TBR Day: After The Kiss by Suzanne Enoch

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Ugh, I have a confession... I've been extremely lazy lately ^_^; Yes, I know, it's not a big surprise... still, I'm hoping that by confessing, it'll change. (Not that it helped with admitting I was addicted to Bejeweled... seriously, it sucks all my time away!! Like a black hole!) So yep, I'm lazy... I'm just not getting things done. It's not as if I don't know what I have to do... I knew TBR Day was coming up, but I didn't get ready for it - lucky, I did read some oldies this month... Of course, none of them fit this month theme, but when do my reads ever?

My dad is turning 60 y.o. this Friday!! Wooohooo... Only problem - need to go buy a gift!! Any suggestion? It's usually so hard, but this year, it's even harder now that he stays home ^_^; Then, my aunt and cousin are organizing my uncle 50th birthday surprise party - another milestone, another gift!! I keep telling myself I have time, I have time... well now, I'm running out of time!! I know, I'm a bad girl, sigh.

Then, I have a couple of buddy reviews waiting to be put together for Breezing Through! Ugh, I love discussing books, but when it comes to put the reviews together ^_^; So sorry Ames, Jill and Cindy!! I will get to them!! Eventually... at least one this week! Hopefully ^_^;

So let's get TBR Day out of the way first :D Let's get un-lazy!!


After The Kiss by Suzanne Enoch
published by Avon in July 2008

A Notorious Gentleman...

Sullivan Waring wants only two things: his rightful inheritance, and revenge against the man who stole it from him. By day, Sullivan is the most respected horse breeder in England; by night, he plunders the ton's most opulent homes to reclaim his late mother's beautiful paintings. His quest is going swimmingly... until the night he's discovered by Lady Isabel Chalsey. Clad only in a revealing nightdress, she's an entrancingly different kind of plunder, and how can a thief resist stealing a kiss?

A Curious Lady...

Surprised by a masked man in her own home, Isabel should be quaking with fear. Instead the sight of the sinfully handsome Sullivan makes her tremble with excitement. Who is this man, and why is he so set on this reckless pursuit? Lady Isabel loves a challenge, and she'll dare anything to uncover Sullivan's secret-but she may instead convince him that she is the greatest prize of all.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: The Notorious Gentlemen, Book #1

The Story: Sullivan James Waring was fighting against the French in Spain when he got wound in the shoulder. When it happened a second time, his good friend, Lord Bramwell Johns, decided it was time to go home. However, a very bad surprise awaited Sullivan at home: all the paintings from his mother - his rightful inheritance - has been taken away... by none other than Sullivan's father, Lord Dunston - the man who won't acknowledge Sullivan as his son.

Determined to get back his legacy, Sullivan has been robbing the homes to whom Lord Dunston has given the paintings. Dubbed as the Mayfair Marauder, Sullivan takes great pleasure at secretly shaming his father... that is, until he gets caught by Lady Isabel Chalsey. To escape with as little fuss as possible, Sullivan distracts her with a kiss... but she is not the only one distracted and as a result, Sully loses his mask, exposing his face. It wouldn't be too bad if he never saw her again... but of course, Sullivan and Lady Isabel cross path when she accompanies her brother to buy a hourse from Sullivan... She then blackmails him into working for her...

All Isabel wants is to keep an eye on the Mayfair Marauder till she decides what to do. Hand him over to Bow Street? The only problem is that Isabel is curious and wants to solve the mystery... Clearly, Sullivan Waring has a great reputation as being the best horse breeder, he doesn't lack funds... So why is her burglarizing Mayfair homes? Then, there is the kiss...

... and things only get more complicated when she realizes that the man courting her this Season is none other than Sullivan's half-brother - the rightful heir.

My Opinion: Two reasons why I picked up this book... well actually, three. The first is that Rowena enjoyed it and I didn't know what to read... So when I found it at the UBS, I picked it up. Then, for the Re-Read Challenge, Lori reviewed Ms Enoch's England's Perfect Hero and it sounds really good. Now, I've read Ms Enoch before and thought her books were okay to good. So I wanted to read After The Kiss before ordering England's Perfect Hero...

What really caught my attention was the opening scene where we see Sullivan along with his two friends, Phinneas and Bramwell (heroes of book #2 and #3 in the serise) fight the French. That scene was great! It was exciting and everything I expected from a battle. It showed the great friendship between the three men and I simply loved it. Too bad there wasn't more of it ^_^;

I thought that Sullivan Waring was a great hero. I'm actually surprised that there wasn't much emphasis on his career as a soldier.... but I guess when you're the finest horse breeder in London... people tend to forget about his career as a soldier. Anyway, I really like Sullivan. He was quite an ambiguous character. First, people don't know how to treat him because he's in limbo. He's not a commoner, because his father is after all a marquis... but at the same time, he's not nobility, because he hasn't been acknowledged. I don't think that is a fun position to hold, but he deals with it. At the same time, he's the best horse breeder and men would kill for the opportuniy of buying a mount from him... but then, he has a choice... He can decide not to do business with you. He's smart, determined, courageous and loyal... he can hold a grudge and he's also very stubborn. A very interesting man in my opinion ;)

Unfortunately, I didn't like the heroine as much. In my opinion, Lady Isabel is spoiled... Many times, I disliked the way she spoke to Sullivan, especially in the beginning where she keeps reminding him their positions, as in she's nobility and he's nothing, the fact that he works for her and she's the one who gives the order. I know it's a fact, but to keep harping the point was unpleasant... it just rubbed me the wrong way. I thought she could have been nicer... Of course, she's young and she's led a pretty sheltered life... However, she does redeem herself at the end. I liked the fact that she realized she didn't know much about real life... When she discovers that Sullivan is Lord Dunston's by-blow. That the life she knows, the things she knows from others are mostly a facade and superficial. I also admire her at the end, because of her loyalty. Helping Sullivan by sending for his best friend, hiding evidences... and willing to follow him wherever, not caring about circumstances and other people's view. It's a little bit naive, but at the same time... She's very passionnate and loyal and those are good quality. I also enjoyed her interactions with her family very much. Actually, her family was very well developed... I liked seeing the different relationships, the camaraderie and sibling affection between Isabel and her two brothers. How her father likes to indulge her... How her parents worried about the growing affection between Isabel and Sullivan. They were a real loving and caring family... It was well-done, not the stereotypicial families that most see in historicals (either too loving or too uncaring). I especially liked the scene where they realized that some bad gossips about Isabel were being spread during a soiree. My only question is, how come her older brother is the earl and not her father? Can the father pass down the title before his death?

The plot was quite interesting as well. Loved the scenes between Bramwell and Sullivan and I'm most definitively curious about Bramwell's character. I thought the first half of the book was stronger, especially with Sullivan and Isabel's banter. I kind of lost interest in the couple though once they became lovers. However, the Mayfair Marauder's storyline got really interesting at the end, so it saved the second half. I liked how that storyline ended, it was clever and interesting. I would rather Lord Dunston didn't acknowledge Sullivan at the end though, because seriously, I didn't believe it at all. After all that happened? He decides that he's proud of Sullivan? yeah, I think not. I felt like Ms Enoch wanted to wrap things a bit too nicely.

My Grade: B. Overall, I enjoyed After the Kiss. It was a good read with a solid storyline. If the heroine would have been more likable, the grade would have been higher... As it is, I'm definitively going to try to get my hand on England's Perfect Hero...

Review: What Happens in London by Julia Quinn

Monday, July 13, 2009

Hello everyone :) So how was your week-end? I hope you got some nice weather... Here in Montreal, we got some sunshine... along with some thunderstorms ^_^; and today is quite cold. Ugh, doesn't feel much like a summer, if you asked me :(

My week-end was rather relaxing... Went for breakfast with a friend and then, went to a restaurant opening... didn't stay long though. I only read one book and a harlequin at that, so quite short... On the plus side though, I did start working on my excel spreadsheet for books. When I went to Kristie's last month (1 month already!!!), I stole her excel spreadsheet where she keeps track of all her books :) I figured it'd be easier to delete the ones I didn't have and add the surplus then starting from scratch... which it is! :) However, so far, I've only deleted... Yesterday, I actually sat for a couple of hours and added some... I still have a long way to go though ^_^; Actually, I find it scary, LOL :) To know exactly how many books I own...


What Happens in London by Julia Quinn
published by Avon in June 2009

When Olivia Bevelstoke is told that her new neighbor may have killed his fiancée, she doesn't believe it for a second, but still, how can she help spying on him, just to be sure? So she stakes out a spot near her bedroom window, cleverly concealed by curtains, watches, and waits... and discovers a most intriguing man, who is definitely up to something.

Sir Harry Valentine works for the boring branch of the War Office, translating documents vital to national security. He's not a spy, but he's had all the training, and when a gorgeous blonde begins to watch him from her window, he is instantly suspicious. But just when he decides that she's nothing more than a nosy debutante, he discovers that she might be engaged to a foreign prince, who might be plotting against England. And when Harry is roped into spying on Olivia, he discovers that he might be falling for her himself...

Genre: Historical
Series: connected to The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever
The Story: The blurb does a very good job at summing up the storyline, so I won't try it :P

My Opinion: What Happens in London was a very cute, enjoyable and quick read. I think what I appreciate the most was the simplicity of the plot. I liked it that Olivia and Harry had time to get acquainted with each other - actually, they didn't even like each other at the beginning. The banter was quite amusing between the two.

I have not read The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever, so I don't know how Olivia was in that previous book, but in this one, she's a pleasant lady. She's firm in her opinion and doesn't seem to like frivolities too much. I like the fact that she's aware of how Society perceives her and how it affects her. She's clever, level-headed and curious LOL :) Harry was a nice man... LOL, a nerdy historical hero :) I liked the fact that he lived an ordered life and wasn't a rake at all, didn't engage in debauchery. It's unfortunate that he doesn't have a close relationship with his siblings, but you can see that Harry cares and is trying, especially towards his younger brother, Edward. All in all, I enjoyed the H/H. They were pleasant and well developed enough, although they perhaps lacked some depth. The secondary characters were interesting, but perhaps too uni-dimensional. It's clear that they were there to serve a purpose and that's what they did. Sebastian was my favorite, LOL :)

Overall, the plot is quite simple, but in a good way. Harry is asked to spy on the Russian prince to figure out whether or not he is a Napoleon supporter. At the same time, he is asked to keep an eye on Olivia, because if she was to fall for a Napoleon supporter, it would be embarrassing to the English aristocracy. Harry and Olivia had lots of scenes together and it was fun and cute. Their interactions with the other characters were funny as well. The best scene was probably when Sebastian was reading a passage of Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron LOL :) then, when he dislocated his shoulder and it was re-set and he screamed like a girl LOL :P One of the thing I liked as well is that there was no big misunderstanding... I was glad that at the end, when it is revealed that the reason Harry first called on her was because of duty, she didn't get angry. She understood and didn't hold it against him.

My only complaint about this book is while it was fun and enjoyable, it was also a little bit bland ^_^; I don't know, but the storyline was quite passive with little action. Oh, it was cute... but I don't know, I felt something was missing... that it could have been more interesting (without putting a murder or mystery to solve). Also, I felt like there were a few loose ends: what about Harry and Edward's relationship? What about Harry's parents - I'm assuming they're dead...

My Grade: I'm really hesitating between a B and a B+, but I think I'm going to go with a B. What Happens in London was definitively fun and enjoyable... but it was also a bit too light and fluffy. It's good, but I personally don't think it's Ms Quinn's best book.

Review: Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen

Friday, July 10, 2009

Where is everyone?!? I know some are busy preparing for the RWA, but still... very, very quiet on blogland for the past few days... perhaps everyone is getting ready for their vacation?

Lately, I found myself being addicted to Bejeweled again on Facebook. I really don't know why, but I like it. I like that it's so short, one minute. It brings back memories too, since I used to play so much when I was in college. My only complaint is that the scores keep being erased after a week. So annoying!! I think it should be kept somewhere: all-time best score. Ah well. Only problem is that I'm really addicted to it ^_^; Spends way too much time playing... just ask Ames ^_^; It's cutting in my reading and blogging time, so I must stop... or at least reduced... on the hand, it's free LOL :P

*Okay, I just wasted 20 minutes again, playing... See what I mean?!?

I probably should get on with the review if I wished to have it done before tomorrow ^_^;


Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen
published by HQN Books in July 2009

He Could Be Her Fantasy Man
Tall, dark and intense, Detective Jason de Sanges excites all kinds of fantasies in Poppy Calloway. But when she discovers the hot cop has a cold heart for kids at-risk, all bets are off. Free-spirited Poppy suggests the three teens caught spray-painting a Seattle neighborhood be given art-related community service. By-the-book Jason thinks they should pay, not be rewarded!

If He’d Just Bend A Little

With the men in his family always in the slammer, Jase was raised in foster care. He knows what it takes to walk the line: following the rules. And his number one self-imposed rule? Avoiding his hunger for sexy, irresistible Poppy, who challenges him on everything. Especially that number one rule...

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: The Sisterhood Diaries trilogy, Book #2

The Story: Ava, Jane and Poppy are three childhood best friends who inherited an old mansion from their older lady friend. The previous year, they had to deal with a robbery and in the process, met Detective Jason de Sanges... Let just say their meeting didn't go too well, since de Sanges was given the case when Ava pulled some strings with the mayor and captain to get the best detective on the case. Still, it didn't stop the sparks flying between de Sanges and Poppy - especially since Jase looks exactly like Poppy's teenage fantasy, the Sheik :P
Poppy and Jason meet again in Bending the Rules when they are both present at the Merchant' Association meeting which has been called to decide the fate of 3 teenagers who were caught tagging the buildings and businesses in the neighborhood. Poppy suggests that the teenagers clean off their tags and paint a murale over it under her supervision as a way to teach them responsibilities and consequences as well as giving back to the community. Jason is dead set against it because he considers it reward to the teens, not punishment... and he knows that you need a strong grip to handle teens in order for them not to walk the wrong path.

In the end, Poppy gets what she wants, working with the three teens... with Jase. Heat and attraction flare, Poppy and Jase get to know each other. However, everything gets more complicated when one of the teens witnesses a robbery related to Jase's case... and the thief wants to eliminate the witness...

My Opinion: I like Susan Andersen books. Not all of them, but most of them and I'm glad to report that Bending the Rules was fun and enjoyable :) It wasn't a wowzer, but it was fun and I think better than the first installment in this series, Cutting Loose.

I have to admit that I didn't remember Poppy and Jason very well ^_^; When I started reading, I was actually wondering which one Poppy was - the rich girl (Ava) or the other (Poppy)... and I had a vague memory of Jason. However, once I could place them back, I had no problem enjoying the rest of the story :)

I like Poppy and Jason's characters. Basically, we're back to one of my favorite theme where Poppy is the happy-go-lucky heroine and Jason, the stuffy shirt. Poppy is an artist, designs greeting cards, draws boards (the ones that announce menus and specials) and teaches to unpriviledged kids. She's used to struggling and has only recently stopped struggling for money when she sold her greeting card design to Shoebox. I liked her character because she's a happy woman. She sees the good side of everything, willing to give people second chances. She has a heart of gold, but she's not someone one can use, take advantage of - she has a strong backbone. I liked the discipline she exhibited with the teenagers :) As for Jason, he's a little bit stuffy. Not rich/aloof stuffy, but more like he has a lot of self-control and discipline. This is mainly due to the fact that all the men of his family has been small-time criminals and law offenders and he's determined not to walk in their footsteps... As a result, I think it made Jason a little rigid in his convictions, but still, he's a good and yummy man :P

Poppy and Jason's relationship was an interesting one. It wasn't one where Poppy thawed out Jason... it was more like tug of war :) Both start out not really liking each other, but sparks and heat win out. I liked that they cleared out most of their misunderstandings and got to know each other before they fell into bed together. I liked their arguments and how one drove the other crazy :) In any case, I quite enjoyed the tug of war :)

The whole book was quite interesting. I enjoyed the Poppy's interactions with the teenagers. I also liked that the three teens that Poppy had to supervise were so different from each other - coming from different backgrounds. Ms Andersen did a good job not emphasizing too much on them. The added storyline of one of Poppy's protege was interesting... a bit superfluous perhaps, but it showed how much Poppy cared and how involved she is. One of my favorite elements in this book though was Jane, Ava and Poppy's interactions together. It's always fun to see best friends interact with each other - the memories, the past they share and how loyal they are. I really felt the connection between these 3 grown women.

Overall, I think that the book was well balanced and enjoyable. I especially liked Poppy and Jason and I think they stole the show as it should be. Readers are given a little bit of insight on Ava and probably her hero... very light sequel-baiting that works :) Can't wait to read her story :) If you're looking for something fun and quick, this might be it :)

My Grade: B

Review: Black Hills by Nora Roberts

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Review, review, review! I need to start reviewing again!! I have a few buddy reviews for Breezing Through that are waiting to be put together (sorry Jill, sorry Ames!!) and I swear, I'll get to them very soon... Ugh, I just don't know where my review muse went ^_^; At least, I'm still blogging...

All right, to start the ball rolling again, I've decided to review Black Hills by Nora Roberts. Surprisingly, I haven't seen that many reviews for this book and it's officially coming out today...


Black Hills by Nora Roberts
published by Putnam in July 2009

A summer at his grandparents' South Dakota ranch is not eleven-year-old Cooper Sullivan's idea of a good time. But things are a bit more bearable now that he's discovered the neighbor girl, Lil Chance, and her homemade batting cage. Even horseback riding isn't as awful as Coop thought it would be. Each year, with Coop's annual summer visit, their friendship deepens from innocent games to stolen kisses, but there is one shared experience that will forever haunt them: the terrifying discovery of a hiker's body.

As the seasons change and the years roll, Lil stays steadfast to her dreams of becoming a wildlife biologist and protecting her family land, while Coop struggles with his father's demand that he attend law school and join the family firm. Twelve years after they last walked together hand in hand, fate has brought them back to the Black Hills when the people and things they hold most dear need them most.
An investigator in New York, Coop recently left his fastpaced life to care for his aging grandparents and the ranch he has come to call home. Though the memory of his touch still haunts her, Lil has let nothing stop her dream of opening the Chance Wildlife Refuge, but something... or someone... has been keeping a close watch. When small pranks and acts of destruction escalate into the heartless killing of Lil's beloved cougar, recollections of an unsolved murder in these very hills have Coop springing to action to keep Lil safe.

Lil and Coop both know the natural dangers that lurk in the wild landscape of the Black Hills. But now they must work together to unearth a killer of twisted and unnatural instincts who has singled them out as prey.

Genre: contemporary, romantic suspense
Series: --

The Story: We are introduced to a young, sully Cooper Sullivan who has been sent to his maternal grandparents (with whom he had very limited contact) while his parents are having a second honeymoon, trying to salvage their marriage. Cooper is not happy to be away from civilization as he knows it. However, things change once he start realizing how much his grandparents love him, when he meets Lil and her family - a loving, tight-knitted family - and once he gets on a horse. Cooper develops a strong and deep friendship with Lil, coming back as much as possible... Friendship becomes more and eventually, Cooper and Lil become a couple. Trying to handle their long-distance relationship, both have to deal with a new life: Coop who has decided to go to the police academy and whose funds have been cut off due to his father's unhappiness with the career choice, and Lil who has started college and is determined to create a safe haven for wild creatures back at home. Unfortunately, their relationship is not able to withstand the many trials and each goes their different ways.

Years later, Cooper is back in Black Hills to take over his grandparents' business. Lil is wary because she's still in love with him, which has ruined her for other men, and is unable to forget that Cooper has broken her heart. Her plan is to busy herself with the refuge, avoid Coop when possible and otherwise, be civil. However, things don't go according to plan when a serial killer has decided to target the Chance Wildlife Refuge and Lil. Coop is determined to protect Lil whether she wants his protection or not and win her back, whether she wants to or not.

My Opinion: To be honest, as usual, I've been impatiently waiting for the new Nora Roberts release. Seriously, I think she is a great author. I got Black Hills and basically inhaled it. It was quite a quick read. What did I think of it? Was it up to my expectations? Hmmm.

Once again, Ms Roberts delivers a strong and solid read, unfortunately, I didn't feel like it was a wowzer. I thought it was better than last year's stand-alone, Tribute, yeah, but something was missing. The chemistry between Cooper and Lil was there, but their relationship was a little bit awkward. I feel that the relationship was a little bit rushed, that their scenes together were too short and the ending, their HEA ending, too abrupt.

But let's take it from the top... I liked Cooper and Lil, although I liked Cooper better. They were both strong characters, determined and proud, perhaps too proud. I felt that the older Cooper was a little bit more taciturn and I think it reflects the impact of being a cop on his life. The fact that he came back to Black Hills to take over his grandparents' business, it proves how much of a good man he is. Did he take some bad decisions in the past? Sure, but those decisions were consistent with his personality and more importantly, they were consistent with the fact that he was a young man. As for Lil, hmmm. She is the type of person who has objectives and goals in life and she will thrive on the challenge and do her best to attain them. She's a bit of an idealist and kind of the perfect person. The fact that she hold grudges made her more human, but at the same time, I found her a little bit too stubborn for my tastes. I know that Coop broke her heart when she was 18 years old, but personally, I thought she would have moved on by now. Did Coop handle the situation very well 12 years ago? Absolutely not. At the same time though, I agree with everyone else, that Coop did the right thing... that Lil and Coop were too young and that their relationship would have changed both of them. They had to become adults and unfortunately, they couldn't do it together... I'm surprised that Lil couldn't get it... I guess that makes her human, her inability to see it and her anger that decisions were taken for her. Anyway, let just say I sympathized more with Coop than with Lil. Quite frankly, overall, when you look back, Cooper had it more difficult. I have to say though, despite everything, I love their scenes together, their interactions. It was great, Ms Roberts is really able to convey how well the characters know about each other because of their shared past and relationship. LOL, I have to say, I loved it how Cooper got his way with Lil, with a minimum of fuss and words :P

I love Lil's parents, Cooper's grandparents and all the other secondary characters. Although they are secondary characters, they are amazingly well developed and fleshed out. They aren't just wallpaper, they are involved in the storyline and that is great. The little romance between Farley and Tansy was cute, without overshadowing Cooper and Lil, but at the same time, I don't know... in the grand scheme, it did seem a little bit superfluous. I would have preferred it to focus a little bit more on Cooper and Lil.

One of the aspects I greatly appreciated in Black Hills was the world which Ms Roberts introduced to us. Not the Black Hills, but the world of a refuge where people like Lil has to get grants and donations to keep things running. Where a vetenarian is needed to take care of animals as well as PR person to advertise and a geek wizard and etc. The world was very interesting and detailed. I really felt Ms Roberts did her research well and she was able to share that aspect with the readers. Having Lil write articles for academic papers, running the refuge, having to come up with different ideas for donations. The fact that she has to spin stories, milk whatever to make people attracted... It does sound mercenary, but the goal makes it worthy... and it's very realistic as well. Kudos to Ms Roberts, she did this very well.

The weakest part of the book? I would say the intrigue, the mystery. I thought that Cooper discovered the identity of the murderer way too easily. His motive, the way he thought, his next action... they figured it out again, too fast. It would have been better in my opinion if it would have been more suspenseful. Also, the motive to me was weak and delusional. Why would he suddenly target Lil and her refuge? I just didn't buy the explanation :(

Again, Ms Roberts is very consistent and delivers another read. However, knowing the scope of Ms Roberts' talents, I thought it wasn't enough. It seems there is a pattern to her releases: she'll come out with a wowzer and then, some solid but a little dull books... and then, when you're almost ready to give up, she proves you wrong and wows you again. That happened to me with the In Death series, almost gave it up after Survivor In Death, but she came back strong with Memory in Death. Then, with the trilogies as well... From her Key trilogies, I have been feeling meh... but she has started the Bride Quartet... with her stand-alones, same story again... After Chesapeake Blue, she came out with Birthright, Northern Lights and Blue Smoke... and I thought they were meh... but then, she wowed me with Angels Fall. Since this is her MO, I'm going to stick around for the next few releases :P

My Grade: B. The best word to describe Black Hills? Solid.

Annual BBQ: 8th edition (yes, again)

If you've been wondering why I've been so quiet on blogland since last week... well I only have 3 letters for you:

B. B. Q.

Yes, it's that time of the year, my annual B.B.Q. with friends. See here for previous years' editions... So I thought this year was our 9th edition, but turns out I'm mistaken (as my sister gleefully pointed out :P). I'm one year ahead and this is truly only our 8th edition. Still, not bad, not bad for a bunch of kids that met during college :D

For me, the BBQ started last Friday with grocery shopping. Luckily for me, one of my friends was free so she helped me out. Only problem is that this year, we were going to be less... like only 6 ^_^; I had the grocery list from last year that I smartly put up on my blog... but that list was for 10. See the difference? Every year we do a BBQ and every year (okay, so I missed last year) I do the grocery shopping... and it's always the same thing: "How much should I buy? What did we do last year?... OMG, I don't remember!!" My motto?

More is better than not enough!

So I buy accordingly to it and it works... I always have more ^_^; Let just say, sometimes, too much more. All I know is that each year, I need to buy chicken wings, fish meat balls, corn and watermelon. That is the constant... that is what people love to eat... The rest, well I have to figure out...

After 5 different grocery stores/market, here is my BBQ grocery list for 6 persons + 2 little sisters:

- 24 chicken wings
- 1 pack of chicken thighs, no bones
- 3kg of fish meat balls
- 1 dozen of corn on cob
- 10 sausages (5 italian/5 honey and garlic)
- pasta salad (pesto and cherry tomatoes)
- 1 big bag of carrots, 1 cucumber, 1 cauliflower, cherry tomatoes and 2 red peppers
- 500g of spinach dip
- 1 bag of tostitos, 1 bag of regular chips, 1 bag of sweet chili chips
- guacamole
- salsa
- watermelon
- 2L of coca cola, 2L of fresca lemonade, 2L of regular lemonade
- hot dog sausages + buns

**Note to Nath: Buy more chicken wings, less fish meat balls (although this year, it balanced out). Maybe more corn too and less hot dogs.

Funny story about the fish meat balls... We went on Friday evening to buy them at the Chinese grocery store; however, they were sold out. Seriously?!?! I kind of panic at that moment, because a BBQ with fish meat balls? Not going to work ^_^; So I decided I'd buy some on Sunday morning - I'd go early... anyway, I was heading in that direction since I had to pick up my friend who helped me with grocery shopping (see, I might do the grocery shopping and marinate the meat... Only problem is that there's never enough space in my fridge to put all the stuff!!! so I had to borrow her fridge... and unfortunately, her car was down). So I got to the grocery store at 10.15am on Sunday (they open at 10am)... went to the meat section and the butchers were preparing the stands. They sell different kind of meat balls: fish (not fried yet), shrimp, beef, etc. The butcher was opening the bags and putting them in container for display. I asked for the fried fish meat balls... and turns out that he hadn't open that bag yet, so he looked at me and showed the bag. I asked for half the bag... and he asked, why don't you take it all? Hmmm... I really wanted only half the bag, but I didn't know how to say NO. Yes, I know, I'm a real pushover ^_^; So I ended up with 3kg of fried fish meat balls... If you're wondering, yes it is a lot!! and it's freaking expensive too!! 1kg of fish meat balls is 13.99$ ^_^; Ah well.

Saturday, I spent the day cleaning my room. With all the books I've bought recently, let say that it's a bit dangerous to walk in my room ^_^; Books everywhere... which quite frankly, that's the way I like it LOL :) What I don't like is the dust ^_^; and my room, I have no idea why, gets dusty really fast... and then, well let say my room's been a mess ever since I came back from Kristie's. So it really needed a deep cleaning. Took me the whole day on Saturday to put books and stuff away!! I had to wake up really early on Sunday to vacuum ^_^;

Then, on Sunday, it was finally BBQ day :) We got really lucky because the weather was gorgeous!! Sunny with some clouds, not too hot and not too humid... and it didn't rain!! Yay!! After picking up my friend and her little sister and stopping at the market to buy corn, I got home at 11.15am... BBQ was supposed to start at 11am, but then, as usual, everyone was late. We started putting the stuff out (table, chairs on the patio, putting the food out, cut the vegetables for the dip) and preparing some food (pasta salad, guacamole, boiling the sausages...). Then at 12.30pm, we started the BBQ... since it's charcoal, it means it'll take about 20-30 minutes for it to be ready (and that's because we now have a cool techniques... The first few years? It took us an hour or more!!). So at 1pm, everyone was there and we were officially ready to start :D

It was fun, we all sat around the BBQ, chatted and ate. After eating, we lounged around, went to laze on the grass. Just a very, very relaxing day. We also played a little on the Wii. Then, we started the BBQ again for the second round of eating :)

The BBQ actually ended quite early this year. By 8pm, I poured water onto the charcoal... What I love about my friends (besides the fact that they're all awesome people, etc.) is that they always help me out with the cleaning at the end :) They do the dishes, sweep the floor, put away things, etc. I've seen my sister hosting events at our house... and she always ends up doing the dishes while the others are having so much fun... and at the end, it's a mess. However, my friends always help out, especially since most events are hosted at my house. Anyway, by 10pm, everyone was gone.

Kind of sad that the BBQ ended so early this year... but at the same time, I was glad, because I was really tired and my feet hurt sooo much!! It was painful to be standing up ^_^; I was also really, really tired. To tell the truth, this year, I was feeling like doing the BBQ... I don't know why... I guess it's because everyone is so busy with work and we're at a stage where we're kind of all going into different directions. I have a friend who just started a new job and it's a very good job... Another one just bought a condo and will be moving out later this year. Another is planning a second trip this year... So yeah, things are changing and I feel that it is changing our friendship... and I don't like changes. Still, I'm glad we had a BBQ and it was fun :D I'm actually planning to perhaps do a second one later this summer... but we'll see :)

Anyway, here are some more pictures. Enjoy! :D

**For those who are curious: I'm the one who wears a purple shirt in the first picture. In the second pic, the one with the orange shirt, that's my sister. The guy in the third picture is my friend/co-worker :) His girlfriend is the one who is sitting next to me in the first picture.

Monthly Reads - June 2009

Thursday, July 02, 2009

So as many blogs have mentioned it, we've reached the half-year mark yesterday. Wow, 6 months gone already. Unbelievable. One morning, you wake up and it hits you in the face. Those releases that were for July and seemed oh so far away... they're coming out in a few days, LOL.

Yesterday was Canada's Day, so I had a day off. Instead of writing this post and cleaning my room, I read, slept and watched a little bit of tennis ^_^; I'm so lazy lately... and I definitively need to get started on cleaning my room since I'm hosting the annual BBQ this Sunday. Big question is: Where am I going to put all the new books?!?! LOL :P

June was so-so reading-wise. I didn't read as much as I'd like and it shows, since this is my worst month so far in the year. Seriously, looking at the first 3 weeks of the month, I didn't think I would make it past 10 books this month ^_^; However, as usual, I was lucky and able to salvage the month LOL :)

Here is my list for June:

1) Freudian Slip by Erica Orloff: D

Ugh, I bought this one mainly because it was a Mira release and I usually like them. The blurb didn't sound bad either. As you can see by the grade, well it didn't really work out for me ^_^; The story was a little boring and I've seen better with the premises (human + spirit). The most difficult to accept though was the hero - a cocky radio D.J. that did drugs and had lesbian porn stars doing it in the station and broadcasting it. I mean, seriously, how can you sympathize with someone like that? It's not a likeable character ^_^;


2) Legends Lake by JoAnn Ross: C

Okay story and okay characters. It would have been fun if the story had kept focusing on the training of the horse, but as soon as they discovered the problem, the book started focusing on the relationships. I enjoyed this one, but it's not really memorable... and there was a lot of plugs about previous books in the series.


3) When The Duke Returns by Eloisa James: B

Read this one because I was going to send it to Ames. Haven't read the previous books in the series. I thought it was pretty good, the premises pretty interesting and original. I liked the characters and the story, which I have to say, surprised me :) The conflict at the end though was a bit forced in my opinion.


4) Marriage by Design by Lynn Michaels: B


5) My Wicked Enemy by Carolyn Jewel: B+

Interesting setting and plot. I really liked the writing style as well. I thought this did push the limits a little of "regular" romances, even for a paranormal. Definitively going to read more of this series... I just wish that not all the witches are able to undo the binding between mage and fiend.... By the way, what is a fiend? Just another way to say demon?


6) My False Heart by Liz Carlyle: B-

Got this one from Kristie... I have a few of Ms Carlyle's books at home, but never got around to read them. As a first novel, this was quite good and I did enjoy it a lot. I liked the characters, but didn't quite understand that Elliot could undergo such a big change. At the same time, I liked that he didn't apologize for it. However, I did feel like the author was trying a little too hard


7) How To Score by Robin Wells: B+

Review coming up at Breezing Through


8) Guilty Little Secrets by Connie Lane: C-

Hmmm, I think I just wasn't in the mood whe I read this book... The premises sounded cute: an ATF agent undercover as a dancer, a FBI agent undercover as a stripper working on the same case without knowing about each other... in Vegas. I don't know, I didn't like the heroine too much and at the end, when they found out each other real identity... well of course, there would be a territorial fight for who's in charge. Oh, let's not forget all the half-sentences they eavedropped that made believed that the other was a criminal. I don't know, it could have been lots of fun, but it ended up falling flat for me.


9) Last Gasp by Carla Cassidy: B

There was a time, I confused Carla Cassidy and Karen Rose, (because of a cover) but not anymore... The only thing these two authors have in common is that they both write romantic suspense :) Last Gasp was pretty good, even better than the last two I read by this author, Broken Pieces and Every Move You Make. I really liked Allison, the heroine. Her strength and how she was able to move on with the tragedy in her life. I liked the fact that she evaded some things and she's not afraid to admit it. However, the character I liked the most was Seth. I liked the fact that he wasn't pushy, he gave Allison her space and didn't force information out of her... some would have.


10) Straight from the Hip by Susan Mallery: C+

After reading the first book in the series, Under Her Skin, this is the one I've been looking forward to. I liked Isabella's character, she was outgoing, imperilous, she was strong and had such a personality. I was looking forward to see how she would handle being blind. Sigh, she didn't handle it really well. I mean, with her strength and joie de vivre, I would have thought she'd do her best... but instead, she wallowed in self-pity :( Nick was an interesting character, but I felt we didn't get enough of him. He wasn't developed enough, we only saw one side of him... and I felt like his issues in the end weren't resolved. Glad that he was friend with Garrett.

Ah well, still looking for the last book in the series, because like I predicted, it's Dana and Garrett. That should be interesting :P


11) Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen: B

Review coming up. I can tell though, this was better than Cutting Loose :)


12) Black Hills by Nora Roberts: B

Review coming up.


13) Don't Tell by Karen Rose: B+


14) Instant Gratification by Jill Shalvis: C+

Hmmmm, I really liked Stone's character. I liked his attitude, how he cares for others and make everyone get along with each other. Tries to solve all the problems, to do it all. At the same time though, I liked that he was laid-back. What didn't work for me was Emma. Their interaction was really fun, playful. LOL, the parts where they played doctor, LOL, and everytime Stone said she was mean :P So childish. However, as a heroine, I didn't like Emma. I thought she was selfish, even when she wasn't trying to be. She didn't want to commit to anyone: not her father and not Stone... even Spencer. I don't get why she came back in the end, well yes, I know, Stone... but I mean, she still didn't like Wishful and she was willing to leave her father. Ah well. I think that Ms Shalvis is just not for me. All the books I've tried have turned out to be meh and this one is no exception :(


So there you have it, June. All in all, an okay month. No wowzer, unfortunately :( One thing I do know though is that I need to get back into the review groove. Doing these mini-reviews, I don't feel really articulated ^_^; Ah well, hopefully, it'll come back :)

Now, I can't wait to see how July is going to turn out :) Branded by Fire has shown up in some of the bookstores... wish me luck! :D

Re-Read Challenge: June Winner :)

Okie dokie, this post is going to be short and sweet :)

13 persons have completed the challenge this month. Or at least, 13 whom I know about :) That's pretty good in my opinion, given that we're halfway through the year and RL seems to be a big factor once the sun starts to shine really hard :) As usual, it's quite varied this month and no author or book stand out.

LOL, I said short, so I'll cut the chase :) The winner this month is

TRACY!!!

Congrats Tracy! :) You have my email address, so just let me know from which bookstore you want your 10$ gift certificate from :)

Re-Read Challenge: June!

**This is a sticky post, please scroll down for new entries!!

Yes, another month is almost over. I just can't get over how time goes by so fast!!! We're reached the half-year mark!! With a lot of new releases coming out in the next few months :) Will that affect the re-read challenge? I hope not, but it would be totally understandable... especially if real life get in the way as well :)

I hope as usual that you've enjoyed your re-read. I can't wait to see what people have been reading :) I was planning on a Jennifer Crusie... but then, plans - at least, reading plans - rarely work out for me :)

Feel free to post your review up anytime you want :) For the 10$ gift certificate draw, don't forget to post a comment with the link of your review!! Deadline is going to be July 2nd (Thursday), at noon - Eastern time :)

Enjoy!

Ames: Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
Amy C: The Invisible Ring by Anne Bishop
Kristie: Ride the Fire by Pamela Clare
Tracy: Simon Says by Lori Foster
Isabel: Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
Renee: Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs
Nath: Don't Tell by Karen Rose
Jill: Trust Me by Jayne Ann Krentz
Anna Richard: The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
Kris: World of Celta series by Robin D. Owens
Lori: England's Perfect Hero by Suzanne Enoch
Leslie: Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
Taja: Blame it on Chocolate by Jennifer Greene
Jenn: Long Hard Ride by Lorelai James

Book Porn

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Last Friday, I went to buy more books. Yes, more books... but then, as many have told me - UBS shopping doesn't count and 26 books is okay to celebrate my 3rd blogniversary :D So all is good :)

So as Jill so nicely requested, here is some book porn - pictures of my new goodies :D I love this particular UBS because it's selection is quite wide, being in the English part of Montreal... and they've been having this Buy 3, get the 4th free sale forever :P Anyway, enjoy the pics :D

So yep, 26 books. It was supposed to be 24, but when I walked out the bookstore, there was a table with some books on it (duh, LOL). The sign said: "Become a serial reader" and there were series together... Innocent Mage and Awakened Mage caught my eyes - I've been looking for some fantasy reads, so I picked them up and went back to the cashier.

I really got lucky this time at the bookstore... Let see, hmmm, I found a couple of very "new/recent" releases such as the new Eloisa James, This Duchess of Mine, and Dirty, Sexy Knitting by Christie Ridgway. Those are two books I wasn't sure if I wanted, mainly because I felt meh about the prior books, but since I'm not paying full price, why not? :P Daring Time by Beth Kery for 10$, Tempted and Broken by Megan Hart - each for 5$ were some good deals. Especially the Megan Hart, since I've been debating forever whether to get them or not. I know many bloggers that love Ms Hart: Rosie and Isabel come to mind. I'm just not sure if she is my style... but again, for 5$? Why not? I mean, getting those 2 were cheaper than ordering one online.

One of my greatest find was When She's Bad by Leanne Banks, especially since I've just mentioned her the other day. I think I screamed a little when I found it LOL :) Found two Lynn Michaels - Mother of the Bride and Honeymoon Suite, two books I'm looking forward to read. I also found Golden Chance by Jayne Ann Krentz. I read this book earlier this year, but it was a library copy and I wanted one for my personal collection. Also found Lady's Choice, which I think Dear Author just happened to mention the other day. Also got Wildest Heart and Midnight Jewels by JAK... these are two full novels by her that I've never heard or come across, so I thought it was worth a try.

Among rare authors, I found two more books from Jane Goodger list - go me! LOL, I'm on a roll... Surprisingly, there were also two copies of When There is Hope. I also found two books by Kathleen Kane, which I promptly swept up :P

Seriously, I think I've been doing really well lately at UBS :) Since I had time, I went through all their Harlequin Desires, but unfortunately, did not find Amber By Night by Sharon Sala. Maybe next time :)

So what do you think? I did good, right? :P Spent almost 2 hours there , LOL :P

Re-Read: Don't Tell by Karen Rose

For this month's Re-Read Challenge, I chose Don't Tell by Karen Rose, mainly because Jill has recently read and reviewed this book... If I remember correctly, this was my first book Karen Rose. Seriously though, I was a bit fuzzy on the details - I remembered the main storyline, but details? Nope. Another reason why I picked it up is that the heroine in Ms Rose next release, I Can See You coming out in August, was a character in Don't Tell... so I thought it would refresh my memory and I'm glad I picked it up :)


Don't Tell by Karen Rose
published by Grand Central Publishing (Warner at the time) in July 2003

DON'T LOOK...

It was a desperate plan. But Mary Grace Winters knew the only way to save herself and her child from her abusive cop husband was to stage their own death. Now all that remains of their former life is at the bottom of a lake . . .

DON'T TRUST . . .

Armed with a new identity in a new town, she and her son have found refuge hundreds of miles away. As Caroline Stewart, she has almost forgotten the nightmare she left behind nine years ago. She is even taking a chance on love with Max Hunter, a man with wounds of his own. But her past is about to collide with the present when her husband uncovers her trail and threatens her hard-won peace. Step by step, he's closing in on her— and everything and everyone she loves.

DON'T TELL

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: stand alone, but loosely connected to Ms Rose other books

The Story: Okay, so this blurb summarizes the book very well, but I'll try to give you a little bit more details. The book opens with Mary Grace Winters being at the hospital with a broken back after falling down the stairs and her abusive cop husband warning her not to tell anyone that he pushed her if not, the next time, he would finish the job.

Fast-forward to the present, 9 years later, and we are introduced to Caroline Stewart and her son, Thomas. It took her two years, but Caroline was finally able to run away from her abusive husband with her son and as a result, Mary Grace and Robbie Winters no longer existed... just the way they want. Both are now content with their new life. Caroline has been working as a secretary in the history department of Carrington College while finishing her undergrad and soon, she'll be head to law school. Her friend and supervisor has passed away and Caroline is welcoming the new head of department, Maximillian Alexander Hunter.

Attraction flares between Caroline and Max. For the first time ever, Caroline's heart goes pitty-patty. However, Caroline is not the only one with a past... and Max is not about to forget his, especially since it resulted in a permanent limp and him walking with a cane.

What Caroline and Max don't know yet is that they might not have time to work through their issues, because Caroline and Thomas are in danger. Indeed, the car that Caroline has ditched into a lake 7 years ago to stage their disappearance has been found. This has re-opened the investigation... but worst, Rob - Mary Grace's husband - has realized he's been duped all those years and he is now on the hunt, determined to get his son back and finish what he's started years ago.

My Opinion: I love Karen Rose and it's not a secret. I read all of her books, have all of her backlist... From the first book, I recognized her talents and started to pay attention to her releases. However, the turning point was Count to Ten. That book was a wowzer and turned me into a die-hard fan of Ms Rose. Thing though is that I love Count to Ten so much that it seems to have wiped out my memory of all her other books :( So I'm really glad that I picked up Don't Tell.

It's quite amazing how consistently good Ms Rose is as a writer. I mean, reading Don't Tell, I would never have been able to tell that it was her first book. I find it as well written as Count To Ten and I'm pretty sure if I re-read all of the other books, it'd be the same as well. When authors released their first books, it's usually flawed - oh, the book can be good, but it's not perfect. It can be the characters, the storylines or the writing style... Then, they keep writing and you find their books improving as the authors find their footing. This is absolutely not the case with Don't Tell. First, it's incredibly well-balanced between the romance and the suspense. The characters are well developed and the plot is just exciting :D

Let's talk about the characters first... I really enjoyed Caroline and Max's characters as well as Tom. I liked the fact that they were strong, determined, but at the same time, flawed... and I'm not just talking about their baggage. Each have issues to deal with, secrets and fears... they felt very real to me and I felt for their characters. Ms Rose did a good job balancing their personalities and their issues, because despite everything, these characters went on with their life. They weren't going through the motion like robots, and that showed their strength.

I liked how Caroline and Max's romance developed. Yes, it was very fast, but at the same time, it worked. I thought they had a lot of chemistry... what I liked the most was Tom's presence in this relationship. It made the relationship even more real. Tom is Caroline's protector, not able to readily trust Max as his mother did, but at the same time, having to bow to Caroline's choice. I liked the fact that Tom was not charmed right away by Max and that Max and Tom's interactions throughout the book were difficult. Not difficult as in Tom was a sully, spoiled teenager... but more because Tom wanted to protect his mother and Max was an intruder. Under these circumstances, it's totally understandable why Tom has difficulty to trust men and as a result, I liked that Max wasn't able to charm him... not that Max tried very hard. I felt like Max knew that it would take time to built trust between him and Tom and it's not that he wasn't willing, simply he wasn't rushing it. He did rush Caroline though with his proposal :P

The actual plot was quite clever. When you think about it, the reason why there is such a balance between the romance and suspense is that although Caroline was involved in the suspense, she did not play an active role. She was not a cop, so not part of the investigation, and she was unaware that her husband was looking for her. As a result, she was able to focus on her relationship with Max. The suspense came from a different angle, from the villain point of view, Rob Winters, as well as the investigator, Special Agent Steven Thatcher, who was trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle. Seriously, this was a great idea and it was well executed. It was exciting and thrilling. What I love is that these characters, Thatcher, the villain, other characters involved in the investigation were well developed as well. I liked seeing slices of Steven's life - his interaction with his sons and aunt, etc.

Overall, a very enjoyable book. Pretty much liked everything about it. The timeline was short, but it worked. Like I said, the clever part was how the plot was executed, having the investigation and the romance as two separate threads. Good and solid characters... I have to say, it was great as well to get re-acquainted with some of the characters: I did not remember David at all!! I remember him in Count to Ten, but didn't remember that he had such a big role in Don't Tell! I didn't remember Evie Wilson's character either... and this is one other thing that I like about Ms Rose's books: no sequel-baiting. All of her books are stand-alone, but in truth, they are actually connected and it's done in a subtle way. She doesn't put all the eggs in the same basket either - what I mean is that she varies up the setting and the characters. When she writes a book, she puts only the relevant information on secondary characters... she doesn't give a glimpse of their history or what's to come in the future... She doesn't seem to have an order to follow and all this works to her advantage. I really like it that way.

My Grade: Don't Tell gets a B+. It was a great re-read and in some ways, very new to me :) If you're looking for good romantic suspense, she is the author to go to :) However, a warning - this is not for the faint heart... the dead count is quite high and it can be descriptive/gory a little.

Confessions of a Book Slut

Friday, June 26, 2009

I'm stealing Tracy's post title... but I thought it was appropriate...

Remember the 58 books I brought home from my trip to Toronto?

Did I tell you that I bought 10 books this week?

Guess what I did this evening? Guess who brought home 26 books from the UBS and 6 shiny new books from Chapters?

Yeah, me ^_^;

Will I be excused if I say I'm celebrating my 3rd blogversary?

Books and Blogs

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Ugh, I'm soooo out of the loop T_T

I've been writing this post for a few days already!!! I keep starting it and then, I end up doing something else ^_^; Sigh, things have just been... not hectic, but how to say... out of order. My routine is all messed up by lack of sleep, watching Bones and stuff. I hate it when my routine is disrupted, grrr. If at least, it was because I was reading... sigh.

Let see if we can get it done today...


So last week, I posted pictures of the trip and more specifically, of the books I got LOL :) I'm pretty happy with what I got, especially with my UBS finds. I love going to new UBS. Personally, I think there is more chance for you to find treasures in UBS that you've never been to or that you don't frequently go to. The logic behind it is once you've visited a UBS, you need to wait till someone brings something new/interesting. That's okay if you're looking for newest releases, but old ones - well you need to wait till someone does a purge and that's rare. When you go to a new UBS, then you don't know what they have and that makes it exciting and more likely that you find treasures :)

Let see... I mentioned two of my finds in a previous post: Calder's Rose by Kate Angell and Deadline by Metsy Hingle. I've been looking for Kate Angell's backlist for a while and the only one still missing was Calder's Rose. So I'm really glad I found it :)

Other good finds were the Suzann Ledbetter's books. It's a series and the first 4 books are based on the directions: West, East, South and North. I had South in my TBR pile and was considering giving it away, just because I couldn't find the other 3 books and make sense of it. Now I have them :D

The Jane Goodger were also good finds! I really enjoyed When There is Hope and her most recent book, Marry Christmas. I really wanted to read more of her, but most of her backlist is out of print... so to find 3 books?!? Major score!! It was actually funny. I found one at the first UBS near Kristie's place... and then, at the second UBS, the books were shelved by genres... I was in the contemporary section and I reminded myself to look up for Jane Goodger's books. Then, when I was in the historical section, I was like: "Kristie!! Who am I supposed to look up for in the historical section!!" LOL :P

I was glad to find Years by Lavyrle Spencer because I remembered Jill liked it :) Stardust of Yesterday by Lynn Kurland was a good find also, especially since I've recently read Till There Was You and the characters of Stardust of Yesterday are mentioned in that book... Before my trip to Toronto, I've decided to finally cave and give a try to Suzanne Enoch's new historical series. I blame Rowena for that! LOL :) She kept saying in her reviews how she loved them... I almost bought them at the bookstore, but then, decided to be a good girl and wait till I hit the UBS... because perhaps, just perhaps I would find them... and I did!! During my trip, I discovered Carolyn Jewel and Rosie kept praising the author... I was actually looking for The Spare which Rosie has recently reviewed... but found Lord Ruin instead. Oh well, beggers can't be choosers, right? So Lord Ruin it is :) One of the books I was on the look-out for was Night in Eden by Candice Proctor because my dear host, Kristie, had just made an author spotlight and said that was her favorite.

Oh and one of the best find was... Down by the River by Robyn Carr. See, two years ago when we had our first Canadian Blogger Meet, Down by the River is one of the book I was looking for... In all the bookstores we went to, I would look for that book... and I didn't find it. And sure, the whole trilogy was re-printed back in October 2008... but to find an original copy! Yeah, I wasn't going to pass over that book! and it just brought memories... so I bought it :)

LOL, do you see how blogland has influenced me? :P See, most of my purchases were all justified!! I have to say, there's only one or two books I actually picked up because of the cover and blurb... Otherwise, most of them were all books that I've heard through blogland, authors that I've read and enjoyed and wanted to read more... or recommendations from Kristie (Jill Marie Landis, Lucky's Lady by Tami Hoag, etc.) :D And of course, there are the books I got from Kristie and Cindy or the books I bought new :) Lots of good stuff among them as well :) I mean, Yay for duplicate!! That's how I got Connor's Way by Laura Lee Guhrke from Kristie... Again, this book is really hard to find and is Kristie's favorite by Ms Guhrke, so I wanted to give it a try. I was going to borrow it only, but Kristie had a duplicate... so Yay!! :) I also bought another copy of The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner... I was looking for the mass market copy so it would fit with my copies of The Thief and The Queen of Attolia... but the hardcover was on sale... 2$!!! Forget the mass market copy then!

So how is it that after coming back home with 58 books... I want to buy more? My TBB list has actually grown, especially jotting down the books I have to be on the look-out next time I go to a UBS... The Lynn Michaels, When She's Bad by Leanne Banks, Kathleen Kane - a new author I've discovered through Cindy, etc. The list is just growing... Then add in the specials that the bookstores are having: Buy 3, get the 4th free, 5$ off on a purchase over 35$, 20% off a book on a purchase over 35$... I mean, these are just too tempting!! Want to hear some of my recent adventures? On Monday, I went to two bookstores to buy Hot in Here by Sophie Renwick and couldn't find it... Two!! So what did I do? I went to another bookstore at 9am the next day LOL :) Bought 4 trade-size - Buy 3, get the 4th free, gotta love this special :P In the afternoon, I went to another bookstore and got my hand on the new Julia Quinn, Susan Mallery, Susan Andersen and Larger than Life by Kay Hooper. I almost went to the bookstore again today... but decided against it. The Buy 3, get the 4th free promotion is still going on... so I think I'll be doing a nice booking adventure this week-end... There's the bookstore that is on the opposite side of Montreal and it has a good UBS close-by. Do it around 10am on Sunday when there's no traffic and only Chapters is open :)

Am I crazy buying so many books?!? Tracy had a post yesterday about TBR pile. After reading her post... I started wondering, does it matter how many books there is in the pile? :P I mean, that hasn't stopped me from buying books in the past... As long as I have the room and the money, right?

Ouf, so I think I've talked enough about books :D Onto blogs now :) If you look on my sidebar, I've added a couple of new links :) I've decided to de-lurk... or is it un-lurk? In the past few months, I've seen a lot of names I wasn't familiar with... and they kept showing up in other blogs that I visited... Barbara from Happily Ever After, Leontine, VampFanGirl to name a few. It just seemed like a good time to open my horizon, start making new friends, update my sidebar :)

It's strange how I resisted branching out ^_^; Again, I don't know how this will reflect my personality... but for a while, I resisted because... I felt a sense of proprietary. You know how you have these friends and they are YOUR friends... you want them to only be yours... and when newcomers come and befriended them, you feel left out a little :( You feel like you're losing them... or that they like the newcomers more than you... I guess that deep down, even on the net, I feel a little bit unsecured ^_^; Anyway, the best way in that case is not to cling and close down, but to befriend the new ones and be part of the group... So there, I'm making the big step. I realized that many are not newcomers... that they've been blogging for a while, but I've just never visited their blogs routinely... I'd dropped by every couple of weeks or months. Well not anymore... Of course, that means my blog-hopping will take more time, but hey, that's okay :P

Okie dokie... that's it for tonight :) I'll try to have a review up for tomorrow :D Slowly getting back in my routine... Yay :P

Re-Read Challenge Reminder

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Sigh, I've been a lousy blogger lately ^_^; The thing is, I have stuff that I want to say and write about, but I just don't. Ugh.

Anyway, this is to remind everyone that you still have one week to read your re-read! :) End of the month is next Tuesday :) You can start posting your review from Monday to Wednesday :) How does that sound?

LOL, off to pick which book I should re-read :P

TBR Day: Marriage by Design by Lynn Michaels

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

So what do you want? The good news or the bad news first? The good news is I did read a book from my TBR pile... I actually read more than one book! Youppi! and this time, real TBR books, i.e. that I've purchased them a while ago and they've been languishing somewhere in my bedroom. The bad news? Well none of them fit the monthly theme. Ah well ^_^; One can only do so much, right? LOL.

It's been a while since my last review, so bear with me ^_^;

Marriage by Design by Lynn Michaels
published by Ballantine Books (Random House) in July 2006

There’s only so much taffeta and toile a girl can take.

Passionate, talented, and noticeably stunning, Mia Savard is the top designer at her father’s thriving bridal design company. But her life has hit a bit of a snag. Thirty, recently dumped, and suddenly single, Mia has grown weary of white lace and craves couture. But when Mia’s most spectacular creation is leaked to the competition, the silk hits the fan. Someone inside Savard Creations is trading with the enemy. In the world of fashion, that means war.

Enter private investigator Joe Kerr, the exceedingly handsome ex-cop hired to nab the clever mole. Stalking dangerous territory–where jittery brides, hysterical mothers, and deadline-challenged designers clash in clouds of gossamer and gossip–Joe is torn between suspecting Mia and seducing her. Amid the treachery, hijinks, and flirtations galore, it seems that for Mia, romance just might be tailor-made.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: none

The Story: It is pretty much as described in the blurb, so I won't go over it again :)

My Opinion: This was really an entertaining read and I enjoyed it very much :) It wasn't so much the story or the characters, but the style. I thought it was different from most contemporary romance on the market at the moment and found it refreshing. Marriage by Design is really a melange of chick-lit, contemporary romance with a dash of romantic suspense well done :)

The setting of the book is quite interesting. Basically, Mia is a designer in Savard Creations which specialized in bridal gown. The president of the company is her father, very prone to drama and with a volatile temper, and everyone in Mia's family except her mother work in Savard Creations in different positions. I enjoyed the family dynamics and antics - it was funny and made me laugh out loud a couple of times... and it wasn't too much. Sometimes, this type of families just high-jacked the storyline, but not in this case.

I liked Mia and Joe's characters. They felt real to me. Mia is 30 years old and the youngest sibling in her family. There are many over-powering characters in her family and I think that she's starting to fly. It was interesting to see her starting to stand up to her father... I don't want readers to think that she is weak, because she is not. However, I think that in the past, she agreed with her father or it was easier to follow his lead... However, now, Mia is really growing into her own woman and I have fun accompanying her. As for Joe, he's a great guy. He was engaged several years ago, but unfortunately, she died from cancer... leaving a 15 years old daughter behind whom Joe adopted. Seriously, how many man would have done so? He was also a cop, but a bad encounter with a gun made him decided to change his line of work and he now owns a successful detective office. Joe is a good guy with quiet strength. He isn't alpha or beta... LOL, perhaps I should describe him as omega? I enjoyed Mia and Joe's relationship and connection. I thought they had a lot of chemistry, although I would not have minded if the story focused on their relationship a little bit more. Although they didn't fall in bed on the first night, I do think their relationship develop a little too quickly.

There are some very interesting secondary characters; however, there were too many ^_^; Also, at times, I felt that there were some unnecessary scenes - especially the ones involving Joe's detective office. Few things could have been weeded out without affecting the storyline. Also, one of my biggest complaint is about the intrigue - who did it. I would have liked a little more justification/explanation about the motive. Who did it didn't really surprised me, but when that person said that Mia owned her. That didn't really make much sense to me. I thought that was a weakness.

Overall, I think Ms Michaels did a good job balancing the romance, the intrigue and the characters' story. It could have focused a little more on Joe and Mia, but still, it was a fun book :) I really did like Ms Michaels writing style and so, I'm going to try to get her backlist :) It seems that lately, I like what is different. I like the books to be a little more passive in the narration than having a bold voice with one event happening after one another. In the end, Marriage by Design is just a fun and relax book :)

My Grade: B

Wallpaper meme

Huh, it just down on me that last week, at the same time... I was on a train towards Kristie... Today? I'm stuck at work. Time really does fly!!! Unfortunately, it keeps flying in the wrong direction! ^_^;

Today is the TBR Day. Luckily, I have my book read at the beginning of the month, so all I have to do is write a review :) Only problem is I just have so many things to talk about!! and well, I'm trying to space it out, so I don't inundate everyone's Google Reader. So while I'm writing my review and mulling over what I want to say for tomorrow, enjoy an image of my wallpaper :)

Kristie has revived this old Wallpaper meme. I only have a desktop, so only one wallpaper... and nothing as hot as what Kristie has LOL :) By the way, I do not take responsibility for Kristie's laptop wallpaper. She said she wanted Nico Archambault (the winner of Canada's SYTYCD) as her wallpaper and while I was looking for something more sensible, she chose that pic :P

Anyway, my wallpaper is a from Eyeshield21 - a Japanese manga about American football which has just ended last week T_T While I would have preferred to have more characters from ES21 in the wallpaper, this one just grabbed me. It's sooo pretty - look at the colors! Ahhh, I so love manga wallpapers :D

Canadian Blogger Meet 2 pictures!!

Monday, June 15, 2009

All right, so here is what everyone has been waiting for... Pictures!!

Admittedly, I didn't take as many pictures as I should... and I realized that I don't have a picture of me with only Kristie :( However, I still have some and they'll be nice memories :)

So first, Kritie's books room... or, as I like to call it, every romance reader's dream room :) Kristie has posted pictures of her books room in the past, but here are some updated ones :) Also, as a bonus, here you get a little video :)

Gorgeous, isn't it? I like to compare it with a wine cellar, except for books :) It's even better than a wine cellar when you think about it, because it's more colorful. Check out the miniature boat models in the first pic!

Here is part of Kristie's TBR pile that I helped her re-organized...


It's just too bad that I forgot to take the final result! Kristie, maybe you can take a pic of it! :) Also, what was fun in Kristie's books room is to find the duplicates! :) It was like playing "Memory"... you know the game where you'd have cards and have to remember where the pairs are? Well here, you would spot a book and be like, "Hmmm, where have I seen you before?" and there were quite a few duplicates :) The funniest was when we went to the UBS and Kristie bought To Have and To Hold by Patricia Gaffney... When she showed me, I was like, "Kristie, I think I just saw it yesterday..." LOL, she still bought it, just to be on the safe side :)

So when I went on the trip, I had a few pictures request by Ames and Cindy. First was the books room, so that's done. Second was the kitchen and I did take some, but then, Kristie went and did a post about it... so I won't post them again. I really like her kitchen (especially the blue) and quite frankly, anything is better than what she had before :) Cindy and Kristie had a discussion when viewing the pictures and I have to say, I was completely lost LOL :) Finally, the last request was Kristie's new kitten, Cali the Calico Cat or as Kristie likes to call her, the Destructo-Cat :)

I'm not really a pet lover and I'm allergic to cats... but Cali was a very cute kitten. Very playful and energetic :) I tried taking a pic of the two cats playing together, but didn't work very well ^_^;

So for the official Canadian Blogger Meet #2, I don't really have pictures. Cindy and Lea have a few and Lea did a post here. Still, I was able to snap one or two or four :) These were taken when we got back to Cindy's place...

So here we are, at the end of a great and memorable day...

LOL, these are nice pictures... but they aren't the ones you want, right? What you really want... is to know which books we bought, right? :) Well here it is...

Doesn't Cindy look like an author in that pic? :) So those are the books that Cindy got at the UBS, Chapters and through the book exchange. Here is Kristie's haul in Ancaster. She did score a few books in the London UBS, but LOL, of course, she didn't bring them to Cindy's. Overall though, Kristie was a very good girl :) Since she's going to the RWA, she limited herself...

LOL, quite frankly, I was very impressed at everyone's restraint - especially Lea and Mary. Everywhere I went, I just kept piling the books. Ames says I don't have much restraint... and that's true ^_^; Thing is, many books I found in Ontario were rare books to me, real gems! So I couldn't pass right? In addition, I think not buying books the month just before the trip just added to the impulse/binging. All right, all right... here they are:

The books in the first pictures are the ones I bought in Chapters. The second pic are the ones I got from Kristie, the 3rd pic - from Cindy. The 4th and 5th pics are books I got from the UBS, the first one in London and the second one, in Burlington. In total, I brought back 58 books... LOL, total score!!

So yeah, imagine fitting all those books in the suitcase ^_^; It wasn't easy!! And the last picture has all the books in it :)

A very fruitful trip :)

And there you have it, all the pics...

Day 4 and 5

The trip is over, the vacation is over and now I'm sitting at work :( Time flies - especially great time!

So let me quickly recap Day 4 and 5.

Day 4 started off quite early, but it was very relax. I read a little, then sneaked down to the living room to use Kristie's laptop. Quickly blogged and blog-hopped. I saw Cindy's post and wondered which option it was going to be :P For those who are wondering, it was option 1 :) Cindy was in a really good mood and definitively ready to take on the world.

Bob was our designated driver and took us to Kelsey's, the restaurant where we were going to meet Lea and Mary. There was a little bit of traffic because it was Heritage Day in Ancaster, but not that bad. We were pulling in the parking lot when Kristie's cell phone started ringing and LOL, Kristie and I just dove into her purse. See, although Kristie's cellphone is functional, she has difficulties with it... and LOL, guessing that it was probably Lea calling, we didn't want to miss the phone call. Well we didn't... it was indeed Lea, telling us that she'd be there with Mary, her online date, in about 10 minutes. So Kristie, Cindy, Bob and I went into the restaurant and sat... waiting impatiently... and a little bit anxiously.

So we were all staring out the window, trying to be the first to catch a glimpse of Lea and Mary... and then, you have Bob pointing out and saying: "I bet that's them!" Kristie, Cindy and I looked at the 2 women he was pointing at... and we all had the same reaction... a mixture of "God no!" and "I don't think so... maybe?" Having no clue what Lea and Mary looked like, it was hard to tell... but the two ladies Bob pointed out looked, well, dried-out. Older ladies (probably in their 60's) with salt and pepper hair, severe expression on their face... and one of them had a Chapters bag... Then, they came into the restaurant and LOL, Cindy, Kristie and I were staring at them... they approached our table and we held back our breath... and they sat in the booth behind us. LOL, sigh of relief. Hey, I'm not saying that women in their 60s-70s cannot enjoy romance... however, they just looked so severe and stern. Not people I imagine would drive one to two hours away to meet strangers to discuss romance! So after these two ladies, 2 younger ones came in... but this time, one of them had a baby, so we figured quickly it wasn't them either... and then, Lea and Mary surprised us (they parked on the other side, so we didn't see them from our window). We saw two women looking around, unsure... so we decided to wave and yep, indeed, it was Lea and Mary!!

As it is usually with romance lovers, we quickly found things to discuss and there were no awkward moments. Time really went by quickly... and by the time we got out of the restaurant, it was around 2.30pm if I remember correctly. So the reason why Cindy chose Kelsey's as the meeting point was because there's a huge Chapters just behind! So guess what we did? Of course, we went and did a quick tour :) LOL, I felt like we hogged the romance section, standing in our little group and discussing this book and that book... and asking each other "Did you read this book?" "What did you think of this one" "Oh, I love this author!" LOL :) Nobody went out empty-handed :)

After Chapters, we decided to go to the UBS in Burlington. Only problem was that we were 6 (including Bob) and so we had to use two vehicles: Lea, Mary and Kristie and Bob, Cindy and me. So Lea would follow Bob... and LOL, we lost Lea in the parking lot!! LMAO!! Bob assumed that Lea knew where the gas station was, so he took a head-start... but Lea, Mary and Kristie were only getting the car. Cindy made Bob stopped, but we were already in a different section of the parking lot... So we could see that Lea went back to where Bob was parked and she circled, looking for us ^_^; So a quick phone call, more hand waving and we were all ready to go :) Cindy decided she would be driving instead of Bob :)

The ride to the UBS wasn't very long. We got to this small mall and went into it, all excited... and the UBS wasn't there anymore!! For a moment, I thought it was the UBS curse. See, last year, when Ames and I went to Holly's wedding - all the UBS we planned to go have closed down... so I was like: Here we go again... Only, this time, Cindy knew that the UBS was still open, because she had called them earlier in the week. So we stood in the mall and called 411... and turned out the UBS had moved just the month before to another mall... just in front of another Chapters! So we piled back into the cars and went to the UBS and we made it :)

The UBS was a good one :) And it was well classified because it had just opened! I found some very precious gems! Can't wait to show it to you (in the next post)!! LOL, one cute thing is that a little birdie came into the shop. He was tiny, but so cute!! Bob was a dear and picked the bird up and showed him the door. However, the birdie came back and Bob had to do it a second time :P (We figured he liked the shades)... As for the actual shopping, well... I don't know how these ladies went through all the books so fast, but they were all done before me!! I was half-way through the Contemporary section (still had the Historical one to go through!) and already, Lea, Kristie and Mary had paid. Huh LOL :) Of course, I'm the one who came out with the most books :) Then, we crossed the street to go to Chapters where I only bought 1 other book. Actually, at this point, I think only I and Cindy bought books... and Cindy was able to find a purple book bag, so she was all happy :)

After that, we all went back to Cindy's home. The day was gorgeous and hot, so as soon as we came back to Cindy's, she and I took a quick dip into the pool :) It was great! Then, we had a BBQ :) After eating, it was starting to get a little dark... so we went to Cindy's living room for the book exchange. In the meantime, I connected onto internet and Ames was online!! So she was able to meet Lea and Mary via webcam! Seriously, I love that little new toy... After the book exchange, dessert and some pictures, it was time for Lea and Mary to go :( The Canadian Bloggers Meet was ending :( Kristie, Cindy and I stayed up to talk a little bit more and then, we went to bed.

You can go to Kristie (and here), Cindy (and here) and Lea's respective blogs for other accounts of the blast we had! :)

Day 5 was another relaxing day. Again, I woke up early and did a quick tour on blogland. Then, we went to a shoe store - my sister wanted Converse shoes and I was able to buy them, so score! :) Then, we went for brunch. We made it back to Cindy's home and had about 2 hours before I had to go to the train station. I had to pack all over again to fit the shoes (I bought a pair for myself too ^_^;), but everything fit... but my suitcase was a little bit bulging LOL :) Then, we chatted a little more by the side of Cindy's pool... and it was time to go :( Kristie left to go home while Bob and Cindy drove me to the train station...

Overall, I had an amazing trip to Ontario and am really glad I went! Sure, I scored with the books... but more than that, I was glad to be able to hang out with Kristie and Cindy! I thought that was really the best... because last time, I only saw Cindy a couple of hours... This time, I really got time to know Kristie and Cindy better :) I loved those relax moments we had where we just chatted and gabbed! It was also great to meet Lea and Mary (we're trying to convince Mary to become a blogger :P) and discuss books with them :) One of the thing that stands out to me is when Mary said: "There are people like me outside! I'm normal!!" and seriously, that's the beauty of meeting bloggers and romance lovers! This feeling of companionship and understanding. LOL, the first question Kristie asked Lea and Mary when they sat down at our table in the restaurant was: "How many books do you have in your bag?" LOL :)

So yes, I can't wait to do this again!! and thank you from the bottom of my heart to Cindy and Kristie for having me over and Lea and Mary for making it to the meet!

Alrighty... aka Day 2 and Day 3

Saturday, June 13, 2009

All right, I haven't been online blogging as much as I think I would be, but Kristie and Cindy have been LOL :) So you can always go to their blogs and find out what we have been up to :) Otherwise, keep reading :)

Day 2 of my trip was a very gray and rainy day... First thing I did when I woke up was to sneak to the basement and shelve books LOL :) Kristie was still sleeping and I thought I'd at least finish what we started the day before. Then I went up and saw Kristie reading on the couch :D LOL, that is the great thing with Kristie. There's no awkward moments and when she can, she'll just whip out her book and start reading. Some people, you always have to be there and "entertain" them... but Kristie is fine if I do my own stuff for a little while.

So the plan for Day 2 was to go to the UBS, then grocery, then FutureShop to pick up Kristie's new toy (her laptop) and get back home to eat. Which we did :) I love going to the bookstores with other readers, because you can discuss books and suggest authors and so on. Kristie asked me a couple of times "Nath, do you read this author?" Yeah, I know... what you want to know is how many books I got... well 18 books for 80$ :) Not bad... and 1 of them is a book that I've been looking for A LONG TIME. Like everytime I go to a UBS in the past 2 years, I'll have to look for it - Calder's Rose by Kate Angell. I also got a Metsy Hingle book that I couldn't find anywhere else. Overall, I did good I think :) I'll compile the list of books I got though once I'm home... so you all will have to be a bit patient :)

Once we got home, we ate lunch - it was a very quick lunch, what with Kristie's new laptop taunting us!! Earlier that morning, I have set up the router and created a network and needed to find out if it worked. Then, there was also the wireless mouse...and guess what? It was all easy peachy!! (well, I thought the mouse was the trickiest thing! ^_^;;;)

We read a little, played with the laptop a little and after that we were off... to go see Star Trek again! :) I say again because it was the 2nd time for Kritie and the 3rd time for me. It's still a great movie, I really enjoyed it :) and since it was a matinee (3.40pm) presentation, it was cheap. Popcorn and drink was double the price of the ticket. Anyway, still love the movie! I really can't wait till the DVD comes out to watch the special features!!!

Once we were back home, we - well Kristie - prepared supper (steaks and baked potatoes, miam miam) and after that, it was time the result show of So You Think You Can Dance. We watched the show with Ames via webcam :) I know, we're dorks, but that way, it feels like she is with us :) Both Ames and Kristie were very disappointed to see Tony go, because they liked him. Ames called out Paris being kicked out. I still think the coverage of the top 20 this year has been unfair. They are many faces that are unknown to the public still because they were under the radar during the auditions. I wonder how that is going to work out.

I also showed Kristie how to upload pictures on her computer - hence the long overdue post on her kitchen :) and I played around a little with Kristie's blog template. I noticed that Kristie would often change the font and color of her post font and wondered why... Turns out she didn't like the default font and she wanted a different color than black. Well Kristie, let me help you out :) Then, Kristie called it a night because the evening before, she stayed up to watch the movie Let It Rain on TV and had gone to bed at 1am :)

I was so relieved that Day 3 turned out to be a gorgeous day! :) We didn't really have a plan yesterday... except getting to Cindy's house. So we laze a little bit in the morning, watching Kristie's cats play and read. Then, we head to the post office to send some books :) Yeah, I know, weird that I would send some books when I'm on vacation... but otherwise, I don't have time when I have to work. Afterwards we went to the mall next to Kristie's house. Did I say I love where Kristie lives? It's like 2 minutes away from the a main street and there's a huge mall as well as a Chapter, FutureShop and all those big stores. It's just great!! Anyway, we went to the mall so I could buy some stuff for my sister. See, in Quebec province, we don't have Bath and Body Works - so my sister wanted me to get her some shampoo (but no conditioner) if it was cheap. Before going to the mall, I noticed that Kristie got a coupon via email (20% off) so we spent 15-20 minutes trying to print it out! For some reason, Kristie's printer won't "feel" the paper and the ink might be dry ^_^; Luckily, Kristie bought a new printer when she got the laptop (it was only 30$) and it was already set up on the laptop... Anyway, long story short, I got the coupon and was really happy... then I got to the store and realized that the coupon was only valid in US stores. Right, it's useless for me then. So the lesson? Read the fine print, it will save you time! Anyway, it didn't matter really because it was the semi-annual sale so they had some great deals (well I guess, cos I don't really know the price of these stuff, so I'm assuming here). Problem is that I was overwhelm and had absolutely no idea what to get... so we had to find a pay phone so I could call my sister and ask her. We grabbed lunch and then, went back to Bath and Body Works. Seriously, even knowing was she wants, it was hard - which scent smelled the best, where was the stuff, what is the difference with these 2 soaps. Ugh. But at least, I got her some stuff, so she can't complain once I get home.

We quickly stopped by Future Shop to get a protective case for Kristie's new laptop. Ugh, couldn't find a 16'' though, so had to buy a 17". It's not too bad though, since the mouse fits in. Then, home again... Kristie packed and we had to get all the books that she was planning to get for the book exchange... and off we were to Cindy's.

The ride took one hour... but I only remember half of it ^_^; Yes, I'm really bad. If I'm not the one driving, then I can't keep my eyes open. Kristie made reallly good time and she remembered how to get to Cindy's house without any directions. Once we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by Cindy and Bob :) You know all of Cindy's pics of her house? All the work that Bob has done? Well it's even better when you see it with your own eyes :)

We chatted, caught up with each other. Went to a nice pub for supper. Quick dip into the pool - it's really a nice pool :) But the bugs were starting to show up :( Then, once we were back, Kristie showed off her new laptop and Ames was actually online so we had a video call and talked... for 3 HOURS! LOL, when we stopped, it was 1am! Definitively time for bed :P By the way, does anyone know how to have video calls with more than one person?

So there you have it :) Detailed summary of what we've been up to. What I need to do now is take more pictures :) I didn't take any of me and Kristie's so far... because, well who's going to take the picture? So now that our number has doubled (Bob), it's going to be picture time!! :)

So now, we're lazing around Cindy's house... waiting patiently for noon time when we'll meet up with Lea and Mary for the official Canadian Blogger Meet :) Can't wait!! :)