A-Z Wednesday

This is a fun meme hosted by Reading at the Beach

Welcome to A-Z Wednesday!!

To join, here's all you have to do: Go to your stack of books and find one whose title starts with the letter of the week.

Post:

1~ a photo of the book

2~ title and synopsis

3~ link(amazon, barnes and noble etc.)

4~ Come back here and leave your link in the comments.

If you've already reviewed this book you can add it also.

Be sure to visit other participants to see what book they have posted and leave them a comment.(We all love comments, don't we?)

Who knows? You may find your next "favorite" book.

THIS WEEKS LETTER IS: "U"

Unleash the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon is my Wednesday pick. I read this book a few days ago and completely forgot how awesome I thought the Dark-Hunter world really is.

Summary compliments of shelfari.com

It's a predator eat predator world for the Were-Hunters. Danger haunts any given day. There is no one to trust. No one to love. Not if they want to live… An orphan with no clan that will claim him, Wren Tigarian grew to adulthood under the close scrutiny and mistrust of those around him. A forbidden blend of two animals—snow leopard and white tiger—Wren has never listened to anyone when there was something he wanted. Now he wants Marguerite. Marguerite D'Aubert Goudeau is the daughter of a prominent U.S. Senator who hates the socialite life she's forced to live. Like her mother before her, she has strong Cajun roots that her father doesn't understand. Still, she has no choice but to try and conform to a world where she feels like an outsider. But the world of rich and powerful humans is never to meet the world of the Were-Hunters who exist side by side with them, unseen, unknown, undetected. To break this law is to call down a wrath of the highest order. In order to have Marguerite, Wren must fight not just the humans who will never accept his animal nature, but the Were-Hunters who want him dead for endangering their world. It's a race against time and magic without boundary that could cost Marguerite and Wren not just their lives, but their very souls…

You can get this book at amazon here.... http://www.amazon.com/Unleash-Night-Dark-Hunter-Book-9/dp/0312934335/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262221259&sr=1-1

So after reading this book I found I loved it 4.5 stars for sure. I really liked Wren and decided that my cover for this book really kinda sucked because it looked nothing like what I pictured Wren to look like. He had blonde dred locks for one. The amazon cover is more to my thinking of what he may have looked like....still no dreds though.

Harlequin/Silhouette Challenge 2009 Completed

Well, I officially finished. I was reading Santa and Son which is an older obsolete line by Harlequin (Harlequin Love and Laughter) but just haven't been able to make myself go back to it after starting it almost a month ago. Not sure why. It isn't a bad book. It is fairly short (under 200 pages). But I am just not into it. Anyway, my official list for the completed challenge is....

1) Read 1 book with a holiday theme. Holly and Mistletoe--Susan Mallery (Silhouette Special Edition #1071) 3 Stars 2) Read 1 book by an author you never read before. The Christmas Husband--Mary Anne Wilson (Harlequin American Romance #609) 3 Stars
3) Read 1 book with one of these words in the title - wedding, marriage, husband or wife. The Dream Wedding--MJ Rodgers (Harlequin Intrigue #445) 4 Stars4) Read 1 book set in a place you've never been before. set in France....Lost Calling--Evelyn Vaughn (Silhouette Bombshell #97) 2Stars5) Read 1 book with a body of water in the title (i.e. water, lake, river, island, etc.) Shadows on the Lake--Leona Karr (Harlequin Intrigue #840) 2 Stars

I haven't been very diligent in typing up my reviews so I only have one done but hope to get to the rest soon. All the reviews/post that have to do with the Harlequin/Silhouette Challenge of 2009 are all labled Harlequin/Silhouette Challenge 2009. If you click on that lable it will bring you to the page that has everything.

A big thank you to Yvonne for hosting this challenge and I am looking forward to the 2010 Challenge.

A-Z Wednesday

Ok, I know it isn't actually Wednesday but sometimes I can't get online everyday and have to post when I can (hence the mass posting on some days and then days go by with absolutely nothing) So this is what I found on Socrates' blog...by the way...her blog is super and worth a peek.

This is a fun meme hosted by Reading at the Beach
Welcome to A-Z Wednesday!!
To join, here's all you have to do: Go to your stack of books and find one whose title starts with the letter of the week.
Post:
1~ a photo of the book
2~ title and synopsis
3~ link(amazon, barnes and noble etc.)
4~ Come back here and leave your link in the comments.
If you've already reviewed this book you can add it also.
Be sure to visit other participants to see what book they have posted and leave them a comment.
(We all love comments, don't we?)
Who knows? You may find your next "favorite" book.
THIS WEEKS LETTER IS: "T "

So, looking at my TBR Mountain this is my chosen book for the week.

http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Fire-Linda-Howard/dp/0671019724

The Touch of Fire by Linda Howard

Description provided by shelfari......

Annie Parker came to Silver Mesa, Arizona, because it was the only place she'd found where folks thought a woman doctor was better than no doctor at all. Her lonely life became harder still on the winter night Rafe McCay broke into her office with a bullet in his side and a bounty hunter at his back. With a gun aimed at her heart, he led her deep into the Arizona mountains, and into a world of danger and passion, for Annie discovered in Rafe not only a wounded man, but a soul betrayed...and Rafe, healed by her skill and the magic in her hands, awakened in Annie a woman's tender longing and hungry desire. Pursued by dangerous secrets of the past, they are swept into a thrilling odyssey of the heart -- a bold, exhilarating journey that rekindles Rafe's lost hope and transforms Annie's healing gift into a deep, enduring love.

I hope to start this within the next couple days. I have really enjoyed most of the books I read by Howard so I am looking forward to this one.

Monthly Mixer Mele Challenge

I started this challenge at the beginning of Novemeber. I know, I know....I have joined so many challenges but this one sounded fun. It is hosted by Jen at Jen's Book Talk at the object is to read a book that starts with every letter that makes up all of the months. The title links back to her original post. This is what she said on her blog.....

All you have to do is read a book that begins with a letter of each month or read a book that begins with the authors name (first or last name, doesn’t matter). There are 74 letters so you will have to have 74 different books to complete the challenge. Books can however be used to complete other challenges.You don’t have to do the months in any kind of order, just fill in books as you go along until you have each letter a book by it.

Challenge begins November 1, 2009 and ends November 2, 2010 so you have a whole year to complete! Lets break out them books and get busy!

If you decide to join me in the 2009/2010 Monthly Mixer Mele, create a post on your blog telling others about this event. In your post, be sure to include the link to this post on your blog. That way others can find their way here and join in the fun!

When you sign up under Mr. Linky, list the direct link to your post where your books will be listed in the URL spot.

No need to link your reviews to here just come back and let us know how your coming along in this same post. :) The most important thing is to have fun!

N--Night Lost by Lynn Viehl (3 Stars)
O--Once and Always by Judith McNaught (4 Stars) V--Virgin River by Robyn Carr (4.5 Stars)


E--Evanovich, Janet--Fearless Fourteen (3 Stars) M--(The)Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley (4.5 Stars)
B--Blood Sins by Kay Hooper (3 Stars) E--Evanovich, Janet Lean Mean Thirteen (4 stars) R--Robyn Carr's A Virgin River Christmas (4 Stars)










D--(The)Dream Wedding by MJ Rodgers--A Harlequin Intrigue (4 Stars)
E--Elizabeth Boyle's Love Letters From A Duke  (4.5 Stars) C--Causing Havoc by Lori Foster (4.5 Stars) E--Evanovich, Janet--Sizzling Sixteen (3.5 Stars)




M--Murder Game by Christine Feehan (3.5 Stars)
B--(The) Bewitched Viking by Sandra Hill (2 Stars) E--Evanovich, Janet--Finger Lickin' Fifteen (4 Stars)


R--Robyn Carr's Temptation Ridge (4 Stars)




J--Julia Quinn's What Happens in London (4.5 Stars)
A--All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks (3 Stars)
N--Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper (4.5 Stars) U--Unleash the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon (4.5 Stars) A--Armstrong, Kelley--The Summoning (4 Stars) R--Robyn Carr's Whispering Rock (5Stars) Y










F--Forget Me Not by Elizabeth Lowell (3 Stars)
E--Evanovich, Janet--Smitten (3 Stars)
B--Barbara Bretton's Just Like Heaven  (4 Stars) R--Robyn Carr's Angel's Peak  (5 Stars) U--Under Her Skin by Susan Mallery (4 Stars) A--Angela Knight's Master of Swords (3 stars) R--Robyn Carr's Shelter Mountain (5 Stars) Y












M--Marie Anne Wilson's The Christmas Hubsand Silhouette Special Edition (3 Stars) A--(The) Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox (3 Stars) R--Robb, JD--Imitation in Death  (4 Stars) C--(The) Christmas Husband by Marie Anne Wilson a Silhouette Special Edition (3 Stars)






H--Holly and Mistletoe by Susan Mallery a Silhouette Special Edition (4 Stars)


A--Angela Knight--Master of the Night (2 Stars) P--Paradise Valley by Robyn Carr (4.5 stars) R--Robyn Carr's Forbidden Falls (4 Stars) I--It Had To Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (4 Stars)






L--Lie By Moonlight by Amanda Quick (3 Stars)


M--Miller, Linda Lael--Deadly Deceptions (4 Stars)
A--Amanda Quick--Second Sight (4 Stars) Y




J--Jude Deveraux's Holly (4 Stars)
U
N--Nora Roberts's Remember When (3.5 Stars)
E--Everyday Average Jones by Suzanne Brockmann (4.5 Stars)


J--Jayne Ann Krentz's White Lies (4 Stars)
U
L--Leona Karr's Shadows on the Lake (2 Stars) Y




A--Ana Leigh's The Lawman said "I Do" (1 Star) U


G--Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles (4.5 Stars) U


S--Shadows on the Lake by Leona Karr a Harlequin Intrigue (2 Stars)
T--The Touch of Fire by Linda Howard (2.5 Stars)




S--Susan Elizabeth Phillips's Dream a Little Dream (5 Stars) E--Elisabeth Naughton's Marked (2 Stars)


P--Patterson, James--Witch and Wizard  (3 Stars) T--Taming the Highland Bride by Lynsay Sands (3 Stars) E




M--MacGregor, Kinley's The Warrior (2.5 Stars) B--Beth Fantasky's Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (3.5 Stars) E




R--(The) Renegade Hunter by Lynsay Sands (4 Stars)


O--(The) Only Way Out by Susan Mallery (2 Stars)C--Christine Feehan's Street Game (3 Stars) T--Teresa Medeiros's The Bride and The Beast (4.5 Stars)


O--One Night of Scandal by Teresa Medeiros (5 Stars)
B--Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick (4 Stars) E


R--Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz (4 Stars)

Finish That Series Challenge 2010

After finding that I have started more series then actually finishing this past year I have found another challenge that should motivate me into finishing what I started. The title above links back to the original blog if you are interested in joining. All my reviews for this challenge or any challenge for that matter will have labels attatched. All reviews for this challenge in particular will have a label of Finish-that-series. Just click on that label and it will route you to all reviews. Easy Peazy.

Anyway, this is what they had to say over at Royal Reviews about this challenge....

This is an opportunity for you to finish all of those series that have been sitting on your book shelf looking at you. I don't know about you but I have quite a few. With this challenge you count series completed, not books read. I have a series with 20 books in it, although I'm not sure I'll include this one, it doesn't matter how many books are in the series or if you've read most of them and only have one or two left to read. The object of this challenge is to finish the series.

Challenge Guidelines:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.--Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.

2. There are four levels:--

Curious – Finish 2 series.--

Fascinated – Finish 3 series.--

Addicted – Finish 5 series.--

Obsessed – Finish 10 series.

3. Any genre counts.

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to the post about the Finish Your Series Reading Challenge. Include the URL so that other participants can find join in and read your reviews and post.

The Dream Wedding by MJ Rodgers

The Dream Wedding by MJ Rodgers

A Harlequin Intrigue #445 Fortune Cookie mini-series.

Decription compliments of Shelfari.com:

Handsome psychiatrist Michael Sands specializes in patients' dreams, but he falls into a dream of his own when he finds beautiful Briana Berry sleeping under the Dream Institute's office Christmas tree late one night. Answers to the many questions that arise from this discovery--how she got there, why she's dressed in an expensive wedding gown, and what her real identity is--pose a giant mystery, one Michael has to solve.

As he struggles to maintain a patient-client relationship with Briana, he's painfully aware that he has fallen in love with the fascinating mystery woman. As Briana searches for the memory that eludes her, she falls more deeply in love with Michael. Why can't Briana remember what she's really like? Why does she remember a childhood far different from the one her mother describes? Why does she feel threatened by the man who insists he is her new husband? 

My Thoughts....

Although when it comes to plotlines in some of the older Intrigues (this one was written 12 or more years ago) have been done to death (amnesiac woman has to depend on a hunka hunka man to try to remember who she is) I thought it was pretty good. It almost lost me at the beginning though when said woman was kissed awake by said man after he found her deep in sleep under his Christmas tree at his office (which happens to be The Institute of Dreams). She had the nerve to kiss him back....um hello....if I fall asleep and wake up with amnesia and a man I probably have never met has me in a tongue wrestling match I would totally come up swinging not kissing.

But anyway....I digress. As I mentioned, this book is pretty good. Connecting with the characters was pretty easy. The author did a great job of giving all her characters depth which is not always easy in category romances because the length of the books tend to not allow for the development. So 3 dimensional characters....check.

Believable storyline....well, maybe half a check. When Briana discovered she didn't know how she got to the institute she said something along the lines of missing 3 hours of her life. Later in the book this was proven to not be the case. It was even worse. So when that little zinger was discovered I had that ominous music playing in my head....dumdumDUUUUUUUUMMMMMM. Even later in the book the new development was proven to not be the case. It was again worse and once again the ominous music played in my head but more of comedic flair (picture the movie Clue with Tim Curry and you'll get what I mean.)

Despite the crazy plotline and a couple other "issues" that are more about personal taste then anything I give it 4 Stars. This author is one I will definitely seek out among my hundreds of Harlequin Intrigues to read sooner rather then later. After all Rodgers did a masterful job of answering the question that I didn't know I had. "What happens when an amnesiac has amnesia about the time she had amnesia but remembers everything else?"

The Harlequin/Silhouette Reading Challenge 2010

Yvonne is hosting this challenge again for the upcoming year. I am going to do this again this year (even though I am still a couple books away from completing the 2009 challenge). The title will link you back to her original blog.

Rules:

1) Challenge is from Jan 1 to Dec 31

2) All of the books must be from the Harlequin family of imprints

3) Read one book for each requirement

Requirements:

1) Read 1 book with a weather condition in the title (i.e. storm, rain, snow)

2) Read 1 book with a person's name in the title (i.e. Mary, John)

3) Read 1 book with a title in the title (i.e. King, Prince, Princess, Sheik)

4) Read 1 book with a color in the title (i.e. red, blue, white)

5) Read 1 book by an author whose last name begins with the letter "R"

6) Read 1 book with an element in the title (earth, wind, fire, air, spirit)

The Worst Movies Ever???

Didn't actually watch these movies all the way through....just couldn't stomach it. There is something to be said, however, of late night insomnia and 300 cable channels. I just don't know what it is. So, below are two of the worse movies I have not watched (well, all the way through anyway.)

Private Valentine aka Major Movie Star....(can't honestly rate it because I only watched a fraction of the 98 minute movie). Yeah, so, I am not a Jessica Simpson hater. I think she has a lovely voice. I think she should stick to singing though. I only saw a bit piece of the movie where she is trying to rally her team to complete some sort of drill/competition. The speech was less then motivational. Unfortunately I think it was a combo of acting and writing that doomed it. If I were part of her team I would have surrendered right there.

7 Seconds (no rating for this one either but I did watch more of it then I did Pvt. Valentine). Starring Wesley Snipes. I am not a big Snipes fan either. I have enjoyed many of his movies though. Unfortunately this one was not one of them. It was horrid. Snipes is an ex special OPs man who for some reason now leads a life of crime. During his latest heist a priceless painting comes up missing and the owners want it back. The movie is filled with poorly executed fight sequences that made them look as if we were watching them practicing instead of the actual movie, unbelievable car chase scenes ( I really hate when two cars collide at what appears to be very low speed only to have one car explode in a ball of flame and the other become a projectile of end over end twisted metal) and the pretty blonde becomes a love interest shortly after taking a bullet that doesn't seem to affect her ability to playfully wrestle with him at the end of the show. Yes this movie was full of cliches and yet I didn't watch but 30 minutes of it. Ugh.

So folks, save yourself some time and money and avoid these movies.