Thursday, June 11, 2009

"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:
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 :)

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

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

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

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."

Sunday, June 7, 2009

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.
6. TexasRed @ TexasRed Books
7. Rebecca @ Lost In Books
8. Vickie @ Vixen's Daily Reads

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Friday Finds (June 5)


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

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


1. A Bloody Good Cruise by Diana Rubino


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


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

"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


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


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


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


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.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

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.”

Monday, June 1, 2009

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

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Books Read In 2007

  • PS, I Love You by Cecilia Ahern
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling
  • Where There is Evil by Sandra Brown
  • Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
  • New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
  • The Sins of the Fathers by Lawrence Block
  • Time to Murder and Create by Lawrence Block
  • Drop Dead Sexy by Elisa Adams