Getting things warmed up!

Spring is coming! I cannot wait to lay outside in the sun while reading!  I do some of my best reading in the summer time, maybe its a hold over from the years in elementary school with our summer reading programs. I remember getting a prize for every ten books I read and then a free book for every 25 or 50. I would end the summer with lots of new books from the public library. 

It seems that everywhere I turn there are more books to add to my to-read list. There just isn't enough time in the day to read them all as quickly as I would like.  I have come across some great new blogs that I would like to share with you.

The first is The Magick Pen - The blogger Austine has some great reviews consisting of a variety of books (many of which I have added to my list), there is also some fun trivia, contests, interviews and giveaways.

One of the contests on The Magick Pen I can't wait to participate in is the Gauntlet. A writing challenge posted monthly with a specific theme in mind, I think the real challenge is to get a short story written in 1,000 words!  I hope I have some time to participate in this challenge in the coming months, maybe it will help prepare for this years Nanowrimo!

Another new blog I came across is All About {n} written by Nely.  This blog also consists of many many book reviews.  Nely puts my book habit to shame! She reads and reviews so many books, goodness only knows where she finds the time!   She participates in several different challenges and also has some giveaways for books she has reviewed.  Again after looking at only a few of her posts I have already added more books to my to-read list (gah! Its turning into a creature all its own)!

And a third blog that I would love for you all to take a look at is one of a good friend of mine, Jessica. Her blog Thoughts at One in the Morning is a relatively new blog, but very exciting. She is planning to read and review 50 books this year and already has a great start (and again adding to my to-read list - why oh why do there have to be so many great books?!). 

I hope you all get a chance to take a look at some of these blogs, I think I will try to share a new blog with you each week, I am adding more to my follow list every day and would like to share some of my favorites with you!

Anywho, I also completed a couple of books last night . . .

Strange Candy by Laurell K. Hamilton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


"The #1 New York Times bestselling author's short story collection-including an all-new Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter story-now in paperback.



From a woman who marries into a family of volatile wizards to a couple fleeing a gang of love-hungry cupids, from a girl who seeks sanctuary in the form of a graceful goose to the disgruntled superhero Captain Housework, readers will revel in the many twists and turns of fortune in these fantastical fairy tales and lush parables. Even hardened vampire hunter and zombie animator Anita Blake gets blindsided by the disturbing motives of her clients in the new "Those Who Seek Forgiveness" and in "The Girl Who Was Infatuated with Death."" ~ From http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/




I absolutely loved this book! It was a lot of fun to read a short story or two a night, and it was great to see the different sides of one of my favorite authors. This anthology consisted of such a wide variety of stories, you never got bored! I enjoyed the comedy and (attempted) snubbing of love in the Cupid story. Selling Houses was great, especially considering I work in a real estate law office, it just goes to show you should know your clients! I think my favorite was Geese, a story of determination, honor, and love.



View all my reviews




Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


"Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, warrior cloth as her brother: A fighter by nature, and a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of Chosen females, there is no place for her on the Far Side… and no role for her on the front lines of the war, either.



When she suffers a paralyzing injury, human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello is called in to treat her as only he can- and he soon gets sucked into her dangerous, secret world. Although he never before believed in things that go bump in the night- like vampires- he finds himself more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks both his body and his soul.



As the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and vampire worlds collide … just as a centuries old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy." ~ From http://www.jrward.com/bdb/






This is when I wish there were half star ratings. While I did enjoy this book, I don't think it was any where near the best in the series. There were things I loved about the Lover Unleashed and things I didn't. What I didn't enjoy was that there was an awful lot of emotional turmoil involved, it seemed that no one was happy throughout most of the book. It was very draining and depressing to read, but I understand how some times you need that peek into the characters psyche to become more invested in them.



What I loved about the book was the devotion a brother and a sister have for one another, the sacrifices they make for each other's happiness and well being. And of course I am partial to anything that consists of horses, I was so thrilled that Ward gave Manny such a love for his horse Glory!

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Yikes, this is a much longer post than I ment for it to be, I am such a chatterbox! So I am on to the next books and starting my own 2011 Challenge. I am going to start with the childrens books this week - the first book on the list - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie! I can't wait to read this again! On my Nook I will be starting the second book in the Song of Ice & Fire series by George RR Martin titled Clash of Kings.


Hope you loose yourself in a good book today!
~Ang