Anyone who is a regular visitor here has probably wondering where I have been. I have not been so far away.
I’ve been doing a lot of blogging on Books & Chocolate. It’s another of my numerous blogs.
Winter Blues 2008 officially ended yesterday. Thanks to everyone who participated. I do have some good news for everyone who sign-up and read at least one book from their list. You all win a $10 gift card.
To get your gift card please follow the instructions below.
1. Leave a link to your actually book list (not your website homepage) in the comment area showing that you read at least one book from your list.
2. Contact me at crysacraig@cogeco.ca with your full name and mailing address.
3. Sit back and wait for your gift card to arrive in the mail.
2008 is finally here. Not that I was in a rush for it to come or anything. I have been so busy over the holidays that I have not read a book in about 3 weeks.
I’m cooking New Years dinner today but I managed to find the time to take a look in my pile to be read and set aside a few books for the Winter Blues Challenge.
Here is what I am going to try and get read.
- Almost Dead by Lisa Jackson
- The Dream-Hunter by Sherrilyn Kenyon
- Paint It Black by P.J. Parrish
- The Island by Heather Graham
- Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur
- Kill Chain by Meg Gardiner
- I’m Watching You by Mary Burton
I was looking at the calendar today, and I can’t believe November is almost over with. Where has the fall gone? The holidays are fast approaching. I don’t know about anyone else, but the next 2 months will be a very busy time around my place.
Living in Ontario, we were lucky last year when we got no snow until the first week in January. That made the winter go by quickly. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the same thing will happen this year. Over the years I’ve come to hate winter. I know…I need to wake up and smell the coffeee. I live in Canada afterall. I am finding as I age, I just can’t tolerate the cold like I used to. I’m famous for shutting myself inside, by the fire with a good book. So if you are like me, and suffer from the winter blues, you might as well join the Winter Blues 2008 Reading Challenge. You’ll be inside, where it’s nice and warm. And you can get some of those books read that you have sitting around staring at you.
Here is how the Winter Blues 2008 Reading challenge works:
- Anyone who can read and is over 18 years of age can participate. The age limit is set because some of the books and book reviews might have content not suited for younger readers.
- This challenge is meant to be fun! It is no pressure involved. If you don’t get all the books on your list read, no biggie!
- The Winter Blues 2008 Reading Challenge will take place January 1st through March 15th.
- I’ll put up a Mr. Linky on January 1st where everyone can submit a link to their own blog post with their Winter Blues 2008 booklist. Your blog post should include your goals, your booklist and a link back to the post here that contains the Mr. Linky.
It’s as simple as that!
Be sure to let your blog readers know about Winter Blues 2008 so that they, too, can take part. The more the merrier! Feel free to grab the button from this post and use it on your blog.
Prizes: I’ll be awarding 2 $10 Amazon.com gift cards to 2 random participants on March 22nd 2008 (after the challenge is complete). To be eligible for the prizes, you’ll need to: post your Winter Blues 2008 booklist blog post (and add it to the Mr. Linky that will be here) by midnight on January 30th AND post a summary blog post (and add it to the WB 2008 Summary post Mr. Linky that will be on this blog) by midnight on March 22nd 2008. I’ll choose two people at random, as the winners. **NOTE: The challenge officially ends March 15th. But, I am giving everyone one week after the challenge to post their summary blog posts. I will also be raffling off some books over the course of the challenge.
I’ve put a Mr. Linky below. Please enter your name and the link to your specific reading challenge post. Other participants will want to see what you’re reading. (If you’re not sure how to do this, just email me; I’d be glad to help!)
Also, in your reading challenge post, please include a link back to this post so that others can check out all the participants. Want to include the graphic in your post or sidebar? Feel free to grab it and use it!
Happy Reading Everyone!
Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series, #5
) by J.R. Ward
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other—six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Now, the cold heart of a cunning predator will be warmed against its will…
Ruthless and brilliant, Vishous son of the Bloodletter possesses a destructive curse and a frightening ability to see the future. As a pretrans growing up in his father’s war camp, he was tormented and abused. As a member of the Brotherhood, he has no interest in love or emotion, only the battle with the Lessening Society. But when a mortal injury puts him in the care of a human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb compels him to reveal his inner pain and taste true pleasure for the first time - until a destiny he didn’t choose takes him into a future that cannot include her.
Here I am reviewing my 4th J.R. Ward book in a row. It just can’t be helped you must read this series in order and once you start the first you will want to read them all back-to-back. Lover Unbound is the 5th of this Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I have enjoyed every book in this series, so far! J.R. Ward is a very talented writter. But I do have a few issues with Lover Unbound. The first being the character Jane. When she is first introduced she is portrayed as being a strong and very independant, modern woman, totally 100% committed to her work as a surgeon. But she gave it all up, and so quickly. And because of what happened at the end of the book (major plot spoiler if I said anything) she fads into the background even more then past heroines of this series. I also think Jane and V’s story took a back burner to all the other sub-plots in this book. The 6th book is Lover Enshrined. It is Phury’s story. According to J.R. Ward’s website it is due to be released in June 2008.
Rating: 
Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series, #4
) by J.R. Ward
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Now, an ally of the Black Dagger Brotherhood will face the challenge of his life and the evil of the ages.
Butch O’Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard living, ex-homicide cop, he’s the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world- to engage in the turf war with the lessers. He’s got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who’s way out of his league. If he can’t have her, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers…
Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, found by a miracle, the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him…
If there is anyone out there who has not read this Black-Dagger-Brotherhood series you need to buy it tomorrow and read it. This series is awesome. I hate to finish reading each book.
Lover Revealed is book #4 in the series. I couldn’t wait to get to this book because it’s Butch’s story. He was introduced in the 1st book Dark Lover, and he is my favorite character. Thank God there was a happy ending to Marissa’s and his story. The synopsis left me wondering. As I read on into the series I am starting to look forward to John’s story. He has really come far. I really had a hard time putting this book down. Once you start the book, time is totally lost.
Rating: 
Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series, #3) by J.R. Ward
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.
A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.
Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her…
Lover Awakened is the 3rd novel from J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood Series. I think it’s the best in the series, so far! Bella was introduced in Lover Eternal. I felt the chemistry between her and Zsadist right from the start. Their love scenes were senual and erotic, there was also a innocence to them. The title of this book also is very fitting to Zsadist’s story. Butch is still my favorite character and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series Lover Revealed, which is Butch’s story.
Rating:
Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series, #2
) by J.R. Ward
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Possessed by a deadly beast, Rhage is the most dangerous of the Black Dagger Brotherhood…
Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He’s the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover—for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.
Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships, is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant on Rhage’s protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. Her faith in miracles was lost years ago. But when Rhage’s intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves…
I could just kick myself for waiting so long to read this series. I am working night shift this week, and I have not been very busy, so for the last 2 nights I’ve managed to get Lover Eternal read, plus the next 2 books in the series. I normally read a book and jump on the computer and write my review, but not in this case I picked the next book in the series and continued reading. Lover Eternal was even better then Dark Lover. I like the friendship between Rhage, Butch, and V. Between the dangerous characters and mesmerizing erotic romance it’s very hard to put this book or any book in the series down.
Rating:
Every Waking Moment by Brenda Novak
Sometimes you have to risk it all…
Emma Wright has finally escaped the dangerous man who’s dominated her life for the past six years. She’s taken her five-year-old son, Max, and fled across the country, seeking freedom, safety, a fresh start. But Max’s father is no fool. And he isn’t willing to give them up so easily.
Preston Holman trusted the wrong person when he called his good friend, Dr. Vince Wendell, to his house to treat his sick little boy. When Dallas died only two days later, everyone, including his wife, believed it was a tragic act of fate. Only Preston was convinced that Dallas’s rapid decline stemmed from something far more sinister. Now he’s given up everything — his home, his wife, his past life — to pursue the man he believes killed his son. He’s after revenge, closure. But the police won’t listen. And he knows it’s very likely that Wendell will strike again.
When Preston meets Emma, he doesn’t want anything to do with her or her problems. He’s carrying a gun he eventually plans to use. And she has a boy who reminds him far too much of Dallas, which stirs up the old memories and the pain. But she’s in desperate need of a ride, and he can’t leave her stranded. Fortunately, what we most resist is sometimes the very thing we need.
Every Waking Moment is a perfect example of romantic suspense. This is the fourth book I’ve read by Brenda Novak and every book I read gets better and better. She is great at telling stories that are believable. She develops characters that have such depth and heart. I read this book in almost one sitting, I couldn’t put it down. An outstanding book that I highly recommend!
Rating:
Island of Bones (Louis Kincaid Series, #5) by P.J. Parrish
In the wake of a hurricane, a tiny skull washes up on the beach in front of Louis’s cottage.
Days later, the bullet-riddled body of a woman surfaces in the mangroves. She has no ID - except for an odd ring carved of coral.
Sensing a connection, Louis begins his investigation, a search for the truth that will lead him down a trail of secrets and lies - to the Island of Bones, where treachery never dies and the living never escape.
I can’t belive the fact that I’m not reading this series in order. I love this series. Island of Bones was very entertaining and well written. What I like about P.J. Parrish novels is they are always so mysterious. I also liked Landetta’s character, at first he was a jerk but over the course of the book he grew on me. I hope he returns in future books. I don’t think Island of Bones is the best book in the series so far, but I totally recommend the series. It’s a must have if you enjoy mystery novels.
Rating: 
