It's Thursday... What are you reading?

Hey Everyone,


It's Thursday again, and I want to know what everyone is reading. I'm finally getting back in the swing of things with my blog, and it feels so good. So, this is what I'm reading this week.


 Deep Within My Heart - by. Rie McGaha


Blurb:


When Mary-Michael Murray is orphaned, she travels with her nurse from Ireland to live with her aunt in America. Settling in New Orleans, Aunt Margaret decides it's high time Mary finds a husband but she doesn't count on Mary falling in love with a pirate. Caleb Jordan doesn't believe in marriage, after all a pirate's life is not accommodating to the family life. So why can't he get Mary out of his mind and why does he keep going back to New Orleans to see her?


Rhie McGaha is a new to me author. I am really enjoying this book though. I haven't read a historical romance in a while, but this book reminds me why they are so good. I will be back with a review for this story.


I am also reading...


Stolen Hearts - By. Karen Erickson


Blurb:


Stolen Hearts is a stand-alone sequel to Virgin Jewels.Celeste Anderson doesn't believe in love at first sight. She intends to marry someone with the same interests and financial aspirations and have a neat, orderly life. But there's something to be said for the thrill of the unknown — and when Alex enters her family jewelry store, her body decides it's more than ready for a few thrills.Desperate for his father's approval, ex-jewel thief Alex Moretti reluctantly agrees to steal an antique diamond bracelet from a tiny, ill-secured shop. No problem for a pro like Alex — until he meets Celeste. Now the only thing he's interested in stealing is her heart.


I am very familiar with Karen's books, and I love them. I picked this book up because it was a free read, and I'm glad I did. I love Karen's writing style, and her characters leap off the page. I will definitely let you guys know my thoughts on this book.


Well that's my rundown


What Are You Reading?

REVIEW: Bid For Love BY: Savannah Chase

Reviewer: Tawania

Title: Bid For Love

Author: Savannah Chase

Blurb:

Her fantasy man is up for auction. Will Nico dare to bid?

Nico's history of romantic disasters has taught her when she gambles on men, she's fated to lose. That doesn't stop her from secretly lusting after Jeff, the handsome construction worker she sees every day on her way to work.

When the New York's Sexiest Bachelor auction begins and Jeff comes up on the block, she's seriously tempted to place a bid. The wager can't be taken lightly -- It might be for a good cause, but she's making a bid for love... 

Review:

This book was soo good!

I really enjoyed Nico's & Jeff's characters, I also had a lot of respect for the relationship Nico had with her friends. It really made me wish I had friends like them. 

Nico makes all the wrong decisions regarding her love life, She is seriously crushing on the gorgeous construction worker she sees everyday. She really wants to get his attention, but she isn't sure how to approach him.

Jeff has definitely been noticing Nico, but the poor guy is just to shy to do anything about it. They are both suffering from the same doubt, and unsureness. When Nico sees that Jeff is up for auction, she realizes that this might be the chance she has been waiting for. Will Nico seize the moment? Will Jeff finally see his dream of being with Nico realized? Well... You will have to read their story to find out.

This book was so cute! There were so many lost opportunities between Nico, and Jeff that it had me wondering if they were ever going to get together. There near misses had me so frustrated I wanted to cry out with the injustice of it all, and hunt down the author and demand that they get it together. That is what made the story so good. It was like it was fate. When they finally did get together the chemistry was explosive, and sizzled off the pages.

Mrs. Chase weaves this story together so well, that I didn't feel like I missed out on anything. I am also totally jealous of the friendship between the women in this story, they represent what true friendship is really about. There was also a good dose of humor in this book, and it kept me back in forth between laughter, and tears. I honestly had a big grin on my face when I finished this story.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a truly amazing love story, and feel enlightened & uplifted in the end.

*****5Stars!

      Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition

• File Size: 111 KB

• Publisher: Lyrical Press, inc. (August 18, 2008)

• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services

• Language: English

Book Tour: Eternal Rider By: Larissa Ione & Giveaway

~ Eternal Rider ~

Lords of Deliverance

Book One
Grand Central Publishing
March 29, 2011
ISBN: 978-0446574495


LarissaIone.com


buy from: Indiebound Amazon B & N Borders Powell’s




 They are here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him. 

Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't-or won't-understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life.

*Excerpt* (Taken from Authors website)

Ares spun the woman around so her back was to the sea, her bare feet close to the cliff edge. “Who are you?” He gripped her shoulders firmly, his fingers digging into the blue flannel pajama top dotted with penguins. She wore penguin pajamas.

“P-please…” The wind whipped her sandy-blonde hair into her face, and some weird impulse made him want to brush it away.

He resisted. “Who are you?”

“I’m not…not a demon.” Her breath sawed in and out of her so violently that he half-expected her to pass out.

“What is your name?”

She blinked as if she didn’t understand the question, and when he repeated it, she finally murmured, “Cara. It’s Cara. I’m not a demon. I swear, I’m not a demon.”

“You keep saying that.” He inhaled, once again catching the bitter scent of her terror, but also, the faint, smoky tint of hellhound. She’d been in direct contact with one. “Why were you handling a hellhound? Were you attacked?”

A tiny squeak came from her, as if fear had closed up her throat. Hellhounds could do that to a person. But he didn’t have time to coddle a delicate female through her trauma. He needed intel, and he needed it now.

He snapped his fingers in front of her face, startling her out of her freaked-out trance. “Did The Aegis save you?”

“The men? They…they tried to kill the pup.”

Ares couldn’t decide if she was a little…slow…or just scared out of her gourd. Maybe both. Even so, she should be a little more agitated in his presence, and he wondered what was up with that. He took a deep breath and spoke slowly, even though he didn’t have the time or patience for this shit. “Yes, I’m sure they tried to kill it. It’s their job.”

“To kill dogs?”

“Demon dogs. You know, hellhounds?”

“This isn’t real,” she whispered. “I want to go home…” She shook her head, backpeddling wildly. “No, not home! Those men are there. This isn’t real…”

Shit. He was losing her. Before she could go into a complete meltdown, he gripped her by the shoulders and bent to peer directly into her eyes. Which were the exact color of the sea below when the sun hit it just right. Crystal blue with flecks of green and gold. Stunning.

“Listen to me. I need to know if you saw another man in that room. Long blond hair. Angelic.”

She nodded, her wide-eyed gaze locked onto his as if she were afraid to look away. As if he was a lifeline and if she let go, she’d plunge into an abyss of insanity. “Where is Hal?”

“Hal?”

“The dog.”

She’d named the hellhound? The things were mean as fuck, ravenous, horny…suddenly a sinking suspicion made his gut plummet. Had the hound given her a Hell’s Kiss? Nah. They never, ever did that to humans.


And yet…he leaned in, and as he got closer, the odor of fear and beast gave way to a more feminine scent. She smelled clean, like a spring meadow, with soft floral undertones. His cock jerked, the stupid bastard. The woman was terrified, human, and possibly shackled to one of the most vile creatures to have ever been spawned in Sheoul.


“W-what are you doing?”


He didn’t reply. He touched his lips to hers. A shocked gasp escaped her, and damn, she tasted sweet. There was a faint mint tang of toothpaste on her breath, and as he stroked his tongue across her satin lips, he got the telltale numbing tingle of the hellhound’s kiss. Which explained why she wasn’t combative with him — by bonding with Cara, the hound had brought her over into the supernatural world. She was still human, but with…enhancements.


He should have retreated, right then and there, but her mouth was soft, her body ripe with curves, and he hadn’t kissed a woman — a real human woman — in thousands of years. Head swimming, he tugged her against him. This was unexpected, amazing—


Sudden, stabbing pain lanced his groin. He grunted out a curse, doubled over and clutched his balls, which she’d cracked with her knee.

 Eternal Rider Book Trailer



~ A Few Words ~

Eternal Rider is a perfect representation of the kind of books we expect from Larissa Ione. This book is the first in a new series, and I can't wait for book 2 to release in December. I loved Ares's (War) character. He was strong, dark, and delicious. I thought Cara was smart, sweet,and brave. Oh yeah,  did I mention she was bonded to a HellHound named Hal? How cool is that? This book did start off a little slow, with the world building and information Ione was putting out, but it's always like that with a new series and I wasn't bored or put off by it. There were things going on, and if you are not familiar with the Demonica series then there were things you needed to know. I also liked how we got cameos from a few of the Demonica characters *squee* Did I mention I adore the Demonica series? Well.. I do, but that's off topic, back to Eternal Rider..

This series consist of The Four Horsemen Ares (War), Reseph (Pestilence), Thanatos (Death), and the lone female in the group, Limos (Famine). Each of the Horsemen have a Seal and each Seal comes with two prophecies. The goal of the horsemen are to keep theses seals from breaking, and causing the end of the world.

Cara, has a secret ability to heal animals. A injured dog is brought to her, the dog is really a hellhound. The hellhound bonds himself to an oblivious Cara, and now she is involved in a world she had no idea existed. In a strange twist of fate, Ares's seal is passed to Cara. Normally a human isn't strong enough to carry a seal, but being bound to the hellhound allows Cara to carry it for now.

Ares has to keep Cara alive at all cost, if she falls and his seal is broken.... It's the beginning of the end for everyone.

I recommend this book to any Larissa Ione fans, and those who aren't. As I stated earlier I really liked the characters, the book premise, and the romance in this story.The story gabbed me from the beginning, and the second half of the book was awesome. There was a lot of action, and the story really took off. I am definitely looking forward to the the next installment in the series.

4 1/2 STARS!

~ Giveaway Details ~

I'm giving away one copy of Eternal Rider to a LUCKY commenter!

Rules:

1. Leave a comment about anything on this post.

2. Leave your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

3. Contest is open internationally, and ends on Friday 4/22/2011 @ 11:59 Est.

Void where prohibited

Recipe Saturday - Ham 'n Cheese Omelet Bake

Hello My lovelies,

Easter is one of my favorite holidays, especially as a caterer. I love all the beautiful spring colors, and all the different kinds of fruits, and fresh vegetables available. One of my favorite things to do, is make Easter Brunch for my family. Here is a easy recipe that is perfect for brunch. I hope you will give it a try.

Ham 'n Cheese Omelet Bake

Ingredients:

- 1 (10-oz.) box Green Giant® Frozen Broccoli & Cheese Flavored Sauce

- 1 (10.2-oz.) can (5 biscuits) Pillsbury® Grands!® Flaky Layers Refrigerated  Biscuits

- 10 eggs

- 1 1/2 cups milk

- 1 teaspoon dry ground mustard

- Salt and pepper to taste, if desired

- 2 cups diced cooked ham

- 1/3 cup chopped onion sautee'd

- 4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese

- 4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Swiss cheese

- 1 (4.5-oz.) jar Green Giant® Sliced Mushrooms, drained

 

* You can use any fresh vegetables that you desire, this is only a method*

 

Directions:

 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Cut small slit in center of broccoli and cheese sauce pouch. Microwave on High for 3 to 4 minutes, rotating pouch 1/4 turn once halfway through microwaving. Set aside to cool slightly.

 

2. Meanwhile, spray bottom only of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Separate dough into 5 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 8 pieces; arrange evenly in sprayed dish.

 

3. In large bowl, beat eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in ham, onion, both cheeses, mushrooms and cooked broccoli and cheese sauce. Pour mixture over biscuit pieces in dish. Press down with back of spoon, making sure all biscuit pieces are covered with egg mixture.

 

4. Bake at 350°F. for 40 to 50 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown and center is set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares.

ENJOY!! 

GUEST REVIEW: FULL HOUSE by. JESS DEE

Reviewer: Ivelisse Roberts
Title: Full House
Author: Jess Dee

Blurb:

A full house beats a pair any day.

Three of a Kind, Book 3

It’s been a long, lonely business trip for diamond dealer Max Ashberg. He’s missed his lover like crazy, and he’s come to the realization that he’s ready to take the next step: nominate himself to be Trev’s new housemate. Except when he gets to Trev’s place, there’s someone living in “his” room. A woman—with the face of an angel.

Six weeks shouldn’t make a huge difference in a man’s life, but in that time lawyer Trev Greenfield has realized two things: He wants much more than a standing Friday night “date” with Max. And he’s falling heart-over-head for his new housemate, potter Grace Miles.

Grace never meant to fall for Trev, but when a power failure turns their chemistry into live electricity, there’s no denying the spark. There’s also no denying the shock when Grace discovers a naked man in her new home.

With Grace poised to run and Max teetering between confusion and growing lust for the delicious possibilities, Trev has his hands full trying to hold the two loves of his life together…before they slip through his fingers. Leaving them all with shattered hearts.

Warning: There’s a lot of sex in this book. I mean a lot! Hot sex. Sweaty sex. Gay sex. Straight sex. Ménage sex (M/M/F and M/F/M). Oh, and romantic sex. Lots of romantic sex. Hot romantic sex. Sweaty romantic sex. Gay romantic sex… You getting the picture?

REVIEW:

I really really enjoyed this book, it starts off a little different than your normal romance since some of the characters have a their relationships established already but its the way Jess Dee brings all of them together that entrances you into the story and trust you will not be able to put down. I liked how she wrote the conflict of their relationship and how being unconventional can work even if no one else approves of it. This book was very close to my own philosophy of if it makes you happy who cares what anyone else thinks.

Oh and have I mentioned how HOT and STEAMY it is? Jess surely does not disappoint in that department either. The chemistry between Gracie, Trev and Max is phenomenal, shows us just what we would do for our loves. The love just pours out of this book, it was more than just excellent wonderful sex. Once again Jess Dee has a written a winner!

4 1/2 STARS

Buy from Samhain Publishing HERE

Product Details



Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 262 KB
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (April 12, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B004MMED7S

Happy Easter! Blog Hoppin Giveaway!

Happy Easter! Welcome to the Easter Blog Hop!

I have some awesome prizes for three lucky winners!

1st Prize: $20 Amazon Gift Card & Bag Of Swag

2nd Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Card  & Bag Of Swag

3rd Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Card & Bag Of Swag

What's in the surprise bags of swag, you ask? Umm.. lets see.. Books, book marks, signed book plates, and  more surprises!

RULES:

1. Giveaway Ends April 17, 2011

2. There will be 3 winners

- International winner

- Canadian winner

- US winner

3. You must leave your Email Address & Nationality  in the comments so I can contact you if you win.

4. You don't have to be a follower to enter, BUT I would love it if you were :)

Check Out All The Other Blogs Participating in the Blog Hop!