Jan 31, 2013

Cover Art Reveal--Curtsies and Conspiracies

Curtsies & Conspiracies
Since I am at work, I don't have access to all the websites, just happy I can do some blogging. But alas Goodreads does not show up for me. So I cannot leave a link just now. Or see if there's a cover description. But at least you can see the pretty cover!

Is it me, or at a brief glance does this cover model sort of look like Keira Knightley?


Curtsies and Conspiracies releases November 2013!


Random Thursday

Okay! Time for some total randomness!


Look what I found in my closet:



So some time ago...many many year apparently! I bought a stuffed Little Mikey (left)! Remember from Monsters Inc? When Mike had his stuffed monster bear like thing and Boo wanted to play with it? Well I found one, I believe it was at a Walgreens too! Weird how my memory works! I remember this because I recall my cousin buying one at the Disney Store at that time, but for some reason I didn't like how that one looked. Then I saw this one and thought it was too cute and bought it!

Then on the right you will see Cynthia! Yes, it's Angelica's doll from the Rugrats. Many many many years ago when I went to the Mall of America, they had a Nickelodeon store which was freaking awesome to me since I loooooved Nickelodeon! I do believe they even had the orange couch...remember Snick?! Saturday nights on Nick! Oh yeah! They had a lot of cool stuff. It was pretty pricey...at least to my young self who's only money source was allowance! But then I saw Cynthia and I had to have her! Rugrats was my favorite Nick cartoon so I bought her! And I still have her! I did notice she had something on her hair that I do not recall ever being there. Must have developed because she is so old. I never really got my toys that dirty.


So what old toys do you guys remember playing with? I thought these were extra special because they were toys within a TV show or movie! So I was totally in love with them!






Printed Books Giveaway Hop!

So yeah, ebooks are getting popular these days. But me, I still prefer a real book! Plus the mass market books--which makes up about 90% of the books I buy--are the SAME price as an ebook. Where's the savings in that?! Needless to say, I tend to buy more printed books then ebooks. I figure, I recycle nearly everything else, so it's all good!

So in honor of printed books, I have decided to offer up one copy of one of my favorite reads! You can choose whichever one you want from these selected, and if you have them all already, still enter. We'll talk and work something out! 

I want the prize to be one of these reads because they are some of my all time faves and were some of the first paranormal reads I read and they were sooo awesome, because at this time--for some of them at least--they were the only paranormal choices to be had--that are still in print. But they were still incredible!

As long as the Book Depository ships to you, you're in! You can choose from:


Demon in My View by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Old Magic by Marianne Curley
The Named by Marianne Curley
13 to Life by Shannon Delany (of course!!)
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Inside (Inside Out & Outside In) by Maria V. Snyder
Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

*Naturally, you will get whatever the current cover is, I just chose the cover design that I have when I first bought said book!







Check out the other blogs participating as well here, at Kathy's website. For some reason I can never get the list to show up on my blog post. Not super tech smart or friendly, so yeah, after awhile I grew tried of seeing "error!"



Jan 30, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday

I hate waiting...
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.


The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.




Sooooo cannot wait to read this one! Was rejected on Netgalley so alas, I must still wait for this one! I love fairy tale retellings and I wasn't impressed with the last Bluebeard retelling I read, so I am anxious to read this one!



TITLE: Strand of Bronze and Gold
AUTHOR: Jane Nickerson

PUBLISHER: Random House Children's Books

GENRE: YA Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2013







Jan 29, 2013

Review--House Rules by Chloe Neill

In a city full of vampires, trouble never sleeps.

At the tender age of 27, Merit became a sword-wielding vampire. Since then, she’s become the protector of her House, watched Chicago nearly burn to the ground, and seen her Master fall and rise. Now she’ll see her mettle—and her metal —tested like never before.

It started with two . . . Two rogues vanishing without a trace. Someone is targeting Chicago’s vampires, and anyone could be next. With their house in peril, Merit and her Master, the centuries old Ethan Sullivan, must race to stop the disappearances. But as they untangle a web of secret alliances and ancient evils, they realize their foe is more familiar, and more powerful, than they could have ever imagined.


I received this early copy of House Rules for review, as a part of the blog tour. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampire series, truly gets better with each book! House Rules sees us with Merit and Ethan and the rest of the Cadogan vampires getting ready to leave the GP, and thus become Rogue vampires. They are ready for it and embrace the life, even getting to know the Rogues in Chicago with a little get together. But it is soon put to a halt when two Rogues are missing.

Ethan and Merit are on the case, but it doesn't take long til the Rogues show up dead. Murdered. Soon a murder mystery takes place among the story, but that's only the beginning of the troubles for Merit and Ethan. Lacey is also back in town. The same Lacey who made it very clear to Merit that she loves Ethan and will do anything to have him at her side. The fact that Merit is with Ethan means nothing to her. What astounds me is how truly oblivious Ethan is to this matter. He really doesn't see that Lacey is oh-so in love with him, much to Merit's disappointment.

There's also the matter of the GP coming to officially kick them out. But there's more to it than that, the Cadogan vampires are in danger of losing their beloved house. Plus the fairies have turned against Cadogan and are aiding the GP. Yeah, like there wasn't enough problems already.

But, you'd be wrong! Merit's about to be initiated into Red Guard, yet there's problems there too. Let's just say they involved Lacey and now Merit 's relationship with Ethan is in jeopardy. And don't forget about the murderer who is still on the loose and is killing other vampires as well.

This was a well paced read! Quite gripping, in fact, because for awhile because of the whole mystery element. Who's the murderer, where is he? What does he want? There's just so many questions to be answered, yet in the between time there's action, intrigue, some romantic moments between Ethan and Merit. And of course, Merit's neverending humor...and appetite!

The ending was pretty exciting too, the murderer strikes close to Cadogan's heart, which incites Ethan to take direct command in apprehending this madman! I was able to guess the murderer just a few pages before Merit and Ethan figured it all out as well. The murder investigation takes a backseat towards the middle, as the problems with the GP and finding a missing item take precedence. As well as the relationship woes of Merit and Ethan.

At the true end, we're left with a tiny revelation, that will definitely play a role in a book to come! With Chicago still being run by a vampire-hating mayor and McKetrick back in the picture and at the Mayor's side, things are not looking up for the vampires of Chicago.

This is definitely a fun series to read if you're looking for the humorous and action-y series! Merit is a fantastic heroine, with snark, wit, humor and she's totally kickass with her blade! Chloe really knows how to write an engaging and entertaining novel! To end this review on a high note, I will share a quote that had me laughing out loud...while at work! (Thankfully, no one else in the office had arrived yet!)



"But is like Twilight in real life!" Berna protested. "Sparkles!"





Overall rating 5/5 stars