Bedtime Story: Put Me in a Zoo by Robert Lopshire

 

Synopsis: "Spot, a polka-dot leopard who can change colors and even juggle his own spots, tries to convince two children that he is special enough to be exhibited in the zoo."

My Review: This was a fun book, when I picked it up it was marketed as a color book, which it is but it is so much more. It has a great lesson about finding what suits you instead of trying to force yourself to conform and fit in. Munchkin seemed to enjoy the pictures but is still a little young for the colors yet.

 

My Rating:  A fun classic that Munchkin seems to enjoy. We give it a rating of Three Paws and a Stump Wag.

 

 

 

Good Night! Sweet Dreams!

After Dark Review of Seduced by the Vampire King by Laura Kaye

I have added After Dark Reviews to my blog as a way of notifying you of a review of a book with Adult themes and scenes. From now on I will keep my reviews of all books I read that have explicit scenes in them for late night posts for those of you who prefer to avoid them or easy to find for those of you who seek them out ;)

 

 

 

Synopsis: "American exchange student Kate Bordessa has fled to Russia to escape her family's hopes that she'll become one of the Proffered, human women who feed and mate with elite vampire warriors. But when she stumbles upon a wounded vampire in the streets of Moscow, she's instinctively driven to protect him--and feels an undeniable spark of desire.

Grieving over the deaths of his brothers, Vampire Warrior King Nikolai Vasilyev has thrown himself into battling his enemies, focused only on vengeance. Until the attack that brought him to Kate. Their sexual attraction explodes into a night of uncontrolled passion--a night that marks them as mates. Is their connection strong enough to convince them to embrace a destiny neither of them was expecting?"

My Review: I enjoyed how feisty the characters were in this one, though I would have liked to get to know them better. I listened to the audio version of this one and the narrator did a rather good job with the Russian accent and the different voices. It is a good short read though (3 hours on audio) which is nice and fits in well with my days. As I said though with such a short story you are left wanting more, I would have liked to know the characters better and followed them a little longer. That said I did want more because she did such a good job of creating characters that I got really attached to, Kate is the best!

 

My Rating: I did enjoy this book and loved the characters, but it needed more. I also found the sexual content to be a little tame compared to a lot of her other writing.  I give it a rating of Three Paws.



Wednesday Writing

So Wednesday is my official writing update day. I have so many story projects going on and I need a push to get some done. So I will be trying to post each Wednesday about how my writing adventures are going (and I may need a swift kick in the pants by you guys sometimes).

Current Active Project:
 

Princess Bs - 34,317 words

A story about a woman, recently divorced and returned to her home town to figure out what is next. She encounters an old friend and spends a weekend with him and his daughters. Feelings that are long since buried are rising up again, but are her recent loss and his current life going to stand in the way of their happily ever after?

Other Works in Progress:

The New Old Home - 17,193 words

Everyone dreams of winning the lottery, but what would you do with that money? That is the question presented to Natalie, when she is at the lowest point in her life, she is presented with an opportunity to make any normal person's dreams come true, but all those winnings can't give her what she wants most.

Night Rider - 17,229

Alice is a recent high school graduate who is a very accomplished competitive rider in Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, and Western/Rodeo. Her parents had arranged for her to attend a private college on the east coast geared specifically to equine professions. However, Alice wants to focus on her studies in English Literature. When she arrives at the college she hides her riding abilities, but can she keep her talent and love of horses hidden?

The Last Mountains - 13,468 (handwritten) = 15,766 (typed)

A equine shapeshifting family is being hunted to near extinction and the young new leader must go against all her lessons and approach the elite council for aide. Will they help her? How will she keep her family's traditions and values alive, let alone her herd?

 

 

Olivia's Mountain Tale - 3,607 words

Olivia is left in the mountains by her uncle to guard the sheep grazing in the summer pastures.  This summer could change the course of her life.

 

 

Tamlyn Marie's Grace - 5,811

Think Cinderella only with a matchmaker ;)

Other Ideas Plotting:

Bloodsoar's Story

A pegasus struggles through life, ejected from the herd, near capture by humans.

The Assassin's Assassin

A student learns what the school is really teaching and sets out to destroy those who support the program.

Angel Story

Angels battle out an age old feud in a parallel world

All in the Company
A business that keeps to itself, employees marry employees and live on company property. Lissandra is ordered to marry Cody but both are always on business and don't know one another.

Little Wind Guides
Little Wind must lead her clan to new territory as the gods of the Fire Forest are cleansing their home with wrath.  Will they follow her while she holds so many secrets.




Draft Complete:

The Story of Things (previously titled Each Item a Story) - 50,052 words
A journal a woman keeps as she sorts through antique items and documents left in a home she purchased.

 

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I have a perfectly reasonable excuse as to why I haven't been writing, when I went to put away the completed first draft in my writing box, there was a giant spider there, I think I killed it but it fell under a piece of paper. There are three things in this world I absolutely cannot deal with and spiders are one of them. Seems like a good excuse right?!

Anyway, I fortunately had out the started outline for the ending of Princess Bs so I have been slowly adding to it, I hope to have it finished sometime this month. I plan to finish Princess Bs during Nanocamp in July. Speaking of which is anyone else joining Nanocamp? Want to be cabin mates?

Review of Firelight by Sophie Jordan

 

Synopsis: "A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki, a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away;if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide."

My Review: What is it about this book that has me so enthralled? I really couldn't put it down! I loved the concept of an inner dragon, but not quite a dragon. I must say I am completely in love with Will and really enjoy Jacinda. While the storyline kind of went along with so many other YA romance and paranormal books, I was still captured by it and kept turning the pages. When I hit the ending I was so relieved that had purchased the rest of the series so I could immediately pick up the next book.

 

My Rating: So I must admit that I was originally captured by this cover! After starting it, I can't explain it but I was captured by the story. I really enjoyed Firelight and give it a rating of Four Paws.

What's for Dinner this Week? (10)

What's for Dinner This Week is a little insight into my life for you every Monday night. I carefully plan out meals for the week ahead of time and do my shopping over the weekend.  So I wanted to start sharing with you one of the recipes or dinners I am most looking forward to each week.

 

 

Normally my husband cooks on the weekends because he likes to make big extravagant food that takes all or most of the day (he makes a killer lasagna from scratch and is the master of smoking and BBQ).  But it is Father's Day this weekend and so I figured we would give him at least Sunday off.  He hasn't put in any specific requests for the meal me and Munchkin cook for him, so it has left me a little lost as to what to make him.

 

He eats most things other than raw veggies, but I know he loves grilled chicken but he made some great chicken with his own rubs and BBQ sauce just a couple of weeks ago.  So I was off scouring Pinterest and Allrecipes for some ideas. And then I came across a picture of a Kabob! Perfect, I will make simple bites to snack on throughout the day (while we wash his truck of course since that is his request for Father's Day).

 

I found this delicious looking recipe for grilled chicken tenders, Herb Grilled Chicken Tenders

That will cook up nicely along with veggie kabobs filled with zucchini, squash, mushrooms and onions.

 

I also found a recipe for Cheesy Garlic Bites that I think will be tasty to go along with the chicken (and will go over well since we are a bread loving house).

 

I might also get some shrimp to kabob or sauté up, and debating whether I will be up to making the dumplings Hubby loves. I guess I will have to see how the day goes. 

 

 

So what are you making the father/ father figure in your life?

 

 



Monday Reading List

Its Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Share what books you have finished in the last week, are currently reading and what might be coming up next!

Reviews Posted Last Week:

Links will take you to my review

Dakota Born by Debbie Macomber
The Samaritan's Pistol by Eric Bishop
In the Service of the King by Laura Kaye (After Dark)
Thumper and the Noisy Ducky by Stuart Smith (Bedtime Story)
Hera: The Goddess and Her Glory by George O'Connor (Graphic Novel) 

Books Finished Last Week:
Reviews will be posted at a later date

Life's a Beach
Frog and Toad Together
Frog and Toad All Year
Beyond Me
To Dance
Axel the Truck and the Beach Race
Posiedon
Aphrodite
Vanish
Things I Can't Forget
Surrounded by Pleasure
Biscuit Finds a Friend

 

Currently Reading:

Mozart Season by Virginia Euwer Wolff - PB - on page 35 of 272
Lest the Dew Rust Them by Michael Drakich - Kindle - 2%
We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee - Audio - 23%
Hidden by Sophie Jordan - PB - on page 37 of 206



 Books to be Read Soon:

 

Dakota Home by Debbie Macomber
Dakota Always by Debbie Macomber
Buffalo Valley by Debbie Macomber
Breathless by Sophie Jordan
Dark Chatter by Andrew Branch (Requested Review)


 



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Boy did I jump back into reading full steam ahead?! I can't believe how much reading I did but I was reading so many great books I couldn't stop! It was definitely nice to get into some fun summer reads and I look forward to so many more this sunny season.