“Snow Crash” by Neal Stephenson
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.
“Goosebumps: Welcome to Camp Nightmare” by R.L. Stine
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?
“Dreams of a Dark Warrior” by Kresley Cole
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?
“Demon from the Dark” by Kresley Cole
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?
“Pleasure of a Dark Prince” by Kresley Cole
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.
“Deep Kiss of Winter: Untouchable” by Kresley Cole
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?
“Kiss of a Demon King” by Kresley Cole
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?
“Dark Desires After Dusk” by Kresley Cole
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?
“Dark Deeds at Night’s Edge” by Kresley Cole
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?
“Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night” by Kresley Cole
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?
“No Rest for the Wicked” by Kresley Cole
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?
“A Hunger Like No Other” by Kresley Cole
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?
“The Warlord Wants Forever” by Kresley Cole
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.
“Playing Easy to Get” by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jaid Black, and Kresley Cole
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!
I was planning to do this challenge completely solo, but figured I might as well open it up for public consumption. It’s been a while since I’ve read the Bible and I’ve been wanting to read the beautiful edition that was given to Jaime and me as a wedding present.
For anyone who might be considering doing this challenge with me, please click the picture to go to the new sign-up page!
Read the Bible 2012