November 4, 2008

Outlander is going to be a movie!!!!!!!!!!

outlander I can not express how freaking excited I am right now!!!! One of my favorite all time series by Diana Gabaldon  is turning into a movie! This was one of those times that mother knows best, she had been telling me for years that I would love the Outlander series and I kept putting it off. Finally she bought me the series for Christmas of 2002 and I couldn’t put them down.

These books are amazing!  They are so full of detail, that I feel like I’m learning something about that time and hello, they are based in Scotland, one of my all time favorite places. Because yes, my family came from there a very, very, very long time ago. :)

If you haven’t read them, start now. That way by the time the movie has come out, you’ll be ready. Please don’t let this be one of those times that you see the movie first (like I did with the Secret Life of Bees).  Take the time to read the books (they’re all super long, but worth it!) and then join me in getting excited about this!  It looks like they are going to be putting out two movies a year and the adaptation of the book is being written by Randall Wallace, the guy that wrote Braveheart.

Ok, my gushing is almost over — I want to thank

November 4, 2008

New book Tuesday…

Today is a doubly exciting day — not only do we get to vote for the next president of the United States, but I’m super psyched about the books that are being released.

swallowing-darknessI am Meredith, princess of faerie, wielder of the hands of Flesh and Blood, and at long last, I am with child–twins, fathered by my royal guard. Though my uncle, Taranis, King of Light and Illusion, claims that he is the true father since he abducted me from my home, betrayed, and defiled me. And now he has branded my guards as a threat to my unborn children.

Bearing an heir has placed me halfway to my aunt’s throne, that much closer to my reign over the Unseelie Court–and well ahead of her son, my cousin Cel, in this race. Now I must stay alive to see my children born and claim my place as queen.

But not all in faerie are pleased with the news, and conspirators from every court in the realm plot against me and mine. They seek to strip my guards, my lovers, from me by poisoned word or cold steel. But I still have supporters, and even friends, among the goblins and the sluagh, who will stand by me.
I am Meredith Nic Essus, and those who would defy and destroy me are destined to pay a terrible price–for I am truly my father’s daughter. To protect what is mine, I will sacrifice anything–even if it means waging a great battle against my darkest enemies and making the most momentous decision ever made as princess   of faerie.

If you’ve paid any attention to my blog, you know how much I enjoy LKH’s books.  The Merry Gentry series is a little different for me then Anita Blake — I’ve re-read the Anita series at least 8 times and have only read the Merry series once.  I enjoy this series, I look forward to seeing what will happen next — but I don’t love them.  I tend to find that this series unsettles me; its a little more out there then I’m comfortable with. But, I have pre-ordered it from Amazon (sadly it did not arrive early as they sometimes do) and am looking forward to reading it. LKH did an interview with time that I found pretty interesting. Check it out. This is the seventh book in the series.

salvationindeathAs the priest at a Catholic funeral mass brings the chalice to his lips—and falls over dead.

When Detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas confirms that the consecrated wine contained potassium cyanide, she’s determined to solve the murder of Father Miguel Flores, despite her discomfort with her surroundings. It’s not the bodegas and pawnshops of East Harlem that bother her, though the neighborhood is a long way from the stone mansion she shares with her billionaire husband, Roarke. It’s all that holiness flying around at St. Christobal’s that makes her uneasy.

A search of the victim’s sparsely furnished room reveals little— except for a carefully hidden religious medal with a mysterious inscription, and a couple of underlined Bible passages. The autopsy reveals more: faint scars of knife wounds, a removed tattoo—and evidence of plastic surgery, suggesting that “Father Flores” may not have been the man his parishioners had thought. Now, as Eve pieces together clues that hint at gang connections and a deeply personal act of revenge, she believes she’s making progress on the case. Until a second murder—in front of an even larger crowd of worshippers—knocks the whole investigation sideways. And Eve is left to figure out who committed these unholy acts—and why.

Again, this is not a series that I have re-read — though I keep thinking I might, but I really do enjoy the characters.  Love, love, love the fact that she just keeps ‘em coming. I mean this is the 27th book in the series and there is no finish in sight!  If you haven’t read this series (all book titles start with “In Death …”) then you should.  Eve and Roarke (possibly just spelled his name wrong) are great fun.  You really can’t go wrong with a hot Irish man. :)

A new anthology of paranormal romance.

J.D. Robb plunges Lieutenant Eve Dallas into the violent aftermath of a ritualistic murder.
Mary Blayney, investigates a deception that has kept two lovers apart for years.
Ruth Ryan Langan brings a lost man out of a storm to face a breathtaking twist of fate.
And Mary Kay McComas follows a mother, her son, and a wizard lost through the threads of time.


onesilentnightWhile the world carries on unawares, Stryker, who leads an army of demons and vampires, is plotting an all out onslaught against his enemies—which, unfortunately for us, includes the entire human race. To avenge his sister, Stryker prepares to annihilate the Dark-Hunters. But things go awry when his oldest enemy returns. Enter his ex-wife. Zephyra. Just when he thought nothing could stop him, he’s now embroiled in a centuries old war with a shrew who gives new meaning to pain.

I enjoy the Dark-Hunter series (this is the 13th book), but I really don’t love Stryker.  I’m not sure if I’m going to enjoy this book quite as much, considering that it is all about him. But hey, I figure the series is worth it, so I will be giving this one a try.

November 3, 2008

Chesapeake Bay saga By: Nora Roberts

Ok, so I know I’ve been a really crappy blogger lately and I had  such high hopes with keeping my blog updated.  Sadly, work has been kicking my butt lately and I’ve just wanted to read or watch tv when I get home. (on the upside, I have been reading other people’s blogs) :)

While I was hiding from my blog, I re-read the four books in Nora Roberts Chesapeake Bay saga; Sea Swept, Rising Tides, Inner Harbor, and Chesapeake Blue.  I had read each of these books when they first came out and some how in one of my many moves, I lost the books.  So, over the summer when I went to her book signing, I bought them all again and got them signed! :) Even though I have a ton of new books that I haven’t read yet, I decided that it was time to revisit the Quinns.

One of the reasons that I fell in love with Roberts is her ability to create families that are so dynamic and loving.  I so enjoy getting drawn in to the every day working of their lives and watching over time (and books) as they age and change.  This series is focused on 4 brothers who are all adopted by a caring couple who are unable to have children.  The series starts with the death of their father (Stella, the mother had passed away years earlier).  His death draws each of the brothers back home and forces them to come togethor to care for this 10 year old boy, Seth who he has taken in.  Each of these books deserves its own review and I feel like i’m not even doing this one justice…but if you enjoy Nora Roberts, give these books a try. They are set on the eastern shore of Maryland and follow each brother as they deal with raising Seth, finding love and remembering how to be family.

The fourth book is Seth’s and its super fun b/c we get to see Seth as an adult and see how everyone else is doing.

Ok, my lunch hour is over and I have to get back to work — but this was my attempt to share a bit about a series that I love. :)

October 16, 2008

I’ve been tagged!

Nicole tagged me!!!

Ok, so I’m now supposed to share 7 weird/random facts about me. Here’s go.

1. I’m a 3rd generation Miamian. Very few people can say that, though I suppose the fact that I don’t live there anymore may alter the coolness a bit.

2. I have 2 cats and a dog. Aren’t they cute?! 

3.  My best friend, Sarah and I haven’t lived in the same state since we were sophomores in high school and somehow we’re still friends and going to NYC this weekend!

4.  I saw that movie Little Monsters when I was younger and for years I refused to hang my feet off the end of the my bed.  I would also jump a little away from the bed when getting off. I was seriously scared of the little monsters living under my bed.

5. I went to Scotland once and I loved it!  It just felt like home. My mother insists that I’m all the way American, but I have Scot on both sides… :) The Highlands are just amazing and the accents aren’t bad either.

6. I actually like the movie High School Musical. I know, i’m not sure i’ve ever grown up either.

7. I have days when all I want to do is read. Don’t want to work, talk on the phone, or watch tv — just read.

I tag: Rae and whoever else would like to play. :)

October 15, 2008

Joys of moving north

My care group is going to play in this corn maze on Saturday while I’m in NYC.  I’m super excited about my trip, but dude, take a look at the corn maze!  I’ve never been in one before (we don’t have those in Miami) and it just looks like so much fun!

So, I’m going to miss the corn maze, but I will get to see Gypsy and Avenue Q and hang out with my best friend in a super cool city. Besides I live here now, so I can go next year. :)

Oh and for those of you that think I don’t live in the north, this is as far north as I’m getting — so I’ve decided that for me it counts.

October 13, 2008

Mercury’s War By: Lora Leigh

Someone has been slipping the Sanctuary’s secure information to a pharmaceutical company. Now it’s up to Ria Rodriguez to pose as a clerk and uncover the leak. Yet she has no idea of the danger she’s about to encounter—or the passion she’s about to ignite in one of the greatest Breeds ever created.

Since there have already been quite a few reviews out about this book in bloglandia, I’ve decided to reference all of you over to Book Binge to take a look at Casee’s review. She does a great job of explaining the background of the book.  Plus it allows me to spend all of my time gushing!

As you know from my past reviews about this series (the Breeds), I’m a fan.  One of my favorite paranormal creatures are the weres and Lora Leigh has created an awesome series and has managed to make this old topic new again.  In the past I’ve reviewed Elizabeth’s Wolf, A Jaguar’s Kiss, and Dawn’s Awakening — and have enjoyed them all.

I just get such a kick out of watching Leigh’s characters find each other and a way to make their relationship work.  For the most part she uses the age old romance formula and yet she is able to drag me into the story with such ease — which to me really denotes a good author.

Mercury’s War was a little different in that there was some confusion about who his mate really was.  This added a new issue for the couple to deal with then we’ve seen before and I had some mixed feelings about it.  Part of me thought it was cool because it was a new topic to be dealt with and another (perhaps bigger part) just wanted the story focused on Ria and Mercury and let the other bitchy lioness disappear by the wayside.

I’m not sure if I agree that this is one of the better books in the series, mostly because I think that they all have their strengths.  I do think that its impressive that Leigh is still managing to find new ways to keep her stories fresh.

So, yes I loved this book.  I enjoyed watching Mercury embrace his animal, becoming whole again and seeing Ria finally standing up for what she wanted.  I’m looking forward to Leigh’s next Breed book and anticipate another intriguing story as she focuses on the Coyote breed.

Grade: B+

October 12, 2008

Renaissance Festival

Yesterday I went to the Maryland Renaissance Festival with my sister Carrie and her boyfriend, Sean.  I had a great time!  One of the highlights of the day for me was listening to this group called Albannach.  They are a group of Scotsman (who wouldn’t love them just for that?) who play some amazing instrumental music.  I’m  doing a crappy job of explaing this, but they use those drums that i’ve only seen used for Scottish music (but don’t know enough about music to know if they’re only used there).  They also have a bag piper and the combination is simply amazing!  You can here their music online and get their cds.  But check out their tour dates and see if they are coming near you, because they rocked in person!  Ok, I was just doing some checking on you tube and found this video. :)

Here’s hoping they come back next year!

Oh, and the picture is the only one I could find with all of them togethor, but they are Scottish, not Irish. :)

October 10, 2008

Because I wanted to…

While going through my blog reader I came to Rae’s post yesterday and decided I wanted to answer those questions too.  So, thanks my friend for inspiring a post. :)

What was the last book you bought?

Mercury’s War by Lora Leigh and Midnight’s Daughter by: Karen Chance

Name a book you have read MORE than once.

The Anita Blake series by LKH, the MacGregor series by Nora Roberts

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?
The bible: I get new insights every time I read it.

How do you choose a book?
(eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews)

It varies -  I will buy the next book in a series I’m following; I have a list of authors I enjoy so, I’ll check to see what they have coming out next; I won’t read the reviews on the blogs until I’ve read the book, but I will check out to see who’s reviewing what to get ideas on what to read; and if I’m really at a loss, I will just start picking books off the shelf and reading the summary.  I am not one to pay attention to covers.  I find that often times they have little to do with the story.

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?

Fiction
What’s more important in a novel – beautiful writing or a gripping plot?
Gripping plot!  If its interesting enough, I can get past the crappy writing.

Most loved/memorable character (character/book)
The main characters from the Anita Blake boos.  I was talking about this with a friend recently; I seriously miss these characters and have to go back to re-read the series again.  LKH has created a cast of characters that I have watched grow and change and I find them pretty awesome.

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?
Too Good to Be True by: Trish Perry and Mercury’s War by: Lora Leigh

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?
The Hollow By: Nora Roberts (last week) –this week has been too busy to read. :(
Have you ever given up on a book half way in?
Yes.  I used to force my way through a book — but I’ve finally come to the point where if I’m really not enjoying a book I will do one of two things: 1. get rid of it, if it is really horrible 2. put it aside until I’m in the mood for that story.  There have been many times that I’ve had to set a book aside because I just wasn’t feeling it at that moment but have gone back to it later and loved it.

October 9, 2008

to tweet or not to tweet?

After some not so gentle nudging from my friend Kathy, I have joined Twitter.  So, if any of you are interested in my incredibly random thougths, feel free to follow along. :)

October 8, 2008

My first blog award!!!!

How cool is this?  Amy enjoys my blog so much that she gave me my very own super cool award!!! I was just sitting here watching Sex and the City (the movie) and thought I would check my email — only to find this waiting for me.  She totally made my night!  Ok, so like a good girl, I will follow these directions and nominate some of my favorite blogs. :)

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

Nominee number one: Mollie over at Biblioharlot’s Bookshelf: love both of her blogs and the fact that she’ll leave me comments now and then. :)

Nominee number two: The ladies over at Book Binge, they tend to make me feel like a slacker with the number of books they review — but I get a kick out of their blog, so I love them any way.

Nominee number three: Deat Author, is a fantastic blog that also has the tendency to yell slacker at me.  But they have also saved me from reading books that I would have hated, so thanks ladies!

Nominee number four: Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, love love love their reviews, plus they just crack me up!

Nominee number five: I just finished reading...: again reviews that I enjoy reading and that save me from the bad books; trust me, my bank account appreciates you too. :)

Nominee number six: Breezing Through: These ladies help to keep me updated on what I should be reading, yep they are part of the reason for the full book shelves.

Nominee number seven: The Misadventures of Super Librarian: Wendy was instrumental in my blog creation.  Not only do I get a kick out of her blog (and tweets) but I have her to thank for getting to talk to all of you.

Nominee number eight: Rachel Vincent’s Work in Progress: I love watching the progression of her books.  She keeps us all well informed on her writing process, which I just love!

Nominee number nine: Last but not least, my friend Rae: because I just get such a kick out of her ramblings on the way home from work on the bus.

Thanks to all of you for making the blog world so enjoyable and to everyone not mentioned here (b/c you know I have over 300 blogs I follow), thanks for taking the time to share a little bit of you with me.