In spite of the fact that I don’t think I ever completely grasped the story, it was a fantastic ride and I think not totally getting it is the point. Get it? Yeah, me either, but it’s still worth a read. As it is, I’ll be Googling some of the stuff mentioned in the book to see what was pure fiction and what was based in reality. (I’m a nerd like that.) In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo’s CosoNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he’s a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that’s striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about infocalypse. Snow Crash is a mind-altering romp through a future America so bizarre, so outrageous…you’ll recognize it immediately.
Woah! It’s the little camp of horrors! Now with bonus materials! Next summer you’ll stay home…if you survive! The food isn’t great. The counselors are a little strange. And the camp director seems demented. Billy can handle all that. But then strange things start to happen after dark, his parents won’t answer his letters, and his fellow campers start to disappear. What’s going on? Camp Nightmoon is turning into Camp Nightmare! And Billy might be next.
At least in this one the “hero” is legitimately a bad guy. Well, until the end when she takes off some character layers and plays the “he’s just misunderstood” card… And really, if I read the word “shaft” again, it will be too soon! o_O ALL FEAR THE ENEMY OF OLD Driven by his insatiable need for revenge, Lothaire, the Lore’s most ruthless vampire, plots to seize the Horde’s crown. But bloodlust and torture have left him on the brink of madness—until he finds Elizabeth Peirce, the key to his victory. He captures the unique young mortal, intending to offer up her very soul in exchange for power, yet Elizabeth soothes his tormented mind and awakens within him emotions Lothaire believed he could no longer experience. A DEADLY FORCE DWELLS WITHIN HER Growing up in desperate poverty, Ellie Peirce yearned for a better life, never imagining she’d be convicted of murder—or that an evil immortal would abduct her from death row. But Lothaire is no savior, as he himself plans to sacrifice Ellie in one month’s time. And yet the vampire seems to ache for her touch, showering her with wealth and sexual pleasure. In a bid to save her soul, Ellie surrenders her body to the wicked vampire, while vowing to protect her heart. CENTURIES OF COLD INDIFFERENCE SHATTERED Elizabeth tempts Lothaire beyond reason, as only his fated mate could. As the month draws to a close, he must choose between a millennia-old blood vendetta and his irresistible prisoner. Will Lothaire succumb to the miseries of his past . . . or risk everything for a future with her?
This one had a bit of a twist with the male being the mortal, but still too much of the same old stuff. HE VOWED HE’D COME FOR HER . . . Murdered before he could wed Regin the Radiant, warlord Aidan the Fierce seeks his beloved through eternity, reborn again and again into new identities, yet with no memory of his past lives. SHE AWAITS HIS RETURN . . . When Regin encounters Declan Chase, a brutal Celtic soldier, she recognizes her proud warlord reincarnated. But Declan takes her captive, intending retribution against all immortals—unaware that he belongs to their world. TO SATE A DESIRE MORE POWERFUL THAN DEATH . . . Yet every reincarnation comes with a price, for Aidan is doomed to die when he remembers his past. To save herself from Declan’s torments, will Regin rekindle memories of the passion they once shared—even if it means once again losing the only man she could ever love?
More of the same… From New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole comes this scorching tale of a demon outcast poisoned with vampire blood and the vulnerable young witch he vows to protect—even from himself. A dangerous demon she can’t resist… Malkom Slaine: tormented by his sordid past and racked by vampiric hungers, he’s pushed to the brink by the green-eyed beauty under his guard. A maddening witch he aches to claim… Carrow Graie: hiding her own sorrows, she lives only for the next party or prank. Until she meets a tortured warrior worth saving. Trapped together in a savage prison… In order for Malkom and Carrow to survive, he must unleash both the demon and vampire inside him. When Malkom becomes the nightmare his own people feared, will he lose the woman he craves body and soul?
I laughed through most of this one. If the previous books were getting repetitive, this one was the worst. “Can’t have sex, I’ll lose my powers.” Oh but wait, she’s a control freak and won’t tell her secrets, so really it’s just, “nope, can’t have sex.” “But why?” “Can’t tell you.” There is, however, one thing I will commend Kresley Cole for – her timeline. As far as I can tell (not that I’ve been paying super close attention), she’s actually managed to keep all her characters on the same basic timeline without any major screw-ups in the order of events. Considering the fact that she is essentially rewriting the same chunks of time over and over but with different characters, that’s fairly impressive. Again, I’m not really paying too terribly much attention to this, but I think anything glaringly obvious would have jumped out at me. That one reason is why these books are mostly getting two stars instead of one. Kresley Cole enraptures again with this seductive tale of a fierce werewolf prince who will stop at nothing to protect the lovely archer he covets from afar. A Dangerous Beauty Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her—and those she loves. An Uncontrolled Need Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own. That lead to a pleasure so wicked… From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia’s greatest weakness—her wanton desire for him.
I don’t know… I found the “no we can’t touch” thing to be a replay of the one with the ghost. There’s only so many times the different characters can repeat all the same types of actions and phrases before you can’t tell them apart. At least there was no mention of “some-some” or “crayfish” that I can remember. In this novella from the Deep Kiss of Winter anthology, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole delivers a breathtaking tale about a brutal vampire soldier who experiences love for the first time.Murdoch Wroth will stop at nothing to claim Daniela—the delicate Valkyrie who makes his heart beat for the first time in 300 years. Yet the exquisite Danii is part ice fey, and her freezing skin can’t be touched by anyone but her own kind without inflicting pain beyond measure. Can they conquer an agony of frustration and slake the overwhelming desire burning between them?
What is it that smut fanfiction is called when it’s written just for the sex? Oh yes, porn without plot. That’s what this feels like for most of the book. Seriously, from the get-go you’ve got a captured demon king being sexually tortured by some crazy sorceress. Then, when a vampire randomly sets him free, he captures the sorceress and does the same thing to her! Of course, there’s a happily ever after, some fighting (must find some way to describe all the sexy male bodies, right?), and a few other characters thrown in for spice, but yeah… Porn without plot. From New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole comes this spellbinding story of a demon king trapped by an enchantress for her wanton purposes — and the scorching aftermath that follows when he turns the tables and claims her as his captive. HIS OBSESSION… Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions: the evil beauty who surrenders her body, but not her heart. HER DOWNFALL… Rydstrom Woede: the ruthless warrior who vows to keep her at all costs. THEY WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO WANT EACH OTHER THIS MUCH… With each smoldering encounter, their shared hunger only increases. If they can defeat the sinister enemy that stands between them, will Sabine make the ultimate sacrifice for her demon? Or will the proud king lay down his crown and arms to save his sorceress?
Meh… Could have been worse, but it wasn’t anything special. At least they’re quick reads! RITA Award-winning author Kresley Cole continues her bestselling Immortals After Dark series with this electrifying tale of a ruthless demon mercenary and the lovely young halfling who enchants him. A seductive beauty he can never have, yet can’t resist… Cadeon Woede will stop at nothing to atone for the one wrong that will haunt him forever. But once he secures the key to his redemption, the halfling Holly Ashwin, Cade finds that the woman he thought he could use for his own ends and then forget haunts him as much as his past. A tormented warrior she should fear, but can’t deny… Raised as a human, Holly never knew that some frightening legends are real until she encounters a brutal demon who inexplicably guards her like a treasure. Thrust into a sensual new world of myth and power, with him as her protector, she begins to crave the demon’s wicked touch. Surrender to dark desires… Yet just when he earns Holly’s trust, will Cade be forced to betray the only woman who can sate his wildest needs — and claim his heart?
Well, this was an improvement over the previous books. Not once did she use the phrase “some-some” in regards to sex. I’m so proud! Or not… One thing you can count on Kresley Cole for, though, is a massive male member and a tight girl part no matter how many men she may have been with before. Bestselling author Kresley Cole continues her seductive Immortals After Dark series with this tale of a vampire shunned even by his own kind and a beautiful phantom, bound together by a passion they cannot resist. A raven-haired temptress of the dark… Néomi Laress, a famous ballerina from a past century, became a phantom the night she was murdered. Imbued with otherworldly powers but invisible to the living, she haunts her beloved home, scaring away trespassers—until she encounters a ruthless immortal even more terrifying than Néomi herself. A vampire warrior consumed by madness… To prevent him from harming others, Conrad Wroth’s brothers imprison him in an abandoned manor. But there, a female only he can see seems determined to drive him further into madness. The exquisite creature torments him with desire, leaving his body racked with lust and his soul torn as he finds himself coveting her for his own. How far will he go to claim her? Yet even if Conrad can win Néomi, evil still surrounds her. Once he returns to the brutality of his past to protect her, will he succumb to the dark needs seething inside him?
Another “some-some” character… Ugh! Also, if you’re going to write about Louisiana, know that we don’t eat “crayfish” – whatever that nasty sounding thing is. We eat crawfish and other weird animals. I get that Louisiana (and New Orleans, specifically) are great settings for mystical and legendary creatures, but at least do some research into our foods before embarrassing yourself with something so blatantly obvious. It’s almost as bad as the “some-some” slang – maybe worse. This seductive paranormal series continues with a brutal Highland werewolf and an exquisite young witch, adversaries with a blood vendetta between them. Her breathless kiss haunts him… Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed—until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive. His slow, hot touch is irresistible… Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It’s rumored that no one can tempt Bowen’s hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go. No deed is too wicked for her seduction… If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul—or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?
If I read “some-some” as a replacement for the word “sex” one more time, I might just throw something. I mean come on! If you’re mature enough to write these ridiculously graphic sex scenes, then surely you’re mature enough that at least one of your female characters can call it sex instead of “some-some.” I am thankful that I don’t know a single person who uses that phrase in front of me. In this next installment in the Immortals After Dark Series, USA Today Bestselling author Kresley Cole delivers a scorching tale about a forbidding vampire who lives in the shadows and the beautiful assassin who hunts him there. A vampire soldier weary of life… Centuries ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire—a nightmare in his mind—against his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead. A valkyrie assassin dispatched to destroy him… When Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow—accidentally extinguishing all of her emotions. Yet whenever she encounters Sebastian, her feelings—particularly lust—emerge multiplied. For the first time, she’s unable to complete a kill. Competitors in a legendary hunt… The prize of the month-long contest is powerful enough to change history, and Kaderin will do anything to win it for her sisters. Wanting only to win her, forever, Sebastian competes as well, taking every opportunity—as they travel to ancient tombs and through catacombs, seeking relics around the world—to use her new feelings to seduce her. But when forced to choose between the vampire she’s falling for and reuniting her family, how can Kaderin live without either?
Well, it was difficult to put down (like these books often are), but the constant slang got annoying very quickly. Acclaimed author Kresley Cole introduces a sizzling new series with this tale of a fierce werewolf and a bewitching vampire—unlikely soul mates whose passion will test the boundaries of life and death. A mythic warrior who’ll stop at nothing to possess her… After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he’s waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him. A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy… Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents—until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae—and their notorious dark desires—ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings. An all-consuming desire… Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?
There was a whole lot of sex… And a whole lot of almost but not quite sex… And a whole lot of graphic descriptions of the male parts used for sex… I think there was too much sex… But it’s the first story of the series that I’m committed to reading. Everyone needs cotton candy, Alysha, everyone needs cotton candy. Even you, occasionally. Nikolai Wroth, once a ruthless human warlord in the 1700s and now a general in the rebel vampire army, needs to find his Bride, the one woman who can render him truly alive. As a turned human, he doesn’t enjoy a heartbeat or breaths and is consequently weaker than fully blooded vampires. He wants his Bride for the power she will bring him and can hardly believe it when his heart beats for Myst the Coveted, a mad, fey, mythological creature. Myst is known throughout the world as the most beautiful Valkyrie, part chillingly fierce warrior, part beguiling seductress who can “make you want her even as she’s killing you.” She has devoted her life to protecting an ancient, powerful jewel and to fighting the vampires, and she now sees a way to torment one—for with Wroth’s heartbeat comes consuming sexual desire that can only be slaked by her. She eludes him for five years, but he has finally chased her to ground and stolen the jewel which commands her, giving him absolute power over her. While he possesses it, he can make her do anything, and he plans to in order for her to experience first hand the agonizing, unending lust she’d purposely subjected him to for half a decade. Yet when Wroth realizes he wants more from her and frees her, will she come back to him? The first in Cole’s Immortals After Dark series was originally published as one of three novellas in “Playing Easy to Get”. It was also available on its own as a special promotional ebook from Simon & Schuster.
Meh… There isn’t really anything that jumps out and says “quality literature right here” of course – they’re romance stories, what did you expect?! But it’s kind of sad when the only story out of the three in the book that seems even remotely likely to end in a good relationship is the one involving a vampire and Valkyrie. The one with the Vikings was kind of fail, too. The author didn’t even try to show how the kidnapper made his victim fall in love. It was just “I will escape” to “bam, we’re pregnant and totally in ooey-gooey love!” And the very first story was the most ridiculous of all. They fall in love and apparently just *know* everything about each other in less than twenty-four hours. “You’re the smartest woman I know.” Really, mafia guy? The smartest woman you know? Considering you know absolutely nothing about her life, you just insulted every woman you’ve ever met including you mom and sister. New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon and rising stars Jaid Black and Kresley Cole unlock the pleasures and perils of embracing the boldest and most powerful of lovers — 100% alpha males — in three sensually erotic tales. Discover the physical rapture of his muscular arms…. Become a prisoner of passion, swept away by an encounter with his primal side…. And get lost in the all-consuming thrill of white-hot pursuit by a relentless stranger who may be your most dangerous foe, the best lover you’ve ever had — or both. Let your fantasies run wild with these unforgettable novellas where bigger is most definitely better — and playing easy-to-get is the only way to go!
You know that feeling you get when things are going well? That “when is the other shoe going to drop” feeling? Yeah? I’ve got that going on a bit…
Things are going well in almost all areas of my life, but my luck has been that when things start going well, the shit hits the fan. Metaphorically, so far, thank goodness! I’m not a pessimist, you know. But I usually get a little worried when things go too well.
When the Shit Hits the Fan
Lately, though, that feeling isn’t as strong as it used to be. I think it’s Jaime’s fault. He makes everything so much better. Even fighting is better because I know that we’ll solve or compromise on whatever the fight is about.
It is a very good feeling to know that everything is good and that it’s likely to stay that way. I’ve never been happier in my life.
Damn you, Jaime, you’re ruining my opportunities to complain and whine! And I love you for it! ^_^
I’m sorry; I didn’t post/schedule any book reviews today. Jaime and I watched a movie last night and then I threw myself into the tub then bed because I had to wake up super early to get to work at 6a. Bad time management on my part, but I can’t turn down a movie with my hubby!
Anyways, after work I went to my grandmother’s house. I’m at her house now, actually. She had some scrap fabric for my book-end project that I wanted to pick up. (More about that in a bit!) When I got here, my Uncle Buddy, mom, and youngest brother Jackson were all at her house. Uncle Buddy lives out of the country most of the time and out of the state the rest of the time, so we never get to see him. He and mom were setting up Momo’s Christmas present in the living room. Momo has a new flat TV that she’s really excited about.
They were also planning on a BBQ dinner at Momo’s since my dad is out of town and Uncle Buddy is in town. After I sort of invited myself and asked Jaime if he would come (he’s helping his sister and can’t), I realized that I still hadn’t taken care of my site for the day. So while they cook, I type. And listen to YouTube. It looks like Uncle Buddy fixed up Momo’s computer for her. ^_^
BBQ Kaboom
So, bookends, you ask?
Yes, bookends. You all know about my library project, yes? The huge event of me completely reorganizing my library and making it look nicer than ever? Yeah, that project. Well, I’ve made floating bookshelves, but I don’t think I’ve posted the pictures here… I need to get on that. Well, in addition to my floating bookshelves, I also need bookends to prevent my books from warping.
I originally was trying to find scrap pieces of 2x4s or 4x4s that were at least six inches long, and then I thought, “hey, bricks good work, too!” Followed by, “ooh, mom has bricks behind her shed!”
When I told Jaime that I was going get bricks from mom, he told me that we had a whole stack behind our shed! I was in shock! This is what happens when I don’t go outside at my own house…
Anyways, while tonight isn’t the night for pictures, I will be taking some and posting them either tomorrow or the day after along with new book reviews! I can’t wait to show you my newly organized library with bookends! That’s what I’ve been waiting for to update the library page, by the way – bookends. :-)
Good night, my imaginary friends! Sleep well and keep reading!
Sorry this is late. I babysat for my sister after work and couldn’t find a working/charged/accessible computer at her place.
But, I promised this post would be up today, so it will be up before the day is done! ^_^
So… “What have I been up to,” I ask myself.
“Not too much,” I answer.
Hahaha! Okay, I’m not going to do a pretend dialogue with myself. Well, not today, anyway. :-p
Chunk and Minou
Chunk (my nephew Chase) has a new best friend. I realize the picture is crappy, I took it with my phone, but that little cat followed him around waiting to be picked up by her whiskers, her back legs, and her tail. I was in shock that she didn’t attack when that happened (and I fussed at him each time) but she pretty much launched herself at him and into his hands. It was precious. :-) Also, that’s the only picture I took while babysitting. :-( My phone sucks as a camera, obviously, and I was having too much fun falling off the hammock and playing with my kiddos to try to get a decent shot. Oh, and yes, he’s wearing his sister’s jacket. :-p
I haven’t been doing too much besides reading and watching stuff on netflix while I compute. On netflix, though, I’ve recently watched every episode they have of Futurama, South Park, Pair of Kings, and JONAS. I’ve started, but not yet finished, Ancient Aliens and Family Guy.
Also- Don’t judge me!
I’m just kidding, judge away! I don’t care what you think of my netflix choices. ^_^ Those are just the television shows. I’ve also watched a few movies, but I’m too lazy to look up any of the titles except for the two I can remember off the top of my head: “Dragon Hunters: and “The Secret of Kells”. Both of which I really enjoyed and recommend.
As for books, check out my goodreads: http://goodreads.com/alyshadeshae I try to keep the “currently reading” shelf mostly up to date. At this exact moment in time, it is not, but it will be before I go to bed.
Music, though, this will be fun! Jaime recently introduced me to a band called Pop Evil and a song called “Monster You Made” and I love it! Check it out:
I haven’t actually checked out the video other than to find the link/embed code and listen to it while typing stuff to make sure it was the actual song. It sounds fine, though, and I hope it’s not too inappropriate or tacky. :-)
I’ve also been really loving almost everything I’ve heard from Mitchel Musso, specifically “Open the Door” shown here:
By the way, without sounding too creepy, can we say that he is now officially hot? Also, I love the goofy dancing jumping stuff he does in this video. Adorable! ^_^ That video is on his youtube channel, so check out his other songs. :-)
One more thing… HOBO SHOES FOR THE WIN!! Aaaahahaha! You can’t tell me those shoes he’s wearing in the video don’t look like they would fit right in with a hobo costume!
Oh, and heyhihello has yet to leave my playlist since I discovered them months ago!
That’s the first song of just them that I heard. I first learned about them through this awesome Wrock (Wizard Rock for the muggles out there) song:
They’re all just adorable! And I’ve yet to come across a song of their’s that I dislike. :-D Jaime has informed me that they sound like a band/artist called Owl City. I had never heard of them/him before, until I realized that I had sort of come across this apparently very popular song:
I love that song! :-D
So… Now that I’ve overloaded your browser with some very pop-ish music videos, let’s add in one more of a song that I adore even if the video isn’t quite my style:
I really love Manson’s songs, but his videos usually disgust me…
Well, I’ve covered books, netflix, and music. Any other questions? Hit me up in the comments or in the formspring box in the sidebar! Also, please don’t hate me for the videos! :-p It’s the best way to share music, in my opinion!
Alright, most people know how important my cats are to me. If you don’t, well… You don’t know me.
The other day, I was adding a few tags to pictures I had uploaded to Facebook of my cats and noticed that Facebook Pages were in the list of taggable friends. So, being the sane, rational, level-headed person that I am, it’s completely natural that the first thing I thought about was:
Creating a page for each of my cats so that I can tag them, of course!
And yes, I most certainly did create four separate pages.
Mostly, these pages will only be so that I can tag them in pictures and have them all in one place (I’m a little obsessive compulsive, in case you couldn’t tell.), but I may also decide to do the “feline features” that I abandoned after only one post. In which case I’ll have them share their posts through their Facebook pages. :-)
Left to right: Lissie, MidNite, Leeroy, Casper
Currently, all I’m going is going through my old pictures and tagging them, so their pages go directly to a photo tab of their page. You can see (probably too many) pictures of each cat by clicking on their pages above. Just remember to like them! Each time someone likes my cats, they get fed. If nobody likes them, they starve! O_o
Okay, that was a lame joke and hopefully it was obvious. I most certainly will not be starving my babies in a pathetic attempt to get likes. But still, go like my kitties. They’re narcissistic bastards and they want their egos stroked. :-D
