Anticipa-a-tion; or Waiting for ICED

Just a quickie post on how I'm impatiently waiting for the Tuesday October 30th release of Karen Marie Moning's ICED, the first book set in the Fever universe from Dani 'Mega' O'Malley's point of view. http://www.karenmoning.com/kmm/iced.html

I've not only pre-ordered my print version (in February!) but I just went & pre-ordered the Kindle version too (cause I'm a total junkie.) Also, Mom & I will fight over it so it's better to have two. This is what my weekend has looked like

& I couldn't be happier. Roll on, Tuesday!

Shall I Compare Thy Nipples to a Summer's Day?

so the hilarious ladies over at Smart Bitches Trashy Books wrote a hysterical post about nipples. here are some lovely pierced specimens.

do yourselves a favor and go check it out. caveat - please do not be eating or drinking while you read it. I do not want to be responsible for anyone choking and/or damaging their computer when spitting out whatever beverage they happen to be consuming. best laugh I've had in a long time.

my entry even received an honorable mention, yay! don't ask me where the AA battery idea came from. I have no clue. a fit of mania perhaps? we may never know.

Holy monkeys, a 5 star read! Unraveled by Courtney Milan

Unraveled by Courtney Milan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


holy, holy crap. starting out the New Year with a 5 star book rating when I am so stingy with 5 star book ratings? never say so! it is, in fact, SO. I loved this story. I've said it before & I will repeat it endlessly ad nauseum, Courtney Milan writes some of the most fantastic historicals I've ever read.


I might add that I was "raised" on historicals. they were the first romance novels that I read, going to Kaltreider Library at the age of 13 & checking out towering, 20 book high stacks of them from the ever patient librarians who were kind enough to give me paper grocery bags to put them in so I wouldn't have to make 10 trips out to Mom's car.


I also thank them for not weeping blood tears when I returned a week or two later, having devoured every book & looking to check out 20 odd more. I'll remind you this was in the days when each book's card had to be hand-stamped by the big, heavy date machine (remove card from book, stamp card, return card to book. none of this scanning the barcode nonsense like they have today ;) if only I'd dedicated all that reading time to my school/homework (I wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING! although, I do wish I'd applied myself more in school =P) I digress....


I was fascinated by Smite in the previous Turner novels & was so looking forward to his story. I was NOT disappointed. he is layered & interesting & noble & difficult & frustrating as hell. I adore him. Miranda is equally incredible. she is unapologetic, funny, smart, delightfully sharp & the perfect match for Smite. it's rare for me to find a heroine that doesn't have some quality that annoys me (however small.)


I absolutely love that Miranda was not TSTL (too stupid to live), that she admitted she had a problem she couldn't solve on her own & actually involved Smite in the resolution of the problem. (there is absolutely nothing wrong with a strong, independent female lead, however, there IS a problem when said strong, independent female lead is not intelligent enough to realize that she requires outside assistance. I find this TSTL trait in heroines to be infuriating! even I, as a stubborn, sarcastic, bossy individual know that sometimes you just have to call in reinforcements. this is NOT a sign of weakness. sorry, soapbox rant over.) other authors take note! this in NO WAY affected the storyline in a detrimental fashion! on the contrary, it only strengthened the bond between Miranda & Smite and made me love them even more.


the details of the book are amazing, from the court proceedings (which honestly I have less than zero interest in on even a good day, yet I was interested here), to the smells, sights & surroundings of Bristol's good & slightly less appealing neighborhoods, to Smite's love for & marginally dysfunctional relationships with his brothers. I found myself completely consumed.


Bravo, Ms. Milan! this is your best book yet.




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