guy who comes to work for her magazine Daniel Dillon and they hit it off from day one!
Then RJ seems to be everywhere she is, stalking her and creeping her out.. Every time she meets with him she loses chunks of time and wakes up drained and disoriented.. what exactly is he doing to her and will her relationship with Danny stand the strain?!

I enjoyed the story of the book and thought it was very good, but the telling of the story in my opinion was a bit weak.. the storyline was great and would have turned out to be a 5 star but the dialogue and the telling was not that great.. I would read another book by this author just because I enjoyed the story! I kept reading it wanting to know what happens in the end :) Although his explanation of his disappearance was not that convincing :)

Quotes I enjoyed from the book:
It would be so easy. Just allow this to happen. Bring back the memories like a tsunami and let it drown me.

When he kissed her lips again, she felt herself go into that meltdown phase. Liquid, spineless, she floated over the wood floor as he held her up effortlessly. And in a waltz-like dance, they moved across the room, spinning and hovering in the air.

"When I'm good, I'm very good, when I'm bad, I'm even better,” she purred.

"Check this out. The gourmet market had these elephant garlic cloves. The grocer said they roast up really sweet."
"Holy shit.” He inspected the giant head of garlic. “That'll keep the vampires away!"
"Christ! It'll keep everyone away!” She laughed as he tossed it to her and she stuck it on the counter.

Unimportant Meme

Jenny Girl @Jenny loves to read was kind to tag me with this fun meme.. thank you Jenny :)

The rules for this meme are:
1. Mention who tagged you.
2. List six unimportant things that make you happy.
3. Tag six more blogs, then go and comment on their blogs. Let them know that they have been challenged, and invite them to play along.

First of all I was tagged this meme before here by Bella Foxx :) but I will state another 6 unimportant things here :)

1. Writing a satisfying (for me) book review
2. Visiting my best friend
3. Watching a really good movie
4. Reading a good book
5. Having a good night's sleep
6. Relaxing on the beach with a good book

Ok I answered these questions without looking at the previous answers then I peeked :) got 2 of them the same !!

Now to tag some people !!

1. Insert Book Title @ {Insert Book Title Here}
2. Tami @ Middle Rageously
3. Jess @ Barney's Book Blog
4. SuziQoregon @ Whimpulsive
5. Dar @ Peeking Between the Pages
6. Mandi @ Smexy Books

Kreativ Blogger Award

My friend Virginie @ Virginie Says… has honored me with this so beautiful award. I thank her very much for thinking of me, it was so sweet of her :)

Rules:
Post 7 things you love.
Give award to 7 other bloggers who are creative.

7 things I love

My hubby and kids
My Mom and Dad
My 2 brothers
My cat Dexter
My Sony Reader
My IPhone
My New Mini 10 Dell Netbook :)

This time I'll pass this award to ..

1. Erotic Horizon @ Erotic Horizon
2. TexasRed @ TexasRed Books
3. Diane @ The Book Resort
4. Sandy @ You've GOTTA read this!
5. Rebecca @ Lost in Books
6. Blodeuedd @ Book girl of Mur-y-Castell
7. Bella Foxx @ Bella is reading . . .

Musing Mondays (June 8)

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading time…

Do you have a set reading time (before bed, perhaps)? Do you read more at night or during the day? Is there a day of the week, perhaps, that you set aside to catch up on reading?

Actually the only set time for reading is when I'm in the car since I don't drive :) other than that any free time I have that is not on my computer or in front of the TV would go to reading.. I sometimes read before I sleep but only if I went to bed not really sleepy or if it's early.

And since I always have a book with me, actually my reader, any free time I have waiting in line, going up the elevator or sitting in a boring party.. I just whisk my reader out and start reading :)

I know it's not Monday but I got caught up this week, so I'm trying to catch up on my posting :)

"I Suck at Challenges" Challenge Update #4

I seem to be getting slower and slower :( so for the month of May this is what I finished..

1. Desire Unchained by Larissa Ione

2. Her Heart His Soul by Kari Thomas

3. Heart Storm by Liane Gentry Skye

4. From Dead To Worse by Charlaine Harris

5. Out Of The Box (The Edge Series #2) by Kallysten

6. The Prey by Allison Brennan


Challenges Completed:
Spring '09 Challenge
Read Your Own Books 2009
2009 Erotica Reading Challenge
Series Challenge Season 3 (*)
Serial Readers Challenge 2009 (*)
Romance Reading Challenge 2009
Read Your Own Books 2009
The Love Bites Reading Challenge (*)
Naming Conventions Challenge

* finished last month but didn't report them

Challenges (past due) uncompleted:
Book Awards Reading

Other Challenges Updated:

2009 Read and Review Challenge

Just reviewing all books read this year!

50 Book Challenge 2009
39/50 (6 added)

Pages Read Challenge
9096/10000 (1742 pages added)

The Countdown Challenge
32/45 (5 added)

999 Challenge
46/72 (6 added)

2009 Suspense and Thriller Reading Challenge
6/12 (1 added)

1st in Series Challenge 2009
8/12 (1 added)

2nds Challenge 2009
5/12 (1 added)

100 Shots of Short
28/100 (2 added)

Buy One Book and Read It Challenge 2009
7/12 (1 added)

9 Books for 2009
8/9 (1 added)

2009 Chick Lit Challenge
7/10 (1 added)

The 2009 Pub Challenge
5/9 (4 added)

Ok I'm starting to feel good about most of the challenges.. although I do have some challenges that I know will not have the time to finish like Book Awards Reading Challenge that finished June 1st although I only read 7 out of the 10 books I should have read! I will no longer look for award winning books to read so I will regard it as a finished challenge, well semi finished :)

What's On Your Desk Wednesday?

What's on your desk Wednesday? is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Sassy Brit of Alternative-Read.com

Here's what you do:

Grab a camera and take a photo of your desk! Or anywhere you stack your books/TBR pile. And no tidying!

Add this photo to your blog.

Tag at least 5 people!

Come back here and leave a link back to your photo in the comments section.

That's it.

However, for those without digital cameras or blogs of your own, you can do this instead: (or both if you are keen!)

List at least 5 BOOKISH things on your desk (I'm thinking your TBR pile or books you haven't shelved...)

List at least 5 NON BOOK things. (I'm thinking some of some of the more unusual items on your desk/table?)

Tag at least 5 people to do the same.

Well since my actual desk has no books and has only computer related stuff *boring* there is nothing exciting there..


So I took a picture of my book shelves, well not all of them just a part so you know what the idea is :)
This is the novels section ;)

And this is the computer books section..mostly :)


Ok now to tag 5 people :)

1. Diane @ The Book Resort
2. Yvonne @ Socrates' Book Reviews
3. Sandra @ You've GOTTA read this!
4. Bella @ Bella is reading
5. Rebecca @ Lost In Books

Essential Seduction by Nikki Soarde

Essential Seduction by Nikki Soarde

Year Published: 2009

My Rating: 4 stars

pages

I was sent this book for review by Debra @ reviewyourbook

David Metcalfe is good with people, actually he is so good especially with women that he started seducing women for a living by helping the police catch some bad guys.. Until an attack landed him in the hospital which made him rethink his way of life.

He was then approached by his close friend Stevie, asking for his help in rescuing her only daughter from a new cult that she believes will only betray her. So for David to ensure getting close to the colony of this cult the plan is to seduce the cult founder's lonely daughter Thea.
But then David's feelings for Thea get in the way and he is between rescuing Stevie's daughter and betraying Thea.

This was a very enjoyable and fun book, with hot erotic scenes!!! The characters were engaging and charismatic with a touch of humor.. I loved David and Thea. they were great together. Such chemistry!!

It was the first time I read a book by this author but I'm hooked with this book and I will definitely check out her other books.. I just loved her writing style :)

So if you like a romance with some erotica tossed in, don't miss this book ;)

Quotes I enjoyed from the book:
She had said that it was as if he smiled with his whole heart. As if, in those unguarded moments she could see all of him. As if a little piece of his soul leaked out and shone through his eyes, making him seem absolutely real and absolutely vulnerable all at once. He didn't know if that was true or not, but he knew he liked it.
And he also realized very early on in his life that he would be an idiot if he didn't take advantage of it.

"It wasn't what you were doing that's funny. It was the way you reacted to getting caught."

She sighed. "No. You're right. I don't. I already made that decision. I guess I just wanted to hear somebody else say it"
"You want me to say it again?" A few thousand times? I've got all night."

Q & A Meme

DS from third-storey window tagged me with this fun meme, although I do remember I was tagged with it before but some of the Q's might have changed and some of my A's might change too :) depending on my mood that is!!

In the spirit of good bloggy fun, here are the rules:

• respond and rework
• answer questions on your blog
• replace one question
• tag 8 (let’s say a few) others

1) What is your current obsession?
It's still my IPhone :)

2) Which item of clothing do you wear most?
Jeans and T-Shirt

3) What’s for dinner?
Probably hotdog or cheese sandwiches.

4) Last item you bought
Sunglasses

5) What are you listening to?
We Will Not Go Down by Michael Heart

6) Where is your favorite reading spot?
On my bed and my love seat :)

7) Favorite guilty pleasure:
Chocolate and Ice Cream :)

8) First spring thing?
Here? hot weather!!

9) What’s your favorite film?
Pay It Forward

10) What are you reading right now?
Essential Seduction by Nikki Soarde

11) Name the fictional character who has made the most lasting impression on you:
Harry Potter :) (from the book, not the movie)

12) Funniest thing you ever saw in your life?
"Friends", "According To Jim" and "3rd Rock From The Sun"

13) Lucky talisman?
My prayer book (AlKhulasa)

14) Who is your hero/heroine?
My Hubby :)

15) Words of wisdom?
If at first you don't succeed, erase any evidence you ever tried :)

16) Four words to describe yourself?
Shy, friendly, giving and dedicated :)

Now It's time to tag some of my friends :) it's not obligatory so if you don't want to participate, that's up to you :)

1. Diane @ The Book Resort

2. Toni @ A Circle Of Books
3. Heather @ A Girl on the Run
4. Mandi @ Smexy Books
5. sundcarrie @ Dark Novels
6. TexasRed @ TexasRed Books
7. Rebecca @ Lost In Books
8. Vickie @ Vixen's Daily Reads

Friday Finds (June 5)

What great books did you hear about / discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

For this week I found the following books that I hope I would read soon :)


1. A Bloody Good Cruise by Diana Rubino

Found at Patricia's Vampire Notes

Romance author Mona is human. Ship's doctor Fausto is a vampire. He can never be one of her kind and she's afraid to become one of his. As they sa il the Mediterranean on writers' cruise, the couple is stalked by vampire hunters, and by Fausto's notorious ex-wife, Lucrezia Borgia. Events force Mona and Fausto team up with the hunters to capture Lucrezia, but where can they go from here? With Fausto's friend and Mona's editor vamping it up and a hunter on the loose , can this bloody good cruise have a happy ending?


2. Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Found at Insert Book Title

Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunction al high school existe nce. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude.
When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kaseyis acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.
Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl i sn't even Kasey anymore?


3. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Found at Zoe's Book Reviews

"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything? "
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"
According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.
Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut nov el that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.


4. If She Only Knew by Lisa Jackson

Found at Bella is reading

SHE WOKE UP WITH A NEW FACE . . .
Not only has Marla Cahill survived a deadly car accident, but her beautiful features have been restored through plastic surgery. She should be grateful. Instead, she's consumed by confusion . . . and panic. For the people gathered at her bedside — her family — are strangers. And so is the woman whose haunted eyes stare back from the mirror . . .
SHE WOKE UP WITH NO MEMORIES . . .
Secluded at the magnificent Cahill mansion, Marla waits for something to trigger recognition. Yet the only thing she's left with is the unshakable feeling that she is not who everyone says she is, and that something is very, very wrong . . .
. . . AND SHE WOKE UP TO MURDER
Determined to piece together the truth of her identity, she finds herself drawn to her brother-in-law, Nick — a man who seems both to want and despise her. And as her fractured mind slowly clears, Marla begins to have flashes of another life . . . of cruel betrayals and deadly secrets. Marla's life isn't just different — it's in danger, controlled by a twisted killer who's waiting for the right moment to strike . . . the moment Marla remembers . . .


5. Fatal Burn by Lisa Jackson

Found at Bella is reading

He's been waiting for this moment. With every kill, he can feel her getting closer. Very soon - just a few more victims to go. All he needed was the girl, Dani, and now that he has her, his plan is in motion, and no one can stop it. The police don't believe Shannon Flannery when she says someone is out there, watching her, trying to kill her. The only person on her side is Travis Settler. The former Special Forces agent is convinced Shannon's dark past has something to do with the disappearance of his daughter, Dani - a child whose connection to Shannon is just the beginning of a nightmare...Secrets have been kept from Shannon. Dark, dangerous, and very fatal secrets. Now, with no one to trust but a man who has every reason to doubt her, Shannon's determined to discover the shocking truth, even if it brings her face to face with a serial killer whose slow burn for vengeance will not be denied...


6. Afraid by Jack Kilborn

Found at Reading Extravaganza

ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? YOU WILL BE . . .
Welcome to Safe Haven, Wisconsin. Miles from everything, with one road in and out, this peaceful town has never needed a full-time police force. Until now . . .
A helicopter has crashed near Safe Haven and unleashed something horrifying. Now this merciless force is about to do what it does best. Isolate. Terroriz e. Annihilate. As residents begin dying in a storm of gory violence, Safe Haven's only chance for survival will rest with an aging county sheriff, a firefighter, and a single mom. And each will have this harrowing thought: Maybe death hasn't come to their town by accident . . .


7. Best Intentions by Emily Listfield

Found at Barney's Book Blog

A wife and mother of two, Lisa navigates through a rocky career and an uncertain relationship with her husband. During a visit from and old college friend, Lisa begins to question the intentions of her husband and her best friend. When allegations of an affair surface, Lisa makes a desperate decision that ends in tragedy. Grieving and guilt ridden, Lisa must fight to discover the truth about the people she loves.

The Prey by Allison Brennan

The Prey by Allison Brennan

Year Published: 2005

My Rating: 5 stars

416 pages

This is the first book in The Predator trilogy.

First, she imagined it. Then a killer made it real.

Rowan Smith is an ex-FBI agent who had a traumatic past. When she was faced with a crime that hit very close to home a couple of years ago she quit her job and started writing crime novels.. Four published and the fifth coming out soon!

Then the murders begin!! The first one taken from her first novel.. exactly the same.. then from the second book.. and the next .. so she knows it no coincidence!!

Her ex-boss hires a security company to protect her, so she has a bodyguard "Michael" at all times. Then her bodyguard's brother and partner in the security company "John" shows up and the attraction is almost instantaneous!! Now the two brothers are trying to protect her in addition to competing for her attention. But john knows that Rowan is keeping a secret that could help them solve this case before more murders happen.. something from her past.. and he tries to make her talk.. for a price!

This was an amazing book!! The murders are so gruesome, the murderer is merciless and the characters and so real!!
I was so captivated by this book, it kept me on the edge with unexpected twists and turns..

Very highly recommended book for crime/thriller readers :)

Quotes I enjoyed in the book:

“He found a woman with the same name and occupation as one of my characters and killed her in the same manner in a similar location. Did a lot of planning and research to get all the details just right. Perfection. Next, he leaves my book with her body. Arrogance. He’s smart, but he thinks everyone else is stupid and he has to give you the why or you’d never figure it out. This wasn’t a crime of passion or a crime for money… it was a crime of opportunity.” She realized, as she spoke, it was the name of her book.

Her face was as blank as when she’d pointed that damn gun at him. But her stormy eyes stopped him from walking out the door. He finally understood the phrase “eyes are windows to the soul.” Rowan Smith’s eyes told him she was scared but strong, troubled but defiant. A captivating combination.

The book. Rowan. Shit, he’d fucked up. I’m sorry, John. You were right.
A flash of light-a camera? Maybe it was a tunnel. Yes, a bright tunnel.
Then the world was gone.

She stared at him, her face firm, a slight frown pulling down the corners of her lips. “I can’t live with another death on my conscience.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me.” He took her by the shoulders. He didn’t mean to shake her so hard, just give her a little jolt so she’d know he was serious. But her head jerked forward and he saw some of the fire back in her eyes.

A knife twisted in his heart. Don’t worry about me. She said it as if she suspected he wasn’t worried. And the irony was, when he set this up, he hadn’t been. He hadn’t cared what it would do to her.
Now he did.

Her inner strength began to melt. The carefully constructed wall that had protected her for so long crumbled at her feet. She was a trapped animal, pacing, pacing, pacing. Waiting for someone to come and shoot her. A mouse being toyed with by a cat. As soon as the mouse lost hope and cowered, the cat killed its prey.

He stared at her for a long time and she couldn’t read his expression. Was he angry? Upset? She didn’t want to hurt him, but it would hurt more if she lost him. Yes, she was being selfish. But the great strides she’d made at putting the past behind her would be shattered if she cared too much and the worst happened. No plans for the future, nothing to wrap her heart around, not now. Maybe not ever.
In the back of her mind, a whispered thought murmured It’s too late. You care. You love him. But she didn’t-couldn’t-acknowledge it.

“Typical spring wedding for a boring couple. He had a future, could have gone places and done things with his life, but the bitch kept him tied to home with a bunch of brats.”

“No buts, I said.” He leaned over and lightly kissed her. “Together, Rowan. We’ve been loners for so long, both of us. But together we’re stronger.”
Together we’re stronger. She smiled weakly. “Yes, we are.”

Out Of The Box (The Edge Series #2) by Kallysten

Out Of The Box (The Edge Series #2) by Kallysten

Year Published: 2007

My Rating: 3 stars

40 pages

Genre: Romance/ Dark Fantasy

This is the second ebook from the The Edge Series..Which I bought at Fictionwise.

It's been a week since Virginia first went to the On The Edge Club and met Anando, she tried to convince herself that it was a one time thing and that she would never go again.. But..
She couldn't keep Anando out of her mind and this time she already knows what she wants to choose from his white chest of tricks :)

I can't say more because it's such a short story and I will give it out if I do.. it was a nice short read and I enjoyed it.. but it is mainly erotica so if you are not interested in this genre I'd advise you to skip it.. and since the cover of the book is so explicit I will not post it!

Out Of The Box (The Edge Series #1) by Kallysten