How do you talk to an Angel?

With your mind of course.

I just finished reading Angels Dawn by Komali Da Silva and I really loved it. It seemed like a very fast paced story but at the same time gave me the feeling that there was still a whole lot more to come. It really left me wanting more of the story as soon as possible.

Angels Dawn is a love story, a first love, love story. We're introduced to Dawn first who's celebrating her 16th birthday when something life altering happens. Afterward she realizes slowly her world is completely changing. Her boyfriend Nate isn't really who she's meant to be with. The guy she is meant to be with, Angelo, has secrets he's keeping from her.

There are things I truly loved about this book.

The heroine isn't necessarily some whiny 16 yr old. She's a bit of a tough chick. I loved that. When there are so many books out there where girls don't know what to do with themselves, she says, "No. I'm stronger than that. I'm not weak.". Even if we're allowed to see her heart being broken.

Then I loved the story line and it's pace. At first I thought it may be a little too fast paced but the fact there was never one slump, or down point in the story, had me reading it non stop until I'd devoured the whole thing.

I loved that both the male characters gave the female space when they knew she needed it and didn't push her into anything she didn't want to be doing.

(Image from Google)

Now for my dislikes. (And I only really hold one against the author, but not really.)

As a mother I had a problem with the main characters, especially the main female being 16. I felt maybe had she been 17, or even 18, I would've felt more comfortable with several of the sexual scenes in the book. Or even some of the non sexual ones. I just felt she was a bit young for me. That's why it's not really the author's fault, it's just more my preference.


Lastly, there were several misspellings and grammatical errors that bothered me. I'm just a grammer nazi like that. I'd be happy to proofread anyone's book. I've got a serious knack for all things written. Just ask my parents and everyone I've ever help write a paper for high school or college. Or those who just need help expressing themselves. That one's on me too. Just a tiny pet peeve of mine.


Once again though, I really liked the book and have already recommended it to several personal friends to read. I suggest you definitely make room on your shelves for this one!

P.S. Right now it's only $0.99!  Amazon Link

I feel like a zombie brought back to life

I love reading with a passion. I've taken a break from it for awhile for a few different reasons, now that I'm back in my zone with it, I realize how much I've missed it. And this. This blog. It's not a big blog. Not fancy in the least. But it's MINE. I enjoy this space. These words being typed bring me all the happy butterflies of production back.

When I was younger, and still possibly, my parents wanted me to be a writer. I read to fuel my imagination as a kid and  the results were I could write effortlessly. In my teens I had a letter to the editor published in a small newspaper in my home town. My small literary claim to fame. And yes I was the kid who was always caught reading after bedtime. A book in one hand, sometimes a pen in the other.

That's why I love this. It's my roots. It's my true love.

A mix of reading and writing. Best of both worlds.

In the past few days I've been entering book contests and liking tons of new author pages on Facebook (and following them on Twitter too). It's helping me find new blogs to follow. New authors and books that I haven't heard of yet.

A couple of weeks ago I won a ticket to RomCon and I am still walking around like I've won the lottery. Most people might find that a sad thing or just not understand. Book people will know that feeling. I really wish I could afford to go to the RT Convention in New Orleans too, seeing as majority of my favorite authors will be there. Sylvia Day, Julia Templeton (AKA J.A. Templeton), Laura Kaye, Vanessa Kelly, and so many others. Plus New Orleans in that mix? Heck yeah! I'm just happy that after so many years of dying to go to one of these conventions I'll be able to attend RomCon.

Not only that I'll be attending....but....

my best friend will be there with me!

We'll actually be road tripping from NC to CO. Epic girl's road trip. The only thing that I think will make that better is if we get to do the 8 hour detour down to see Roswell. Roswell is on my bucket list. As a lover of all things alien, it's a must. I've also been researching random roadside attractions for us to see along the way. Did you know Knoxville, TN has the world's largest basketball??

It's still far off away in June (you know around the time we might actually be out of winter....) but the excitement is coursing through me non stop.

I'm back feeling like myself again, happy and back into doing what I love to do. Reading and telling everyone what I thought of what I read.

Sometimes even to the point of pushing books into peoples hands. (They must absolutely read Brooke Moss's The What If Guy!)



(All images via Google.)

You said I remember how we felt sitting by the water.....

So I'm feeling like I'm finally getting back into my groove with reading....and I'm LOVING it!

As a child I loved to read, so much so that my father would sign my up for the Dr. Suess book clubs and such and I'd be thrilled when I received a new book in the mail. Library day was my favorite day in elementary school. As a tween I was always begging someone to buy me a new book, or having my grandmother take me to the library. My joy of reading truly will always be one of my well nurtured loves.

On that note, books like the one I just finished are exactly what keeps my habit craving more. This book had everything I desire from a romance and then some! The book being The Sinner by Margaret Mallory, Book 2 in the Return Of The Highlanders series.

(Image from Goodreads)

The night I picked up Book 1 in the series, The Guardian , I couldn't put it down. Into the next day I was so enthralled with it I carried it with me everywhere I went until I finished. Therefore, I was super excited to win a copy of The Sinner! It's been sitting in a special place since I received it and three days ago I was in the mood to see how Alex's story was going to turn out. After all, he's our playboy, the one who's sworn never to marry. So many questions about what kind of woman would convince him to change his views on wedded bliss and how their story would unfold.

And did it ever unfold. This story is not lacking for adventure, that's for sure. Whereas I couldn't put the first book down, I felt myself forcing myself to do so with this one just in order to be able to take everything that had just happened in each section of the book in. Not in the bad way either. Each piece of the journey left me with that "wow" feeling you generally get at the END of a great book. There's just so much that Alex and Glynis have to endure on their road to happiness, but in the end, it's a love story like no other. I don't think there's a way to give a synopsis without giving out some sort of spoiler, and I myself hate those. I enjoy being able to discover everything out for myself, therefore I do recommend that you indulge in this book ASAP.

I loved, Loved, LOVED this book and cannot wait to read Duncan and Connor's stories in Books 3&4.

Can't you see that I'm lonely, rescue me......

So while browsing around the blogs a couple of weeks ago I came across this blog post :

http://naughtyromancewriters.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/how-kallypso-masters-made-santas-naughty-list-free-gift-a-giveaway/

I was then introduced to a writer I hadn't read before. Kallypso Masters. Where on earth have I been that I haven't read her books yet?? After reading the excerpt for the third book in her Rescue Me series I immediately downloaded the first, Masters At Arms.

(Image from Goodreads)

Ummm. Hello gorgeous cover. I suppose I should mention men in uniform comes right behind those in Kilts on my sexy list. Or rather men OUT of uniforms. I can deal with that too. Totally can deal with that.

(Takes a moment to deal with dirty thoughts that might have popped into mind while oogling the cover....)

I wasn't sure what to expect of a sort of prequel book. In book one we're introduced to the the main characters for the following books in the series, but we're also given a glimpse into their pasts, what brought them together as friends, and what bonds them together as a small family.

I will have to admit though, Adam has my heart. I can relate so much with his and Karla's story, and, I have a thing for older men too. No real shocker there for any of my friends. I met my first real love when I was 13/14 and he was 20/21. Of course this was still in the time when boys had good sense and nothing ever happened. But still it was a first love, and it was reciprocated by he. Now, later on in life we're great friends. I feel though like I champion more so for Karla and Adam on the basis of the "what if" theory. Don't even act like you don't know what that is. Every girl out there knows they've gone over the "what if's" with a past love at least once in their life. Karla though, she's getting that chance and I'm so excited for her!

I also am really looking forward to seeing what comes of Savi (Savannah) and Damien. Her situation probably will leave more than one person feeling squeamish but that just gives her more to overcome. Also more for Damien to be the one hero for. I can't wait to see what she's been doing for the past ten years and to  see Damien's reaction to all of her secrets she's held onto for so long, including the one about their child.

And *sigh* Marc, I really want to know what's going on with him at the end of the book. Why he's kind of placed himself into some sort of protective shell. Spending less time at the club and with Adam and Damien? What's crawled into him? Or rather who's he about to crawl into in book 2?

In all three men I love that we get a brief look into each of the men's hearts and into what makes them vulnerable. It's not something we as readers usually get so much depth into. Each man has his own heart hurdle he's going to have to jump over to be happy with the woman he loves, and it might not be an easy leap for these stubborn males.

So many questions that I can't wait to have answered in each of the follow up books. Each of the Masters has their own book with Master Marc's being Book 2, Master Adam's being Book 3, and Master Damien's being Book 4. If  book 2 and 4 are anything like 1 and what I've seen of 3, we're in for a good ride here ladies!

Don't care how........I want it now.....

Why yes, I am pulling a Veruca Salt.

I just finished The Haunted by J.A. Templeton, Book 2 in the MacKinnon Curse series and I'm already wishing I had Book 3 in hand. I started the book last night about this time and have devoured it over the past 24 hours.

(Image from Goodreads)

Book 2 literally picked up where Book 1 left on which means that the reader doesn't miss out on a minute of the lives of the main characters. When reading this book the chapters will fly by and you will glance up and see Chapter 5 and the next time you stop to take an eye break you're on Chapter 25 and the book is at 93%  and you're going, "Noooooooo! I'm not ready for it to be over!!". Which was totally me of course. Thus here I am, elated with the story and the course of the storyline, but sadly impatient that I'll have to wait at least another couple of months before Book 3 is published. (On a side note if Mrs.Templeton happens to stop in here and take a peek at this, my birthday falls on March 22nd and Book 3 would make the awesomest present.......)

Now, on to things I specifically LOVED about Book 2.

Kade. I loved how even though he's possibly one in the same with Ian's spirit, that Riley and he found their own separate footing as a couple. Also, his genuineness in his feelings for Riley. I actually did feel bad for him when the "incident" happens while his and Riley's relationship is so fresh. His pain was just so easily communicated in my opinion and his personality so clear.

Madison. What can I say? The kids got spunk and I love her. I started to worry about our poor Riley with not many sympathetic people around who could understand what she was going through with being able to see spirits. At least none around her age. And even though Maddy is only 12, I feel like she's a strong ally for Riley. As well as Cait, for believing both Maddy and Riley's abilities for what they are.

All in all, even though Laria and her backup goons return with a vengeance, Riley seems to find herself surrounded by lots of love fueled by her friends, Miss A & Anne Marie, her Dad, Kade, and Shane. I was thoroughly captivated by Book 2 and am possibly going to go stir crazy waiting on Book 3.

Edited to add that I woke up this morning and decided to reread the entire book just for fun. Some of you reread Twilight. I will be rereading The Haunted. :)

The first cut is the deepest....

So I happen to be a huge, HUGE, fan of Julia Templeton. The first story I ever read of hers was a short titled "Border Lord" in the Parlor Games collection. This story was actually so good that some of my younger brothers have actually borrowed the book to read it. (We're a family who are all fond of all things Scottish, thanks to a small dab of Scottish heritage.) They loved it as well. I've read a fair amount of her other works The Bargain, The Conquest, Sinjin, Victor, Rory, and Return To Me. I have absolutely LOVED them all. All of them are in the Erotic Romance genre so I was a bit curious when she announced she would be crossing over to the YA side of writing.

I seriously had my doubts about how this would be working out. She had such a fail proof technique with the erotic storytelling, what happens when you remove most of that? What's left?

Well this week, knowing I'd be doing traveling during Thanksgiving I got my Kindle out and downloaded her debut YA release "The Deepest Cut" written under the pen name J.A. Templeton. This book is the first in the MacKinnon Curse book series.

I started reading it Thanksgiving day in between routes to various branches of the family tree. I'm so happy I did. I'm a huge fan of the "ghostie" stories and it's been awhile since I've read one that grabbed my attention the way this one did. It might've been a genre change, but underneath was still the fabulous writing that has always held my attention and left me wanting more. More of everything in the pages, from the characters, to the story itself. I literally kept hitting the forward button wanting more. I'm glad to see I won't have to wait much longer, as Book 2 in the series is due out in December. Also, Book 3 is due in February.

I will throw this out there though, before I get into a small synopsis. If you're a squeamish reader, you might want to take this story in pieces, or just be forewarned that there is blood, cutting, and one really angry, angry ghost.

The story is about a 16 yr old girl named Riley, who along with her brother and father have just relocated from Portland, OR to Scotland. (Lucky, lucky, LUCKY girl....at least for that bit.) She's been able to see spirits/ghosts since the accident that took her mother's life a year earlier. Although no one believes her, therefore she has to keep it a secret and try to ignore all the spirits whose paths she crosses. Until of course she meets Ian MacKinnon, the nineteen year old spirit who was murdered over 200 years ago. She ignores him at first, but then when he see's her cutting she accidentally acknowledges him and then the cats out of the bag. When he questions about her cutting his reaction isn't as she expects it to be and soon they strike up a friendship. Not long after though, the girl who cursed Ian to roam his family's land soon shows herself to Riley as well and threatens to make Riley pay if she doesn't leave Ian be and refuse to help him end the curse.

I'm going to stop there so as to not give away any of the good parts. If you've ever watched Ghost Whisperer or anything to that effect you'll love this book as much as I did. I cannot wait to read Book 2 to see what's going to happen next with these characters!

Doctor, Doctor, Give me the news...

This isn't a post to whine or complain, by far the opposite. I'm doing well and I'm alive to see another beautiful day therefore I have no right to do either. I just wanted to stop by and explain why I haven't been around much.

If you've ever happened to notice, most of my blogs are published in the wee hours of the night. Most of my visiting and commenting on other's blogs happens to be done on the same timeline. Well about a month or so ago I called my Endocrinologist for a check up because I was concerned about migraines, insomnia (obviously), and my weight going back up.

I happen to be a medical experiment in a 28 yr old body.

My body is always fighting against me in one way or another. My main enemies are a pituitary tumor and an under active thyroid. They happen to work hand in hand. Migraines, insomnia, and the weight issues are all side effects I deal with on a daily basis. Luckily I have the most wonderful doctor ever and I can always tell that he's always listening to what I have to say and we work together to work out a game plan. Which we did during my appointment then and I was put on a new medicine to cut out the migraines and the insomnia. I won't look down my nose at more sleep, but I have found myself lacking the energy and time to do any blogging lately. Adjusting meds is always a fun roller coaster (said SUPER sarcastically, lol). But if it's what helps in the long run I'm all for having some relaxing me time where my only worry is whether it's too hot in the room to be covered or not.

Also, I've had at least two colds and random side effects from the new medicine.

I mentioned I have a giant distaste for roller coasters, right?

So, all in all that's where I've been. I've been reading a little here and there on Heidi Betts'  "The Bite Before Christmas" and am halfway through it. But with everything going on I've just been taking thing a day, a wink, and a nod off to sleep at a time.