Weekly Wrap Up(04/02/11)

Book Reviews

Lover Unleashed

The Thirteenth Gift

The Touch Of Twilight

The Taste Of Night

City Of Souls 
Cheat The Grave 

Posts This Week

The In Death Reading Challenge

Waiting On Wednesday

In My Mailbox

Current Giveaways

Happy Blogging Birthday!

Our Week

It seemed like a busy week to me, but I didn't really do a lot except read! A couple of my friends & I did get together on Thursday and have lunch and just laugh & talk! It was fun and needed! The books that I read this week are: The Taste Of Night, The Touch of Twilight, City of Souls, Cheat The Grave (all by Vicki Pettersson) and Lover Unleashed by JR Ward. And thanks to Dead Book Darling I'm going to leave you all with this video that I know you all will appreciate!!

Cheat The Graveby Vicki Pettersson

Las Vegas socialite and otherwordly avenger Joanna Archer gave up everything when she embraced mortality—abandoning her powers and altering her destiny to save a child . . . and a city. Now her former allies are her enemies—and her enemies have nothing to fear.Yet still she is bound to a prophecy that condemns her to roam a nightmare landscape that ordinary humans cannot see and dare not enter. And a beast is on her trail—an insane killer blinded by bloodlust, who's determined to rip much more from Joanna than merely her now-fragile life. Survival is no longer an option in this dark realm where good and evil have blurred into confusing shades of gray—unless she can gather together an army of onetime foes and destroy everything she once believed in.

my thoughts~
Book #5 finds Jo/Olivia out of the Zodiac troop, mortal and with a demon from Midheaven trying to kill her. Wow. Just WOW! I know I keep saying this but this series just keeps getting better & better! There were a couple of times I thought: "Whoa, no way" and it would turn out to be a Oh Hell Yes Way! (<--Did you notice those caps? They are deserved, let me tell ya!) The one sad thing is that there is only 1 more book to read until I'm out till next year! *sniff, sniff* So, if you haven't read the series yet, what the hell are you waiting for? Read it!

Follow My Book Blog Friday!

Don't forget to use the button to add yourself to the link list. Happy following!

Q. What is the book that you really don't want to admit to loving?? 

You know I don't embarrass easily. Really. And especially not about books. BUT, that being said, I do hesitate to tell people that I love reading You Belong To Me by Joanna Lindsey, Elfking's Lady by Hannah Howell and The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux. Yes, I know that's 3 books, but they are the ones that are hidden behind the other books on the very bottom shelf!

City Of Soulsby Vicki Pettersson

In Sin City, a little girl suffers from a strange and terrible malady. If she dies, the Light will die along with her.
Warrior, avenger, Joanna Archer has survived countless otherworldly terrors—and has found her rightful place among the agents battling the all-pervasive evil of Shadow . . . even as she struggles against the darkness within herself.
A war is raging for Las Vegas—a city without a heart—one that catapults Joanna into a new world hidden from mortal sight. In this lethally seductive alternate dimension the lines blur between good and evil, love and hate, and here lies the last hope for the Light. But Joanna's price of admission is a piece of her own soul—and the odds of her escaping are slim . . . to none.

my thoughts~
I have really enjoyed reading this series! City Of Souls is the 4th book in the Signs of the Zodiac series and let me tell you: I hope this series never ends!! It seems to me that each book is better than the last, I think 'this' will happen, but no, 'that' happens and it's completely unexpected! I won't say much more than this: I am incredibly sad that I'm more than half way finished with the next book, Cheat The Grave and there is only The Neon Graveyard for me to read and then I have to wait a whole year for the next book.

The In Death Reading Challenge

I've spoken with quite a few people lately that have never read *gasp* an In Death book and had no idea to the complete hotness of Roarke! I thought, how sad for these women, to not have Roarke in their dreams! So, that is how I had the bright idea to host the first ever My Guilty Pleasures Reading Challenge!


About the challenge:
If you want to sign up for the challenge, you must make a post on your blog about the challenge and it can be added to other challenge posts.  You must also sign up on the link list below.  Please link to the challenge post, not just your blog. If you don't have a blog, you can still sign up!  You can use the link list to sign up at any book related site you belong to.  If you don't belong to any book sites, leave a comment. Or join goodreads, librarything, shelfari, fictfact, etc! They are easy to join & free too!

Also, if you're signing up for the challenge, feel free to add the button below to your sidebar It's not a MUST, but we would appreciate it!

<center><a href="http://www.mgpblog.com/2011/03/in-death-reading-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img alt="My Guilty Pleasures" src="http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww117/MGPBLOG/readingchallenge.jpg"/></a></center>

Challenge details:

• This challenge will run from May 1st, 2011 to April 31st, 2012.
• Goal: Read as many of the In Death series books by the end of the challenge as you want!
• Any book counts: paperback, e-book, audio, etc.
• Anthologies can count, but aren't mandatory!
• Challenge can cross-over into other challenges.
• Feel free to join whenever you want!

 Here is a list of the books, in order:
(yes, there are a lot, but don't panic!)




The In Death Series Naked in Death, July 1995 Glory in Death, December 1995 Immortal in Death, July 1996 Rapture in Death, October 1996 Ceremony in Death, May 1997 Vengeance in Death, October 1997 Holiday in Death, June 1998 Conspiracy in Death, April 1999 Loyalty in Death, October 1999 Witness in Death, March 2000 Judgment in Death, September 2000 Betrayal in Death, March 2001 Seduction in Death, September 2001 Reunion in Death, March 2002 Purity in Death, September 2002 Portrait in Death, March 2003 Imitation in Death, September 2003 Divided in Death, January 2004 Visions in Death, August 2004 Survivor in Death, February 2005 Origin in Death, July 2005 Memory in Death, January 2006 Born in Death, November 2006 Innocent in Death, February 2007 Creation in Death, November 2007 Strangers in Death, February 2008 Salvation in Death, November 2008 Promises in Death, February 2009 Kindred in Death, November 2009 Fantasy in Death, February 2010 Indulgence in Death, November 2010 Treachery in Death, February 2011 and if you want to read the novella's & anthologies: In Death Novella Robb novella included in Remember When (featuring two connected stories from Nora Roberts and J. D. Robb), May 2004 Big Jack, March 2010 (stand-alone publication) In Death stories included in Anthologies “Midnight in Death,” Silent Night, November 1998 “Interlude in Death,” Out of This World, August 2001 “Haunted in Death,” Bump in the Night, April 2006 “Eternity in Death,” Dead of Night, November 2007 “Ritual in Death,” Suite 606, November 2008 “Missing in Death,” The Lost, December 2009 “Possession in Death,” The Otherside, November 2010

Lover Unleashedby J.R. Ward

 
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.

my thoughts~
Book #9 and I still love reading about the Brothers! I was up at 5 a.m. this morning reading. I finished at 6 p.m. still in my pj's, needing to eat & shower. That's how entranced with 'Lover Unleashed' I was. I barely moved all day! I love the story of Payne & Manny. The way it unfolds, how giving he is. How strong she is. It was a book that I had to set down a couple of times and just 'sigh'.  And, there were a couple of times that I just wanted to smack 1 certain (twin) brother, but as with any great book, all is right in the end. I am unwilling to write to much here, because the book is still so new that I don't want to give to much away. But I will say this: There is a lot of V & Jane in this book(yay). Almost no John Matthew & Xhex(boo). But there is a certain revelation concerning my favorite manwhore. Actually there are 2 revelations with him.

I so loved this book, I can't wait until the BDB Reading Challenge starts April 1st, so I can read ALL the Brothers books again!! LOL! The WARDen always mentions songs or groups in her books (love them!) so I thought I would add a group that Manny enjoys!

Waiting On Wednesday(03/30/11)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (August 30, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061783196
• ISBN-13: 978-0061783197

Yay! I'm so excited! I am having a hard time waiting until August though...I wonder what I have that the great Ms. Frost would trade for? A cat? I have 3, she could take her pick. One of my children? As much as I love them, I think I might be willing to part with one. Wonder which one she would want? Oh, who am I kidding, I wouldn't give her one of my cats! LOL! *sigh* is it August yet?

The Thirteenth Gift By Charlene Costanzo

While on assignment in Eastern Europe, Claire, a U.S. journalist, learns of a local legend. The deceptively simple story about "the thirteenth gift" has a profound effect on Claire, which soon transforms her marriage, her work, and the way she sees the world. The Thirteenth Gift is both a cautionary tale and an inspirational fable as it shows a way through the perilous consequences of greed, arrogance, and abuse of power to an uplifted state of consciousness and community. The Thirteenth Gift invites readers to renew their sense of wonderment, which can lead to freedom from fear and to a greater experience of hope, beauty, and joy in daily life. Like the message of the award-winning book, The Twelve Gifts of Birth, this novella from Charlene Costanzo reminds readers to see the dignity that is inherent in themselves and others. The habit of collecting smooth stones and shiny pebbles is an impulse that crosses generations, cultures, and traditions. But what instinct urges us to stop for them, hold them in our pockets, and save them in jars? This fourth work in Charlene Costanzo's Twelve Gift Series explains why so many people world-wide are fascinated with collecting stones. The Thirteenth Gift describes an obscure, Eastern European fable that explains why even the appeal of gem stones is rooted in something deeper than dazzle...something we are all trying to remember. Stones symbolize the marvelous oneness of all creation and keep us in touch with the gifts of life. The story's central character, Claire, is one any modern woman can relate to; torn between pursuing her ambitions and dedicating herself to her family. The author's fictional narrative reinforces the importance of consciousness, community, and most importantly, maintaining your sense of wonder. In a world where there are so many distractions, it is easy to forget our sense of wonderment. This book is a simple reminder to reconnect with the unique gifts we are each born with, urging readers to see the dignity that is inherent in themselves and others. Readers are invited to renew their sense of wonderment, to find a greater experience of hope, beauty, and joy in daily life.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, being only 66 pages. The book is written from the main characters point of view. She is dealing with stress from her job and being away from her family alot because of it. While out of the country on assignment, she finishes a story early and is trying to surprise her family by coming home early. She takes an unscheduled road trip out of town to kill time, and runs into some minor problems with her car. While trying to get some help, she meets up with an elderly woman who invites her into her home and tells her of a local legend that makes her realize how out of touch she is with her family and how unhappy she is with her job and her life as it is. The only down side to me was that I felt the book ended too soon, and had some unresolved issues. It could be that the author did this in order to be able to write a sequel; who knows? What interested me in this book to begin with is that even before I read it, I kept a smooth stone with the word "believe" etched on it with me all the time. Something that touched me was that a portion of the proceeds from each book in this series is donated to a foundation that prevents abuse and promotes the well-being of children, The Twelve Gifts of Birth Foundation.

The Touch of Twilightby Vicki Pettersson

 On the surface she's a sexy, sophisticated socialite, at home among the beautiful people of the Las Vegas upper crust. But Joanna Archer inhabits another world: a place ordinary humans cannot see . . . a dangerous dimension where an eternal battle rages between the agents of Light and Shadow. And Joanna is both.
Stalked by an enigmatic doppelganger from a preternatural realm, Joanna can feel the Light failing—which is propelling her toward a terrifying confrontation with the ultimate master of evil, the dark lord of Shadow: her father.
Vegas is all about winning big . . . or losing everything. To save her friends, her future, her worlds, Joanna Archer must gamble it all by fully embracing the darkness inside her.

my thoughts~
The Touch of Twilight is the 3rd book in the Signs of the Zodiac series and  Joanna/ Olivia finds herself facing off her old nemesis Regan, who has begun dating Ben, the love of Jo's life, to try to 'get' to Jo. Which of course it does. There is a new character in town, that had me saying, 'hmmmm' for a while, until it was explained. There were quite a few moments in this book that made me wonder where it was all going. But Ms. Pettersson wraps it up nicely, explaining things in a way that seems to wrap up a few of the questions I had. But I'll wait and see. Sometimes, these things tend to come back and bite the hero/heroine in the butt.

A Taste of Night by Vicki Pettersson

Equal parts Light and Shadow, Joanna Archer must fulfill a destiny she never wanted. Once a photographer and heiress to a casino fortune, she is now dedicated to the cause of good . . . but susceptible to the seductions of evil. A deadly virus is descending on Las Vegas—a terrifying plague unleashed by the powerful overlord of Zodiac's dark side: Joanna's father. Chaos and panic grip Sin City as agents of Light fall prey to the terrifying epidemic. Death reigns supreme—and Joanna stands at dead center of an epic and terrible war long foretold, the last hope of a damned world.
But first she must somehow conquer the malevolence that grows all around her . . . and within. 

my thoughts~
The Taste of Night is the second book in the Signs of the Zodiac series. In this book, Joanna finds herself cornered by a Shadow agent & initiate, on the brink of being killed. After a series of events, Joanna 'thinks' the initiate is trying to lure her to the dark side. The events that follow are a series of ups & downs, that made my head spin a little bit. I am still very glad that I'm revisiting these earlier books before getting caught up with the most recent releases! Have you read this series? What did you think?

In My Mailbox(03/27/11)

books from the library~
Victor by Julia Templeton
Rory by Julia Templeton
Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls by Victoria Laurie
Cheat The Grave by Vicki Pettersson
Rise Again by Ben Tripp
Taken By Midnight by Lara Adrian
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich
Dead In The Family by Charlaine Harris

books I bought~
Knitting for Dummies (eBook)

books to review~
The Organ Grinder by Susan Curan-Ross (eBook)
Moon Spell by Samantha Young (eBook)
Touching Silver by Jamie Craig (eBook)
Courting Disaster by Carol Stephenson (eBook)
Bite Me by Parker Blue (eBook)