Friday, August 28, 2009

What Did I Receive?

In case anyone has been wondering, 'What Did I Receive' is a weekly post that I do-- it's pretty much my version of 'In My Mailbox'. I post every Friday, unless I do not receive anything for that week, which happens a lot, then I usually just skip posting it. After all, what's the use of writing a whole post in order to say "No Books"? So, here are the three books I received this week. All three are from a contest I won over at Leontine's "Beef Club Preview"). Thanks again, girl, and don't worry about the little mistake in books-- I promise, I've made plenty of "oops" myself! :D Here's what I won:

Title: Darkest Kiss

Author: Gena Showalter

Genre: Paranormal

Series: Lords of the Underworld Series, #2

Publisher: Harlequin

Publication Date: June 2008

Summary (B&N):

She has tempted many men... but never found her equal. Until now. Though she has lived for centuries, Anya, goddess of anarchy, has never known pleasure. Until Lucien, the incarnation of death--a warrior eternally doomed to take souls to the hereafter. He draws her like no other. And Anya will risk anything to have him. But when the merciless Lord of the Underworld is ordered by the gods to claim Anya herself, their uncontrollable attraction becomes an anguished pursuit. Now they must defeat the unconquerable forces that control them, before their thirst for one another demands a sacrifice of love beyond imagining....

My original prize from this contest was to be the first three books in the LOTU series-- but when I mentioned to Leontine that I had read the first two, she gave me the option of choosing two substitutes from the bookstore she order through, along with the third book in the series. But, due to a silly (and forgivable!) mistake, I got another copy of Darkest Kiss, which I already own. That's okay though-- this just means that I'll have another book to add to the small group that I plan on giving away in future contests I hold. So if you want to have your own copy of it, stay tuned-- I don't know when I'll hold my next contest (probably not until next year...money's kind of tight this year), but I'll let you know ahead of time! :D

Title: Forced Mate
Author: Rowena Cherry
Genre: Paranormal/Futuristic
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Company, Incorporated
Publication Date: November 2004
Summary (B&N):
When the king of a galaxy comes to claim his virgin Earthling bride, he finds that winning her over is far more difficult than he expected.
I chose this one as one of my substitutes since I put it on my LT Paranormal 999 Challenge.. and haven't had the opportunity to buy/read it yet. Plus, it sounds good, and I've had it on my wish list for a while now. Anyone else read this book, or her other novels?
Author: Jen Holling
Genre: Paranormal, Magic, Historical (?)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
Publication Date: October 2008
Summary (B&N):
On the heels of her "enchanting and action-packed" (Romantic Times) novel My Immortal Protector, acclaimed author Jen Holling returns to a mystical world where the all-too-human desires of rugged Drake MacKay entwine with the icy cunning of one with the power to heal — or curse....
Drake MacKay is no stranger to the double-edged powers of blood witches. His own niece Deidra and his best friend were saved by a baobhan sith: Hannah O'Shea, the same spirit who would not heal Drake's dying wife. Nearly consumed by grief and fury, Drake is nevertheless bound by an unholy promise: for those she gave life, he has pledged his own.
Returning to Hannah's remote isle, Drake is stunned to be released from his obligation. And when he overhears a violent plot stirred up by villagers, he finds himself irresistibly called to warn her — and escapes with her into the night. Alive for more than a century, Hannah has found the words of mortal men to be bitter lies. But there is darkness in their shared past, an evil that threatens Drake's family. Forced to unite, they discover a fire between them that melts their distrust...and a furious passion that may just save them both.
Again, it's on my Para-999 Challenge, so I ordered it as well. I've read a few books from Holling before, and found them to be pretty good, so I have fairly high expectations for this one as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for the week-- well, except for another Textbook I had to order for class. I could get into my rant on how ridiculous textbook prices are, or how stupid the UPS company is, but I won't...
Well, okay, maybe I will, briefly. I've bought three textbooks so far. Total? About $180! And now I got the list for my other class, and I've now got to hurry and buy two more, for roughly that much more money! RIDICULOUS! You know how many romance/fantasy novels I could buy for that much? A LOT!
And don't even get my started on the UPS... Let's just say, I had to have my textbook (the one that I got this week) ASAP, so I ordered it on B&N and payed the 15 dollars to have it shipped by Air Mail in 1-2 business days. Fine-- I've had to do it before, and though I hate the price charged, it does get here within the day or two like it says. But this time, they did something I can't figure out for the life of me! The book was shipped out of one of their warehouses in Nevada, to another city in Nevada. Okay, fine. Then, they sent it to TWO separate cities in California.
Where's the problem, you may ask? I live in Utah. On the other side of Nevada, geniuses! They shipped it a whole extra state away from me, and then air shipped it back to Salt Lake City, before sending it down south to the other big UPS station, and then trucking it about 100 miles to where I live in hick-town (though I love it!) Mt.Pleasant.
Really, what where they thinking? Or should I say, why weren't they thinking? Argh.
At least it arrived on time, the day after I ordered it, like they originally said and I payed extra for. Otherwise, I would have definitely called them up to... complain. And that's putting it mildly. :D
Anyway, enough with my petty rambling-- moving on!
That's it for the week-- I'm going to relax and go see a movie with my family (sadly, not the Time Traveler's Wife, which I'm still dying to see)-- We're going to our local drive in to see G.I. Joe. Not sure if it will be great or not, but hey, at least it has Channing Tatum in it! Yummy....
Ooh, did you know that he's going to be in quiet a few movies in the next year or so-- next year, for example, as John from Nicholas Sparks' novel, "Dear John". I haven't read the book yet, but I'm definitely going to see the movie! And he'll be in a few others in 2010/2011, one set in ancient Rome (The Eagle of the Ninth, which was apparently a short TV series in the '70s), that sounds really good!
Okay, enough, I'm signing off now! :D
Enjoy!
Until Next Time,

The Book Queen

Want to Read List (Part 10, J's)

Yes, I know, I'm a bit late getting my weekly 'Want to Read List' posted. I had my Mythology and Legends class today, along with a few others, and just barely got back and had some spare time to sit down and start typing. But, on the bright side, it's not a long list, so I didn't have to type for hours on end like I usually do. Now watch-- next week's will probably be very, very long! :D By now, you should know what to do: read, enjoy, and comment-- whether it's to voice your opinion on one of the books I've listed, to suggest more starting with this letter (J), etc. Just have fun with it! :D
Missed a previous list? No problem-- catch up here! A's B's
Here we go-- on to the J's!
  1. Jack and Jill by James Patterson (Mystery, Fiction, Crime)
  2. Jacq's Warlord by Delilah Devlin (Paranormal, Erotica)
  3. The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler (Fiction)
  4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Classic, Fiction, Literature)
  5. Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace by MaryJanice Davidson (YA, Fantasy)
  6. Jennifer Scales and the Messenger of Light by MaryJanice Davidson (YA, Fantasy)
  7. Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Darkside by Beth Fantaskey (YA, Paranormal, Vampires)

See what I mean? That's it-- that's the whole list for "J"! This must be a sure sign that I need to broaden my horizons more-- I'm sure I'm missing out on a lot of great 'J' books! So if you know of some, or if you have some one your own want to read list, PLEASE, feel free to suggest them and I'll add 'em to my list! :D

Enjoy! Until Next Time, The Book Queen

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday AND a Contest for the Book!

Hey everyone-- yep, it's Wednesday again, which means it's time to choose a book that I can't wait to read when it comes out.
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, originally started at Breaking the Spine bookblog, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. I usually like to list a few reasons why this book made the top of my 'wish list', but it's purely up to you!
This week, I'm doing something a bit different. I was checking out my fellow blogger's posts, when I came across a contest link on Paradoxical's for an ARC of an upcoming YA novel, Magic Under Glass. Now, I've never heard of this book before (possibly since it doesn't come out for so long, December!), but that didn't stop me from reading the summary and instantly adding it to my wishlist! :D
So, besides posting the contest link below, I'm also going to have this book be my WoW for this week! (The contest link for extra entries, I'll admit, but also to help spread the word since I know how hard it is sometimes to get contest information out there. Hint, see my own contest here...) So, here's some information on the book first:

Title: Magic Under Glass Author: Jackie Dolamore

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Magic

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Publication Date: December 22, 2009
Summary (Author's blog/website):
Coming 12/22/09 from Bloomsbury...
Nimira is a music-hall girl used to dancing for pennies. So when wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to sing accompaniment to a mysterious piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it will be the start of a better life. In Parry's world, long-buried secrets are about to stir. Unsettling rumors begin to swirl about ghosts, a madwoman roaming the halls, and Parry’s involvement in a group of corrupt sorcerers for whom the rules of the living and dead are meant to be broken for greater power. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing fairy gentleman is trapped within the automaton, she is determined to break the curse. But even as the two fall into a love that seems hopeless, breaking the curse becomes a perilous race against time. Because it's not just the future of these star-crossed lovers that's at stake, but the fate of the entire magical world.
Want to win an ARC with original sketches from the author inside? See http://fabulousfrock.livejournal.com/ for details! Head on over today to have your name entered into the contest! And be sure to look for Jackie's book in stores every where this December! I know I will. :D ENJOY! Until Next Time, The Book Queen

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Teaser Tuesday: "Captive Dreams"

It's Tuesday again, which means it's time for me to post a few snippets from my current book!
As many of you probably already know, 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 (or short paragraphs) 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!
Here's the book I'm currently reading:

Title: Captive Dreams

Authors: Angela Knight and Diane Whiteside

Genre: Contemporary/Futuristic (Yes, it sounds like a weird combination, but you'd have to read it to know what I mean)

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

Publication Date: December 2008

Summary (B&N):

Celeste and Corinne Carson are more than sisters—they're both bestselling writers, each with an alpha-male hero who fulfills the wildest fantasies of readers. For Celeste, it's Jarred, a conqueror from the future. For Corinne, it's the barbarian Mykhayl from a world long ago. Devilishly sensual warriors, Jarred and Mykhayl have something in common with themselves—they're both far more real than their beautiful creators could have imagined.

Fearing that the sisters are baout to write them off with a single stroke of the pen, Jarred and Mykhayl decide to exact hot, sweet revenge. The plan? Kidnap Celeste and Corinne, spirit them away to the very worlds of which they wrote, and force them to surrender to the sublime punishments of their own uninhibited imaginations...

My Teaser, from Page 180:

"Svetlhana," Khyber rumbled warningly. "You wouldn't dare cause trouble."

She gave him a disguested look. "I would indeed dare, but you will never give me the chance. You will probably return within five minutes, after becoming a hero by rescuing her sister. And I will have to forgive you for having adventures without me," she sniffed.

So far, I'm loving this book-- for one thing, it's Angele Knight (well, the one story is, at least). And for another, it's a good plot line, interesting, and the characters are great. The men are very Alpha Male, which I love, yet they show signs of becoming a bit tamer after they've fallen for their woman. :D

Enjoy!

Until Next Time, The Book Queen

Win A Signed ARC of "Secret Society"!

For over a year now, I've been promising to start holding my own contests. And finally, the day has come! :D

Although I've held one other contest (back in June, you may recall, for Dawn Halliday's upcoming release, Highland Obsession), this is the first one where I will actually be the one sending out the copy of one of my books to the winner.

Because I'm the one paying the postage to send it off, I'm going to have to limit the entries to residents of the US and Canada only. Sorry!

I know, you're probably thinking: just get on with it already! Well then, here's all the information about the contest you could possibly need or want! Of course, if you have questions or comments, feel free to email me!




~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER--THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!


SECRET CONTEST INFORMATION:








The Prize:
ONE signed ARC of Tom Dolby's upcoming book, Secret Society!







Rules:

  • As I've said before, you MUST be a resident of the USA or Canada-- I just don't have the money to pay shipping over seas, I'm sorry!

  • In order for your entry to be counted, you MUST leave your working email address in your comment! No email, and your name will not go into the 'hat'. If you do not feel comfortable posting your email in the comment section, you may email me with it instead, but be sure to remind me which comment is yours so I can add you in.


  • If you win, you will have 7 (SEVEN) days in which to contact me with your address information. If I do not hear back from you by the end of that seventh day, I will then put the remainder of the names back into the randomizer and draw a new winner. This person will then have 5 (FIVE) days to contact me, before the process starts all over again!


  • The winner will be chosen from Random.org-- I will put the list of entries in and the first name that comes up will be the winner.


  • No substitutes-- if you win, your prize is the signed ARC of Secret Society. If you already have a copy, please do not enter and allow someone else the chance to read this book. If you find out after you have won that you are already getting a copy of this book from somewhere else, PLEASE tell me and I will draw another name.


  • Though it's not technically a 'rule', I would like to stress that it is a heavy suggestion from myself: If you win this book, please read it and review it! Since this is an ARC, and the book is not released yet, I know the publisher and author would still like feedback. Post it on your blog, on the bookwebsites, it doesn't matter, as long as you do post one.








WAYS TO ENTER THE CONTEST:




REQUIRED:
  • +1 entry: Leave a comment on this post, with your valid email address, to be entered into the contest. Whether or not you do any of the other choices, you MUST do this one!






EXTRA ENTRIES:
(Please post all of your entry options in one comment!)


  • +1 entry: If you become a follower after this post


  • +1 entry: If you post the link and information for this contest on your blogger SIDEBAR. Be sure to leave the link to where you've posted it in your comment.




  • +2 entries: If you were already a follower BEFORE this post (I have a good idea of who you are, but please be sure to put this in your comment to remind me).


  • +2 entries: If you post the link and information for this contest on your blog-- it must be an actual post, not on your sidebar! Be sure to leave the link to where you've posted it in your comment.


  • +2 entries: If you post the link and information for the contest on another website (from Facebook to Twitter, forums, wherever!). Be sure to leave the link to where you've posted it in your comment. You can get up to 4 entries (or TWO separate posts) this way.












That's it, I think! I've posted all the ways you can get entries, the rules, and you know what your prize will be (a signed ARC of Secret Society)!




You will have until September 1st at Midnight to enter-- after that, this post's comments will be shut off so you cannot enter anymore. I will tally up the entries and add them into the Random.org list, and the winner will be chosen and posted by the end of the day on Wednesday, September 2nd! (Winner protocol is detailed more in the post above)




Remember: You must leave a comment with your email in order to be entered! All the other entries are extra, and if you wish to do them, put all of your links and info for them in ONE comment please!




Help spread the word-- the more people that enter, the more likely I'll start doing more contests on my blog in the future! I need to know that there will be a fairly big turn out of interested people. :)



For my review of Secret Society, click HERE!





Enjoy!




Until Next Time,
The Book Queen

Monday, August 24, 2009

ARC REVIEW: "Secret Society"

Author: Tom Dolby
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Publication Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Teen Fiction
Summary (B&N): Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone. . . .
An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York's wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about.
They didn't ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything—even to the harrowing initiation ceremony in a gritty warehouse downtown and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they're forced to get on the nape of their necks. Once they're part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It's all perfect—until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.

Tom Dolby makes his teen fiction debut with this riveting novel about a dangerous society so secret that once you get in, you can never get out.

Pre-Order the book at B&N, Borders, and Amazon!

My Review:
Everyone knows that society splits itself into two groups-- the "In Group" and everyone else. But what if the "In" group went deeper than just old money and good looks? Prepare to be initiated into a society in New York that's only been whispered about for hundreds of years...
What should have been yet another YA novel about the upper-crest teens in a big city turned out to be much, much more. Though Dolby only skimmed the surface in this book, he left us with enough tiny hints and interesting turns that suggest that beneath the Society's superficial surface lies something much more sinister and complex.
If I have one "complaint" about the writing, it was the fact that Dolby switched from one character's POV to another-- without a break in paragraphs, cue, or other kind of heads up for the reader. And the POV's could change as many as three or four times-- in only a few chapters!
Now, I don't mind reading a story from more than one person's POV, but I don't like getting lost in every chapter as the author switches without telling us so. By doing this, he also short changed the characters as well-- I didn't connect to any of them as much as I would have liked, and they weren't as deep or developed as they should be. Where was the main character for this book? I wanted to say it was Phoebe, but even her character wasn't as complicated as she should have been.
This could have been easily fixed, I think, if the author had only changed the layout of writing, sticking with one or two characters' POV, and set aside a certain chapter for each one. This would have allowed not only the character development, but kept the story from seeming choppy.
Despite this one flaw, I did thoroughly enjoy Secret Society--- the mystery of what exactly the Society is, what they're hiding, grabbed my attention and held it until the very end. I'd love to read more from this author, and I hope that he's got plans for a sequel or two, since this one left us on such a cliff hanger...
4 STARS! Overall, a great read for anyone! A refreshing take on an all-too-true cliche that money and status equals power-- and how some people will do anything to keep their secrets. Don't miss out on this one-- prepare to be initiated this September when Secret Society hits store shelves!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sound like an interesting book to read? Then be sure to check out my "Secret Contest", where I'll be giving away ONE signed ARC of Secret Society right here on my blog.

It'll be a fairly straight forward contest--- the usual ways to gain entries (leaving a comment on the post, extras for being a follower or posting on another site, etc), so be sure to come back when the contest opens! I'll leave it open for a full week, and then I'll choose a winner by putting the list in the randomizer (random.org). The winner will then have up to 7 days to contact me with their mailing information, and if they fail to do so on time, the names will go back in (except for the first winner's name) and I'll choose another.

Click HERE to enter the contest now!

Enjoy!

Until Next Time, The Book Queen

Saturday, August 22, 2009

I Was Nominated-- Thanks to Everyone!

I just checked my email today and what did I find? A surprising email from The BBAW Awards Committee-- yep, I was nominated for this year's competition! :D Thanks to you lovely ladies, I've been nominated for "Best Post"! Any guesses which (now infamous) post got me this nomination? That's right-- my "Oops….Yep, I did it yet Again!" I know we had a lot of fun on this post, talking about how I 'lost control' again AND got a great deal at the same time. :D I have to say, I really enjoyed writing that post, and sharing my bargain deal with you, so I'm glad to know that this is the one they will be judging. Heck, it's not even about the winning-- it's just nice to know that my blog has even been nominated, noticed, and read by others. I'd be happy even if I came in 11th... Out of 10! Just coming this far is a huge deal for me! So thank you, dear readers, for coming by, enjoying what I have to say *At least part of the time ;)* and being such great friends! I feel like our blogs, though aimed for the sharing and enjoyment of all things books, are also a great way to meet new people who soon become friends that I hope will stick around for years to come. Thank you! The judging is to be around September 7th, and soon after the short list of finalist in this category will be posted on the website. The poll for you, the readers, to vote on will also be up at this time. So if you happen to be stopping by the blog that week to vote on other blogs, please be sure to check and see if I've made it or not. And if my blog happens to be there, well, a few votes wouldn't hurt... ;) But I won't hold it against you for voting for someone else-- I know there are some amazing blogs out there, and I wouldn't blame you for picking one of them, believe me!
Thanks again, and I'll be back tomorrow posting the blog award I got from the lovely Cecile from All I Want And More...., and on Monday I'll post my review of Secret Society... and the rules for the contest I'll be holding for my extra copy soon as well!
Enjoy!
Until Next Time, The Book Queen

Friday, August 21, 2009

What Did I Receive?

So, this week was fairly busy, though three of the packages *technically* arrived last Saturday, but I couldn't get my last 'What Did I Receive' post to work so I could edit and add (don't know why). Finally gave up and figured I'll just lump it in with this weeks!

First off, here's what I got Saturday-- and all three arrived on the same day, and were (somehow) stuffed into my tiny mailbox. I'm amazed the mailman was even able to shut the door after putting them in! LOL.

Title: Secret Society Author: Tom Dolby

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Publication Date: September 29, 2009

Yes, this is a duplicate! I received my first copy, last week, from a contest on GoodReads. This one came from the publisher, also signed last the last one. I've already read it, and I've got the review finished (thought not posted). I do plan on giving this one away, so stop by my blog next week when the review goes live to find the information on how to enter to win your own signed ARC of Secret Society!

Title: Men in Blue

Authors: Devyn Quinn, Delta Dupree, and Myla Jackson

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation

Publication Date: August 2009

Genre: Erotica, Contemporary

Summary (B&N):

Take a walk on the wild side with three hot cops who lay down the law—and make women's most sensual fantasies come true. . . "The Hard Way" by Devyn Quinn How to nab a thug? Try his girlfriend—it's a good thing that Mara Luce is drop-dead gorgeous. Undercover officer Drew Hardage has a plan that starts with Mara's seduction and goes all the way to erotic ecstasy. . . "Saturday Night Special" by Myla Jackson Honolulu police officer Mano Kekehuna goes undercover to find a deadly temptress who's seducing male strippers—and gets down to a G-string and nothing else. Show me! Rachel Grant can't take her eyes off his hot, sleek body. Just one jolt of the explosive after-hours passion between them has her screaming for more. . . "Cuffed Heat" by Delta Dupree To protect and to serve. Supercop Thaine McDuff is ready to do both for his beautiful fellow officer Raegan Crosby. He's tough as they come and hotter than sin. And Thaine can take her to the ultimate climax and beyond. . .

Thanks to Lea and Devyn Quinn for holding the contest a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to snag myself a copy of her anthology Men In Blue, signed as well! *Squeal*

Title: A Hint of Wicked

Author: Jennifer Haymore

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: June 2009

Genre: Historical Romance

Summary (B&N):

CAUGHT BETWEEN DUTY AND DESIRE . . .

Sophie, the Duchess of Calton, has finally moved on. After seven years mourning the loss of her husband, Garrett, at Waterloo, she has married his cousin and heir, Tristan. Sophie gives herself to him body and soul. . . until the day Garrett returns from the Continent, demanding his title, his lands-and his wife.

TORN BETWEEN TWO HUSBANDS . . .

Now Sophie must choose between her first love and her new love, knowing that no matter what, her choice will destroy one of the men she adores. Will it be Garrett, her childhood sweetheart, whose loss nearly destroyed her once already? Or will it be Tristan, beloved friend turned lover, who supported her through the last, dark years and introduced her to a passion she had never known? As her two husbands battle for her heart, Sophie finds herself immersed in a dangerous game-where the stakes are not only love . . . but life and death.

This was another signed copy I was lucky to win from another blog contest lately, this time from Cecile-- thanks girl! :D

And finally what arrived Wednesday:

Title: Tamed by a Laird

Author: Amanda Scott

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: July 2009

Genre: Historical Romance

Summary (B&N):

National bestselling author Amanda Scott sweeps readers back to the turbulent fourteenth-century Scottish Borders, where valiant men and women risk everything for their land. Jenny Easdale is ready to accept her fate. She's agreed to marry a man she will never love - yet not before slipping away for one last adventure. Following a traveling minstrel troupe, she's whisked into a world of intoxicating freedom. Then, all too soon, she finds herself in danger - from a vengeful political plot against Scotland and from the man who has come to take her home. Dutybound to return with his brother's wayward bride, Sir High Douglas is not prepared for how her quick wit, courage, and laughing eyes touch his warrior heart. Now, as the merry minstrels play matchmaker and passion sparks between Hugh and Jenny, the conspiracy against Scotland builds...and threatens all they hold dear.

Again, this was from a blog contest I won-- thanks again, Carrie!

Now, these last two aren't romance novels or anything interesting like that, but they did arrive in my mail. Since my one college course, Myths and Legends started the other day, I had to hurry and order my books for the class. Yes, books-- two of them, plus I still need to get a copy of the Iliad by November. These were the two books I'm going to be spending time on over the next few months-- plus, since I'm running out of time, I substituted them into my LT 999 Challenge under 'Non-Fiction', where I had two left to read. :D

~~~~~~~~~~

That's all for this week-- wow, I have to say, I had a lot! :D And I can't wait to get started on all of them! Thanks again to everyone for hosting the contests I won the various books from, and also thanks to HarperCollins for sending me SS, which I did enjoy, but like I said before, I will be hosting a giveaway for the extra copy.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

Until Next Time, The Book Queen

Intertwined Sweepstakes-- enter from my widget!

Want to Read List (Part 9, I's)

Well, here we go again-- on to the "I" list. It's not that long, thank goodness, but I've still been so busy lately that I almost didn't get the list completed today. But here it is, so no big deal!
Now, the J's, which I've already looked at, only number... half a dozen, tops! So I'm not sure if I'm going to play next week lazy and just post those few books on Friday or post it earlier and then move to the K's for next Friday.... I haven't decided, so I guess you'll just have to wait and see! :D
Missed a previous list? No problem-- catch up here!

A's

B's C's D's

E's

F's G's

H's

~~~~~~~

  1. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (Fiction, Vampires)
  2. I Burn For You by Susan Sizemore (Paranormal)
  3. I Dream of Dragons (Volume 1) by Bianca D'Arc (Erotica, Paranormal)
  4. I Dream of Dragons (Volume 2) by Kathleen Scott (Erotica, Paranormal)
  5. I Hunger For You by Susan Sizemore (Paranormal)
  6. I Only Have Fangs For You by Kathy Love (Paranormal, Contemporary)
  7. I Thirst For You by Susan Sizemore (Paranormal)
  8. I Want You To Want Me by Kathy Love (Paranormal)
  9. If He's Wicked by Hannah Howell (Historical)
  10. If His Kiss is Wicked by Jo Goodman (Historical)
  11. If I Had You by Lynn Kurland (Time Travel, Paranormal, Historical)
  12. Ill Wind by Rachel Caine (Urban Fantasy, Paranormal)
  13. Immortal by Gillian Shields (YA, Fantasy)
  14. Immortal Desire by Maggie Shayne (Paranormal)
  15. The Immortal Hunter by Lynsay Sands (Paranormal)
  16. The Immortal Realm by Frewin Jones (YA, Fantasy)
  17. Immortal Warrior by Lisa Hendrix (Paranormal)
  18. Immortality by Maggie Shayne (Paranormal)
  19. Immortals: The Reckoning by Jennifer Ashley and Others (Paranormal)
  20. In A Wild Wood by Sasha Lord (Historical)
  21. In Bed With A Stranger by Mary Wine (Historical)
  22. In Bed With a Devil by Lorraine Heath (Historical)
  23. In Moonlight by J.C. Wilder (Erotica, Paranormal)
  24. In My Heart by Melody Thomas (Historical)
  25. In My Wild Dream by Sasha Lord (Historical)
  26. In My Wildest Dreams by Christina Dodd (Historical)
  27. In My Wildest Fantasies by Julianne MacLean (Historical)
  28. In Shade and Shadow by Barb Hendee (Fantasy)
  29. In the Bed of a Duke by Cathy Maxwell (Historical)
  30. In the Blood by Savannah Russe (Paranormal)
  31. In the Dark by Brain Freeman (Fiction, Mystery)
  32. In the Highlander's Bed by Cathy Maxwell (Historical)
  33. In the Midnight Hour by Patti O'Shea (Paranormal)
  34. In the Shadow of Midnight by Marsha Canham (Historical)
  35. In Twilight's Shadow by Patti O'Shea (Paranormal)
  36. Incubus Dreams by Laurell K. Hamilton (Fantasy, Paranormal)
  37. An Indecent Proposition by Emma Wildes (Historical)
  38. Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel (Historical)
  39. Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong (Paranormal, Fantasy)
  40. The Infamous Rogue by Alexandra Benedict (Historical)
  41. The Inn at Eagle Point by Sherryl Woods (Chick Lit, Contemporary)
  42. Innocence Undone by Kat Martin (Historical)
  43. Innocent Passions by Brenda Hiatt (Historical)
  44. Insatiable Desire by Rita Herron (Paranormal)
  45. Insufficient Mating Material by Rowena Cherry (Paranormal, Futuristic)
  46. Intertwined by Gena Showalter (YA, Fantasy, Paranormal)
  47. Interview With a Vampire by Anne Rice (Paranormal, Fantasy, Fiction)
  48. Intimate Enemies by Shana Abe (Historical)
  49. Into the Cold Fire by Lynne Ewing (YA, Fantasy)
  50. Into the Darkness by Delilah Devlin (Paranormal)
  51. Into the Lair by Maya Banks (Erotica, Paranormal)
  52. Into the Mist by Maya Banks (Erotica, Paranormal)
  53. Into Thin Air by Cindy Miles (Contemporary, Paranormal, Chick Lit)
  54. The Invisible Ring by Anne Bishop (Fantasy, Paranormal)
  55. The Invitation by Jude Deveraux (Historical)
  56. An Invitation to Seduction by Lorraine Heath (Historical)
  57. The Irish Bride by Alexis Harrington (Historical)
  58. Irish Hope by Donna Fletcher (Historical)
  59. The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu (Urban Fantasy, Paranormal)
  60. Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs (Urban Fantasy, Paranormal)
  61. The Iron Rose by Marsha Canham (Historical)
  62. Irresistible Forces by Lois McMaster Bujold and Others (Paranormal)
  63. It Happened One Night by Stephanie Laurens and Others (Historical)

~~~~

Well, there's the list! Comment, enjoy, suggest, etc. ;) And expect my 'What Did I Recieve' post up later today/tonight (hopefully).

And next week I'll have a surprise... not only a review (GASP, Yes, I know, it's been a while since you've seen one of those on here....) but I'll be holding a contest as well. So keep your eyes out!

EDITED: Oh, and don't even ask why the spacing is so screwed up, Blogger does this to me off and on, and it bugs me but I can never get it fixed.

Enjoy your Friday everyone! Until Next Time, The Book Queen

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, originally started at Breaking the Spine bookblog, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. I usually like to list a few reasons why this book made the top of my 'wish list', but it's purely up to you!
Here's my pick for this week:

Title: Dark Visions

Author: L.J. Smith

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Pub. Date: September 08, 2009 ISBN-13: 9781416989561 Genre: YA, Fantasy, Magic, Vampires

Series: Dark Visions Series

Summary (B&N):

GIFTED AND CURSED

Kaitlyn Fairchild has always felt like an outsider in her small hometown. Her haunting eyes and prophetic drawings have earned her a reputation as a witch. But Kait's not a witch: She's a psychic. Tired of being shunned, Kait accepts an invitation to attend the Zetes Institute, where she can have a fresh start and study with other psychic teens.

Learning to hone her abilities with four other gifted students, Kait discovers the intensity of her power — and the joy of having true friends. But those friendships quickly become complicated when Kait finds herself torn between two irresistible guys. Rob is kind and athletic, and heals people with his good energy. Gabriel is aggressive and mysterious, a telepath concealing his true nature as a psychic vampire, feeding off of others' life energy. Together, Rob and Gabriel's opposing forces threaten the group's stability.

Then one of the experiments traps the five teens in a psychic link. A link that threatens their sanity and their lives. And Kaitlyn must decide whom to trust...and whom to love.

~~~~~~~~

I'm a huge fan of Smith's novels, I've read them all and enjoyed them a lot, so it's no wonder that I'm anxious to get my hands on this one! :D She's a wonderful author, and don't let the fact that the books are 'YA' fool you-- anyone who loves fantasy, magic, vampires, and romance will love her work!

Enjoy!

Until Next Time, The Book Queen

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Teaser Tuesday: "Splendor"

It's Tuesday again, which means it's time for me to post a few snippets from my current book! As many of you probably already know, 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 (or short paragraphs) 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! My Teaser Book for the Week:

Title: Splendor Author: Brenda Joyce Publication Date: December 1997 Genre: Historical Romance Summary (B&N): She played a dangerous game. Carolyn Browne was a poor bookseller's daughter and an enlightened thinker, delighting London with her scathingly witty columns, written under the name Charles Copperville. Penetrating the town's gilded salons in male disguise, Carolyn soon throws her barbs at the wrong man-- the enigmatic Russian prince, Nicholas Sverayov.

He was a dangerous target. His notoriety, extravagances, and indulgent disregard for social convention fuel Carolyn's outrage. Nicholas has moved through the balls and soirees of high society effortlessly, a natural target of gossip, envy, and desire. But Nicholas is furious to find himself lampooned by Copperville, and quickly discovers Carolyn's dearly held secret. Now, as the two spar, a new game begins-- a game of deception and pride, of longing and chance.

And they played for the ultimate prize... As Nicholas sweeps Carolyn from the teeming streets and gala balls of Regency London to the splendor and majesty of St. Petersburg, against all odds the unlikely lovers embark upon a whirlwind of passion and peril until there is no turning back-- for the stakes have changed, demanding no less of them than the unwavering courage to claim the love of a lifetime.

My Teaser, Page 204 :

"Do not play any more games," she said, inhaling. His mouth brushed hers. His eyes were fire.

His smile was brief. "Does this seem like a game?" His lips feathered hers again.

Against them, her heart expanding impossibly, she said, "No." Love was not a game. Oh, God. She was doomed.

"I did not think so," he murmured, and he kissed her again, open mouthed, at once firm and possessive, sensual and tender.

~~~~

*Wipes Brow*. Wow. Talk about a steamy scene! :D

Well, I'm not sure when I'll have tomorrow's post up (WoW), but it will probably be later in the day. My one college class, 'Myths and Legends' starts tomorrow at 10, but my other courses don't start until next week, so I'll still have most of the day to work on the post-- and my review for Secret Society, which I finished Sunday (and really enjoyed!).

Enjoy!

Until Next Time, The Book Queen