Seven years of blogging!!...

Hi everyone :)

Yes, I'm alive LOL. Still plagued by the blogging blues ^_^; However, today is a special day and blues or not, I had to put up a post... because it's my blogiversary! Yay! Hard to believe it, but I have been blogging for seven years! Seven!! Jeez, how time flies :P

There's definitively been ups and downs in the past seven years, but that's to be expected. That's life :) What blogging has brought to me - friendships, a sense of accomplishments, sharing my love of books - is invaluable and had made my life richer :) And that's why despite a miserable year, I'm not ready to give it up :) And I know what I need to do! Just stop complaining and plow through the blues! LOL.

Anyway, what I really want to say is thank you to everyone who is following my blog :) You're the one that made this such a big part of my life! Thanks!

Busy week!

Awwww, no review this week :( I'm going to try to write a few this week-end to make it up, but no guarantee ^_^; I really wanted to write a book review the whole week, but just didn't have the time and energy.

It all started last week-end with my sleep pattern being all messed up. I ended up going to bed very late on Friday night, waking up early and therefore napping during the day... which resulted in going to bed even later on Saturday night and repeat the whole process again. In addition, I worked on last Sunday so I could have Wednesday off to attend my sister's convocation day. So yeah, I was just out of juice by the time Monday rolled in... And then, yesterday was the annual event that promotes awareness for men's health. I've talked about this event a few times on this blog because I had to collect samples for our research. Last year was nice because while I did participate, I didn't have to collect... but this year, my new boss decided to do it and she sprung the news on me at the last minute. I was in charge because I had experience, so I had to plan everything out, make sure we had all the equipment and so on. It found it more stressful this year because I wasn't at work on Wednesday - the day before - for last minute preparation and also, because it was new people who would do the processing of the samples. Anyway, long story short, I again did survive. However, let just say that on Monday and Tuesday, I went to bed really early to recharge and store up energy for the event ^_^;

And last but not least, my sister graduated on Wednesday! Yay! This was her second bachelor, this time in administration. It's not every day you graduate so my sister wanted a nice outfit for the day... and so it was shopping time LOL. My sister had a specific idea of a dress in mind, but she couldn't find it. She then lowered her requirements to "dress with pockets" but that's not obvious to find either. In the end, she settled for a cute skirt with pockets... but she didn't have any top to go with it. Funny how when you don't look for something, it abounds in store, but as soon as you have an idea in your mind, you just can't find it! But in the end, she found her cute outfit :) And as usual, convocation turned out to be a nice family day :)

Congrats Emilie!

And so this is why I didn't review anything. Barely read as well! However, I definitively plan to catch up this week-end! What about you, how was your week?

Hauling Sunday CXIII

Hey everyone! how is your week-end going? Mine is rainy and a bit short. This Wednesday, my sister is graduating :) So in order to attend her graduation ceremony, I switched day and am working today. Ah well, it's for a good cause :)

It's hard to believe we're already in June, especially with the weather we've been having here in Montreal. This year, I find I've been a pretty good girl book-buying-wise and I realize my habits have changed. I pre-order a lot of books online nowadays: hardcovers and trades at Indigo online and paperbacks at Book Depository. I just save a lot of money that way and when you buy as much books as we do, it's good to be thrifty :) As a direct consequence though, it means that I don't go to the bookstore as often... at least, not to browse. Nowadays, it's more like a tactical hit: go in the store, locate the target, pick and buy it LOL. However, this week-end finally had the "Buy 3, get the 4th free" promotion that I've been waiting for all year and so, I went and had fun :) And this is what I got:

And because this week was the beginning of the month, I had some very nice goodies coming in the mail:

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Yep, this is quite the haul! :) It's been such a while since I had such a haul, let me tell you, it feels really good!! LOL.

So let see, some books I had already read, but bought to support the authors such as Once Tempted, Did You Miss Me?, The Chocolate Thief and The Chocolate Kiss. `Til Death and The Emperor's Clothes were on my list to buy whenever such a promotion would be available because I'm a huge fan of both Sharon Sala and Victoria Alexander and strive to have their entire work collections :) I remember seeing Homecoming by Lacey Baker when I was checking out new releases. It slipped my mind, but when I came across it, I decided to pick it up because of the cover and the blurb - looks like a cute book :) It's been a while since I last read Lori Foster, but I remember Bare it All got some good buzz, so decided to give it a try. That Night on Thistle Lane is another book that was kind of on my radar and decided to give a try... I picked up Geek Girl because I thought I should diversify a little my reads and was looking for a YA and this one is the one that caught my eyes :) Finally, the two Jim Butcher books I bought because my copies have a lot of wear and tear and since they're some of my favorites, I want pristine copies :)

As for the books I've received in the mail, well the fact that I pre-ordered them said it all right? :) Heart of Obsidian was a given and I love Ms Thomas' Harmony series :) Oh and I got a new copy of Almost Like Being in Love from my friend V because my original copy got a bit of damage due to water and the humid air of Punta Cana. I'll always have place of keepsafe copies of my favorite books :)

What about you? Got any new books this week?

Review: The Chocolate Rose by Laura Florand

Friday?! How did we get to be Friday already?! LOL. Initially, I was going to be smart and start this review during the week-end so I could post it earlier in the week - say Monday... but I got side-track by a certain Star Trek into the Darkness movie. No problem, Wednesday sounded good too... but there was the release of a certain Heart of Obsidian book that got in the way. But alas, I did it! My review of The Chocolate Rose! Enjoy!


The Chocolate Rose by Laura Florand
self-published in April 2013

Her father’s worst enemy...

Top chef Gabriel Delange never forgave his old nemesis Pierre Manon for all the other chef had cost him.

One stolen rose...

And he most certainly couldn’t stand the sight of his own most famous dessert, the legendary Rose, claimed as Pierre’s own on the cover of his new cookbook.

A substitute victim...

But even Gabriel could hardly go through with a lawsuit when he learned the older chef had just had a stroke. Especially not when Pierre had one very cute daughter willing to be Gabriel’s victim instead.

Jolie Manon...

As a child, Jo had seen her family torn apart by her top chef father’s obsession with his work. She had given years of her own adult life to trying to pull him out of depression, after he lost a star. Now a food writer, she might be fascinated with a chef’s work, but she knew how to guard her heart. She would never allow another chef into her life.

Unless he blackmailed her into it...

Welcome to the heat and sun of Provence, where jasmine and roses climb up old colored walls, where fountains play in ancient stone villages, and where even a beast can prove he is a prince at heart…

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: La Vie en Rose, Book #1/Amour et Chocolat (Paris Chocolatiers), Book #2.5

The Story: This being a self-published book, of course the blurb is accurate. However, it sounds a lot more mysterious and dramatic than the story really is. So here is my version of the blurb.

Our hero is Gabriel Delange, a chef pâtissier. In his youth, he was recruited by Pierre Manon to work at the Luxe so the restaurant could obtain a third Michelin star. Gabriel poured all his energy and worked tirelessly, creating fantastic desserts which gained the restaurant the coveted star. However, soon afterward, Pierre and Gabriel's relationship soured when Pierre failed to acknowledge Gabriel's contribution and Gabriel was fired. He returned to Provence where he opened his own restaurant and became the first chef pâtissier to win three stars on his own merits. And when Pierre Manon's cookbook was published using one of Gabriel's most prized creations - the chocolate Rose, Gabriel did what he had warned Pierre he'd do if the latter ever  appropriate Gabriel's work as his own again: he sued.

Our heroine is Jolie Manon, half-French/half-American and the daughter of Pierre Manon. After her parents' divorce, Jolie got to spend the summer with her father and often spent them in his restaurant's office. She always loved food and the bustle of the kitchen. Since she couldn't become a chef, she did the next best thing she could: she wrote about food. She's the one who wrote her father's cookbook, coaxing him out of his depression after he lost his star. Everything is poised for the promotion of the cookbook, but unfortunately, just before the release, Pierre suffered a stroke. Because her father is already in a precarious mood since he lost some of his dexterity due to the stroke, Jolie decides to handle the lawsuit by herself and the first step is to meet Gabriel.

At their first meeting, Gabriel is attracted to Jolie even before knowing her identity. After learning about Pierre's stroke and knowing that 1) he's actually suing Jolie and not Pierre and 2) there's no chance for him to win this case because a recipe cannot be patented, Gabriel agrees to drop the lawsuit. In exchange, he wants Jolie to write his cookbook which means that Jolie will be spending half the week in his company in Provence where he'll have the time to woo her.

Soon, Jolie finds herself shuttling between Paris and Nice, stuck in the middle of two men in her life... will she have the courage to follow her heart?

My Opinion: It's not a secret that I'm a huge fan of Ms Florand and has been ever since her first book, Blame it on Paris. As such, I was really excited when I found out about The Chocolate Rose, especially since the book was kind of unexpected :) In situations like this, self-published books by your favorite authors are really the best surprises LOL. However, as happy as I was about its release and as much as I love Ms Florand's books, I admit I do have mixed feelings about The Chocolate Rose...

In general, I did enjoy The Chocolate Rose. I love Ms Florand's writing style and The Chocolate Rose did not change that. In the past couple of years, cooking shows have become more popular and there seems to be this new awareness about chefs and cuisines... at least in North America. I myself have become a fan of Masterchef Australia and have learned more about international chefs. As such, I've been wanting to read more about chefs characters in romance books, but I found that few authors can pull it out and Ms Florand is one of them. When it comes to the intensity of the culinary world environment, nobody writes it like Ms Florand. The passion, work, dedication, sacrifice and competition are palpable. In Ms Florand's books, you're not simply reading it, you really can feel it how much hard work and how tough being a chef is, but the pride and joy it brings... and The Chocolate Rose is no exception. Also, when it comes to the romance, I feel that Ms Florand has really hit her stride at writing the sexual tension between the H/H. As a result, the romance is always very intense and it works for me :) So on the writing front, I'm happy as a clam LOL.

Where I had issues with The Chocolate Rose was mainly with the characters. As a whole, I actually quite liked Gabriel's character. I felt for him about not getting recognition after all that hard work and admired him for proving his worth to the world. I liked his expressiveness LOL. He definitively wasn't shy to express his opinions and he was also very honest :) Also, I thought his desire to have a girlfriend, to be in a relationship was funny. It was cute that he was jealous of Daniel for having found the woman of his life so young LOL. However at times, this desire of Gabriel to have a girlfriend seemed a bit too exaggerated, felt a bit too juvenile and is actually connected to my issue with Gabriel. So when Gabriel and Jolie first met, he wasn't aware that she was Pierre Manon's daughter. Instead, he thought she was his new employee and immediately put her to work. And then, after the lunch service, he fired her and right away, asked her out on a date. I know he fired her because she was not good enough to work in his kitchen, but the situation still made me quite uncomfortable. The scene was written in a way that it was supposed to be lighthearted and funny; however, it just bothered me. Had she been competent, would he still have fired her and asked her out? And then later, the whole bargain of dropping the lawsuit and her writing his cookbook so they could spend time together so he could convince her to go on a date with him. The whole thing just felt a bit too forced and didn't work for me. I also had some issues with Jolie. Unfortunately, I did not like her as much as I liked Gabriel mainly because of her personality. Oh, she wasn't a bad or anything. Actually, if you think about it, her character was quite realistic and believable. However, I just didn't connect with her. Jolie wasn't weak per se, but she was a bit too conciliatory, trying to please everyone and as a result, didn't seem to have a lot of self-confidence. And as much as I admired her for being there for her father, I really disliked the way she coddled him. Yes, he just recovered from a stroke, but her father is someone with very strong personality. What he needed to get out of his funk was tough love, not someone who would give in his every whim. I would have liked to see her stand up to him more, especially since at times, it was clear he was emotionally manipulating her. Another thing that bothered me as well was the mixed signals she kept sending to Gabriel. She was obviously attracted to him, but whenever Gabriel would ask her out or say/do something, she would get offended. I know she misunderstood his behavior a time or two, thinking he was treating her a bit too casually, but seriously, I didn't see where she got that impressions and as a result, I felt she was a tad too susceptible ^_^; Overall, it feels like Jolie didn't understand the two men in her life... Finally, my last issue with The Chocolate Rose was the timeline. I feel everything happened too quickly, that the timeline of the book was too short for Gabriel and Jolie to really get to know each other, especially with Gabriel who kept pushing for a relationship. I think the romance in The Chocolate Rose would have been better if Jolie had been a bit more self-assured and if the romance had more time to develop.

All in all, as I said, I did enjoy The Chocolate Rose, even if it was flawed :) In addition to everything I've written above, I also enjoyed the cameo appearance of Daniel and Léa Laurier, the H/H of Turning Up the Heat, although I can't help but wish they had a meatier role :P I also liked the change of setting, moving from Paris to Nice. Ms Florand didn't expand as much as she usually does on the setting, but already, you can see the difference as it seems cozier and more serene :) And I fully expect we will discover Nice and Provence more in the future books! Speaking of future books, if I'm not wrong, The Chocolate Rose is supposed to gap Ms Florand's Amour et Chocolat (which I named Paris Chocolatiers series) and La Vie en Rose series and I think it fulfill its role perfectly :) I hope we get to read Raphaël and Matt's books in the future! For now, I know that The Chocolate Touch is coming out in July and I can't wait! I read the excerpt that was at the end of The Chocolate Rose and already, I know we're in for another sweet and intense treat :) Ahhhh, so happy that Ms Florand is back writing romance books!

My Grade: C+.

Review: Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr

Yay, another review!! I think I'm really getting back into a rhythm :)

Today, I chose to review Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr because I know some of my blogger friends wanted my opinion before they decided whether or not to pick up this book. So I hope this review helps!

Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr
published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

In Viking times, Norse myths predicted the end of the world, an event called Ragnarok, that only the gods can stop. When this apocalypse happens, the gods must battle the monsters--wolves the size of the sun, serpents that span the seabeds, all bent on destroying the world.

The gods died a long time ago.

Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga, and god as if it was family history--because it is family history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, South Dakota, in fact, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt's classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke.

However, knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming and kids--led by Matt--will stand in for the gods in the final battle, he can hardly believe it. Matt, Laurie, and Fen's lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world.

Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series: The Blackwell Pages, Book #1

The Story: This one is a tough one to summarize ^_^; Matt Thorsen is a descendant of Thor and is therefore very familiar with every Norse myths and legends. However, they are the last of his concerns because he's too busy living up to his family standards - his father is the sheriff, his grandfather is the mayor and his two older brothers have set the bar very high as perfect students and athletes. However, when the rune readers reveal that Ragnarok is coming, it turns out that Matt is the one chosen as Thor's champion. Now, he has to follow the path of his ancestor if he wants to prevent the world from ending... His first step is to gather the other champions, starting with Fen... which won't be an easy feat as Fen really dislikes Matt.

 If the Thorsens are the perfect families, the Brekkes are like the other side of the track - the wrong one. The Thorsens believe to be the only ones who have retained the knowledge of their ancestors, but they are in for a surprise. Fen Brekke is a descendant of Loki and has the ability to shapeshift into a wolf. As one who has present with power, Fen has three choices: to join the wulfenkind - a gang made up of Loki's descendants, to pay his dues or to become a lone wolf which means never staying in one place long. Fen really hopes that his cousin Laurie will also develop powers so they can join Laurie's father as lone wolves. For now though, it's time for him to pay his dues and for some reason, the wulfenkind wants an old shield... and Matt Thorsen.

My Opinion: If I remember correctly, I first heard about Loki's Wolves at the RT conference in 2010.  Wow, that is a while ago ^_^; It was during a YA panel and immediately, I put it on my radar. This book is a collaboration between Kelley Armstrong (squee!) and Melissa Marr. Initially, I think the plan was for each author to write one of the protagonists' POV, but I can't remember which ^_^; My best guess would be Thor for Ms Armstrong and Loki for Ms Marr. In any case, the plan must have changed along the way because we ended having a third POV, Laurie, or perhaps they wrote that part together? Anyway, fast forward 3 years and I pre-ordered Loki's Wolves because I'm a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong :) I was excited that Ms Armstrong was having a new series which seemed different from her Women of the Otherworld series... but unfortunately, as it turns out, not refreshing and unique enough to stand out from other YA books with similar concepts, which in the end, was the downfall of Loki's Wolves :(

As a whole, I thought Loki's Wolves was not a bad read. However, when you have a story about kids having powers, being related to Gods, and having to fulfill prophecies that are legends - well you are not going to escape comparison with Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series... and the truth is, Mr. Riordan's series is better. As a result, "not being bad" gets bumped down a few more notches ^_^; In its favor, Loki's Wolves has good writing, good incorporation of the Norse mythology and some good dynamics. But all this is outweighed by so-so storyline and characters ^_^;

Let's start with the good elements. Ms Armstrong and Ms Marr are two very popular YA authors and writing-wise, they did not disappoint in Loki's Wolves. I think they did a good job at meshing their styles and voices as Loki's Wolves flow really well. They also did a good job at integrating the Norse mythology in the story. Let's be frank, Norse mythology is not as popular as Greek or Egyptian ones and my knowledge of it basically comes from the Thor movie ^_^; However, I didn't feel lost while reading Loki's Wolves and I don't feel my lack of knowledge affected my enjoyment of the book :) Also, I enjoyed the different dynamics between the characters. Fen and Laurie are cousins and are very close, a brother-sister's relationship where Fen looks out for Laurie and Laurie trying to show she can stand her own. I thought it was very sweet and seriously, given Fen's background, I was so happy that he had someone he could lean on. Fen and Matt's relationship was also an interesting one in the sense that you have two guys who aren't friends, but have to cooperate with each other and are kind of vying for the leadership position. It'll be interesting to see how this develop and how it will turn out. For now, there is a truce between the two boys... but Thor and Loki's relationship is never far in their mind.

As I mentioned above, for me, the weaknesses of Loki's Wolves were the storyline and the characters because they failed to engage me, to hook me in. A large part of the book was dedicated to the world building which was necessary of course, but the rest of the story was one-dimensional. I felt like the characters were just going through the motion... They were running around with no inkling of what to do and still managed to stumble across the other champions. The storyline was simply too straightforward and lacked subtleties and hints for what is to come. In addition, the book is meant to be for middle graders and I think it was reflected in the action sequences. As for the characters, I thought they were well developed, each of them having an interesting background and his own issues. Matt is the son of the sheriff with two older brothers that excelled at everything so he feels the pressure. He's already the youngest and the smallest, he's not about to be the disappointment as well. Fen on the other hand has a big chip on the shoulder, he's sullen and never backing down from a fight. He's been shuffled from one relative to another and lacked familial stability. And so, when you bring them together, you have the golden boy and the bad boy butting heads. And then, you have Laurie in the middle who doesn't really know what is happening and is discovering the truth along the book. I thought the characters were likable and well developed... but for me, they lacked the charisma to pull me in, to make me root for them unconditionally.

Before I wrap this review, I want to mention the illustrations in Loki's Wolves. I was quite surprised at them because I did not expect them at all. They are a fun addition to the book although I think they do reinforce the the middle grade feeling of the book. They were like the rest of the book, very straightforward and the style of it was pleasant. I have to admit though I much prefer the cover style and I wonder why they had two different artists. I mean, if you knew they were going to be illustrations in the book, why not offer that person to do the cover? Because the cover is the first image you have from the book and is the one that sticks with you and suddenly, you see the illustrations inside and they don't have the same imagery... Oh well, that's just me being picky ^_^;

Overall, as I said, Loki's Wolves was not a bad book... it simply probably wasn't for me. It's clear the target audience was a younger crowd (middle graders) and they might enjoy it a lot more. As an adult, I just feel the story is too straightforward, simple and serious to be fully engaged. In addition, I'm a huge fan of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and so, perhaps I'm biased. At this point, the only reason I'd pick up Odin's Ravens would be that I'm a big fan of Ms Armstrong.

My Grade: C-.

Review: Written in Red by Anne Bishop

OMG, a review!! Yay!! Finally! I'm also particularly happy because Written in Red is a book I've been wanting to review ever since I read it, because I wanted to share its awesomeness with you all! Hope you enjoy it :)


Written in Red by Anne Bishop
published by New American Library (ROC) in March 2013

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Others, Book #1

The Story: In this world, among the humans and the others, there is a special race of female humans called cassandra sangue or more commonly known as blood prophet. Whenever their skin is cut, they see the future, prophecies. They are rumored to live in special place away from the population for their own safety and pampered, but in truth, they are raised in a compound with no control whatsoever of their life and their ability is sold to the highest bidders.

When cs759 escapes from the compound, she takes the name of Meg Corbyn. Knowing that the Controller won't let her go that easily, she takes refuge in the Lakeside Courtyard, a business district operated by the Others where human laws do not apply, as their human liaison. Her job consists of receiving deliveries, sorting and delivering the mail and packages. For the first time in her life, Meg is free to live how she wants and she's avid to discover life.

Simon Wolfgard is the leader of the Others in the Lakeside Courtyard. He's confused and intrigued by Meg because while human, she doesn't smell like prey. One thing he does know is that she quickly becomes an integral part of the Courtyard, befriending everyone with her special attentions, especially Mr. Erebus - the patriarch of the Sanguinati (read vampires) - and Simon's nephew Sam. As such, whoever wants to harm Meg will have to face the Others.

My Opinion: Written in Red has been on my radar since I've found out about it, but I had my doubts at first. I enjoyed Ms Bishop's Black Jewels series, but some of her other books/series, not as much. However, after seeing all the positive feedback that Written in Red received, I decided to pick it up and I am so glad I did! Because I looooove Written in Red and have already re-read it three times since March!! LOL, I guess that says it all, right? :)

Written in Red excelled on all levels: the writing, the characters, the plot and the world building. However, what stood out the most for was the world building because it felt like it was the purpose of this book. I loved that there was no information dump and instead, Ms Bishop chose to show the readers how things were and worked. Written in Red was all about the little community that is Lakeside Courtyard and the interactions, dynamics, inter-plays of the different Others with the humans, between each other and with Meg. Oh, I'm sure there's much more to this new world Ms Bishop has built, but for now, I feel I had a good grasp and I'm satisfied. And the bonus was that I really enjoyed seeing the day-to-day events and how Meg became part of the Lakeside Courtyard :) I also loved the cast of secondary characters that Ms Bishop introduced in Written in Red and I find they are an integral part of the world building :P

While the storyline did take a back-seat to the world building, I still found it quite interesting and thrilling because the threat of the Controller was constant. Meg knew he would never let her go and readers also came to that understanding when we learn how accurate and sensitive Meg was. I liked that Meg didn't let her guard down, that she was always aware of her surrounding and what was going on, but at the same time, it didn't stop her from enjoying life. And I have to say, it was chilling to see the Controller's reach and to what extent he'd go to get Meg back. I really commend Ms Bishop for doing such a good job weaving the intrigue into the world building so seamlessly and also putting things in place for the future storylines. My only complaint about the storyline in Written in Red is that the pacing was a bit slow with the bulk of the action all happening at the end, and that's very minor considering everything.

I read a review somewhere about Written in Red in which the reviewer stated that this book seemed to be a bit of a departure from Ms Bishop's usual style. I personally don't agree. It is true that Written in Red is not outright dark and I was grateful for that. I enjoyed all the funny, light-hearted moments and I felt it was refreshing, different from the sarcastic and cynical humor that readers are accustomed to with urban fantasy kick-ass heroines. But really, there is an underlying darkness to Written in Red: the real truth about the blood prophets, their cuttings and the nature of the Others in general, their disregard for humans and so on. It is subtle, but it is there. Also, the focus on Lakeside Courtyard and the pace in Written in Red reminded me a lot of Shadalor's Lady, which is one of my favorite Black Jewels books :)

Finally, my favorite part of the book was Meg's relationships with Sam and Simon. I liked Meg's character a lot. She was a great blend of determination, rightness, sweetness and innocence. Her personality and her desires to belong are what won her the respect and friendship of the Others in the Lakeside Courtyard and I feel she deserved it. Meg's friendship with Sam was just so sweet, the two of them discovering the world, opening themselves. I also think Meg not knowing Sam prior to his mother's death helped, it was like starting anew. As for Meg and Simon's friendship, I definitively hope it will lead to more :P

My Grade: A. There's no doubt in mind that Written in Red will be in my Top 3 favorite UF books at the end of the year :) It was such a great start to a new series full of potential, but more importantly, it was a fun and enjoyable read :) I just can't wait to see where Ms Bishop will lead us next and I hope to find out more about the blood prophets soon! :)

Hauling Sunday CXII

Hi everyone!

How's your week been? Mine has been okay. I still haven't gotten back into a rhythm or found my mojo yet, sigh. And the weather is just not helping. It's been cold and rainy the whole week, but particularly this week-end. Brrrr, simply didn't feel like doing anything. I just wanted to stay in bed and get warm with a book which is pretty much what I've done LOL. The good news is that I did catch up on my reading a little bit. May won't be totally catastrophic :P

It has been a really quiet week release-wise as well. I actually didn't think I'd have a post, but this came in the mail on Friday. Have to love pre-orders and early releases :P

It came just in time because I was between books and didn't have to think too hard what to read this week-end :P Fans of the Jane Jameson series by Ms Harper, you'll want to get A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses :P

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I was sorting through some of the pictures of the trip this week-end and I thought I'd share these with you :) Guess what they have in common? :P