Account Hacked

My WoW Molten Account got hacked. Here are some screenshots, to show that this is my account, my characters.

Sheisavegan (Alliance Hunter), Shinora (Horde Mage), Shindora (Horde Warlock), Everborn (Alliance Deathknight)

        

Win an Advance Reader Copy of The Winter King by C.L. Wilson!

C.L. Wilson is giving away arcs of The Winter King on her blog! Click the link below and answer her question!

C.L. Wilson’s WINTER KING Book Release Countdown T-78 days.

 

From her website:

Only 78 days left until the release of THE WINTER KING, the first full-length C.L. Wilson novel since CROWN OF CRYSTAL FLAME. To celebrate, I’ll be giving away an advance reading copy (ARC) to one (or possibly more) lucky posters who comment on this post at www.clwilson.com

For every 100 FB shares or tweets, I’ll add a second ARC to the giveaway (up to four). So comment to win, and share/tweet to improve your chances! @clwilsonbooks #winterkingcountdown.

I’ll select winner(s) from comments on Monday, May 19.

 

The Winter King by C.L. Wilson

The Winter King by C.L. Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Well, princess,” Wynter murmured, “let’s see what you’re made of.”

17 April 2014 Update: 600 pages of pure goodness ! Woo hoo ! The book is going to be so so long which means it is going to be one sweet long ride. * Sigh * Don’t you just love fantasy romance ? 600 pages means its going to be a proper story- well drawn out, not abrupt and quick-quick romances!

Read the excerpt here!

19th December 2013 update

Oh boy! Check out the prologue and first chapter of the winter king in CL Wilson’s new book One Enchanted Season

Seems like Khamsin(Heroine) and Wynter (hero) are going to be in a real battle of wills. Goodness, the tension!! I am so so so so excited!! He he, Wynter first sees Khamsin in a tower and thinks she is a servant. What will happen when he realizes that she is the fourth princess. I can’t wait to read their confrontation….and everything else! And something about the most powerful magical sword..

He felt the weather mage’s breathless shock, tasted the scent of definite feminine power and outrage on the wind. And, to his pleasure, a hint of fear. Good. The precocious princess has probably
never met her match. Until now.

She would learn, as her father had learned, that the Winter King was no spineless pampered weakling to be threatened without a care. She would learn, as her brother would learn if the coward ever dared return to face the man he’d wronged, that the wild, impetuous tempest of summer was no match for the hard, relentless dominion of winter.

I am absolutely craving for more right now and making up my own story. Sigh- what a long long wait!!

“Mind your temper, and use that brain God
gave you! This isn’t politics we’re talking about. It’s survival. Your father’s and your own to boot.Displease the Winter King, and we’ll none of us see another spring.”

“What joy does a slave find in spring?” Khamsin countered bitterly.“Better to die a hero’s deathlike Roland than live ten lifetimes cowering beneath a conqueror’s heel!”

AMAZON’S SUMMARY:

After three long years of war, starkly handsome Wynter Atrialan will have his vengeance on Summerlea’s king by taking one of the man’s beautiful, beloved daughters as his bride. But though peace is finally at hand, Wynter’s battle with the Ice Heart, the dread power he embraced to avenge his brother’s death, rages on.

Khamsin Coruscate, Princess of Summerlea and summoner of Storms, has spent her life exiled to the shadows of her father’s palace. Reviled by her father, marriage to Wintercraig’s icy king was supposed to be a terrible punishment, but instead offers Kham her first taste of freedom—and her first taste of overwhelming passion.

As fierce, indomitable Wynter weathers even Khamsin’s wildest storms, surprising her with a tenderness she never expected, Kham wants more than Wynter’s passion—she yearns for his love. But the power of the Ice Heart is growing, dangerous forces are gathering, and a devastating betrayal puts Khamsin and Wynter to the ultimate test.
—————-

19th August 2013 Update
Release date : August 2014
ONE MORE YEAR !!
That seems like awfully long time, but I guess that will just make the book more exciting to read.

—————-

Woo Hoo ! The cover is up.. that means the book is probably going to come out very soon !

Do you’ll like the cover? I like the herioine’s dress.

There are 2 excerpts on Cl Wilson’s yahoo group :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/clwilson/

Man, I am literally bubbling with excitement !!!!! 😀
Actually that is an understatement ! Can’t wait 🙂

View all my reviews

Fool Me TWice by Meredith Duran : Book Review ( Spoilers)

His shoulders jerked. She glanced up and discovered him silently laughing at her. “Your face,” he said. “So shocked. Does ducal hair feel like some strange new variety?”
“Sit still,” she snapped—and then frowned. “There’s a pun in that somewhere, but I can’t find it.
Ducal hair, ducal heir . . .”
“Oh, but I’m not an heir,” he murmured. “I’m the genuine article, I assure you.”

A few days ago, I asked for a recommendation on goodreads:
“Recommend a romance novel to a romance-novel addict who is really really bored and tired of reading romance novels!”
I have been so sick and tired of reading historical romance novels where it is continuously reminded to the girl to be a proper young lady if you want a desirable catch, ( what the heck- are we bartering spices and bolts of fabric?)’ women who sew all day ( i can’t even put a thread in the needle) and think that knowledge is taboo, sharing separate bedrooms, noble men being rakes, keeping mistresses at the age of seventeen(honestly, how is that possible, wasn’t the historical period more rigid before marriage?)., men not believing that they can fall in love, hero feeling that the heroine is tpretty but not traditionally beautiful, etc. And then back to ‘life is all about gettting married and then getting an heir– yep heir, not a child, sigh sigh, stop boring me. Shut up already!

And then I came across the book and ta da! I fell in love with it completely. I read the book in bits and pieces listening to Two pieces, Heart Attack and Nightingale by Demi Lovato at the same time. Every single scene made me feel warm and fluttery all over and the best thing was that the story proceeded the way I anticipated it to ! A breath of fresh air. None of that nonsense, I mentioned above.

And before you read it, check out Romreader’s picture review
-those pictures really gave me a visulaisation and I felt like the book was being replayed out like an epic historical drama.

Basic Plot:

Twenty-five year old illegitimate Olivia is on the run from her politician father Bertram who has been sending assassins to kill her for the past seven years. She finds letters at her previous employer’s home which reveal that the famous politician-duke Alistair de Grey-Marwick is in possession of certain documents which could ruin Bertram’s career. Olivia decides to steal these documents from Marwick which she can use to blackmail Bertram in order to ensure her safety.

So, she enters Marwick’s mansion in the guise of the new housekeeper. But then she realises that stealing those documents won’t be as easy as she thought because:
1.) The servants are the most disorganized bunch, flirting and carousing around and not doing their job at all because their employer- the duke has no care for anything anymore. And she needs predictability, to know who is where at what time so no one catches her stealing.
2.) The duke is under depression because his now-dead wife and political opponents betrayed him. So, he never leaves his rooms and drinks all day. And since the documents are in his room, Olivia has to find a way to get him out.

Basically, the plot has 4 parts:

a.) Olivia trying to get the duke out of his room and help him overcome his depression
b.) Olivia and duke slowly becoming friends.
c.) The betrayal-when Olivia finally steals from him and runs away.
d.) Olivia and the duke working together against their common enemy.

What I loved about this story:

– Its realistic and the story actually has substance. The motives were real. I really could understand the duke’s depression. To be in love with your wife for 5 years and hen realize after her death, from an outside source, that it was all a sham and that his defeats in the parliament were planned together by his cheating wife and his enemy. To think that you are a perfect judge of character and then realise you couldn’t spot the biggest lie of all.

In ordinary romance novels, I am absolutely exhausted of the hero being depressed because of his scarred features or cause his ‘true love’ left him. Seriously, get over it ! So, it was great to meet a real hero with real problems.

– Olivia character: She is the first heroine I have found I can relate to. She wants to be safe and feels extremely guilty of stealing. In fact she often decides to give up and continue running for her life but then continues with her goal as she is desperate.

[So desperate that she evens threatens the hero with a gun when he catches her stealing. And then how she tosses on him the letters and locks him up in his own bedroom and flees (hide spoiler)] –> Absolutely love this scene 🙂

He leaned forward onto his elbows, nostrils flaring. “You paint a very rosy picture of yourself, don’t you?”
“And you paint a very black one.”

In ordinary romance novels, I wonder how can the heroine be so feisty and so packed with courage. How? I can’t have so much of confidence and courage to take over the world and complete my goals. So, that’s why, I could relate to Olivia’s mixed emotions and how she continues to waver.

I also loved what she did at the end. [ Bertram committed bigamy and therefore she is not illegitimate but her step-siblings are. But she decides not to reveal that to the world because she does no want to impose the bastard title on her step-siblings who would thus suffer much censure from society, like she did. (hide spoiler)]

– The Power Play & Class differences:
* The duke is not afraid to use his power. He behaves as a figure of complete authority, intimidating everyone. [ Especially the scene where he rescues the heroine from jail and then proceeds to blackmail her in to obedience (hide spoiler)]

He made a contemptuous noise and dropped his hand. “Disobedience,” he said. “The taste of it does not suit me.”
He took another step back, looking at her with sudden cruel amusement. “However. The correction of impertinent domestics has always been one of my skills.”

* The duke knows that the master-servant relationship is forbidden and he does his best to stay away from her sexually. He know their differences in station and hence tries to remain honorable.

These aspects of the story really made my feel like I am reading a historical story and not a modern one. Keeping with the culture, customs and demands of the olden society is what makes a story feel like you are reading into history. Often, romance authors, for convenience sake, to get the hero and heroine forego this ‘major’ detail.

– The hero’s drunken antics: Throwing glass bottles at the heroine, punching the wall where she is standing, sacking her-who knows how many times. And then the heroines continuous spunk and determination to get him out of his hell-hole.

She turned her face away. Staring at the wall, she said rapidly, “The staff assures me that you have never been the kind of cowardly man who abuses his servants—”
His fist slammed into the wall.
She opened her mouth. Nothing came out. His fist had missed her ear by an inch, no more.

“I beg,” he said softly, “your pardon, girl. And now, I advise you to go downstairs and pack your things. You are sacked.”
As simply as that? No. She did not dare glance over her shoulder to find out if Jones had heard the news.
“That would be foolish, Your Grace.”
The sound of her voice, so fierce, gave her fresh
courage. “Your staff is running wild. They need a strong hand to put them to rights.”
“Get. Out.”
A wild idea came to her, borne of desperation. Lowering her voice, she said, “I should hate to be forced to tell the newspapers that I was attacked by my employer, and then thrown out on my ear for
complaining of it.”
He stepped back as though to see her better. But as he studied her, his perfect face held an absolute
lack of expression. “Was that a threat?”

– The whole political scenario. Rather refreshing to find a duke who actually works to help the poor and slum-dwellers to rise.

– The duke always longed for a family unlike his own scandalous-always fighting parents and so he actually remains virgin for his first wife! And then celibate till the heroine! Love that about a hero. You know, I often find it hypocritical in many romance novels, where a hero loved his childhood friend but still does not mind to sow his wild oats. Honestly, Where is the commitment?

– The truffle mystery : Yeah, read that to find out: who stole 5 pounds of dirt looking fungi!

– The reactions and emotions after the betrayal.

“So you continue to protest. Very well.” He reached into his jacket and extracted a pocket watch that he laid beside him. “You have five minutes to tell your story. If I am satisfied, we will discuss
the specific nature of my offer. And if I am not . . .” He made a soft click of his tongue, a preemptive chide. “The authorities don’t know the half of what you’ve done. In addition to forgery and extortion,
there is also the matter of your theft from me.”

She stared at him. He had not managed to intimidate her when she’d been his servant. Why permit him to do so now? Her pride demanded better of her. “Not only that, Your Grace. You mustn’t forget
my theft from your brother’s wife. I was her secretary—did you know that? All those letters, I stole from her. Indeed, in the interest of good relations, you should give her a chance to convict me, too.
And perhaps Lady Ripton?” She would make sure he never blamed Amanda. “For I forged a reference from her. Yes, why not contact her as well?”

His pause suggested surprise. She took a ridiculous pleasure in it.
But then, with a shrug, he said, “Good. A piece of honesty; you are learning. Well, do begin your tale, Miss Holladay. The clock ticks.”

– The title; Fool me Twice. Very apt. Thankfully, it was not a crazy title like – The virgin secretary, falling in love with the mistress, blah blah, you get it.

– In ordinary romance novels, to resolve the conflict between the hero and heroine, the author adds in a bad guy who kidnaps the heroine. The hero rescues the hero-they kiss, make up and confess their love. (Ugh, hate it when a near-tragedy has to make you realize that you love someone) The heroine happily forgets the whole scary encounter of kidnapping and then the novels ends. No therapy needed. How abrupt!
So, I can’t explain how much relief it was when did not happen in this story ! 🙂

I could go on and on about how much I have adore–love this story. But now, its time for you to read it.( they really should make a movie on this- at least it would have a happily ever after-unlike the current historical drama movies)

And I could seriously go with a part 2 of this book; their life after marriage. I bet Meredith Duran would make that a great story too.

My Favourite line, said by the duke repeatedly to Olivia:

“How do you dare?”

Two of my favorite scenes:-

Imitating the dog scene –> [

He filled the doorway again, a book in his hand—something very old by the crumbling cover. “Do you know,” he said pleasantly, “what distinguishes man from beast?”
A very good question. “I should think . . . a haircut.”
He made a contemptuous noise. “The ability to make fire, you tart.”
“Tart?” Aghast, she crossed her arms. “Termagant, perhaps, but tart, I think not!”
And then suddenly it dawned on her what he was threatening. “You can’t mean—”
“Say good-bye to this book.”
“You heathen,” she cried. “You shaggy mongrel!”
“Mongrel I am not,” he snarled. “And so help me God”—he smirked—“or shall I say, the Devil”—she gasped—“but if you do not bring me those goddamned newspapers this minute—”
“Woof!” she cried. “Woof woof, yap away!”
She clapped a hand over her mouth, horrified. Where had that come from?
He, too, seemed shocked. He gawped at her for a long, silent moment. Then he pivoted away.
“No—wait!” That poor book!She started around the chiffonier—checked when she heard him loose a roar—more leonine than canine, to be fair—and then came a great, thunderous crash.
He swung back into view. “Your books,” he said with a savage grin, “have seen better days.”
He had toppled the bookcase. “You boor! You—” She hauled together the newspapers and carried them in a great armful toward the sitting-room hearth. “Fuel for the fire! What use has a hermit for
news anyway—”
Hands closed on her shoulders. They spun her around so violently that she lost her balance, and grabbed onto the nearest support, which turned out to be—him. (hide spoiler)]

Sitting by the pond scene –> [
“You still care.”
“I’ve learned to care about different things now.” Very gently, he reached out to brush her cheek.
“You should call me Alastair,” he murmured.
She swallowed. Suddenly it seemed important to say something. “We would have been true friends, had we both grown up here.” She made herself say it: “Alastair.”
“I think you’re right. Olivia.” He stroked her face. “And we might have come here, to this very place, to sit and talk, as friends do.”
“Very often. And perhaps . . .” She smiled. “Not only to talk. This is where you would have kissed
me, I think. The first time. When we were both . . . sixteen?”
“Fifteen,” he said. “Fourteen.”
“Precocious young things!”
“Yes,” he said. “Brash. Barely out of childhood. And the first time I kissed you . . .” He leaned toward her, and she inclined to meet him. “It would have been like this,” he said against her mouth. (hide spoiler)]

 

Firelight – Book Review

He was her sunrise, sunset, and everything in between.

Usually, I can devour two 400-page books in a single day. However it took me 2 whole days to finish up Firelight probably because the book was just too beautifully written and I wanted to read each and every line. I kept turning the pages back and forth to reread the scenes. The descriptions were so vivid, I actually felt like I was inside the book, living the story!

 * Spoilers *

 PLOT– Benjamin Archer is cursed. His entire right side of the body is ‘deformed’ and so he hides behind a mask. His quest for a cure is foiled by Hector Ellis & thus Archer sets out to kill him. But on the way, he is confronted by 19 year old Miranda, Ellis’s youngest daughter  who at once recognizes Archer as a threat to her father. She challenges and surprises him at every turn. Moreover Archer feels an attraction and spark which had been missing in his life for years. So archer changes tactics ; he won’t kill Ellis, but will have Miranda as his bride instead.

“Turn around.” Her voice was forged iron. “Your hands to the wall.”

When he simply stood there amused, she flushed. “I don’t care who you are as long as you go. But I will check you for weapons before I send you on your way.”

Slowly, her slim hand smoothed over the swell of his buttock, lingering there. A shocked laugh choked his throat, the sound muddled by a stifled groan that her intrigued touch elicited. The saucy little sneak thief was copping a feel. He felt inclined to turn around and let her get a handful. Christ, this was madness.

3 years later, Ellis forces Miranda to marry Archer. She is unaware that Archer was the same man she had met in the alleyway. They have pleasant yet witty conversations, but Archer refuses to show her the real side of him-claiming it is the only way to protect her. But Miranda isn’t without defenses- she can magically create and start fires-of course not many people know about her skill.

“He took a quick breath, and his voice dropped. “You’ve no notion of the effect you have on me”

The words gave a hard tug to her belly. She closed her eyes and swallowed. “If by effect, you mean finding yourself in unchartered waters, wondering whether you are coming or going….” She stared at his shirt, watching his breath hitch. “Then I fear you have the same effect on me, my lord.”

When Archer’s friends begin to get murdered, both their lives are thrown into danger and Miranda realizes she has to go much deeper and try to uncover the secrets her husband hides behind the mask.

 “And are you happy?” he asked softly.


Happy? Perhaps. Satisfied? No. Tears burned behind her eyes, and she took an unsteady breath. “Why now, Archer?”


Need tightened his mouth and left his expression raw. “Because today I truly realized that I could lose you in an instant.” He took a small step toward her. “That life was not a long road that stretched before me, but here and now. And the thought of spending one more day, one more breath without knowing the feel of you in my arms has become too much to bear.”

THOUGHTS-

It has been so long since a story after Poison Study & Tairen soul has gripped me so hard and got me day dreaming for more. Miranda is feisty, courageous, determined, perceptive and extremely loyal. She used to be a street thief for her father and is extremely intelligent.

“Leave now,” she demanded, unmoved, “or I’ll turn you both to cheese on toast.”

  I can’t stop gushing that I love Archer. He has entered my list of favourite heroes. He is tortured thanks to the curse- he is a half light demon-a devourer of souls but he refuses to let that side of him come into play. He tries so hard to rein in his emotions. He knows that marrying Miranda was selfish and is even ready for an annulment- (thankfully Miranda kicks some sense into him.) His love for Miranda just makes sigh.

You are my wife, not an acquaintance. Husbands and wives are partners in life, are they not? The one person who will support you when all hope seems lost.”

In most romance novels, the heroine cries and the hero comforts. But it was the opposite here ! Archer actually lets his emotions loose, he sobs and I was just touched to see Miranda comfort him.  To sum it up- he is awesome!

 “You have no choice in the matter, BenjaminArcher. I love you. Nothing you say will change that.”


Something in him broke. Miranda felt the tremor against her arms before a great sob tore from him. His arms curled round her as he began to cry, and his strength gave out. She fell with him, landing upon his lap to cradle his head on her shoulder.
 He clutched her tightly as though she might slip away, sobs wracking his body as the loneliness he’d held within unleashed in a torrent. The sound of his anguish pulled tears to her eyes. He cried like a babe unbidden as she murmured unintelligible words of comfort, stroking his soft hair.

The sexual tension was sizzling. Every time you thought they finally kissed, they get interrupted.

1^st  kiss : Someone tries to murder Miranda

2^nd kiss : Overcome by passion, Miranda accidentally burns a table

3^rd kiss : Argument

4^th kiss : Miranda accidentally creates fire

5^th kiss : Finally- an uninterrupted kiss ! :-]

“You’re collecting pieces of me, aren’t you?” His voice turned thick as warm toffee, rolling over her skin, heating it. “A bit here. A bit there. Soon you’ll set me out on the table, to try and fit me back together.”

Ignoring the flurries plaguing her belly, she affected blandness. “I’ve only got the corners. But it is a start.”

 A warm breath touched her neck. “I believe you have the centerpiece as well.”

They consummated their marriage only at the end of the story and the love scenes were so beautiful, made me blush. I loved how they came to love each other slowly and how sex was not the driving force of their relationship but rather their mutual understanding and respect.

“For in ninety years on this earth, no one has made me feel the way you do, as if every day is an adventure. You make me laugh. And I never laugh. I go around smiling like a witless fool. So yes, I kept it from you, because I am so desperately in love with you that the knowledge that you might love me too was irresistible. And I was afraid it would turn to dust should I take off that mask.”

Kristen Callihan reveals the secrets bit by bit. The book combined everything I loved- fantasy, romance and suspense. Lots of suspense. From the start of the book, there is so much of foreshadowing- something is going to happen, it got me rooted to the sofa, book in my hands.

The side characters were great-Kristen Callihan makes you realise that your first impression of the characters are wrong-she peels the real character of a person slowly. The epilogue was pretty short-I wanted so much more-anyway good thing there are more books in the series. :-] So at then end, I was cheering – Yay ! Finally found a new favourite author.

“Know this, there is only one truth left to me.” His trembling fingertips caressed her jaw. “That I love you.” He said it again, his voice broken, his arms pulling her tightly against him. “I love you. The rest is darkness.”

Her fingers curled around the smooth swells of his biceps.

“Then let me be your light.”

Thief of Shadows- Book Review

A MASKED MAN…

Winter Makepeace lives a double life. By day he’s the stoic headmaster of a home for foundling children. But the night brings out a darker side of Winter. As the moon rises, so does the Ghost of St. Giles-protector, judge, fugitive. When the Ghost, beaten and wounded, is rescued by a beautiful aristocrat, Winter has no idea that his two worlds are about to collide.

A DANGEROUS WOMAN . . .

Lady Isabel Beckinhall enjoys nothing more than a challenge. Yet when she’s asked to tutor the Home’s dour manager in the ways of society-flirtation, double-entendres, and scandalous liaisons-Isabel can’t help wondering why his eyes seem so familiar-and his lips so tempting.

A PASSION NEITHER COULD DENY

During the day Isabel and Winter engage in a battle of wills. At night their passions are revealed . . . But when little girls start disappearing from St. Giles, Winter must avenge them. For that he might have to sacrifice everything-the Home, Isabel . . . and his life

When you’ve exposed a weakness in battle, attack, don’t retreat.

While I really like the hero, I wish I could say the same about the story. I felt that the romance was quite rushed up and there was just too much sex, too explicit for my taste. And they fell in love too fast. Personally, I felt that the characters could have been given much more depth and characterisation because the story had a great beginning. And Isabel found out Winter’s secrets too fast..not much development there.

 “Every gentleman you meet must voice his admiration, his wish to make love to you. And those are only the ones who may voice such thoughts. All about you are men who cannot speak their admiration, who must remain mute from lack of social standing or fear of offending you. Only their thoughts light the air about you, following you like a trail of perfume, heady but invisible.” 

Anyway, here is why I liked the hero-Winter. He does not believe in casual sex and is in fact a virgin.And once he falls in love, he does not mind that Isabel can’t have children, he values her more than dreams which never existed.

I’m not like your society rogues, Isabel. I regard physical lovemaking as something sacrosanct to love. And if I loved a woman enough to take her to my bed, then I would love her enough to marry her. I don’t intend ever to marry, ergo, I do not intend to ever get close enough to a woman—physically or emotionally—to make love to her.”

Plus he takes tasks in his own hand-he does not depend on anyone else to do work. For instance, how he rescues kidnapped children and sets up a home for them even though he may risk losing his life in the process.  He’s protective, patient and can rein in his anger very well. And he’s awfully blunt – something I like a lot !

“Wear you social mask at your balls and parties and when you visit your friends out there, but when we are alone, just the two of us in here, promise me this: that you’ll show me only your real face, no matter how ugly you might think it. That’s our true intimacy, not sex, but the ability to be ourselves when we are together.

Any Man of Mine – Book Review

First things first- I absolutely LOVED this book ! Not for the characters but rather the lessons learnt from the mistakes made by the characters.

 PLOT – Sam Leclaire is a shallow and superficial hockey star. He drinks and dates a new model every week. On a trip to Vegas, he is enamored by a redhead named Autumn Haven, spends a few nights of passion with her and on the spur marries her. Only to leave her the next day all alone- pregnant divorced and confused.

Sam LeClaire was a good-looking son of a bitch. Everyone thought so. Everyone from sports writers to soccer moms.The girl wrapped up in his sheets thought so, too. Although she really wasn’t a girl. She was a woman.”

It has taken 5 years for Autumn to let go of the deep burning hatred she has for Sam. Being a single working mother is no easy task, but hard work is her best quality. Forgiveness is definitely not her thing.

And when Sam slowly realizes that fame and gorgeous girls are all momentary pleasure and suddenly family is his priority, will she be able to open her heart again?

“I want you to always be here when I get home. I want to hear about your day. I love you and I will love you for the rest of my life.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn’t want to choke up. He didn’t want the woman he loved to see him cry like a girl. “You and Conner, that’s all I’ll ever need.”

THOUGHTS-

Autumn’s mom had told her not to go to Vegas- for anything can happen there. But of course, human tendency is to rebel & find out things for themselves. Most of us young people feel, “Oh, we’re adults now, we know what we are doing, our parents are just getting intrusive.” But the things is that they have seen life better than us & sometimes they do get protective. I loved how Autumn realized her mistakes of the past and moved on.

“You never learn the first time. You always have to get hit twice before you see it coming.” He was seeing now what he’d seen that first night at Pure. A bright shiny light he wanted to catch in his hands and hold forever. If she let him.” 

I don’t believe in sex before marriage, especially sex with stranger, no matter how much they are drenched in sex appeal. What if you get pregnant and the other guy runs off? Sure you’ve got protective measure,s but a single mistake can change the course of your life. And reading this story further supported my idea. Autumn just got lucky that Sam came come back. In real life, there are hardly any rosy endings.

 He pointed at her white Jersey. “What the hell are you wearing?”

“A hockey jersey.” She looked down and pointed at the penguin on the front. “Hockey is our Halloween theme this year.”

His voice was quiet. Deadly. “It’s Pittsburgh.”

“I like it. The penguin has little skates on his feet.” She looked back up. “It’s cute.”

“It’s gay.”

“Jerseys aren’t supposed to be cute.” He frowned and pointed an accusing finger at her. “You’re wearing Crosby’s number.”

She looked at the 87 on her sleeve. “Who?”

“Jesus. The bastard just scored on me with a hinky puck. He should have been embarrassed instead of skating around like a prom queen.”

“I like this jersey.”…“He’s cute.”

“Are you serious?”

She actually didn’t really know what Crosby looked like, but Sam looked annoyed. Which, she admitted, amused her. “Yes. I don’t want my guy to be ugly.”

“Your guy? You pick a guy’s number because you think he’s cute?”

Autumn was all alone during her delivery. Her mother had just dies of cancer, her father had run off with his girlfriend a decade ago, and brother fighting a war in Afghanistan, And then her ‘husband’ dumps her – it was an extremely tough situation. She was so scared and lonely.I could actually feel her emotions throughout the book.

Sam has 2 sides. While he sips beer and roll off women, he loves his son Conner very much. Except he just doesn’t know how to be a good father and realizes that he worse then his own dead. After his sister was killed, he became reckless. I loved his transition in the story.

 “See the dragon?” Conner pointed to what looked like a snake with a big head slithering through the sand toward the castle. “He protects the boy in the castle.”

“From what?”

He looked up at his dad and squinted against the sun. “From what, Dad?”

“Girls.”

Sam wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off her heels. He pressed his dirty sweatshirt against her and laughed. “You’re too clean. I like you better when you’re dirty, too.”

“Sam!” She pushed at his shoulders and tried to squirm out of his hold. But Sam was bigger and taller, and she didn’t stand a chance.

He tightened his grasp and lifted her until her toes dangled above the sand. His heated breath whispered across her chilled cheek, “Wanna get real dirty with me?”

I guess I loved the book so much cause I connected with them, their feelings and the flashback, well written.

“You seem to have lost your panties again.”

“Oops. I bet that happens around you a lot.”

“Not anymore.” He slid his hands up her smooth back. “You’re the only woman I want around. The only woman I want to see drop her panties. The only woman I’ve ever really wanted.”

She leaned back and looked up at him. Her green eyes smiling with laughter. “Up until a few months ago, I wasn’t even the kind of woman you dated.”

“No.” He pressed his forehead into hers and brushed his mouth across her lips. “But you’re the kind of woman I marry. If I’m really lucky, you’re the kind of woman who will marry me twice.”

Scent of Magic (Healer #2) : Book Review

 

Starting of, Scent of Magic reminded me so much of World of Warcraft – the undead, inns, scenery, healers guilds, random tribes..so I suppose that’s why Maria V Snyder’s books hook me on so quickly.

Plot : As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she has diead of the plague. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Under the guise of Sergeant Irina, she begins to train the soldiers of Estrid’s camp to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.It takes quite some time for the others to accept her..but within no time, she and others are drawing out war stratergies.

On the other side, Kerrick and Danny have been kidnapped by a tribe and everyone believes that Kerrick is dead, including Avry.

Thoughts :

Lot of new characters are introduced. The story has got its occasional twists,betrayal and sarcastic humour. It’s quite fast paced initially but slows down slightly towards the end. I usually like a lot of romance in my fantasy, but in this story, Kerrick and Avry are only together in the first and last chapter. Still, I loved the action and adventure. It made their far away relationship more special. There are double PoVs- Kerrick & Avry (1st person narrative)

I loved the fact that Kerrick trusts Avry and gives her space. He knows his duty lies with his country first. And when Avry learns of his death, she is devastated and heartbroken..but she moves on to save her living friends.

Tohon was a well rounded villain- he had a motive (childhood jealousy)- he is a psycho and maniac and in spite of his anger toward Avry for she foiled all his plans- he is attracted to her : In fact at one point, he wants her to fall in love with him and actually attempts to woo her (Lol) The fact that Avry can’t resist Tohon’s touches makes the conflict all the more interesting. Of Course, killing Noelle (Avry’s sister) was the last straw : so woo hoo ! Avry finally learns to resist the desire Tohon plants in her.

Remember Flea ? He’s ALIVE .. and NAKED !! With a whole new magic power in his a hand. Sadly, there are lots of deaths in the story. I guess..that makes the war all the more realistic. But I hated it when Ursuan (a seargent) died. I found him quite intriguing..the way he suspects and figures things out and always covers Avry back. I wanted to know who he really was but poof : he just died.

Ryne is quite the strategist. Danny is quite intelligent. Maria V Snyder has lot of creative expressions using fear and anger. Go ahead and pick up the book. But let me warn you..there is quite an ending (cliffhanger) – Kerrick is poisoned and he might die..but I am not too worried..after all the hero can’t die right ? Or can he ?

 

P.S. Happy New Year !! 🙂

Just the Sexiest Man Alive : Book Review

Julie James is a master at writing witty banter and sarcastic dialogues ! This was an amazing read, I must have read this book more than 10 times by now.

Plot – Our hero, Jason Andrews is used to having women fall at his feet. He is to act as a lawyer in his new movie, for which he seeks help from a law firm who sends in Taylor Donovan to train him .When Taylor Donovan gives him the cold shoulder, he’s thrown for a loop. She’s unlike any other woman he’s ever met: uninterested in the limelight, seemingly immune to his advances, and shockingly capable of saying no to him. She’s the perfect challenge. And the more she rejects him, the more he begins to realize she may just be his perfect match. Throw in a jealous actor as a villain and your all ready to go.

Sam eyed them both suspiciously. “What kind of issues?”
Taylor didn’t bat an eye.
“Well . . . it appears that Mr. Andrews has some problems determining what is and is not appropriate behavior in the workplace.”
“Unfortunately, it seems that Mr. Andrews has a fondness for telling dirty jokes around the office.” She leaned in toward Sam, whispering. “And not even good ones—juvenile stuff. Fifth-grade humor, really.” Seeing Sam’s eyes dart over toward him, Jason shifted uncomfortably. Normally he was all for ad-libbing, but this was going a little far off script.
“Umm . . . Ms. Donovan, perhaps we should discuss this in—”
“And another thing,” she immediately cut him off, “he apparently demands that the women in his office address him only as ‘Your Hotness.’ And when speaking about him in the third person, he wants them to refer to him only as ‘TheHotness.”
The Derek guy, who still sat over at the conference table, snorted loudly at this.
Jason threw Taylor a look of warning. “I really don’t think—”
“—And of course there was the incident last week,” she said, cutting him off once again.
“The incident?” Sam asked, looking slightly uncomfortable.
With a coy glance clearly thrown in for Jason’s benefit, Taylor turned to Sam to explain.
“Last week, Mr. Andrews thought it would be amusing to sound the fire alarm and yell over the intercom that it was—quote—‘Time for all the cute girls to run around naked.’ ”

I loved the fact that it wasn’t attraction at first sight. In fact Taylor detests Jason’s arrogance. Taylor is level headed and in no way want to be involved with a womanizer who is used to having his every whim and fancy.

“He’s impossible.
“He’s ridiculous.
“Selfish. Conceited.
“Beyondarrogant.
“Condescending, too—you should’ve see the way he waved off the mountain of work on my desk with his little ‘Oh, pooh-pooh, but I’m a movie star.’ ”

My favourite part was when Jason realised that Taylor met with an accident, he left the filming immediately & also the part where Jason bursts into Taylor’s house and starts rambling about his problems without realising she had guests . I adored the way Jason ran around trying some or another way to get Taylor’s attention. The only thing I didn’t like was the whole making love thing at last..c’mon they waited so long, couldn’t they wait until they were married, it would make way more special.

Anyway , the characters develop gradually and both start to understand each other for who they really are Opposites, but they make a wonderful couple. If you like light hearted,funny, feel-good romance to give your brain some vacation, go ahead and pick up this book 🙂

Note : ( 4 Aug 2013 )

This book is awesome awesome awesome !!! I’ve read this book more than 50 times by now. No joke ! I don’t know why I wrote such a small review !

Jason’s jealousy is so adorable.. and when he helps Taylor after the accident-I just sighed… =)

And I loved the fact that they did NOT jump into bed and the love scene was not super graphic..which made the book just right and super fun to read. As in the focus was more on their witty banter rather than the crazy I love you at first sight romance. Love that !

My friend who hates all the books I read cause of the ‘dirty scenes’ loved this book ! And coming from her..that counts a lot !

Again..Jason was so cute.. it was quite fairytale-ish

How was your Doomsday ?

Did you spend the previous night anticipating an earthquake or an Earth shattering catastrophe ? Contrary to popular myth, the Mayan calendar does not foretell doom in 2012.

According to Juan Cole,a history professor at the University of Michigan,

“What amazes me is that you can get people excited about dangers to their world by twisting some text from an ancient civilization,” he wrote on his blog. “But you can’t get them worried about an actual set of threats that really do have the potential to threaten human existence.”

 So long as there is money to be made from people’s fear, we’ll keep seeing the bookshops stocked with a disproportionate amount of doom and Google ads linking to websites with doomsayers’ warped versions of reality and fake soothsayers uttering divine revelations in a frenzied state.

 

So what did you do today ? I spent the day studying coordinate geometry. Guess you can’t escape hardwork even if some misinterpreted legend says the world is going to end 🙂

Unveiled : Book Review

Ash Turner has waited a lifetime to seek revenge on the man who ruined his family–and now the time for justice has arrived. At Parford Manor, he intends to take his place as the rightful heir to the dukedom and settle an old score with the current duke once and for all. But instead he finds himself drawn to a tempting beauty who has the power to undo all his dreams of vengeance….

Lady Margaret knows she should despise the man who’s stolen her fortune and her father’s legacy–the man she’s been ordered to spy on in the guise of a nurse. Yet the more she learns about the new duke, the less she can resist his smoldering appeal. Soon Margaret and Ash find themselves torn between old loyalties–and the tantalizing promise of passion….

Who will Margaret choose , her family who had never shown her respect or a stranger who treats her as an individual and an equal even when she has lost everything ?

10 reasons why I absolutely adore LOVE Ash Turner :

1. Makes everyone feel equal & important, that they matter in life.

Ash treats the servants like he would treat a nobleman. He dines with them and doesn’t consider them low or inferior. He has an ability to look a person in the eye, and know if he is trustworthy or not. “You’re important, you matter”

2. Doesn’t give a damn about society rules, class and rank.

“A gentleman would have just taken you to bed to begin with, without bothering to ask for permission. Luckily for you, I was too busy making my own way in the world to learn to be a gentleman.”

“I brown terribly in the sunlight. I’ll develop freckles.”

“Oh, no. That sounds awful.” He spoke with exaggerated solicitude, but he leaned down from his horse until his nose was a bare foot from hers. “Freckles. And what do those dastardly spots portend? Are freckled people thrown in prison? Pilloried? Covered in tar and sprinkled with tiny little down feathers?”

3. Does not treat women like objects to be used when convenient.

“They want a woman who is a canvas, white and empty. Standing still, existing for no other purpose than to serve as a mute object onto which they can paint their own hopes and desires. They want their brides veiled. They want a demure, blank space they can fill with whatever they desire.”

“Miss Lowell, you magnificent creature, I want you to paint your own canvas. I want you to unveil yourself.”

4. Respects a person based on his actions and not parentage or family.

His reaction to Margaret being his enemy’s daughter is the most unpredicted and most beautiful one. Read the book, you’ll know.

5. Works day and night to provide a secure future for his brothers.

6. He sacrifices to make his loved ones happy

7. You can become his friend if you defeat him in a sparring match !

8. His sense of humour

“Damn books. Damn words. And libraries and cold darkrooms can go to hell.” He slammed the tome shut against the table—and just as he did, he turned enough to catch Margaret’s eye.

He froze, his face a mask of obvious, inexplicable guilt. His fingers splayed across the book’s cover. They lay there, still for just an instanttoo long, before he ran his hands down the leather that covered the front chapboards. He looked as embarrassed as a man caught beating a puppy, his fingers petting the pages in an insincere, unconvincing half caress.

Margaret’s smile broadened.

He must have realized how ridiculous he appeared, because he shook his head. “No, madam,” he said. “There’s no problem here. We were having ourselves a friendly fight, we were—between me and this book.” He drawled out those words, mirroring the accent of the local men, as if he were some common laborer caught by the tavern keeper in the act of raising a chair.

She converted the giggle that rose up into a ladylike clearing of the throat, and put her hand on her hip. “We won’t stand for any trouble here, sir. Must I fetch the constable?”

“Wait. There’s a condition.”
“You know,” Ash said, his throat closing, “that if you are half-naked on my bed, all conditions will be met. Instantly.”

9.  His ability to forgive and give 2nd chances.

10. His understanding nature.

Out of frustration, Margaret throws mud all over Ash and curses him. But what does Ash do as an employer ? He doesn’t fire her, instead he brings a soothing drink for her and tells her to relax.

Oh Ash Ash Ash, I talked so much about him at home, that my mom said I had started fantasizing about a dream hero.

Courtney Milan has packed so much of emotion and character in her stories. *sighs*  We see a gradual transition in Margaret’s outlook of life. It crushed me to know that Parford didn’t give a damn, in fact spoke ill about his children in front of them.

Honestly, teenagers should read this book to know what true love means. This isn’t the regular “Oh ur hot, lets tumble on the bed” romance novel. It was about understanding ,patience and forgiveness. A definite keeper. Why can’t we have more people like Ash ?

Book Review – Immortals after Dark #2 : A hunger like no other

What do you do if some random guy appears out of nowhere and pounces on you, drags you of to a hotel and then demands that you guide him to his palace in the next country. If that’s not enough, he attends to his expensive tastes by burning the money from your credit cars and and tries to do stuff of sexual nature with you.

Meet Emmaline ‘Emma’ Troy, a half vampire & half valkyrie. Her mother, a stunning valkyrie died when Emma was a baby. After turning 70 ( which is young for an immortal? ), she leaves her valkyrie coven and embarks on a quest to find out her vampire dad’s identity.

Meanwhile Lachalain MacRieve, the king of the Lykae clan has been imprisoned & tortured for an agonizing 150 years at the hands of the ruthless vampire king Demestriu. The gruesome pain inflicted on him causes him to die everyday only to be revived again by his immortality. After scenting his destined mate, he manages to escape the fiery catacombs, maiming his leg in the process.

 

But oof ! Fate had different plans for him. Lachlain is horrified to find his mate Emma, a vampire. (He doesn’t realise that she’s half valkyrie too) As tradition, the lykaes and vampires do not mix. They were enemies, are enemies and will always be enemies. Moreover, Emma’s weakness and fear disgusts him.

Anyway, he still tags along. After all, He’s waited 1200 years for his true mate and plans to confirm it. He demands that Emma help him reach his home in Scotland after which he’ll let her go. Of course we know that is  an outright lie, for he plans to keep her for a long long time.

The only reason Emma’s willing to put up with Lachalain is because she is in danger of being discovered. After Demestriu’s accession to the vampire throne, all female vampires were slaughtered making Emma the last female left. Her halfling status requires her to be more vigilant. Staying with the intimidating Lachlain assures her temporary protection.

 

Kresley Cole has done an amazing job of weaving her characters. Each character has a unique personality, their emotions changing rapidly making the story more interesting at every turn.

 

Emma is everything opposite to what a vampire should be. She’s gentle and has not even hurt a fly. She has never killed for food and drinks only from blood banks. All the more reason, why I should like her, indirectly she’s vegetarian. ( Vegans have my respect )

Due to her upbringing and mix species, she has always felt like an outsider. In the beginning of the story , one usually perceives her as a weak coward who cowers in fear at every threat. But she grows throughout the story and learns to fight for herself. In spite of the sexual tension , she does not succumb to lust. She stands up fore self and refusing to be taken advantaged of by a stranger.

And yes ! She’s a virgin ! That’s not very common for the current generation for Emma is a 70 years old with an ethereal drop-dead gorgeous face.

 

Lahclain-Lachlain-Lachlain : Considering the fact, that he’s been tortured and locked up for a century, you’d expect the typical brooding hero who needs the warmth of a heroine to awake his broken soul. SKIP THAT CRAP ! Our hero, is quick to let go of his past and move on.

He’s intelligent but the way modern day gadgets especially telephones initially scares the wits out of him, cracks me up! Did I mention his outdated accent ? Realistic. But I think I’d better give him a ‘ speak modern english DVD ‘ as a wedding gift.

 

To Emma’s chagrin, he’s possessive and overwhelming too. Lachlain assumes that Emma is a ‘blood sucking leech’ and dominates and bosses her at every go. Yet his infuriated mind seems to soothe in her presence. Every now and then I felt like slapping him and giving him a lecture on “free will”. 

So when Lachlain realises that he’s been totally wrong and that Emma isn’t the predator, I literally did the ‘ IN YOUR FACE ‘ dance in my bedroom ! Score 100 points for Emma when she kicks and dislocates Lachlain’s jaw.

He softens up as the story progresses and realises that he’s the one at folly and ought to adapt to improve their relationship. When Lachlain realises that Emma is his torturer’s Demestriu’s daughter, he doesn’t scream or burst into rage. By then, his love for Emma allows him to think rationally & act like a mature adult.

 

Kresley Cole has built a fantastic world, brilliant world building, every character has a role to play in the future books. Inspite of the colourful additions, you don’t get confused. I really cared for each one of them.

 

What’s better than a bunch of loyal and kick-ass valkyrie aunts who enjoy gaming on their xbox & munching on electricity every weekend. They love Emma and fiercely protect her . My favourite is Regina the Radiant. She’s one crazy gal whose sarcastic wit got me hooked with her story in Book 11. And Nix the soothsayer, she’s supposed to act wise and regal, but hey ! She wakes up from her nap after her sisters have almost died fighting a horde of bloodthirsty vampires & complains that she just missed the drama!

 

Take Annika : Emma’s foster mother. She reminds me of Lauriana Baristani from C.L.Wilson’s Tairen Soul series. Both mother’s want the best for their daughters, but they both are too stubborn to overcome any prejudices and acknowledge change. I often felt like shaking some sense into her.

Lucia & Garreth (Lachlain’s brother) : So Lachlain isn’t the only one to find a mate. It is funny how Garreth saves Lucia, only to be later captured by her and held ransom. I’m looking forward to reading their book.

Demestriu– This is probably the forest time I actually pity the villain. He’s one of those hormonally imbalanced and messed up people. He knows good from bad but is addicted to evil. He’s mad and confused but is happy to embrace death. But it rather hurt to know that Demestriu always knew about his daughter Emma’s existence but didn’t bother too search for her cause of rumours of her weakness.

 

This book taught me to never underestimate one’s ability.

The events pace perfectly however I felt that Emma & Lachlain’s relationship progressed too fast. Just 2 weeks, and they are heads over heels with each other ? It’s amazing how quickly Emma overlooked Lachlain’s misgiving but seriously, his initial nature would piss any normal human being off. ‘ Of course, we’re not talking about humans here. ‘ But still 2 weeks was too quick. I was hoping they’d understand each other over a long period. For what I have learnt, any strong relationship requires time and patience. And the fact that he hardly gives Emma her space is quite a reason for divorce nowadays.

The book highlights that politics whether among humans or mythical creatures, its all the same. Friends and foes trying to overthrow you to gain ultimate power.

 

This is a paranormal romance with a perfect blend of different cultures with couple of action-packed scenes. It reminded me of G.A. Aiken’s Dragon Kin Series.

I understood this book without reading book1 and then directly skipped to book 11 about Regina & book 12 about Lothaire . ( He has a minor appearance in this books & is definitely WICKED PERSONIFIED ) The best part is that everything is crafted so well that you needn’t read the books in order, it just flows.

Heyy !

Hey guys !

How are ya’ll ?

Man, I haven’t blogged in such a long time. So, what games do you’ll play now that barbiegirls has closed ?

I started World of Warcraft ! Played it for a year. Epic game !

I’ll write about it this week, so do tune back !

 

Minesha

Whats up !

What’s up !! I haven’t posted in a long time. I’ll do it this week, and I’m joining a new blog, I’ll fill you’ll in later !!

– Minesha

Barbiegirls Closing

I received this on my email on 29th or 30th April while I was studying for my class test  on my ipad.

I blinked my eyes , gulped , read the message again and was like ” Wha- Wha – What the – Oh my – what in the world – What !! Uh Oh ! I yelled for my sister and she casually walked in after repeated calling .

I handed over the tablet and she was like – ” Why is it closing ? Nevermind ! Mama !! It’s all her fault . Now barbiegirls.com is closing and we haven’t used the 1 month membership because she never allows and now we can never use it again and it’s all her fault and I told her ………..  I calmed her down , smiled and said , we still have 1 month left you know . And little sis replied, ” So, I told you to use it and ….. Activate it now !!” .

I said, ” Later, I want to take a video” . She stared at me , and exclaimed , ” You and your videos ” .

Believe ,me . Barbiegirls.com closing down was completely unexpected . I mean , what could it be , worker’s strike, not enough profit , or something brand new ?! And why did they inform us only a month in advance ? It shold have been earlier .

I hope barbie.com uploads a gallery – Fun time at Barbiegirls.com or archives some of it’s ……….

I checked , even the french and other versions of barbiegirls.com is closing down .

 

(Remember that rumor of Barbiegirls closing in 2010 )

UGh, Wish I could upload videos and wallpaper but apparently , I have so many exams and projects , my holidays start next month but barbiegirl closes tomorrow . Lets see . We’ll do something special for this website .

Super Late

Ok ! I’m super late ! Haven’t posted anything since white a long time . Why, ugh, – man was I lazy to type . I came to know a lot about barbie girls , especially thee fact that it is closing . I’ll add  a couple of posts today upload a few videos this week. Sorry !

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Ok, I’ll post tomorrow !!

Journal Mystery

Hi , I am really busy with school work these days . ( Yes I am a child ( teen ) , just if you were not sure )

But , I think it is time for my procrastination to update this website should stop . Don’t you think so ? But let’s leave it for the weekend !!

I am posting as Minesha on http://www.journalmystery.wordpress.com .

No , it is not completed but yes , a sort of journal and story you will soon understand soon .

Thanks

Minesha

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Journal Mystery

More information coming soon .

 

 

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