Happy Halloween

Everyone have a scary and boo--tiful day!!

Busy day ahead, school party, bingo and trick or treat, I'll be back sometime tomorrow.

Five Truth Meme... and a few other things

Well, I've now been tagged twice (thanks Kristie and Amanda) so I guess I actually have to do this.

1. I love being home. Somehow my days seem even busier than when I worked full time. A full day of errands and taxi-ing Junior around is still better than running someone elses office and balancing checkbooks.

2. I'm a dyed in the wool independent moderate. One of the two things I don't blog about. On somethings I'm liberal and others I'm conservative and in recent years I fall more and more right smack in the middle and wonder why everything must be all or nothing--is it possible to compromise and actually get something done?

3. I take great comfort in my faith. The other thing I rarely blog about. I might talk about going to church or my son's school, but I don't really talk about my faith. It's just part of me. I like going to church, when Junior can actually sit still long enough so I can hear what the priest is saying-LOL. I pray every day and find myself saying "Hail Marys" throughout the day.

4. I hate ironing. I have friends who do this to relax, I don't get it--LOL. I don't even own an ironing board, I have a big fancy cordless Oreck iron that I've never used, came free with my vacuums. I've 9 years of ironing white uniform shirts--yikes.

5. I'm a perpetual optimist, which some people find surprising because of how sarcastic I am. Don't get me wrong, I'm not "Little Miss Mary Sunshine" all the time, I see lifes negatives; yet for me lifes little glass always seems at least half full. I'm thankful for what I have and rarely feel envious of what others have. And, I smile a lot. Even when I'm working bingo and everyone is grumpy around me, I'm thinking I hope I live long enough to be a cranky old woman.

Glad that's done, I have no idea who hasn't done it, so feel free to pick it up and run with it.

My son's turning into a little social butterfly. If he doesn't have homework he expects to have playdates and becomes incredibly annoyed when this doesn't work out for him. He has a Halloween party to go to tonight, another one at the school tomorrow (Trunk or Treat) and is Trick or Treating this year with his best friend. I'm thankful I get along well with his mom, we see each other a lot.

His soccer game for today was cancelled because of rain, I'm rather thankful for that as it was scheduled for 8:00 and yesterday it was 25 degrees when we left for school.

Tuesday I volunteered to help out at his class Halloween party before I remembered I had bingo too. I'm dropping him off at 8:20, and then I'm back there from 9:00 - 4:00. Then have to come home and cook--I don't think so, Chinese on Halloween sound great doesn't it? Trick or Treating goes from 6:00-8:00.

I haven't read a book in about a week and I'm not obsessing over this, just keeping busy doing other things and when the urge strikes I'll pick one up. I did buy The Poison Study the other day (at least I think that's the title--LOL) and think I'll probably start it today. It's going to be stormy so curling up on the couch with a new book sounds good. I feel a little like Cindy, my sleeping schedule has been screwed up--I've been falling asleep by 8:30 at night and that's right smack in the middle of my normal reading time.

I still haven't even looked at setting up polls, but promise to have the Alpha Scale Poll up and running as soon as I can.

Have a good one and happy reading.

More Alphas....

Jane's suggestion in the comments yesterday was a good one...

part of me thinks that almost all romance heroes are alpha and we just need to pick one in each category that best exemplifies that persona.

Keep listing Alphas and which category you think they belong to and I'll try to figure out how to do polling and hopefully have that up in the next day or so.

Have a good one, Tara

The Alpha Sliding Scale

I couldn't decide in which order to list the different type of Alphas but decided to start with the best and work down..

• Strong/Protective--Doesn't stomp all over the heroines independence.
• Strong/Protective/Control Freak--Likes to be in charge, but adjusts.
• Strong/Anti-hero--Think Anne Stuart heros.
• Strong/Protective but condescending--Likes to be in charge, smirky with a pat the little lady on the head attitude.
• Controlling/Jumps easily to conclusions--different from the control freak because causes unneeded misunderstandings.
• Alpha Jerk/but trainable--Strong and protecting, control freak, condescending... but learns to control the negatives, grovels nicely.
• Alpha Jerk--Obnoxious bully, revenge seeking, needs to grovel and often.

Do those work?? Are additional categories necessary--Let me know.

Here's my original list and the rest were left in the comments, where would you put them on the Alpha Scale?

• Clayton--Whitney, My Love, Judith McNaught
• Rolfe--The Conqueror, Brenda Joyce
• Graelem--Firesong, Catherine Coulter
• Wolf, Joe, Zane Mackenzie--The Mackenzie books, Linda Howard
• Lucky--Dark Wager, Mary Spencer
• Richard Tiernan--Night Fall, Anne Stuart
• Dane--Dream Man, Linda Howard
• Sam Donovan--Mr. Perfect, Linda Howard
• Cian MacKeltar--Spell of the Highlander, KMM
• Dageus MacKeltar--The Dark Highlander, KMM
• Pick any one/all of Julie Garwood's heros
• Lachlain MacRieve--A Hunger Like No Other, Kresley Cole
• Baran--Jane's Warlord, Angela Knight
• "Lucky" Doucet--Lucky's Lady, Tami Hoag
• Any and all of JR Wards heros
• Any and all of Shannon McKenna's heroes
• Prince Nicholas--My Dark Prince, Julia Ross
• Lord Warrick--Prisoner of My Desire, Johanna Lindsey
• James Mallory--Gentle Rogue, Johanna Lindsey
• Actually pick and Lindsey--LOL.

I've read everything with the exception of Shannon McKenna and I don't remember Prisoner of My Desire, but am pretty sure I read it--back then I read Lindsey faithfully. Sometime today I'll post them to the different categories, but I'll put them in comments.

A few things...

I read two novellas last night, the first reading I've done in a week. One was pretty good the other was god awful. I'd give titles, but I don't have the book in front of me.

I just finished painting my foyer. I've always liked the word foyer, it's what my mom always used. No matter how big the entry of the house, it's a foyer. The wallpaper was getting old, it was in good shape and had a classic look that wasn't out of style, but was I sick of looking at it.

Once I pulled down all the paper I'd realized why we papered in the first place. The old plaster walls were a mess. My husband spackled over the weekend and I painted today.

The color I thought I'd picked was a neutral taupe, but turned out to be a pinky taupe, but I still like it. It dried real quick and I've already put the furniture back in the space. And I realized I have a couple of different borders that will go quite nicely with it, now I need to decide if I want antique cherubs or hydrangea.

This past weekend Junior's school had it's big fundraiser and I "volunteered" Friday night and Sunday afternoon. Fundraisers are manditory so there's no need to volunteer, every body works--LOL. Though I did get suckered into decorating the back of the Mini-van for Trunk or Treat. We decorate the trunks of our cars with all sorts of fall and halloween stuff and give out candy to the kids who show up in costume. There will also be crafts and snacks for the kids too. That's this coming Saturday.

Junior is going to be a vampire for Halloween, and I found a cheap costume, in the dark on Halloween night it will look fabulous. I was going to make it, but I would have spent more on the fabric.

I'll list the Alpha hero tomorrow and everyone can post them to different categories.

Have a good one and happy reading.

Alpha Sliding Scale...

Jane reviewed Patricia Waddell's True Blood this week and thought the hero was a little too "Alpha".

My comment...

I obviously have a high alpha tolerance level, Cullan didn't bother me in the least...

Kristie's comment...

I’m with Tara in that his over the top alphaness didn't bother me...

Jane's comment...

We all have differing levels of alpha male tolerance. We should make up a sliding scale!

So, lets do it!!

List Alphas--favorite ones and hated ones and we'll compile a list and make some sort of scale.

I'll get it started with a few oldies, some are hated and some are loved, some are strong Alphas, and some are Alpha jerks:

• Clayton--Whitney, My Love, Judith McNaught
• Rolfe--The Conqueror, Brenda Joyce
• Graelem--Firesong, Catherine Coulter
• Wolf, Joe, Zane Mackenzie--The Mackenzie books, Linda Howard
• Lucky--Dark Wager, Mary Spencer (this one might be a little obscure, but he's up there on the alpha scale.

Let's compile a great big list and maybe we'll find some books we've never read, more for the TBR pile.

That's all I have time to list, got to get Junior to school.

LOST??

Okay, I don't have a whole lot of time and Kristie hasn't posted this weeks review of LOST...

Where the heck did the Polar Bear come from? I have absolutely no memory of this from last season!!

Someone please help me out, because I'm completely clueless--LOL.

Were Locke's flashbacks from before or after his relationship with Peggy Bundy Katie Segal?

And, is Hurley even heavier?

Working from home...

For a while my husband has been telling me to come up with something I could do from home. I like being home, my son's schedule is somewhat chaotic and to be perfectly honest I really don't want to work for someone else.

So, last week we had a playdate with a little boy who goes to school with Junior and lives right around the corner. His mom told me she was starting a specialty cake business from home. She makes beautiful children's birthday cakes. Thinking about this got my brain in gear and I came up with an idea.

Party Favors. Over the years I've done birthday, shower, holiday themed favors for all my own parties. This got my now stimulated brain working even more. My sister makes fabulous cookies and candy. My SIL does meticulous molded chocolates. I also bake and do the candy thing, and have experience in packaging and advertising.

They're both in. Turns out they've both been thinking about something similar, but wasn't sure about doing it themselves and actually getting started. I'm hoping we can brainstorm this weekend and have things rolling by the end of November.

Distraction over, I've got something to work towards.

Have a good one and happy reading.

Guilty -- Not Guilty...

Lifted this from Jenster.

Guilty Or Not Guilty...This is the question

1. Dated outside your race? NOT GUILTY, but boy I love Jin from LOST.

2. Singing in the shower? GUILTY everybody does this, right?

3. Spit in someone's drink? NOT GUILTY that's just gross.

4. Played with Barbies? GUILTY not only did I play with them, my mom made us matching outfits.

5. Made someone cry? GUILTY I've got a 5 year old, every "no" is a catastrophe.

6. Opened your Christmas presents early? NOT GUILTY Mom had a great hiding spot.

7. Lied to a friend? GUILTY "Nice new do."... "No! Those jeans don't make your butt look big."--LOL, that one's Jens, but I'm guilty of it too.

8. Watched and cried while watching a soap opera? NOT GUILTY I don't watch soaps, but if this was Hallmark Commercials--GUILTY.

9. Played a computer game for more than 5 hours? GUILTY Hate to admit this one--LOL.

10. Ran through the sprinklers naked? NOT GUILTY As if...

11. Ate food that fell on the floor? GUILTY Kiss it up to God.

12. Went outside naked? NOT GUILTY But have gone outside in some pretty skimpy PJs to get the paper.

13. Been on stage? NOT GUILTY

14. Been on stage naked or close to it? NOT GUILTY Another as if...

15. Been in a parade? NOT GUILTY

16. Been in a school play? NOT GUILTY But I did work on the costumes for my Senior class play.

17. Drank beer? GUILTY Not since I was 16, the one and only time in my life I was drunk.

18. Gotten detention? NOT GUILTY

19. Been on a plane? GUILTY

20. Been on a cruise? NOT GUILTY someday

21. Broken into a house? GUILTY my own, I've also had a police officer break into my car when I locked the keys in it while it was running.

22. Gotten a tattoo? NOT GUILTY I've thought about this, but I'm reaching an age that a saggy tattoo isn't too appealing.

23. Gotten piercings? GUILTY

24. Gotten into a fist fight? GUILTY In middle school, smacked around a couple of boys for picking on the poor handicapped boy that rode on the school bus with us, I still get mad thinking about it.

25. Gotten into a shouting match? GUILTY On a monthly basis with the hubby--can anyone say PMS--you'd think one of us would learn about "pulling the tiger's tail."

26. Swallowed sea/pool water? GUILTY (Who hasn't)

27. Spun yourself in circles to get dizzy on purpose? GUILTY Loved doing this as a kid and have passed this one on genetically to my child.

28. Laughed so hard it hurt? GUILTY Cry, hurt, can't breath.

29. Tripped on your own feet? GUILTY Down a flight of stairs and broke my tail bone.

30. Cried yourself to sleep? GUILTY Hate this.

31. Cried in public? GUILTY Hate this too.

32. Thrown up in public? GUILTY First grade reading class, but not since--LOL.

33. Lied to your parents? GUILTY

34. Skipped class? GUILTY Not until I was in college, how geeky is that?

35. Cried so hard you threw up? NOT GUILTY--yuck.

All over with this one...

I'm still rather distracted from reading, it's one of the reasons I started with the Sudoku puzzles. It's probably why I changed the look of the blog too, though I hate to admit it, I don't like black and this might not last until Halloween--LOL. I've got a huge TBR pile and what did I read over the weekend...Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Match Me If You Can. I borrowed it from the library last year. I'd already read it but wanted a copy for myself so I bought a paperback copy last week.

There's just something comforting about a favorite author, you know what your going to get even when it's not perfect it still works. I'd forced my way through 2 books last week that didn't work and realized I need comfort reads when I'm this distracted. I think I may pull out a couple more SEP books and have a mini marathon, like the Linda Howard one I had earlier this year.

I can't believe my little guy starting school full-time has thrown me for such a loop. He loves school and once he found his "boundaries" it's been great. But, I still haven't found a real routine. I've done none of the heavy duty cleaning I thought I would, reading has been hit or miss. And, the holidays are right around the corner. Okay, I'm done whining.

I've got a full schedule this week... Today, Junior has a hair appointment after school. Tuesday, I take my husband's car for an oil change. Wednesday, Parent Guild meeting. Thursday, set up for a school fundraiser and soccer practice. Friday, the school fundraiser (actually the fundraiser is a 3 day event, but I only have to work Friday, which includes baking 3 batches of brownies). Saturday, soccer and a family party and Sunday, I escape by myself for a candle party. I'm amazed by anyone who has more than one child and still functions--LOL.

When the heck is Blogger going to add "blog" to their Spell Check?

Finally finished a couple...

I finally finished Rachel Gibson's I'm not in the Mood for Love. That title always seems awkward. I ended up skimming parts. It's one of those okay books that take too much energy to work up a review, not good enough to gush yet not bed enough to rant. Kasey Michael's Everything's Coming Up Rosie falls under the same category. I skimmed/read it last night. The characters are likeable but grating after a while and the pacing of the book is horrendous

Junior had a soccer game at 10:00 this morning, cold but not freezing. It was 28 degrees for the 8:00 game--yikes that's cold. I guess I shouldn't complain with Buffalo getting 2 feet of snow yesterday.

All those books that were on my bed are now in 2 bins that are so heavy I can barely drag them, forget about picking them up. And have I done anything with them? Nope. I've got mini projects going all over the house. Oh, well there's always this week.

We're doing yard work today and shopping for new kitchen counters.

Have a good one and happy reading.

A New look... at least for now

I thought it was appropriate to display a new look for Friday the 13th, at least for the next few weeks. This really wasn't too hard. I keep messing with the colors, but I think I'll leave it alone. I'm getting the idea and am planning to do something different for November.

Have a good one, I've got a ton of laundry to do today, that will give me time to read.

Happy reading.

Just a few things...

Just a few things before we start a busy day. Junior's off, all Catholic schools are closed in the archdiocese, but it's not a "Holy Day of Obligation." We're meeting one of my SILs for a little shopping, the kids need some winter gear.

1. If I seem to be gone for a few days, I'm working on a new blog template. I'm getting a little tired of my "serene girl." She's very pretty, but it's a little too serene for my taste. I'm more into upbeat and cheery. I've found a site that I like with linkware, so I have to actually design the blog myself and I'm not really sure I can do this, but what the heck I'm giving it the old college try.
2. I'm currently reading I'm Not In The Mood For Love by Rachel Gibson. It's not her best book. I'm starting to think that once an author writes a good book or better we have much higher expectations. Perhaps we think that each book should get better. I don't particularly like the "Sex in the City" like characters. SITC's been done, I'm not all that interested in Idaho's version. I've got another 100 pages to go, at this point I'm not that impressed.
3. I was shocked by yesterdays news about Yankee's pitcher Corey Lidle. Thoughts and prayers are with his family.
4. Wendy, congrats to your Tigers, up 2-0 *grin*.

That's all that's fits to print, at least for today, have a good one and happy reading.

My newest mini obsession: Sudoku

I forgot to post this yesterday...

Happy Thanksgiving
to our friends north of the border!!

The Disaster Area **Updated**

Normally The Disaster Area is the title I reserve for my son's bedroom, especially after a particularly good/bad playdate. These days it seems to be my entire house. Why? I've got books everywhere. Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but it's not too far off. I don't have stacks of books in the living room, dining room, bathroom or kitchen, though I've only recently moved a stack out of the kitchen and the only reading material in the bathroom is my husband's, but our bedroom, the office and my back porch are infested with books. Infested seems to be the right word as these books seem to be breeding like bugs. The piles of TBR books, already read books, books for my sister, books to exchange, books to return to the library and books to keep seem to be growing by the minute.

I'm going to try and organize today, I wonder if it's possible to get done in a few hours. I doubt it.

**Update/Edited**



I pulled paperback books out of the home office, the only flat surface I can work on is my bed or the office floor, the bed gave me more room.




I found:

36 for the TBR pile
51 keepers
120 for the trade group or UBS
8 for my sister
9 issues of Romantic Times

Next I'm working on that bookcase to the right of the bed.

Found 128 books in bookcase:

5 books for hubby
38 for the TBR pile
40 keepers
45 for the trade group or UBS

I've decided to leave the back porch for another day, there are just too many books and I know I wont get it finished. I hate starting something when I know I don't have enough time to get it done.

Have a good one and happy reading.

The Rake's Proposal by Sarah Elliott...

"THE RAKE’S PROPOSAL is an amusing regency romantic suspense thriller headlined by two likable protagonists who have successfully shunned marriage until now." Lifted this quote from Harriet Klausner's review over on Barnes & Noble and I'm sure it's the same review you'll find anywhere else she posts. Now, why the heck am I quoting HK? Basically, it says it all.

My thoughts...
1. The girl on the cover reminds me of Lolita Davidovitch.
2. The heroine is incredibly independent for her time, which was nice.
3. The hero is incredibly independent and tolerent for his time, which was nice.
4. For smart independent people they have an inability to communicate and this drives the conflict between them.
5. It's a pleasant read, "Charming" if you want to quote Eloise James.
6. I'm getting tired of pleasant, charming and amusing Regency romances.
7. I feel guilty making any negative comments, anyone who writes pleasant, charming and amusing Regency romances must be nice and it would be like kicking a puppy.

So, here it is--The Rake's Proposal is a nice read, not spectacular but not horrible. The sad thing is I'm kind of curious about her first book and will probably search out a copy of Reforming the Rake, which will probably also be pleasant, charming and amusing.

There's no joy in Mudville

Risks, Taboos and Comfort Reads...

Over the last few days I've noticed little conversations about risk taking, taboos and the predictable comfort of romance as a genre. A column over on RTB discusses risk taking leaving the author on the outside, Alison Kent picks up the conversation in her blog. And Keishon asks "Can you read outside of the box?"

This whole thing leaves me somewhat baffled and at a loss. Are authors condemned for taking risks? I guess it depends on the risk. I've been reading romance a long time, and I see the genre as being completely driven by risk takers and taboo breakers. Now, that doesn't mean all readers are going to love risks and the forbidden, some people read for the comfort and predictability of romance, and there will always be authors who write for these people.

It's the authors, editors and publishers that take a chance on something new or forbidden that moves things forward, and keep the genre from staggering into complete mediocrity. How else to do we end up with trends? Paranormals and Erotic Romance are hot now, and there are authors, editors and publishers that we can point to and say they took a chance writing, editing and publishing books that are like no others out there. This goes way back to the Boddice Rippers of the 70's (Kathleen Woodiwiss, Rosemary Rogers), the historical trends of the 80's and 90's (Jude Deveraux, Catherine Coulter, Mary Jo Putney, Susan Carroll, Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood), the Romantic Suspense trends that are still popular today (Sandra Brown, Tami Hoag, Linda Howard, Anne Stuart). I could go on and list authors for Time Travels, Contemporaries, Westerns, Romantic Comedies... You don't have to love their books, but they've moved the genre forward and allowed us to have the variety we expect and want.

It's the breakout novels that leave the rest of the genre in their dust trying to catch up.

The new RT at a glance... aka Anne Stuart Rocks

Before I start listing my must have books. I have one thing to say...


Anne Stuart Rocks!!!!

When asked about the "bisexual" hero of her next book Cold As Ice she handles it beautifully...

Actually I think I handled Peter Jensen in the best possible way. I'd already set him up in Black Ice, and at the time I hadn't planned to write a spin-off. And he was working undercover, providing sexual favors for a mafioso. He simply took the persona of who he had to be. He can control his body, perform sexually and doesn't think twice about it. It's a nonissue for him

It's simply part of his cold and calculating backstory, and it fit. It wasn't meant to be shocking, though I was pleased that my editors didn't make me wipe out all mention of it and pretend it never happened.

If people won't pick up the book because of it, they probably shouldn't read my books, anyway. The relationships between my heroes and heroines are quite dark and intense. I don't set out to offend, but I'd rather risk that than write something else.

She goes on to say...

I do find androgyny appealing, but I think that's because of the dichotomy. I love masquerade books in general--plots where someone is pretending to be something he's not. Think Percy Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel. There's something very hot about a lacy, bejeweled fop who's an alpha wolf in bed.

And, her next Ice hero is Japanese.

How about some books, at a quick glance these caught my eye...

• The Rules of Seduction -- Madeline Hunter
• Clandestine -- Julia Ross
• The Rogue's Bride -- Leslie LaFoy
• A Lady's Pleasure -- Renee Bernard
• Awaiting the Night -- Donna Lea Simpson
• Born in Death -- JD Robb (hey, Mavis is having the baby)
• Crazy Sweet -- Tara Janzen
• Cold As Ice -- Anne Stuart
• Hot Dish -- Connie Brockway (her new contemporary)
• No Rest For The Wicked -- Kresley Cole
• Valley of Silence -- Nora Roberts
• The Bargain -- Julia Templeton

Monday I made a quick dash into the bookstore and picked up the November issue of Romantic Times.

And, of course a few books, as if I can go into a bookstore without buying books.



This one wasn't on my book order but I'm a sucker for Tribal Police stories, had to have it.

I picked up Tropical Heat used. It's my first Jaci Burton book, actually it's two books--Passion in Paradise 2 and Passion in Paradise 3. Read both stories Monday night, and was pleasantly surprised that they had a beginning, a middle and an end, a real plot, not just sex scenes strung together by something resembling a plot. I know, I know, I'm reading the wrong EC's--LOL



No Brainer, second in the series and have peaked in but haven't really started reading.




This is my first Aphrodisia. I hadn't planned on picking it up, but 1. I liked the cover and 2. I liked the back blurb. So I figured what the heck.


I also picked up Patricia Waddell's The Lady's Proposal (couldn't find a decent picture to post) it's not a futuristic/sci fi, but the back blurb sounded pretty good. They had 2 of her "He Said..." series but not all four, so I decided to pass on them, besides the covers look real familiar and I may have read them.

If it's Tuesday...

It must be Bingo. Ah, it's only once every 4 weeks but this month my "Bingo Team" gets zonked twice, today and Halloween. Our "Bingo Captain" (I swear that's what he's called) is sick, the old people will smell fresh blood, the feeding frenzy will be ugly. The grapevine is telling us one of the old folks stole $170 last week, don't they realize how close they are to the Pearly Gates--yikes bad karma at its worst.

Five hours of chaotic boredom--you don't want to know how that's possible--LOL, but heck it's worth the $1200 it saves in tuition.

Have a great day, maybe tomorrow I'll talk books again.

Oh and one more thing...

GO YANKEES, GO YANKEES, GO YANKEES, GO YANKEES, GO YANKEES, GO YANKEES, GO YANKEES, GO YANKEES
sorry Wendy I just had to do it--LOL

True Blood by Patricia Waddell

You can sum up in three words why this book works...

Zero Gravity Sex

Okay, there's much more going on in this book, but I have to admit the first love scene is a doozy.

Coped this from B&N

From the Publisher

She's a diplomat:

Danna MacFadyen of the League of Planets is assigned to investigate the explosion of a space freighter. She must use her psychometric skills to determine whether this was an accident or terrorism -- but for Danna, the hardest part of this assignment is working with Korcian Enforcer Cullon Gavriel.

He's a warrior:

Fighting isn't just in a Korcian's blood -- it's in his very soul. Cullon Gavriel already knows the freighter explosion was terrorism -- targeted at the Korcian prince traveling incognito aboard the ship. Cullon's single goal: to discover who is killing Korcian True Bloods. He never expects to become enchanted with a beautiful Terran female who has the ability to step into the past.

As the pieces of an explosive puzzle fall into place...

Danna and Cullon realize they have uncovered a conspiracy that stretches across the galaxy. The trail leads to the capitol city of the Korcian Empire, where shocking secrets lie hidden-- and where the lines between politics and love cross unexpectedly.

This book is an entertaining futuristic/sci fi read. The h/h are attracted to one another from the first page and they're relationship builds from there. He tries to be controlling and being a diplomat handles him really well without every doing something TSTL. The sex scenes are integrated beautifully and I didn't skip one, which I have a tendency to do if the story is really working. I had one issue with the book which comes at the end of the book, mini spoiler... the killing of True Bloods is a conspiracy, no big deal, but the assassin is homosexual, and this bugs me, a gay man in a militaristic society who resents his treatment by his own father.

I'm heading to the UBS today to look for Ms. Waddell's backlist.

The Mean Girl Thing...

Yesterday I didn't have time to comment on or about RTB's Mean Girls column.

This gets under my craw each and every time I see it anymore. I've come to hate the "if you have nothing good to say..." mentality, that I used to live by. Wallbangers simply don't exist and we should never voice an opinion that isn't glowing. I'd rather live in Mrs. Giggles world than the every glowing one of Harriet Klausner. I'm sure Ms. Klausner is a very nice person, but it's impossible to love everything you read, at least Mrs. Giggles is honest.

I hate the condescending attitudes that tell us if we write something critical we are being mean. Criticizing a book is not the same as criticizing the author.

Okay, I'm taking a deep breath and moving on. Hopefully everyone is having a great weekend and reading something fabulous.