Follow Friday.......

Hello everybody!  I've missed you all and am happy to be back after a scary bout of sickness.  Feeling more energetic everyday and am working myself back into the groove.  My first order of business for everybody coming by is that I have a giveaway ending Friday April 1st at 11:59 pm located here that is for a copy of Rob Tobin's God Wars: Living With Angels.  It's an intriguing read.  So if it sounds like your kind of read, sign up to win.

And now for that moment of the week where we bloggers find out something new about each other.....

Here's this week's question......

Inspired by the inane twitter trend of #100factsaboutme, give us five BOOK RELATED silly facts about you.

 

-My TBR pile is over 150 books and are dispersed through two different rooms/closets.

-I have a super hard time not finishing a book, no matter how bad it is.

-I'm obsessed with books featuring rock bands.

-I always picture myself as one character somewhere in the story.

-I have numerous book covers as my desktop photos because of hot, dark-haired men that are tattooed with super abs, being featured.

 

A different question was posted later so I'll answer that too.....

 

Q. What is the book that you really don't want to admit to loving??

-I'm not embarrassed by anything I read and tell everyone all the time about what I'm currently reading.

Health Update.......

I'm so sorry to have dropped off the face of the Earth for awhile there!  My cold ended up becoming pneumonia and I ended up on a ventilator tube for a few days.  Great sleep, but scary moments for my family.  A big thank you to them and my home health aides for keeping an eye on me and all of you who've I've missed terribly!  I'm hoping to go home in the next day or two, but as a quadriplegic the doctors are arguing with me about it.  I will be victorious though and totally expect to be home by midweek come heck or high water!

On another note, I had a giveaway going on for Rob Tobin' new book.  The original post is located here and the contest end date will now be extended until Friday, April 1st at 11:59 PM since I've been so sick.  To make entering even easier all you have to do is leave a comment here saying howdy and telling me what you've been up to.  I feel like I've been missing out on everything and look forward to hearing from everyone!  So PRETTY PLEASE comment below!

I MISS YOU and will post again soon!

Sorry for being MIA......

I'm so sorry I haven't been around this weekend, but that plague I was getting the other day got a lot worse this weekend.  I ended up going to the ER this morning and am now on a bunch of medications.  I hope to feel more human soon so thanks for bearing with me.  I do have a book giveaway here for a very exciting book by Rob Tobin, so definitely enter if you haven't yet.  And I'll be back in a day or two once all the meds start kicking in.

Follow Friday.....

I've been fighting a nasty plague this week and have been fighting a fever that's left me a bit doofy.  But I still wanted to participate along with Follow Friday.  I also wanted to let everyone know I have a giveaway going on here.  So please sign up since it's a very entertaining book!

This is a chance for us bloggers to learn something new about each other and discover fun new blogs along the way.  For those that choose to become a follower of mine, I automatically follow back.  And now for this week's question...

Q. How did you come up with your blog name?

Mine is rather odd, but since I'm always cold and therefore wear a scarf everyday, my blog name makes perfect sense.  I wanted something distinctive and this seemed it.

Book Tour & Guest Post for Rob Tobin/God Wars:Living With Angels

Hello and welcome to all my visitors today!  I'm excited and honored to bring to you, courtesy of Bewitching Book Tours, a new-to-me author with an exciting new book that's intensely emotional and action-packed.  If you'd like to know more of my thoughts on the book, you can read my review here.  And now, without further ado.....

Hi. My name's Rob Tobin. I'm a novelist, screenwriter, non-fiction book author, and former motion picture executive, I live and write full-time in Huntington Beach, California (and yes, I know how lucky I am). 

First thing I want to do today is thank you for letting me write this guest blog today. I'm honored -- and intimidated. You see, and this is a well-kept secret, I'm a guy. Gasp. Yup, a guy writing a guest blog for this obviously female-oriented site.  But I have an excuse -- my latest urban fantasy eNovel, "God Wars: Living with Angels," just published by Echelon Press and available from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Omnilit.com and Smashwords.com, has a female lead and there is a hot romance in the story, not to mention a couple of very hot sex scenes. Not only that, but I recently wrote a lesbian love story feature screenplay that I'm getting a lot of interest on. Furthermore, my latest novel, "Jo-Bri and the Two Worlds," has a female lead and I go even farther by having that story told from a first person point of view.  So, long story short, I'm hoping you cut this guy some slack because I've actually bent over backward to get in touch with my feminine side. Okay, I'm still a hairy, testosterone-soaked, sports-loving, manly man, but at least I'm trying.

I must admit that writing a female protagonist was an interesting challenge. The temptation was to go for the stereotype with Diana (the hero of "God Wars: Living with Angels") -- all girly, frilly, pink and pretty, or conversely blazingly hot and sultry. I knew, however, that to do so would create an cardboard character that no-one would like or believe. I did not want to define my hero by her gender or sexuality or attractiveness, or by the unreasonable expectations and limitations placed on women by society, but rather by Diana's humanity. In fact the last line of the novel refers to her humanity.  

Now I understand that a lot of romantic fantasy novels have rather stereotypical female heroes somewhat in the same way that traditional romance novels (like the old Harlequin romances) did and that there is obviously a market for that kind of stereotypical character. But perhaps because I am a man writing a female character, I wanted to go beyond stereotypes. 

On the other hand, I wanted to make sure I didn't just make Diana a man in a dress. I also didn't want to pander to women by making Diana perfect either as a woman or a human being. So hopefully you can see how complex it is for a male author to write a female hero. Added to that complexity, as if I didn't have enough challenges, Diana becomes a paraplegic fairly early in the book. Then she becomes a witch. Then she has to fight a demon, falls in love with an angel, battles three-foot-tall aliens and... well, you'll have to read the book to find out what else I packed in there.  I actually have to chuckle at that, but you know it's part of how I avoided stereotypes and thus created a unique, interesting character.  Again, nothing against the stereotypical romance novel heroine, but as a guy I just felt I had to do more than that, perhaps the way that women oftentimes, unfortunately, had to be better than men in order to get the same job or same (or even less) pay. Call it reverse sexism, lol.

Time will tell if my efforts to go beyond just another female lead worked, and I won't know until you readers tell me. I hope it's a positive reaction and that you support Diana and celebrate her as being more than just a girly-girl or sexpot.  Oh yes -- there are a couple of scathingly hot sex scenes  in the book because, after all, even though Diana is more human than woman, sexuality is definitely a part of being human, not to mention fun to read!

Thanks. I look forward to coming back here for another guest blog, hopefully for my latest novel, "Jo-Bri and the Two Worlds" which also has a female protagonist. Feel free to contact me at scripts@earthlink.net or go to my website at: robtobinwriting.com.

Thanks so much for visiting with us today, Rob, and I'm definitely looking forward to your future books!  You're welcome back here anytime!

And now for the giveaway.......

-This contest is INTERNATIONAL (so everyone can join in the fun) and is for a digital copy of God Wars:Living With Angels.

-To Enter, you just have to become a follower of my blog, if you're not already, and leave a comment with your email address included (so I can contact the winner easily).

-Contest will run until 11:59 pm, Friday March 25th!  I will then use Random.org to choose a winner who will have 48 hours to respond to my congratulatory e-mail.

So let's make Rob feel welcome and get those comments rolling!

A Little Reminder.....

I just wanted to take a moment to remind everyone that I will have a guest author visiting my site tomorrow, March 17th, and that there will be a giveaway involved as well.

The Who....

The amazing writer, Rob Tobin!

-Rob is a husband, father, screenwriter, novelist, non-fiction book author, frequent guest speaker at film festivals and writing conferences, and a graduate of USC’s Master of Professional Writing program and of the University of Victoria’s Creative Writing program. He has a $15 million feature film (“Dam 999”) in post production, a $40 million feature (“Camel Wars”) in development with legendary filmmaker John McTiernan (“Die Hard,” “Predator,” “Hunt for Red October”) attached to direct, a novel (“God Wars”) scheduled to be published in early 2011, and two published non-fiction books. Creative Screenwriting Magazine recently produced two of Rob’s instructional screenwriting DVDs.
Rob is a former VP of Writers Boot Camp, the country’s largest private screenwriting school. As a story analyst, he read 5,000+ screenplays for Goldwyn, Spelling, Interscope, TriStar, TriMark, HBO, et al. He also helped establish a feature film department for Stephen J. Cannell (“The A-Team,” “Hunter,” “The Commish”)

The What....

Here is the official description of the book:

An embittered, paraplegic young woman gains magical powers and uses them to battle evil, but instead awakens a demon she can’t resist, an angel she can’t trust, and a race of invincible three-foot tall aliens she has to defeat to save the universe – and her own soul. She has justice in her hands… and she’s pissed!

 
There will be a giveaway for the chance to win 1 digital copy of this book to anyone who comes by and comments.  A very easy-peasy contest.

The Where....

Again, my site, starting tomorrow March 17th.  Come by for a great guest post and a giveaway for a very emotional, action-packed book! 

Review for God Wars: Living With Angels by Rob Tobin

This is a very intense read full of action and an intriguing mythology that will have far-reaching consequences in the books to come next in this captivating series.  Issues of hatred, forgiveness, and the power that each of us possess become a major part of this story and stick with you long after the final page....which is somewhat of a cliffhanger.

Diana Jalinowski has had a life full of trauma.  Her father suffered a stroke while she was at the top of her gymnastics career.  Her parents were then killed, and she was left a paraplegic, in an automobile accident caused by a gang member with a grudge against Diana.  When the courts don't give her the revenge she was hoping for, she uses the magical abilities that have slowly been building within her to hurt those who hurt others.  As she gets further involved in the use of magic, she unwittingly frees a sadistic demon bent on enslaving humanity and taking over the realms of Angels and Demons.  With the help of Sean Dominico, an Angel masquerading as her psychologist, they must together focus all their positive energies toward defeating the Demon.  But Diana has been full of anger for so long that forgiveness, and hence the true way to victory, may be beyond her grasp.  It's not until the very end that the dust settles, but even then there's more evil waiting to invade.

This story deals with very heavy subject matter....revenge and forgiveness.  The author doesn't spare any expense showing why Diana is angry.  She's been through a lot of horrible things and becoming disabled late in life definitely changes how you see and feel about yourself.  I should know, I'm a quadriplegic, and it's one of the reasons I was drawn to this book.  You can either rise above it and take control of the life you've been given, or drown under the grief.  Diana's chose to wallow in grief and the continual aggressive behaviors she displays became irritating to me after awhile.  I know the author's intent is to show how grief and rage affects a person, but I still became annoyed with Diana's actions.  Because she's so full of rage, I never quite believed she could defeat the Demon.  The way to defeat him seemed so simple and yet with Diana, not really possible.  She's lucky she had Angel Sean!

Angel Sean at first seems very average, but as the story progresses you realize just how important his part is in everything that has happened to arrive at this moment.  He's very likable and has so many emotional layers and it's through him that Diana gains the real power to fight the Demon.  He tells it like it is, even when Diana doesn't want to hear the truth.  I hope to see more of him in future books as he was really the heart of this story and found him a better character than Diana because of his looking at the good as well as the bad.  Diana was always so consumed by finding the bad that I found her hard to relate to.

After turning the final page I'm left very impressed by how much mythology the author integrated into this story.  At times it's a bit overwhelming, and there were times I wondered "what bad thing can possibly happen next?", but the author was able to keep things under control and not let the chaos overwhelm the story.  I for one am excited to see where things go next and am definitely on board for wherever Mr. Tobin plans to take us.  I just hope that Diana starts taking on more positive qualities and can finally earn the title of heroine.  The wallowing in pity that permeated a large part of the story made it difficult to root for her at times, but Angel Sean saved the day in may ways and is the real hero in this story.

My rating for this is a B+.

*I was given a copy of this by the author and Bewitching Book Tours in exchange for my honest opinion.

Teaser Tuesdays #9

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!

SAVAGE SANCTUARY by Jacqueline Barbary


....from page 24


He was hard and soft.  Dangerous, but hungry, achingly hungry, as well.

Big Event Coming Later This Week.....

I'm proud to announce a big event that will take place here at my blog on Thursday, March 17th.  Thanks to author Roxanne Rhoads and her Bewitching Book Tours I'm proud to bring you a day with author Rob Tobin discussing his new book God Wars: Living With Angels.  Along with his guest post will be the chance to win a digital copy of the book!

Here is the official description of the book:

An embittered, paraplegic young woman gains magical powers and uses them to battle evil, but instead awakens a demon she can’t resist, an angel she can’t trust, and a race of invincible three-foot tall aliens she has to defeat to save the universe – and her own soul. She has justice in her hands… and she’s pissed!

I've had the honor of reading this intensely emotional and action packed book and will be posting my review on Wednesday.  It's something you don't want to miss!  So be sure to visit on Thursday for my big author event and the chance to win an exciting new book!

Fashion Monday Madness...

Another week of the celebs being out and about has passed by and I've scoured the internet to find some chat-worthy fashion choices.  So without further ado....

The Good.... 

Mila Kunis has looked amazing all award season long.  This outfit is no exception and she looks incredibly feminine in this man-styled suit.  It's clean lines and lack of accessories adds to the look and keeps the focus on her.  Smart and oh so stylish.

Jennifer Hudson looks gorgeous in this perfectly fitted understated gown.  Her diet has paid off and I don't blame her wanting to flaunt it now that she doesn't have as much of it as she used to.  Simple, yet stylish.



The Bad....

Halle Berry made heads turn in this dress, but not necessarily in a good way.  From the 70's Brady Bunch paisley coloring to the spots of peekaboo mesh, this dress is a fashion don't.  At the Image Awards, this dress just gives a bad image.

Michelle Rodriguez already looks like she's been attacked by aliens in this overly-worked dress in a color far too drab.  The different patterns are fighting for control while her shoulder is being attacked by a large bug.  I wonder which side will win?  But when you look this bad, is there such a thing as winning?



The Ugly....

Olivia Munn looks as if she raided a 5-year-old's clothes closet to come up with this childish ensemble and ill-fitting tights.  I think it's time to send this outfit back in time where it belongs and to remember that cute and cutesy are two very different things and an adult looking cutesy is not a good thing.

Actress Emma Stone tried for hip with this look and ended up looking hippy instead.  The poor fit and overly exaggerated slit make for a dress that makes her look unkempt.  It's very unflattering and makes her look thick in all the wrong places.  And those boots look like slippers that make this outfit even more unkempt.  A bad choice from head to toe.

So that's it for today!  What do you think?  Would you want to own any of these dresses?  Sound off below and give me your opinions of this week's choices.

Review for Coming Clean by Inez Kelley

Grant and Vivi Michaelson have been married for many years and are in as much love now as when they were newlyweds.  The key to their happiness is through honest communication and living out their fantasies with no guilt involved.  Their marriage has led to many enjoyably exotic experiences, but there's one scenario they've held back from indulging in.  Cade has been a part of their lives for over twenty years and he's played a part in many of their mental fantasies, but they now want things to become a reality.  Will this be the end of a beautiful friendship or will it be the beginning of a new kind of relationship?  And will feelings of jealousy be too much this time for a marriage to handle or will love bloom in a new and bigger way?  These are the questions that arise in this super steamy story that features f/m, m/m, and f/m/m scenes and leaves you sweating until the final page is turned.

Stories involving threesomes always create feelings of jealousy and it's up to the author's handling of those feelings that makes for a satisfying story or not.  In this story, Grant and Cade have a history of experimenting with each other back in college.  Fear led Grant to stopping, but he's thought about those moments with Cade ever since.  Vivi and Cade also have a relationship through the ballroom dancing they've been partaking in and that has led to sexual undertones whenever they're together.  All these exterior moments add an interesting dimension to their threesome.  It makes for a closer knit relationship that encompasses each individual equally.

The path to the threesome doesn't automatically happen which made it feel more realistic.  Grant was nervous bringing it up to Cade and Cade questions the affect it will have on their marriage.  This makes the characters feel more human and by slowing building the sexual tension, the final coming together feels more satisfying.   

The couplings are all sexy and given equal amounts of time.  The threesome felt natural because we've seen Grant and Vivi together, Grant and Cade together, and there's a strong emotional tie to be found in their scenes.  When all of them finally come together it just feels right.  There's a few moments of fear from each of them because of the intense emotions but they quickly work past it.  The ending leaves you feeling positive about where things will go for them, but as usual with these stories the ramifications and realities of this kind of relationship aren't fully addressed.

This was a sexy and satisfying read that was the perfect way to spend the afternoon.  With likable characters and well-placed and satisfying sexual interludes this becomes a story that lingered on my mind long after I finished reading it.  If you're wanting a highly emotional read with a fantasy coupling for everyone than take a chance on this story and you'll be satisfied you did. 

My rating for this is a B+.

*I received this from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.

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

Daylight Savings Time Strikes Again!

It's that time again when our sleep schedules are ruined due to the completely confusing event called Daylight Savings Time!  Supposedly its purpose is to allow us to use less energy in lighting our homes by taking advantage of the longer and later daylight hours.  Whatever the reasoning, I vastly prefer setting the clock back and getting extra sleep......BUT.....

Tonight's the night to set your clocks ahead one hour!  So sleep well and when you feel groggy tomorrow blame it on the one less hour of sleep you're getting.

Happy Birthday to a favorite of mine!

I'm not ashamed to admit out loud that I'm a sci-fi junkie!  You've already seen bits and pieces of my Doctor Who love, but it goes sssssooooo much further than that.  Today we'll talk a bit about Torchwood and it's star John Barrowman.  His character, Capt. Jack Harkness, burst into the world of Doctor Who and became so memorable that he got his own show.  From the brash snarkiness to the intense feelings of love and loneliness he projects as the man who can't ever die, he won me over at hello (plus his military coat is to die for).  And today is his 44th birthday!  Happy Birthday John and I can't wait for the new season of Torchwood!

Follow Friday....

It's been a busy week in my off-line life and I'm happy to be able to finally kick back and do a bit of visiting to all my blogging buddies homes.  And a great way to do that is through Follow Friday, brought to us by hostess with the mostest Parajunkee.

To participate, just post your answer to the question our hostess asks, and then get to know your fellow bloggers by visiting their sites to see their answers too.  If you like the site you see, become a follower.  Anyone that becomes my follower, I automatically follow back.  This is a great way to make new friends and bring our community closer together.  This week's question is.....

Just like Ashley said (love it) "Ashley the girl..." who are You the Boy/Girl, instead of You the Blogger?

I'm Jody, the 40 year-old snarky bookaholic, who adores freebies/giveaways and is a living breathing TV Guide (since I know everything about TV shows).  I have a cat, who everyone says hello to first before acknowledging me, which proves that she's the boss and I'm merely a figurehead.  And finally, I'm not at all tech-smart, but I'd love to own all the cool gadgets out on the market.

New Who Coming Soon

In my ongoing mission to show you my favorite things, I'm proud to announce that the new season of Doctor Who will be returning to BBCAmerica on Saturday, April 23rd.  I have been a fan since watching the episodes on PBS as a child.  From the exotic British accents to the cool looking aliens, I became hooked and am still hooked today.  My favorite combination was David Tennant's 10th Doctor and Catherine Tate's Donna Noble, but truthfully, every Doctor and Companion have brought something unique to the show.  Below is a sneak peek at the new season which has me squealing with delight!

Any other Who fans out there?  Are you all as excited as I am?!  Sound off below and let the countdown begin!

Why I'm Gleeful About Glee

As a fan of musical theater is it any wonder why I'm giddy for Glee!  The music, the dancing, the larger-than-life characters all in the comfort of my own home.  Since $60 is not in my budget, it's been a very long time since I last went to a show.  But courtesy of Glee, I'm now getting to experience a big show every week.

I love the drama, the humor, and all the priceless one-liners.  There's characters with experiences that everyone can relate to and I'm always left with a smile on my face when the credits roll.  The show also knows how to tug at the heartstrings and Coach Beiste has been a particularly bright spot for me this season.  From the Christmas episode where she says miracles can't always happen and that patience is what we all need to the never-been-kissed episode, her character has been one I can easily relate to.  Not only that, but it's fun seeing her go head-to-head with Sue.

I could go on and on about how wonderful this show is, but I leave you to find out for yourself.  Watch these clips and tell me you didn't start singing along...I dare you!  So jump on the Glee bandwagon and bring a bit of the arts into your house every week.  You won't regret it.

Teaser Tuesdays #8

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!

CONSENT TO THE COWBOY by Abby Wood

.....from page 64

Her direction in life had taken a drastic turn the moment she reached out to Will and asked him to take her home with him.

Who knows, maybe Will's really not like my dad.

Fashion Monday Madness

It's the start of a new week and for those who thought the glitz and glam ended with the Oscars, have I got some awesome fashion to discuss due to all the after parties!  So sit back and enjoy the show......

The Good....

Selena Gomez looks all grown up in this gorgeous grecian dress with just the right amount of accessories to complete this winning look.  Some would say that her current beau Justin Bieber is the perfect accessory, but not me....which is why he's not in the picture.

Anne Hathaway is probably wore out from all her clothing changes throughout the telecast.  But this dress was worth the wait.  Lovely color with a great mix of form fitting and flowy.

The Bad....

Ginnifer Goodwin's doily-inspired dress is too over-worked on top and a bit ill-fitting.  The modern hair cut she's now sporting is completely overwhelmed by this granny dress and it's no wonder she's got a frown.

Lea Michele normally rocks the Red Carpet, but this look is way too matronly for her.  Instead of singing in high school, she looks like she should be singing in Las Vegas.  The look is just too buttoned-up and instead of saying Glee....I'm thinking Free yourself from the restraint of this dress! 

The Ugly....

Jena Malone looks ready for a night on the town...right to the nearest street corner in this bikini/dress wannabe.  The sheerness of the dress is what sends this into the category of tasteless and no amount of accessories can save it.  Bad all around.

Blake Lively wins the Silver Medal for her ice skating inspired ensemble.  From the 80's looking fabric and styling, this dress should be sent back in time....and stay there.

So what do you think?  Are these outfits ones you want to add to your closet or to the garbage can?  Please sound off below!  I'm ready to talk fashion!

Review for Rivals for Love by Eve Vaughn

Hayden thought she'd found the man of her dreams until the day Sawyer vanished without a trace.  Immediately there to pick up the pieces was his long-time rival Luc who loved her from afar for a very long time.  Starting out as friends they soon become lovers and even though Luc wants them to take that ultimate step, something keeps holding Hayden back.  She loves Luc, but visions of her time with Sawyer keep intruding.  She never stopped loving him and when he suddenly re-enters the picture, she's even more troubled by her feelings.  Will she ultimately choose one of them or will she give into her darkest desires and form a family of three?  The journey to that answer is full of steamy interludes, heartbreaking encounters, catfights, and male egos fighting it out.

I find menage stories to be very intriguing since an author has to work very hard to make them believable.  There has to be a compelling reason, a set of strong emotions, that makes a group of three into a family.  This story does a very good job at showing why Hayden is drawn to both men.  Both men are alpha and easily flex their muscles when in each other presence.  It was like watching two dogs fighting over a bone.  There's a lot of history between Luc and Sawyer from their teen years when they constantly tried to outdo each other and all those emotions add an interesting layer to the story.

For me, it's the men that make this an enjoyable story.  Their feelings of possession and how they acted on those feelings were humorous and sexy at the same time.  Both men have family baggage that affects the image they present.  It's led to the anger they've carried for each other all these years and only by talking it through do they actually have a breakthrough.  And yes, they actually do talk it out and by spending time together they end up bringing out more likable qualities in each other.  They're both sexy, strong-willed, and willing to do anything to make Hayden happy.  I could easily understand being torn between those two hunks.

I wasn't as enamored with Hayden though.  Her character felt drab and unexciting on her own.  It's only in the presence of the men that she got interesting.  She was a bit meek in my opinion and could've reached her happy ending much faster just by being honest.  She was portrayed as being the most caring person and yet I didn't think she treated Luc or Sawyer fairly.  By not speaking up, it felt like she was cheating on each man.  That added to me not liking her as much.  I didn't find her worthy of either man because of her emotional weakness and felt that the story would've been better with a stronger heroine.

All-in-all I enjoyed this story, and it's mostly due to the men.  They were the mature individuals in this relationship and it was through their sacrifices that a resolution comes about.

My rating for this is a B.

*I received this from NetGalley for reviewing purposes.

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

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

Another week has come and gone in the blink of an eye.  Read two books this week and will work on reviews this weekend.  So nothing too exciting planned, although I might try to sneak in a movie as a reward if I get my reviews written.  Cross your fingers for me.  And now on to........

It's that time of the week where we bloggers get to know each other better by answering a question posted by our hostess Parajunkee.  This leads to the discovery of new blogs, new followers, and a whole lot of fun.  For anyone who chooses to become a follower (for which I'm very grateful),  I'll definitely follow you back.  Here's this week's question....

What embarrassing thing have you done on cold medicine?

I can't think of any weird thing I've done since me and meds seem to get along very nicely.  I have a high tolerance and don't get doofy after taking cold or pain meds.  Since I'm a quadriplegic I think my body has built up a tolerance and therefore I don't turn loopy.

Review for CSN Stores

I know that a lot of bloggers have been discussing this store lately, but there's a very good reason for that.  This store is an online shoppers dream!  Everything you can think of to buy, they have!

I was lucky enough to win some gift cards from fellow bloggers just in time for Christmas and decided it would be the perfect time to experience their site.  I had to purchase gifts for family members ranging in age from 5 to 70 and it was definitely easy finding something perfect for all the age groups.  From little boy's toys to big boy's toys, I was able to get gifts for everyone.

The prices were very reasonable and there are many online codes to use to lessen the cost further.  There are items on their site that have shipping costs, but the items I purchased (and everything I looked at) didn't cost extra for shipping.  Since I'm a US resident, that's probably why shipping costs weren't an issue for me.  For those in other countries shipping will have to be something you look at though.  I am most impressed by their speed in shipping and customer service.  I ordered everything in the late afternoon and had emails saying items shipped within a few hours and had the packages here within two days!  I couldn't believe it considering it was two weeks before the holidays!  One item was discontinued, but one phone call to their customer service and they helped me find a similar item that they sent me for the same price as the original item even though it cost more.  That was a super nice thing to do and gave me a wonderful impression of their company.

So if you want a wonderful shopping experience with the ability to buy anything you can think of, then give CSN Stores a chance to play Santa every day of the year.

*I received nothing from CSN Stores, other than what I purchased with my own money, in exchange for this review.  I chose to review this store on my own with no incentive involved.

100 Followers Contest Winner.......

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway and all of you who've become followers since I started my blog over two months ago!  I look forward to bringing you more of my favorite things and hope you enjoy the journey.  And now, without further ado.....

The winner of an assortment of six books and fun author swag is......

WENDI!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations!!!!  I'm emailing you now and you'll have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  Thanks again to everyone and once I hit 500 we'll do another giveaway.  If that's not bribery, I don't know what is.  LOL.