Teaser Tuesdays #7

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

A very sexy short story involving a married couple keeping their marriage fresh through the use of fantasy.   

COMING CLEAN by Inez Kelley

......from page 7

He'd told her about that teenaged experiment right after they got married.

It had opened the way for more personal, deeper discussions of their sexual pasts, their fantasies.

Fashion Monday Madness

Hello fashionistas and welcome to my weekly discussion of what the celebs are wearing.  Today's post will be extra photo packed because of last night's Oscar ceremony in which there was a lot more that went good then went bad.  So without further ado...

The Good....

Mila Kunis has worn so many amazing dresses this award season and I'm so happy she didn't let me down on the big night.  The color is romantic, the draping is dramatic, and it fits her beautifully.  Pure perfection from Family Guy's Meg.  Stewie would be proud!

Halle Berry looks gorgeous from the top of her head to the end of her train.  Minimalism is the key to the beauty of this dress.  The sparkles on the dress are better than any jewelry and the gauziness at the bottom make her look like she's floating on a cloud.

Natalie Portman makes me want to run out and get pregnant....well, not quite.  But she looks gorgeous in this gown that is a stand-out color and drapes her belly bump perfectly.  Again, all pregnant women wish they could look this good.

The Bad....

Helena Bonham Carter has tapped into a bygone era in this overly costumey morbidly colored black nightmare.  If it's any consolation, she actually looks better than at other award shows.....but then again, that's not much of a compliment.

Marissa Tomei's dress appears to be two sides of a coin fighting for control.  The two different colors don't go together at all, nor do the two different time periods.  The top is strictly eighties with a nineties bottom.  A prom dress gone horribly wrong.

The Ugly....

Nicole Kidman has a great accessory (uhm, hello Keith Urban), but that's all this dress has going for it.  There's way too much going on with the patterns on the front and I can't help but think that Scarlett O'Hara's drapery dress in GWTW looked better than this drapery fiasco.

I remember the good old days when Cate Blanchette was a top dresser.  She's fallen quite a few rungs since then as evidenced by this overly artsy dress with the dart board for a chest (or is it a breast plate?).  Way too much going on at the top and not in a good way.

Far and away the worst.  From the greasy looking mop of hair to the overly-worked bodice of this dress just makes my eyes hurt.  Scarlett Johansson looks like a drowned rat in this sad looking dress and not even the handsomeness of her ex Ryan Reynolds could help her look better.

So there you have it.  My take on the fashions from last night's rather boring telecast.  In a way, I miss Bjork's infamous swan dress and the fun it could've brought to last night's snoozefest.  Even the worst of this year's Oscar Red Carpet didn't reach those lows.  But what do you think?  What were the highs and lows from last night in your opinion?  Please sound off below and join me next Monday for more fashion talk!

Follower Contest Closing Soon.....

I just wanted to remind everyone that my 100 followers contest ends in one day!  Tomorrow night, Monday Feb. 28th at 11:59 pm, I will no longer be taking entries for my contest of a box of books and some cool author swag.  To see what's in the box and to sign up go here.  Good luck to everyone who enters!

Review for Out of Bounds (Love of Sports, #1) by TA Chase

Kasey Johnson is a star basketball player with a twin brother who's a popular openly gay actor.  Kasey wishes he too could come out but knows that in the world of sports his teammates will abhor his lifestyle and endorsements will dry up.  So for now he's keeping quiet.  But his plans might have to change the night he goes to a popular gay bar with his brother and gives in to the long simmering attraction he's had for the bar's owner.  Ingram Fletcher is out about his sexuality and wants to stay that way.  He's broken up with men before for hiding who they are, but he's willing to make an exception for Kasey.  As the two start a hot and heavy relationship, things get more complicated for Kasey as a fellow player comes out to him and another rival player stirs up questions in the media about his sexuality.  Will he finally join his new love out in the open or will he bow to society's pressure and stay in hiding?

This was a fast paced read with likable characters who had believable issues.  I could understand Kasey's fears and felt bad for him and other players worried about their financial future for telling the truth about themselves.  The romantic interludes between him and Ingram were steamy and very frequent. The interludes almost took over the story though and I would have preferred seeing them interact more in the outside world.  I would have preferred seeing their relationship based on more than just sex.  I enjoyed Ingram as well.  He was comfortable with himself and had no qualms about coming out.  I like that he was protective of his workers when they were manhandled at work and the subtle social messages that came out in his dialogue.

The ending of this story was very abrupt and I really wanted to see the ramifications of Kasey's decision.  I know it's the first book in a series so I'm eager to pick up the next installment to see where life goes for Kasey.  My excitement also has to do with two supporting characters that I found enjoyable in this story.  Kasey's brother Garett has had an on/off-again relationship with a man who was only with him to gain fame for himself.  Now that he's single I truly hope he finds someone to appreciate his love of life and the open way he lives his life.  Kasey's teammate Paul also intrigues me.  He's had a girlfriend but realizes he's been living a lie.  I look forward to what decisions he makes regarding how he wants to live his life and am hoping perhaps he and Garett might have a future together.  All-in-all I enjoyed reading this and will look for the next book to see loose ends tied up.

Received from Amazon as a free read.

My rating for this is a B.

*Book cover photo courtesy of www.goodreads.com.

Follow Friday.......

Another week has come to a close and it's a snowy end to the week outside my window.  I can't tell you how sick I am of winter and hope that groundhog who predicted spring being around the corner will be correct.  In the meantime, it's that time of the week where we bloggers get to know each other by answering a question posted by our hostess Parajunkee.

This week's question is....Share your current fav television show! Tell us a bit about it...

I actually have quite a few shows I adore.  I'll pick just one for now (and talk about the others in the weeks to come).  The show I'm talking about is Supernatural.  The story revolves around two sexy brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, who come from a family of demon hunters who have continued the family business and travel the country saving people, and the world, from the creatures of the night (and there are a lot of creatures for them to deal with).  Helping them along the way are a handsome angel and a funny curmudgeon of a father figure.  Here's a video clip of the boys to whet your appetite....

I look forward to seeing your favorite shows.  Sound off below and if you like my site, please follow me.  I always follow back.  I have a book giveaway going on right now too that ends on Monday that you can enter here.  Thanks for visiting!

Review for Saying Yes by Barbara Elsborg

This is a fun and flirty story that I got as a free read from Amazon.  It's short and sweet and a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.

Zadie's always been a cautious girl, more inclined to say no than yes.  After a series of events where she's lost her man, her job, and her home, Zadie decides it's time for a change.  She's now going to be a Yes girl.  Her first use of the word yes lands her the use of the apartment of her best friend's boyfriend while he's out of town.  As she sets out to relax and plan her future she gets an unexpected guest.  Tristan's also hit rock bottom.  His fiancee turned down his proposal, humiliating him in the process.  He goes to his brother's apartment to hide out where unbeknownst to him Zadie is staying.  There's an immediate spark and together they find a lot more uses for the word yes.

This was a fast read that still took the time to develop the characters.  Their immediate attraction was believable and the romantic interludes were hot.  Tristan and Zadie are likable individuals who were down on their luck, but together they made each other laugh.  They both felt that there was something missing in their lives and by being together they felt whole.  Being together makes them feel like they can achieve anything.  It's definitely true love they found.

Barbara Elsborg is an author that I've read before and enjoyed.  Her stories are full of emotion and have characters you can easily relate to.  This short story is just as enjoyable as her longer books and I encourage you to check out more from her.



My rating for this is a B+

*Book cover photo courtesy of www.goodreads.com.

Teaser Tuesdays #6

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This book is a future release and is the sixth installment in the Chinook Hockey series of books.  A fun and sexy couple try to recapture the feelings they once had for each other.  The author writes great dialogue with steamy intimate moments.

ANY MAN OF MINE by Rachel Gibson

.....from page 85

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were a nun."

"I cannot believe you're the same girl who jumped on me in the limo last night."

Fashion Monday Madness

It's the start of a new week...the week before the Oscars.  There will be lots of great fashion to critique for my post next Monday and I'm excited for the big show.  Until then, I've scoured the internet for what the stars wore this last week to bring to you my fashion selections.  Here's the unveiling, so let's get those comments rolling......

The Good....

Naya Rivera from Glee looks ready for summer in this stylish little dress.  Love the different hues of blue and the direction of the stripes is very figure flattering.

Archie Panjabi from The Good Wife looks oh so classy in the understated wine-colored dress.  Simple and tasteful is a great combination.

The Bad....

Juliana Margulies, who was a favorite of mine last month, has taken a trip to the dark side in this matronly mess.  It's drab, depressing, and could easily be mistaken for a tent.

The sack-look must be a new fashion trend since Blake Lively is also sporting this shapeless drapery nightmare.  What makes it even worse are the totally wrong-colored shoes.  I know color charts and since when do blue and purple go together?  The hair is limp, her bust-line is limp, and the girls will be gossiping once they see this.

The Ugly....

Nicole Kidman is like a bouncing ball (and looks like one too) when it comes to her outfits.  Great one week, awful the next.  This one looks like she's honoring Halloween and Thanksgiving with its bright orange coloring.  The style is very reminiscent of a school teacher, and unless she's teaching me how to land Keith Urban I'm not buying.  She also must be color blind since this orangesicle ensemble is topped off with red shows.

Rihanna is again the center of attention in this rainbow inspired tsunami of a dress.  The color combinations are gaudy and all that blue tulle looks like a demented swan.  She keeps going too far and I'd love a classy look from her just once.

So that's it for this week!  How do you feel about my fashion finds for the week?  Agree, disagree.......please sound off below.

Review for Hunters by Lindsey Bayer & Michelle Marquis

This is a sexy and rip roarin' fun sci-fi story about rival bounty hunters forced to work together to catch a deadly predator.  Along the way they learn new things about each other and soon find that the thing they've been missing in their lives has been in front of them all along.

Harmony Knox is the galaxy's best bounty hunter, with the exception of one alien who got away who saw to it that she ended up in prison for the last year.  After being released her first task is to hunt down Prime, the alien who ruined her perfect record.  Before she can do that though, she needs to get her ship back.  To do that she has to rely on fellow bounty hunter Bart Tanner.  As a woman who's used to doing things on her own, Bart is a serious irritant to her way of doing things.  She soon finds out how useful he can be though as he saves her from assassins hired by Prime while keeping her entertained with his sexual prowess.  It soon becomes apparent how good they are together and when tragedy strikes will Harmony put aside momentary revenge for something extraordinary and long-term.

I really enjoyed this book!  Exciting action sequences flow nicely into steamy romantic interludes.  The sex scenes employ a bit of humor as well as some sweat inducing moment.  Their connection starts in the bedroom but soon moves to the outside world where they become an unstoppable team.

Harmony is a strong female character who likes to do things her own way.  She's a Kirillian, who by nature are known for their intellectual abilities, with a family who don't express their emotions.  She was easily bored by her staid life and purposely chose a career the exact opposite to what she was expected to do.  She's always felt a hole in her life and it's so romantic watching Tanner work his way into her heart  When it matters most she casts aside her past and shows strong human emotion to choose love over reputation.  She decides the future is more important than the past.

Bart Tanner is a character I swooned over the minute he came on the scene.  Tattooed and full of emotional scars due to being imprisoned by the Kirillians years ago and forced to fight in the cage to stay alive, Tanner at first despises Harmony and plans to hurt her emotionally as payback.  I ached for all that Tanner went through at the hands of the Kirillians and could understand why he wanted payback and I applaud that he quickly threw away his plan for vengeance the minute he realized how he felt about Harmony.   Other books would have drawn that out to create tension and I'm thrilled that wasn't the case here.  Tanner is sexy and funny and has no problem admitting his feelings.  He's the perfect hero and he was a big reason as to why I loved this book.

I can't say enough good things about this book.  Great action, great romance, and a fun couple with hardly any annoying melodrama along the way.  Definitely take a chance on this book, it will leave a smile on your face.

My rating for this is an A+!

*I received this from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.

*Book cover photo courtesy of www.goodreads.com.

Follow Friday..............

Wow, the weeks are just flying by.  It will be summer before I know it if this keep up.  Before we get to our FF question, I want to remind everyone about my 100 followers book giveaway posted here.  All you have to do is be a US follower and leave a comment on the post to be entered.  Super easy entry!  And now to our FF question............

If you are a fan of Science Fiction what is your favorite book? If you haven't read Science Fiction before...any inkling to? Anything catch your eye?

I've read lots of books with sci-fi elements, but nothing totally sci-fi.  I'm more a watcher when it comes to sci-fi.  Those are my favorite kinds of shows on tv.

Review for Fantasy Jewelry Box............

I was lucky enough to win a gift card from a fellow blogger to get a piece of jewelry from Fantasy Jewelry Box which I'd been wanting to do for a long time.  I'd been drooling over their merchandise for a long time, so I was like a kid in a candy store browsing through their website.  After much deliberation I settled on this ring......

It's official name is Pennie's Vintage Style Twisted Marcasite Ring.  I chose it because of its simple style and subtle hints of bling.  Plus, I have the world's smallest hands and anything bigger looks ridiculous on me.  Unlike other rings, this one fits securely, yet comfortably on my finger.  The price of this was very reasonable and with the free shipping it became even more affordable (also don't forget to use online codes that the company sends out in their newsletters to get an even bigger deal).  You'd think that an economical piece of jewelry would be of low quality, but that isn't the case with this ring.  I've worn it for a month now and it's still as shiny as when I first put it on.  It hasn't discolored or irritated my finger in any other way, so the quality has definitely impressed me.

I also have to say how impressed I was with the speed of shipping, especially since they sent it around Christmas.  I had it in my possession within five days which was great since I was super excited to get it.  The ring came in a shiny, black box with a black bungee-like ribbon wrapped around the outside.  The ring was in a tiny bag nestled on a bed of cotton to keep it looking pristine.

I'm super impressed by this ring and by my experience with the company and hope to purchase something from them again soon.  They have a wide range of prices and styles, so there's really something for everyone and each piece makes you feel like a movie star.

Teaser Tuesdays #5

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

In anticipation of a new book being released in the awesome IAD series I'm doing a bit of rereading.  This series is amazing with memorable characters, great action, and steamy interludes.  Pure perfection!

PLEASURE OF A DARK PRINCE by Kresley Cole

.......from page 91

"A mistake then?  Is that what Valkyrie call scream-wrenching orgasms?"

Once he got loose.......all the witches in the world couldn't protect her.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

For those with a significant other and those of us who are single......

Have a Wonderful Valentine's Day!!!!!

Fashion Monday Madness

After a week's hiatus due to my special author guest, I'm back this week with lots of interesting outfits to critique courtesy of the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards!  So lets get started, shall we...........

The Good......

Who knew that Kelly Osbourne could look so good?  Obviously Joan Rivers and her fashion police are having a positive affect on her.  This dress is fun and flirty and her hair and make-up compliment it perfectly.  Kudos!

Nicole Kidman's dress has intriguing colors that are subtle yet stand out.  This dress fits her flawlessly and I like the sleek look of her hair.  Heavens knows she looks lots better in this than her Golden Globe outfit.

Another pregnant woman that knows how to get glam.  Jewel's dress has a great fit, sweet color, and she's not at all overdone.  Tasteful and stylish.

The Bad.............

Leann Rimes looks gaudy and overdone in this ill-fitting dress and hair that's in the tightest bun I've ever seen (poor man's face lift I call it).  The dress looks to be made out of leftover fish scales and considering its droopy look it probably did get wet somewhere along the way.

Eva Longoria looks like she's being swallowed up in this dress where it looks like she's wrapped up for Christmas.  It's just too much for such a small woman.

The Ugly......

Everytime a bell rings an angel gets it wings......Is that true Katy Perry?  It must be since she looks like a Christmas Tree topper in this winged ensemble that seems more appropriate for a Victoria Secrets fashion show.

Hayley Williams of Paramore has now taken up figure skating in this costumey number and fuzzy dice-like skirt.  The bright hair and orange eyebrows complete this crayon box gone wrong.

Christmas ornaments seem to be the theme of the night's show as proven by Rihanna's almost see-through dress.  Thank goodness the drapes are shut just enough or there'd be another wardrobe malfunction for CBS.  TMI Rihanna, that's all I can say.

Did any of you really doubt this wasn't going to make my list?  Nicki Minaj looks like a cross between a dirty Q-Tip and an animal's gone wild segment.  I know that Grammy clothes are supposed to be extravagant, but there comes a point when you have to say enough is enough.  And this outfit went too far.

So what do you think?  Did I make some good choices?  Sound off below with what you thought about the Grammy's.

In Celebration of 100 Followers!!! A Giveaway of books-and a Smidgen of Swag!!! (CLOSED)

Well, I did it!  I finally reached 100 Followers and I can't tell you how excited I am by that milestone!  So to thank all of you for making it happen I'm holding a contest for a few books (along with a smidgen of author swag).  With money being tight, I'm afraid this is only open to US RESIDENTS.  I'm sorry for that and I promise the next milestone contest will be open to everyone.

First, here's what I'm offering.......

DARK EMBERS/Tessa Adams

GETTING LUCKY/Carolyn Brown

HALF PAST DEAD/Zoe Archer

ONE LUCKY COWBOY/Carolyn Brown

LUCKY IN LOVE/Carolyn Brown

DARK NEEDS AT NIGHT'S EDGE/Kresley Cole

So there you have it!  A little bit of variety to please everyone.  TO ENTER, if you're not already a follower, become one.  Then, just leave a comment with your email.  For a BONUS entry, follow me on twitter here and let me know in a separate comment with email.  That's it, easy peasy!  Again, this is only open to US RESIDENTS and will close on Monday, Feb 28th at 11:59 pm (central time).  Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours after I email you to respond or a new winner will be chosen.  So go forth and enter and thank you for joining me thus far and I look forward to entertaining you for a long time to come!

Winner of Roxanne Rhoads' An Unexpected Evening & Author Swag.......

I again want to thank Roxanne for taking the time out of her busy schedule to come visit us and for her generosity in giving away such an awesome prize!  Thanks too to those who visited and left a comment.  If your name wasn't chosen this time around, remember that Roxanne is touring the rest of this month and visiting many other great blogs.  And if you can't stand the wait, go forth and purchase An Unexpected Evening, you won't regret it!

Without further ado........

The winner of a pdf copy of Roxanne Rhoads' An Unexpected Evening and author swag is.................Denise K. Rago!!!!  I'm emailing you now and you have 48 hours to respond to me or a new winner will be chosen.  Congratulations again and thanks to everyone who participated.  Stay tuned for another contest announcement within the next 24 hours!

Follow Friday.........

Another week has come and gone and Friday is now upon us.  It's the day of the week where we bloggers get to know one another better by answering a question posted by our FF hostess Parajunkee and visiting each other's blogs.  Before I answer the secret question I want to remind everyone that I'll be hosting a contest for a book (or two) once I reach 100 followers and that a giveaway for Roxanne Rhoads' An Unexpected Evening will be ending on my site tonight Friday, February 11th at midnight.  All you need to do is be a US resident and make a comment here to be entered.

What is your favorite romance hero-type? Stereotype wise. Do you like the strong silent type or the brute macho man?

I'm obsessed with abs, so my hero definitely rivals Ryan Reynolds in that department.  I prefer dark hair, green eyes, a bit of facial hair, a piercing or two, and one or two small tats to wrap up the package nicely.  I'd like him to be a bit macho, but not at the expense of brain cells.  And he can't be too uber-Alpha or I might have to tell him off.

Here is the epitome of my ideal man.  Actor Steve Bacic is to drool for....don't you think?!!!

My Coffee-Mate Party..........

I'd meant to post this sooner this week, but the warmer temperatures inspired me to be out and about.  So without further delay, here's some visual memories from the Classic Game Night sponsored by Coffee-Mate.

I'm a coffee fanatic and love using different creamers depending on my mood for the day.  Coffee-Mate has so many different flavors that there's something for everyone.  My party package included everything you need to host a lively party.  They sent cups, napkins, numerous coupons to buy a plethora of tasty flavored creamers, packets of instant coffee, packets of plain creamer, the game Cranium, and a professional poker players kit.  See, I told you they sent me some awesome stuff!  I loved all the creamers I bought, particularly the Caramel Macchiato and Honey Vanilla.  They're not too sweet and greatly enhance the flavor of coffee.  Everyone loved the variety of creamers and were happy with the free coupons they received to take home so they could purchase more flavors that I wasn't able to get.  The game night was a hit and it was fun chatting, drinking coffee, and playing games.  Even though I was a big loser at the poker table, it was still an awesome night and I thank Coffee-Mate for their generosity and for creating a great product I can't live without!