Slight updates

I've read two books before summer vacation finished, and I have to write up a review for one of them, not sure if I want to do the other.

Loretta Chase - Don't Tempt Me
Sherrilyn Kenyon - Acheron

Come to think of it, both of these books have some similiarities...in the sense that our main characters whose points of view the books are generally written in have both been trapped into slavery by their owners.  One gets horribly abused, the other is cherished but both of them just want to get out.

Additionally, I like how Facebook grants us the ability to directly communicate with our favorite authors.

School in the morning.  I'll bless my new laptop with writing up that book review tomorrow.  Right now I'm writing this on the old laptop.  Yes I do have a new laptop.  I got it last Thursday after ordering it the Friday before last.  It's pink.  And it's a VAIO.  But that doesn't mean I love this laptop any less.  It just needs to be fixed.

The Secret Wedding, by Jo Beverly

Holy crap, I'm not even that far into the book, like, maybe about less than 50 pages in...

I don't get it.  This is completely shitty and painful to read.  I need to get rid of this.  Ebay's got a lot of them on sale...I guess other people thought the book was shitty as well.

1 star.  I can't even.  1 out of 5.

Lessons from a Scarlet Lady, by Emma Wildes

This was one of the two most recent books I'd picked up at Barnes & Noble, and it's actually quite a good read.  It's blunt and straight to the point, very much so.

My Darling Caroline, by Adele Ashworth

Yes, it's that time again for writing another book review.  Today we have My Darling Caroline by Adele Ashworth.  At first I was under the impression when I bought the book that the husband and wife (Brent and Caroline) were estranged, just like the couple in Eloisa James' book, An Affair Before Christmas (I've read it, will review someday but not anytime soon).  But I was oh so very wrong.

FYI: This book is actually a reissue, originally published in 1998 (just found this out).

Oh my friggen book list...

Since I just finished Reese's Bride by Kat Martin (previous book review), I went to my shelf to see what books I had left.  Summer is ending at the end of this month, and I resume school on the 29th.  It turns out I have a lot of books to get through before then, and depending on my interest level, not all of them are going to be read.

Now normally I have a handwritten list that I put on an index card, but my pile of cards have gone missing for ages, and of course, my book collection just keeps growing and growing.  So here's everything I have to go through, via pictures.

Reese's Bride, by Kat Martin

The second volume in the Intoxicating Brides Trilogy (Honestly, what kind of a name is that?  So far they've been good reads but...Intoxicating Brides?  Come on!) and another speed-read.  I first read Royal's Bride sometime while I was doing cardio at the gym last year (I find it really, really hard to read romance novels where people can see me in public) and liked it so I decided that I'd buy the rest of the trilogy when the books came out...so I did.

Beguiled, by Shannon Drake

I read this one sometime last year or two years ago.  Most likely last year.  If you've seen Disney's Sleeping Beauty, you're definitely going to recognize elements from it.  I can't exactly say if it's good or not, so just to be safe, I'm giving it a 3.5 out of 5 rating.  Actually on my Book List chart I gave it a 4, so it must've been good.

How I Met My Countess, by Elizabeth Boyle

It's 3:46 AM.  I find myself still awake and reading this nice little pink book, which I picked because of the color and the artwork (Jon Paul, how can I resist?) some time ago in Borders when it wasn't bankrupt (sometime last year).

Anyway this book has two periods, first when the guy (Justin Grey, Earl of Clifton) actually meets the female that will become his countess (Lucy Ellyson), and second, seven years later when they meet again.

Yes, it's heart-wrenching.  Yes, it has my arms tingling (not because of numbness but because of the heart-wrenching).  I can't give it a five-star though, it doesn't deserve that.

The Promise by Brenda Joyce

Okay, I had actually read this book in the span of two days (the second being an overnighter that ended at 5:00 AM) sometime two weeks ago...I believe it was around the 18th.  I meant to write about it sooner but I've been swamped with stuff, mostly having to pack for my trip which was last weekend.

Good things come to those who wait

On some of my vlogs (DuchessPinkbunny via YouTube) I keep talking about romance novels and especially romance novel authors.  And I certainly talk about Brenda Joyce a lot.

Kinley MacGregor (Sherrilyn Kenyon) - Taming the Scotsman

I actually finished this book last week but don't have much to say about it.
FYI: I read this ages ago, but it saved as a draft.  Don't know why I never published it till now.

Sue-Ellen Welfonder's "Seducing a Scottish Bride"

From what I've read so far, this entire story takes place within two or three days.  Maybe even four.

Coming home to a lovely surprise

Shit, I don't even update what new books I get anymore...BUT

I don't even remember signing up for these but I'm pretty sure I did!  So yeah, I was coming home from the beach (beach day with one of the bestfriends) and there's this envelope on the table for me - already opened (thank you nosy Mommy) and and and IT'S FROM SABRINA JEFFRIES WHAT?

What is this?

I've come across an article link that Karen Hawkins posted on Facebook, where someone else wrote that, "studies show romance novels are bad for women."

The heck?

Karen Hawkins link to article
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jun/01/claim-romantic-novels-unbalance-readers?CMP=twt_fd

After my further Googling
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2011/06/romancekills.html

Oh yeah I'm currently reading Sue-Ellen Welfonder's "Seduction of a Scottish Bride."  It's summer vacation and I'm ready to lose myself in my fantasies.  That's not a crime, is it?

You might be wondering...

Just how did I survive Lent?  I don't know.  I didn't, since I bought books, and I wasn't supposed to.  BUT, I also didn't read any of them (which isn't a surprise, I have like, a billion books ahead of these new ones anyway).

I spent time doing homework and focusing on school (kind of), playing videogames (namely Persona 3 Portable and Lego Harry Potter - again), reading some of Harry Potter 1 (In all honesty, I have never read the book series - just got straight to the movies, and then read 7 for character research on Narcissa) and most of Victoria Gotti's book This Family of Mine.  That one's actually a good read, I really got drawn into it.  Bitch knows how to write, AND she's educated, despite what most people would assume for a mafia daughter with plastic surgery.  I dare y'all to read it.  I haven't finished it yet though but I'm like on the last 1/5 of the book.

I also bought this last Thursday, the 28th but forgot to mention it.

Kerrelyn Sparks - Vampire Mine

I dunno.  It's different.  I got it at Target for 25% off.  We'll see how it is in, oh, about a year xD

It is a sad, sad world...

...when you drop by your local Borders that's got nine days left till permanent closing and see all the signs posted on the walls that say "FINAL DAYS, EVERYTHING MUST GO!"

And it was even more sadder that there was not one single romance novel left for me to ogle over and buy.

I forget whether or not I mentioned this but the last time I went to Borders before this, I bought Brenda Joyce's Deadly Illusions and Karen Hawkins' The Seduction of Sara (artwork by Jon Paul, I know, I saw it on his site).  I haven't seen the Deadly Vows book in a while, never got the chance to buy it so that's gonna be next if I can ever locate it.

Tracy Anne Warren - At The Duke's Pleasure (UPDATED)

I finished it...and Tracy Anne Warren has indeed outdone herself again.  It's a battle-of-the-sexes thing going on here, but essentially it's also a story where, "whoever falls in love first loses."

That's not a quote from the book, mind you.  I'm just saying.

It's been a long road, so...

This morning as I was driving my mom and aunt to church (we're Catholic, go figure) I realized that Lent is over and I CAN GO READ MY ROMANCE NOVELS AGAIN!

Excuse me while I go dive into Tracy Anne Warren's At The Duke's Pleasure.


I'll be busy for the rest of the day : ) *happy happy*

Fat bunnies are fat!

This sinking feeling...

I was at Borders earlier, the one nearest my house.  It's a travesty to see my favorite store (and yes, this is my favorite store, for I shop more for books than clothes and food) closing, and right near my house.

Lent, you suck.

I don't think I can hold out without my books for much longer.  I've been pretty restless, and I stare at my shelf of books every moment I can.  There's a book I started (another Byron book) before this entire Lenten ordeal started, and Easter's in 23 days (April 24th).  Seriously...I'm definitely suffering here.

When I said giving up my romance novels was going to be easy, I didn't think it was going to be this bad.  The Borders down the street from my house is closing, and I can't buy any new books.  My membership is pretty much wasted if the damn store's closing.  I go to Target and see more new books (there's a certain Jo Beverley one I'm interested in purchasing) and like...come onnnnnnnnnnnn!

FML, y'all.

I got a shoutout from Jon Paul?

This is my second time, the first was back in winter when I commented on a picture he took of a bird.

Seriously this man's work is AMAZING.

I just died a LOT inside.

The Borders down the street from my house is closing.

WHEN WILL THE MADNESS END?!  You guys don't understand...I NEED that place!  It's the only area I can just go whenever I want and sit around and spend time at while staring at the pretty books.  The Barnes & Noble on the same street is crap, and the nearest B&N is 10 minutes down the freeway.

I just bought my Borders Rewards Plus membership at the beginning of the year.  And now I can't even use it.  What the hell?

Elizabeth Taylor 1932-2011

I can't believe it.

I just woke up a few minutes ago, turned on the computer and BAM: I find out that the legendary Ms. Taylor is dead.

God, I was just saying a couple of weeks ago that if she died, like, that would be the end of the silver-screen/golden age of movies period (though now that I come to think of it, Judi Dench is probably next in line for that).  But seriously y'all.  This is Elizabeth Taylor.  She just died!

My first movie I saw of her was Cleopatra because it was running on TV.  I was still living in my first house, and it was the night before one of those STAR tests from school.  I was told to get some sleep, but I ended up watching Cleopatra because it was just pretty.

I also own a copy of Taming of the Shrew, but I think that's about it.

Well, now she can be in heaven with Richard Burton, right?  I wonder what kind of crazy antics they'll get up to there.

Sherrilyn Kenyon - One Silent Night

It is almost 10:00 and I’ve only a little over two hours to complete this task before my period of life without romance novels.  I’ve been surrounded by them for so long, since 2006, that it’s hard to believe I’ve ever lived without them!

Update on Europe

I received my passport in the mail on Monday.  Now the next question is, how am I gonna pay for Europe?

My one-month brush with love, ten years later

Okay, so this is a story from when I was eleven.  I'm writing this now because a couple of hours ago, I realized that ten years ago to this month, I was in love.  I was also eleven years old and in sixth grade.

It's almost Lent, so...

I decided to give up romance novels for those forty days.  But don't fret, I will have the review for One Silent Night done beforehand.

Till then, well, no Mardi Gras for me because I didn't have anyone to go out with or any money to go out and buy drinks!

Just finished One Silent Night

I'll post my review up later though. : )

So where does "throwing the bouquet" come from?

My friend stumbled upon an article and told me about it randomly, so I figured, since I posted about the origin of the honeymoon, why not this?

Total book count

I have exactly one-hundred romance books in my library.  Ninety-seven titles.

Why is this?  I bought two extra copies of The Masquerade (because it's my favorite), and an extra copy of The Prize, both Brenda Joyce novels.

After looking at my entire collection (having to move them TWICE last night because of my mom's judgmental side) it's like...Houston, we have a problem.  It's a LOT of stuff I have.  Maybe I should start selling some off, but not before I write a review for every single one of them.

Almost there to 100!

So I made another trip to the Downtown Borders today and came out with a few new books, three of them being romance novels and the fourth is part of a manga series that I've been collecting (and neglecting).

So today we have...

Guys love the chase - Seduced By His Touch (Tracy Anne Warren)

It took me a while to actually chalk up the nerve to get through this.  I looked at the last "recent" photo of my romance shelf and since then, I've read two (now three, counting this one) books, which is a shame since I've had an entire winter vacation to read.

That, of course, was completely sidetracked by my videogames I got for Christmas.  But that's beside the point.

By the way, I want to make a note, that this book is part of a series.  I thought it was going to be a trilogy but Ms. Warren has recently released the fourth book, which I have as an e-book right now.

Dating, Romance, and Relationships

Umm, yeah I also gotta mention I bought the new JWoww book (you know, the tall chick with big boobs from Jersey Shore?).  I read it cover-to-cover in a couple of hours and well...I guess she's supposed to give you self-confidence in presenting yourself as someone who's ready to look for love and weed out the stupid guys.

Just a brush of reality, here.

New books!

Two of the local Borders stores around here are closing.  If you're an avid bookshopper like I am, you've probably heard that Borders went bankrupt and are closing most of its stores.  Luckily, the Borders that is down the street from my house is NOT closing.

However, I went to the one in Downtown earlier today with my bff to take advantage of the sales.  I bought eight new books, and here they are:

Finished Scandalous Love

It was a slight tear-jerker, but not to the point that I started bawling my eyes out like some other books.  This is a rarity, even more so since I've become jaded at reading these kinds of books.  I think I ended up sleeping at 3:00something AM because of this, but I don't regret it.  Anyway I finally got my sleep this afternoon.

Scandalous Love, 8-14

Just a listing of each chapter's main points, pretty much

LOL, I lost a follower on my Backstreet Boys Tumblr

Because of this:

My Valentine [treat to myself] this year is Fabio.

Yes.  Put away the BSB for now, because THIS is Mr. Romance.


Haters gonna hate.
For secretive fans like myself, I think I just found Fabio After Dark.

This is my Unreality.

I felt it was appropriate to post here for this kind of situation, so here it goes.

I was planning on going to Europe with my family this summer.  Not immediate, but first-level relatives (cousin, aunt, uncle) with whom I'm close to.  They'll be going to Paris and London, two places I haven't been since I was nine years old.

Well...now they'll all be going, because I can't.

Scandalous Love, ch 5-7

All I can say is, Nic's still bent on revenge against Fabio and he was invited to her house for dinner, only Nic doesn't know it till the last minute, so when she finds out, she decides to toy with his head (after all, isn't that what women do most of the time when they're in pursuit of someone?), wearing a very non-demure dress and looking her best - which in this case means REALLY provocative.

More Scandalous Love

I'm up to the start of Chapter Five here, after having a long period of reading while on the stationary bike and stairmaster at the gym this afternoon.  It's pretty good so far, after the sexual-action-that-almost-was had occurred.

Synopsis: Like a good virgin girl, Nicole is lost in the headiness of the sensual pleasure that Hadrian (hereafter referred to as Fabio for the rest of the reviews associated with this) gives her until she "snaps out of it" and they part ways.  Fabio wishes to see Nicole again, but when he returns home, his mommy, who apparently loves to visit, gives him a tongue-lashing and reprimands him for pretending to court a spinster.

Am currently reading...

Brenda Joyce's Scandalous Love.  It's an older novel, my only book with Fabio on the cover.  It can be found here.  I love Brenda's books, it's like, no secret.  It has elements from The Masquerade in it, which is probably why it's so appealing, BUT it gets into the intimacy way too fast (within the first thirty-six pages!) and I had to shut the book anyway because I was heading home from the gym.

Now that I've got some free time at school, I might as well break it out.  It's really great so far, and gets me engrossed into the story right away, unlike other books which drag on until there's something interesting going on.

And I'm not talking about the salacious, juicy scenes, mind you!  No, first of all we see Hadrian (Fabio) as a child, whose father doesn't want him or his mother, and well, Hadrian just decides to change himself and not be like his dad when he grows up.

Well, I guess there's more to come, hopefully.  There are a lot of reviews I need to catch up on...seriously...what's the point of this journal if I'm not even gonna put my reviews like I said I would?  Well the problem is this: Apparently I put way too much into summary and not into actual elements that make the story and plot good or bad.  We need to figure this out.

Fabio on Cupcake Wars, what?

A friend of mine just updated her Facebook status saying that Fabio was on Cupcake Wars right now, so I totally flipped and turned on the TV ASAP.

The face that built the house of Romance is on Cupcake Wars for a "Valentines Date" special.  Oooh...I wish he was my date!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/cupcake-wars/valentines-day/index.html

Happy early Valentine's Day, everyone!

I got recognized by an author?!

Well, via Facebook that is.

Writerspace's newsletter informed me of a contest that Karen Hawkins and Sabrina Jeffries were having, and that if you "Like" their Facebook pages, you'll be entered into a contest to win a Nook e-reader.  Since I wanted one (and because I like those authors) I totally went in for it.

I ended up posting on Karen Hawkins' wall, and I got a reply soon after!  I didn't realize this till after I got to school, studying at the library, but yay!

Now if I could just get David Tutera and Brenda Joyce to send a reply my way...