Skylar Nightingale – Bound to You

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This is a young adult romance novel.  This book does a great job of capturing the wishy-washiness of young adults in their early twenties.  They can fall in love easily, but have a hard time committing at such a young age.  They make mistakes and easily hurt one another.  The supporting cast of characters also reflects this idea of trying to be mature in a relationship but not quite having skills to follow through.

The ups and downs in this romance was spectacular.  It is full of unpredictable twists.  I couldn’t put down the book because of the uncertainty of how the story would end.

The way that the story was presented was a bit unorthodox.  One chapter is presented by Nina and then the following chapter is presented by Terry about the same time span but from his perspective.  It was a bit difficult to get used to the pace, but it was nice to see both of their points of view.

Bound to You

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RELEASE DAY: M. Leighton – Brave Enough (Tall, Dark, and Dangerous #3)

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Perfect book for a book club that enjoys a glass a wine.  It pairs well with both a red and white.

Tag may work the land at the vineyard, but he isn’t a snobby sommelier.  He’s over 6 and half feet tall with broad shoulders and a narrow waste.  But more importantly, he knows the type of kiss that pairs and follows the type of wine.

Weatherly is looking for an opportunity to let go.  Lucky for her, she arrives at her family’s property, an amazingly romantic paradise, and finds the incredibly hot Tag whose more than happy to engage in some down and dirty sex.  After reading some of these scenes, I needed a cold shower more than the characters.

Best part of the book is that both main characters are multi-dimensional.  They are possessive, strong, shrewd, and articulate but can also show insecurities and regret.  They were anything but predictable, which made for a great read.

There were lots of twists that kept me turning the pages ’til the very end.

Brave Enough

 

Other Series By M Leighton

See More Wicked Works – Spicy Stories to Savor

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Laurell K. Hamilton – Jason (audio book)

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This is the #23 in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Series.

I originally read this book in December 2014 and just recently listened to the audiobook.  As discussed below – the story is great.  The audio book is fantastic, too.  The voice of Anita is spot on.  An added bonus for the audio book – I was able to multi-task while listening to book.

While the Anita Blake series is usually very high on the paranormal side, this particular book is not.  It’s more like an insight into the polyamorous lifestyle.  Or as Jason said in the book, “It’s like a lesbian tutorial.”

For those of you who have not read the series, Anita Blake is an incredibly strong female character and I don’t mean her paranormal or metaphysical strength.  She is incredibly brave.  She sees no other options than facing her fears.  In Jason, it is surprising to learn that some things can still make her blush.  Read Jason, and find out what could possibly make Anita be unsure of herself in a bedroom setting.  In the book, Anita says, “I was so far outside my comfort zone I couldn’t see it from the shore anymore.  I felt lost at sea, but determined to weather the storm, even if it was a storm formed of soft flesh and silk.”

While Jason is usually a jokester, he pushes Anita to answer difficult questions.  “Are you really willing to spend the rest of your life trying to date someone you not only don’t love, but that you actually don’t enjoy having sex with?”

This is an awesome series!  Even if paranormal romance is not your thing, READ this book.

Jason

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A Slice of Sin

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This book contains a very eclectic group of short erotic tales.  I enjoyed many of the stories, but found that the diversity of stories made it difficult to read the book in one sitting.  A few of the stories were particularly entertaining.

The Stand In by Chase Morgan

I absolutely loved this short.  It’s gripping and intoxicates the mind.  The short proves that the power of words can be as equally sensually as the most perfect animalistic joining.  It’s great for those find the thought of a threesome alluring but don’t have the courage to seek one out.

Tonight is for You by Autmn Tooley

This is a great reminder that romance shouldn’t be forgotten, even in an erotic tale.  And, great writing can be found in erotica.  “It was like he saw into the very seat of my soul, finding my secrets and plucking them like juicy pieces of fruit from the tree of my darkest desires.”

The Great Canadian Beaver-Eating Contest by Leah Mueller

The title alone deserves recognition – every time I read it I can’t help but laugh.  And yes, the story is exactly about what you think – it’s all about women’s oral pleasure.  “All you had to do was show up and spread your legs.”

Intro to Religion at the Genial Work by Paul Henry

A brilliant mind can be both cruel and seductive.  When encased within a sexy dressed woman it can be a powerful turn on.

The Bakery Boy by Alegra Verde

Nothing like a hot delectable treat in a bakery, particularly one without the calorie guilt.  Also, I learned a ton of Spanish slang.

Etchings by Cherry Wild

Pace is a critical element of a story.  The author delivers it perfect art form.  It’s important not to rush things, even in a short erotic tale.  “The mix of slowness and anticipation and not-touching is heady and seductive.”

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Elizabeth Murphy – Home

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This story is all about the learning process that it takes for a teenage girl to eventually find herself and differentiate real love.

I found this book to be well done, which is to say that it was insightful and poignant.  The author nailed  the depiction of a teenage girl that finds herself making some bad decisions, recognizing them, and being able to move on from them.  Aspen’s repetitive mistakes made the story realistic.

The father character was a great side character.  He, too, recognizes his faults but takes well chosen steps to do better in a way that can have a positive effect on his daughter.  The struggle between parent and child was well portrayed when the father requests honesty from his daughter.

“Honey, would you please try and make an effort here? … I know you’re not being completely honest with me, and to me, that constitutes not making an effort.”

I liked how Aspen was compared and contrasted between both her parents, both from her perspective and from her father’s.

Sean, Aspen’s best friend at home, was a bit too perfect.  That is why I awarded this book 4 stars instead of 5.

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LOVELY HEA!

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Gayle Forman – Where She Went (Sequel to If I Stay)

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Please don’t shoot me, but I engaged in this series completely backwards.

First, I watched the movie of the first book, If I Stay.  By the way, I loved the movie.  I absolutely fell in love with the two main characters.  A rockstar teenage boy falls for a classical cellist girl.   Their preference for music styles may differ greatly, but their intense study of their craft unites them.  I cried – a lot.  Sometimes you just need a good cry.   (I had never even heard of the book before I saw the movie.)

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If you recall, the song Say Something was the dramatic song that goes along with If I Stay.  It was re-recorded by Christina Aguilera and A Great Big World in November 2013.

Recently, I was thrilled when I was going through some book lists and found out that If I Stay was in fact a book.   Better yet, I found out that it had a sequel, Where She Went.  This story picks up where the first story left off.  I admit that I have yet to read the first book, I just saw the movie, so this isn’t an apples for apples comparison.  I have to say, I really liked the second story better.  The story seemed to flow better.  Also, I didn’t feel quite as emotionally drained as when I saw If I Stay.  I ABSOLUTELY LOVED how the author ended this series.

I also want to mention that I listened to the audiobook for Where She Went.  As I have mentioned before, I’m not a huge fan of audiobooks in general.  But the narration done by Dan Bittner was PHENOMENAL!

If you liked the movie, as much as me, YOU HAVE TO READ WHERE SHE WENT!!

Indonesian Covers for the Series – LOVE THIS!

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Katy Evans – Manwhore +1

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Manwhore +1 is the fun sequel to Manwhore.

I like how the author uses social media to set the stage for communication about Saint.

My favorite line:

“He’s ruined sex with anyone else – something I don’t even want to try – and he’s even ruined sex with myself.”

A billionaire should have some over-the-top toys.  This series is filled with some fabulous forms of transportation.  In the midst of his hiatus with Rachel, Saint purchases a $2 million Pagani Huayra Gullwing.  Much more exciting way to deal with heart break than digging into a container of ice cream.  And, nice addition to his 4 Bugattis and Rolls Royce!

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While I enjoyed the book, I would only award this book 4 stars because the story line is very predictable.

Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to reading the next novel in the series: Ladies Man that will be released on April 26, 2016.

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Jello Eggs for Easter

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Happy Easter to all that celebrate.  And, to those that don’t but like jello, here’s a fun dessert idea.

This is my daughter’s absolute favorite dessert.  I only make it on Easter; not only because of the shape but because it takes 6 hours to make.  It’s easy, but timely.  Setting aside 6 consecutive hours at home isn’t easy.

Besides finding the time, you need to have the appropriate molds.  I bought mine years ago.   Here’s what one looks like (I have 4):

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If you can’t find a place to purchase these molds, you can make your own.  All you need is an a left over egg carton and basic plastic egg containers.  The full directions for making the molds can be found at this website

http://robbygurlscreations.blogspot.com/2012/04/diy-easter-egg-jello-molds.html

When I make these I like to go for the full rainbow effect.  I start buy purchasing small boxes of instant jello: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.  Depending on store availability, I vary the actual flavors.

Step 1 – prepare molds by coating with cooking spray or vegetable oil

Step 2 – close molds completely

Step 3 – Prepare Jello Flavor: boil 2/3 cup of water and mix with one flavor of jello, whisk for 2 full minutes.  Carefully pour liquid jello into the molds.  One small box is sufficient for 24 egg molds.  (If doing the full rainbow)

Step 4 – Chill for exactly 1 hour

Step 5 – Remove molds from fridge and repeat Step 3 and Step 4 again for each flavor of jello

Step 6 – Chill the full molds for 3 hours.  Remove from refrigerator, and carefully separate the mold halves.  ENJOY

*Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator

It’s just about time to add my next layer of jello.  Gotta Run.

HAPPY BAKING!

 

 

 

 

 

J.E. Warren – Lines We Forget

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This is a nice simple love story set in England.  There isn’t anything sensationally dramatic.  Boy sees girl and is intrigued.  Girl likes boy.  They date. They break apart because of challenging life event and a bit of immaturity.  They reunite.

What makes this book special is its authenticity.  The characters are young and struggling to make money.  Unlike too many romance novels that are centered around billionaires.  The characters are flawed with uncertainty.  Many romance novels assume that once the couple falls for one another that it is a 100% done deal.  Finally, the dialog is categorically English, which not only amuses me as an American but sets the tone well.

Most of all, being serenaded in the street is the epitome of romantic.

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